In “Sacred Springs, Part 1,” I described my first visit to Barton Springs, the most famous limestone springs in Austin, and explored the role that Barton and other major Edwards Aquifer springs play in indigenous spirituality. But there are many other artesian springs along Austin-area limestone creeks, including a small, unnamed spring just a mile from my home, near the headwaters of Walnut Creek in Northwest Austin. Last summer I spent time there grounded and centered, with senses wide open.
Read MoreAs the famous jazz musician John Coltrane said, “All a musician can do is get closer to the sources of nature, and so feel that he is in communion with the natural laws”. Drumming, like any practice, may not be for everyone, but it is this very real and very natural enhanced perception that makes drumming a potential source of spiritual transformation.
Read MoreIn the Northern Hemisphere, May 1st time is traditionally celebrated in the Neo-Pagan Wheel of the Year as Beltane. The name derives from the Irish Gaelic Bealtaine or the Scottish Gaelic Bealtuinn for “Bel-fire”. Beltane is reputed as a day of unabashed sexuality, visible in the phallic symbolism of dancing round the Maypole.
Read MoreWhatever comes from Nature is of Nature, no matter its form or its location. Nothing is separate from Nature. The ritual here helps to ensure that our connections within Nature are harmonious and encourage life, instead of ignoring the workings of Nature and inadvertently cause disharmony.
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