| Remembering our Dearly Departed |
| Auntie Adeline Stasi First Crone in The Sacred Circle January 12, 1908 - Halloween Day, 1997 |
| Vivian Heeschen Cherished Wisewoman & Mentor April 1, 1920 - August 23, 1992 |
| Julyette Moreno Beloved Maiden in The Sacred Circle March 23, 1971 - Summer of 2006 |
| Shekhinah Mountainwater Beloved Crone in The Sacred Circle October 24, 1939- August 11, 2007 |
| " From me all things have come, and unto me all must return..." |
Samhain We miss you most at Samhain, when the boundary turns to sheer, when at last the veil is parted at the closing of the year... When the space between the worlds makes it easy to appear letting mystic magic happen bringing memories near & dear... O Sweet spirits, walk among us, Be our guests this Hallows Eve, Let us see your face at twilight, as your spirits ride the breeze... From the glowing of the candles, to the shadows on the wall, Let us sense your every movement, even hear you if you call... When the crystal balls are glowing, may your fragrance fill the room, in a mist of flowing essence, under silver stars & moon, Please come in & stay awhile as the portal opens wide, for we bid a humble welcome, and we pray you will abide... If we feel your loving presence in the stillness of the air, We will reach out to your spirit for a sacred moment shared... For we miss you most at Samhain, When the boundary turns to sheer, So let's cherish time together then farewell until next year... Silverwitch Inspired from the poem by D.O. Morris |
HALLOWEEN Halloween is the familiar name for this Holy Day but it's also been called... All Hallows Eve, Shadowfest, Day of the Dead, Samhain or Witch's New Year. This last cross quarter sabbat is celebrated on October 31st... though some say its true date is when the sun enters 15 degrees in the fixed water sign of Scorpio ... marking the end of the yearly cycle & mirroring a time of death, transformation and transition into the invisible realms on the sacred wheel. This is when darkness cloaks the Earth; when the remaining seeds from the Fall harvest now lie dormant in the belly of the Goddess. In the metaphors of pagan mystery traditions, the sun god now resides in the underworld as Lord of Shadows and the Goddess becomes the Crone of Winter... resting in peace and waiting for the time of Yule... when the returning sun light brings the promised child of hope & renewal. In some myths, the Goddess makes a descent to the underworld at this time, to dance and play with the Lord of Shadows. This union results in the birth of the Promised Sun Child, light of the world born at the Winter Solstice or Yule. All is dark and quiet during this time, for we must embrace the darkness just as we do the light. This sabbat mirrors the hidden passage to immortality, the labyrinth of the underworld, the mystical bridge that leads from realms of visibility to the world beyond... from death to rebirth. The veil between the worlds is thin now... bringing us closer to the Spirits on the "other side"... ones that have crossed over to the unseen world, that once walked among us in this realm, the visible world of manifestation and life in the flesh. In Women's Traditions, as in many pagan traditions, Halloween mirrors the mystery of death and immortality... a time when we leave our bodies in the dark tomb of the Earth Goddess to enter the silent passage of invisibility as pure spirit essence or consciousness. It is a time when the Goddess dreams & prepares for rebirth and renewal. It reflects a time of endings and beginnings and visa versa... because we cannot have one without the other. It is the mystical gate to immortality as well as the passage back to mortality. This is also a time to honor our dearly departed ones and ancestors.... Halloween is still widely celebrated the pagan way. Trick or Treat is an ancient custom, for our ancestors believed that children showing up on our doorsteps were long lost relatives that had finally returned to the land of the living, so were given treats accordingly. Rituals on Halloween are deep & contemplative as well as festive. They can involve trance journeys, scrying; deep divinations, seances and stories told about the past. It is a time to remember our ancestors, to celebrate endings, death, transitions and transformation, to remember our dearly departed loved ones and most of all, to dance the double spiral and celebrate our gift of life in the flesh... knowing someday, we too will make that final transition into the unknown. Blessed Be... |
| Linda Crumb Itanen Beloved Sister in The Sacred Circle February 20, 1962 - December 14, 2008 |
| Rev. Tirza Ericson Beloved Sister in The Sacred Circle December 10, 1951 - April 9, 2009 |
Dorothy Moreno Beloved Crone in The Sacred Circle November 2, 1914 - September 20, 2009 Auntie Dorothy was the last living matriarch in JoAnna's paternal lineage, & a contributing member of the Circle. Her life was devoted to motherhood, cooking, nursing, teaching, church & the blessed virgin-mother, Mary. She passed away peacefully as the sun was rising on September 20, 2009. She is survived by her two daughters Nickie Moreno & Marilyn McCarthy. Dorothy would have been 95 years old on All Souls Day in November, 2009 |
When I Die When I die, give my body to the wimmin, They'll know what to do. They'll know how to hold it And lovingly wash it And bless it with herbs & oil. They'll know how to wrap it In simple woven cloth And lay it to rest. They'll know how to drum out a beat And chant low & throaty And let it grow & growl & keen. They'll know how to dance me & sing me And laugh me into Her arms And how to celebrate who I was. They Know how to lay me in a shallow grave And cover me with leaves And trace an ochre spiral on my brow. They'll know how to call the slugs And worms to feast on my flesh And return this which was only borrowed. When I die... Give my body to the wimmin. They'll know what to do. Rosie Johnson |
| Kim Wood Beloved Sister in The Sacred Circle March 1987 - July 18, 2010 |
| Linda Roberson Beloved Crone in The Sacred Circle September 23, 1945 - August 7, 2010 |
Eleanor Sulli JoAnna's Beloved Mother September 10, 1922 - October 5, 2010 Beloved Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, Wife, Aunt & Friend, JoAnna's mother Eleanor was the heart and soul of the Sulli Family with a deep faith in the Blessed Mother, Mary. She was a full time homemaker most of her life and loved taking care of children, cooking, dancing, singing, playing the piano and visiting with others. She lost her husband of 57 years in 2001 and was 88 years old when she passed. She will be deeply missed by her family and friends alike. |
| Jen Furlong Beloved Sister in The Sacred Circle July 31, 1954 - March 23, 2011 |
| Thomas D. Ells Beloved Soul-Mate, .Brother, Father & Friend January 5, 1947 - May 2, 2011 |
