Because Earth Day was on a Sunday this year, we were able to celebrate it in our regular dancing time of 6-8PM. This year, as sometimes happens, I was inspired to create a very rich centerpiece with many parts. Usually taking pictures doesn’t work, because there are so many details, but my friend Judy Brubaker had her excellent camera and took a lot of photos. I’m so glad to have them!
The base was an oval metal tray about two feet long. Our friend John had brought it, full of crystals that he had gathered, when we did a clearing ceremony for Neskaya. We used a lot of the crystals, putting them all around the building. John told us we could keep what was left. In the center I cleared a patch, filled it with dark rich dirt, and put a pottery vase in the shape of an elephant in the center. In the vase are some willow branches with catkins, and shad branches with flowers just opening.
In the center I also put candles and some patches of moss. Around the outside were rocks, crystals, and a lot of animals. Starting from the bowl of moss in the lower center, going to the right, are Elephant, Orangutan, Eagle —Eagle is on top of a rock that asked to be brought home with me from Swinside Circle in Cumbria— and also marks the East. Then Leopard, Baby Orangutan, Chickadee and Polar Bear cub. The group of white stones are well worn pieces of limestone from Iona, and indicate the North. Beyond them are a small white Rabbit, a Lioness, and a large brown Rabbit. Then comes Gaia, a beautiful green statue, holding the earth as her pregnant belly, the sun and moon for breasts, and if you could look closely you would see all sorts of creatures in her hair and on her body.
Beyond Gaia are Giraffe, Hippo, Dolphin and Whale. The swimming ones are on a rock pointing West. Beyond them are Moose, Black Bear, Baby Giraffe, Tiger, Frog, Penguin. Marking the South is a ball of Hematite, a very grounding mineral, and a fluorite crystal. The last two animals are a second Penguin, and another Elephant.
Around this centerpiece we did Root Dance, Gaia, Blessings of the Animals (which is not blessing the animals but asking for their blessings), Tread Gently on the Earth, Enchanted Land, Forest Veil, Back to the Earth, and we ended with Peace on the Earth. It was a lovely evening.