From our inbox to you, From Patti Wigginton on: Handfasting

SGC Admin: Yep it`s getting to that time of the year when it`s most popular for “tying the knot`… If you have ever wondered what goes into the Pagan celebration of hand-fasting (or getting married) check out Patti`s article below… :) 

Hands tied with ribbon at wedding hand fasting ceremony Stock Photo - 3337510

Handfasting Season is Here!
Looking for information on how to hold a Pagan handfasting ceremony? Here’s where we’ve got it all covered, from the origins of handfastings to jumping the broom to selecting your cake! Also, be sure to learn about magical handfasting favors to give your guests, how to make sure you’ll have a magical ceremony, and who can actually perform your handfasting!

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Patti Wigington
Paganism/Wicca Expert
Handfasting History: An Old Tradition Made New  
Handfasting was common centuries ago in the British Isles, and then vanished for a while. Now, however, it’s seeing a rising popularity among Pagan couples who are interested in tying the knot. Many Pagan couples choose to have a handfasting ritual instead of a traditional wedding ceremony. READ NOW
Handfasting Tips: How to Have a Magical Ceremony  
Spring is here, and love is in the air! For many people of Pagan faiths, this is the time of year for a handfasting ceremony. If you’re lucky enough to have someone you love this much, there are a few things you may want to keep in mind while planning your handfasting ceremony. READ NOW
Handfasting Favors: Magical Gifts for Your Guests  
t’s become traditional to give each of your guests a small wedding favor. Typically, these are small trinkets with either the date of the event or the couples’ names on them. However, if you’re having a Pagan or Wiccan handfasting, rather than a traditional wedding ceremony, why not come up with an idea that celebrates your spiritual path, as well as announcing your commitment to the community? READ NOW
Who Can Perform a Handfasting?  
Handfastings are becoming more and more popular, as Pagan and Wiccan couples are seeing that there is indeed an alternative for non-Christians who want more than just a courthouse wedding. A common question among Pagans is that of who can actually perform the handfasting ceremony itself? READ NOW
More About Handfasting  
Wondering about jumping the broom, handfasting bonfire safety, deities of marriage, and how to choose the perfect cake? We’ve got it all here, including a sample ceremony template that you can use!

How to Choose Your Handfasting Cake
Jumping the Broom: A Besom Wedding
Handfasting Bonfires: What You Need to Know
Deities of Marriage and Love

Sample Handfasting Ceremony Template
Handfasting Basket (Thirteen Blessings)

READ NOW

 

About Paganism/Wicca 

Free Spay/Neuter for feral cats:

A group of feral cats huddled together to keep warm, near the wall of an old abandoned home . Taken during -28C weather. Stock Photo - 26144060
http://www.123rf.com: Copyright : Brenda Carson

 

  • Who can take advantage of this offer: Colony caretakers of Feral cats in Durham Region
  • Who are Colony Caretakers: These are the good-hearted and kind folk who take time out to humanely capture feral cats and have them spayed or neutered… After which they are released back into their colony. The cats get to live out their life naturally, without adding to the growing population. 
  • Where to go to find out morehttp://www.torontohumanesociety.com/what-we-do/trap-neuter-return

source: Whitby This Week: April 14 2016 Edtion: Kristen’s Kritters: kcalis@durhamregion.com

Cat Town Rescue… Adoptathon and Fundraiser: April 15 to 17 2016

 

Give the cat lover in your family a funny gift. They will love it! Stock Vector - 45057700
http://www.123rf.com: Copyright : greatnotions

 

  • Event: Adoptathon & Fundraiser

  • Who: Cat Town Rescue

  • Date(s): Friday April 15, Saturday April 16 and Sunday April 17 

  • Time(s): Friday 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm: Saturday 9:00 am to 9:00 pm:                      Sunday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

  • Location: Brooklin Pet Value, 5949 Baldwin St. S.. 

  • Includes: Bake Sale, raffle and $12:00 nail trims

  • For More Information: Email cattowninfo@gmail.com

 

Source: Whitby This Week, April 14 2016 Edition: kristen’s Kritters: kcalis@durhamregion.com

 

From out inbox to you from DailyOm on: “Visiting Sacred Sites“

Visiting Sacred Sites
The Spirit of a Place

Stone Hedge - England Stock Photo - 182524
http://www.123rf.com: Copyright : Keith Levit

by Madisyn Taylor

 

Visiting a sacred site can be a useful tool to open something within you that has remained inaccessible.

From time immemorial, the hands of men and women have built sites guided by both the earth’s life force and benevolent beings of light. It is because of this guidance that the sites we deem sacred have long served as repositories of wisdom, energy, and illumination that can be accessed by all. The needs that inspire seekers to converge upon sites known to be sacred vary by individual. Some crave spiritual fulfillment above all else, while others hope to draw upon a site’s energy for the purpose of enlightenment, healing, or deep meditation, awareness and knowledge of information long gone.

Sacred sites can appear insignificant to those who close themselves off from the notion of a living earth. But sites can provide us with a link to a unified consciousness that involves the living and the dead, infinite cultures, the physical plane, and the spiritual world. When we look beyond well-known sites like Stonehenge, we discover energetically active sites such as the Iron Age fogou caves of Cornwall, England, or the pyramids of Meroe in the Sudan. Similarly, it is easy to imagine that hallowed places exist only in remote or exotic locales. Yet many of the most richly vital sites are easily accessible, and visiting these lesser-known sites can be a profoundly moving experience. One such site, Serpent Mound in Ohio, was thought to be created by the ancient Adena peoples nearly 1,000 years ago to align with the summer and winter solstices. Its precise purpose remains unclear, but many who visit the site conclude that it was meant to be a conduit through which cosmic en! ergy could flow into the earth.

The sacred sites that call to you from afar—capturing your imagination and resonating deep within your soul—will nearly always be those that can help you forge a deeper connection with the divine energy that sustains all life. During your pilgrimage, reaffirm your intention to accept whatever gifts are conveyed to you through the sites you visit. Your receptiveness will help you establish lasting relationships with these sites so that you can draw upon their peace and their power from wherever you are.

From our inbox to you from: EarthSky News “Giant sunspot turns towards Earth“

SGC Admin: For all you budding astronomers out there… :)

A vector illustration of a young boy looking at stars in the sky using a telescope Stock Vector - 11973405
http://www.123rf.com: Copyright: Atristicco LLC

 

Giant sunspot turns toward Earth
Sun-watchers have had their eye on giant sunspot AR2529. Check out these photos from the EarthSky community. Aurora alert for April 13!
Kepler is OK! Spacecraft recovered from emergency
Kepler mission engineers still aren’t sure why the planet-hunting spacecraft went into Emergency Mode last week.
Leo? Here’s your constellation
Late March, April and May are good months for identifying Leo the Lion. How to spot it, its history, and the telescopic wonders in this region of the sky.
Tonight … Moon near Gemini stars
Tonight’s moon is approaching stars Castor and Pollux in the constellation Gemini the Twins. Pollux is brighter and golden in color. Castor is pure white.
Yes, we still have lunar calendars
Beautiful wall poster gives you moon phases for 2016.