Tips for Living Wicca: Attune with the Cycles of the Earth (part 9 of '13 Goals of a Witch)

Continuing with this series of Scott Cunningham's '13 Goals of a Witch':

IX: Attune with the Cycles of the Earth

Ah, yes... the endless cycle of life. The cycle of the seasons. The cycles of life and death. 

Have you ever noticed that the cycles of our lives are mirrored in the cycles of the Earth? 

In the winter the Earth is entombed by the cold and ice, and the seeds lie dormant beneath the ground, just as we slumber within our mother's womb. We are born, we are sheltered and nurtured, awaiting our true awakening.

Just as the buds form on the bough and the small animals begin to creep out of their burrows, we begin moving and reaching and exploring and growing. As the land becomes fertile, we reach puberty and experience the stirrings within ourselves for love and life. We 'sow our seeds' to plan for the future and make preparations. 

Summer is a time of growth and abundance, where the Earth produces, just as in our lives we enter that part of our lives as adults when we are focused on producing a career and a family. All of our past dreams and plans begin to come to fruition (or sadly, die on the vine). 

Autumn is the twilight of the year, just as it is the twilight of our lives. Our 'fruits' have been plucked-- our children have fled the coop, we're ready to retire and relax and enjoy the bounty of our labor. The days grow shorter and shorter, just as our days seem to go by faster and faster, bringing us to that inevitable season of rest. 

And Winter comes, we return to the Earth much like those seeds and animals and other living things. But the tomb is a womb, and we await rebirth. 

A lot of people feel a void these days-- like an emptiness, like something is missing no matter how much wealth they have or how happy they are with their family. That void is, I believe, that connection to nature. When people fall out of synch with the Earth's natural rhythms it's like being a helium balloon that's lost it's tether and is floating aimlessly through space. It's so easy to forget, when our feet are planted on concrete and we sleep under a tarred roof at night and do our work under artificial lights, and it gives us a feeling of unease. 

When you begin attuning with the Earth's cycles, you begin to feel grounded again, you begin to feel connected again. It's all pretty awesome to remember that we are not IN nature... we are OF nature.


My Tip for You Today: Get in tune with the Earth's cycles. 

There's a lot of great ways to do this. One sure-fire way is to begin observing the Sabbats. If like I do you live in a part of the world where the traditional Wheel of the Year does not match up with your own agricultural cycle, tweak it.

Gardening is another great way to do this... watching the plants rise and fall puts you in harmony with the local cycles. Even if you just grow a few herbs in pots, you'll begin to see the connections and notice the subtle changes in the light and air as time passes. 

If you can't garden, make it a point to get out in nature-- monthly hikes through a nature preserve, or seasonal camping trips. Even just taking a walk through your own neighborhood once a week-- be observant, open your awareness to what's around you. 

Begin getting into routines-- spring cleaning, autumn repairs. Stock up the pantry for the winter, open the windows and let yourself get lazy for the summer. 

Are you in tune with the cycles?