Bring Rituals outside!

Here's two fine essays at WitchVox that I liked, both concerning the importance of Nature in Neo-Paganism:

Finding Ritual Space in the Wild by Juniper

...Many Pagans, especially those who follow a strongly Nature oriented path often enjoy practicing their rituals, meditations and spellwork outdoors.Celebrating rituals outside is growing in popularity...

That's so true. Our church is the outdoors, our cathedrals the Vault of Heaven.

...Sometimes however, we feel the urge to get outside that comfort zone and head out into the more wild places on Earth...

Juniper next proceeds to give us some basic advice about conducting outdoor rituals. She offers some great advice, as the trickster deities always seem to enjoy sending city Pagans into the biggest patch of poison ivy imaginable! Heh. She points out something that has tripped-up many outdoor newbies--cell phones often don't work in remote areas. In other words, they can't be counted on for help if you get lost in the wilderness.

...Make sure someone knows where you are going to be if you are heading into the bush or wild. Make sure they know when you expect to be back...

Survival books are packed with tales of those who neglected that simple caution. Always tell someone from home about your plans, even if you are just going on a short hike. Most importantly, tell them when you expect to be back. That way, someone will an idea where you are if you go missing.

...Head home well before dark. Do not travel through the wild places on Earth at night alone unless you are an experienced outdoorsman...

The darkness factor has played a roll in many wilderness disasters. What's most dangerous is the combination of starting late and underestimation of the round trip time. People wind up stranded in the dark half way through their trip.

The next article is Pagans and Environmental Issues: Can We Save the World? by Lady Abigail.

...I fear the Mother Goddess cries and weeps for all life on the planet. Her heart is broken from our lack of care. She wails in pain as Her heart is distorted and the seas swell. Her once mighty glaciers of ice melt and shatter into the oceans and life, as we know it, is changed forever. We don’t even respect Her enough to see Her cry...If we, each one of us -- one at a time -- stand together, we are a force for nature. Alone but a part of the masses; possibly we can show how much we truly honor the Goddess of Earth. Perhaps it is time we step up and take care of Her...

Wicca is an Earth-based religion, as Lady Abigail reminds us. Her essay gives us some useful suggestions and practicing to help us tread lightly on our Planet.