Mabh Savage
Words and the world passing by; how it sings to me; how I clamour back.
A Modern Celt: Book Launch! Online so you don’t have to leave the house…
Please join me for an online discussion/debate/ramble in celebration of my first book being published. The book covers the influence of Celts on modern society through Pagan and non Pagan eyes, and through experiences both spiritual and mundane. I’d like people to get involved this Friday night by asking me questions, putting tasks to me, asking me to write for them or to research something; my pen is in your hands! Message me here by leaving a comment, or on twitter @Mabherick or at http://mabhsavage.tumblr.com or on my facebook page which you can find via the event link (click on the photo). 8pm, Friday 27th September 2013. Grab a glass and get typing!
Rising in the Fall…
Taken while on Equinox Camp with amazing friends. The sun shone hot and I had to steal an Americanism for my title, simply because of how high I felt; how drunk on happiness and calm and balmy contentment; how warm and exquisite and worldly. We ate well; we talked; we foraged. And in the absence of formal ritual I used acorns, beech nuts and feathers to build a makeshift altar (on top of my car) simply to celebrate the unique balance; the joyous pause; the twilight of the year.
Future Learn
This is the best idea I have seen for a long time. Courses designed and run by universities, which are totally free. Learning from the top minds in the country and no course fees, no attendance; simply log in on your pc, phone or tablet. Join discussions. Debate. Enjoy! This is what learning should be like in a modern age; in a time when we all have to work or parent or do things that don’t allow for a fine routine for anything else in our lives.
I have just signed up for forensic sciences, java programming, natural resources and the Higgs Bosun particle physics course. The max time that this will take up a week is 5 hours; I can do this on my lunch breaks! I am so excited.
This is a totally new project so I’ll keep you all updated on the course content and if the structure actually works; currently my excitement is outweighing any cynicism, but my mind is open!
Watch this space…
Broken Blue
Mornings like this are the epitome of autumn for me. A magical mix that should be distressing but in its balance becomes quite beautiful. Sunshine beaming in the blue beneath heavy lids of looming cloud; birds soaring gleefully then buffeted by the random raucous winds that scuffle across the sky; almost frost that dots the bins and cars but doesn’t yet bother the tomatoes fattening hungrily under the last of Helios’ touch; early mornings in the light and the cool, a memory of summer and a warning of winter. Have a beautiful autumn day, and find balance in the things you put into it.
Eating up the Equinox
I feel like this year’s autumnal equinox has crept up on me. I’ve been a bit poorly, and off work, and struggling to write, and suddenly I realise, wow, it’s nearly balance point again. Nearly that magical time when day equals night; light equals dark and nothing holds sway over anything else. And that’s ok. It’s ok to stop vying for power. It’s ok to not win. It’s ok to not care about losing. Sometimes just existing and enjoying that can be satisfying. Not everything has to be a competition. It’s such a cliche to say stop and smell the (insert appropriate olfactory affecter here), but in autumn, it’s so true. There is so much to smell and taste and dive both hands into.
I wrote last year about preparation for the darker months, and gathering our resources; both internal and external. But I think it’s also important to enjoy this moment of what can be immense peace. Eat it up; like the fat blackberries still tempting bees and the tomatoes still tangling in the first of the autumn winds. Breathe it in, like the last of the blossom blowing around the eaves; the damp earth morphing from creatrix to storage cellar; the tang of dust from building projects rushed to be completed before winter sets in. Gather it close, like potatoes piled in the corner; washing wet and hopeful for a few more days sunshine; shoes collecting dust as boots suddenly become favoured. Taste it; touch it; eat up this moment of balance: look forward to it and enjoy it. This is more than a transition. This is no aperitif. This is a feast; so gorge, rest and feel it fill you up.
Poetry tonight in Leeds
Quick reminder: Chapel Allerton Arts Festival poetry Open Mic at Chapel Allerton Library. From 7 ’til 10 ish. 🙂 Expect to see lots of talent on show, or maybe have a go yourself!
http://www.leeds.gov.uk/Events/Pages/open-mic-poetry-night-chapel-allerton-festival.aspx
See you there!
Mabh Savage 