Right in the middle of the holidays...

So here we are - December 28th - it is Larry's 5th birthday.  We worked with clients today, and entertained some surprise visitors.  Angeni went with friends to see "The Nutcracker" at Centre in the Square (Kitchener).  She's home now, but was on the road a loooonnnggg time for a teenager.  Brian went out to exchange his Christmas gift from me (a router) for a model that fits his tool lift - he's chomping at the bit to start making feather boxes and a requested jewellery box for my cousin.  Larry and I tried a wee nap.  Methinks I should back up a little...

Our solstice gathering on the 20th was fabulous - amazing - heartfelt and joyful.  We had about 21 people crammed in the livingroom.  There was ample, diverse food and really interesting spirit gifts.  Passing the talking stick is a novel thing for some folks, and it is amazing how much sheer love was felt in the room, even though some were comparative strangers.  I brought forward some teachings about the sacred tree, and the correlation of the Tungus shamanic traditions to the legend of Santa Claus. We did a couple of naming ceremonies as well, complete with megis shells to the heart of the recipients.  This was one of the best gatherings we've had in some time...

Also on the 20th, Angeni participated in a church cantata in Midland at St. Paul's.  She and 3 other guest high school students brought instruments from Penetanguishene Secondary to bolster the choir and orchestra.  Angeni does percussion, and so had numerous instruments to maneuver between for the hour-long performance.  Judging from her recapitulation of the event, this was a one-time experience for these students. Penetanguishene Secondary closes in June and she graduates from grade 12, so it is a moot point.

Christmas day was epic - we had an 18 pound turkey!  We invited a friend (who would otherwise have been alone) and it was like the old days...  we used to always have extra people visit.  There is a big bag of turkey now frozen, ready to pull out when we're wondering about dinner somewhere around Family Day...  I do love my turkey and mayo sandwiches.

It is rare for the 3 of us to be in the same room together at the same time...  even as I write this, the other 2 are watching "Shaun the Sheep".  It isn't my thing, but this is where my lift chair resides.  I wouldn't leave the room if I could...  it is hard getting us all together, and that's what the holidays are about (even if it takes a stop-motion, cartoonish movie).

I'm still dreaming of all the purses I'm in the throes of making (albeit the early stages).  I secretly go to the studio and gently caress all my bag-making hardware.  I coo loving words to it...  I've been threatened to avoid making a Hello Kitty purse.  I don't abide these threats...  Hello Kitty is in the queue - bwahahahahaaa.  

Well, this needs to wrap up.  I wish all who read my blog a very blessed, wonderful, joy-filled 2016.  It is an extra-special leap year, and one of the last angelic harmonic convergences for awhile.  I am optimistic about the state of the world, peace emerging and general ascension...  it is finally coming all together.  Hold me to that prognostication... Love and light, Kathryn

Larry as a new puppy in 2011...

Larry playing the stupid shoe game last night...

December Open House

Just to be confusing, I'm posting things out of order...  Here is the information for our upcoming open house:

Open House Saturday Dec. 5^th and Sunday Dec. 6^th

Greetings! Wolfe Island Métis Charitable Association and Moonstar Lodge are pleased to host an Open House for the community on Saturday Dec. 5 and Sunday Dec. 6, 2015, 10 AM to 4 PM both days.  We will be offering hot cider and seasonal treats.  All are welcome to the studio located at 302 Lafontaine Rd. West, Tiny (Lafontaine). 

December is an exciting month in our schedule… we have new moon on Dec. 11^th, which is like our “New Year’s”.  December 20^th is our solstice gathering, where we celebrate with traditional stories and a gifting ceremony.  We look forward to sharing our traditions with the community.

If you'd like information on these events, just send Brian an email at brian@moonstarlodge.com and we'll get back to you ASAP.

Blessings, Kathryn

Upcoming Classes

Hello!  To say it was a busy month is an understatement - 2 whole days off (sort of) in 40 days...  for me it actually slows down over the holidays...  However, one of the things accomplished is our slate of winter courses and gatherings...  here it is!

Moonstar Lodge

Aboriginal Traditional and Alternative

Spiritual and Educational Services

2016 Winter Courses & Gatherings

Dreamcatchers: We supply the basic materials: hoop, sinew, feathers, cornets, etc., and ask you to bring those items of personal value that you might want to weave into your creation. We instruct you in the correct historical methods.  Please bring: needle nose pliers, SHARP scissors, wire snips and a tapestry needle.  Sunday January 17, 1 - 4 PM.  $44.00

Quilting a Medicine Blanket: One of our most sacred traditions, in this workshop we will make the basic blanket (materials are provided), journey for instruction, and otherwise begin the surface embellishment. It is not expected that the blankets will be completed on this day — that is a spiritual journey unto itself.  We will provide: cotton muslin and interior batting, beeswax and 100% cotton quilting thread. Students to bring: needles for sewing, including quilting needles (the smaller the needle, the nicer the stitches), scissors, paper for sketching, sacred objects of your choice and items for surface embellishment i.e. embroidery threads, ribbon, yarns, beads made of natural materials (wood, stone, glass, bone, ceramic, etc.), fur, leather, crystals, sea shells, driftwood, feathers, fabric paints/markers, baby teeth, bone fragments. Bringing your objects will help you plan their placement.  Sundays January 24 and February 7, 1 - 4 PM.  $100.00

Crystal Wands: In north-eastern Shamanism, the copper wand is a necessary tool.  In this course we supply the copper, crystal, leather and resin.  Students need to bring any embellishments they have for the wand.  After the wands are completed, students will learn how to use them.  Saturday February 13, 1 - 4 PM.  $44.00

Drum Making: Instruction and all materials required to make a single-sided ceremonial drum provided.  You also make a drumstick called “grandmother’s arm”. On the first afternoon together we put together the drum and drumstick.  After allowing a week between classes for the drums to cure, we get together to decorate and perform ceremonies for the drums.  Saturdays , February 20 and 27, 1 - 4 PM.  $175.00 

Shield Making: During this workshop, we will make a traditional shield.  This is of special interest for students of Shamanism, and Aboriginal Healing.  We will supply: ring, leather, feathers, wool roving, and some tools.  Students to bring: scissors, tapestry needle, beads, special feathers, and any items you may wish to add.  Paints should be acrylic, and are the responsibility of the student.  Please - no plastic beads or fluorescent feathers!  Sunday February 21, 1 - 4 P.M.  $44.00

Zay - In the Company of Angels: is the pan-cultural, pan-theological study of angels.  This is not a course of anecdotes nor religious doctrine - we study this complex subject with a systematic approach.  Topics include: the differences between angels and guides; meeting your angel; communication; grounding; the chakras; and, angelic healing practices.  Fee includes notes.  Please bring a binder, and a crystal if you have one.  Dress comfortably and please do NOT wear perfume.  Saturdays January 23 and 30, 1 - 4 PM.  $75

Psychospiritual Development - Beginner Level:  This is the most popular, intense and exciting of our courses.  Developing psychically and spiritually go hand-in-hand, and happen in a safe (if swift) format.  This is not for the faint-of-heart; you must be ready to try mediumship, trance work, and psychokinetic practices.  The beginner level works at a quick pace through the metaphysical basics to understand the possible paths of psychospiritual development, and acts as the foundation for the advanced level which focuses only on mediumship, trance work, healing, and meditation practices.

 Psychospiritual development is THE foundation for every other course we have, and will, ever teach.  It is a directed, formal study of clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, clairolfaction and psychokinesis through a variety of practices: levitation, spirit photography and recordings, learning to see the aura (aurvoyance), apparitions, psychometry, meditation, altered states of consciousness, psychomantium (scrying), out-of-body experiences, karma, phases of spiritual growth, types of spiritual beings and more. Mediumship techniques and channelling are practised weekly. Historic techniques and modern, scientific parameters are studied. This course changes people - be prepared for many new life experiences, and homework! Students are to bring to each class: a binder, pen, any course notes from earlier development groups and PLEASE DO NOT WEAR PERFUME. Do dress comfortably. 80% attendance is required for a certificate. Class size is limited - register early to ensure your space!  Thursdays for 10 weeks, March 3, to May 5, 7 PM to 9:30 PM.  $125.00

Making Medicine Bags:  We provide leather, sinew, and tools to make a standard medicine bag.  Students are to bring whatever materials suit the decoration of their bag, and if you’re unsure, check with me.  Scissors, pliers and needles are also needed.  Sunday March 6, 1 - 4 PM.  $55.00

Making Sacred Objects / General Crafting:  Students who want to finish sacred objects and work among friends are welcome.  Please bring your own tools!  While there is no fee, donations are appreciated.  Preregistration is necessary as space is limited.  Saturday March 26, 1 - 4 PM.

Gift Certificates are available and may be used towards course fees, services or anything in the studio.

Receipts are issued first night of class.  Classes fill quickly!  Payment can be made through the website (PayPal), Interac e-transfer, cash or cheque (payable to "Rev. Kathryn Gorman-Lovelady".).  We take Visa or Mastercard if you drop by the studio (call ahead). 

Courses are being held at 302 Lafontaine Rd. West, Tiny (formerly Lafontaine), Ontario, L9M 0H1. 

Register online here: www.moonstarlodge.com/courses.htmla

Gatherings:  We will be meeting Sundays January 31, February 20 and March 20, 2016 for sharing, teachings, and equinox celebrations.  While there is no charge, please let us know if you plan to attend so we can arrange seating.

Balance…

October was an extremely busy month. It is a busy month for many people.  We've been around long enough to have a fairly clear sense of the ebb and flow of our Life/Work cycle.  With my mobility issues increased this year I may find that there are more extremes in the cycle. However, much of life's journey is predicated by the calendar and our societies chosen ceremonies and holidays. Everyone in Canada experiences Thanksgiving on the second weekend in October, but for Brian and I we also have the Bay Studio tour the weekend before Thanksgiving and our twice yearly gathering of shaman's the weekend after Thanksgiving.  It might seem like we could make different choices but the weather certainly impacts our gathering.  We know this from years of experience.

This weekend I looked at the calendar for November and thought [with some relief] that while we are still teaching 3 different courses, the level of activities is diminished and there are no medical appointments.  We sat down together to have a business meeting.  Smile if you like, but yes we do have meetings from time to time.  It's important to sit in quiet contemplation and allow thoughts to come and go as one processes choices, but it's also really important to sit down with one's partner and do the same thing! We managed to work through our November schedule and look ahead at preemptive choices for things happening in December. Our chat allowed us to get rid of some weirdness that was hanging over our business like the sword of Damocles. That weirdness was causing stress and seem to be unable to get resolved, yet with some creativity we saw a way to remove it. Boom - balance in a heartbeat restored to at least a couple of issues.

Clarity emerges from contemplation. We've both divvied up some responsibilities and have an action plan.  Things certainly make better sense!

One of the areas that I've struggled with this year is self-care. I, as a spiritual counselor, have actually chosen to work with another spiritual counselor over this exact thing. Taking time for self and approaching one's needs with compassion is critical.  I can say this empirically to anyone who comes through my door, and speak from experience. Yet my difficulty has been I don't practice what I preach. With so many physical changes I'm the very person who I should have compassion for!

Over the past few weeks I've thought long and hard about what I need to do to embrace my needs and feel compassion that doesn't come across as self-pity.  I realize I've been pretty black-and-white about those 2 perspectives.  What's come to me is that when I perform ceremony I am enabling the self-care that my soul desperately needs. It's my big "A-ha" epiphany.  I can say that, without a doubt, ceremony has been my lifeline to peace. There are daily, simple ceremonies, and those within the new moon/full moon cycles... then, there are the seasonal gatherings and 8 private ceremonies of the year... I've made part of my life's work to get back the knowledge of some lesser-known, nearly forgotten ceremonies that are done only once in a lifetime! Ceremony has both subjective and objective values, as well as intrinsic and extrinsic worth. For the first time in my professional career, I'm putting it all together in a course, starting this Thursday evening, and running for 4 Thursday evenings in the month of November. I want those who love traditional ceremony as much as I do, to gain the same knowledge of these sacred practices. If this is successful and well-received I might run it again in the summer. Anyone wanting to attend, just message me... happy to have you join the group.

However you find your balance, honour the process...  Whatever brings you peace, cherish it.  Enjoy this balmy weather and hopefully I'll be more on track with my musings now that things are settled a little bit.  Blessings to everyone!

The Bay Studio Tour

Here we are, 3 days to go until the tour...  and it's the last day of September!  I feel the chill in the air, and I wonder about the animals we share space with...  Maxine is barely walking, but still eating and alert.  The 2 chihuahuas are fine, but don't like all the action in the house because we don't let them into the studio.  Of course they want to be where we are, and the studio is off limits.  I'd let them out there, but one of them has accidents - they don't make the connection.

It's a busy week all around - intermediate psychospiritual development started on Monday, and we have a dedicated group of students wishing to advance their knowledge...  Tonight it's a class of dowsing - all women carrying pointy sticks!  Brian is outnumbered.  We've had a couple of medical appointments to attend, and 4 out of 5 days we have to pick up Angeni at school because of her drama and band activities.   Being a bus kid, if her after school activities go beyond 3:30, she's stuck for a ride.  So, we plan our shopping and any other errands around her schedule.  Mercifully we can!  I am grateful for this flexibility.  I'm also grateful that this is the last year for it. 

Brian has been making some beautiful pens for the tour.  I hope they sell well because he could use the confidence boost.  I'll get one last shawl done...  I contemplated converting my last 5 cocoon shawls into standard shawls, but they are quite gorgeous the way they are, so I'm reducing the price to $75.00...  This doesn't even cover the cost of the yarns, but I don't care.  These 5 cocoons are last years stock and need to go, just as they are...  I've used the time I would have spent converting them to otherwise make talking/prayer sticks.  They've turned out quite impressive, because they start with Brian's woodwork skills and end with my bead, ribbon and artistic touches.  It's a physical prayer from our hands to the receivers!  Seems fitting...

As I write this, I'm listening to Peter Kater and R. Carlos Nakai,  Exquisite music.  It puts me in the mood to craft, so I better hop to it!

Winter Solstice

Yes, I really am thinking about winter solstice already...  our autumn equinox ceremony on September 20th was quite moving, and a lot of fun - even with only 7 people.  It's not the numbers, it's the  hearts in attendance that count...  Since I've emailed folks, and posted on Facebook about the winter solstice (so people mark their calendars - the holiday season gets mighty busy), I've begun receiving questions from those who haven't attended before... here's what I wrote in the updated newsletter:
"Winter Solstice - Sunday, December 20, 1 PM to 4 PM. This is one of the most beloved gatherings. Everyone is asked to bring something that no longer serves them, to pass along. The item is simply put in a paper bag – not wrappings – just keep it simple. We use the talking stick to speak our peace, and everyone comes away with a gift. It is important to share food, so feel free to bring a snack offering, your drum and crystal [if you have them]. There is no cost, but please register – seating is limited." There are already 6 people registered.

Basically, like any gathering, we open the circle with a full smudge. If there are questions about this portion of the medicine wheel, I answer them, and provide any insights from spirit.  I don't spend a lot of time...  then we make an "Ancestors plate" from the food offerings, which is taken outside.  We eat together, and then it is time for the talking stick...  It's quite poignant, and an opportunity for everyone to offer their medicine, or their life's teaching, to the group.  If there is time we can make bundles and do a burning ceremony.

In years past this gathering usually started at 4 PM and ended after dinner, around 8 PM.  However, I feel that my mobility issues are still too problematic to do this as a full dinner.  I'm also aware that weather is daunting for people driving in the snow.  So by having an afternoon gathering, we can still eat together and our gathering will be over before it gets too dark...  It's the best of both worlds.

If you have further questions, we welcome them - just email kathryn@moonstarlodge.com or connect through the website.  Love, love, love the ceremonies!  Have a blessed week.