I posted to this today on the Sacred Mists blog, Within The Sacred Mists, but I wanted to post it here as well because I feel it’s something that everyone should take a moment to reflect on and then take time out of their schedules tomorrow night to participate in. We’re Pagans on an earth-based spiritual path, yet many will ignore this worldwide international event. Don’t be one of those people!
On the last Saturday in March, each year since 2007, the World Wildlife Fund has hosted an event called Earth Hour. On this night, from 8:30pm to 9:30pm, people are encouraged to turn off their lights and all other non-essential electronic appliances for a full hour to help raise awareness of the issue of climate change and the need for action. The event came about after the WWF and a Sydney, Australia newspaper were able to get 2.2 million Sydney residents to turn off their lights for an hour that evening. In 2008 the event picked up as a much wider known event and attracted attention all around the world. It is now an event that grows steadily each year with more and more people discovering this simple gesture and helping to do their part if raising that awareness.
Each year the event gets bigger and more countries are joining in to raise the awareness in their homelands. For the 2010 event, said to be the biggest that will take place since the event started in 2007, there are a total of 121 countries officially supporting the event and 812 worldwide landmarks participating. Countries sign up with the WWF to let them know they will take part and what monuments will be involved. This year you’ll find world monuments like Leaning Tower of Pisa, Tokyo Tower, and the Eiffel Tower, along with Big Ben, Piccadilly Circus and the London Eye all in London going dark for Earth Housr. Here in the states the Empire State Building, the Welcome to Las Vegas sign and Niagara Falls and a handful more will also be taking part.
By turning the lights out (and your computer and other non-essential items that are using electricity) you, along with millions of other people the world over, as working together in solidarity to show a symbolic desire to work together and to call to action a need to heal and change the state of the home we all share; Earth. For us as Pagans this is even more important and something that every Pagan, regardless of your specific tradition, should embrace and participate in with enthusiasm. Many times we become so caught up in the pomp and circumstance of the Craft, our covens and Pagan communities, that we forget that, at our core, we are an EARTH-based path, here working for and honoring the hear, guarding the Great Mother and working to heal and protect her.
This year, turn our your lights, shut off your TVs and computers, and spend this hour healing the earth with the lights out. Put together a small ritual of thanks and honor to Gaia, take time to connect to the deep core and emotions held within her and send healing energy to her. Light a green candle and surround yourself and the earth in white light for protection and healing, take time to think of a place within your local community or a sacred space in nature that you’d like to send healing energy to and direct your thoughts there. Get together with your friends and covenmates and have an Earth Hour drum circle and drum the healing heartbeat of the Earth. Gather together with your children and, by candlelight, at a fireplace or by a bonfire, tell them stories and myths about the Gods and Goddesses of the Earth. Invite the gnomes to come out from their caves and deep spaces within the Earth and make them an offering while sending healing energy to them.
Educate yourself about Earth Hour by visiting the website and learn ways that you can make a difference, and on Saturday March 27th, from 8:30pm – 9:30pm be part of this important hour. As Pagans we cannot let this hour each year go by without purpose. We cannot ignore it by feeling it’s an inconvenience or because we don’t want to be bothered. This is a moment were hundreds of millions of people, regardless of their religion, becomes a little Pagan for an hour and help to honor the Earth and acknowledge that we need to heal her. Do not disappoint your Mother!
Earth Teach Me to Remember
by John Yellow LarkEarth teach me stillness
as the grasses are stilled with light.Earth teach me suffering
as old stones suffer with memory.Earth teach me humility
as blossoms are humble with beginning.Earth Teach me caring
as the mother who secures her young.Earth teach me courage
as the tree which stands alone.Earth teach me limitation
as the ant which crawls on the ground.Earth teach me freedom
as the eagle which soars in the sky.Earth teach me resignation
as the leaves which die in the fall.Earth teach me regeneration
as the seed which rises in the spring.Earth teach me to forget myself
as melted snow forgets its life.Earth teach me to remember kindness
as dry fields weep in the rain.
