pentacle

I don't wear a lot of jewelry. It just doesn't work for me. The few items I do wear have a lot of personal significance for me - someone special might have given it to me, or the piece contains stones, colours, or designs that capture an energy that I am working with.

For the last few weeks, I've been wearing a pentacle necklace that I acquired about two years ago. For a long time it's been too tight around my neck, but it fits much better these days, and I'm able to enjoy it once again(as to why it fits better, that's another post entirely). It's a simple piece, a beaded necklace that sits close to my throat, with a clay pentacle. It helps me feel grounded and connected to the earth, and I seldom take it off. It's so much a part of me that I rarely even think about it.

Last week, my four year old and I went to buy plants from a neighbourhood couple who have launched an urban farming inititative. Their plant sale was so well attended that most of the plants I went to buy were sold by the time I arrived. I was waiting in line to pay, when two young women waiting ahead of me turned around to admire my pentacle. I'm terrible at guessing ages, but I think they were probably in their late twenties or early thirties.

I explained that I had purchased it two years ago from a vendor at the witchcamp that I attend annually. When I mentioned the name of the camp, one of them said "Oh, wow, that's an awesome place."

And the other girl said "Yeah, half the fun of going to these festivals is buying from the vendors."

Now it was apparent to me that they may have been to a pagan festival or two, but I don't think they've been to witchcamp. If they have been, it was a different experience than I have had. I support the vendors as much as I can, because creative expression is a vital force, and those who create beautiful art, be it music, writing, painting or jewelry, deserve the opportunity to earn their living through their talents. But if there were no vendors, the experience would not be diminished for me. I go to witchcamp to experience community. I go because the collective energy we raise and send out into the world it powerful. I am inspired when I leave, to carry out the work that is so badly needed on this planet. I go to to dance, to chant, to deepen my practice, to let go a little bit more than I can in my mundane existence. Although lately, my day-to-day has been anything but mundane. Something about living my dreams....