The `Earth Day Ceremony’ came to my attention through the efforts of Jean Williams, now a retired but honorary committee member of The Pagan Federation, and an elder of The Craft. That was some years ago.
Taking up the cause of the Earth
I took up the cause, and worked with Jean to continue organising a special outdoor Earth day Ceremony – not just as part of my task as the Events Manager of `Pagan Federation London’ (London District of the Pagan Federation, where Jean was the District Manager..some years back). I took up the cause because the Earth had already been close to my heart by then.. and on one fine day in the garden (almost a decade prior) I had made a personal oath upon the Earth.. to guard and protect and do all I can for Gaia (Earth Goddess) and Earth..
Gaia Theory & Hindu Earth Mother
I was already a believer of Gaia as an entity. (My introduction to the Gaia Theory – originated by James Lovelock as a hypothesis and now accepted by majority of Scientists as a `Theory’ – came almost 2 decades prior to that, when I was reading the Issac Assimov novels of `Foundation’ and `Robots and Empire’.. I say introduction to Gaia Theory, because.. as a Hindu, I was already brought up with beliefs of `Pooma Thevi’ (Earth Mother Goddess). She appears in many hindu mythologies, and my most memorable and favourite moment is when ..towards the end of the Hindu epic `Ramayana’, Sita (Rama’s wife) calls to Earth-Mother at a moment of despair, and with quaking of Earth, ground cracking open, Earth-mother ascends in her throne, lifts up her daughter Sita and places hr on her own lap, and disappears back into the Earth.
Earth Days Past and Future
I think for about 5-6 years, I have been organising Ceremonies for Earth Day in London, usually in one of the woods or parks (Queen’s Woods, then Trent Park). It falls on 22nd April ..which is close to the pagan festival of Beltane. So our ceremonies have also had partial elements of Beltane festivities.
As Earth Day 2013 approaches (less than a month to go now), I was remembering those past events…(photos above are from 2011).. as I look forward to the future ones. Though I have stepped down from holding any official positions of Event Organising for other Pagan Organisations, there is now Gaian Times – a not for profit registered Company (Organisation) that I founded and a Director of…which takes up my eco-active efforts. Apart from producing a Free online Magazine (so as to have a good reach), Gaian Times also has several Social Enterprises, and Eco-initiatives..!
Yes I am organising an event for next month’s Earth Day.. but it’s quite different.. much quieter.. and a mindful event.. I’ll say more on that in another post…with full details.. But hey…Gaian Times is facilitating an Earth Day Family picnic & festive afternoon too.. 🙂 More later.
-Mani Navasothy
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