Singing in the Irish Session

Recently i was singing at the open irish session in The Shillelagh in The Hague when someone recorded me singing the song Anachie Gordon and put it on Youtube!
If you fancy having a watching the video, just copy the link and paste into your browser :)
Enjoy!

Love,
Lunaura.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tuOFoBVtO0

Takjes Bloesem en Blaadjes

For all you Dutch folks out there! Here is a poem i wrote about my lovely dog and cat who are the very best of friends, they tumble and roll around the garden playing together! Fantastic!

Takjes, blaadjes en bloesem.

Kleuren van bloem, de zon aan mijn huid,
Gerinkel van de kattenbel en vrolijk vogelgefluit.
De zon aan mijn hoofd, al bijt de wind in,
Een nestje van bijen in nummers uitdijen,
Die dansen en zoemen het nestje weer in.

Mijn hondje die stil staat, een struik in te staren,
Met takjes en blaadjes en bloesem in haren,
Wordt over-gevallen, door een schichtje zwaart/rood
Mijn kat en mijn hond rollen kop over poot!
Een vlinder die darteld voorbij in zijn pracht.
Spelend, genietend voor mij op de grond, mijn poes en mijn hond
Met takjes en blaadjes en bloesem in vacht.

Blessings,
Raven.

My Gems

Here are some pictures of my Gems, my 4 children. Oh they grow up so fast, i can't believe how big they are all getting. Anyway enjoy the pics ;)
Lunaura.

My Spring Garden

I am so proud of my wonderful colourful garden! My vegetable garden is doing fantastic too, i have already harvested endive, lettuces and rhubarb!

Blooming Blessings,
Raven ;o)

The North Wind and Come Walk With Me....

This is a poem i wrote for my Grandma Ruby in 1982 when i was 14(!!), she was on holiday in the US where her daughter lives and i sent it to her as a suprise.

Boreas-The North Wind

Away from the cottage and into the wood,
Right up to the place where the young man stood,
Dressed in a garb of icy blue,
His watery eyes a colder hue.

In the deep dead hush of every tree,
There hung a note of expectancy,
The tall gaunt man began to quiver,
The breeze so cold had made me shiver.

Just as his name i was about to ask,
He let out a mighty blast
"I am the North Wind" was his yell,
Then his body began to swell....

It grew and grew and swelled and grew,
One thousand times bigger than me or you.

Watercolour:Valentina Kaquatosh


This one i agan wrote for my Grandma Ruby, this time in 1993 to describe The Netherlands to her (I live in the part of Holland they call "De Bollenstreek" which is the "Bulb District")....



Come Walk With Me

The sun shines its warmth upon all
The bare talons of the winter trees
Soften into the gentle hues of spring,
The flat rich earth stretches far and wide,
Broken now by rich reds, sun yellows...

All is bright as winter mellows
And turns cycle into spring.
Daffodils dance as courting birds sing thier gay songs,
Scented hyacinths greet the passer by,
Before thier hues are seen....

A butterfly flutters by reminiscent of a dream.
My freind as i wander and this beauty awakes,
You're right by my side as each magical step i take,
You too feel the sigh, Mother Nature she breathes,
As spring it returns with the new shoots of leaves....

The regimented tulips the crop of the Dutchman,
Armies of peace- that adorn now the fields,
All of this beauty, The Netherlands yields....


Brightest Blessings,
Lunaura.

Wonder why i do that?

I have been married once and have had one relationship after that where i have lived together with my partner. Each time i find that i seem to get men that need 'fixing' in some way or another, usually they have some kind of psychological problem. Also in virtually all my other(important) relationships its been this way....I also seem to attract the kind of guy that can't go for me the whole way as it were. There is always something else that is more important to them than thier relationship with me and thier children. Why is this i wonder? There is obviously some kind of need in me to find someone to fix and to find someone who keeps his distance...After many years of searching through this i'm not sure what the answer is. Maybe it has something to do with my father dying when i was young, chosing someone to care for to make up for the care i had to miss. I have also in every relationship i've had been the one to finish it, maybe the same root, 'they will leave me at some stage (as my Dad did) so if i stay in control by finishing with them before they leave me i will have a lot less pain'...
I'm trying to fix this! So i don't get myself into another relationship where i am the carer, i have decided to change careers. I want to go into caring. In this way i can fulfil my need to care for needy and damaged people in a work enviroment instead of doing it in my relationships!!...
I'm not quite sure if it will work, but it's worth a try and i have always wanted to do that kind of job since volunteer work.
Until then, i aim to stay away from relationships until i get down to the core issues, i'm not bitter, maybe just a little bit afraid to make the same mistake again and VERY cautious ;o)

Illustration by Don Tywoniw.

The Lord's Prayer directly translated from Aramaic

This is a Translation of "Our Father" directly from Aramaic into English, the difference from the one now found in our bible is tremendous. I find it all encompassing, a beautiful prayer. I find the one in the bible beautiful too, just the translation from Aramaic is multidenominational and thus acceptable for all peoples...
Enjoy!

"O cosmic Birther of all radiance and vibration. Soften the ground of our being and carve out a space within us where your Presence can abide.
Fill us with your creativity so that we may be empowered to bear the fruit of your mission.
Let each of our actions bear fruit in accordance with our desire.
Endow us with the wisdom to produce and share what each being needs to grow and flourish.
Untie the tangled threads of destiny that bind us, as we release others from the entanglement of past mistakes.
Do not let us be seduced by that which would divert us from our true purpose, but illuminate the opportunities of the present moment.
For you are the ground and the fruitful vision, the birth, power and fulfillment, as all is gathered and made whole once again".

The Pentagram

What is the meaning associated with the pentagram? Well i will outline the basics without going into detail as it would take a long time to tell and if you really want toknow then you can go on a course somewhere!
I just want to let people know that there is nothing 'evil' about it, even the upside down pentagram, (unless used in the satanist movement with which Wicca has absolutely NO connections).
In Wicca the upside down pentagram is the symbol for the God, the male divine force as opposed to the Goddess, the female divine force.

As seen in the diagram, the topmost point of the pentagram is the symbol for spirit, our spirit and the connenction to the divine.
The right hand side point has the symbol water, which in the person represents the emotions. The lower right hand point represents fire, which in the person represents the passions and manifestational energy it is also a masculine 'upwards spiralling energy. The lower left hand point represents earth which in the person represents the ratio/conciousness and the solid manifestation of the earth plane and the connection thereof. Also earth has a feminine 'downwards' spiralling energy.
The higher left hand point is for air which in person represents the subconcious/astral and/or thought.
These interpretations are purely personal, i have meditated much on these symbols to find the correspondence within myself. Different people may experience different things here and associate differently and that is fine, as all paths are truly personal.
I truly believe in the power of the different elements, as all is reflected in all. All that is to be found in the macrocosm is also to be found in the microcosm, all elements are to be found without and within and have thier own special meanings and correspondences and this power can be drawn upon to aid ourselves and others for the greater good.
The pentagram has always been a powerful symbol, used for eons by many different races and cultures, from the Egyptians to the Christians!
But mainly for me at the moment, is symbolizes the path i am walking, who i am and whom i shall become, the balancing of self to find the whole and the path back to godliness, our total conscious connection to creation. (not that i expect i'll manage it in this lifetime, but there'no harm in trying ;o) haha)

Trees and thier energy.

Trees. What majestic, wonderful things they are. They live and breathe, eat and grow as we do, not in the same way of course, but they do these things non the less...
Have you ever tried to feel the energy of a tree? Or wondered why you feel relaxed and peaceful relaxing under one?
People may call me a 'tree hugger' well, i guess that's ok, but very often it is the tree that is hugging me!, hahaha. Everything in the entire universe is made up of energy, vibration. The movement of tiny particles whizzing round at super speeds, the electrons and neutrons which make up the entity. Stones, tables, cats, cars, trees everything is made up of the same basic thing, energy.
If you can still yourself, set your mind at rest, think nothing and just listen and feel, this is the state to be in if you wish to experience the energy of trees.
Just as we as humans have different personalities, trees have different vibrations. One tree can feel very different to another. Many years ago people were aware of these things, but nowadays in the hustle and bustle of out modern life we have forgotton these things and more often that not the people who know these things are thought odd or downright mad!
Before you judge, why not try stilling yourself and trying to feel the energies around you. Feel the stillness and cleanliness of the yew, or the warm motherly feeling that comes with the beech.
If more of us tried to get ourselves back into really experiencing nature, it would change our world for the better. All living things have a right to be here and can expand our knowledge of the univers if we only knew how to listen and dislodge our blinkers to see the world as it really is...

Photo's by Lunaura 30.03.06

Jenny and Molly

Here are a few pics of my dear animal friends Jenny and Molly.
Jenny is 11 years old, so a bit of an old lady now. She's an English Springer Spaniel and i've had her since she was a pup. Never a day sick in her life and is still full of beans. Only recently she has started to have a few 'funny turns' i am a wee bit worried about her and have an appointment at the vets soon...
Molly is just one year old and is my first ever cat. I always thought i was more of a 'doggie person' until i got her and now i am sure that she won't be my last one haha.
She is a wonderful cat, comes and gives me little kisses on the nose and hands whilst i'm stroking her, ahhh ;o)

Adam And Eve's Gift From God.

Thought that this was a real laugh, maybe you will too ;0) (sorry all you guys out there!)


God was just about done creating man, but he had two things left over in his bag and He couldn't quite decide how to split them between Adam and Eve. He thought He might just as well ask them.

He told them one of the things he had left was a thing-a-mabob that would allow the owner to pee while standing up. "It's a very handy thing," God told them, "and I was wondering if either one of you had a preference for it." Well, Adam jumped up and down and begged, "Oh, please give that to me! I'd love to be able to do that! It seems like just the sort of thing a man should have. Please! Pleeease! Give it to me!" On and on he went like an excited little boy. Eve just smiled and told God that if Adam really wanted it so badly, he could have it.

So God gave Adam the thing that allowed him to pee standing up. Adam was so excited he just started whizzing all over the place ----First on the side of a rock, then he wrote his name in the sand, and then he tried to see if he could hit a stump ten feet away -- laughing with delight all the while.


God and Eve watched him with amusement and then God said to Eve, "Well, I guess you're kind of stuck with the last thing I have left. "What's it called?" asked Eve.


"Brains," said God.

A Lesson In Living...

(I wrote this when i was 18, though i now believe this to be a channelled writing, through me, not of me as it were...)

A Lesson in Living.

Many people strive for peace of mind as they confuse themselves with the happenings and goings on of everyday life. Not many people gain this peace of mind in full, as they have not yet the understanding which tells them that they are on a course of self-fulfillment.
As yet they cannot understand that the hurdles they encounter are but tests to strengthen the spirit.
Eternal peace of mind, the hope of every human, whether they see this clearly or whether as yet still unfoolded to them, comes with self-recognition and understanding of self.
A fault in every human is that they often misinterpret this as self pity and find themselves bitter and unhappy.
The subtle difference is to cast awaythe confusion that comes with 'civilised' life and think about your inner self and the messages therein.
Indeed it is a painful journey to undertake, yet at the end there is a deeper understanding of yourselves and of others.
If and when you accomplish this, help others to gain the same peace of mind and love of life, however, do not force thisupon others, show it to them in thier own way and they will listen.
Ignorant people may scorn your help, but be patient with them, as solid as a bulwark and in event they will learn from you. Never let yourself become drained of energy, for such will some people endeavour to do.
Be understanding, love thy neighbour as thyself, niether be quick to judge others, for maybe then your truths will be ignored and tossed away.
Learn from others, for you will know a person of great truth, yet be not mislead, for this earth is full of misguided people who seek thier own paths to thier own ends.
These people will eventually learn and will understand that your lesson was indeed the truth.
Do not however become indulgent in grandiose ideas that others have the necessity to take what lessons you have learned and accpet them as irrifutable, for you also my friend may be misguided. Learn to listen to God througout your everyday life, in the wind, in the trees and the stars, for God is everything and he wants his people to be guided correctly and justly.
When your life is through, or near to its end, praise God in the highest for that marvellous gift called life; all questions which are at this time unanswerd will become clear to you, thier answers come hand in hand. Until this time live happily for the good of others, for what you give, also shall you recieve.

Bless you all.
Lunaura Harvest.

A candle burns for Grandma....

Dearest Grandma,
You are sorely missed...Just as a candle burns, so burns the love in my heart for you. You led a roller coaster of a life full of sadness, joy and unexpected twists and turns, but you always came out on top.
You lost your first baby when she was no more that 2 years of age, then you lost you second born, my Daddy, when he was 29...You never really got over that did you?. Then you lost Grandad, your true love, oh how you loved him...Still, you went on with your life, got stronger and found your laughter once again.
It is such a great loss for us left behind after your accident, you were fit as a fiddle, and your mind was clearer than a 25 year old even though you were n your 90's when you passed, how cruel then that a silly accident should take you from us...
But dearest Grandma, how i wish i could have seen the joy on your face when you were reunited with your lost children and Grandad, i know how much you missed them.
I love you Grandma and look forward to the day when we are reunited too.
All my love,
Lunaura...

Letting us know he's around....

It was the 18th of december, i was in mij bedroom making the bed up when a 'stress ball' (you know one of those squishy balls to squeeze and massage te relieve stress) literally jumped off the wardrobe next to me! I was puzzled, but assumed that it had just rolled off. I picked it up and put it back on top of the wardrobe. Two minutes later the ball plopped onto the floor again next to me.
Pffft, again i picked up the ball and this time i put it behind a book and some other stuff that was up there, so it couldn't roll off again. You see where this is going don't you?! ;o) Yep, the ball still managed to end up bouncing off the wardrobe and landing at my feet...
This time i realized that it could not be coincidence and asked "Dad, is that you?" I didn't get an answer, but had a feeling that there was something about that particular day that i couldn't remember, anyway, i went on with finishing what i was doing. The ball remained on top of the wardrobe...
Later that afternoon i got an excited phonecall from my sister in England...She was sitting at home on the sofa with her young baby on her knee. On the floor was a baby-gym (a frame with toys/bells/ rattles etc hanging off elastic where you lie your baby under to play), as my sister sat on the sofa, one of the elastics pulled itself to the ground and snapped up with a rattle! My sister looked in amazement and her husband, who was stood looking out of the window turned round expecting to see his baby playing with the gym, instead he and my sister saw the elastic waving around on its own as thier baby on my sisters knee giggled with delight!
My sister asked me if there was something special about the day and i told her that i had the same feeling, though couldn't remember anything, so we decided to call Mum and ask her.
Well, when my sister and i told her what we had experienced, she laughed and told us that it would have been her and Dad's wedding anniversary! So he's still letting us know that he's around :o))))

Arts and Crafts

Here my latest endeavour! It is my interpretation of The Goddess and my love and respect for her. I hope you enjoy her as much as i do.
Brightest Blessings,
Lunaura.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here's a couple of my handicraft things. I make wall plaques too, for in different rooms in the house (kitchen, nursery etc) buti don't have any foto's of the stuff at the moment, as i usually make them as gifts for people last minute!
When i have gotten around to making some more, i will post them here.
Also then a couple of my paintings/drawings here. The framed 'angel' picture i call 'Angel of love' as it was an inspired picture drawn when head over heels in love, i was on the telephone with the guy the whole time i drew it! It is done in pastels.
The pictures of the children are my older 2 kids and the guy with the 'biker' is my ex-hubby.

Brightest Blessings,
Lunaura.























































The painting of the cottage on the mountain i painted after just hearing that my Grandma Ruby had died, to keep my head together. (I painted 2 pictures). The one underneath, of the cottage on the mountain is a bit wishy washy, no depth, i was shocked and spaced out by her death and this is in the picture. The painting with the angry sky is of Achill Island in Southern Ireland, i painted this 2nd, you can see the emotion coming out, the angry, intense sky, tears falling from heaven in the form of rain...

Ethereal Visit from Dad.

A few of years ago when my 4 yr old was a newborn i was in the bathroom brushing my teeth before going to bed when i noticed movement outside the slightly ajar bathroom door. I asked my partner if it was him, as i stuck my head round the door, only to catch a glimpse of a familiar dark haired man walking/rushing from the baby's room into the older 2 childrens room (my youngest wasn't born at the time)....
At my calling my partners name there came muffeld "what's up" from our bedroom, which meant that my partner was already in bed and thus was not anywhere near hallway where our bathroom was situated... (also the fact is that my partner has blonde hair not dark)
As i stood there, i was suddenly overwhelmd with love and warm feelings and memories of my father who had passed away in a road accident when i was nine (In hindsight his way of letting me know that it was him)...
It was then i saw the visitor for who he was, i was filled with joy as i realized that Dad had popped in to visit his Grandchildren :)))

Brightest Blessings,
Lunaura.

I can sculpt??-Seemingly!

Well here's a few pictures of my latest creation. I had never tried sculpting until 2 weeks ago when i made "The Morrigan", this raven statue (my very first sculpture ever!)for a task given to us by our HPs.
I tend to go through long periods of non-activity with my arts and crafts, followed by periods of intense activity!
I was amazed at the fact that sculpting came with such ease, i made my raven in about 12 hours (spread over 3 days, as i had to do it in the garden (weather permitting) because of the mess!)
I soon noticed that i seemed to have a knack for this sculpting thing and the end result, for a first, was not bad at all! (if i may say so myself ;o)
Totally bitten by the sculpting bug, i have now begun another project, this time of a fish, curled up around itself (i love round, flowing shapes)
The idea came to me after completing the raven to make a representation of all of the 4 elements (earth, air, water and fire). I already have air (raven), am busy with the fish for water and am considering a salamander for fire and i still have to think a wee bit before i decide what i wish to represent the earth element.. (not into garden gnomes- lol)
Anyway, have fun and enjoy the pics!
Lunaura.



These are the lastest of my sculptures. It is a Salamander, representing the element Fire. I did this sculpture in 2 days.

Brightest Blessings,
Lunaura.

Witch way now?

Haha, you may think that the title of this post is a mistake, but it is not ;o)
I have, after many years of searching, investigating and, meditating etc, i find myself on a fulfilling and wonderful spiritual path. This path is in the nature religions.
I have in the past looked at many different religions discarding the chaff as it were, to find the universal pearls of truth. At the moment i am following the Wiccan path, many people think that it is evil or devil worship, this cannot be further from the truth!! This is just a story as told by the middle-ages church to keep people away from finding out the truth for themselves!, to control them and keep the money coming in and keeping them rich! The Wiccan path is one of self-realization which teaches personal lessons of such depth and truth, that one can really understand what godliness is and how we too are godly. We are often persecuted for the use of magic.. What did Jesus do? That too was magic, through the love of God he did miracles, but he also said to us, "You too can do all these things i do, and MORE!" So what is the problem?! Wiccans and witches are totally accepting of all religions, aknowledging the necessity for each person to walk his or her own individual path. We all come to the light in the end, we all learn our lessons eventually and become 'concious' or 'divine' or sit with God or however you wish to decribe it. Individual lessons that eventually lead us home.
The truths that are to be found in witchcraft are truly personal yet universal ones, there is no-one standing there telling you what you should experience or how to do it, it is a journey within oneself, looking so deeply into oneself, lets one see the very middle of the universe, lets one understand creation and godliness...You can smooth out your rough edges to become the whole person you really are, to function from your higher self, to be and live the connection with God/Gods/Goddess... There is not only one way to the divine as we are individuals and as such need different things and ways to find it.
The journey is what gives one the capacity to be able to see above and beyond dogma and see the beauty and true message that each religion offers, without the limitations of fear or of punishment for doing wrong.
I believe that the church as a body, has distorted the true meaning of Christ's words. They were words of empowerment, of setting people free, of growing spiritually as an individual..The church crushed these things into a controlling totalitarian state, which to this day holds people through fear in its grip...

My musical heritage and where it lead!

I consider myself exremely lucky to have been born into a very musical family:o). My Dad played trumpet, taught as a young child by his father (a prominent trumpet player and conducter in his day), euphonium, piano, guitaar, bass guitaar and also a great singer. My grandfather also comes from a long line of talented musicians.
The brother and sisters also played brass instruments, guitaar and/or sing and in most cases thier siblings too! The music gene is rife in our family so it seems!
My Mum is a great singer and has recently started to play the bodhrán (Irish drum) and she's good too!
My older brother plays amazing guitaar and is well known in England on the gigging circuit.
And a cousin of mine is also active and successful in the music scene in and around his home town. Here a link to my cousins 'space' also a great musician and great guy!! http://www.myspace.com/badmanstaggerlee.

Whilst at school, even from junior school i was always picked out to sing the solos at church do's or school events'.
By the time i reached high school i was in a number of bands of varying genres, until at the tender age of 16 i discovered folk! Then the bug bit!
Regularly joining my parents at the local folk club The Railway Inn, in Lymm, Cheshire, i was bitten by the bug and began treading the path at folk clubs
in and around the North West of England.

Influenced by the likes of Deidre Scanlon, Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill,Maddy Prior, Dolores Keane, Niamh Parsons and Karine Polwart,i love both traditional and contemporary folk
from all sides of the British Isles and Ireland. This is to be heard in the broad range of songs and styles i sing today.
I also plays Bodhrán (a lovely blood red Brendan White)penny whistle and a wee bit of guitaar. I came to the Netherlands some 15 years ago,where i began my ‘Dutch folk career’ with Bert Haasjes in my first mainland Europe endeavour,
the duo “Widdershins” in which i played for some 5 years.

Later i joined the North Holland band ‘Emerald’ with whom i gigged in and around the Netherlands and Belgium with for a further 4 years.

After a brief musical interlude and tour to Germany and Hungary
with the dynamic band ‘Dolmen’ i continue to regularly visit Irish/traditional sessions around the country where i am a well known face.
Today i can be found as the vocalist of the fresh new band Drumlin, with which we have had a number of successful theatre gigs. Now we will just see what the future will hold!