As followers of a pagan tradition, we strive to get better in touch with the natural world around us. Which to me means we live “Earth Day” 24 hours 7 days a week 365 days a year not just one day out of every year. The Earth Goddess goes by many different names, The Great Mother, Mother Earth, Gaia just to name a few, so what you choose to call her stems from the tradition you follow or your own personal connection with her. But it all boils down to one thing she is the Goddess that gives us life and provides for us all the years and lifetimes we spend living on her. Is it right for society as a whole to disrespect her every hour of every day? Do we do not owe it to her to watch over her every day?

I live in the United States of Ameria and am disgusted at the way people will not walk even two feet to throw something in a trash receptacle but instead throw whatever on the ground. Or throw trash and cigarette butts out the window of a car to let the wind carry it to the curb or out into an open field. I am proud to say that I was taught and taught my children who taught their children to always leave a place no matter where it is cleaner than what we found it. I walk my two magickal companions two to three times every day, no matter where I might be living, and always pick up whatever trash others have so carelessly left in inappropriate places. I just take a plastic shopping bag with me (thankfully I can start using reusable bags for all my shopping again) and one throw away glove to pick up the trash and have a place to put it until I get home and put it in my trash can. This is something I also have done with my children and grandchildren. Where I live now there is an old railway tracks to the south of me next to an undeveloped lot and even though there are only about a dozen houses, one very small business, a school bus parking lot, and a private school in the area the amount of trash that blows into the bushes and trees along the tracks per week amazes me. I really do not understand how people can be so careless and disrespect of the only place humans and all the animals have to live on.

A little trivia for you – a cigarette filter ingested by any bird or small animal can cause its death. The filter swells up in the stomach and cannot be passed through the digestive system therefore sentencing whatever ingested it to a slow death through starvation.

I am a smoker so what I do when outdoors walking or without an ashtray at hand is roll the part of the cigarette with tobacco in it until it falls out, this will go back to the Earth Goddess, and stick the filter part in a pocket or keep it in my hand until I can dispose of it properly.

Another bit of trivia – It has now been scientifically proven that humans have microscope bit of plastic in our blood.

A simple meditation to bring us closer to the Earth Goddess:

This should be done outdoors whenever possible or if you cannot go outside or next to a window with some type of live plant you can at least put a finger onto the dirt that gives it life. Have a medium to large drink of water with you.

Take 3 or more deep breathes to center yourself for the mediation. Then keep your breathing at a steady rhythm. (If you start to lose your relaxed meditative state of mind concentrate on your breathing by saying in your mind, “Inhale…Exhale” until you once again can connect to the Earth Goddess)

Sit on the ground or floor. If you cannot sit on the ground or floor a chair with not a lot of padding will work also. Place your hands on the Earth Goddess directly or onto the dirt in the planter. Feel tentacles or roots growing down into the Earth Goddess from everywhere your body is touching her or the chair and planter.

Feel all the energy that is flowing through her and give her a bit of your own in thanksgiving for all she provides.

Listen to the sounds of nature that are around you – the birds singing, a flowing brook or other waterway, the wind, wildlife, ectara.

Imagine yourself as part of the air or water flowing with the rhythm of the energy you feel from the Earth Goddess.

Sit this way as long as you feel you want to.

When you are done thank her for what she has provided for you, your family, and the world at large. Pour some of your drink on to the ground or a tiny bit into the planter as an offering of thanks.

Take 3 deep breathes to help bring you back from the meditative state. Drink your water while still sitting where you meditated and continue listening to all the nature sounds around you until you feel like getting up. Then go about your day or evening but be more aware of everything around you that has in one way, or another been given to you by the Great Mother/Mother Earth/Gaia/ or whatever name you call her by.

I ask that you follow your heart to help make our Earth Goddess happier with the beings that live on her by picking up trash left by others and not littering yourself. Thank her daily for all she provides for us from her surface and what she has birthed for us from her body shelter, clothing, food, heat, electricity, ectara.  There is not one thing we use or touch that did not start with a raw material that came from the Earth Goddess.

Until we meet again blessed be dear sisters, brothers, and honored guests.