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Posts Tagged ‘mountains’

Pagan Parenting: You May Not Meditate, but Take Your Kids Up Mountains Anyway!

Posted in Druidism, tagged , , , , , , , , , on October 19, 2016| 2 Comments »


I traveled to Lake Placid with my husband and daughter this past weekend. On our way, we stopped to climb Mt. Arab near Tupper Lake, NY. It’s a small mountain, but the trail is maintained, it’s very family-friendly, and the view is worth it.  Plus, it’s part of the Tupper Lake Triad!  Completing it will motivate us to hold onto our dream of becoming 46ers (someday)!


We had a picnic lunch near the summit. We were blessed with a beautiful autumn day – it was even a little warm.  Something about sitting on bare mountain makes me feel closet to Mama Earth.

There’s a fire tower at the top, allowing for even more spectacular views of some of the high peaks of the Adirondacks in the distance. The photos doesn’t do it justice, unfortunately!  Bee grew fearful of the wind up in the fire tower, so I didn’t get to gaze out as long as I would have liked. Luckily, there are plenty of rocky areas with views such as the first image I shared. I could have sat there for while; I would have loved to meditate. Unfortunately, due to the agreeable weather on a weekend, it was a busy destination. Between that and Bee’s antsy toddler antics, I didn’t have a lot of time for quiet contemplation.

Still, it was a great opportunity to get outside and commune with nature in one of my favorite places on Earth. Bee did a fantastic job climbing the mountain. My husband carried her for a bit to the summit, but she did most of the mile round-trip hike independently. I’m so proud of her!  There was plenty of nature to inspire all of us – huge boulders, some with interesting patterns, tiny mushrooms, woodpeckers, and, or course, the magnificent autumn foliage!

Even though I didn’t get to treat the hike like a spiritual, stress-free retreat, I realize how lucky I am to take my family on such excursions. We are healthy, we have transportation, and we have weekends off to enjoy the outdoors together.  We live relatively close to the amazing Adirondacks!  This is the foundation, and I hope it helps Bee continue to form a meaningful relationship to the natural world.

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The Ditzy Druid Travels: Return to the Heart of the Adirondacks 

Posted in Druidism, tagged , , , , , , , , , on August 22, 2016| 1 Comment »

There’s something hauntingly beautiful about the Adirondack Mountains. I used to spend just about every weekend of my childhood summers swimming in lakes, fishing off docks, climbing small mountains, and hiking through forest trails.  It was where I first learned to truly treasure the wild places that have, in many areas, vanished. It was where I grew into an animist. I always felt a sense of something there – spirits.  Very old spirits.  I felt how sacred and connected it all was, and I felt it flow in and through me.  It is different from the forests around my childhood home and my new home.  They are very special to me as well, but they are less wild.  There is more sound and light pollution. Roads interrupt their power.   Not that the Adirondacks lacks that, but there’s a greater effort to reduce it. (Although I could be romancing it as someone who does not live there…) When I’m away for long, I feel it calling.  I feel the mountains and lakes calling.  When driving on Rt 11 through Lewis County, I always look towards the Adirondack Mountains in the distance, rising beyond the rolling hills.  Last week, we returned to answer the call and renew our wild spirit.  Here are some of our experiences.

Decay never looked so magical.  My husband and I mused on the nature of animism, life, and death while hiking near the Raquette River in Tupper Lake.  Photo by Grey Catsidhe, 2016.

It’s a bit blurry, but I was proud to stumble upon some Indian Pipe flowers in the forest.  Photo by Grey Catsidhe, 2016.

I learned a little more about a new spirit ally at the Wild Center.  Photo by Grey Catsidhe, 2016.

Some of the High Peaks as seen from the Wild Center in Tupper Lake, NY.  We all enjoyed our time there.  Photo by Grey Catsidhe, 2016.

We also visited the Ausable River.  There’s a place to pull off on the road and a very short trail into the trees.  It’s a catch and release area, but we just wanted to see the river.  I had to sit quietly for a bit to take her in, then sang a song of offering.  Photo by Grey Catsidhe, 2016.

On a whim, we decided to explore a trail across the street from the Ausable River.  It lead to the Copperas Pond.  I wouldn’t call it an easy hike, as it went up some slight inclines and involved some scrambling over very rocky terrain.  It was challenging with a three-year-old, but she was so determined to do most of it by herself.  The end result was worth it – an isolated pond free from motor boats.  It was so quiet… we couldn’t even hear the traffic on the other side of the wooded hill we climbed over.  It’s apparently a popular hike, as there were other people in and out, but the traffic wasn’t so much that we weren’t able to enjoy lots of peaceful moments.  I definitely had to take off my hiking shoes and put my feet in to fully immerse myself in the Three Realms. Photo by Grey Catsidhe, 2016.

We didn’t run into too many wild animals on our hike – mostly squirrels 
and chipmunks.  I also spotted this immature frog sunning himself on a rock in the pond.  If you look closely, you’ll see his tail. Photo by Grey Catsidhe, 2016.

I already look forward to returning, possibly in the Autumn.  We hope to climb a small mountain now that Bee has officially caught the hiking spirit.  With any luck, she feels the pull of the mountain too, and the family tradition of exploring and honoring the Adirondacks will continue.

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