The Wild Hunt (https://wildhunt.org/author/clio/page/2)
Clio Ajana is a death midwife, lover of tarot, numerology, and astrology. A current practitioner of Baltic Heathenry and Hellenic Alexandrian Witchcraft & Spiritual Tradition, she is a member of the House of Our Lady of Celestial Fire, E.O.C.T.O. Her writings include contributions to the anthologies - Shades of Faith: Minority Voices in Paganism (2011) and Bringing Race to the Table: Exploring Racism in the Pagan Community (2015). A frequent presenter at Paganicon (https://tcpaganpride.org/) and Mystic South (https://mystic-south.com, she considers everything in her life to be touched by and guided by the Gods.
Like an obstetrician caring for a pregnant woman, there are always two clients in caregiving: the actual loved one who is ill and the caregiver. We are not robots. One of the hardest lessons to learn during the time I cared for my mother was to take care of myself by learning how to say “no” and when to say “yes”.
Three things mark this season of death and remembrance for me: the severe drop in temperatures; the death anniversaries of many in my family, most specifically my parents; and the perceived closeness of the ancestors as the veils thin.
My talks with Gaia and our walks about her territory on a regular basis inspired me, terrified me, and reminded me that our Earth, our planet, is a precious gift that many, myself included, take for granted far too often.
It is hard to ignore a crying baby. Likewise, while the climate change and global warming deniers still exist, it is hard to ignore repeated environmental issues, such as the impact of widespread smoke from Canadian fires on air quality in the United States.
No one wants to return to the closet. To do otherwise, we need to weave strong armor that will resist the weapons of our enemy, whether they be political, legal, or community directed.