Now’s probably a good time to remind everyone to check/refresh the wards on your home or wherever you do this work. (No, really. You really need to do this.) Be sure that you’re rested, grounded, and in a comfortable position. Maybe wrap up in a blanket or cloak and grasp an herb, stone, or talisman that matters to you. Grow your roots, send them deep into the soil, let them intertwine and grow small hairs to attach to the mycelia in your own landbase.
Breathe.
Anchor yourself firmly to your landbase. Does your landbase have anything to tell you today? Notice a small detail that will call you back when this working is finished.
Ground and center. Cast a circle.
Breathe.
As you move to our American plain on the astral plane, you can see again the safe hillock where you do your work. You can see the five giant banners, shining in the sky: Walden Pond, the Underground Railroad, the Cowboy, the Salmon, and Lady Liberty. Do they seem more defined since we began our work? Do they have anything special to tell you this week?
For a few moments, just sit on your hillock and allow yourself to become comfortable. This place should be feeling very real to you by now; we’ve been working together to create it for months and months. What’s become familiar to you? A tuft of prairie grass? Buffalo off in the distance? The scent of sand carried on the wind? You’ve been involved in a months-long magical working here, joined with magic workers from across the globe. Feel your connection to this place on the astral plane. It is always here for you, always a source of strength.
Today, America is facing a difficult period. No one knows exactly what will happen, but it seems almost certain that — as the Muller and SDNY investigations reach their conclusion and as a Democratic Congress begins its own investigations and, possibly, impeachment procedures — Donald Trump, whose main method of operation is to cause chaos, will cause as much chaos as possible. Meanwhile, his trade policies threaten the global economy, he is making global climate change worse instead of better, and he continues to rip children away from their parents for the simple act of seeking legal asylum. His attacks on women and LGBTQ people continue apace and he cozies up to every bloodstained dictator he can find,
How on Earth can our democracy survive?
Stand on your hillock and look to the Northwest. As you look, the Salmon banner grows larger and larger in the sky. It grows to fill the entire sky and, as you watch, it becomes three-dimensional. Step into the banner and stand beside the chilly waterfall. As you watch the spray and spume, as you listen to the noise of the water rushing down towards the sea, you see salmon jumping, repeatedly, trying to get over the falls and back to their breeding grounds.
Some have suffered injuries on the rocks, but they still continue to leap out of the water and up towards the top of the falls.
A bear stands in the river, scooping up salmon with her giant claws. She eats them live and throws the entrails to the birds that swoop and scream just above the water. Still, the salmon single-mindedly focus on their task: to jump over the falls and swim back home.
Each leap becomes more and more difficult as the salmon grow more and more tired. Yet each time one falls back into the river, it leaps up again, determined to achieve this life-or-death objective.
And, in the end, most of the salmon make the leap and land above the falls. They swim on to their destination. Americans working to save our country from Trump and Putin need Salmon’s strength and determination. As you watch them leaping, feel yourself becoming inspired to continue to work through whatever difficulties come this year. Remember to focus on our ultimate goals.
You may feel moved to thank Salmon for this reminder, for this demonstration of courage and determination. Do you feel a song or dance coming on? Will you drum for the salmon? Perhaps you may be moved to make a donation to an organization working to preserve Salmon’s ecosystem.
When you are ready, turn and walk out of the banner back to your magical hillock.
Breathe.
Slowly, come down from your hillock and begin to walk back to your own landbase.
Open your eyes. Rub your arms and face. Notice the detail that you selected to call yourself back. Drink something, maybe ice water or some hot tea. Have something to eat, maybe a slice of apple or a cup of yogurt. Maybe you can set up a small altar dedicated to Salmon. You may want to repeat this working several times this week. You may want to journal about it. Are you inspired to make any art? If you’re willing, please share in comments what happened and how this working went.
Picture found here.
