Silverwolf Sanctuary

 

 

I thought that perhaps introductions would be in order. It seems like a good time to explain a little of who I am and give everyone an opportunity to know me better.

 

For most of my life I have lived close to nature. My Christian parents offered me a choice - Sunday Church or cutting wood for the never ending hunger of our wood-stove. At a young age I chose the woods; and so began a lifelong communion with the natural world.

 

As the years went by, small town life, military, then straight into married with children, my spiritual path was constant, but never sought. In fact, it was merely my way of life; I never really associated it with my sense of spiritual self for I had had very little interaction with the world of pagan ideology.

 

It wasn't until after a messy divorce, when I abandoned the ideas of convention that I truly began to look for more concrete answers. When I met my new wife, who had also questioned orthodox religion at an early age, I began to observe that others walk the same paths that I had discovered on my own. There was a not only a name for this journey but vast amounts of literature, guidance and resources to aid me on my path to spiritual development.

 

Together Mairéad and I began exploring aspects of our own belief systems and found that our hearts lay on a similar path, if subtly different and complimentary. While there is not nearly enough time and space to detail my full faith structure here, suffice to say that I am a strong believer in the Spirits and Energies of all things. I have a fundamental and profound connection with the four Elements and have adopted multiple aspects of Celtic wisdom, Wicca, Shamanism and far Eastern doctrine, to combine into the whole that fits me best. Time and time again, over two decades, the name Terrain Winter's Wind Silverwolf has been a part of my life and now I understand why, for it is ingrained on my spiritual self.

 

Together my wife and I have spent several years in self-discovery before we took the next step and reached out to our local pagan community. A random internet search led to a rainy afternoon in mid-winter, where we were welcomed with open arms. It is in the face of that shining example that has led us to this point in our life and the dawning of Silverwolf Sanctuary...

 

May the road rise to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face.

And rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May the Lady hold you in the hollow of Her hand.

 

Terrain

 

HI! I'm Mairéad - a somewhat eclectic pagan in the Lakes Region of NH, the other half of Silverwolf Sanctuary.

 

My parents are a wonderful example of good Catholics. They are honest, devout, generous, forgiving, compassionate people. They instilled in us strong moral values and from them I have learned lessons that I will cherish for all time.

 

Regardless of their impeccable example, Christianity and I did not agree. While it is true that I still hold many of the basic precepts of love, truth and generosity close to my heart, there was much within both doctrine and history that left me unsettled. I spent years exploring different religions, from various forms of Christianity, Judaism, to eastern concepts such as Taoism and Buddhism. Then I started in on the Celtic, Egyptian and other ancient religions as well as various living tribal beliefs. From them all I've learned and grown and pieced together my own personal philosophy.

 

When my husband and I came to a point in our relationship where our intimacy and comfort level supported the amount of trust and understanding to discuss religious belief, I was thrilled that we had so much in common. We both have a strong connection to the Elements and a belief that we are intimately interconnected with the energies and spirits of all things. In addition I am a strong believer in the divinity and power of self; that our empowerment comes from within. Last, but not least, the most basic thing ideal that has led me to Paganism is the power of Choice, something I find infinitely profound...

 

Together we have spent several years in self-discovery before we took the next step and reached out to our local pagan community. A random internet search led to a rainy afternoon in mid-winter, where we were welcomed with open arms. It is in the face of that shining example that has led us to this point in our life and the dawning of Silverwolf Sanctuary, a "non-denominational" group that we run in the Lakes Region - public esbats, sabbats, a fellowship group, etc.etc. We are proud to come out of the "broom closet" and strive to become a positive pagan influence in our community!

 

 

Seachnaidh duin' a bhràthair, ach cha sheachain e choimh-earsnach.

A man may do without a brother, but not without a neighbour.

 

May we all be neighbors...

 

Mairéad