I have been reflecting about how remarkable are the good folk and friends of Sweetwood Temenos! We are, and are becoming a clan of souls whose goodness is a blessing to one another, to the community, to the world, and the Land!! When new folk/friends visit or attend our rites and celebrations, I can feel their appreciation of what Sweetwood Temenos is. It is the People and Land. The specialness of what we have become is what draws me to continue to serve as a groundskeeper and Priest. I feel blessed by being a part of such a wonderful clan.  

We are growing a togetherness that is soulful, a cultural and spiritual legacy to pass down to future generations – our descendants. The way I see Sweetwood Temenos is as a clan. Like the folk of old, we are a clan of kissing cousins bound by a set of common values, along with the civility of freedom and friendship. It is not necessary that we love all of our cousins in this clan. (Hopefully, we like and do not hate one another!) We are committed to the togetherness that is Sweetwood Temenos.  

May our respect and acceptance for one another foster healing and do not enable self-defeating attitudes and behaviors. Love and wisdom are essential to this task of fostering our healing and growing the peace and goodness of our clan. On our path of togetherness, we will make mistakes, and then we can learn & forgive by the powers of love and wisdom. We will not be all alone. We will have love, joy and good memories that, like the fires in our winters, will keep us warm. 
 
We are a waterkin (whether near or far) that is creating something beautiful, called SweetWood Temenos. I believe Sweetwood is an offering of hope to the world and a blessing for us. I believe this beauty is an expression of our essential goodness. When I share water, I remember our essential goodness (no matter how ignorance, fear, pain, or deception holds us captive). I recognize our essential goodness as the Divine Spark, the Self that is immanent in all humanity. I believe our value of Self-Knowledge calls us forth to free us from this captivity. I believe the love & wisdom of Deep Friendship fosters this freedom. This is the water we share in our communion of souls. 

Water shared is life shared, is love shared! Thou Art Goddess, Thou Art God!

With love to you All, May you never Thirst!

Iacchus (New years Day 2007)