Beltane 2000 Newsletter Book Review Circle Round: Raising children in Goddess Traditions by Starhawk, D.Baker & A.Hill Review by Adrianne

Starhawk, Baker, D., & Hill, A. (2000). Circle Round: Raising children in Goddess Traditions. Bantam Books: United States.

That evening, as was his custom, Spirit of Winter returned to his home. He came in a blinding storm of hail, snow, and sleet because he was in a boisterous mood. As he neared the village, his very bones told him that Summer's Spirit was in the vicinity, so he called out in a very loud voice: "Summer's Spirit, are you around here?"
Summer's Spirit came out and faced him.
"Hah! Summer's Spirit, I will destroy you."
"Hah! Spirit of Winter, I will destroy you!" replied Summer' Spirit still advancing. Spirit of Winter paused. He was covered with frost from head to foot. Icicles draped around him, and the fierce cold wind emanated from his nostrils.
(From "The Battle of Summer and Winter", retold by Carol Lee Sanchez, pp. 183 - 186)

The authors of this fantastic resource have gathered together a large range of practical activities that you can use to incorporate children into the celebrations of the turning of the wheel of life. The book is broken down into easy to use chapters: introducing the Goddess, circles, handing down traditions, tools, the moon, the sun, the sabbats of the wheel of the year, and life cycles (birth, growth, rites of passage) and the elements.

This book contains detailed information on how to make everything from cords, cakes, songs, stories, decorations, costumes, plays, wreaths, mobiles to dolls, carving pumpkins and candles! With illustrations to make it easier to follow, this book is useful for instructing children, as well as for gaining a creative spark for our own 'adult' celebrations. There are some great stories for kids in the book, as well as musical notation for some of the songs and chants (my fave - earth I am even gets a mention!) The book also covers basic safety information and is full of good common sense advice for parents and young people.

This book is not one that you sit down and read from cover to cover (except on initial purchase), but is one that you will constantly refer to throughout the turning of the wheel.

Beltane suggestions include:

• Make a maypole
• Dance the maypole
• Ask for blessings upon all our mothers
• Honour the fair folk
• Make fruit and flower baskets
• Celebrate our bodies
• Make rainbow hats as an expression of love for all things
• Make daisy chains
• Make sweetheart cookies
• Make Beltane Spiral Goddesses
• Eat bright red strawberries and pure white cream!