Mark Green's Atheopaganism Blog

It’s a soft, foggy morning: the kind we often have in coastal Northern California summers, where inland heat has pulled cool, moist air from the ocean over us like a gray flannel blanket. The fog will burn off in late morning. leaving a perfectly temperate, sunny day.

Great for gardens and humans, such weather fills me with a sense of blessing at where I live, the systems and flowings of the land, air and water. Soon I will drive to work past redwood forests and vineyards, a green balm for the eyes.

Wherever we are, the magic of Planet Earth is going on around us. Getting to know the processes, the creatures and their habits, the trees and plants is a way to become literate in our own landscapes–not because the names are important, but because distinguishing between the many characters in the stories going on around us helps us truly to be grounded in reality.

So if you don’t already have one, consider picking up a bird guide or a tree identifier. You don’t have to become a fanatic about it, but learn the common creatures and plants in your area. You may be surprised at the unique things you learn about them.

But that’s for later.

For right now, look around and see what brings you joy.

I am seated in bed with a laptop and a cup of coffee, my cat sleeping at the foot of the bed, with cool air falling in the open window behind me. Today I drew the Page of Wands from the Tarot deck on my Focus: The Inventor.

What will I create today, I wonder?

I wish you this sense of contentment, of curiosity, of abundance. May as simple a thing as cool air and a cup of coffee inspire in you the happiness I am feeling right now.