Hi, my name is Cara, and I’m Eclectic. I also love referring to myself as “a dirt-worshipping, tree-hugger”.

Hi Cara.

One of the downsides to being solitary and considering yourself eclectic in your path is that you tend to make up your own traditions – that is, you make things up as you go along. You take the basis of the underlying ritual for a celebration (which I guess is what we all do) and then twist it, poke at it and mould it into something that speaks to you.

Not that I’m speaking for every eclectic solitary out there – that’s just me. Spells, ritual, castings etc. I don’t plan anything out, I just let things come to me. The downside, again, is that nothing is written down to go back to for future events. I’m uncomfortable with reading off a bit of paper or trying to recite things. I just let things flow!

I don’t really follow the traditional Wheel of the Year anymore. I’ve blogged about this before, but I pay more attention to the Sydney Wheel that Julie from Druids Down Under created. For me it’s more real than something that is Northern Hemisphere based. I do, however, celebrate the Equinox and Solstices. This year I’ve noticed that the cherry blossom in our garden began to bloom a few days before the Spring Solstice. Provided we’re in this house this time next year, it’ll be interesting to see if it happens at this time again or if this was a once-off because of the changing weather.

With having celebrating the Spring Equinox last week (or Autumn for those in the Northern Hemisphere) I started to get a bit itchy for the more traditional sides of celebration. The Muggle and I went for a hike on the Sunday at Muogamarra Nature Reserve (only open 6 weekends a year), I got dressed up for work on the Monday (it’s amazing how many people I had to explain what the Equinox meant to – did no one learn about the Earth’s position to the sun at school?! It was the only thing I remember getting 100% on in year 7!) then the rest of the week was spent at Uni workshops (torturous – I was on edge each day there. Long story.)

I think as an eclectic it becomes easy to miss out on certain things. There’s no solidarity because we are on our own. Our path is developed over years to suit our own beliefs and style. We often find ourselves having to explain ourselves more because our style is a collection of a whole lot of things. It’s sometimes harder to try and get involved in group work because it can be so incredibly different to our own style that it becomes a little uncomfortable.

The way I approach the Equinox I guess is different to how others would celebrate it, if they celebrate it at all. I know, not everything has to be a grand ritual with all the bells and whistles, but it makes me think and wonder. I’ve studied so many different things, where has my path led to? Or, which I believe is the case, has my path done a full circle and back to where I began a few years ago once I truly left the ocean behind? This adventure began once we moved back to Sydney three years ago after our handfasting. This new path opened itself up before me and I think I’ve been trying to fight it, trying to hang on to that slither of who I once was, and what I once practiced.

The more and more I think about where I am today, the more I realise how far behind my life as a Sea Witch has become. It does make me sad because I miss the pull of the ocean. If money wasn’t an issue, if we could live wherever we wanted and be guaranteed work, then it would be near the sea. But that’s not the case. The more I study my university degree, the more I want to embrace the earth and leave behind the title of ‘Witch’ all together. The more I want to embrace one path rather than referring to my path as ‘eclectic’.

And I hate titles!

Yes, I know, Witchcraft these days is about loving the earth. For me, there’s a moment where you know you can call yourself a Witch. You know that in your heart of hearts that is who you are.

So I decided to embrace the traditional and celebrated the equinox as Alban Eilir.

“Alban Eilir, at the point of balance between Imbolc and Beltane, is at the point of balance too between day and night, and it is a perfect time to open to the quality of balance in our own lives.”

Hi, my name is Cara, and I think I may have found my balance.