Imbolc Time -The Quickening

 Icing and breaking open.
This time of fear and defiance and truth
shattering the foundation
believing in our strength
and coming back to life.

 The birds now sing in the morning
and the evening.
Green appears from the landscape of winter white.
Willows cast yellow and the maples red.
Sap flows.

We are still here.
The Earth is alive.
Spring rushes in
like the stream even under the solid cover of ice.

What is beneath and hidden and forming?
What can we nurture and grow?
What can be saved among the destruction?
Who are you now?

We've been gathering before the holiday
to focus our hearts and spirit
to be more present at ritual
to remember.

We wanted to really honor and properly invoke
our dear Goddess Bridget,
so many aspects of power and love.

This was what we wrote:
Song
inspiration
protection
grief/sorrow/keening
the flame of joy within
balancing respect
the arts
healing
protection
compassion
Song

 my prayer:

oh dear Bridget,
shine your light
throughout our being
allowing our inner forge
to craft the armor we need,
inspire us to grieve and also to sing
as we hold and heal
each other
through the art and artistry
of our lives
here and now.

This time of frozen transition lingers
cold, empty and dark
though the light subtly returns
almost without notice
drinking in the extra minutes of daylight
like a nice cup of tea
the busyness of the Summer garden almost a forgotten dream.
Now looking back
amazed to have made it to this wakening,

the long Winter releasing.
How to keep the momentum of slow
with the urge to run.

 Notes and pics from then and other musings
in a non-chronological order:

 

Busy morning of cleaning,
clearing,
laying out candles and food.

 

Vortex of Smoke
like the flowers
anti-gravity
neither of which I saw
but was in the middle
or completely outside of.

Procession to the Bridget Shrine
the Spring
and the Fire
feeling solid
on what seems
unstable.

All the flowers
from last year's harvest
gathered one by one
throughout the season
dried on the fireplace mantle
in the spot
where Bridget will rest
after being invited in
and lighting our hearth

I am the ingot
You are the forge.

All the songs
sung twice.

 If I had a hammer.

The Hammer of Justice.
The Bell of Freedom.
The Song about love
between
my brothers and my sisters
all over this land.

 

Everyone separately delayed,
though ritual started only an hour late,
which considering the challenges each day
was just about right.


Fire Starter
in the 5-Circle Fire Pit
we all had the white-hats
we the Good Guys
the Druids
Our Whole Grove.

 

Goddess Bridget keep us safe.
Light our way.
Keep us strong.
Keep our words & hearts true.

Bridget Candle Relighting
again and again

warm beverages and blankets

The great cosmic vagina

Going through Bridget's Girdle
Thrice
The Magic Working
I am now different.


House full of good food
and good food smells.

the well/womb/nest/cave
of the Bridget Fire

Bryan & Elizabeth
bonding at the center,
Me & Ann & Lily
in the kitchen
making the candle
for Bridget work
carving wax, crafting wick
and light.

feel the roots
and the Earth energy
in the frozen hard ground
coming together
to help one another
everyone gently being.

chopping the ice,
singing the songs,
stomping on the ground,

making candles
to fit
the ice candles
and setting them around.



As always Imbolc has ice.
Cracking ice in the Sun,
making safety changes,
honoring the gentle ease
of this past Winter.

The long Pre-Rit
as Sacred Experience
building the new fire
close to the house
close to home
close to our hearts
together
Reverent Walk About
Being Kind
together

Making sure Bridget felt Honored
Good Flames
Good Sacrifice
Everything Working Well

detachment
and
being

Ritual Purification
Smudge Stick
the overflowing outpouring
of love
for and from
our dear Goddess Bridget

Milk overflowing the Well
Beer over the Tree
Fat poured over the Fire

Everyone putting Sacrifice in the Fire

 

Good Boundaries

every body gentle in their being
we are strong
together
in our isolation
from the world

protection
family
protection

not like false promise
the comfort of grounded
wholeness
in Space out of Time

for a moment
for the day
there was no fear
only love

Bridget protect us
help us to weave our own protection
help us to wear our cloak
of nurturing
and to spread it out
for all
help us kindle our fire

I am the Ingot
You are the Forge

 

Our Omens:

D TH S B

What is the Vantage Point?
Don't Grasp the Thorns tightly.
Allow the Sun's light to Penetrate & Cleanse.
Allow for New Beginnings.

 

the Hedgehog and Crystal Foot
arrived today in similar packages
like the morning snow
a surprise gift reminding us
to be open to
the Unexpected Good.

the difference between
Smoked Salmon and Lox

Yuletide Pivot through the Darkness with Apricity (the warmth of the sun in Winter)

 Snow has fallen again blanketing the frozen Earth.
This Winter's weather so far has been closer to what is good for our land,
cold with some precipitation,
though we are still technically in drought conditions.

Winter with cold temperatures makes sense.
Biting winds,
chilly fingers and toes,
soups and teas,
sweaters and fuzzy socks and blankets.

Winter sunrises and sunsets,
like the brisk night skies brilliant with stars,
awaken the senses
and the heart
with the magical joy
of light in the darkness
and color contrasting the greys.

Prayers for good rain and lessening winds for California.
Prayers for an early and easy Springtime for Appalachia.
Prayers for a safe Winter for us.

Prayers for friends in the hospital,
and prayers for the hospitals and health care systems.
Prayers for our continued good health,
easily adjusting as necessary to our needs.
Prayers for peaceful transitions
for those whose time on this Earth has come.

Prayers for an end to all these wars, for the killing to stop,
for greed and anger and fear to cease
being functional and motivational tools
and for the people to rise up as one
as we do for each other
in times of crisis.

Prayers for strength and support for all.

January
like July on the other side
feels like the deepest of the season
even with the subtle changes
the Earth shares.
Willows are now pale yellow cast.
Maples and Peach trees have new crimson branches.
Dusk lengthens.
Though it is hard to dispel
the cold and dark,
I can remember the intense heat
and can imagine the sun on my back.
It may not be enough to dream,
but it will have to do.

 Notes and pictures and remembrances
from MidWinter Solstice time: 

Mother's Night 
and then middle of the night
stick breaking
setting alarms to wake up
to continue the tradition

Solstice Day 
filled with folks,
chopping wood help,
celebrating down the road with library art people,
dinner with a dear friend.
Great food all day,
gifting all day,
gathering together
joyfully
all day into the night.
Lighting candles
in the darkness.

 fear not
let it go
release the fear
the hard feelings
the exhaustion
the excess
into the Earth
let it go

sounds of cold
glow of light on ice
lighting the fire
with special dried gatherings
from last Summer

 

S/light of hand

cold & snow
lost & found
a good fire
a great ritual

Daily reminder

completely complementary
food
something of everything
the perfect pie
with one slice removed

let it be easy
to forgive
ourselves
for our not knowing or being

the wild rumpus of joy
and the boundaries
of collaboration

 how to stay sacred in the silly dance

holiday marathon of giving and receiving
being silent in the silence
listening to the sounds of the wind
of our heartsong
of peace

let there be peace
in our comings and goings
in our spirit and lives
in the East, South, West and North

honoring the darkness
honoring the Mothers
who came before everything
the Norns, the Fates,
she who brought us here

the Well as Us before we are born
primordial
thirst
for Knowledge
thirsting for meaning
quenching our thirsts
from deep within

holiday hubbub
running around our being
like chocolate

the frozen everything
a good fire

marigolds for the directions
seeds planted in the North

divinatory icicle of mucus
joyful noise
resonating boundaries

8 humans in multiple layers
many layers of wool and wilderness gear and blankets

allowing the energy to pass by
to dissipate away
deflected
take in what you need
what you would like
your wishes and prayers

    let the distractions be
and make good prayers

let your sound
not be babble
but thoughtful
like song

 allow space
allow time
allow breath

 

Stay fierce and proud.
Stand tall and always with a good heart.
We are all here now together.
That is what is.

Merry Magic Making

the darkest night has passed
and though the deepest Winter
is yet to come,
so will Springtime

 

gnomes and knights
blankets all around
jolly old elf

I will hold and shake
you pick
omens sliding on ice
omens from the frozen well

our Honored Dead- Raido
or the completed circuit & communication
given and received
those Beings & Spirits Not Human- Tir
or the Spiritual Warrior directionaly pointing
the way forward
the Gods & Goddesses- Berkanu
or Beginnings or Birth
the newness of being and becoming
the Yuletide Season- Uruz
or the Primordial Ox
our inner limitless strength

"we're just going to Aurochs our way through it"

blessed that the Waters of Life
did not
stick to the rock
freezing and breaking
but released gently
before blessing us

blessed to be here
blessed to give thanks

real and whole
includes being selfish
and cold

 how to balance
the frantic
energies of others
and the season

the bursting of the gourd
the chatter of the birds
listen to Nature

staying grounded
connected
to the cold and hard
Earth

our Earth Mother
not forgotten

super twinkly stars

balancing the wild card
the darkness
boundaries
slowing down
easing harm
pay attention in silence

unconscious release
conscious breath
and all the unconscious breaths

synchronicity