Unfreezing the Earth

Ok, so now it is more than a month since Imbolc and the pace has quickened significantly. Spring forwarded last weekend and 1 week until Equinox. The sun rises so much farther to the east that it comes into the door before the windows.



I walked on the mud yesterday and today.
But back then there was still a lot of snow and we were grateful for the warmth of the sun.

Bryan had the fire pit dug out and ringed with snow blocks. We had a well of melted snow for a purification hand wash. Elizabeth was our fire mistress. We had dried herbs and 2 Yule wreaths and turkey fat for offerings. Bridget’s cloak had been in a tree overnight, and we barely needed a coat that day. We had brought our various tools (garden, office, art) to be blessed.

Susan and Elizabeth and Lovisa and her man Chris and Hudson and Bryan and I gathered at the gong and Amy joined us as we processed behind the cars and the VW bus to our Bridget by the stream. One by one we lit our candles and offered our prayers to her. I noticed the buds on the trees, the rushing of the stream, and the brightness of the light. You had to laugh, because Spring was coming.

Marching back to the ice cold water that served as our passage, we washed our hands and got comfortable on the snowy earth. You could sense the energy just underneath the surface. The fire glowed and was strong and warm. The big orange cat from next door joined us, birds sang, faces smiled and squinted at the sun.

I really love how our rituals unfold so naturally. We have grown well together as a group.

The Earth Mother, the Kindreds and Bridget- Bridget as special Grove Matron on her holiday. Can we offer enough? We have no Bard but our spirits sang. We all made our offerings and then there were the wreaths. Dry circles of pine placed on the smoldering embers turned suddenly into a giant blaze. (I gently pulled Hudson back, the cat left.) Bridget loves a good fire.

Our Omens were:
From the Ancestors: Fehu or fee or what things cost. The ancestors are talking to us about a price.
From the Spirits of Nature & Place: Uruz or Ox. This primal strength, it’s a natural growing urge, picking up momentum and getting bigger.
From the Gods & Goddesses: Odul or sacred enclosure. Also what we hold precious, and try to keep safe.
And From Bridget & the Season: Raido or communication. Traveling in a circuit, a progress: right action
The Blessing and passing of waters is getting smoother, and we all got to drink, even the cat.
And then the magic working began.
Bryan pulled out an ever expanding hempen rope as Bridget’s girdle. 9 ropes knotted in 8 intersections forming a huge circle. We each passed through this, passing it around the circle thrice. Climbing or jumping through or wriggling like an emerging worm or fish or unentangling arms and legs like an inside out shirt. Each time a new passage, closer to spring, closer to Bridget.
We asked the Kindreds and Bridget to then bless our tools, the tools of our skills and crafts, the tools of our trade.
Grounding down to the earth, to the potential within, eyes tearing from smoke, we thanked everyone and thanked again and then brought the Bridget idol and her cloak, outside from before the dawn, into the house to grace our hearth.


Crowding around a small table, toasting and eating, creating sacred milk magic, many warm faces.