Though the nights are long and cold,they soon grow imperceptibly shorter as the light Returns
Come Celebrate Yule, the mid-winter Solstice
On Wednesday 12-21-11 gathering at dusk
Giving thanks for the sun, for each other, and the gifts of the season and our community
Heart to heart and hand in hand
Potluck to follow
Our shoveling helped the earth warm enough to melt clear and green. We gathered water from the pool, our sacred well, for indoor plumbing. Dealing with the other that is power outage is a strong reinforcement of this season.
K & ZJ arrived and we talked outage and estimated how long. We all had prepared, having learned the lessons from before and there was plenty of food, plates, water, fire at least for a few days.
Sitting outside, getting ready, go
we are here to honor the Gods
I remember the flaring from our sacrifice, all our dead remembered and standing together for warmth.
our omens rattled out onto the Elder futhark map like worlds in worlds
totally magical randomness- the wyrrdness of alignment, pendulum scrying
forces that are beyond us
a hidden horse ridding on the outer edge
hail and a hidden voice in the inner bowl
A cluster of upside down guys, but right over where there is the torch there is torch-a shaping enlightening burning. And in the next one to pop up in the Gibor zone or the giving field is Perth, luck and gift and Wunjo or joy is in the Wunjo zone
and in the Hagal or need zone- a cluster of ones that are face up: Uruz or ox (strength), Laguz or lake (to draw up from), and Gibor or reciprocity and Fehu or fee
the strength of drawing up the gift and what that costs
Ancestors- Manu or man, self
Sprits – Elwaz, attention
Gods and Goddesses- Kinaz or torch
Season- Wunjo and Perth - Joy & Chance
The Ogham was Quert or Apple which has to do with the afterlife, Avalon, the choice in love and life
We drank our blessings, we gave our thanks, and all our offerings, gathered our baskets and headed inside
WHERE THE POWER HAD JUST COME ON!
we ate hot chili and drank cold beverages and had pie and real coffee.
Renew New Year
I woke in the middle of the night just as the power went off. But the sun of the morning felt good and it was warm and we broke out the camp stove and make coffee outdoors and shoveled the deck.
It was good regardless.
Feeling ok, we prepared.
Power outages puts our family into camping/survival mode. It is a tentative balance of despair and joy, simply existing together. Like dumb suppers for our deceased, we feed each other as best we can given our circumstances.
Clearing the deck for Winter- gathering final garbage , last plants, making space for people and piles of snow. Dealing with large objects and children near the fire. Explaining sacred space without stating as such and gentle guidance away and towards.
Awkward space between the worlds.
People coming together to support each other, to stand as one voice, to occupy that space that we can call ours.
We knew it would snow, we knew it would be cold, we knew we might loose power and we would need a fire. I realized the only way to have that fire for ritual on Sunday would be to start it Saturday. Because of the weather all plans for the day were cancelled and we made food and fire and prepared for Summer’s End.
The fire took flame as the first flakes fell. It quickly flared. We gathered sticks and watched with awe.
We fed that fire all day as the snow grew deeper everywhere but our circle.
The snow was almost 2 feet deep by morning; our fire had burned down but was warm enough to be rekindled again- just like the circle of the year, just like our lives, just like our spirits.
