"Thank you for sharing" -Mid Season Imbolc Recollections

The sun is already bright and on a long higher trajectory from Southeast to closer to due West.

I tire of winter, of rescheduling plans and staying inside.

The hardness of the ice seemingly has intensified, 

shimmering and shattering like glass,

it is impenetrable.  

Our storms are increasingly intense, though the snows melt down quickly.

Soon mud will be everywhere. 

Soon bulbs will pop through the earth, already trees color with swelling buds. 

Catching up on rest in these last days of darkness. 

The springing fast approaches.

It rained last night and it is supposed to get scary windy.

We are near the exit of winter, kind of like a birthing.

I remember back then we were almost giddy at the coming of Imbolc,

noticeable daylight increase each day.

 notes from then:

DEEP FREEZE 

moving stars and strange lights in the woods

reconnecting with those from the past

cleaning and making circle food

no thoughts to sacred fire in the snow

she arrives and gives me an apron! with pockets!
that she made!

we eat because that's what we do

 warming up in the warmth of the sun.

they arrive and we settle in and get comfortable

because that honors Bridget most of all.

 

 Bridget Goddess of Becoming

of the Hearth and the Heart and the Strength to Go On.

Bridget Goddess of Smithcraft and Poetry.

 we did not sing her praises at ritual as we usually do

but we spent the day trying to understand
the acknowledgement of interconnection.

Cutting orange peppers on an orange plate
listening to Joe Strummer

he shows up with her.

Making whipped cream in a large mason jar,

we feasted with bowls of fruit and non-sweetened sweets,

lots of breads and three different proteins.

All gathered outside

on snow and ice

her ice candle and her mini-candles

transparent fire

feet on packed snow, hands on face

hazelnut offerings for the directions

over his head to the East

towards the maple and her in the South

to the silence at the end of the day in the West

to his left in gratitude for the healing of the North

up and down and onto his back in the Center.

the spinning well

balanced with laughter

the fire was a sacred woods blend:

oak, willow, alder, hazel, reed, ewe, holly, apple, ash

all from our land

  Visitations by 3 planes

 all went from North to South

1st at the welcoming of the East

2nd just before honoring the well

3rd just after

all white with red tails 

 

 mint wormwood yarrow 

circles of grape vine

 

 everyone making offerings while Bryan invoked and praised our Kindreds

multi-level multi-flame fires in containers

crisp air

  renewal and renewal and renewal

this year and not last year

sliding but not falling

walk like a penguin

 laugh a lot

these are the good old days

 our omens:

from the Honored Dead: Ansuz or Os or the Voice, the wind or the voice of Odin in particular, inspired ecstatic speech

from the Spirits of Nature & Place: Odul or Sacred Enclosure or safety deposit box,
what it is that your protect and keep safe

from the Gods & Goddesses: Daguz or Day or High Noon or the MidSummer high point overlook panoramic vantage point

for the Season: Elhwaz or the Horse or what is empowering us and how we get from here to there,
the interrelationship of horse and rider- the caring for another living being

dancing through Bridget's magick girdle in the sunlight

thrice,
we were all transformed

 sacred embers and Bridget's fire

kindled in our kitchen hearth

and rekindled in our woodstove

he also takes some in a tin
to be safely fed and transported and kept alive

to be reborn and reborn and reborn

turning over the caldron after all have left.

what is in the belly right now?

what is gestating?

the Muses

and pockets

setting the table

it's all about being comfortable

 

Bridget makes everything easier.