Sunday, February 24, 2019

"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.