Thru to The May

 

Vernal Equinox Springing

 

 

this slow Spring interrupted by a very hot week
making everything rush
to bloom

Balance so needed
yet not necessarily accessible
except in the inbreath
and outbreath.

over the last several days
trees have gone from the blush of first bud
to leafing,
bulbs from sprouting to flowering
and the pollinators are busy. 

Trying to catch up to the energy of Nature,
I want to nap.

This Equinox Season
carrying us through Spring 
to the start of Summer,
is an explosion.
Riding that opening
and opening our hearts
to the return of the garden,
early mornings and late slow dusk.

Good faith action,
one day at a time,
being here now.

Notes and Pics from our Ritual:

enthusiastic/
small dog with a giant stick/
spinning in circles

tending the fire for hours
built in the rain
the syncopated rhythm
of the drain pipe
stream rushing

feeding that fire
for hours
all those sticks
a lot of small sticks
built up and layered
endlessly
the cranberries from the ice candles
of Yule
in the wood frame
of Fire

 

noon and lightly raining
when we started the fire
the quality of the air
cold, but not Winter cold

|
cast iron pan oiled paper towel
(no need for the NYT or the last of the fat wood)
to start the fire
an easy fire in the rain
from small sticks and herbs
and attention.

the balancing logs
leftover from Imbolc
gently fell twice to the East
and twice to the West

crushed corn chips & stout 
for our Beloved Earth Mother
the gift of the Druidic Peace Prayer
as invocation and song for the seven directions
peas and PEACE
for the directions
-mind blown-

Long winded acknowledgement
of presence and space
of self and not self
interconnected

extended non-traditional yet centering meditation

 

shell & seed pod
egg & seed
when inspiration meets fertility
pop corn popped
laying out seed
the balancing
burning eye-poker

Roses for our Honored Dead
(Unity Ritual waters condensed and coming down on us!)
Herb stalks for the Nature Spirits
Bouquet of bright dried flowers from the Summer
from our entryway
for the Gods & Godesses

flowers and stalks from the cauldron for all
and many petals
and 2 circles of sweetgrass
as a figure 8
for the Season
 

Folks coming late!
Eric in the West!
Shining Sun!

We've got Joy and Laughter,
Fuck YOU!

We have to be prepared to be shielded

Prayers to release 
what needs to go
prayers for good balance
slow Spring
prayers that the guns stop working
that the bombing stops
prayers for peace
prayers for our safety
and domestic wellness

Our Omens

From our Beloved Dead: Mannaz- Man/Self
From the Spirits of Nature & Place:Nauthiz- Need/Constraint
From the Gods & Goddesses:Uruz- Primordial Ox/Strength
For the Season: Jera- Year/Harvest

MNUY!

a good smelling fire 
a good feeling ritual
a good company feast

Vegan Caesar Salad/Beet Walnut Radish Salad/Cabbage Mango Cilantro Hot Pepper Salad
Potato Dill Egg Salad
Sprouts
Lion's Mane "Crab" Cakes
Deviled Eggs
Purple Sweet Potato Hummus
Salmon & Kale
Gluten-Free Lemon Cookies
Apple Date Babyfood Cake

Yum Yum Yum

 

Imbolc Time-Slow Awakening-Long Quickening

 Endless large amounts of snow forever
but Spring will come.

 

This Winter has been unrelenting,
severe at times, 
silent and beautiful most times,
scary sometimes.
This February has been brutally cold 
and though there have been some sunny days,
the endless grey
seeps into my soul. 

The trees know
and show us 
their first blush of color
even as we are consumed
in a monochromatic 
somnambulist
existence. 

Cruelty and abuse of Power
continues to destroy,
it is hard to only be active
and not also be angry,
especially when the winds blow,
we have to love.

Life will return to the Earth
(as Death will come to us all)
cycles upon cycles upon cycles,
no fear.  

Rain and melt begin.
More snow in the forecast.
Blizzards may hit us,
but nothing stops seasonal
change.

Being in stasis, we slowly move forward.
Fissures gently open,
imperceptibly.

Strength in numbers.

Notes and Pics
from then and now:

at this time of Imbolc
 we let go of what we no longer need
(and the cold and snow and silence demand that)
but the increased angle of the sun
and the stirrings of the Earth
draw us forward
fiercely and with love
like our dear 
Goddess Bridget

Birds Singing 

dropping and not breaking
dropping and breaking

ritual prep of cleaning and clearing
included a week of moving snow
carving space
again and again

the Portal Log
made of Sassafras
filled with sticks
that were part of stick breaking sticks
and herbs like mistletoe
yarrow and rowan berries

preparing the hearth
preparing the body
layers of prayers
layers of warmth

inner fire build-up
candle flame
on and off and on

magic

 

 concentration and effort
giving it the room to smoke
very good smelling fire
logs & pine clippings
chicken fat
meta-sequoia pine cones
flower heads

the Grand Marnier

old pomegranate
outsiders offering
not sliding on the snow
but immediately sinking in
completely instantly accepted

 

a time of grief
and mourning 
and releasing

photo by Katrina

offering all of the flowers
that had been on the hearth
one of each kind from the garden
last year
for Bridget
as healer
as protector
singer of song

snow-blind magical space

breaking ice
breaking ICE
snow covered but not completely frozen
EARTH

Let the hatred leave men's hearts.
Let the guns no longer work.
Let those who have been harmed,
heal and find justice.

the wooden portal of smoke
filled with embers
and going infinitely down
through the worlds
consumed all sacrifice 
but wouldn't burn
until they gave it the breath of life
and we had warming fire
in the extreme cold

photo by Katrina

 

 

the difference between 
natural light
and screen light

still warm waters
the liquid well
sliding on the iced well
just to the edge
without falling off
and freezing over
by the end of ritual

sizzling chicken fat
working the fire

this Earth
this time of year
drawing down
inwards

the potato

Worm Wood final sacrifice

casting the Omens- photo by Katrina

Our Omens

from our Beloved Ancestors: Elwaz- the Spindle or Spine, 
the Yew, the Death's Crook,
that center of revolution
from the Spirits of Nature & Place:Othala- Sacred Enclosure, the Home
from the Gods & Goddesses: Fehu- the fee, what things cost, mobile wealth
from Bridget and the Season: Sowelu- the Sun

Ogham: Ruis- the Elder, the Regenerative Grandmother tree

Virtue: COURAGE

Thrice through Bridget's Girdle

transformation is real
good prayers

giving space for the magic
being inside that space
like a cloud

 

All Sacrifice and Offerings

consumed.
What you put out there is.

sometimes potluck is all the same color tone

Welcoming Bridget 
into our home and hearth
is a joyous blessing