Samhain -time of endings, grief and love

This post was written in pieces
over time,
just like our lives. 

Now is the longest dark.
Trusting always 
that the light returns,
we are always 
changed by this season
of endings.

Snow now as our constant landscape,
the endless white blankness
of silence.

Cold winds blow
only the oaks and the willow still have leaves
strong and flexible
seem to be the message

releasing 
what is no longer needed
or wanted
whether we want to or not
it will happen
and we have to let go

 

there are not enough tears for this season
and yet
the beauty 
of the dawn,
the first snows and frozen well,
the gardens bare 
except for some seed pods and golden grasses,
the shriveled pumpkins and dried stalks,
robins feasting on holly berries in the waning sunlight,
the glowing wood stove
fill the silent spirit of Winter.  

deep slow breaths

it was a wonderful ritual 
that neither words nor pictures can capture
but here are some of each from then:

us
Samantha
Elaine, Francis, & Ruby
Carol
Elizabeth & Katrina
Mary Jane
Emmallyea & Catherine
Lily
Cal 
and after everyone left Nicci & Bruce

home & reverent
for days/weeks/months/years
but this past week
these days home
or not traveling
but so filled
like each of the days
layered and tumbled together

offerings each evening
plates for those who travel through
wanderers from the other side
may none go hungry
as they go home

staying rooted and grounded
as we allow
that energy to pass by
akido-style

cat pumpkin
 carve outs
 for the directions

Sun rises no longer due East
but the Moon does
for New Energy & Inspiration
Sun light in the West
for the introspective time
Triskelion carved pumpkin in the South
all the emotions
the flooding & flow
environmental lessons & pain
sorrow & grief
welcome
in the North
place of Healing &Winter Winds
please be gentle with us
the Earthly Plane

Triskelion up & down
Cat figure for the center
the Interdimensional Plane

Many flowers
so many flowers

Summer's end
a good season
a good year
even with so much strife
so good to see
each other
still here

ginger leaf wreath
for the tree
Katrina going around
so hung on a branch
and then it balancing
and bending into the fire
catching onto metal
and then the corn plant
bending down to that

praying for days
ritual as closing the door

bone-fire

how to maintain the sacred
the silence
the stillness 
of balance

not addressing directly 
the global devastation
the sadness and grief and loss
the manufactured tragedy
generating gratitude
but never enough

this life is fragile
but we are strong
staying in community

growing potatoes for the outsiders
greed & lawlessness & ill-health & fear
trouble us not 

transitional sprites passing through

the energy down deep
down below
coming up/drawing up
and mixing with 
the energy from the sky
from above
mixing together in our body
strength

the snoring dog/drone meditation
better than a didgeridoo
better than a shruti box
-good laughter-
om

  

 

parking lot & bathroom
potential 
congestion

making sure everyone feels welcome
and safe
and stays reverently focused

gratitude for all our ancestors
I can only name
as far back
as my grandparents
but there are so many more
 unknown yet acknowledged 

prayers for safety and security
may all who are hungry
be fed

allow us to feel our sorrow & grief
without collapse

 

let us not be destroyed by the disruption
our ancestors were strong
which is why
we are here
let us, too, be strong

full moon now
2 days later
we have passed thru
somewhat

 trying not to be afraid
is a bit easier
when the ancestors
are at your back 

our Omens

From our Beloved Ancestors we receive the gift of Thurisaz- thorn/protection
From the Spirits of Nature & Place we receive the gift of Fehu- fee/what things cost/honest wealth
From the Gods & Goddesses we receive the gift of Ehwaz- the horse and rider/partnership
For the Season we receive the gift of Hagal- hail/disruption/transformation 

 

 

 

 

 

Imbolc Blessings

This season from Winter's end to full Spring
is truly a birthing
the growth of change so slow and fast
here we are.

much of this was written a few weeks ago
or just after everyone left that day
before these heavy Spring snows
(probably with more to come)
but not the defeating endless snow
and more snow
and so far not the bad ice.
Weather has changed over time
but the cycles
are ongoing.

Only two weeks since ritual but feels like a short eon.
The weather is whatever it is each day,
normal patterns of the cold and snow
seemingly gone.
So maybe it is subzero and then it's 60 degrees
and maybe there's precipitation of some kind
or it's just grey
but there is no snow today
and there's been no endless blank landscape
for a while.

 Dreaming of gardens and early dawns,
I have lacked the inaccessibility to be on the earth.
Longing for Spring feels different,
when there is no first sighting of green
or breakthrough flow of the stream.

  And yet,
all of it a great blessing.

And now, 4 weeks on, ritual feels like a distant memory.
We have had snows and melts and more snows,
finally the ground has become again
an endless blank landscape of white
clearing the mind
resetting
to begin again.
But Spring is in the air and in the Spirit
and in the beginning to bud
blush of trees.

There is no stopping this cycle,
no stopping Bridget's blessings
no stopping joy.

Notes and pics from then not necessarily in order.

So much food.
So much Kitchen.
Four or Five things in the oven at once,
several pots of coffee,
cordials in plastic cups,
and mead.
A true feast.

The one bird cheep cheeping
lighting the fire with our mint
and sassafras
sticks blown down from the maple
the night before

 

how blessed we are to be here
quiet with this land

Bridget of so many aspects

what goes into the effort is making it seem effortless

How Bridget is so welcoming
everywhere and friendly 

So many interwoven
energies
catching up
creative poetic high

how you doing?
time moving quickly by
how is it Friday
or Sunday
again?

Resting and Dreaming
thinking garden?

2 tall yellow ocher hats
layers and snowpants
and boots
big coats
insulated from the wind
and cold

chime chime clonk

triangle fire of frozen logs

roses roses roses
handfuls of dried petals
and geraniums
and all the pot leaves
2 handmade wreaths

everyone sacrificing for Bridget
Grove Matron
our insider friend
and guide
and connection

that which is rising up

the slow unbinding of the Yule Wreaths

Bridget of the livestock
and Barn
nurturing and caring
Bridget not just
a Goddess of Humans

 We have to share
that is our purpose
so much dreaming
detailed dreaming

our responsibility for goodness

a day of cleaning
a day of cooking
vacuuming, yoga, gathering in baskets
laying out sacrifice
on icy snow

hosting is exhausting
Bridget get it
she knows
she advocated for self-care
self-care as self expression
self-care as listening to yourself
self-care as light the way.

Bridget gives extensively
like her ever expanding cloak
like our hearts and love
and time
our bias towards balance
being here and now
laughing

full moon rises due East
sun rising halfway there
everyone in the West
double cookies for the North
heart cookie for the Center
heart is our center
balance bias
here & now
this middle world
our friend Bridget

 basket of one of all the flowers
from last year's garden
May this year be a good one
may our fields flourish
may our good dreams be realized
may our fears be allayed
or faced or befriended
may our hearts be strong
and kind
and let our creativity guide us

 

Our Omens:
From our Honored Dead, Blessed Ancestors- WUNJO, Joy
From the Beloved Spirits of Nature and Place - EHWAZ, the horse and connection of horse and rider,
the care-taking relationship with all livestock
From the Glorious Gods and Goddesses- ALGIZ, Be Alert/Be Aware, pay attention
From the Season of Imbolc and Our Dear Bridget- FEHU, fee, mobile wealth, worth

waters still warm
sitting in the cold
near our Bridget idol
exactly enough glasses for all
with us getting the fancy ones
and having counted wrong
but exactly right
11 folks

 

Stepping through Bridget's girdle
"is it just a string?"
head or feet first
or together
tangled up or leaping through
not a requirement
no one is forced
everyone succeeds

sheep and wool and dreams

Whirling dervish energy
of more and more women
in the kitchen
putting food in the stove.
All the oven mits/potholders used.
All the hot plates.
Much potatoes and cream.
Bountiful Feast.

full moon over ice crusted stream

we were out with
the Moon and the Shrine
when the candle burnt out.