Full Moon In Virgo

Posted on March 8, 2020 by Holly & Jacques

FM Grid Virgo

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he time has come once again to set aside the every day and empower our lives by acknowledging the sacred wisdom we witches draw our power from. Our New Moon Pisces vows were set around objectively viewing our soul dreams without judgment. This coming Full Moon and Supermoon will continue the quest of living our best and most balanced life through analytical detail-oriented Virgo.

Virgo’s motto is “I analyze” and keywords are discriminating, dependable, unselfish, exacting, perfectionist, scientific, holistic healer.

We have touched on the need of weaving in balance throughout this year’s workings and this becomes even more necessary while the moon’s power is at its height during the sign striving for perfection.

The combination of the sun in Pisces and moon in Virgo lends itself the appearance of a calm pool, however, all that has transpired between the new and full moon is swirling in the depths. Coupled with the aspects of Neptune and Mercury, all this yummy energy is coalescing on a Monday (Moon’s day) to give us a very real opportunity to bring laser focus to that which is important. Virgo moon pushes us to pursue improvement in all areas of our lives, however, this sign also can get lost in the pursuit of perfection. In our everyday life, we may start to feel the need to do something-anything, give of ourselves freely and try to make sense of the chaos around us. The ‘devils in the details’ analytics that will attempt to organize all that is being churned up from the depths, which can serve to overwhelm or give us exactly what we need if we will but listen.

In planning our upcoming FM rite it will be imperative that we silence the noise and input by tuning out of social media, silence the voices serving to divert us off our path while avoiding images and information that add to the chaos. We may be flooded with ideas taking our brains in all sorts of directions. This is not the time to go down the rabbit hole. Instead, make lists and review the lovely new ideas at a later time. We have all the information we need within ourselves and do not need to gather more data.

The Pisces NM encouraged us to survey our internal landscape in the new young light of the moon. Virgo FM directs us to dive under the placid surface and follow those beams of moonlight to what is being lit up (aka: what lights us up) while anchoring our feet in the nourishing rich soil that will take the often disconnected abstract separates and grow them into something unique to our spiritual walk. This particular FM is enabling us to get out of our own way and trust the process of balancing intuition and discrimination to commit to what arises and feels right in our gut without overthinking it. Give yourself over to the Moon, hear with your ‘heart’ and she will give you exactly what you need!

“We must be willing to let go of the life we had planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us”
~Joseph Campbell

Merry Part and Goddess Bless!

Understanding Pisces New Moon 2020

Posted on February 28, 2020 by Holly & Jacques

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he year of 2020 has seen a transition from Pisces to Aquarius and with it a shift in our personal alignment to higher spiritual wisdom coupled with our relationship to social systems. In February the powerful Leo Full Moon illuminated the dark hallows shielding blockages that contributed to our suffering as well as stood in our way of stepping into our personal power. This last esbat NM in Pisces allowed us to unpack emotions regarding our path and aspirations.

Keywords for Pisces are:

*Dreams *Creativity *Psychic *Divination *Intuition

In the body, Pisces rules the feet, toes and lymphatic system. (The lymphatic system works primarily to carry infection-fighting white blood cells while also working to rid the body of toxins, waste and other unwanted materials).

Feet are vitally important in carrying us on our path and foot ailments can manifest when we are not walking our truth. Our ability to navigate the terrain becomes compromised and we often ‘lose ground’.

The magical and spiritual workings for the year will focus on balance and our place in the world. January and February had us honing our inspirations, adjusting our ambitions and assessing our material resources. Thusly, seeds sown these last two months will help us navigate our relationship to monetary restrictions while meeting our fiduciary responsibilities Additionally, we have begun the process of digging deep to discover what drives us, what closely held values do we believe at our core and how does this contribute to the creation of our most authentic self as the month of March brings forth a shake-up of society structures. (This can already be seen as a vying for power and position in politics commences with the impending elections).

Themes around the questions of ‘who am I and who do I want to be”? continue to be explored as we work in the challenge of adapting and adopting a way that is integrous and balanced. The seeds we are growing will empower and nourish our authentic selves without giving into the consensus trance of what is right or useful according to society?

This Pisces NM offers us the opportunity to look at our internal landscapes. We are assessing where we currently stand and as with any new moon, where do we go from here?

In order to arrive at an answer, one must assess where we spend the most time physically, emotionally and mentally. All three are driven by wants and needs. Everyone has basic needs requirements, however, it is important to travel beyond survival mode to develop and grow. In order to understand deeply held motives and desires driving our behaviors and actions, we need to look at our needs and wants objectively without judgement. This by no means gives cart blanche to act upon all wants but simply illustrates in a quantifiable way what is truly driving our powers of manifestation in both the concrete realms and the craft working realms.

In an effort to counteract greed, our culture has attempted to differentiate between a want and need, with wants having had a lot of negativity attached to them. Needs are generally focused on survival where wants are frequently seen as wasteful or unnecessary. With these ideas in mind, the next step is to evaluate our relationship to wants; in a lifetime it is next to impossible to single out every defining moment that has shaped how we value ourselves and our relationship to what we want. Many of us have been taught that what we want for ourselves is bad or selfish, wants are all about ego or not being grateful for what one has or, my personal favorite, if you want more for yourself you are ungrateful and therefore it will all be taken away. In reality, how can one ever really know who they are in life without unpacking wants, needs and dreams for good or ill?

We can spend so much time judging the rights and wrongs of needs and wants that we quit dreaming. Evaluating and picking apart every aspect kills it all. Ultimately this Pisces New Moon was about dreaming and creating without judgement, allowing our intuition to be our guide.

Our New Moon Vows were centered around this motif. Between this Pisces New Moon and the Virgo Full Moon, take time to unpack your wants and dream in the healing light of the goddess as we ready ourselves for attracting good vibes in March.

Merry Meet and Blessed Be!

For the Love of Valentine

Posted on February 9, 2020 by Holly & Jacques

The minute I heard my first love story, I started looking for you, not knowing how blind that was. Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere. They’re in each other all along. ~Rumi

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alentine’s Day is one associated with lovers, couples and many may argue….commercialism. As with any other public opinion, it requires examination so that one may evaluate and respond in a way that honors our path and our relationships in a way that feels authentic and productive.

There are as many types of love as there are people with the most remarked on and notable being: Eros (sexual, passionate, romantic), Agape (universal love/heart chakra centered), Philia (friendship and goodwill), Storge (familial/parental), Ludus (playful activity, flirting, seduction), Philautia (self-love: both the healthy and unhealthy kind), and Pragma (practical and compatible). Despite Valentine’s Day being associated with lovers, through the ages it has been a day to celebrate love and friendship of all kinds.

For many of us, our introduction to Valentine’s Day and love outside of the home began in grade school. It is a holiday full of creativity and social/emotional growth, but at times could be a bit painful as well. For me, Valentine’s Day was exciting because I loved art and V Day meant access to new art supplies of red and pink paper, hearts, sequins and delicate lace paper doilies. As a class, we worked diligently creating homemade collages loosely representing a Valentine’s card, most often to our parents. We would then practice our spelling and fine motor skills to write out our classmate’s names on flimsy store-bought cards sporting cheesy pictures to later take to school and hurriedly place in construction paper mailboxes taped to our desks. If we are lucky some generous parent would include a little chocolate, a box of candy hearts or a sticker. After the cards were passed out, everyone would excitedly open the cards. I was psychoanalytical even as a small child and so would evaluate each person’s message by their choice of card. Did I get cards from all my friends, was there a special crush card from someone I didn’t know that liked me? Potential hurt would be present when someone didn’t give me a card as I couldn’t understand why.

In later grades, our minds are stretched in figuring out how to express words of caring to our friends without sounding stupid or giving someone the wrong idea, while in turn telling someone we like them…..without actually admitting it in the event we are rejected. Our social and emotional skills are tested as we are told by our parents that we must write a card to every student on the list, even when we don’t want to. As we get older our personalities begin to develop as do conflicts and we don’t necessarily want to include everyone in our circle of love. We begin weighing our like and dislike of each other based on how we’ve been treated, hurts experienced (imagined and unimagined) to withholding a piece of ourselves in not sharing a card with the feelings of what it felt like when we didn’t receive a card. At this time (hopefully) conversations begin around what is love, kindness, generosity and compassion? How do we deal with people who don’t treat us well or return affection? How do we deal with emotional related hurts and disappointments? It all can become complicated very quickly and have lasting benefits or consequences depending on what tools we are taught.

Eventually ‘Will you be Mine’ hearts and paper doily cards give way to roses, chocolates and more adult overtures or expressions of love. Depending on our past experiences we can choose this to be a time of joy and celebration or a time of jaded pessimism. Valentine’s Day has no shortage of celebrants and is one of the most popular holidays in the United States. Despite its popularity, many detractors denounce V Day as simply a commercial holiday designed to make people just spend more money. To that, I would say that nobody can make you feel or do things you don’t want to.

In reality, Valentine’s Day occurs during the Season of Imbolg, a time where the weak light starts quickening the seeds of life within. We start waking up from the hibernation and slowly stretch our delicate tendrils to the light in an effort to leave winter behind. It is interesting to note how V Day occurs during this time of the year.

There is much in the way of controversy surrounding the origination of Valentine’s Day. One theory postulates St. Valentine was a 3^rd-century Roman saint who started out as a priest, ministering to persecuted Christians. He was imprisoned, whereby he fell in love with a young girl to whom he allegedly penned a letter and signed “From your Valentine”. Valentine was martyred and then commemorated in death on February 14^th.

Another theory stems from the actions of Emperor Claudius II, who decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives, therefore outlawing marriage for young men. Valentine felt this was unjust and married young lovers in secret. When Claudius learned of this deception, he ordered the death of Valentine.

The romanticism of either myth has not been forgotten all these years later. It does, however, beg the question of whether or not it was initiated by the Christians in an effort to usurp the fertility festival of Lupercalia, dedicated to Faunus, the god of agriculture? This fertility ritual occurred in the middle of February in conjunction with the beginning of birds’ mating season. There is the soft fragrance of early lily of the valley, witch hazel, redbud and forsythia as well as the returning sounds of birds. There is a flurry of activity in the pairing up and nest building of these birds as well. Those in rural areas see this quickening result in new beginnings: the birth of lambs and early calves as well as chickens starting to lay eggs (another seed of life) after a long dark winter.

As pagans in tune with the cycles of the earth, we understand the need for her balance and upkeep. Our voice and power to effect change are expressed through what we spend on consumables. While there are a lot of consumables to be indulged in during Valentine’s Day, one does not have to sell the farm and buy up the store to show love. Many argue that loving-kindness and the generous nurturing of a relationship needs to be shown to our partners all year long, not just on one day a year. I do not believe any person truly engaged in a relationship would argue that statement. A relationship is a living co-creation that requires daily mindful attention of all people involved, as a whole year of maintenance and attention cannot be crammed into one day.

I liken the group mind energy of Lupercalia/Valentine’s Day to that of Winter Solstice/Yule/Christmas, in that the magic felt during the Solstice season is big and heartfelt with energy for spell working much easier to raise because people have open hearts and are largely of the same group mind.

Valentine’s Day is all about choices. The value is in the micro choices taking place each day in how you choose to show up in your relationship. How one approaches Valentine’s Day is a personal choice and like anything else in life-you get out of it, what you put in. Valentines Day can be as unique as the couple celebrating and one can choose to view V Day as another commercial holiday or one can take the opportunity of the curated Valentine’s venues to tap into the love vibes and cast a spell on each other for deeper connection and another memorable year. At this time of year, I build an altar for the love of my family and friends. I make special treats and pen cards to hand out as a personal expression of how I feel and want to make others feel. Valentine’s Day does not need to be fancy, just genuine.

Love is the Law of the Land and Love is the most powerful force on earth. Even more amazing is this year it falls on Friday-that day ruled by Venus, the Goddess of Love. Any reason to celebrate love in all of its forms is worthy of time and attention in my book!

However you choose to celebrate-may the Goddess bless your love thricely now and in the coming year!

Cheers and Blessed Be

January 2o2o Cancer Full Moon

Posted on January 8, 2020 by Holly & Jacques

INTUITION * EMOTIONS

FM Grid Cancer

J blk anuary 2o2o kicks off with an intriguing New Year of pivotal historic and spiritual change as we transition into the Age of Aquarius. As discussed in a previous post, moving into the Age of Aquariusis an exciting time, but can also be a nerve-racking transition as we are plagued with a country and world divided unlike ever before. As with any transition, the struggle to let go is very real and apparent; issues of civil, political, religious and social unrest are quite turbulent and much in the forefront of our awareness.

Current projections for the 2o2o show a year that is mellow into June, but indicate worldwide concerns with material scarcity as oppressive social systems begin to unravel. The astrological and planetary alignments require us to let go of dead habits, ideas and old world views that no longer serve so that we can make space for both new and remembered indigenous knowledge of community and spiritual practice. Astrologists predict a major shift in the rebuilding of society through humanitarian efforts.

As pagans and witches, our spiritual practice and magical rites are informed by the seasons, the natural world around us, synchronicities, meditations, rituals, and divinatory practices, all of which are cluing us into the importance of the full moons in the coming year. The Full Moon in Cancer, taking place on January 10th, provides us with an opportunity to engage in magic specific to family and home. My recent meditations regarding magic for the coming full moon repeatedly show me scales, indicating a need for a balance brought forth and maintained during this transition, specific to the mind and how we frame challenges in our future as well as fiduciary responsibilities. As Cancer oversees the home and emotions, Cancer, in her ruling sign, the Moon, focuses on the intuition necessary to navigate us through trying times. For us, this upcoming Full Moon will deal with internal housecleaning, fine-tuning our internal compass, and communicating with our bodies about what is in harmony or out of sync. I will ask of my internal home, ” What are my emotional strengths and weaknesses? What feels good and right in my body? What sends a red flag? What secrets am I hiding about my true feelings? What are those emotions that lead to imbalance and veer me off the path of authenticity?” In magic one of the most important tasks before you is asking the correct question.

As we all know, change happens at home and this begs the very real question of “who am I in this world of change?” “who do I want to be?”. Ultimately it comes down to how can we balance our responsibilities in the everchanging world while being authentic and connected to our most essential selves, especially when surround by spiritually asleep people who see/experience the world much differently than we? More importantly, it is a time that requires us to adapt in the face of frequent changes that increase as we transition from the Age of Pisces to the Age of Aquarius.

As Einstein said, “The Measure of intelligence is the ability to change’.

As you cast your circles and create sacred space, remember…….we are all in this together. Be gentle with yourselves and others.

Merry Part and Blessed Be!

The Magic of 2o2o-Age of Aquarius

Posted on January 5, 2020 by Holly & Jacques

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t red he beginning of a new year can be a time inspiring change in our lives. We don’t know what the year holds for us, but we hold in our hearts the hope for new opportunities to move us forward. It is said that it is darkest before the dawn and 2o2o is just such a moment. We all have the amazing fortune to be not only witnessing but experiencing a historically pivotal time of spiritual and social transition.

For the World-2020 is the year where the Age of Pisces ends and the Age of Aquarius begins. We all know in life, beginnings and endings are never black and white. Ingrained world views and systems of belief cannot be changed overnight and thusly been quite apparent in the political, racial, social, environmental, civil, religious and spiritual upheavals taking place worldwide, especially in the last 50 years. Never has the world been so divided on every level.

The Age of Pisces values money, power, technology, and control; hence the destruction of our planet in the name of greed and the almighty dollar, oppressive social structures, over consumerism and demonization of anything or anyone directly connected to the Gods, the Old Ways, the Divine Source. As Sandra Weaver said, ” Throughout most of Pisces though this spiritual side is for the most part seen as the truth hidden behind the five senses. Spirituality was seen in relation to the world, not through an innate knowing of divinity“.

The Age of Aquarius values love, compassion and integrity of self which kicks off a time of healing our planet, our society and ourselves through humanitarian efforts. It is a time that brings us back to our ancestral roots and strengthens the need to participate in our local communities. Just as Pisces started out with the strengths of the sign, growth peaked and then became consumed in cycles perpetuated by its weaknesses; something that needs to be safeguarded against with the Aquarian traits if we are to be successful in healing our planet, society and ourselves.

While It can be very difficult to be a spiritual person in society with its currently held beliefs, the Age of Aquarius has the potential of ushering in a more spirit-centered/connected existence. This is now the time of embracing daily spiritual practices revering a higher power/intelligence and using our pagan understanding of our interconnectedness to the cosmos and natural systems that impact and inform our spiritual and earthly realities (which science is finally recognizing to be a truth). The question for the year and even possibly the decade is “Who am I going to be?” “How am I going to show up?” during this time of great change and transition.

It appears as if 2o2o is going to be a year of opportunity in reforming ourselves and aligning ourselves with more profound spiritual wisdom. For us, at Rosethorn Manor we have opted to focus our magical workings on maintaining the balance necessary in times of tumultuous change while weaving in the unique requirements of each individual.

How do you plan to ‘bring it’ for 2o2o?

‘Familiar’ Loss

Posted on November 9, 2019 by Holly & Jacques

“We never get over great losses; we absorb them, and they carve us into different, often kinder, creatures.”

― Gail Caldwell

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Witch’s Familiar is something of tall tales as told in history books and still a very integral part of spiritual practice for many of us. In April, we lost our beloved Familiar, Ms. Lyra, and it’s taken me this long to be able to share. Lyra was a huge part of our every day in every-way life and the loss is a particularly deep and painful one. I have sustained the loss of dogs, cats, horses, grandparents and both of my parents; the list goes on. As pagan peoples bearing close ties to the energies and frequencies we live and work with, the loss is deeply felt and a familiar is extremely hard. Every place I turn in my bedroom, in the garden, in the barn, on the front porch is ghosted with her presence and constant reminders at every turn. Our lives were enriched by her presence, by her nurturing nature, by the flash of her golden eyes and her sassy chatter. Ms. Lyra would watch over me wherever I went: while I slept, she patrolled the land; when I was up in the morning, she raced through the dog door to have a morning meditation; when I went running, she frequently insisted on running 2 miles or more with me through the woods (which is highly usually for just a regular cat and indicated I needed to be on the watch for something); when sick she would give her healing energy to whomever needed it.

Our spiritual practice was enriched through her awareness of that which could not be seen and her supportive presence during circle. Her energy and frequency added another layer of power and connection to our workings that is much different now that she is gone.

Almost everyone has experienced a serious loss of some sort in their lives, whether it be a family member, friend, home, job, beloved pet or familiar. Loss is always hard unless it’s the last five pounds of winter weight. It is a feeling I have become far too familiar with and therefore know what to expect, though I do not believe that it is an experience one ever truly gets used to. “They” say that time heals all wounds, however, one would need to define ‘heal’. Loss is an oxymoron, in that one has less of something, yet somehow feels heavier in our grief.

RIP

The process of healing is different for everyone and there is no right or wrong way to grieve, other than ignoring it. In the face of grief remember to be gentle with yourself, give yourself time and honor life and loss in your own way.

All these months later and our loss still feels heavy and fresh. We have honored her presence in our Samhain Season rites and will continue to remember Ms. Lyra equally as we acknowledge any family member.

Ms. Lyra-the lives of those at Rosethorn Manor and been blessed by your presence and will never be the same again. May your soul ride gently and safely on the joyful breath of Bastet until we meet once again my beloved. RIP

If you have lost a beloved Familiar, we would love to hear your story.

Women’s Spirituality Trilogy

Posted on April 4, 2019 by Holly & Jacques

celticT hroughout history, much of what has been written on paganism, witchcraft and alternative spiritual practices has led to much in the way of misunderstanding. Witches and Heathens, as portrayed in movies sends one down the road of a bumbling idiot, maniacal evil sorcerer or vampy succubus and everything in-between. While at times amusing and entertaining, most are based on unflattering stereotypes that hold little value in their representations. We previously listed out some of our favorites on the Pagans and Media post, however, wanted to touch on a really great set of videos with a more authentic and respectable historical approach.

There are a series of videos called the Women’s Spirituality Trilogy. The three videos… The Burning Times, God Has Remembered, and Full Circle. The Burning Times provided an in-depth look at the diverse history of 15 to 17 centuries considering the worship of the goddess, manipulations of the clergy, and witchcraft of yesterday and today. Terrific numbers of witches and non-witches burned my other types of torture reminding.

God Has Remembered, examine varieties of goddess worship in different places around the world. There was footage of caves, deserts, temples, carvings and statues. The writers also touched on the resurgence of forgotten values and worship currently being practiced by both men and women.

Full Circle dealt with the manifestation of the many forms of women’s spirituality. It showed women coming together out of the shadows of men, clergy, fear and uniting in trust once again. The many points of equality and respect between the two genders were shown.

Watching these videos is time well spent. It was wonderful to recognize many rituals and songs that we do in our own circles. These videos had great people such as Starhawk and Margot Adler. The dances and music were beautiful and all of the videos were represented in an informative and intelligent manner without divulging too much. The resurgence in forgotten values and practice of the old ways are alive and through this path our futures hold hope. For people newly answering the call it is a great entry resource and for those already familiar it is wonderful to see it happening in somebody fantastic ways and in living color.

Pagans and Media

Posted on March 23, 2019 by Holly & Jacques

ecently, a newbie to paganism asked my husband and I for some of our favorite pagan media titles. For pagans and people of alternative spiritualities, it used to be quite a challenge to find anything of quality that wasn’t steeping solely in stereotype. This day and age, however, there are quite a few movies and series that are enjoyable to watch-some with historical significance, some with kernels of truth as seen in one’s peripheral vision and of course stereotypes as well and some are just purely entertaining! There are others that may not be pagan or craft related but serve to inspire or help one think outside of the box regarding faith/spirituality/religion and subsequent moral or philosophical connotations.

Here are a list of just a few of our favorites:

Practical Magic Ladyhawk The 13th Warrior
The Princess Bride The Deceivers Pan’s Labyrinth
Mists of Avalon Legend of the Witches The Watcher in the Woods
The Witches of Eastwick-Movie and Series The Mistress of Spices
GRIMM The DaVinci Code I Married a Witch
Like Water for Chocolate Book, Bell & Candle Avatar
The Cloud Atlas Wish Upon A Spell Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Stardust The Good Witch Series and Movies
The Witches The Gift Mulan
Witchcraft: Rebirth of the Old Religion Sorceress
Eve’s Bayou The Spirit of Albion My Neighbor Totoro
Thor Lord of the Rings The Pagan Queen
Hocus Pocus The White Queen Harry Potter
The Seeker The Littlest Witch The Craft
Arranged Chocolat Agora
The Celestine Prophecy Anchoress
Spellbinder The Magicians The Shannara Chronicles Dresden Files
The Wicker Man-Old and New version. (If you watch them back to back you will notice the differences between representations of God/Goddess as well as how female sexuality is portrayed. It struck me as quite curious).

You-tube has many documentaries & lectures as well as radio and TV interviews with pagan notables on the path of the Old Ones.

Of course, this list is by no means exhaustive or complete. I did not include horror or satanic flicks.

We would love to hear about some of your favorites!

Season of Imbolg

Posted on January 26, 2019 by Holly & Jacques

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he season of Imbolg is upon us at the midpoint between Yule and Ostara. The spark of light, life & hope born from the womb of the Goddess at Yule emerges from the cave of darkness, bringing forth the stirrings of newly regenerated life. Imbolc, meaning ‘in the belly’ is also known as Imbolg, Oimelc, St. Brigid’s day and the Christianized Candlemas is observed starting on sundown of February 1st through sundown of 2nd. This sabbat marks the beginning of spring, though admittedly in the PNW it doesn’t feel very spring-like. The light birthed at the Solstice, though not wholly noticeable, has increased incrementally enough that our hens are intermittently blessing us with a welcome egg or two.

Historically a festival celebration of lights is held in honor of Brigid the goddess of healing, smith work, poetry, sacred wells. Brigid’s association with water saw her as the protectress of holy wells where divination for the coming season would take place. Additionally, since Imbolc is a festival of fire and lights, omens may be discovered in symbols and imagery of the sabbat fire and subsequent ashes.

It can be quite cold where we live with combinations of wind, rain, fog and snow making travel treacherous. In all honesty, this is not a favorite time of mine to be out and about, so the first snowdrops peeking through the snow as well as the new fluffy white lambs lift the doldrums of the heart and mind. Living in the woods this time of the year means the poten candlemas tial blessing of early mushrooms, however, it also means diligence in walking the fence lines to check for coyote-dug holes that need filling or downed trees removed from fences.

The sparse but growing light gently awakens our souls from inner contemplation and asked to attune ourselves to the energy of purification, the promise of warmer days and growing things. We are not quite ready to be active, however, it is now the time to contemplate what we will sow in the coming year based on what knowledge was gained since the Season of Samhain. Externally our gardens are planned, seeds are purchased and the remaining yard and garden chaff of the previous year is removed and the land made ready.

Altars during the Season of Imbolg are simple, reflecting the newness and fresh start of purification. The dredges of winter are washed away in rituals of self-purification. Homes, altars, tools and sacred spaces are “spring-cleaned” in an effort to alleviate stagnation. Both sacred space and self are rededicated to the Divine and vows are reaffirmed to the path of the Old Ones. Candles of white and blue grace the altar along with small vases of rosemary, hellebore, willow branches, and snowdrops along with garnet, lunar quartz, aventurine, tigers eye, citrine and an offering bowl of milk & honey. Incense of frankincense, cinnamon, clove and last year’s lemon verbena fragrance the air and ignite excited expectation. A Brigid’s Cross made of reed rest on a corn doll embracing a priapic wand awaiting the many kisses of the ladyfolk. Baskets of candles await consecration and dedication to future works and sabbats.

As we cast our circle and call forth the God and Goddess, we make ready ourselves for the blessing and birthing of inspiration that is aroused after a season of surrender. While the Maiden circumambulates sacred space with her head wreathed in lights, we turn our mind’s eye partially outward and strike a spark to the hearth fire from which every candle is lit as a beacon to the sun in the darkness. However this must be done gently and with finesse; much the same way one strikes sparks onto dry kindling of leaves and twigs, then gently blows life-giving breath to the tinder encouraging a flame. We must now hold this flame in the palm of our hands and give the flame what it needs to have a full life, be it tinder or breath. Too much or not enough of one or the other kills the flame. It often seems that spring bursts forth quickly, however, we know it is reflective of the long and careful preparations that have been made to support the burgeoning and powerful forces. Until that time we sit quietly and give thanks for the simple beauty of the maiden goddess of light and life. As our rite closes we hold close to our hearts all that the eyes and ears have beheld so that we may ourselves be lights in the dark.

Hymn to Brigid
An Tri numh (The sacred Three)
A chumhnadh, (To save,)
A chomhnadh, (To shield,)
A chomraig (To surround)
An tula, (the hearth)
An taighe, (The house,)
An teaghlaich, (The household,)
An oidhche, (This eve,)
An nochd, (This night,)
O! an oidhche, (Oh! this eve,)
An nochd, (This night,)
Agus gach oidhche, (And every night,)
Gach aon oidhche. (Each single night.)
Amen.

Carmina Gadelica

To the Feast!

How to do you and yours prepare for spring?

The Season of Yule

Posted on December 21, 2018 by Holly & Jacques

ule, also known as the Winter Solstice, Brumalia, Saturnalia, Modrinacht, Tammasmas Nicht and Albun Arthan is a festival steeped in historic traditions and rooted in many pagan societies, whereby our ancestors gathered in the deepest darkness of night to pay homage to the twins of dark and light (the Holly King and Oak King) as well as the Goddess in her life-giving capacity. It is also one of the most recognized and largely shared pagan celebrations across the world(followed by Samhain). It is one that is so powerfully felt due to the mass numbers of people in the northern hemisphere with open hearts celebrating together. It is quite amazing and moving what people engaged in a single purpose simultaneously can energetically accomplish. If only all of our open hearts could be brought together for a single positive purpose all year long, imagine what we could accomplish.

Opposite of the Summer Solstice, Alban Arthan is the shortest day and the longest night of the year, signaling another change in our turning wheel. For three days the sun stands still and pauses, before starting on its journey once again. The Season of Yule is one of quiet expectancy, with the shifting of energy focused on the outward movement and expression of life, though it is hard to imagine spring at times during the hardships of winter. The subtleness of a longer day in the addition of an extra minute of light can also be lost on us when snow, clouds and rain are the order of the day or we are socked in by fog. However, the depth and void experienced at Samhain helped clear away the final chaff of the year, which now allows the quietness and stillness of the new solstice light to be felt, even if we are unable to see it.

At this time the Goddess in the cave labors to birth new light, hope and love in the world. A new baby in our family circle opens our hearts and as a soul tribe we are all called upon to participate in the love, care, nurturing and success of this new light in our lives. In this same manner, we are now called upon to love, honor, protect, nurture and engage in the long journey that brings fruition to the little seed of light within ourselves. With our hearts open it is also so much easier to give of ourselves to help birth the light in others.

At this time in the PNW, November winds have blown off the fall leaves on the trees, thunder has sounded and the driving rains are welcome after our hot summer. We are chipping ice out of the water buckets and horse troughs. Snow has intermittently fallen and the birds are relying on hawthorn berries, beauty berries and blackberries for sustenance as well as scraps from our chicken coop and seeds in the feeder.

On the first weekend of December, our family treks out to find the perfect noble tree. Sometimes the ground is frozen with snow and sometimes we are wading through mud. When our tree is in its stand we do a small rite to welcome the tree and give thanks for its life and the reminder of eternal life and the ability to thrive during all stages of growth. The trimmings from the tree are gathered along with grand fir, cedar, douglas and pine to fashion a Yule log to be burned on the Solstice. The fragrance of the season is both calming and uplifting, while also comfortingly reminiscent of family gatherings past.

Our altars are bedecked in evergreens, wintergreen, sprigs of bright green prickly holly with bright red berries and pure white snowberries. Mistletoe is strategically hung in an open doorway. White candles, statues, garnet, bloodstone and tigers eye grace our altars alongside offerings of homemade butter cookies, herbs and nuts. For several days before the solstice tales of Gods and Goddesses are told. On the eve of the solstice, fires are lit and flames are kindled to call forth the light, more stories are told as we indulge in festive treats. The kids will open a small gift from the Winter King before retiring for the night. Solstice morning we arrive around the fire ring to cast herbs of pine, grand fir, cedar and wintergreen berries into the needfire and burn the Yule log while we join hands to sing a song or two before wassailing and libation pouring in the orchard. Everyone quickly makes their way through the frigid morning air into the house, fragrant with brown sugar and cinnamon french toast and hot chocolate.

In a larger group, we come together to collectively create sacred space and call in the blessings of the season. We invoke the God and Goddess of Yule and give our energy to the birthing of the new divine light. In turn, our open hearts receive a piece of light and life to take out into the world that we continue to make the Lord and Lady manifest once again. We make merry as we share in a feast and heady wassail punch before heading out to the bonfire.

For many of us, the festivities shall continue over the days in visits with family and friends. For our family, festivities culminate in a large family gathering. Presents and breakfast are shared in the morning. We visit throughout the day with the menfolk making merry around the firepit with a libation in their hand and children playing with their new toys. Women visit in the kitchen and living room while a feast of roast beast, salmon, mashed potatoes, roast vegetables, pear and blue cheese salad and rolls are cooked up. Snacks are munched on throughout the day since breakfast is early and dinner is a bit more formal and later in the evening. The evening ends with the ladies convening on the front porch to share a drink and cigar (a carryover tradition of my mother’s Austrian family from the old country). Yule bird bath