Fiery new moon and potent seed point today.
Every creation begins from a tiny spark…
What will you commit to doing this spring?
Focus, set intentions and take action now.
#Aries
#NewMoon
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New Moon of Fiery Creativity
Legends of Imbolc and the Cailleach
At the beginning of February, we celebrate a strange and wonderful holiday known as Groundhog Day. We are told that if the prophetic groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, sees his shadow on this day and runs quickly back into his burrow, winter will last at least 6 more weeks. Today Phil did NOT see his shadow, thus predicting that winter will end soon. How ironic that this prediction occurs when much of the country is buried under piles of snow!
The idea of waiting and watching for the first inkling of spring is not new. The ancient Celts celebrated Imbolc in early February long before Groundhog Day existed. Celtic stories tell us that the Cailleach—the divine hag Goddess who rules over winter and death—gathers firewood for the rest of the winter on Imbolc. If the Goddess Cailleach wishes to make the winter last a lot longer, she will make sure that the weather on Imbolc is bright and sunny, so she can gather plenty of firewood. But, if Imbolc is a day of foul weather, it means the Cailleach is asleep and winter is almost over.
The Cailleach was worshipped by the Celts as the sacred Earth Mother in her bare winter form. And she is not just a dark and evil hag who arbitrarily decides how long winter will be. The Cailleach is also the Bone Mother who collects the bones of the animals that die in the winter. The Bone Mother is said to sing or pray or sleep over the bones all winter long. She does this out of love, so that the animals will cross over and can return as new life in the spring.
The Celtic tribes lived in the far north where winter is a brutal season. They had to burn huge quantities of wood to keep from freezing every winter. They also had to rely on their own stores of food to get them through the long winter months when no crops could be grown or harvested. There was no corner grocery store to run to if they ran out of bread. Is it any wonder that the Celts were quite focused on the return of spring?
The Celts watched and waited for spring. And they noticed that the ewes began to lactate and prepare for the birth of their lambs in early February. The Celts saw this return of mothers’ milk as reason to celebrate. The flow of milk and the birth of baby lambs meant spring was definitely on its way. The harshness of winter would soon end. The Celts celebrated Imbolc because they understood that their lives depended on the grace of Mama Earth and her seasons.
There is a magic to Imbolc and the early days of February. It is there, running just beneath the surface. Can you feel it? Mama Earth holds the seeds of spring safe for us all winter. As the cold wind blows and the snow piles up, she holds them safe in her soil. Now it is February, not quite time for the seeds to sprout. But the days are definitely lengthening. The wheel of the year is slowly turning towards spring and new growth. And beneath the surface of Mama Earth, the seeds are beginning to quietly stir. Spring is stirring in the ground beneath your feet. Listen with your heart. Can you hear the stirring?
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Imbolc is traditionally celebrated at the halfway point between winter solstice and spring equinox. In 2016, this halfway point falls on February 4. Here is a way to celebrate Imbolc at your house: Light a candle or two tonight. Then offer up a simple prayer of gratitude in honor of Mama Earth and the return of spring.
The Smell of Spring
Last night it rained. This morning when I walked the dog, there was a scent in the air that took me a moment or two to place… Then suddenly I remembered; it is the smell of soil waking up, coming alive after its long sleep. It is the smell of spring.
Go outside and sniff the air. Do you smell it? Listen. Perhaps you can hear the gentle whispers? Mama earth is beginning to stir. All winter, she has quietly held the seeds of spring in her soil body; she has coddled them and kept them safe, waiting for the time to sprout. And now spring is almost here and the seeds are stirring, preparing to crack open and grow new life.
The chickadees know; they whistle to each other from every treetop in my neighborhood. My dog knows; she sniffs at the soil with new interest. And the sheep know; they birth their lambs in February, knowing spring is almost here. My Celtic ancestors celebrated Imbolc at the time of lamb birthing. It was their way of honoring the end of winter and the promise of life returning to the land. Modern man has turned Imbolc into Groundhog Day, but I personally prefer the celebratory air of ancient Imbolc.
It has been snowing and snowing here, even more than usual. And I had begun to worry that winter might decide to go on and on and on. But then, on a cold, wet day in February, I hear earth’s whispers and I get a whiff of her soil coming alive. It feels like I just received a message from a long lost lover. And I instantly know that the spring I crave is on its way back to me.
Happy Beltane
My Celtic ancestors held huge celebrations today in honor of the abundance and fertility of the growing season. The time to plant has just begun here in the northern hemisphere and Beltane honors that fact.
Last night under the dark of an earthy Taurus new moon, we slid quietly into the light half of the Celtic year. The light half of each year is filled with sun and warmth, new growth and abundance. And then in 6 months, on November 1, we will dive into the dark half of the Celtic year, marked by short, dark days, fallow ground and long cold nights. And so the cycle of the seasons progresses, year after year after year.
The Celts were avid observers of the seasonal shifts, both on Mama Earth and in the skies above her. So it doesn’t surprise me that my Welsh and Scottish ancestors held outdoor festivals to mark Beltane, also known as May Day. The tradition of teen aged boys and girls dancing around the May pole is believed to have started with the Celts. The dance was a way to have fun AND symbolize the intertwining and merging of the male and female energies that ultimately creates new life on the land and in the waters all around us. Beltane marks the beginning of Mama Earth’s season of fertility and new growth.
For me, Beltane is all about celebrating intimate relationships. My own anniversary falls on May Day, so I consciously celebrate my union with my partner David on this day. But Beltane has other meanings for me as well; my hubby would tell you that this is my absolute favorite time of year, and I love to spend it outside in nature. I love to get outside and commune with Mother Nature by hiking, dreaming in my hammock, picnicking, or just sitting with a tree listening to the wind rustle a million new leaves above me. And I find that every moment I spend connecting with nature nourishes my Soul.
Beltane is the perfect time to connect with Mama Earth in a deep intimate way.
If you can, spend a few moments outside this week. Turn off your computer and go walk barefoot in the grass. Breathe in the scents of spring. Pause and notice the abundance of new life sprouting up all around you; green shoots of grass, tiny new tree leaves and a plethora of flowers all show us how fertile and abundant Mama Earth is at this time of year. Meditate on the beauty and bounty of Mama Earth. Give thanks for every gift that this beautiful planet joyfully shares with us. Give thanks and revel in spring.
Happy Beltane!
Full Moon in Libra with an Eclipse Twist
Tyler Leavitt’s photographs of last night’s full moon moving into a total lunar eclipse are stunning. I am reminded of how immense this Universe truly is. AND how every part of this vast Universe interacts and cycles to the rhythms of a magical melody.
This April full moon is in the sign of Libra, which means that relationship, balance and equality issues get activated and may come to the forefront in our lives this week… So, don’t be surprised if you experience “interesting” conversations and dynamic shifts with your lover, spouse, best friend, or business partner! AND Mars is also hanging out in Libra right now, amping up the male / female relationship dynamics even more.
With the moon in Libra, it is the perfect time to take some action to restore balance and harmony within your most important relationships – focus particularly on emotional balance. And please don’t forget about your relationship with Mother Earth, the one who nourishes us and provides this beautiful home. I love what shamanic practitioner Lena Stevens shares on her web site about this full moon time:
“This Moon in Libra is closely aligned with Ceres (exactly) and Vesta fully illuminating our relationship to our Mother planet and the gifts of nourishment and support she provides and reminding us to hold these feminine manifestations as sacred. This is a major theme of the eclipse/Full Moon not to be taken lightly… ” ~Lena Stevens, The Power Path
Now is the time to look for new ways to connect with Mama Earth. Now is the time to help our Earth to cleanse and restore balance. With Earth Day rapidly approaching – and isn’t EVERY day actually earth day? – now is the perfect time to focus on rebuilding a sacred, loving relationship between ourselves and Gaia, the original mother of all life on this planet.
Lena Stevens also writes about another subject near and dear to my heart, the power of spiritual connections to ground and calm us in these crazy times.
Tapping into our spiritual connections will help us avoid and balance the chaos and fear that can come from those around us when they lack an anchoring relationship to truth, love and power. When we experience an eclipse, it is an opportunity for reset. A portal of alignment is created where new influence can take precedence over the old…” ~Lena Stevens, The Power Path
How about renewing your spiritual connection to Mother Earth this week? No elaborate ritual is required; just a clear intention and an open heart.
Try This: Spend a few moments outside this week, reconnecting to mother earth. Revel in Spring! Sit on the ground and connect down into the soils of the earth, the dirt that grows our food. Breathe in the air that the trees create for us. Drink the water that this beautiful blue wet planet showers us with.
Breathe it all in with gratitude. Ask Mama Earth how you can help her. Then listen for her response.
Fairy Magic
Our new yard in Boulder has fairy flowers everywhere – even under the deck!
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“When the first baby laughed for the first time,
the laugh broke into a thousand pieces
and they all went skipping about,
and that was the beginning of fairies.
And now when every new baby is born
its first laugh becomes a fairy.
So there ought to be one fairy
for every boy or girl.”
~James Barrie, Peter Pan
Conscious Tidbits – Natural Wonder
“It is a wholesome and necessary thing for us to turn again to the earth
and in the contemplation of her beauties, to know of wonder and humility.”
~Rachel Carson
Rachel Carson is one of my personal heroes. She published a thoughtful little book called Silent Spring in 1962. Her book exposed the dangers of environmental pollution and galvanized the early environmental movement in the United States.
I honor Rachel today.
Here’s to people who hold onto their knowing. Here’s to people who realize that we owe our lives to this beautiful Earth mother that nurtures and supports us. And here’s to people who change the world by standing up for what they love.