Imbolc,
First time in a long time
Picking up the Cards
Rearranging the Shards
Lookin’ for and Scrying in
The Mirrors of my Contemplation again.
~
Stretchin’ so many muscles,
I haven’t even felt in a long long time.
~
Relearning to Write,
Relearning how to Scry,
Relearning how to Breathe,
Relearning how to Rhyme,
And the Ebb and the Flow,
And don’t you know,
Relearning my Craft
All Alone in my own Time.
~
First time in a long long time
Picking up the Cards
Rearranging the Shards
At Imbolctide.
So there is this idea in a lot of sources is of Imbolc as somehow being the first stirring of Spring. Coming from Anchorage, Ak. and now living in Orlando, Fl. ~ I am really not all that into Imbolc as a stirring of Spring…
Although January and February do mark the Strawberry harvest, among others, in my locale!
For me, and this lack of Springy spirit may in part be due to the annual influence on my childhood of the Fur Rendezvous festival in the Anchorage, area. Fur Rondy, is an annual Winter carnival that includes the World Championchip Sled Dog Races, carnival rides and games set up in downtown Anchorage, arts and crafts fairs and competitions, and social events of all sorts. In part this is a celebration of the lengthening days as we move from Winter to Spring.
For me this returning of light and sense of renewal and creativity is the big part of what Imbolc is all about. It’s why, despite my mixed past with the Celtic Gods, I really really dig Bride and the Poetry and Hearth and Crafts related aspects of Imbolc.
Imbolc is about new beginings, creativity and invention are the themes for this season as we reach outward into the light half of the year. This is a time of continued and growing engagement with the world around us, beyond our home and hearth, after the deep focus on our friends and families of Yule. We start to look forward to the activities of Spring and Summer, we start looking towards the new secular year and the things we want to do…
I am realizing, that for me at least, on a very deep level the Wheel of the Year is overlaid with Spirals that wind in and out and intertwine with one another. For half the year we are Spiraling outward from Samhain to Beltaine, from Death (and the mysteries of what lies beyond) to Birth and Beginigns and Growth and learning and LIFE…
Then, for half of the year we spiral inward from Beltaine to Samhain…
Death and Growth and Life and Learning and Death and Life again…
Time to pour a few libations in the chilly Florida air…
Peace foks,
Pax
In the midst of the Mad Rush of Days
Dancing with distress, and projects, and plans.
Looking around worriedly,
Trying to keep track of the many many little things,
Eyes, and heart, downcast.
~
Until,
I catch in the briefest of glimpses,
The Waxing Crescent Moon…
~
The Waxing Crescent Moon,
The Silver Cup of Dionysus,
Pouring inspirations
~
The Waxing Crescent Moon
The Curving Horns of Pan
Tearing distractions asunder
~
The Waxing Crescent Moon
The Crown of the Goddess
Shining as She reminds me “Breathe.”
~
In the Midst of the Mad Rush of Days,
I am reminded to cast my eyes upward.
I am reminded to breathe,
To stop running to and fro,
To stand still,
To breathe, until I can stride forth with purpose.
~
The Waxing Crescent Moon
Reminding me to Breathe,
Reminding me of my Craft,
Reminding me of my Name.
Well,
The first of the new years Sabbats is coming. Some of you may be familiar with the Imbolc Poetry Blogging phenomenon that has taken the Pagan Internet over the last few years…
For me, Imbolc and it’s patron Goddess Bride relate to Smithcraft, Healing, and Poetry or more appropriately to my modern life … Craft (Arts and Handicrafts), Hearth, And Poetry…
While I realize that not all Pagans celebrate Imbolc… it seems to me that we modern Pagans do celebrate, to differing degree’s and in differing times, Craft and Hearth and Poetry. So I am not only going to be blogging about these three fires of Bride, I am going to encourage my Pagan friends of all paths to blog about them…
Peace,
Pax
WHAT: A Bloggers (Silent) Poetry Reading
WHEN: Anytime February 2, 2009
WHERE: Your blog
WHY: To celebrate the Feast of Brigid, aka Groundhog Day
HOW: Select a poem you like – by a favorite poet or one of your own – to post February 2nd.RSVP: If you plan to publish, feel free to leave a comment and link on this post. Last year when the call went out there was more poetry in cyberspace than I could keep track of. So, link to whoever you hear about this from and a mighty web of poetry will be spun.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An annual Tradition for the last 4 years, this is a delightful way to welcome the Imbolctide Season for those of us that celebrate that particular festival!
You can also connect up with this fabulous event through MetaPagan!
Chrysalis 