Imbolc Introspection
Imbolc: Celebration of Returning Light
February 2 Imbolc/Mid-Winter: celebration, prophecy, purification, initiation—Candlemas (Christian), New Year (Tibetan, Chinese, Iroquois), Tu Bi-Shevat (Jewish). Goddess Festivals: Brigit, Brighid, Brigid (Celtic).
The seasonal cycle of the year is created by Earth’s annual orbit around the sun. Solstices are the extreme points as Earth’s axis tilts toward or away from the sun—when days and nights are longest or shortest. On equinoxes, days and nights are equal in all parts of the world. Four cross-quarter days roughly mark the midpoints in between solstices and equinoxes. We commemorate these natural turning points in the Earth’s cycle. Seasonal celebrations of most cultures cluster around these same natural turning points.
Celebration of hearth fire, and time to plant the future we want to see. Spirit wants your attention. A restlessness is growing to break the constraints of winter, and with it comes the fire of inspiration. The light is waxing, and what was born in darkness begins to manifest.
Cabin fever. We gather our strength and vision, begin to wake up with nature to the creative work of fundamental change. For all its power, the patriarchy never dreamt of us. Imagine kicking in the rotten door of its powerhouse, igniting the fuse of revolution together!
Opening © Jenny Hahn 2004
All we have to lose are our illusions! Being disillusioned is a great start; naked in the light of reality, we can visualize a personal/global politics of Satisfaction, of enough-ness. This system can cope with most anything: protests, violence, voting, terrorism. But it can't cope with the radical act of people's refusal to participate in an economy of excess.
As we become conscientious objectors in the battle for more, we find that experimentation is a great way to live. Join evolution in its holy work of making guesses.
-Oak Chezar © Mother Tongue Ink 2019
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Also in Pagan Holiday Rituals and Traditions
Winter Solstice
The longest night gifts us with time to enter the darkness, fully. We hold our breaths with nature, where life is suspended, waiting in extremis. The stillness behind action gathers as we empty and trust in our renewal. What will you give/lose to the night?
Summer Solstice Rituals and Traditions
The triumph of light peaks, slides slowly to dissolve. This is the tipping point for everything: democracy, misogyny, racism, climate, freedom. All are on a cliff edge. We've reached the neon-bright entrance to The Great Turning. Change is the only thing that doesn't change. Are we ready?
Fall Equinox
Perfect balance returns, light and dark in harmony again for the final harvest. As we wheel in the last-lit days of seasonal symmetry, face the coming darkness together with gratitude for what we've learned about light. Autumn's grain is spring's seed; paradox surrounds us with ripening wisdom. If we lose hope, remember that Hope has two daughters to support our balancing acts: Anger and Courage.
