Merry meet Friends,
Michelle here, bringing lots of love and light!
"When all the world appears to be in a tumult, and nature itself is feeling the assault of climate change, the seasons retain their essential rhythm. Yes, fall gives us a premonition of winter, but then, winter, will be forced to relent, once again, to the new beginnings of soft greens, longer light, and the sweet air of spring." ~ Madeleine M. Kunin
Tomorrow February 2, is Imbolc in the Northern Hemisphere. Imbolc is the midway point between Winter and Spring or the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. It is one of the four Celtic "Fire Festivals", commemorating the changing of the Goddess from the Crone to the Maiden. Usually, it is when the first signs of Spring are noted. Yes, even with frost on the ground or snow, the first signs of Spring are here if we take notice; longer light, some budding, etc. Imbolc reminds us of the passing of Winter and the entrance into Spring. This is a good time for initiations.
One of the definitions of initiation is: the action of beginning something. Typically initiations are done with some sort of ritual. Rituals can be as simple or as complex as one wishes. Simply lighting a candle and stating or writing down your intentions for whatever is beginning, is a ritual. When Spring enters, our thoughts often turn to newness so it seems appropriate to begin something. I've been asking myself, what would I like to initiate in my life? What has been stirring within me that I want to see blossom into fullness? I'm not content with the mundane. I want my life to be lived with conscious purpose and significance.
The beginning of one thing is sometimes the ending of another. If we decide to eat healthy nutritious foods and exercise, we are ending a lifestyle of unhealthy eating and being sedentary, for example. Endings beget beginnings. At the moment, we find ourselves in a transitional state. Winter is not over and Spring has not begun, but we are midway there. For those who are prone to dally with starting something new, this is an excellent time to begin the thought process; to initiate one's self into the adventure of beginning. I am sure everyone has thought about making changes in life. Take the time and begin to begin. Contemplate what would have to happen to make you your best self for now.
This past week was spent in Washington, DC with my youngest daughter, Tiffany. I had to return to Richmond for a visit with my oncologist. I now only have to see him once a year instead of every six months. Grateful! Having to see him every six months made it more difficult to travel further than the East Coast. I'm headed back to DC than I'm off to NY to spend some time with my youngest son, Jason. I have many friends in NY and plan to visit with them while there. Through Facebook, I have met some Haitian sisters and brothers. Some live in NY and I plan to visit them as well. I am half Haitian but I don't know the culture or foods because my father and mother divorced when I was younger. I only know what I've read, so it will be a wonderful experience for me to discover more of my roots. Learning about my ancestry is an initiation of sorts for me. Who knows what I might discover?
In the month that Spring officially begins, I will head off to parts unknown. I am inviting new adventures into my life and I'm looking forward to them. I've been feeling very alone lately. I know that I am not but it's what I've been feeling. I pay attention to my feelings and sit with them. I'm not a fan of stuffing them beneath the surface. They always resurface anyway and sometimes at the most inopportune times. And so, as I sit and reflect and participate in Nessa Crescent Moon's Sacred Hearth Experiential, many feelings have surfaced. This may be a great time for me to write poetry. That has always been a way for me to get in touch with my feelings.
Mercury is in retrograde until February 11th, I believe. Hurray when it leaves! This retrograde prompts one to re-evaluate, renovate, re-form, and re-invent. We feel extra sensitive, sometimes psychic. We notice everything now! It is easy to make mistakes and misread another's communications. Mercury retrograde can have us second guessing ourselves, so be careful in business deals. Wherever Mercury resides in our natal chart will cause us to question everything. I am sure I'm feeling what I'm feeling due to this retrograde. Mercury is in Capricorn in my natal chart. Some of the attributes of that: notices everything, reflective, deep thinker, undertakes lengthy studies. I'm in overload! It helps to know this because it won't allow me to get too caught up in my feelings. Thank God/Goddess/All That Is for giving us the sun, moon and planets to aid us.
I'm looking forward to Spring and new growth, in the earth in general and the earth which is me, in particular. Keep evolving, keep growing, keep being.
Until next Sunday,
Merry part and merry meet again,
Blessed be,
Gypsi Mama Michelle
That is great news about your medical report. What a great blessing and much deserved.
ReplyDeleteToday, February 1, 2015, is my official retirement date. I can remember the day my boss handed me my retirement summary which indicated this would be the day. I was 29 at that time and I couldn’t fathom that this day would ever come - after all it was 30 years away and in the next century - so why would I? But here we are. Today also means that my 60th birthday is 3 months away.
I am dealing with an acute inner ear infection that has brought about vertigo so my world is spinning, literally. Although there is a medical reason for this, I believe that my retirement, birthday, and the advent of Spring are all causing my life to spin. As you said, the ending of one thing is the beginning of another. When my world stops spinning will I, like Dorothy, land in Oz? Oz, as we know, was a dream. I don’t know what I will find in my Oz but I do know that some of my dreams are coming true and great things are awaiting me there.