 Michael Hiep The Mother Goddess has recovered from the arduous birth of the sun at Yule. The light of the longer days awakens her. She stretches, hears her son, the growing God, running up and down the hall with the greyhounds. She smiles. She can feel his warmth from her bed. Deep within the earth, the Grandmother feels the slight quickening of the seeds in the ground around her. “The God is young, but He’s getting stronger,” She thinks. “Grandmother?” The maiden asks. She fixes her rheumy eyes on her granddaughter, stirring life’s mysteries in Her cauldron. “Yes, child,” She says. “It is time.” The Maiden very carefully stops stirring; she taps the wooden spoon on the side and waits. The Grandmother peers into the swirling blue and green mists. “Slowly,” She says, “there is no hurry.” The maiden carefully inserts the spoon into the energy and begins to stir in the opposite direction from before— clockwise. “Return to return,” the Maiden croons. Waking whispers of the coming spring rise out of the mists and enfold her. Soon she will journey to the surface.
******************************************************************************************** Imbolc is a sabbat, a festival of light and fertility and a fire celebration, of purification. In my experience there is a subtlety to Imbolc, unlike a sabbat like Beltane (May Eve). When I still had a small garden, in February I’d clear out the beds and cut back whatever needed cutting back. Most of the gardeners I knew cut everything back in the fall but I never did. I also left the fallen leaves because I knew it was better for the earth and the winter survival of her little creaturas. It wasn’t a huge task cleaning out the beds, it wasn’t overwhelmingly strenuous and exhausting, but this quiet, small action prepared the beds for that which I would soon be planting and that which (hyacinths, daffodils, bleeding hearts) would be returning. In other words, this quiet, small action was a determining factor in the health of that year’s garden. Imbolc is a powerful time to burn away something that is of no benefit to the garden of you. It can be a person, a place, or a thing. Nine times out of ten, what we have in our lives that we don’t want is a direct result of low self-esteem, which is rooted in our programming and socialization. So you might try writing low self esteem on a piece of paper, hold it in the flame of a candle with hot dog tongs, and when it catches drop it in a burning pot; either a cauldron, a clay pot, or a pasta pot works quite well. Say: I bless and release you from me. Follow with affirmations. I deeply love and approve of myself – all of me. I am fearless in my pursuit of my truth. I am grateful for the gift of creation I am magnetic and receptive to my deepest and highest good. I am loved beyond all reason. The burning and the affirmations will begin to change the course of the river. If you’d like to go further with the exercise, before the burning, chant to Ganesha, three times round the mala beads. I have written the chant as it sounds, not as it’s spelled. OM SHREE GA NESH SHA YAY NA MA When you’re finished chanting, say the following, which I have adapted from a spell by Silver Raven Wolf. At this moment there is no tomorrow There is no yesterday There is only today Ganesha come to me I have clothes on my back, food to eat. and a place to stay Ganesha come to me I am perfectly ok Ganesha come to me I am one with the Universe and the Universe provides for magnetic, receptive me in every way Ganesha come to me At this moment there is no tomorrow, there is no yesterday, there is only today. I have clothes on my back, food to eat, and a place to stay. I am perfectly ok. The universe provides for me in every way. Ganesha, come to me, come to me. This is true as I will and as I say. So mote it be. (clasp hands together in front of you) Aim clasped hands to the right and say....In peace Aim clasped hands in front of you and say....In harmony Aim clasped hands to the left and say...In truth Bring hands together in prayer position and say...In love With your hands in prayer position say.... Ganesha Rain your blessings down upon me Life all obstacles within and around me to confidence and healthy self-esteem Then push your hands up into the air and bring them apart say... I am the source of loving and being loved. So mote it be. ************************************************************************************* Follow with affirmations: I deeply love and approve of myself – all of me. I am fearless in my pursuit of my truth. I am grateful for the gift of creation I am magnetic and receptive to my deepest and highest good. I am loved beyond all reason. ************************************************************************************* The fires of Imbolc represent our light and our warmth, our illumination and inspiration. Brigid is the Goddess of Imbolc, which makes perfect sense because She is the Goddess of inspiration and creativity. On the eve of Imbolc, Brigit walks the earth, so if you want to leave a piece of clothing outside for her blessing, do. Brigit is one of the ancient Mother Goddesses of Ireland. When the church began to convert the British Isles, they couldn’t shake the peoples’ faith in her so they made her a saint. I'm still irritated over that and that so few people know the truth! Have a great Imbolc my dears and as ever: Live loud, love fierce, and suffer no fools. Katherine Manaan
0 Comments
|
|
Menu
RSS Feed