Blessings of Ostara!

A Seed for Spring Equinox ©Annie Finch Thrusting through the season where I’d waited for spring, tucking up my head, I felt the slanted weight of clouds pressing through the sky above me down towards this grave, till I feel the earth around the place my head has lain under winter’s touch, and it crumbles. … Read more

Yes, I Am Still Choosing the Snakes!

While I am still out of town, I offer an encore of my post last year. Instead of the troublesome Patrick, I will be honoring the Green Isle and the Old Ones on this day. May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow, And may trouble avoid you wherever you go. Today is Trefuilnid Treochair … Read more

Blessings of Aphrodite’s Day!

Do you not see how mighty is the Goddess Aphrodite? She sows and gives that love from which all we upon this earth are born. ~ Empedocles ca. 490-430 BCE Felicitations and good wishes to all, on this most ancient day of Love! The Parentalia, an eight-day Roman festival honoring dead ancestors, was celebrated at … Read more

Wishing You a Most Blessed Imbolc!

Brighid of the mantle, encompass us; Lady of the lambs, protect us; Keeper of the hearth, kindle us; Beneath your mantle, gather us; And restore us to memory. ~ Caitlín Matthews, A Blessing for Hearth Keepers Today we celebrate the great Sabbat called Imbolc, Oimelc, or Brigid, or the more Christianized name of Candlemas. By … Read more

My Poetry Gift for Brigid, In the Year I Turn 60

Once again, as I have for many years, I am joining in the Poetry for Brigid Festival. This is an annual world-wide event in honor of the Patron Saint of Ireland and Goddess of healing, smithcraft, and poetry (to name a few of Her purviews). It is held throughout Imbolc, since Her traditional feast day … Read more

The Days of Imbolc

There, at the foot of the tree, belonging to no man, A silver apple falls. There, amongst the branches, the mother sits. Weaver of dreams against the weft of the wood, Insight falls like gentle rain on a moon-bathed garden.    ~ Song to Hecate, by Alison Jones Now is the time to get ready … Read more

Fast Away the Old Year Passes…

Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells, across the snow: The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true. ~Alfred Lord Tennyson, 1850 (Many thanks to Waverly FitzGerald, who is the source for much of this lore. Blessings to you, Waverly, for your faithful, invaluable … Read more

And The Greatest of These is Love

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ~ The Book of John, 15:12 For those who are only celebrating Solstice with our Yuletide Advent prayer circle, we have now completed the candle lightings. But if you are also (or only) counting down to Christmas, tonight you will light … Read more