Reflections on my journey with Mama Earth and Grandmother Moon
Today I honour the Cauldron of Regeneration, honouring the rebirth of the Sun, and the Divine Union between the Divine Masculine and Divine Feminine. In our previous post, I wrote of the illumination that the shaft of Solstice light ignited at Newgrange. That light is now held in the cauldron as the transformations begin. In… Continue reading Twelve Days of Solstice: the Cauldron of Regeneration
Newgrange (in Irish Sí an Bhrú, located in Brú na Bóinne, a UNESCO World Heritage Site) in Ireland, is a 5000+ year old Neolithic earth mound monument, and is perhaps the most dramatic example of the concept of rebirth at Solstice, and its importance to early Irish Celts. The monument itself is essentially the womb of the Great… Continue reading Twelve Days of Solstice: Illumination
O the Ivy O, she's the Queen of Old, and the Holly he is red. Hang 'em high in the farm, and us won't come to no harm Till the Christmas days be told. - from “A Somerset Carol” Celebrating with Holly and Ivy In the last few days, my posts explored the greens of… Continue reading Twelve Days of Solstice: The Holly and The Ivy
Yesterday I posted about Holly and the Divine Masculine, and today let us explore Ivy and the Divine Feminine, and honour the goddesses of winter (especially the mother goddesses). In older times, my pagan Irish Celtic and British ancestors would have celebrated these days with Ivy, also known as the Queen of Old. Of the… Continue reading Twelve Days of Solstice: Ivy and the Divine Feminine
On Solstice (and likely Christmas too), my English ancestors celebrated the Old Gods, such as the Holly King and Oak King. Holly is associated with Divine Masculine (and Ivy represented the Divine Feminine). And many Solstice traditions celebrate the rebirth of a male deity, symbolized by the Sun / “Son”. These tales from our long-ago… Continue reading Twelve Days of Solstice: Holly and the Divine Masculine
Saule, Lithuanian Sun Goddess, gouache on paper by Judith Shaw (Image Source) Even though Sun energy is typically considered masculine, many celebrate the Winter Solstice — the longest night — as the Mother Night, honouring the earth goddesses who nurtured the seeds deep within their dark wombs for birthing in the coming spring. They remind… Continue reading Twelve Days of Solstice: the Deer Mother
This third day of Solstice (starting at sunset on 22-DEC) was referred to as the “Nameless Day” and the “Feast of Potentials” (also known as the “Secret of the Unhewn Stone”). In some traditions, it was a stand-alone day, not associated with any lunar month. Those born on this date were said to have strong… Continue reading 12 Days of Solstice: the Feast of Potential
Solstice Blessings ! For me, the 12 days of Solstice begins at sunset, this year on December 20th, as the Celtic day begins and ends at sunset on December 21st. This year, astronomical Solstice arrives precisely on December 21st at 15:59 UTC. There are many traditions for celebrating the 12 Days of Solstice, some from… Continue reading Twelve Days of Solstice: Day 1
The origins of Mistletoe as a Christmas decoration go far back into our Pagan origins. Druids considered the Mistletoe – a parasitic plant that grows on willow and apple, and other species – to be a sacred plant and a very powerful healing and magic plant, good for the heart. Roman author Pliny wrote in… Continue reading Twelve Days of Solstice: Mistletoe
🎶 Dream a little dream … 🎶 Mugwort is one of my favourite herbs for smoke medicine (aka saining, aka smudging), and when dried is wonderful for connecting with dreams and for visioning. Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris L.) is in the aster / daily family Asteraceae . And there are many ways to use this herb… Continue reading Mugwort: your Solstice herb for Dreaming
Inner Journey Events Blog 