Reflections on my journey with Mama Earth and Grandmother Moon
"Artio and Artaois" by Beth Wildwood, cover art for Pagan Portals - Artio and Artaois: A journey Towards the Celtic Bear Gods When I think of Imbolg, I think of its traditional connection with the birthing of the lambs and goats. But they are not they only creatures giving birth in late winter / early… Continue reading Imbolg and the Bear Goddess
Are you ready for the Equinox? For those in the Northern Hemisphere, it arrives on 22-September @ 6:03 PDT · 23-September @ 1:03 UTC At each Equinox, a point of balance of light and dark around the world, I meditate on the balance in my life and look to the connections between the hemispheres and… Continue reading Autumn Equinox: Harvest, Gratitude and more
I have always wanted — and searched for on local rocky beaches here in Vancouver — a hag stone. If you’re not familiar with them, they are essentially a small stone (typically something you can hold in your hand), with a naturally formed hole through it. Many consider hag stones to be magical, for use… Continue reading A Gift from An Cailleach
I am currently on vacation in the Canadian Maritimes, and I wanted to share a special moment I experienced in the spot pictured above. I was exploring the ocean floor at low tide on the Bay of Fundy, which has the highest tides in the world. We were on the Nova Scotia side of the… Continue reading Meeting An Cailleach
Photo by Matthew Bornhorst on Unsplash Groundhog Day, traditionally celebrated on February 2nd, may have its roots in earlier traditions including Imbolg. Let's explore! Each festival in the Wheel of the Year has some sort of divination practice associated with it, perhaps because the veils between the realms were always considered to be thinnest at the fire festivals, making… Continue reading Imbolg, divination and groundhogs
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
Blessings on the New Moon in Libra!This month's lunar theme is inspired by the wisdom of The Crone. As the year tilts towards darkness and winter’s rest (in the Northern Hemisphere) — the time of the Crone and An Cailleach — we are gaining a much deeper understanding of our own life and our connections… Continue reading Weaving the Threads of Life
There are endless debates on precisely how the Celts celebrated and observed the Wheel of the Year. This is a challenge for archaeologists, anthropologists and those aligned with what we know (or think we know!) of the Earth-based Celtic spirituality. Why? Much of the history of their practices comes through an oral tradition passed through… Continue reading Equinox in the Celtic Wheel of the Year
It is said that the final three days of the #12DaysOfSolstice, in Celtic traditions, are dedicated to The Crone aspect of a woman’s life and to The Crone goddesses such as An Cailleach. This is the Winter goddess with whom I connect most strongly. The Crone represents so many aspects of our life, including our… Continue reading 12 Days of Solstice: Crone Wisdom
The Deer Mother, aka the Antlered Mother, guides us through the nights of Solstice, carrying the light in her horns. Unlike the male reindeer, she keeps her antlers throughout the winter. She is the source of life, the keeper of the pathways. To the people of the far North, reindeer (aka caribou in North America)… Continue reading 12 Days of Solstice: The Deer Mother
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