EarthLove

Sharing Songs of Earth and Sky

Return of the Light

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Winter Solstice is upon us in the northern hemisphere.

Our Earth has reached a transition point in its journey around the Sun (far right in the graphic above). Here in the north, our days have been getting shorter and shorter since summer. But now, the light begins to return to us. Our days will gradually lengthen and lighten until Summer Solstice in June (far left in the graphic).

At Winter Solstice, our ancestors paused to celebrate this seasonal shift and the return of life giving sunlight. Now is a time for earthy rituals.

Light a candle, say a prayer, walk in nature and offer our Earth and Sun gratitude for the alchemical magic of sunlight, water and soil that sustains us all.

🌞🌎

#CyclesandSeasons
#ReturnoftheLight

Image: Wikipedia

Celebrate Samhain

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And now, the dark half of the year begins in the north.

Ancient Celtic tribes celebrated Samhain (pronounced sow-in) to mark this auspicious time. Samhain, or summer’s end, is a celebration of life. The last of the harvest has been gathered. The bounty of Mama Earth will bless and nourish us all winter.

The Celts believed that the veils between the worlds grow thin at this time of year, making it easier to connect with loved ones who have crossed over into the land of the dead. This is the ideal time to honor and celebrate our ancestors.

As you enter into the dark half of the year, pause. Offer love and gratitude to Mama Earth for the water, food and shelter she provides. Say a prayer for any loved ones who have moved beyond this world.

Celebrate Life.

🎃🍎🌽🥦🍞🎃

Image: Wendy Andrews

Celebrate Autumn

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The autumnal equinox has arrived in the northern hemisphere. At the time of the equinox, light and dark find balance. Even here in the Rockies, day and night are of equal length for a little while. And the leaves put on a fiery show before winter descends.

This is the perfect time to offer a prayer of gratitude to Earth and Sky; gratitude for the comforting rhythms of our cyclic seasons; autumn follows summer just as surely as night follows day.

Get out in Nature now. Ask Mama Earth and Papa Sky to show you how to find balance and equanimity in the midst of all the chaos and change washing over the planet right now.

Thank you beautiful Earth and Sky for the oxygen, water, food and shelter you provide that make life possible. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Harvest Time

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“We are all thankful to our Mother, the Earth, for she gives us all that we need for life. She supports our feet as we walk about upon her. It gives us joy that she continues to care for us as she has from the beginning of time. To our mother, we send greetings and thanks…”

~Haudenosaunee Tribe Thanksgiving Address excerpt

☀️

Early August is when the first grain is harvested all over the northern hemisphere. And Sun God Lughnasadh gives his name to the harvest festivals that used to take place at this time in the ancient Celtic lands of Northern Europe.

The celebration of Lughnasadh typically involved the ritual cutting of grain and the making of bread. The people also came together to feast, sing and dance in honor of the harvest that would nourish them through the long cold winter ahead.

Take a few moments this weekend to celebrate this time of harvest. Go outside. Express your gratitude to Earth and Sky for creating the nourishing bounty that feeds all life on this planet.

🌎❤️

#WheeloftheYear
#Lughnasadh
#GiveThanks

Summer Solstice Aligns with Annular Solar Eclipse

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Here in the northern hemisphere, summer solstice is upon us. ☀️

This is sacred Sun time. Summer solstice denotes the longest day and shortest night of the year for the northern half of the globe. And this year, solstice Sun energy is amplified by tonight’s new moon lining up with Earth and Sun to form an annular ‘ring of fire’ solar eclipse (visible in parts of Africa and Asia). This is a very rare confluence of astronomical events.

Elemental energies of fiery transformation and change are bathing you now. 🔥

If skies are clear where you live, go out and soak up the sacred fire energy. This solar energy makes life possible on our beautiful Mama Earth. ☀️

Now is a great time to perform a simple ritual and express gratitude for Mother Nature’s summer abundance. Or pause and honor the sunrise and sunset as you go about your weekend routine.

Allow the sacred abundance of solstice Sun to nourish and bless you.

☀️🌙 🌍

Image: Space.com

Beltane Blessings

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Beltane Blessing to you on this beautiful spring day. ❤️

The Celtic tribes celebrated Beltane with bonfires, dancing, maypoles and ritual sex as well as plentiful food and drink. They celebrated in honor of the sacred union of the masculine and feminine – a union which can occur either with a partner or within one’s self.

The merging of masculine and feminine energies allows something new to be born. Sacred union is natural magic.

This Beltane, make time to celebrate and DANCE!

Gratitude and Grounding Practice for Spring Equinox

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Early Spring Bloom

Spring has arrived in the northern hemisphere! Today is the vernal equinox, the official start of spring. The equinox is a point of balance in the seasonal cycle. Day and night are roughly equal in length at this time of year.

In these times of chaos and uncertainty, it is easy to lose your balance and become ungrounded, anxious and afraid. A connection to Mother Nature will help restore balance and calm. This audio guides you through a simple practice to ground to Mama Earth, anchor in, de-stress and notice the many joys of spring.

Offered with many blessings for you and all you love.

We are SAFE.
We are HELD.
We are LOVED by Mama Earth.

🌍❤️

Imbolc – Seeds Are Stirring

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At the beginning of February, we celebrate a strange and wonderful holiday known as Groundhog Day. We are told that if the prophetic groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, sees his shadow on this day and runs quickly back into his burrow, winter will last at least 6 more weeks.

The idea of waiting and watching for the first inkling of spring is not new. The ancient Celts celebrated Imbolc in early February long before Groundhog Day existed. Celtic stories tell us that the Cailleach—the divine hag Goddess who rules over winter and death—gathers firewood for the rest of the winter on Imbolc. If the Goddess Cailleach wishes to make the winter last a lot longer, she will make sure that the weather on Imbolc is bright and sunny, so she can gather plenty of firewood. But, if Imbolc is a day of foul weather, it means the Cailleach is asleep and winter is almost over.

The Cailleach was worshipped by the Celts as the sacred Earth Mother in her bare winter form. And she is not just a dark and evil hag who arbitrarily decides how long winter will be. The Cailleach is also the Bone Mother who collects the bones of the animals that die in the winter. The Bone Mother is said to sing or pray or sleep over the bones all winter long. She does this out of love, so that the animals will cross over and can return as new life in the spring.

There is a magic to Imbolc and the early days of February. It is there, running just beneath the surface. Can you feel it?

Mama Earth holds the seeds of spring safe for us all winter. As the cold wind blows and the snow piles up, she holds them safe in her soil.

The wheel of the year is slowly turning towards spring and new growth. And beneath the surface of Mama Earth, the seeds are beginning to quietly stir. Spring is stirring in the ground beneath our feet.

☾☽

Imbolc is traditionally celebrated at the halfway point between winter solstice and  spring equinox.  In 2020, this halfway point falls on February 4.

Light a candle or two tonight, and offer up a simple prayer of gratitude in honor of Mama Earth and the return of spring.

Winter Solstice

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Winter Solstice officially occurs Saturday night December 21st in North America. But the entire weekend is filled with sacred solstice light.

This is the perfect time to pause for a moment or two. Silently express gratitude for all life on Earth – Life made possible through the magic alchemy of sunlight, soil and water.

Winter Solstice Chant

Vines, leaves, roots of darkness, growing,
now you are uncurled and cover our eyes
with the edge of winter sky
leaning over us in icy stars.
Vines, leaves, roots of darkness, growing,
come with your seasons, your fullness, your end.
~Annie Finch

☀️

Winter Trees

All the complicated details 
of the attiring and 
the disattiring are completed! 
A liquid moon 
moves gently among 
the long branches. 
Thus having prepared their buds 
against a sure winter 
the wise trees 
stand sleeping in the cold.
~William Carlos Williams

Image by Marinus Keyzer.