Last Wednesday was Imbolc or St. Brigid’s day, the celebration of winter reaching completion and the first signs of spring appearing. I say that as I look out and piles of snow and an outside thermometer reading of 10 F degrees. Perhaps it is because of the climate where I reside, but my primary sense of this holiday is that it symbolizes and celebrates Hope. The light gets noticeably brighter and the days longer. Spring is coming. New beginnings are on the horizon.
Read MoreMay this lovely Air Spirit bring a blessing to your endeavors.
May you find focus and clarity in her gentle breezes and,
May passion and momentum come with her strong winds.
Read MoreThe breath of sweet gratitude- what a beautiful line from poet John Mark Green.
The Celts have a way with blessings and gratitude that is beautifully captured.
Read more about gratitude in this blog.
Read MoreThis holiday season was still a strange one, not as difficult as 2020 perhaps, but challenging and bittersweet in many ways. One thing I really enjoyed however was the spirit of the Facebook posts I read from friends and family.
Read MoreTwelfth Night brings to a close the Christmas season and has become an important night of ritual for me. I didn’t grow up with a Twelfth Night tradition but, as a child, it was the Star in the East, the Magi, and their gifts of frankincense and myrrh that most fascinated me. Could we ever see that star in our sky? Who were these wise men? And what were these strange gifts? I am amused to think now about how I haven’t stopped seeking answers to my questions about the stars, the East, healing essences and all the mystical questions I had as a little girl.
Read MoreDiscovery has to do with seeing the value beyond the first impression. This funny-looking, mud-wallowing, seemingly dumb animal is nothing of the sort. The Celts got that. This card reminds us to do so as well.
Read MoreSomeday, I would like to explore why so many countries have their independence day celebrations in early July. For today though I would like to feature Tynwald Day, The Isle of Man celebration.
Read MoreI was thinking about the upcoming July 4 holiday here in the US, when I pulled this card. Once, again, a serendipity comes through in the cards. The EAGLE is our oracle card for July. It is the national symbol for the USA, and holds a significant place in the cultures of many other nations.
Read MoreSummer Solstice is a major Celtic holiday. It is also celebrated throughout Europe by many names. Those of us who take an interest in Celtic tradition know the major images: Stonehenge at sunrise, bonfires the night before, general merriment.
Read MoreWhen everything was turned upside down this Christmas, I found that the simple ritual of lighting a candle brought me joy and peace and, yes, even a sense of companionship. I didn’t bother with decorating a tree, there was no candlelight supper to host or candlelit service to attend. But that simple candle was a worthy substitute. In fact, in its profound simplicity I connected with the true spirit of the season.
Read MoreWhen I was introduced to Celtic Christmas music, I connected to the gentle rendition of many hymns and songs I already knew. I also was introduced to songs of that tradition that were new to me: “In the Bleak Midwinter”, “I Saw Three Ships a Sailing” and “The Wexford Carol” among my favorites.
Read MoreI like to stay mindful of the Celtic calendar because it heightens my awareness of the turnings of seasons and the activities of the sun and moon as they change throughout the year. Sometimes, in the busy-ness of our modern world with its artificial lighting and 24/7 scheduling, I forget.
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