Imbolc

In Scotland February is known as Wolf month and although the days are cold and dreary there are small signs of new life appearing across the country side as birds began to build their nests and ewes birth their lambs.

As the Cailleach, Old woman of Winter exhales her final icy breath, all will be transformed as Brigid, Fair Woman of February rekindles the fire in the earth, preparing it for new life . . .

For centuries it has been customary for Irish folk to fashion a St. Brigid’s Cross of straw or rushes and place it at the entrance to their cottage to protect their homes, animals and loved ones.

Brigid’s Cross on our front door.

“Imbolc, which means “in the belly” is a time of hope and expectation.
For those of us in the colder climes, it can be a time of waiting,
gestating the seeds of springtime and new life, a witnessing of
returning light and birdsong in this, the deepest part of winter. So,
too, it is a time for resting “in the belly,” in the quiet center of
ourselves.

A light shines out in Kildare In the name of Brigid, her spirit
asking for love, justice, peace, truth, care of the earth.
– Brigidine Nuns, Kildare , Ireland

Everyday Goddessing  is about sharing magical techniques and sacred wisdom with other beautiful Goddess women. I believe that within every woman there is a goddess, a wise woman, beautiful, creative, powerful, with a deep soul, and that everything we need and are looking for is already inside  each of us. – Rose Arizmendi

Wednesday

Medicine Red Owl – Mixed Media – 8 x 12 inches

Two Wolves – The parable of two wolves is an old Cherokee Indian story.

An old Cherokee was teaching his young grandson one of life’s most important lessons.  He told the young boy the following parable:

“There is a fight going on inside each of us.  It is a terrible fight between two wolves,” he said.

“One wolf is evil.  He is anger, rage, envy, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, resentment, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”

“The second wolf is good.  He is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, empathy, truth, compassion, and faith.”

The grandson thought about this for a moment. Then he asked his grandfather,       “Which wolf will win this fight?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

Which are you feeding today?

– Author Unknown

Sowing Love & Compassion

Did you know that somewhere within two to three blocks of your home there is someone who feels desperate, helpless and unloved? Regardless of their age or circumstances they feel isolated and alone in the world.

A kind word, a helping hand or just saying hello can have a profound effect on their lives. Make a difference in somebody’s life by sowing love and compassion.

Within Each of Us – Digital collage

Some Questions to think about . . .

• When was the last time you promoted the idea that people can change?
• When was the last time you wrote a letter to a loved one letting them know that they are important, worthwhile and loved?
• When was the last time you spent some time with someone less fortunate?
• When was the last time you offered assistance to someone in need?

“When you begin to touch your heart or let your heart be touched, you begin to discover that it’s bottomless, that it doesn’t have any resolution, that this heart is huge, vast, and limitless. You begin to discover how much warmth and gentleness is there, as well as how much space”. – Pema Chodron

Everyday Goddessing  is about sharing magical techniques and sacred wisdom with other beautiful Goddess women. I believe that within every woman there is a goddess, a wise woman, beautiful, creative, powerful, with a deep soul, and that everything we need and are looking for is already inside  each of us. – Rose Arizmendi

Winter Solstice

December is the darkest month of the year and many of us experience sadness and depression as the days grow shorter and the nights longer. On the Winter Solstice, it’s as if the earth holds it’s breath during this time of transition between dark and light, cold and warmth, shortage and abundance, life and death.

The cold, dark, gloomy days may make us feel that the darkness is ever closing in, tightening it’s grip on us, yet the wheel of the year is now turning toward the light, so gather your loved ones close, read stories to one another, light candles, celebrate with song, food and give thanks for everything you have.

“Stories are medicine. I have been taken with stories since I heard my first. They have such power; they do not require that we do, be, act, anything — we need only listen.” -Clarissa Pinkola Estes

Journaling

Journaling helps us to capture our thoughts and feelings on paper, showing us how we think, learn and create. It also allows us to get in touch with our deeper self and to explore the inner workings of our subconscious mind.

By recording our thoughts in a personal journal, we can go back and review those thoughts and feelings from a different perspective which allows us to see our progress over the months/years. Journaling also helps us to stay focused, and enables us to identify and resolve issues. It can also assist us in understanding who we are.

I’ve been journaling for years and have found that the hard cover sketch books work best for me. I usually embellish the outside cover with watercolors, acrylics, colored pencils, colorful rice papers, silk fabrics, ribbons, photos, feathers, sketches and magazine images. The journal book below features one of my favorite paintings “Proserpine” by Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

One of my Journals
“Growth is an erratic forward movement: two steps forward, one step back. Remember that and be very gentle with yourself.” – Julia Cameron