The Shortest Day and the Longest Night….Winter Solstice.
Being a winter lover and a would-be pagan, I’ve been pondering how we might celebrate the Winter Solstice this year. My loyal fairy steed, Blossum and I intend to immerse ourselves in the magic of the season.
A particularly exciting Winter Solstice is appearing for us this year on December 21. Jupiter and Saturn will get so close in the sky that they will appear to merge with one another. This rarity has not occurred in 800 years. Wow! I’m thinking the Universe is sending a blessing to help us mark the end of this crazy year and our amazing ability to shine through.
Celebrating the Earth and her bounty is a meaningful prayer for me. I treasure the rich visual beauty my eyes drink in daily and revel in the unseen blessings that ride the breezes wherever we go.
My Irish soul yearns to have greenery in my home to pay homage to the sacred evergreens that grace my immediate environment. It was really windy a few days ago so Blossie and I gathered an armload of fallen pine branches that had been offered to us. Celtic instrumental music played in the background as I tied our bounty up around windows and on pieces of furniture. My home feels abundant, beautiful and smells delicious. I adore elements that help me embrace this sacred time and bring me great joy. (Joy to the World!)
Today as we walked, I gathered small pine cones, oak leaves and two different types of moss strewn along our path. I arranged my treasures in a rustic wooden bowl and added a crystal to complete the collage. My soul felt happily engaged as I reverently created this landscape.
A botanical collection for these festivities would not be complete without sacred Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe though I haven’t quite figured out how to collect such flora without cutting any plants. Cutting doesn’t quite feel right to me any more. We will ask the plants growing nearby if they will release some foliage for us.
Our Solstice celebration at sunset on the 21st will include a myriad of candles placed all over our house, signifying the bringing of light unto this dark time of year and signaling the passage from the longest night to times of increasing daylight.
We will smudge the house with sage and sweet grass to cleanse the old and welcome the energy of the new season and longer days. Tobacco will be scattered in our garden to bless our tree sentinels that lovingly watch over us.
Blossie and I wish you a very Happy New Year. We’re taking a few weeks off. See you soon.
Blessings and Love.
