"The Season": Winter Holidays/Holy Days

In my world, tonight -- December 20, 2016, and the night before the winter solstice -- is Mōdraniht (Mother Night), the night to honor the disir as well as our own foremothers and, if appropriate I would add the female mentors along our spiritual path. I choose, at the time, to also raise a glass in honor of my "aftmothers" -- my 5 daughters and one granddaughter who are currently actively mothering my grand and great-grand children. 

I see threads of Mother Night in the Christian folks honoring of Mary during their winter holiday. Mary, who will give birth on this night (by custom, though not likely by the calendar long ago) to the Son of their God harkens, in my mind, to honoring the AllMother, and all mothers, on this night which gives birth -- once again -- to the Sun. 

Regardless of what path you follow, I urge you to take time, at some point in the next few days (before the secular Christmas overwhelms all else for most folks) to consider those who nurtured you in Faith and in Creativity and to lift a glass (water works well!) or a cup (coffee??) in their honor and to consider, on the spiral of life, what may be reborn this year from your "loins" and your heritage.

http://www.hnpca.org/ is the source for
high resolution printable file!

There are many changes afoot in our world at this time. "Evil" (regardless of how you define that term) IS afoot! We need to align ourselves strongly, as I see things, with the Earth, its creatures and elements and with each other as fellow beings. We need to stand with those who protect the earth and with each other. 

Yule, Winter solstice, comes tomorrow but in truth there are three nights of 15h13m length here in Maine: tonight, tomorrow and the following. (For what it's worth, summer solstice has two days at 15h36m. I have to research and figure out why the discrepancy!)  And though you watch like a hawk, I bet you will not be able to discern a lengthening of the day for some time to come. Our ancestors did not recon time to the second and likely not even to the minute. So the "12 day of..." feels to me somewhat like the Mayan "day(s) out of time." Tradition holds that women do not spin. We are supposed to have our homes in order (I hope I will be forgiven on this account this year!) and take some time to make offerings to land spirits and ancestors.

36" Natural Balance
hex sign

24" Welcome (Wilkom)
hex sign

The sun on the breast
of the hard crusty snow
gave the luster of
glare ice to all down below.

Here at Hex Central and Fussing Duck farm, we just posted the last two hex sign orders for the year. I have one more to work on, a gift for a beloved friend, so I do not feel it a desecration of this time to work on it. We have done all our errands in town for the next couple of weeks (I hope, at least) and will be spending the 12 days happily ensconced at the farm. Winter here in central Maine began pushing on autumn with a vengeance recently, leaving the land covered with a layer of snow topped with ice. It's been interesting trying to keep the fowl, goats and guardian dog watered, as the temperatures have been well below freezing and plummeting quite low at night and some days, especially when you figure in the wind chill. We ARE on a rise, remember?
 
But as we hunker down, we also give thanks for warmth, a full pantry, and many friends far and wide. Whatever you celebrate at this time, may you find at least a modicum of peace and inspiration. Blessed Be.