Standing with one foot in the threshold, we are preparing to fully step into balance. For tomorrow, at 5:24 PM, we will once again welcome the Spring with Ostara, the Vernal Equinox. Standing in balance with equal day and night, we allow the waning Tide of Death to give way to the rising Tide of Life. Through the exchange of these powerful energies, we are reminded that we can also open ourselves up to Life as it ushers in the energies of hope, promise, and rebirth
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The Living Lands
There are places we explore in this world that can stand out in our mind. A beach, forest or mountain can easily take our breath away as we soak in its beauty. We understand the power Nature holds and its ability to wipe away stress and tension, bringing ourselves back into balance. If we feel upset or lost, we can gently close our eyes and allow ourselves to slowly drift back into this peaceful place to refocus and find our footing once again. These spaces paint a picture in our minds and hearts where we can pause and open the doorway to the sacred. It is an act of looking outward to reconstruct our balance and beauty within.
Read MoreLessons Along the Path
When you see a beautiful, sweet smelling flower, do you pick it and bring it home or do you take in its beauty with all of your senses, imprinting it upon your heart? If you were a beautiful, sweet smelling flower, would you want to be picked or allowed to continue to grow and thrive where you are and upon the heart of another that was moved by you?
Read MoreMoments In Time
It was an early mid-September morning, and we were already out. The light was shining, but the sun still hid behind the Catskill mountains. While the car climbed up the winding roads, the temperature kept falling. I should not have been surprised by that, but I was. Sometimes the anticipation gets the best of me, and this was one of those times. Maybe I should have expected that too. I wanted to come to this area for quite a while and now it was happening. The land held such a presence in its wild beauty. It was an old presence that would watch and wait. At times I felt like a mouse running from rock to leaf pile trying not to ruffle the feathers of the hungry hawk in the trees. Other times, I felt I was being embraced by a long-lost friend inviting me to sit for tea. At night, I would dream dreams of sorrow and joy, ghosts familiar and unknown, and of conversations that held deep meaning yet faded quickly upon waking. It was such an interesting place. We were wandering through the lands of Rip Van Winkle after all. It was a land that was certainly held in a time without time.
Read MoreAlong the Edges
Walking along a trail in any New England town, you can almost bet on seeing a stone wall. I love to spot these boundary lines as they snake through the forest, winding their way through history. Sentient beings, these moss-covered stones stand along the edges continuing to hold space long after their creators walked their lands. Centuries later they still stand. Protective. Vigilant. Silent witnesses. The stone walls saw so many changes. Perhaps they experienced them as well as new boundaries drawn. These stone guardians have stories to tell and lessons to share if one is willing to listen. Some may see just an old stone wall while other know they are much more than that.
Read MoreWould You Light A Candle?
Silence covers me like a blanket in the dark stillness of my sacred space. Is it just after midnight or just an hour before dawn? It is hard to tell. Time seems to stand still within the light of the candles. The flames that dance and flicker coax me to breathe a little deeper with each breath. I oblige and find myself gently slipping into a reflective peace. It is a peace that I gratefully welcome. With another deep breath, I allow myself to open my heart, letting go of the noise in my head. Gently I slip into a place where I am safe to explore my inner realms. As my breath releases, I walk the inner pathway that spirals in deeper and deeper and deeper into my soul. Guided by candlelight, I embrace my own inner light.
Read MoreInto the Liminal Part Eight ~ Born Within the Light
The light now travels across the horizon, reaching deep into the dark tomb. A sliver of hope illuminates the chamber, piercing the illusion of endless night. For in this moment, new life, new worlds, new beginnings are being created simply by a determined pinpoint of unwavering light. That light my friends, is an act unlike any other. With this light, a new world is created. It is hope. It is promise. It is rebirth. It is the bolt of lightening that jolts us into being and the animating force that imbues us all. Here, all is possible.
Read MoreInto the Liminal Part Seven Deep Within the Earth
Deep within the earth, we have been wrapped in the silent stillness. We have been shedding. We have been growing. We have been dreaming. The Lady of Winter, The Cailleach, who sheltered us under her mantle as we walked our path through the liminal lands, brought us here to rest. It has been a long journey together and at times, difficult. The act of unwinding from what no longer serves us can leave us feeling wounded and raw. It is an arduous process, yet, we understand the importance of it. We must unravel slowly and purposefully in order to find our hidden and splintered pieces. This is how we heal. This is how we grow. This is how we come a little closer to embrace our true heart and hopefully, a little wiser too.
Read MoreInto the Liminal ~ Part 3 From the Sea We Emerge, To the Sea We Return
Staring out at the endless sea, there is a deep primal presence that churns within. It rises. It falls. It beckons. It lures. It dreams. It envelopes. It coaxes. It devours. It renews. As we peer out to that something beyond the horizon and below the surface, we feel it, but what is it? Do we understand the enormity of it all? As mere mortals, do we even have the capacity to even scrape the surface of it? Try as we might, just as our ancestors did, we stare out to the endless sea and feel… something. That deep churning, the longing, that hunger and need for connection and meaning. As we search for understanding, we seek to know what our purpose is. We can feel the ancient and primal forces that are all around us and we try to understand them. As we do this, something shifts below the water’s surface before us. From the deepest depths, she emerges. The Cailleach rises once again.
Read MoreSometimes There Are No Words
This morning I was called outside in the early morning light. Everyone was still asleep, except for the birds and other critters roaming the frost kissed grass.
There is something in the air today…
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The Whispering Crow 