Winter Solstice; Give Back

Fire.  Candlelight. Honour. Give the Ashes Back to the Earth. 

After the fire~ scattering ashes as fertilizer

The shortest day of sunlight,  called the Winter Solstice is an astronomical phenomenon that occurs every year. 

The apposing hemispheres experience the Earth’s tilt at the same time, that is to say, that while the Northern Hemisphere is at it’s shortest daylight producing capacity, the Southern Hemisphere is at its longest - and vice versa.  

Solstice, derived from Latin, means “Sun standing Still” and that connotation, has prehistoric attachments to ancient monuments like Stonehenge.  Archaeologists have discovered that its alignment creates a perfect sight line at the time of the winter solstice sunset (in one particular direction) and then it reverses and aligns perfectly (in a different direction) during the Summer Solstice. 

These Solstices shift slightly in date and time. 

I recognize the Solstice as an Earth Cherishing date that we should adapt into a more Celebratory ~ Green Awakening Observance.

Because Man is a creature of habit and ritual, many customary tasks, were historically done to coincide with such environmental shifts, till eventually,  Winter Holidays - were created.  The Feast of Juul, is the pre Christian Scandinavian Festival that eventually evolved into Christmas.  People set fire to Juul or Yule logs to symbolize the heat and light of the returning sun. 

During these age old Solstice Customs, a whole tree was brought into the house and the log was burned till nothing but ash remained.  The ashes were then collected and either strewn on the fields as a fertilizer or kept as a symbolic & magical medicine. Our ancient ancestors celebrated the restoration of the earth and I think we ought to do more pro active, 

replenishing customs

Sun recognition rituals are as important as all the other light worshipping practices that make up December’s blended Holiday Cheer. 

The ceremonial use of lights, exists in many religions; Kwanzaa symbolically recognizes historic struggles & hope, Hanukkah honours a re established foot hold of power after assertion and Christmas is the date chosen to celebrate the birth of a great Spiritual Prophet. All coincide around the original pagan practice of acknowledging the shift in seasonal year, or rather - The universal light that we call the sun. 

During Winter Solstice, I plan to recognize the Earth’s courageous journey and will try to give something back, even if I can only do it symbolically. 

Why We Love Halloween

My Daughter... and her "friend"

Our Family Loves Halloween.  We always have. Our kids grew up eagerly anticipating yet another October 31st.

For over twenty five years, I have made an attempt to make our house "look" like something else.  I do themes.   Now that our children are young adults,  my Husband and I sit on our porch, enjoy a little wine and hand out treats to visiting neighbouring children.  We buy for a couple hundred kids.
As the years go on, I see less and less of my neighbours participating, maybe because - there's only a handful of families, in our block, that currently have young children.

Still I love the Celebration.



All over the world, people have always honoured and celebrated Festivals of Dead,  the ending Fall seasons and to some degree, Wiccan tradition.   It isn't supposed to be scary. It's supposed to be reverent.

So why do we mock the dead?  The ending and haunting of life and scary tradition?

Because it's fun! It's simply fun.

Mother's Day

Minding my Babies along the Beach

Every year there is a day set aside to honour one’s own mother, motherhood, maternal bonds and the influences of mothers in society and we’ve only been recognizing this role and day,  for just over a hundred years.  It’s a huge commercial time for those that chose to participate that way.

Our family unit does not go all out for Mother’s Day. Just a simple “Happy Mother’s Day” is it. 

I’m a mother. 

I have a mother, but she didn’t raise me. I had a grandmother who I now, vaguely remember and I do not have any other maternal bonds. I do not even have a friendship with my mother in law, but I did witness many friends who have had magnificent relationships with their mothers and I too, have great gratitude towards my birth mother for giving me life. 

I have many fellow mom -  friends that I cherish. I’m glad for the learning I have received from them. I have come to personally think the role of motherhood is a self sacrificing yet graceful period in a woman’s life that tests humility and strength. 

When I became a mom, I vowed to become a “good” one. My main goal was to make my children feel cherished, supported and confident. I’d like to think I achieved that, but my kids are young adults now and they simply are not at a stage in their life to validate me. They’re busy, they’re trying to be on their own and both of their parents are foreign to them. 

I’m not complaining, I’m honestly acknowledging that a day of recognition and commercialism can never replace what you ought to feel naturally in your heart. 

That’s the distinction of motherhood.  No expectations. Loving even when love isn’t returned, recognized or fawned over. 

That’s how moms are. 

A bit about Easter

Forcing Fosythia. Ponder the word; forcing. 

Yes, Easter is a holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  Easter eggs are a symbol of the empty tomb and the White Lily is the reverent symbol that adorns the chancel area of all Christian Churches. 

Yes, early Roman Catholics did adopt ancient Eastre spring equinox fertility rituals; the egg, the bunnies, the mere birthing of spring as a way of merging early Pagan tradition with Christ Worship. 

But does it matter?  Today, great masses of people celebrate the commercialized holiday that Easter has become. When our children were little, they got new runners, sidewalk chalk and searched for Easter eggs. We had a big meal and invited extended family to join us. 

I respect the story of Jesus Christ, I honour all great spiritual prophets, but I think I lean a little more towards the non faith-based devotions of mankind and Mother Earth.  That’s just a personal choice. 

Easter is sacred to me because we dine together, I still give my teenage kids chocolate eggs and we have come to know that spring has sprung. We no longer are close to extended family, but it's okay because we concentrate on just our family unit and how our young adults will bring new relationships to the family. Our family. 

Easter feels like the whole world has growth & potential again. We collectively can put the onslaught of the past winter and issues behind us and rejoice. This holiday is about new hope.  I do believe in a higher, divine and ethereal Spirit.  What I call it, is unimportant - what guidance it gives me is invaluable. 

 Easter is simply about rebirth.  Mine, yours, Mother Earth's & the spirit of Jesus Christ - for those who identify with it. .

 The afterlife, noetic sciences have been around for a long, long time.  Not all metaphysical phenomena is spooky.  Easter is proof that it’s quite divine, for Jesus Christ came back from the dead.

Happy Easter.  Happy New Birth.  Happy Family Time!

About Family Day in Canada

Family Day is a Canadian statuary holiday in mid February that is a perfect break for winter weary Canadians. 

The provinces vary the dates slightly with many school boards arranging for the preceding Friday to be off for students.  This extends the weekend for families with school age children. We in Ontario, usually have a long weekend with Valentine’s Day coinciding, somewhere in the mix. 

The intention is to celebrate Love. Family Love. Love of Coupledom and the families that have been born out of them. Families are as dynamic as the people that create them.  We come in all different races, genders and values. Some people work on relationships, others, not so much. “Family” is just about the commitment to love and live together in a functioning unit. 

Collecting our Family's Old Shoes ~ at our Cottage

Admittedly it’s hard not to judge. What works for one family doesn’t work for another. Generations of people tend to have the same mannerisms and habits. Chronic complaining, judgemental opinions, habitual lies and over exaggerations are clearly poor habits. Of the families that I know who are like this - it is doubtful that they are even aware that they are perceived this way. 

Keeping a family happy and healthy is hard work, so reward yourselves often and celebrate your accomplishments.  Feuds, power struggles and broken marriages destroy the original tribe, do know that sometimes a family unit doesn’t have to consist of blood relations and legal marriage.  Family is a creation of compassionate bonds and concentrated efforts to keep friendships alive. People don’t have to commit themselves to family members who do not love and support them. If it doesn’t work, it doesn't work. That’s okay. 

For family members who continually test your clan’s closeness, I strongly suggest open compassion and understanding despite immaturity and behavioural challenges. Everybody deserves to be loved, just be mindful of not being abused. 

Enjoy and appreciate your family. If you love them, chances are they will reciprocate the emotion. If they are unable to show love, it is not a reflection of you, but of the choices they have made.  All you do - is wish them well.