December in the Tolkienian Imagination: The Waning Light and the Hallowed Stillness In a rendering of Middle-earth shaped for mortal understanding, the month that corresponds to December stands beneath the long shadow of the year’s turning. Though the Eldar do not reckon time by the same divisions as Men, they nonetheless perceive this portion of the cycle as an interval of profound quietude—a deep inhalation of the world itself before the sun begins its slow return. Among the Eldar, this season aligns with the late passage of Hrívë, the Winter season, when the air lies sharp with memory and the light thins like pale gold upon frost-covered lands. For the…

The month of July focuses on the concept of gardens not just as a physical space which produces flowers, food, medicine and other things, but also as a spiritual astral place where you can find rest, rejuvenation and planting seeds to grow the reality we wish to live in. As a purely physical place the garden offers a connection to nature that allows us to be able to make outside engagement and to grow an appreciation for the flora and fauna around it. There are physical benefits health wise improves strength, flexibility, and overall physical health. Also, as studies have shown being in a green space can lower blood pressure,…

In the ever-hectic pace of our daily lives there is something that is often overlooked even though there are many antidotes regarding this often simple and unassuming item. To what is this author referring? Why the often thought of simple and common flower though it is an often misunderstood and powerful plant. The power of the humble flower was once very well known in our modern society. I am talking about not so long ago during the Victorian age when the language of flowers known as Floriography reached its peak. While its origins can be traced back to the Greeks and Romans, it definitely culminated during the Victorian era and…

The flowers of spring are now in full bloom as the days grow longer and the weather warmer. The winter season has passed as spring continues assert its influence and time upon the world of Arda. Spring is a time of great change and as the vitality of the world grows again, the world is ready for prosperity and change.   The month of April focuses on Youth which is viewed differently among the races of Arda. For example, the Hobbits can be described as being carefree and innocent focused on the simple pleasures of the shire. The Hobbits are not considered adults until 33 years old. As a result…

The month of March brings the first day of Spring. The clocks spring forward for places that have daylight savings time (not something that exist for us in Hawaii) and flowers start to bloom and there is a vitality in the air. The elemental focus for this month based on the Elven lore of Arda is Air. As with last month another of the three Elven rings forged by Celebrimbor in the second age is associated with Air. The ring is called Vilya also known as the Ring of Sapphire, the Blue Ring or the Ring of Air. The powers of this ring while never directly stated are speculated to…

“It is said by the Eldar that in water there lives yet the echo of the Music of the Ainur more than in any substance that is in this Earth; and many of the Children of Ilúvatar hearken still unsated to the voices of the Sea, and yet know not for what they listen.” R. R. Tolkien   The elemental focus for this month based on the Elven lore of Arda is Water.  As the above quote shows for the Elves of Arda water is a powerful force holding extensive wisdom and knowledge from the past. The Teleri or coastal Elves are most deeply connected to the ocean primarily and…