The Norse Goddess Idun The once harsh winter winds transform to gentle breezes. Daffodils, Crocus and Tulips push through the newly thawed earth, barren trees begin to bud, animals are birthing their young, and the spring peepers serenade us with their throaty song. To this harmonious wonder we honor Idun. Idun, “She who renews”, is known as the goddess of spring, eternal youth, health and life.  It is said that she had no birth and is destined to never know death. At times she is known as a fair maiden, soft and delicate, and at others, sturdy and hard working. She is charged with tending the sacred orchard from which…

Blessed Disting For those who follow a Celtic pagan path February 2nd brings Imbolc to celebrate the Goddesses transformation from crone to maiden; the change from dark to light. During this time we honor the beloved Brigid, goddess of healing and medicine, poetry, divination, fire (the forge and the hearth), knowledge and inspiration. She is daughter of Dagda, the great “father god” of Ireland and one of the oldest Goddesses still worshiped today. Also coinciding on this same day is the Scandinavian celebration called Disting, a holy day largely characterized by preparing the land for planting and the blessing of objects and tools. In Nordic mythology, within Vanaheim, home of the…

New Beginnings “We will open the book.  Its pages are blank.  We are going to put words on them ourselves.  The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”  ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce As the cultural New Year approaches, many of us look into our past and hope for our future with sincere longing and beliefs of what could be. Resolutions and goals are set now as they have been since the days of our ancient ancestors. For thousands of years, January has been considered a time of passage; an opportunity for new beginnings. January is named for the Roman God, Janus, the god of doorways, transitions…

Making a Yule Log It is Christmas in the mansion, Yule-log fires and silken frocks; It is Christmas in the cottage, Mothers filling little socks. —Anonymous The ritual of Yule originated In ancient Scandinavia as a celebration to welcome the return of the sun, the change in season and to honor the death, growth, and fertility aspects of nature. Beginning on the Winter Solstice, the darkest day of the year, and lasting for 12 days, this was a time for feasting, dancing and merriment as well as time with family and friends. All hunting and fishing ceased for the 12 day duration in an effort to let nature rest as…

The Reign of the Cailleach The rich Autumn colors begin to fade and leaves fall gently to the ground. As the days shorten and the sun sits low in the sky, something stirs within the bones of the earth, and she awakens. She is Cailleach, the veiled one. Said to be daughter of the Winter sun, mother to all gods and goddesses and grandmother to all peoples and races of the earth. Wise and cunning, bright eyes and sharp of wit, she sets forth with her magical staff to freeze vegetation and call down the snow.  It is on November 1, in her honor, that we celebrate the festival of…

Winter Nights It is nearing midnight and a crisp Autumn wind chills the air. She clutches her wrap tightly and, though her old joints creak in protest, she presses forward.  Her destination is not much farther. Just beyond the Oaks along the wooded path – thirteen feet at most. The forest floor is thick with moss and cushions her footsteps. She reaches the sacred mound, shakes out a thick blanket and pauses while listening to the howl of a lone wolf. From the corner of her eye, there is movement and light; they are here. She stands in silence, just as she had as a young girl, beside her grandmother;…

Welcoming Mabon – The Autumn Equinox Subtle whispers of the approaching season are everywhere: The night air is cooling, plants are producing seed heads, birds are beginning their migration, animals are storing food and building shelters and leaves are beginning to transform from deep green to richer shades of the autumn harvest. With all this splendor, we welcome in Mabon, the Autumn Equinox, on September 23, 2011, also known as The Witches Thanksgiving. Being the second of three harvest festivals, Mabon is largely centered around celebrating the unending generosity the earth provides along with the bounty with which you have been blessed.  It is for joining with family and friends…