How I celebrate the High Holidays:
Yule: Yule is marked by a deep meditation, a mental cleaning out of all the crap that lies in our brains, cluttering up access to our highest selves and highest thoughts. While I recognize the Winter solstice on it day, the meditations actually start after christmas when the Xmas family hysteria is done and over with and I can calm down and de-stress.
Imbolc: Imbolc is celebrated with a winter hike. Generally the freezing cold of January is broken inviting warmer days ahead. I head out and climb a 4000 footer (if I can) and celebrate that the sun is still above the horizon at 5PM. At home I usually submit my seed order for the upcoming growing season
Ostara: I don't traditionally celebrate Ostara, other than planning the outdoor projects that need to happen in the garden, reviewing where I will rotate the vegetables, etc. If it is nice enough I will do an outdoor clean-up before the ground gets too squishy, and maybe I will pause to marvel at the crocusses just starting to bloom.
Bealtaine: This is a really busy time of the year. I am planting, and with each plant put into the soil, or each seed placed into the earth I cast blessing on it in hopes for a good crop. I ask the earth to bring life to the land so that I may partake of the spoils at harvest time. During this period I sift my compost, spread compost, manure, and peat moss on the vegetable beds to enrich the soil.
Lamas: Lamas is the opportunity to sit back and look at your works. The garden is planted, and hopefully is vibrant. You have dealt with that pesky groundhog or squirrel, other summer projects are well underway. Now is the time to head to the woods for a mindful backpack trip. Replenish your mind and soul with all that is nature, re-discover that you are not separate from your environment. Unlike Yule the meditations, while deep, are not internal but external. Look at all the life around you. What has changed, what remains the same? Laugh like a child and become as free as the faer. Now that you are done with your backpacking get back and profit from the earliest harvest -strawberries - Make some jam Dammit!
Lughnasssa: Your first harvests are coming in, prepare a space to welcome the fruits of your labour into your house. Celebrate the festival with a nice BBQ, featuring the fresh new vegetables of the season. Make more jam, the rasberries and blueberries are arriving at your local farmers market. Can or pickle your first harvest and display it prominently, and with pride. You as creator called this forth from the earth, rejoice in the sacrificial fire of Brahman, for you have attuned yourself with the universe and in cooperation both of you have born fruit (literally). Now enough of this talk and get back to making jam -those peaches will spoil!
Mabon: Too busy to celebrate Mabon, I am pickling, canning, freezing, drying, the harvest. I usually celebrate Mabon through Thanksgiving, the harvest is finally in and you give thanks for the bounty that the earth has provided.
Samhain: Put away the last of the summer things, prepare for winter. Cover your rosebushes, take in the tender perennials, turn the soil and prepare for a period of quiet introspection. In the waining light of late autumn and into the dark of december it is necessary to slow down and delve into yourself. Here were the veil is thinnest, come to examine yourself and your counterparts in the other realms. Return to the ancestors, to the sidhe, communicate clearly with the Gods. Now is the time for imparting great wisdom. Now is the time to shut up and listen.
Yule: Yule is marked by a deep meditation, a mental cleaning out of all the crap that lies in our brains, cluttering up access to our highest selves and highest thoughts. While I recognize the Winter solstice on it day, the meditations actually start after christmas when the Xmas family hysteria is done and over with and I can calm down and de-stress.
Imbolc: Imbolc is celebrated with a winter hike. Generally the freezing cold of January is broken inviting warmer days ahead. I head out and climb a 4000 footer (if I can) and celebrate that the sun is still above the horizon at 5PM. At home I usually submit my seed order for the upcoming growing season
Ostara: I don't traditionally celebrate Ostara, other than planning the outdoor projects that need to happen in the garden, reviewing where I will rotate the vegetables, etc. If it is nice enough I will do an outdoor clean-up before the ground gets too squishy, and maybe I will pause to marvel at the crocusses just starting to bloom.
Bealtaine: This is a really busy time of the year. I am planting, and with each plant put into the soil, or each seed placed into the earth I cast blessing on it in hopes for a good crop. I ask the earth to bring life to the land so that I may partake of the spoils at harvest time. During this period I sift my compost, spread compost, manure, and peat moss on the vegetable beds to enrich the soil.
Lamas: Lamas is the opportunity to sit back and look at your works. The garden is planted, and hopefully is vibrant. You have dealt with that pesky groundhog or squirrel, other summer projects are well underway. Now is the time to head to the woods for a mindful backpack trip. Replenish your mind and soul with all that is nature, re-discover that you are not separate from your environment. Unlike Yule the meditations, while deep, are not internal but external. Look at all the life around you. What has changed, what remains the same? Laugh like a child and become as free as the faer. Now that you are done with your backpacking get back and profit from the earliest harvest -strawberries - Make some jam Dammit!
Lughnasssa: Your first harvests are coming in, prepare a space to welcome the fruits of your labour into your house. Celebrate the festival with a nice BBQ, featuring the fresh new vegetables of the season. Make more jam, the rasberries and blueberries are arriving at your local farmers market. Can or pickle your first harvest and display it prominently, and with pride. You as creator called this forth from the earth, rejoice in the sacrificial fire of Brahman, for you have attuned yourself with the universe and in cooperation both of you have born fruit (literally). Now enough of this talk and get back to making jam -those peaches will spoil!
Mabon: Too busy to celebrate Mabon, I am pickling, canning, freezing, drying, the harvest. I usually celebrate Mabon through Thanksgiving, the harvest is finally in and you give thanks for the bounty that the earth has provided.
Samhain: Put away the last of the summer things, prepare for winter. Cover your rosebushes, take in the tender perennials, turn the soil and prepare for a period of quiet introspection. In the waining light of late autumn and into the dark of december it is necessary to slow down and delve into yourself. Here were the veil is thinnest, come to examine yourself and your counterparts in the other realms. Return to the ancestors, to the sidhe, communicate clearly with the Gods. Now is the time for imparting great wisdom. Now is the time to shut up and listen.
posted by the arboral at 9:43 AM
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