Feeling the Slow Return of Light
Have you felt it yet? For me, it's as though the slack tide has ended and the tide is finally beginning to flow in again.
Have you felt it yet? I suppose each of us feels it at a different time. For me it usually comes in late January. Some day in late January it feels like a switch is flipped. Like the slack tide has ended and the tide is finally beginning to flow in again.
It’s a subtle but powerful feeling. Our youngest continually reminds me that we still have “second winter” to go through but I can feel the slight change already swirling around me. I’m a little bit clearer. I’m a little more awake. I’m a little bit more motivated. It’s may be baby steps but the shift is real. I felt it two weeks ago. Now, it’s February and I’m ready. I’m ready for the year. I’m ready to start emerging.
The switch flipped for me on a day when there was still snow on the ground and temperatures in the 20°Fs. I’ve always wanted to plant poppies and a dear friend recently gifted me some heirloom poppy seeds. That day I planted those sweet little poppy seeds in the snow. I went back inside and ordered seeds I want to try out this year. Then I ordered some seedlings that will be ready in May. It felt like an act of hope and faith.
Finding Inspiration in Bits of Historical Evidence
Living within the seasonal rhythms means feeling my way from the darkness into the light. Sure it’s metaphorical, especially these days. More important though, it’s a real feeling. A feeling that wells up within me. An awakening. A re-emergence. Not the same as before, but informed by the introspection and reflection of the darkest part of winter that is now behind me.
The practices we focus on as a family are rooted in either (1) practices or ideas connected to our ancestors or (2) practices that emerge from our family experience. Often our practices spring from a blending of the past and the present. Some times there just isn’t much historical evidence to draw upon for practices, so the little bits of evidence become a spark for creativity.
These past few days mark the middle of winter in this place where I live. They also mark the cross quarter day between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox, a time where the solstice and equinox are in balance, in union. It’s all about the awakening of the land from its winter sleep and the return of the sunlight.
While the seasonal shifts are evident, and certain things are known about how our ancestors marked the days listed below, lots of the details are not. It’s an opportunity to create practices that fit in with our family and how we live our lives, yet also create a connection to our ancestors. That opportunity is so amazing to me because I am able to re-imagine and connect to the Earth and my ancestors in my own way.
January 31st Brigantia Eve
February 1st Brigid’s Day and the beginning of the season of Imbolc
February 2nd Candlemas and Groundhog Day
There is evidence of the importance of Brigantia, Brigid, and Imbolc in the lives of our ancestors, but much has been lost to time and invasion. Here’s a brief overview.
Brigantia was a goddess of the Brigantes, a tribe that stretched throughout Austria, eastern Switzerland, north-west Spain, and the north of England. What evidence there is about her comes from inscriptions and archaeology. If you are interested, search Brigantia at Roman Inscriptions of Britain from the University of Nottingham. There are seven inscriptions and descriptions that reference her wearing a crown of fire or light, wearing a plumed helmet encircled by a turreted crown, holding a spear, holding a globe, and having next to her a shield, a serpent, an omphaloid stone.
Brigid was a goddess in Ireland. There are three texts where Brigid, daughter of the Dagda [the leader of the Tuatha Dé Danann], shows up: page 23 of Cormac’s Glossary, part IV of The Book of Invasions, and the Second Battle of Mag Tuired. Everything else comes in and through the lens of Christianity and the history of St. Brigit. In Scotland, she is Brìde and presides over the light half of the year.
Their names Brigantia and Brigid - both come from the same root - Brig - which means exalted one. Although they are distinct beings, they have a common story of an eternal flame that burned in her honor at one of her temples. For Brigid it was in Kildare and for Brigantia it was in the north of England. They are not fire goddesses but rather hearth keepers. They tend to the fire and protect the hearth and home. Fire exudes warmth and light, and also inspiration, protection, transformation, and purification.
And, Imbolc. Imbolc is a celebration of the lengthening of days and growing sunlight; essentially, the beginning of Spring and the agricultural season. While there is textual and archaeological evidence about the existence of the festival, not much is known about the actual ancient practices that would have taken place. At some point, February 1st was dedicated to St Brigit by the Catholic church.
Just knowing that Brigantia, Brigid, and Imbolc existed in the lives and practices of my ancestors provides me with ideas. After all, recreating their practices is not what inspires me or motivates me. What I am moved by are the seasons, the patterns, and the opportunity to honor what’s changing and to feel into it.
Our focus on these days: emergence, hope, inspiration, protection, transformation, and purification. Our practices may look different than the way others celebrate or mark these days. This mutability is not just personal, it’s practical as well. It’s what allows the practices to change over time if we need them to. It allows the practices to evolve based on what I need, what my family needs, and what is going on in the world around us.
January 31st - Fire
Fire is a big part of the whole weekend for us, beginning with candles and a fire in the fireplace on January 31st. On this last night of January I light 3 candles:
One for the time of the year and the transition toward light
One for my ancestors
One for the land where I am rooted.
It’s a quiet moment of thanks, contemplation, and honor.
The glowing fire in the fireplace brings warmth and a reminder of the lengthening of days and the growing sunlight.
This winter we practiced banking our coals for the night. It’s something I’ve done for campfires but had not applied to the fire in our fireplace. It’s not a necessity for us, as we have matches and lighters to aid us, but there is something special about keeping the fire going for days. Something that makes me reflect upon the critical nature of maintaining a fire in a home and the deep devotion required to maintain an eternal flame for the goddesses.
In Scotland, it’s called smooring. The tradition of smooring is similar to banking the coals and is done to ensure that there are embers for the next day’s fire. There are a number of entries about Brigid/Brìde and smooring the fire in Carmina Gadelica: Hymns and Incantactions, collected in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland by Alexander Carmichael. Entry #84 and Entry #323 are blessings that speak to Brigid/Brìde’s protection of the hearth, home, and family.
#84 Smooring the Fire I will build the hearth, As Mary would build it. The encompassment of Bride and of Mary, Guarding the hearth, guarding the floor, Guarding the household all. #323 Smooring the Hearth I will smoor the hearth As Brigit the Foster-mother would smoor. The Foster-mother's holy name Be on the hearth, be on the herd, Be on the household all.
We may not need to bank our fires but our fireplace (hearth) and our candles still hold a special place in our winter practices. Our fireplace is the heart center of our home. Boy, did it work hard this December and January! It provides a warm space for us to gather, relax, recharge, even enjoy a meal. The soft, flickering light from our candles not only provide illumination, but also relaxation, soothing, comfort, grounding, serenity, and connection.
February 1st - Hope
On Imbolc, I make a hearth oil to use on Candlemas to anoint and thank our fireplace for all of its hard work this winter.
The practice of the day that I hold most dear is our Juniper Tree Ties, our newest practice. Visiting Yoko Ono’s Wish Tree at the Hirshorn Museum in Washington, DC was a powerful experience for me. The Wish Tree Series began in 1996 and every summer through Labor Day, visitors to the museum are invited to tie their written wishes to the branches. The museum’s tree has collected more than 100,000 wishes over the past fifteen years. When the tree is full the museum staff collects the wishes and sends them to join the more than 1 million other wishes at Yoko Ono’s “Imagine Peace Tower” in Iceland as part of her global art installation. There is even a way to directly send a wish to the Imagine Peace Tower from the website.
Interacting with Yoko Ono’s Wish Tree brought to mind a memory from the early 1990s. It was just after the Summer Solstice and I was spending a few days at a communal farm in Southern Maryland. A bunch of us were canoeing down the river adjacent to the farm and the farmers had agreed to let us rest and stay for a couple of days. We shared with them about our journey and they shared with us about life on the farm. They showed us the tree where they had placed prayer bundles on the solstice. I was so moved by the beauty and intention of their practice. I can still see the tree in my memory.
I later learned about two practices associated with Brigid: (1) Clooties - a piece of cloth tied to a tree by sacred wells as wishes/prayers for healing, and (2) Brat Bhríde - a piece of cloth hung outside one’s home on the eve of St. Brigit’s Day in the hopes she would bless it so that it would be able to cure headaches and the like.
As these experiences came together in my thoughts, I decided to fold them into our own family practice. On Imbolc we give our wishes/prayers to our Juniper Tree. Some times it is done in a bundle, sometimes it is tied to a branch, and sometimes it is whispered to the tree. The intention is that as the paper, bundle, cloth degrades over time the wish/prayer is released in the universe and, hopefully, answered.
I suspect I will be hanging wishes/prayers more often this year. It seems particularly important to open my heart to the universe and to everyone in it; to imagine peace, hope, love, wisdom, joy, and healing, right now.
February 2nd - Purification & Transformation
February 2nd is Candlemas. On this day the focus is purification and cleansing. A deep cleansing of the house, followed by saining with moon water and a pinch of salt to release all of the energies that have built up over the darkest of winter. It’s spring cleaning in an energetic sense.
With Candlemas, we thank and celebrate our candles and hearth for all they have done getting us through the dark days of deep winter. Cleaning and then blessing our fireplace with the hearth oil made for the day. Clearing our path into the new sunlight by cleaning and purging that which is no longer necessary throughout the house. Adventuring outside. Pancakes or Crepes and Chamomile Tea for dinner followed by Rice Pudding or Creme Brûlée afterwards. Foods that remind me of the sun.
Imbolc and Candlemas are about the transition from dark to light, from dormancy to growth, days growing longer and warmer, first signs of spring. It’s a day that is both nurturing and comforting as well as filled with anticipation and excitement of what is to come. It’s a reminder of the inherent energy of the Earth towards transformation - winter to spring, cold to warm, dark to light, dormant plants to sprouts and buds.
It’s a time of transformation for me as well. I begin to wake up - energetically and mentally. I spend the deepest part of the winter in a self-imposed hibernation of sorts. During winter time, my body and my mind craves slowness, rest, reflection, rejuvenation.
Now, my brain turns to dreaming about the lay out for the vegetable garden and what herbs I might add to the herb garden. Plans for day hikes and extended trips sprinkle my day dreams. My skin begins to to itch with the thought of feeling sunshine on places that have been buried under layers of clothes this winter.
And, then, there are the subtle signs of this place that begin to call me back outside, for longer periods than this winter has allowed for. The water changes from a light, almost clear, color to an emerging darker color. (Although the cold water holds more oxygen during the winter, the metabolisms of many organisms, including phytoplankton and zooplankton, slow so much that the wintertime water in the Bay is the clearest of the year.)
The early flowers begin to break through the soil, pushing towards the sun, even when there is still snow on the ground — Crocuses, Narcissus, Snow Drops. The Heather blooms. The Pussy Willow buds appear. Even the trees show signs of spring with their tiny buds visible to those who look for tiny details. Geese and other waterfowl begin their journey to their northern climates.
It’s just a great time to be here!
What signs of spring are inspiring you in your part of the world?
5 Notes
Five final notes on what I’m baking, doing, making, starting, and practicing in yoga.
Baking: I love baking bread. Sourdough. French Bread. Whole Wheat. Fougasse. Banana Breads. Bagels. Biscuits. I could go on. The only thing better than baking bread is eating bread. I know fairly predictable; but, the smell of warm bread is just something otherworldly. Bread baking at home takes a ridiculous amount of time though, right? Nope. In fact, for my every day bread back in 2019, most of the work was done at night while I was sleeping.
Bread is about intention. It doesn’t have to be extravagant. It doesn’t have to usurp all of your free time. But it’s a choice - a choice to make something, a choice to know your ingredients, a choice to act, and a choice to connect with something far more ancient than oneself.
I have been wanting to try baking bread with Khorasan wheat, an ancient variety of durum and I’ve decided this is the week to do it. I’m making Golden Bread, my little baking homage to the sun, the seasonal shift, and grains importance in the agricultural season. Want to try to make it? Here’s the recipe. [Note: Kamut is the commercial name of Khorasan wheat]. I’d love to hear about your experience with Khorasan wheat and this recipe.
Doing - Weather Divination. I makes notes about the weather on Candlemas to see if the folk weather divination comes true this year. There are many folk sayings about weather predictions for February 2nd:
If Candlemas be fair and bright, winter will take another flight. If Candlemas be cloud and rain, winter is gone and will not come again.
If Candlemas be fine and clear, there’ll be two winters in the year.
The badger peeps out of his hole on Candlemas day. If he finds snow, he walks around. But if he sees the sun, he ducks back into his hole.
If it’s sunny on Candlemas, we’re out of winter; if it rains and blows, we’re still in.
In the USA, it’s Groundhog Day. We look toward the spring and whether or not the Groundhog will see his shadow. Whether he sees it or not, we know that come early or late, spring is on its way.
In this vein my oldest kid and I make one large pillar candle from beeswax we’ve collected all year from candles we’ve used. We decorate it with a white ribbon, protection symbols, and juniper. This candle lives in a brass candlestick and we light it during Spring, Summer, and early Fall storms - thunder storms, tropical storms, high winds.
Making - The Hearth Oil I made on Imbolc is now used for blessing our hearth on Candlemas. This is the perfect oil blend for how our family interacts with our fireplace — essential oils in this spray support a quieting, relaxing, uplifting, harmonious environment.
1 drop Cinnamon Bark essential oil
2 drops Sandalwood essential oil
4 drops Lavender essential oil
1 drop Jasmine essential oil
1 drop Rose essential oil
2 drops Frankincense essential oil
1 drop Scotch Pine essential oil
1 tablespoon Solubol (because we use our hearth oil as a spray)
Cinnamon - Supports lessening stress and increasing feelings of optimism
Sandalwood - Supports meditation, inner unity, quiet mental activity
Lavender - Calms, soothes, nurtures, and encourages balance in all body systems
Jasmine - Supports comfort within oneself
Rose - Soothes and heals the heart, brings a feeling of love
Frankincense - Supports reflection, introspection, tranquility, and quiets the mind
Pine - Calming yet uplifting while helping to improve air quality
Starting - Once I feel that seasonal shift, the seed catalogues come out and I start dreaming about the lay out for the vegetable garden and any herbs I might add to the herb garden. I start seeds indoors about six weeks prior to our last frost date which is around April 6th, so around the week of February 18th I start working with seeds. (Finding Frost Dates.) Starting seeds is practical as the seedlings will eventually make it into the garden and raised beds. It’s more than that though. It’s an act of hope, respect, connection, and meditation.
Starting seeds indoors requires me to slow down and pay attention in order for the seeds to do what they need to do. Seeds don’t germinate on my timeline or because I want them to. They have their own timeline and goals. My role is to honor and steward the seeds through their growth so that they achieve success. Each day I spend quiet time tending to them. I pay attention and look at them with an eye toward curiosity. I notice the soil, how it feels, how it smells; I notice any growth, even as small as it may be; I talk to them and I listen. It’s a meditative practice.
For my four tips for starting seeds indoors and other helpful resources, check out my February 2024 post.
Yoga - As I mentioned above, this season of Imbolc is a reminder of the inherent energy of the Earth towards transformation - winter to spring, cold to warm, dark to light, dormant plants to sprouts and buds. A similar energy is happening with the moon right now. The moon is in a waxing crescent today and a waxing gibbous tomorrow. When the moon is waxing its light is growing, starting as a crescent and then more and more of the moon ibecomes visible over 14 days until it reaches fullness as the Full Snow Moon on February 12th. Imbolc + the Waxing Moon means grounding yet awakening, flowing yet liberating. My practice right now, looks like this:
