Feast of Torches

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Deluxe Edition Print Original illustration Woodland deer girl Mori GirlIrena Sophia

Cross quarter day, astrologically celebrated at Sun 15 degrees Aquarius.
Imbolc (in the belly)
Oimelc (ewe’s milk)
Briantia, Brigid’s day (Celtic goddess of fire; Britain is derived from her name)
Candlemas (Christianized version)
Lupercalia, Feast of Pan, Feast of Torches, Snowdrop festival are other names given to this celebration.
 
This festival celebrates the light of the Sun returning in the northern hemisphere, while in the southern hemisphere Lughnasadh is celebrated as the sun’s light begins to lessen.

Imbolc is a celebration of the goddess, the return of life with spring.  This is a festival of light, fertility, pregnancy, lactation and birth.  Brigid is goddess of the fire and forge, healing, midwifery, smithcraft and poetry as well.

imagesTraditions are to light fire, celebrate the crones passage into the maiden.  This is a festival of women and their mysteries as well as celebrating strong bonds of sisterhood.

Often crosses are crafted from wheat, they symbolize the sacred round, the wheel of the year.

photo 19
I also celebrated with fire.  I spent the afternoon/evening relaxing in front of mine and even did a bit of pyromancy.
My fire held a dwarf, which pleased me greatly.

Peace
GMA

24 thoughts on “Feast of Torches”

  1. Happy Imbolc Gneiss! I must say I am counting down the days till it is finally safe and cool enough to light a fire again. I like your dwarf!
    I have picked up the last couple of weeks a change finally showing autumn is on its way.
    I don’t know if this is relevant to Imbolc,but it made me v happy. I was dreaming this a.m. of a friend who passed away a few years ago. I was minding her horse, [she didn’t really have 1] It was in a nice room and I was hugging it.
    Then I looked out the window to the sea edge, and there was a lively pod of dolphins coming up to the shore. I raced down to play in the water with them and my friend was crossing the road and a young dolphin came onto the road to greet her. It was lovely!
    I have always had a strong sense that Brigid is related to Isis.

    • Of course your cooling is important, as it relates to the balance between us and the whole globe as ONE. As I child I longed for a penpal from a distant land who could describe things foreign and unexplored to me, the concept of opposites intrigued me even then. I would follow ant colonies and wonder how deep do they live , their tunnels go/ look like ? How far would I dig before I hit water, then rock, then molten core (are dinosaurs there ? Jules Verne ha) , then would I emerge in China…? ( I could do this in secret on weekends & after school)
      Stranger in a strange land… blame it on Bugs Bunny, all sorts of crazy notions from childhood. Wacky !

      Perception shift dream, so lovely and www travel you are too spreading the joy…dolphins pods. I am a M. L’Engle fan, the telepathic dream contact speaks so much to the next step we all are taking…. My friend Mountainmae posted a lovely animal comm vid, I will share below.

      So much of the world talking/squawking small matters of gossip; too little listening to the signs and portents, sharing ideas/friendship/philosophies.
      Thank you for sharing your dream, you honor me and all readers here.
      I do feel/know our animal world knows their peaceful earth warriors, their kindred kind at once.
      Isis: magickal knowledge/protection, creativity; life and the bringing of it.
      thank you herongrace x

  2. My comment didn’t come through. You are so funny Gneiss. Lol! Don’t you just love the way people like you and me will always be fascinated by minutiae, [oh! dear], and quirkiness?
    “A Wrinkle in Time” was 1 of my very favourite books when I was a kid growing up. I totally related to her world view, even though the system tried to dilute this.
    I loved that video. I watched this as the black jaguar, more heavy set than the leopard is 1 of my strong totem animals.
    All my animals view me as honorary member of the tribe, and esp. love it when I get back from the weekly shop.
    dear Gneiss did you get my email re: making donations?

    • Fascinated by the odd, because only then I see sense. ..? ha
      WIT Also a fav of mine, “Wind in the Door” did it for me though as micro became macro and my perspective shifted. Identified with the family dynamics that erupted thereafter, though unlike in experience, so vibration-allies (sic) similar in dealing with the inner to outer.
      I relish the communication and cultivate it heartily.
      I did get your e-mail and I thank you will pm.

  3. Gneiss I have just been looking up some info, …Phillip Seymour Hoffman, 23/7/1967
    Woody Harrelson 23/7/1961, Tennessee….father Charles Harrison 23/7/1938 Tennessee, off his rocker on drugs 1982 sentenced to life imprisonment for shooting a judge!
    We reverse order from you guys, days, months.
    Jennifer Lawrence, Jupes 29 Cancer!…
    Weird!

    • I have read, and been read that high degrees are culmination aka: 29 (Virgo void Sun, that I have) are relevant. If so…one must also consider 0 degree Leo Sun is new, fresh and full of possibility. Though strengths/lack thereof around cusps sends most astro ancients into fits, it is worth consideration.

    • I have been thinking of Phillip Seymour Hoffman, I adored his portrayal of Lester Bangs which is ingrained, but moreso, I have Flawless downstairs and might collect for sleep. I have and am under a T. Neptune squ Mars in 12th house sign transit – Red Violin calls and that is after Beautiful Creatures (again) earlier.
      Films and a bit of nebulousness from time – in that I pay my homage to him.

  5. “Fascinated by the odd, because only then I see sense”…That’s totally true. You so eloquently put in words what I never have. I would also add not only see sense, but feel sense. Perhaps it’s a Virgo thing. It’s as though you sense a clue or a trail and you worry away at it like a Chinese puzzle box or a Rubix cube and then you accidentally stumble on all the pieces clicking into place and briefly enjoy that aha! moment of satisfaction.

  6. Gneiss that was a really lovely reading for Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Phoenix, Kingfisher, Wild Man. Kingfisher reminds me of Robin Williams in “The Fisher King”. I think it is a lesson for us all that we can not afford addictions or addictive behaviours, or taking silly risks at this present time.
    The safety net is gone.

  7. Gneiss another fabulous horse coming up! I just turned on p.c. and saw trailer for new movie “A Winter’s Tale” from the book by Mark Helprin. Have you read it? Talk about lush!
    1 of my all time favourite books set in New york winters 1800s, with a magical white horse!
    Starring Colin Farrell, here’s a celtic pixie! Aussie actor. I just saw him in “Saving Mr. Banks” a good movie about a heroine of mine, P.L.Travers who wrote the Mary Poppins books. Must read the book again, it’s a delight!

    • I haven’t read Helprin, but will look him up next library sweep. Funny you mention Colin – had Ondine in my hands only moments ago, selkies & seas always a fave. Neptune transit squ Mars at the backdoor, films on deck ! Come to think of it, Ondine is Neptune incarnate, truly ! + Colin is happily in full brogue and scruffy to the hilt.
      Fright Night, night before last, David & Colin & Anton – giddy UP !
      Celts, Scots, and Russians oh my !
      Snow day today, love magical white horse ref. I have dreamed of white horses, did you read the Rhiannon post ?
      Currently Rx @ 24 Cancer… x

      • Gneiss, you with your love of lushness and nifty dialogue will love this book!
        I will check your Rhiannon post.
        I tell you what, Colin Farrell’s star is rising at the mo.
        Rhiannon then is conjunct Lilith @27* Cancer I think.
        We’ve had light rain through the night. Delicious.
        Saving me having to hobble around bucketting from the dam and more grass will grow for my poor wallabies.
        Have a lovely whatever it is up North x

      • Nifty dialogue hee bless you x
        So glad you have rain !…do you have weird wallaby traditions like groundhog day shadow/winter in the states ?
        Since we are on the Imbolc post :0), I ask.

  8. Gneiss just love that post on Rhiannon! Lush! Shadowfax! What a beautiful horse!
    You know, already the horse is galloping into our lives announcing its presence!
    Looks like 2014 could be a fast and exciting year.

  9. Weird wallabies?! Not really. They all got overshadowed by Skippy. You know for years I thought Skippy was a genius turning records over on the turnstile etc…..until some bugger let me down with a huge thud telling me they were dead paws! Paul Hogan in Crocodile Dundee also did a great stuffed roo act!

    • This is a Merc Rx incoming moment.
      I forget, you are from the land of chook/chickens, is skippy/kangaroos ?

      What is this of dead paws ? Is this akin to weird old American custom of dead rabbit feet being somehow lucky…?

      • Yes Gneiss, Skippy was a grey kangaroo which are bigger than wallabies. There were actually a few Skippies and it was a very well known [downunder at least] childrens t.v. show of the 70s? 60s? It had an intro with an extremely catchy theme song and would show Skippy’s paws turning over a record.
        Skippy’s family lived in a large National park and Skippy would save them all from never ending disasters.
        I must confess, just looked up Colin Farrell, 31/5/76 Ireland. Funny, I was thinking he reminded me very much of a friend of mine 31st. May too.
        He was in Ballykissangel, which I thought was a fab t.v. series.

      • Thank you much for clarity, these weird things niggle Virgo brain ya know. ha Will look up Colin now while I am spinning EJW African mix (twitfeed).
        PS. We had a dude on local tv who was Cowboy Bob by day; Sammy Terry (vampire zombie dunno ?) by night with the cheeziest movies evah – also late 70’s.

  10. Yeh sorry I assumed you might of heard of “Skippy” as I saw a special on T.V. while back that she was a huge export of ours and very popular . 1 of our biggest Icons.
    My mistake with Colin I thought he was Aussie. I saw him in a movie, [I’m bad with names] where he was an I.R.A.? fighter sent to Prague with that dude from Harry Potter [sorry again, great actor] just forgotten his name. Not much help there, but he was brilliant in it .
    Interesting chart. Another 1 all over this cardinal cross and yes… 29* Cancer!

    • I have most definitely made note of your 29 degree Cancer ref. which you mentioned months ago…sensing the importance of it.
      Dully noted, T.Jupiter Rx on Colin’s Moon and T. Uranus opp his natal Pluto for starts.
      I am very, very much a fan of Colin, an avid admirer of his work; however on another ship altogether at the mo. x soon

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