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Seasonal Living
Winter is a time of rest and rejuvenation in the natural world. It's a season when many plants and animals slow down, conserve energy, and retreat into hibernation or dormancy. As humans, we often forget that we too are part of this natural cycle of seasons. We live in a world that values productivity and achievement, and we often push ourselves to work harder and longer even when our bodies and minds are telling us to slow down and rest. However, embracing seasonal living and taking time to rest in winter can be incredibly beneficial for our physical and mental health.
During the winter months, the days are shorter and the weather is colder, which can make it more challenging to stay active and engaged. However, this is also an opportunity to slow down and take a break from the constant stimulation of modern life. By resting more in winter, we give our bodies and minds the chance to recover from the stress and exhaustion of daily life. This can help to boost our immune systems, improve our sleep, and reduce our risk of developing chronic health conditions. In addition to the physical benefits, resting in winter can also have a positive impact on our mental health. Many people experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD) during the winter months, which can cause feelings of depression, lethargy, and sadness. By taking time to rest and focus on self-care, we can help mitigate the symptoms of SAD and improve our overall well-being. In conclusion, resting in winter is an essential part of seasonal living. By embracing this natural cycle of rest and rejuvenation, we can improve our physical and mental health, reduce our stress levels, and promote overall well-being. So, take some time this winter to slow down, rest, and recharge. Your body and mind will thank you for it!
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Last year, I worked with my Animal Oracle deck to learn more about working with animal allies. Each month I focused on a new animal ally and deep-dived into what magick they could bring into my life. One ally that chose to work with me in January was the butterfly. You can read more about that experience HERE, but I want to focus on the goddess who captured my imagination and heart in this post.
My exploration with the butterfly brought me to the story of Etain. Her story is of love, loss, jealousy, and new beginnings. Mythical Ireland does a beautiful retelling of this Irish story that you can hear for yourself HERE. While she is the central figure of the tale, the story mainly focuses on how others respond to her. Etain's physical and spiritual beauty enthralls everyone around her, including her fairy lover. Etain is a sun goddess that has transformed into a moon goddess due to her grand adventure. Why she is surfacing for me once again brought me back to the blog to root out the message Etain has for me. The Wooing of Etain - Abbreviated Version Etain was the daughter of King Ailill of the Ulaid. She is often described as having shimmering waves of fire-gold hair, skin as white as snow, and blushing cheeks red as foxgloves. Her eyes are a vibrant, unnatural blue, and her shape is considered wavy as seafoam (Ancient Origins). She is the epitome of beauty to which all Irish women are held. The story of Etain's life begins with her otherworldly life with Midir of the Tuatha de Danann (The Tribes of the goddess Danu). Midir was a fair-haired warrior who lived among the sidhe (hidden/fae folk) of Ireland. Midir was already married to his first wife, Fuamnach, who was also sidhe, but soon became smitten with Etain. However, Etain's father knew of Midir's capabilities and requested he complete specific tasks before winning the hand of his daughter, Etain. These tasks included clearing land for agricultural purposes and rerouting waterways. Once Midir had completed what was asked of him, he married Etain as his second wife and took her to live with him under the fairy mounds. Life with the sidhe was not easy for Etain. Midir's first wife was jealous and did everything to remove her from her husband's home. Fuamnach cast many spells on Etain, transforming her first into a pool of water, then a worm, and finally into a butterfly. Etain prevailed, and although her husband did not know she was now a butterfly, he loved her dearly and took her everywhere he went. He soon lost the desire for other women, which angered Fuamnach, further leading her to cast out Etain by creating a wind to blow her away for seven years. Etain drifted upon the wind for seven years until she came to the home of Aengus, Midir's foster son. Aengus, fearful of what Fuamnach might do to Etain, builds her a small windowed chamber to come and go safely. Unfortunately, the news of Aengus's care for Etain reaches Fuamnach, who creates another wind to blow Etain away for another seven years. This time, Etain lands in the goblet of the wife of Etar, the Ulster chieftain, and is swallowed. The wife of Etar becomes pregnant, giving birth to Etain a second time, over a thousand years after Etain's first birth. Etain grows up in her new life with no recollection of her past. She marries Eochaid Airem, the High King of Ireland, and is known throughout Ireland for her beauty. Eventually, Midir discovers where Etain is and that she does not remember her past life. He uses glamour spells to trick Etain into sleeping with him to awaken and remember her past with Midir. Etain sees through Midir's spell-casting, and Midir finally reveals himself and tells Etain who she is. Faithful to her current husband, Etain refuses to leave with Midir without Eachaid's permission. Midir once again works to woo Etain back into his life. This time, he was winning a kiss from Etain as his prize. Midir, taking his prize, embraces Etain so that she remembers their former life together. She allows Midir to whisk her away to his mound beneath the ground, which is believed to be Ardagh Mountain in County Longford. Why is The Wooing of Etain Significant? Etain's story is romantically tragic. From the writer's perspective, Etain is a beautiful young woman at the mercy of forces around her she cannot control. Thinking back to a time when I was an adventurous young woman, I can imagine how Etain must have felt being a pawn for someone else's gain. As the daughter of a king, Etain would have had little control of her life. Surely destined to marry for her father's gain, I can understand how Etain must have felt when a beautiful, otherworldly man fell in love with her. Marrying Midir would have been an escape from the drudge of a sedentary life and welcoming a life filled with beauty, adventure, and romance. I like to think Etain was a tough-minded young woman who took her life into her own hands. With all Celtic myths and stories, symbolism is deeply embedded and must be sought out to find the true meaning. Sea-foam, the Placenta from the Birth of the Universe - Etain's shape is described as wavy as seafoam. Why is telling her this way significant? Sea-foam is connected to the Irish creation myth and offers a unique perspective on how people interacted with the land and the sea. In Scott Leonard's 2004 book Myth and Knowing, The Celtic mythology opens with: "Once upon a time, there was no time, and that was when there also was no gods and no man walked the surface of the land. But there was the sea, and where the sea met the land, a mare was born, white and made of seafoam. And her name was Eiocha." Sea-foam is a perfect expression of 'emergency' and 'transition.' It is used to describe the transition between worlds to arrive in the present world. Etain begins her story as a young mortal woman at the mercy of a human father with ambitions. Her decision to leave her mortal world behind and marry an otherworldy man is her first transition between the worlds. Thinking back on my decisions as a young woman, I know I also made a choice as serious as Etain's. Leaving my hometown to live in a large city was my first transition between worlds. I met love, hardship, and heartbreak, but I would not be the person I am today without transitioning from my family home to an alien world, unlike anything I have experienced. Like Etain, my first transition was not necessarily a happy one but filled with me learning who I wanted to be, who I was, and what I was capable of in the face of adversity. Etain's first introduction into the world of the Sidhe was that of wonder and danger. Her decision to marry Midir influenced hardship on her. This hardship eventually cost her her human life as she was once again transformed into something other. Experiencing transition is a natural part of the human experience. While Etain lived multiple lives over her thousand-year adventure, she also had numerous opportunities to learn how she was and who she wanted to be. Etain's experiences allowed her to better understand the world around her, what she wanted, and valuable lessons about life. Something I can identify with. Significance of 7 - According to science, our bodies and minds change on a 7-year cycle. Understanding the seven-year process is essential to know where you and others might be in their life-cycle timeline. Etain blew about on the wind for seven years and then seven more years. The Irish had some insight into human development by observing the natural world around them. Coincidently, I just entered my 5th seven-year cycle in my story. This cycle is where our creative processes of the mind come to the forefront. Our brains peak at the age of 35. This maturity allows us to understand ourselves better, truly realizing who we are and what role we play within society. 2020 was my year to come to the center with myself and learn who I am as a person. Who am I, and who do I want to be? How can I make those two connect to form a whole person? Reflecting on it now, I see the butterfly represents my transition from the gooey cocoon phase of 2020 to my sense of self-connected with the butterfly's beauty. I am becoming who I am meant to be. I am finally leaving the messy transition years and stepping into my real power! Symbolism of Etain - Etain is a Celtic Goddess whose name means "Shining One." She is a Goddess of beauty and grace and associated with one of the White Ladies of the Fae. Her symbols are of the sun, dawn, rain, water, healing, medicine, earth, fertility, horses, butterflies, apple blossoms, swans, music, fragrant flowers, and the transmigration of souls. She is the greening of the earth that comes with spring. Etain's story teaches us we will be transformed, balanced, and made whole despite the storms of life's efforts to toss us around. Transformation begins in our inner worlds before a new physical appearance can be made. The butterfly is a symbol of this transformation, rebirth, and resurrection. We have to remember butterflies are not born butterflies. They must first go through stages before reaching their full potential. The stages are necessary steps to becoming reborn. Beltane is a marker between spring and summer. A transitional period where we can decide what adventure we want to go on next. Etain's story reminds me that although change is difficult, it is necessary for growth. If I am to become the person I want to be, I must turn to goo and be reborn from the inside out. Beltane Blessings, friends. I wish you well on your inner journey this Beltane season. Imbolc is here! After Yule celebrations, Imbolc is my most anxiously awaited sabbot. As much as I love the Winter and time to rest, plan for the year ahead, and restore my energy, I start to get a bit of cabin fever by the time Imbolc rolls around. While I know winter will last a little while longer and it’s not officially spring, Imbolc marks the coming end to winter’s dark, cold days and heralds in spring, new life, and planting season! All of which I live for as the self-proclaimed Witch of Underwood.
Imbolc is a cross-quarter day celebrated by many NeoPagans and Wiccans between February 1st and February 3rd depending on what method you use to track the solstices and equinoxes. Whatever day you choose to celebrate, Imbolc is based on the Celtic Agricultural calendar and is recognized as an early spring/late winter festival. Winter is still going strong, but there are signs of life popping out of the ground everywhere and if you live on or near a farm you’ll begin to notice baby livestock being cute as heck in the pastures. The air is heavy with promise for the future and it’s really an exciting time after harsh winter days. For those who live with and work with the land, this is the perfect time to start preparing for early spring planting. Some plants that like cold weather like lettuce are just about ready to be planted in the soil with minimal protection from the elements. This year I am experimenting with cold-frames to plant some of my cold crops earlier than I did last year to provide fresh greens for my family and our livestock. In addition to planting cold weather hardy plants, many farmers and flower enthusiasts are starting seeds indoors or in their heated greenhouses. Whether supported or happening naturally, new life is sprouting all around us! Imbolc is also the feast of Brigid, the Pan-Celtic fire Goddess of healing and inspiration. She’s also one of the Patron Saints of Ireland and on Imbolc she is celebrated various ways. The most popular tradition is to create a corn dolly in the image of the Goddess and pass it around the community. Each family the dolly comes in contact with will offer gifts to the dolly and since Brigid is the goddess of inspiration, the gift mostly consists of a poem or song rather than a material item. One fun tradition practiced by some groups is the Bride’ogas or the activity of carrying the dolly made in the likeness of Brigid from house to house at dawn with as much noise as humanly possible. Partakers would carry various instruments, including pots, pans, and tincans in order to awaken the sleeping spirits of spring. While this sounds like an absolute blast, I’m not sure the spirits of spring around our homestead would appreciate such racket so early in the morning… and neither would my neighbors, but if you choose to partake in this traditions, I would love to see all the fun you’re having! Another tradition is to craft a Brighid’s cross out of wheat stalks and exchange with others to be hung up in the home to protect from fire damage. You, like us, may not grow wheat where you live and thus do not have materials to craft the Brigid’s cross. However, you can absolutely use what you have near you. It could be tall grasses from your backyard or even bits of a spider plant. Make sure whatever you find in nature or in your home is gathered responsibly and with permission from the spirit of the plant. Don’t forget to offer gratitude as well! We do not have wheat growing on our farm yet, but I do have lots of dried grasses around the homestead which would be perfect for weaving a Brigid’s cross. I’ll be sure to post that creative endeavor on my socials for you to take a gander at! Unsurprisingly, farm implements such as the plough are heavily associated with this holiday. The plough for many represents new life and that means more food to replace winter stores. I know fresh greens and fruits are mouthwateringly good after a long winter of heavy foods and fats. Among Neo-Celtic and some Heathen traditionalists would and will decorate a plough to take from house to house while children sang and asked for treats and gifts from their neighbors. If the homeowner did not comply, their front yard was ploughed up. Which honestly sounds like a fun tradition I may begin this year in our local area! If singing and ploughing your neighbor’s yard is not a tradition you’d like to participate in this Imbolc, you may feel more aligned with the simple act of re-lighting your hearth fire. If you have any greenery left out from yule this is the perfect time to pack them away in storage or burn the natural greenery in a fire safe location. It can be said keeping Yule greenery in the house for too long invites the faerie folk to stay in your house beyond their welcome. While this may seem like a really fun idea, remember, the fae are not like us in many ways and cohabitating could be stressful for all parties involved. Boundaries such as this one is important for keeping the relationship balanced. Personally, after I burn my Yule greenery, I set up a small area on the porch out of the elements where my fae neighbors can stay when the weather is nasty. However, I have noticed most are more than happy to return to the outside and back into nature with the coming of spring. You can also put candles in your windows to welcome spring as well as engage in some spring cleaning and household purification rituals. Right now I’m preparing our garden for spring planting by crafting a cold-frame and mini greenhouses for seed starting. I’m also cleaning all my supplies for my magical workings in both the mundane and magical sense, pruning household plants, cleansing and cleaning my home, as well as preparing our pasture for baby goats! All seasonally appropriate activities we can all do to make the work in the warmer months easier and productive! Regardless of whether or not you’ve celebrated Imbolc before in the traditional sense, we’ve all participated in the non-religious tradition of Groundhog’s Day. This fun early spring activity comes from the tradition of weather predicting. While previous celebrations might not have included the mystical Punxsutawney Phil, it did highlight the “Hag of Winter” and her role in what early spring weather might look like. Like, Phil, the “Hag of Winter” takes this day to gather wood for her hearth. If the day is sunny and nice she will have much time to gather a lot of wood to sustain her through a few more wintery weeks. However, if the day is stormy or rainy she will not be able to gather wood at all indicating warmer weather in the near future. However you celebrate Imbolc this year I hope you are filled with lots of love, light, and no one ploughs your yard! Symbols Associated with Imbolc:
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AuthorCaitlin is a full-time special education teacher with a penchant for the wyrd. When she isn't hanging out with the coolest kids, she's out in her garden tending to her herbs or frolicking with her 2 goats, 40 chickens, 6 ducks, 2 turkeys, 2 dogs, and 6 cats. She understands it's a hoarding situation at this point, but life is too short to worry about boring things like that. Archives
May 2024
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