Saturday, February 02, 2013

Well Come Maiden Goddess

Welcome Imbolc the cross-quarter day balanced between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It's also know as Candlemas,  St. Bridget’s Day, or the Festival of the Purification, or Groundhog Day. For those of us that lean the Wiccan way it is the time in the circle where the crone aspect of the Goddess is replaced by maiden aspect and represents the beginning of spring and the attendant rebirth after after the death of winter. For us gardeners it is the time of anticipating the spring rituals of planting. We have saved our gifts of seed from last year's gardens and will once again return them to our Mother and begin anew the endless cycle.

For some this is Groundhog Day but long before the rodent came to rule the day the ancients had this to say;

If Candlemas be bright and clear,
There’ll be two winters in the year;
If Candlemas bring wind and rain,
Old winter shall not come again!


It looks to be bright and clear this morning in my neighborhood which, if legend holds, means a bit more winter before the warmth of spring wins the day.

h/t to Annie at Balloon Juice for music

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