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| Jonquils in my garden |
During the last few weeks or so something amazing has started to occur - life is starting to return to the earth's surface after it's long winter sleep - or at least it is becoming more noticeable as the early cautiously making their appearance. In my garden the delicious scent of jonquils awaken the senses as they emerge from between the ever flowing irises.
A fragile warming of the air can be felt as winter, usually the season
of rest and withdrawal, comes to an end, and even the sun appears to linger longer in the sky.
Catkins and new growth is starting to appear all around the garden on seemingly dead plants marking another sign that life is returning to the land.
Above us, as the constellations of Scorpius and Sagittarius slowly leave the Southern skies, they are replaced by Orion and its nebulae, as well as the bright Sirius. The ironic Southern Cross can be seen lying on its side between three and four o’clock in the southwest and heading down to the southern horizon, with the Pointers (Alpha and Beta Centauri) above it.
This time of early spring, as the sun moves 15 degrees into the astrological sign of Leo, is also referred to as Imbolc which is taken from the Irish Gaelic meaning "in the belly". Imbolc is generally considered to refer to the potential of all life that is "in the belly" either metaphorically of the Great Goddess (Gaea - Mother Earth) or animals such as cattle and sheep who given birth around this time of the year. An alternative word for Imbolc is Oimelc which means "ewe's milk".
Imbolc is associated with new beginnings and it was exciting to collect a new delivery of my first book Dancing the Sacred Wheel which focuses on the seasonal festivals and in particular from the Southern Hemispheric perspective.
You can find out more about how to order your copy of Dancing the Sacred Wheel: A Journey through the Southern Sabbats here.
Catkins and new growth is starting to appear all around the garden on seemingly dead plants marking another sign that life is returning to the land.
Above us, as the constellations of Scorpius and Sagittarius slowly leave the Southern skies, they are replaced by Orion and its nebulae, as well as the bright Sirius. The ironic Southern Cross can be seen lying on its side between three and four o’clock in the southwest and heading down to the southern horizon, with the Pointers (Alpha and Beta Centauri) above it.
This time of early spring, as the sun moves 15 degrees into the astrological sign of Leo, is also referred to as Imbolc which is taken from the Irish Gaelic meaning "in the belly". Imbolc is generally considered to refer to the potential of all life that is "in the belly" either metaphorically of the Great Goddess (Gaea - Mother Earth) or animals such as cattle and sheep who given birth around this time of the year. An alternative word for Imbolc is Oimelc which means "ewe's milk".
Imbolc is associated with new beginnings and it was exciting to collect a new delivery of my first book Dancing the Sacred Wheel which focuses on the seasonal festivals and in particular from the Southern Hemispheric perspective.
“Hertha, Hertha, Hertha.
Mother Earth, we awaken thee from your slumber
Your children are waiting for your return.
Return, Maid of Spring, to the loving embrace of the Sun.”
You can find out more about how to order your copy of Dancing the Sacred Wheel: A Journey through the Southern Sabbats here.
