Tuesday, February 2, 2010

A Day of Celebrating Light & Life

Welcome new followers/fans, Lauren & James. Thanks for logging on!
I created a Twitter account. After choosing a few Tweeters to follow yesterday, my in-box is now filled with people following me! So I suppose if you're so inclined, you can follow me on Twitter, or on Facebook, where I actually post the blogs under "Discussions."

It's a good day here in frozen NEPA! Today we are half way to Spring!
For me, personally, it's a special day, as two-years-ago today I was lying on a gurney, being prepped for heart surgery. I'd say things are looking up, as today I'm sitting at my desk writing about life!

February is an exciting, event-filled month. It's Women's Heart Health month (I'll be writing more about that in the next blog), it's Black History month (as legendary songstress, Etta James, battles Alzheimer's, and President Obama considers meeting with the Dali Lama in the shadow of China's disapproval), it's the month when thoughts turn to love in anticipation of Valentine's Day.
My beautiful, bright, self-sufficient younger daughter, Molly, will turn 21 at the end of the month! And one of the newest additions to our family, my beautiful baby cousin, Rose, will celebrate her first birthday on the 13th!

For eons, the thoughts, activities and rituals of humanity have focused on fertility, planting seeds, and the anticipation of the coming Spring at this time of year, and particularly, on this day.
Some call this day Candlemas, some call it Groundhog Day. I refer to this day and observe it as Imbolg (pronounced 'im mol' g'). Imbolg means "in the belly," and is the quickening of the year. It brings the first signs that Spring is beginning to blossom in Mother Earth's fertile womb.
It is one of the Celtic Great Sabbats, and as such, is a festival of fire, with the emphasis on the light beginning to pierce Winter's dark shroud.
Today is also the feast of Brigid, the fertility Goddess. Brigid is a pagan Goddess who was Christianized and transformed into Ireland's St. Brigid (approx. AD 453-523), whose feast day is February 1, the eve of Imbolg.
In Ireland, traditions associated with St. Brigid can be traced back to the Goddess Brigid and fertility, such as crosses made of straw or rush, likely born from an ancient pagan ceremony for the preparation of seeds for sewing.
On Imbolg, as the first signs of Spring emerge, the spirit, the body, and the earth are quickened in unison.
It came as no coincidence to me that on Imbolg two years ago, my body was cut open, revealing my heart, my very physical and symbolic center, and that my heart was renewed, reborn, made useful and strong and fertile once more! My life force turned that day from the darkness of death to the glorious light of life! That day, I became more aware of my body's needs and weaknesses, as well as its strengths. I continue to learn to nurture my body as though it were a child in need of special love & care. Let's hope my doctors and I remain successful!
Blessed Imbolg to you all! May your life force shine brightly and grow in health & joy & prosperity!

2 comments:

  1. Liz,
    What wonderful writing, a delightful read on a snowy night in Vermont. I wish you good health, love, and many more days of what I consider to be "good writing".

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  2. Thanks, Susan. Are you Sasha? Since resolving to put the past in the past, I've been looking for your listing in Vermont to no avail.What's news with you?

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