Imbolc

Pronounce IM-BULK, this is the turn of the sacred year that celebrates new life. Small reminders of the life that has slumbered below the ground during Winter appear. Crocus and snowdrops peep up, sometimes right through the snow.
This is the time that the Crone begins to release her hold and The Goddess Brigid is re-born to breathe life and warmth into the Winter landscape.

May Brigid bless the house wherein you dwell
Bless every fireside every wall and door
Bless every heart that beats beneath its roof
Bless every hand that toils to bring it joy
Bless every foot that walks its portals through
May Brigid bless the house that shelters you.
~Saint Brigid's Blessing

May this be for all beings a day of blessing and peace.

May it be a day of safety and well-being.

May the rising sun infuse us with inspiration

     and hope.. May every mind be filled with light.

May we give and receive only kindness.

May we accept and offer only healing.

May all beings come to know a deeper level of happiness,

and may we all move nearer today to true awakening.

I bless the night that nourished my heart

To set the ghosts of longing free

Into the flow and figure of dream

That went to harvest from the dark

Bread for the hunger no one sees.

All that is eternal in me

Welcome the wonder of this day,

The field of brightness it creates

Offering time for each thing

To arise and illuminate.

I place on the altar of dawn:

The quiet loyalty of breath,

The tent of thought where I shelter,

Wave of desire I am shore to

And all beauty drawn to the eye.

May my mind come alive today

To the invisible geography

That invites me to new frontiers,

To break the dead shell of yesterdays,

To risk being disturbed and changed.

May I have the courage today

To live the life that I would love,

To postpone my dream no longer

But do at last what I came here for

And waste my heart on fear no more.

~ John O’Donohue

Lake house dreams

Find a peaceful moment

A celebrity dies.
In the past, this might be marked by candlelight vigils.
With the advent of social media, death (like so many other things) has become an "all about me" event.
While our lives may be touched by celebrities, it is the family and friends of someone who passes who are the ones most touched by their loss.
The wailing and moaning of people on social media pages is selfish at best, distasteful at worst.
Perhaps one day we can return to a respectful way of mourning the loss of those who entertain us.