Altars, Altars, Everywhere
Need a little ritualizing inspiration to move some energy? Check out this video I created for the North Carolina Museum of Art on building nature altars wherever one may find oneself.
Turn the Patriarchy to Stone
Fire Rituals
Ritual is a way to activate our internal worlds and align ourselves with Earth's rhythms. Here are couple simple rituals to align with the powerfully pioneering Aries Fires and to show up, speak up, and care for your intentions.
Grab a book of matches and fire-proof bowl. Light each match as you speak an intention, wish, or goal, dropping it into the bowl. Smile as the smoke carries your words into the immaterial realm, trusting that what you have spoken is manifesting in its perfect timing.
Walk out your front door and go to the first patch of nature that catches your eye-- a tree or even a patch of lawn will do. Get close and notice any tiny signs of new life from the Earth. Take a little something back inside with you, telling it your intentions, and giving it an honored place in your home.
Igniting Intentions
The new year in January can many times feel like an anti-climax, as societal norms push us to initiate new objectives and set "new year resolutions"-- even though our Earth is telling a different story, inviting us to finish Her deep, important, self-nourishing work in the underworld of winter. To let ourselves off the go-go-go-busy-busy hook, we must follow Her lead, springing into more action once we notice the early budding of the trees and the frogs calling the animal kingdom into mating season.
Spread your exciting intention-setting work over this fiery combo:
Imbolc - The mid-point between the winter solstice and spring equinox, also called Brigid's Day, a Gaelic traditional festival marking the beginning of spring. This is the place underground where the seedling bursts forth in darkness-- the seedling is still fragile so should be contemplated and nurtured.
New Moon in Aquarius - the February new moon is almost always in Aquarius, which rules future goals, and it always marks the Chinese New Year. The Chinese zodiac sign provides an invitation toward how action should be taken and intentions implemented.
Spring Equinox - The day the sun moves into Aries, the first sign of the zodiac, ruled by Mars, the sign and planet of energy, drive, assertiveness and desire. In perfect balance with one another, the Spring Equinox initiates the impulse toward new life, activity, and outward manifestation, just as the Autumn Equinox initiates the impulse toward decay, death, and internal contemplation.