Our hands imbibe like roots,
St. Francis of Assisi
so I place them on what is beautiful in this world.
And I fold them in prayer, and they
draw from the heavens
light.
I started this newsletter Thanksgiving morning just after dawn, the sun brilliant as it rose over my farm. The moon too was a crescendo; growing full as we gathered together that day. Early Friday morning, it peaked, and as much of the country shopped in the madness of Black Friday, I worked outside in the cold. As I drove home that evening, after bringing all the horses in, the full moon rose like an anthem.
Our country is on fire; literally in Colorado and California and exploding nationwide with a now pandemic of mass shootings. Amidst this, political polarity ignites fear and hatred. In the cosmos above us, NASA lands a probe on Mars for the first time in six years. The planet named for the Roman god of war awakened as here on earth, the United States tries to close its borders.
Astrologically, we seem to be in a phase of deep karmic cleansing with the Black Moon Lilith; who is not a moon at all but the lunar apogee – a shadow of the moon and the archetype of our dark side. She is also the fierce force of the divine feminine – the black womb space of ancient woman. The ‘Me Too’ movement was born under this night-mare, galloping across the sky.
Tonight is the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. The word Solstice, derived from the Latin Sol (sun) and Sistere (stand still), describes the phenomena where the sun, at it’s lowest point in the sky, appears to stand still, before reversing direction and then beginning to ascend again. Tomorrow, the new born sun/son rises. We have a full moon too and this Long Night Moon or the Cold Moon, as it’s known, is in rare synchronicity with the solstice (the last time this occurred was 2010 and it will not happen again until 2029). The moon too, gifting us with light.
We are in the north on the Medicine Wheel; the time of earth, the elder, the midnight sky, the white buffalo, death and the giveaway. There is no other time when I feel we are less congruent with earth’s wisdom than now. When the natural world folds in a dark embrace, we too should slow down and turn inward. These final days are the last exhale of a year that has passed for most of us in a hurry. But “the beauty of nature insists on taking its time. Everything is prepared. Nothing is rushed.” (John O’Donohue)
There is a poverty in the winter season. It is an emptiness that does not evoke lack but surrender, an invitation not to absence but to presence. Winter is the oldest season. It waits for the parade of colors to pass then arrives quietly in a cloak of black and white, reminding us that there is reverence in the simple things; heat, light.
And so, I invite you to seek the mystery of silence in this holy time. Honor the Solstice Sun, the Christ Child or the Hanukkah Light. May you find peace in darkness and comfort in the cold, and may these gifts of spirit tend you through the night.
“The language of God is silence”
Thomas Merton
Body, Energy & Soul Care is the product of twenty-five years working in mental health and healing. The foundation of all my work is spiritual, the goal transcendent, the medium a combination of energy and bodywork and sacred teaching. Interwoven is my relationship with the natural and invisible world which I see as a physical manifestation of God’s presence and a live and interactive force available for support, guidance, and wisdom. In between my mental health years and massage therapy, I spent a decade working with horses and know what it means to work to the bone in all weather, to live in-tune and necessity with the seasons, and to embrace the natural circle of life which includes death both accidental and devastating and ultimately miraculous and healing.
Monthly Flower Essence Special!!
St. John’s Shield
Light Regenerative
This marvelous herb has a wide panorama of therapeutic possibilities. In addition to obvious depression and feelings of immobilization, it is very beneficial for “Seasonal Affective Disorder” from which many people suffer during winter, when outer light is reduced. The strong light-bearing qualities of St. John’s Wort give it many excellent anti-viral and neuralgic qualities. Current scientific studies point to its potential in the treatment of AIDS, while St. John’s Wort has been used for centuries in the treatment of wounds and for a myriad of neuralgic complaints such as sciatica, shingles and, more recently, carpal tunnel syndrome.
Flower essences: Love-Lies-Bleeding, Borage, St. John’s Wort
Essential oils: St. John’s Wort, Angelica and Rose Geranium
Flower Essence Society, fesflowers.com
What are Flower Essences ?
Flower essences are herbal infusions or decoctions, made from the flowering part of the plant, which uniquely address emotional and mental aspects of wellness. The first 38 flower remedies were formulated by a British physician, Dr. Edward Bach, in the 1930’s, although new remedies from other plant species are now available. To understand how flower essences work requires a recognition that the human being is more than a physical body, but also incorporates a “body” of life energy, a “body” of sensitivity and feelings, and a spiritual essence or Self. Flower essences are energetic imprints of the life force of plants which interact with these subtle bodies of the human being, and evoke specific qualities within us.
Flower Essence Society
Monthly Specials !!
60-Minute Full Body Massage
Flower Essence Oil
75-Minute Full Body Massage
Reiki
Flower Essence Oil
60-Minute Spiritual Guidance
