Originally posted February 2, 2015.
Candlemas: The growing season begins
Candlemas, February 2, is a day rich in emotional, spiritual and psychological energy and meaning.
It’s when the sun and light starts to lengthen the days once again. Believe it or not, the light signals the plant world to start to impact the plant world. Candlemas marks the beginning of the growing season.
You can incorporate this spiritual energy into your personal life. Today’s a good day to reflect on what you would like to being to fruition in 2015. A good energetic day to plant seeds for personal growth during self-reflection.
For what or for whom do you wish to plant seeds this year?
Candlemas is a quarter day on the calendar, marking halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.
In ancient Western Europe, it was time to begin to prepare the fields for planting. The ancient community depended completely on their immediate fields for life.
The symbols of Candlemas are candles and grain (wheat and corn): hopeful symbols to ensure purification and bountiful harvests in the coming year. Candlemas was a time of new beginnings and a time to pay homage to the fertility of the earth.
St. Brigid, before she was a Catholic saint, was the Candlemas goddess of fertility and fire.
Fire as a method of purification and fertility as the symbol of earth’s renewal as mammals gave birth in spring. The Catholic Church began celebrating Candlemas in the late fifth century, carrying forth the pagan themes of purification and renewal.
The day is known as the Purification of Mary and also a time of celebration of the light of Jesus Christ. Candles are blessed and lit in church and also lit in the home as celebration and protection.
On a personal level, you may be feeling drab as winter is still a-hold of us, and it has been a real winter this year!
***AND** you have the opportunity to re-frame this time as the midway point between winter and spring. A time when you can pause and look more deeply within and ponder and intuit what you truly wish to accomplish in 2015.
For what or for whom do you wish to plant seeds this year?
Are you wishing you felt better? Are you wishing you could shake the fog that you are in? Do you feel as if you cannot stop crying? Do you want to be more present for your family? Are you wishing you could shake depression or anxiety or anger?
You can plant seeds for change now by reaching out for help
Call your doctor, contact a therapist, join an online support group. If you don’t have any idea how to do this, here are some links to resources: Befrienders Worldwide Postpartum Support International. Or you can email or call me to set up a free 15 minute consultation. You are not alone.
For what or for whom do you wish to plant seeds this year?
Ten ideas for some new beginnings in 2011:
Brainstorm: write, draw, collage some goals on a piece of paper
Create a Vision Board: Gather together some magazines, browse through them for pictures, cut out magazine pictures and collage them on a white piece of paper (fun! add texture with ribbon, buttons, etc!)
Buy some daffodils bulbs, plant them inside to herald spring
If you are wanting to start school, start looking online for what you are interested in
Reconnect with a friend by email or telephone
If you want to clean out the attic or basement, get a box and start purging
Learn how to crochet or whatever you have wanted to do! Contact a local craft shop for classes!
Reconnect in your relationship: schedule a date night, or if needed, stop putting it off and ask around or look online for a couples counselor
Learn how to ski! A great family activity and it passes the winter a lot faster!
Write in a personal journal, or start a blog. There are a lot of people out there you can connect with as blog friends.
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