The Rowdy Goddess

An Ecstatic Vision of the Goddess, dancing in harmony with the Universe.

Archive for the tag “winter”

24 Mar 2014

Winter’s Grip and Spring’s Embrace

Yesterday, the sun was shining very brightly here in Central New York, and it was also snowing.  I was watching the tiny flakes being driven by a fierce, frigid wind.  I smiled, or tried to, at the sun and frowned, with no effort at all, at the snow.  Today it is overcast with a cold wind and occasional snow flurries.  Even though we are now in spring, it is not apparent down here on earth.  I have whined and kvetched a great deal to anyone who will listen and there is a general crankiness wherever I go.

Several weeks ago, I wrote about the stern winter Goddess, Morana and how her fierceness and unyielding coldness reflects the harshness of winters.  Her husband is the Jarilo, the God of Spring.  Jarilo is the son of the thunder God, Perun and twin brother to Morana, goddess of winter and death.
Jarilo is associated with the time of springtime to harvest. Jarilo is stolen from his father and taken to the underworld where he is adopted by his father’s enemy, Velez, god of the Underworld. In the spring, Jarilo returns to the world and his return is noticed by his sister and goddess. They court according to established rituals and are married. He is, however,unfaithful, and she slays him and he returns to the underworld. She becomes a withered and stern hag, bringing the harshness of winter to the world.  He is reborn and they are reunited for a very brief time every year.

Where she is hard, he is soft.  Where he is new and fresh, she is old,and wearisome.  Where he is vulnerable and approachable, she is unyielding and stern.  They are the bifurcation of the year and their story is played out again and again, just as the Wheel of the Year keeps on turning.

He is a reminder to us, a hope and a prayer in this interminable weather, that Spring does come and bless us with warmth, delight, and play.

The Charge of Jarilo

I call to you, Children of Winter
To remember the spring.
As you walk and work in the landscapes
Of winter and darkness,
Remember the turning of the wheel.
Know that the wheel turns and
The cycle begins again.

What happens in one cycle, we cannot have in the others
That is the strange, sad truth of joy
And the hopeful, happy truth of sorrow.
Each phase and each turning is different
With the joys and challenges of its own truth.
Remember as you dwell in the present.
Hope and warmth are on the way.
Live in coldness and seek that wisdom.
Blessed be the darkness and the cold.
Blessed Be to you. Children of Winter.

Posted in God of Wicca and tagged , , | Leave a comment
20 Mar 2014
2 Comments

The Gifts of Durga

A little more than a week ago, I wrote a post on the Goddess Durga and finding fierce compassion for myself.  I must admit that one of the people I find hardest to treat with compassion is myself.  I seem to be especially harsh on myself.  I also noted that Durga holds items in each of her hands and each of these might become tools for me to use in finding compassion within and using it in a loving and supportive manner.  I think, also, that this cold and brutal winter has a lot to do with the feeling of helplessness and hopelessness I feel on this first day of spring.

Sorry to be such a buzzkill!  I’ve always been called a “Little Miss Fix-it” and I certainly have that in my personality.  I haven’t fixed this.  But I am making a start by finding what the gifts Durga holds out to us.  A little bit of rather cursory research nets me a wealth of information to think about, journey on, meditate on, and to breathe in.

Durga has three eyes!  The left is desire or the moon, accessing the vision of the sacred feminine; and the right is action or the sun, accessing the vision of the sacred masculine.  The third and center eye is knowledge and fire.  I think the third eye takes these two opposites and melds them together in an alchemical blend of power and love.

She sits on a lion or tiger, both of which mean power, will, determination and ferocity.  Like my favorite Major Arcana card, Strength, Durga acts according to her nature and respects the nature of the powerful animal she rides.  They have formed a partnership of mutual respect and determination.  They ride forward in unison and harmony fulfilling their mutual purpose as well as their individual desires.

In her hands she holds a number of items, important in symbolic ways;  the conch shell is assigned the sound “om” and Durga is holding onto god in the form of sound;  the bow and arrow is control over both forms of energy, the kinetic and potential; the thunderbolt is about firmness of convictions and firmness in general; The lotus is not fully in bloom and talks of the certainty of success but not the final outcome; the discus spins above her index finger without touching, indicating that the entire world bows to her will; the sword if freedom from doubt; and  the trident indicates three qualities of action, inactivity, non-activity, activity and the remover of the three miseries, physical, mental and spiritual.

This is what my research tells me.  Over the next few weeks I will be journeying to Durga to ask her what wisdom she has for me about each of these tools.  Her stance tells us “fear not,” and already I feel more hopeful than I did when I started writing.  Perhaps like the lotus not fully in bloom, the turning of the wheel is opening up a little window of hope and happiness.  lotus 08 001 (Small)

Posted in Goddess, Rowdy Goddess, shamanism and tagged , , , , , ,
10 Mar 2014
1 Comment

Here Comes the Susie Snowflake

Suzy Snowflake sheet music

Suzy Snowflake sheet music

There is another snow storm predicted for our area later this week.  This is no news for the people to the west of this area since they will be getting it first.  The forecasters warn us that predicting springtime storms is difficult so we may get freezing rain and sleet mixed in.  I’d rather have snow.  I’m tired of my own kvetching about the snow so I’m trying to be peppy about it.  I’m of the generation of Captain Kangaroo with all his stories, songs, skits, and laughter.  “I learned that from Mr. Greenjeans,” or “I heard that on Captain Kangaroo” was something often said by me and others of my generation.  One of the songs is Susie Snowflake tap, tap, tapping at my window pane.

Not many people seem to remember the cartoon  from the show.  I don’t remember the cartoon but I remember the song vividly.   Still less remember that it was sung by Rosemary Clooney, one of the sisters in the movie White Christmas.  Danny Kaye was in that movie, a very clever and talented performer.  One of his best movie skits was in the movie Court Jester, where he did a spectacular tongue twister about the Chalice with the Palace.

I’m cheered up.  Nothing like a song and a laugh along with a trip to memory lane to make me more cheerful.  Another thing that helps is a tarot reading.  Below is a tarot spread based on the expression that no two snowflakes are alike to remind us that not only are no two snowflakes alike but no two snowstorms are identical.

 

Each One Unique Spread

Use this spread to ask a question about your situation when you are confused or certain things are not as they appear.  It’s a good way to help you keep on the path to reach your goal(s).

Each One Unique Spread

Each One Unique Spread

  

Card One:       What is nearest and dearest to your heart in this matter?

Card Two:      What does your intuition tell you about the situation?

Card Three:    What does your imagination tell you about the situation?

Card Four:     What is hidden beneath the surface?

Card Five:      What is out of reach at this time?

Card Six:        What does logic say about this situation?

Card Seven:    What is the possible outcome?

May your day be filled with cheerful song, funny word-play, and a little wisdom!

 

Posted in Tarot and tagged , , , , , , , , ,
06 Mar 2014

Howling at the Moon Tarot Spread

Last week I wrote about Howling in Winter and the power of the Wolf.  Today, by tapping into that power, I’m posting a Tarot spread based on the Wolf’s Howl.  A-Whhhhooooooooo!

This spread can  be used to help clarify situations; to help you see things that you are not seeing and to provide guidance for avoiding pitfalls as well as what is needed to move forward.

Tarot spread

 

 Card One:       The Heart of the Matter

Card Two:      How does the situation express itself?

Card Three:    Inner wisdom needed

Card Four:     Fears or what is to be avoided.

Card Five:      What are the next steps to move forward?

  May your journey follow your voice of freedom and release!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Divination, shamanism, Tarot, Tarot spreads and tagged , , , , | Leave a comment
04 Mar 2014
1 Comment

Caribou: The Winter Traveler

On cold days like today, I’m never sure that having a car with a temperature gauge is a good idea.  When the temperature reads at negativecaribou 5 degrees, all I can think is that I’m sliding my (well-padded) bottom on to a freezing seat.  Yikes.  My car transports me over the miles, to work and to home and anywhere I want or am compelled to go.  In winter, traveling is a journey, even routine trips.  A totem to help us travel the winter terrains is the caribou, or reindeer.

Caribou, or reindeer, are a nomadic animal, traveling up to 300 miles per year over long distances in a cold, inhospitable winter terrain..  They can run as fast as 80 miles an hour, as one of my circle sisters put it, “no wonder people thought they could fly!  Both male and female have antlers, unlike other species of deer, and the antlers are used for protection and for dominance.  Males use antlers in rutting, an often dangerous display, although the males are rarely hurt.  A male can have a harem of up to 40 females.  When calves are born, the mothers split up into nursing bands, rejoining the whole herd when they reach their summer destinations.

Caribou are hunted by wolf, bear, lynx, and humans but the real threat is mosquitoes.  The insects can take half a pint of blood at a time.  Caribou will submerge in water and even stampede when there are too many mosquitoes.  According to stories, caribou were the last animal to come into the world and the most important for people to hunt.

Caribou as a totem is concerned with perseverance, endurance in the dark times.  Caribou has the power of adaptability, strength in social skills and communication.  Adaptation and strong ties to the homeland are also evident in this totem.  Caribou is concerned with equality, family/herd orientation as well as protection, caution, and alertness.  Caribou has the urge to travel to the point of wanderlust and ultimately finding inner peace as you walk through life.

 Travel with me into wintry realms,

Landscapes of cold, dark, and danger

Find strength, power, and endurance

In our journeys together.

We become courageous in the lands of winter,

Persevering through storms, scarcity, and bleakness.

We find the warmth of home and family,

Banding together in love, need, and protection.


We discover the mystery of beauty

In the lands of winter

And the warmth of love

As we walk through the land to peace.

May your journeys be filled with magic, delights, endurance, warmth and peace!  B*B

 

Posted in shamanism, Totem and tagged , , , ,
28 Feb 2014
5 Comments

Howling in Winter

1344862-bigthumbnailIt’s another cold day in Rowdy Goddess Land.  Not quite negative numbers but pretty darn close.  This week has been full of kvetching and teeth gritting as we are just trying to get and stay warm.  There is an edginess to everything while the snow keeps blowing and the winds keep howling.  It seems that a lot of the talk and news is difficult.  It’s time to release that frenetic energy, I think.  Much of my spiritual practice involves being connected to the sacred and being grounded in the steadfast stability of Mother Earth.

I developed this grounding during the Full Wolf Moon in January and I think it’s a gift that keeps on giving.  In addition, the howling whether at the moon or at the winter that lingers too long, is an excellent release of that nervous energy that doesn’t allow us stillness or peace.  So please howl and find joy again!  Note:  For a group, you might want to have everyone say their name and to end it with a tone and encourage them to keep toning until everyone is done and the meld into the meditation.

 You are standing at the edge of a field on a wintry night.  There is a light, fluffy snow falling and a dusting on the ground.  The full moon is big and round, illuminating the world with magical light.  You hear wolves howling in the distance.  A-Whoooooo, they call.  A-Whoooo you answer.  Within the music of the wolves, you look around the field, you see a forest edging the field, filled with trees of all kinds.  One of them calls to you. 

 You walk to the tree and put your hand on its bark.  You are pulled slowly and lovingly towards the tree until you are in its embrace.  You feel the sap, and the bark, and the branches as you slowly and lovingly meld with the tree.

 You begin to feel your treeness, your trunk firm and solid, warm and strong.  What was once your feet and toes reach down, down down into Mother Earth.  You feel the Earth embrace you and hold you as you move down, down, and down.  You find a place to loop your roots and you do so firmly and flexibly.

 Feel the energy of Mother Earth in your roots and in your trunk.  You feel your sap stir as her energy feeds you and invigorates you.  And you are filled with energy as your arms and branches lift out into the sky and up to the Moon.  The Full Moon reaches out and embraces you and you are filled with her energy.  She keeps you strong and loved and full of her illuminating light. 

 As you stand there in grace and beauty, you realize your roots and branches mingle with the other trees in the forest.  You feel their energy flowing through you to the next as you share love, blessings, and joy.

 With a long deep breath, you come back to the here and now.  With a second deep breath, you open your eyes, grounded in Mother Earth, embraced by the Full Moon, and encircled by your brothers and sisters. 

 AWOOOOOOOOOH AWOOOOOh

 

Posted in Guided Meditation and tagged , , ,
25 Feb 2014
3 Comments

Celebrating the Hag! Baba Yaga, the Hag of Winter

Baba Yaga 2

Baba Yaga by Kinuko Y. Craft

This eternal winter, dubbed the Polar Express by the press, has turned into a polar depression for many people.  The persistent cold and sudden snow squall is peppered by blizzards, traffic accidents, and cruel, teasing almost-thaws.  It can lay siege to our hearts and our nerves.  How do we melt our frozen wills?  By celebrating.

Our circle celebrates the hag.  We laugh, we kvetch, we keen, and we laugh some more.  Two of our witches have decided to bypass the wisdom of the crone and, as they say, “go straight to hag,” because the hag doesn’t care.  She wears what she likes, she says what’s on her mind, and she does as she pleases.  If children cross the street to avoid the hag’s house?  So what, the hag views that with glee!  And that is what the hag has become for us:  a woman of a certain age who stands in her power and acts as she wills.

Each quarter this year, we are identifying a Witch of legend and lore to celebrate and explore.  In the grip of a cold, harsh winter, we celebrate the Hag, Baba Yaga.

There is no character in folk-tales or mythology who is so irredeemable and wicked as Baba Yaga. She is a fearsome, ugly old hag who lives on the edge of the forest. Her house is surrounded by a fence of bones and topped with skulls whose eyes glow red in the dark. The house itself is set on chicken legs and can move around with great noise and frightening disruption.

The hag herself is not a pretty sight. Her nose is so large, it is said that it touches the ceiling when she sleeps. She has iron teeth and is frequently called, Baba Yaga Boney Legs. While she is said to have no control over the pure in heart, she does have a reputation for baking young children in her huge oven and crunching on their bones.

She rides around in a mortar using a pestle to propel her and when she arrives a great winds begins and stirs up the world around her. When she leaves, she removes all traces of herself with a broom made of silver birch. Sometimes her conveyance is a huge kettle. Other times, she appears as a kindly old crone, assisting people in distress.

Like so many legends and stories of the mythic creatures and the gods, there is great power underneath. Who was she before these stories; and who will she become as we work with her. The author Deborah Blake describes her journey of creating a modern-day story with Baba Yaga in it. You can read it at her blog. I am very much looking forward to reading her first novel published by a major house–it now has a cover.

As Blake points out, John and Caitlin Matthews in The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures have researched the story behind the story of Baba Yaga, pointing that although she is portrayed as an “archetypal bogey-woman, she is actually a primal goddess. The mortar and pestle are symbols of creation and destruction, and her broom cleanses and cleans.

She inhabits the borderlands, those places between life and death, the places between this world and other worlds. She gave Koshei the Deathless, a dragon with human shape, his mortality. She also controls another fire-breathing dragon, Chudo-Yudo who guards the Water of Life and death.  She has fierce companions and friends.  She befriends the friendless and empowers the powerless.  She is one of those teachers you strive to meet her standards, because she hold the bar high and demands your achievement.

It’s obvious she’s a great witch of power.  I met her during a healing journey.  She was fierce, strong, and in good fighting shape.  She gave me strong words of wisdom for my protection and healing.  I’m working through a lot of uncertainty and sorrow at this point in my life, and she made it clear that she was at my back.  She joked about the chicken legged house, saying a lot of disruption and noise is not a bad thing.  She changed her visage from kindly old crone, to girl, to hot chick and back to fearsome hag before me; and then told me people see what they need to see where she is concerned.  She gave me some advice about some of my struggles and then said “I leave that with you to do or not do.”  Then she gave me a very fierce hug and was off again.

Baba Yaga

I am the wild, untamed nature of the world
I am the whirling music of nature
And the strange heartbeat
Of life and death.

I fly the world in my vessel of change
Propelled by creation and destruction.
I sweep from this world to the others
Clearing and cleansing the way.

I am in love with the unusual
Finding beauty and interest in the odd.
Wonder and curiosity move me
From marvel to marvel.
Shift your vision and you will see it too!

My the paralysis you feel about certain things be melted in glee, delight, and fierce determination.

Posted in Goddess, shamanism and tagged , , , , ,
28 Jan 2014

Finding the Divine in the Polar Depression

Winter-Scenes-Wallpaper-Free

It is very, very cold where I am. The temperature catapults from below zero to a whopping, warm, 15 degrees. Salt covers our cars and we track it in on carpets; so much so, that one colleague commented that she felt like we worked at a local salt mining facility. It is very hard work to keep warm, both inside and out. It is far from picturesque, though sometimes the sun does shine and make the dirty, grey snow shiny and inviting. Go outside and the wind is bitter and cold.  The media calls it the Polar express and I call it the Polar Depression.

Each quarter, my circle has “sponsors,” as a way to learn about different gods and goddesses. Each member is invited to explore these gods (or not) in their own way. Because the winter started early and harshly, I serendipitously found myself exploring the landscapes and gods of the Slavic countries. I found richness and harshness in their gods, particularly in the winter. Our winter goddess is harsh, strong, demanding, and powerful while her husband is sweet, comforting, and supportive. The polarities in the gods reflect the polarities of life in the upper part of the world. Winter demands strength, preparation, and no mistakes while spring is precious, brief, and prized. Neither is better than the other, it just is.

Morana (Morena, Marzanna) is not a beloved goddess but one that is feared and respected. Pronounced “mah-rah-nah,” she is portrayed as a woman with long black hair and a terrifying presence. She is the goddess of winter, death, and witchcraft, and sometimes the goddess of the harvest. In a land of privation and scarcity, she helps souls journey to the underworld and she provides the magic of survival. In the spring, a doll or effigy of her is constructed and either burned or drowned to celebrate the triumph of spring over winter. In March, a festival of masks is held. Villagers will don frightening masks to scare Morana away.

She was the daughter of the thunder God, Perun, and her twin brother and husband was Jarilo. She is associated with the Sun, while he is associated with the Moon and springtime.

The Charge of the Goddess Morana

Hear now the Charge of the Goddess Morana,

I who am called Marzana, Mara, Mora, Marmora

And many other names.

Celebrate the season of winter with me!

Face it with courage, strength, and endurance.

Know that scarcity and bleakness cannot defeat you

For my magic and power is deep in your soul.

Look at the unloved part of your soul

Know that I find it terrifying in its beauty

And I love it despite your displeasure.

Look at your unloveliness with compassion and strength

And you will find love and beauty.

How could it not?

It is a part of you.

Know this wisdom, for it comes from the heart of what terrifies you:

It is not necessary for others to understand or love this thing

Only you must.

And in that there is beauty, power, and mystery.

Blessed be from the coldest heart of winter.

 

Posted in Goddess and tagged , | Leave a comment
25 Feb 2013
1 Comment

February is Full Snow Moon: A Meditation and Tarot Spread

The heaviest times for snow are during February.  Sometimes the harsh weather conditions led native peoples to call this the Full Hunger Moon since hunting was very difficult.  Our hearts and souls often hunger for warmth and comfort during this time.               

Snow is water made solid.  We work with water when we do soul work and emotional healing.  Water washes over us and cleanses us and sometimes we drown in the profundity of it all.  In its solid form we can feel remote and cut off from our emotional and soul selves and at the same time its solid form is a reminder that our emotions and souls can be manifested in the material world.  The beauty and uniqueness of a snowflake reminds us of our matchless selves, unique in our joy and our suffering.

Take three long cleansing breaths. Close your eyes and breathe again, letting go of any anxieties or concerns.  Continue to breathe deeply and connect with Mother Earth, slumbering soundly beneath the surface.  Your breathing matches hers as you breathe in peace and quiet.  You find yourself outdoors at night.  The sky is full of stars and the full moon glows brightly, illuminating the snow covered ground around you.  As you stand there in the quiet, deep in snow, flakes gently begin to fall.  You are not afraid, cold, or concerned but filled with the wonder and beauty of this snowfall.  The flakes remind you of the many blessings in your life as you watch the beauty fall from the night sky.  The illuminating rays of the moon cause some snowflakes to stand out and capture attention.  As you focus on individual snowflakes, what do they remind you of?  What is in your life that is evoked by the beautiful snowflake?  Is it a reminder of love, or grief?  Is it a memory or habit you can’t seem to shake?  Keep watching the snowflakes until you feel that you have learned enough.  Thank them for their wisdom.  With a long deep breath, you are back in the here and now.  With a second deep breath, you open your eyes. With a third deep breath, you reconnect with your centeredness and reconnect with Mother Earth.  As you return to your everyday place and time, record your journey in your journal and draw the snowflakes that you saw and what the snowflake evoked in you.   

Each One Unique Spread

Use this spread to ask a question about your situation when you are confused or certain things are not as they appear.  It’s a good way to help you keep on the path to reach your goal(s).

 

February Tarot Spread (Full Moon)   

Card One:       What is nearest and dearest to your heart in this matter?

Card Two:      What does your intuition tell you about the situation?

Card Three:    What does your imagination tell you about the situation?

Card Four:     What is hidden beneath the surface?

Card Five:      What is out of reach at this time?

Card Six:        What does logic say about this situation?

Card Seven:    What is the possible outcome?

 

Posted in Guided Meditation, Tarot, Tarot spreads and tagged , , , ,
22 Feb 2013
1 Comment

Finding Warmth in the Cold Times

Tiptoe through the snowflakes

We are closing in on the end of February, and we can look forward to the month that “comes in like a lion.”  It’s still cold in Central New York and there’s snow on the ground.  The forecast predicts unpleasant weather for the weekend.  That is unless you are a snow bunny, snow sports person or some similar aficionado.  Last night, a whole bunch of snowmobilers came through our area around midnight disturbing my cold-driven sleep.  It was cranky-making after a day of sneezing and muzzy headedness.

For some of us, winter makes us cranky, depressed, and out of sorts.  Normally, I ‘make do’ and find things to do–quilting with bright colors, reading lighthearted books, and watching British murder mysteries on DVD or television.  Because I’ve had the first cold in years, I’m a little more cantankerous.

I do believe there is a release in giving voice to your cranky side.  Just as I believe that in difficult times, it is important to give voice and respect your anger, grief, sorrow, and despair.  It’s also important not to dwell there.  Living in a pool of rage is exhausting and more than a little icky.  The ick clings to you and repels others who might comfort you; and will also make you dismiss the kindness of friends and strangers.  It’s difficult find gratitude in these times.  I advocate giving yourself enough mileage so you can have some hindsight.  In hindsight, you may be grateful for the losses, the setbacks, and the tribulations because it has made you stronger and better.  In the middle of it, you just need to muddle through, work it out, and find new purchase as you climb this new cliff.

It’s a balancing act between honesty and healing, I believe.  You can’t heal dishonestly.  It just doesn’t work.  Mostly dishonest healing is about stuffing the emotions down without working through them.  That stuffing compacts upon itself and somehow continues to expand and intrude in your life.  It will come out in weird ways and eventually, you will need to clean up the mess.

There’s a health issue in my family now.  I am not grateful for this situation.  I am grateful for the past, the strength, the joy and the beauty.  I am working through sorrow, regret, guilt, anxiety, and depression.  I must live through this situation and already I can see many points of beauty and gratitude.  It’s just not the time to feel it.  There’s joy and delight in other situations and that’s my comfort and I’m very grateful for that.

I didn’t intend to talk about this even if it is somewhat vague so the picture doesn’t quite fit.  Except that I think it’s funny and delightful.  What happy women, dancing and playing in the snow.

Posted in Family and tagged , , , ,

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