Long before clock and calendar, our ancestors were fluent in the language of the celestial. The guide of sun, moon and stars informed timing, for time is meaningless but timing is everything. Mid-Winters arrival gave way to feast, fire and ceremony, ushering in the season of growth, rebirth and renewal. This half-way point between winter solstice and spring equinox gave need to take stock. Making careful note of what they had put away, what stock remained, and balanced the remaining against the winter still to come.
Called “The Quickening” by the Keepers of the Wisdom, one only need walk under a mid-winter sky to see the quickening is happening all around you. What was once beneath the damp soil is now bursting forth, unable to resist the sun’s invitation. The crocus and snowdrops are among the first to arrive offering up a snack of nectar and pollen to those who have wintered-over. Not far behind, the irresistible fragrance of winter daphne cues the bees to wake from their long winter nap.
Today, mid-winter is your invitation to climb to the granary and take inventory of what is in store. In taking care to note what you put away to nourish and fortify you during winters long nights, you are reminded of the bounty that still remains. The bulbs that you placed in the dark, cold earth are now ready to spring forth, bearing the nectar of your greatest potential. The seed to be sown is ready to be cast into the loam and light. Like that of a wisher at the well, call upon the Sun to bless your garden and all that blooms.
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