Imbolc “IM-bulk” is a pagan holiday with many names. One of the Sabbats, it is an ancient festival generally celebrated on January 31, February 1, or February 2. It is also known as Candlemas, Brighid (“breed/bride”), and Oimelc (“EE-mulk”) which means ewe’s milk. It is the time of year halfway between December 21, the Winter Solstice (Yule), and March 21, the spring Equinox (Ostara). Imbolc is in the middle of winter but is the optimism of spring. The Egyptians and the Romans also celebrated this time, as it was the earth goddess giving birth to the Sun God. The time to ready seeds for the planting of food. A time of planning weddings, love, and romance. Days are getting longer and hope is renewed. The celebration is to light candles. The night of white candles turns the darkness into light.
The Full Hunter’s Moon (Native American) at 24* Aries culminating October 17, 2024 4:27AM pacific/ 7:27AM eastern. (Farmers Almanac)
The nights are getting darker now. Rest and Rejuvenate, Dream and Create, Plan and Recharge. This Moon is assertive to aggressive in its urgency for change. Move toward recharging your career goals. You are to settle into making money and creating wellness and harmony for yourself and your family. You are to make improvements in your life. You are not being “asked.” The universe is apparent in its message. Aries is about movement toward a goal. Not thinking about it or even having a sentiment attached to making a decision, it’s clear, dust yourself off and be fresh, be strong, be forthright, and be as clear as you can be. Just leave behind some of the things that are no longer working out for you. Wellness is a key message now. Gain your strength for the winter.
Move toward advancement. Sit with your eyes closed and take a couple deep breaths, remove all pressure, heaviness and worries away.
Relax your mind – Learn to Meditate
Feel Your Body – Be in Gratitude of your Temple
Open the Senses – Breathe in “Life”
Don’t Make too many Decisions – But be decisive
Take a break every few hours – Revive
Stay in touch with your Loved Ones – Be the love
Read Books – brain stimulation
VIII.Not always needing to be right – compromise or accept
Be the bigger person – keep on track with your life
Here’s some tips on how to make clear decisions.
Use your Emotions – How do you Feel:
What do you want your health to be
What do you want your career to be
How do you want to make money
How much money do you want
How hard are you willing to work
How much time are you willing to study
How much time are you willing to work
Are you working smarter not harder
Where do you want to live
What kind of house do you want
Where are your opportunities
What are you afraid of
What are you NOT afraid of
What are your opportunities to date
Who are you committed
Over 18 years, do they pull their share
Do you make conscious choices to clear your confusion – how.
B. Use your Intellect – How do you reason:
What do you want your health to be
What do you want your career to be
How do you want to make money
How much money do you want
How hard are you willing to work
How much time are you willing to study
How much time are you willing to work
Are you working smarter not harder
Where do you want to live
What kind of house do you want
Where are your opportunities
What are you afraid of
What are you NOT afraid of
What are your opportunities to date
Who are you committed
Over 18 years, do they pull their share
Do you make conscious choices to clear your confusion – how
Reasoning gives you a chance to be more objective about yourself and your needs over the emotional side of your nature.
C. Visualize your future
Create your perfect world in your minds eye
Be willing to compromise if you live with others
No rigidity
D. Stop Arguing
Make Space in your mind
Be truthful, especially to yourself
Make space in your future
Don’t fight for your limitations
Do not fall prey to others fear
Don’t judge others
Don’t persuade others
Do you have clear mind and why
Create strength of mind
E. Progressive Movement
Use your vitality
Use your personal power
We read, therefore learn
Use your core values
Take steps to achieve in health, well-being, career, well-being, relationships, love, positive direction
Use your education
Use your creativity
Use your sound plans
Create strength of body
—We’re to work on creating our personal power this Full Moon Month. All Dreams are born in the dark as our days of light are limited, allow plans and goals to be developed. We can fail many times, but we’ll find what we are looking for eventually. If it’s people, places or things, we are to remain hopeful, polite and adventurous. It’s our birthright to survive and thrive in this world and allows us to become the very best we can be.
—“Progress lies not in enhancing what is, but in advancing towards what will be.”
The Full Flower Moon (Native American) at 2* Sagittarius will culminate, on May 23, 2024, 6:53 am PDT/9:53 am EDT (Farmers Almanac).
This Full Flower Moon is about compromising with collaborators through professional or personal relationships. This could be learning from others as well. It’s the alignment of minds. Use your intellect and wisdom to create ideas that have an opportunity to come to fruition. Implementing how to join forces with friends, co-workers, and family, using skills and tools to help yourself and others achieve the next steps or goals. Whether it is a career move or a personal one, positively influencing others to make progress. There is a proactive and considerate way towards beneficial outcomes.
This is not the time to feel ineffective, meek, or unmotivated; as others are set in place to help through struggles. Whether through listening to common sense, polishing your skill set, or being open to your elder’s/mentors’ suggestions. Throughout this month, stop to listen often, take notes, and proceed effectively.
Reflective Comprehension:
Comprehend Deeper Understanding
Shift your Mindset
Be Collaborative
Practice humility
Thorough Listening
Reflect on how it applies to you
Don’t interrupt
Be open to receiving the whole message
Relax and appreciate listening
Come to a comprehension
What brings you value
How can you add value
Implement the best advice
Be Present
When you actively move towards becoming knowledgeable or successful, you allow your life to flow in a fulfilling direction. When you are collaborating, it must be a win-win with others. That can be as simple as listening, always using your gut instinct, and not doing anything against the moral code. Allow yourself to make wise choices.
Journal Questions:
Are you constructive or destructive:
About yourself
Or others
Family
Friends
Work arena
Neighborhood
City
State
Country
World
Are you trying to be invisible – or are you outwardly visible?
Are you seen as Constructive or Destructive?
House
Love
Family
Parents
Mate
Children
What do you want and why
Constructive or Destructive
Love
Career
Job
Health
Relationships
Friendships
Happiness
Exercise
How can you change: List 3 things if not 3 sentences
Love
Career
Job
Health
Relationships
Friendships
Happiness
Exercise
Your Aspirations:
Spiritually
Emotionally
Intellectually
Materially
Physically
Relationships, friendships, and work can become less uncomplicated with shared enthusiasm. Patience is a virtue, especially when listening to others’ wisdom and expertise. We learn how to achieve together in tandem. A lovely heart begins with ourselves and extends toward the goodwill of others. Trusting our intuition is a big component. Not everyone has your best interests at heart. But you can; by having the best intentions for others. It is important to live our truth… our progress is to regain our livelihood every day. It is a part of our fate and purpose to be the best we can be.
—— “What lies behind you and what lies in front of you pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
Beltaine is the “Celebration of the Light”,the light time of the year. The dark time being remembered by Samhain. May 1 is the day in the middle of the spring and the summer equinox’ (10* Taurus). May Day is the time for love and the happiness of summer on it’s way.
Beltane | Beltaine is a celebration of the union of souls, The union of minds, and the union of bodies. The earth mother calls her progeny to replenish the earth. Flowers decorate hair and everywhere. Maypole ribbon dances, with two circles interweaving around a decorated tree or pole, clockwise dance circles. Bonfires or candles to spark the sacred fire of union and fertility.
Druids and Pagans raised the Beltaine fires on hilltops on May Eve, the fires were lit in order to bring the sun’s light down to earth. Earth awakening from it’s long winter nap and the flowers are in bloom and frolicking abounds. Joy alights your body, mind, and spirit, the colors become brighter, you see the best in everyone, casting away all worries and doubts you collected over the winter time.All nightmares become daydreams of love, hope and harmony.
Beltaine or Beltane is an anglicization of the Irish “Bealtaine” or the Scottish “Bealtuinn.” — “bel,”brilliant”, “tene” “fire”
Things to do on Beltaine alone or with a group
Create a Beltaine circle or group
Buy or Pick flowers
potluck
maywine (alcoholic or non alcoholic)
Candles, Fireplace, Bonfire — Lighting a fire with a blessing
May pole (you can use a tree if you don’t have a pole) garnish w. greenery and flowers – tie long ribbon
If you create a May pole, make lots of wishes while you walk clockwise into your future, and at the end of wrapping the ribbon say a blessing for yourself and end with “to love and be loved, So it is”. If the tree/pole ribbons pretty and sturdy enough you could leave until Samhain.
Some of the questions that you can ask your friends or family are:
What were the highlights in your winter? Everyone must come up with at least one if not several highlights. What are the dreams to enliven your spring and summer? Every one should convey their intentions for the summer.
Making Maywine
Ingredients
• 2 bottles of dry white wine
2 cups strawberry liqueor
Non-Alcoholic version: Substitute sparkling water and grape juice, sparkling water and apple juice
• 5 thin orange slices
• and/or
• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• 12 sprigs of woodruff
• 1 teaspoon sugar (more or less, as preferred)
• Edible flowers (to be added after all ingredients have been mixed together)
Directions
Soak the dried woodruff overnight in the wine.
Add the rest of the ingredients, stir with a wooden spoon, and let it steep for an hour or so.
Serve very cold, with edible flowers floating atop in the punch bowl.
The taste is both sweet and fruity.
American Heritage Dictionary
wood·ruff Audio Help (wŏŏd’rəf, -rŭf’) Pronunciation Key
n.
1. A fragrant perennial herb (Galium odoratum) native to Eurasia and North Africa and widely cultivated as a shade ground cover, having small white flowers and narrow leaves used for flavoring wine and in sachets. Also called sweet woodruff.
2. Any of various plants of the genus Asperula, having whorled leaves and small funnel-shaped flowers.
Woodruff is sold in the herb section at markets and nurserys..
Estelle Erasmus, an award-winning journalist and writing coach, has written for over 150 publications, including The New York Times, The Week, Next Avenue, WIRED, The Independent, The Washington Post, Salon, AARP: The Magazine and more. She has been editor-in-chief of five national consumer publications. She is also an adjunct instructor for NYU’s School of Professional Studies/Center for Publishing and Applied Liberal Arts, where she recently received the 2023 Teaching Excellence Award, and teaches a journalism course at NYU’s lauded High School Academy each summer for rising seniors who travel from around the globe to attend. She also hosts the popular Editor-on-Call events for NYU, where she is in conversation with top editors from prestigious publications.
Erasmus was the “All About The Pitch” columnist for Writer’s Digest magazine, and teaches writing classes there. She is host/creator of the popular podcast Freelance Writing Direct. She is a three-time Blog Her Voice of the Year winner, and performed an original work in the inaugural New York City production of Listen to Your Mother. Estelle’s articles for the New York Times and Washington Post have gone globally viral (with more than 500 comments on her NYT piece, “How to Bullyproof Your Child”). She has appeared on “Good Morning America”, “Fox News with Ernie Anastos” and has had her articles mentioned on “The View”.
She speaks often about publishing and improving your writing at conferences such as The American Society of Journalists and Authors, The Writer’s Digest Conference, Hippocamp, The Erma Bombeck Writer’s Conference, Mom 2.0, and more.
Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published from New World Library is available for order online and wherever books are sold.
Despite once being called the “Dating Diva” in her single days and teaching Power Dating (as noted in her New York Times Styles Tiny Love Story), she’s been married for nearly two decades, has a teenage daughter and a Havanese dog. She loves to decompress by watching reality television. In her spare time, she loves singing, reading, visiting museums, playing tennis, and acting as taste-tester for her daughter’s baking adventures and her husband’s wine explorations.
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