Rituals of Purification and New Growth

In the midst of the cold and frost, it is sometimes hard to remember that February is a halfway point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox.
This is a time when the first stirrings of spring are celebrated. The ancient Celtic festival of Imbolc was celebrated at this time. Bridget, goddess of the fire and hearth was honored and fires were lit to her. Her fires were a reminder that light was returning to the earth.
In our country all eyes are on the groundhog to find out if he sees his shadow. The truth is whether he does or not spring is always six weeks away. Instead of watching a groundhog this year, take the time to go inside and see your own shadow projections. What is out of balance that needs to be rectified before you move into the new energy of the spring equinox? It is a time to prepare for renewal and awakening.
According to Frances Bernstein in Classical Living, in ancient Rome this was a time to ritually sweep away the decay the bad, the guilt, or the pain. The powers that oversee positive growth and fertility must be placated and welcomed and hostile deadly forces must be banished and kept away from ones body, home land, and community.
Ritual to purify your space
Begin by cleaning out your home. Throw out or fix anything broken and give away things that are just collecting dust. This is a perfect time to donate your extra books to a senior center or recycle clothes and jewelry you havent worn since college.
As you sweep out the dirt, imagine that you are sweeping out the old stuck energy of the past. Release your concerns, resentments and limited beliefs. Visualize the old patterns that do not serve dissolving in the cleansing forces of the broom and mop.
Make sure to wash the windows. Symbolically windows are the eyes of the soul and the viewpoint from which you see your reality. You want a clear view of life.
Throw out any dead plants and replace them with vibrant new ones. Adding nature to your home brings in the energy and spirit of mother earth.
Take some inspiration from the festivals being celebrated at this time:
Festival of Sarasvati: goddess of writing and poetry. Ask her to open up your mind and spirit to her inspiration.
Birthday of Kuan yin: goddess of compassion. Be especially conscious of area in your life where you do not have compassion for yourself.
Chinese New Year: make sure all of your debts are paid and spend time with family and friends.
Valentines Day (Feb 14th): a celebration of love. I like to do a ritual that brings in joy and love. It is important to have a healthy sense of self-love before you can truly experience partnership. This year I am doing a ritual with NIA teacher Toni Condos as we combine ritual and dance to celebrate our individual unique energies.
Self-blessing ritual
This year try a self-blessing ritual. On my last birthday, Donna Hennes, author of The Queen of Myself, Stepping into Sovereignty in Midlife, Monarch Press, honored me by facilitating a fabulous Queening ritual for me. She asked each person attending to do a self-blessing. This is a powerful way to honor our divine spirit and our accomplishments. We went around the circle and each person blessed themselves for their humor, ability to be flexible, courage to move forward as well as asked spirit to bless us with abilities and resources that we felt we needed to move forward in alignment with our divine purpose. We also blessed our limitations and shortsighted ness so we could become aware of them. This was a vulnerable moment since we dont usually take the time to bless ourselves. She created a safe loving space in which we were able to ask for what we needed in the presence of others. Donna reminded us to bless each moment&she shared with us when she goes to bed and pulls the blanket over herself she visualizes herself covered in blessings. And when she hears the harsh critical voice within she apologizes to herself. As the ritual reached its completion each person came and offered me special blessings for my passage into Queendom. I am still filled with the power and love that was shared with me in November. When you are filled with love and blessings you have more to give out to the world. Our blessings have power. The more we bless ourselves and others the stronger our skill becomes. Remember that the act of blessing opens us up to the Divine presence in our lives.
The month of March is named for the god mars&an ancient deity of male sexuality, fertility and vegetation. This is a time to release all that we have bottled up inside of us during the winter. As we approach the Spring Equinox we begin to feel the stirrings of spring and rebirth.
The Spring Equinox is a time when light and darkness are in balance. This is one of two days of the year when day and night are in equal length.
Throughout most of the world, this is a time of celebration of new beginnings and new life as we feel the shifting of the seasons. Ostara is the goddess of spring and the Dawn, whose worship goes back to ancient Pagan Teutonic/Saxon cultures. Contemporary Pagans of many paths honor Her at Spring Equinox time. Also known as Eostre, the Christian festival of Easter was named for Her, and the Easter Bunny, baskets, and colored eggs that are part of springtime and Easter celebrations in America, Europe, and other parts of the world are rooted in Her lore and symbology. In ancient Greek myths this is a celebration of Persephone returning from the underworld to be reunited with her mother Demeter. According to the myth, Hades has held her captive in the underworld since the Autumn Equinox. Her mother Demeter, goddess of the earth, is in so much grief that nothing grows on the Earth. The Spring Equinox is the time when Persephone returns to her home and is reunited with her mother. Her yearly reemergence at springtime makes her mother so happy that the earth blooms with new growth and life.
Spring Ritual
Take some seeds and plant them for the hopes and dreams that you want to actualize this year. See what you need to do to nourish these dreams and take the appropriate action.

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