Dear Readers,
As we approach the month of February, with the first promises of Spring awakening hope here in the cold, wet and green hills of Wales, we start emerging from our own winter slumbers too. It is a traditional time to start “spring cleaning” and for those of us who like to grow a few of our own plants for the garden from seed, its a time to start preparations.
The festival of Imbolc, at the start of February, is a time when the cross-over and the fine line between Christian and Pagan is emphasised in the form of Brighid, Brigid or Bride – Saint or Goddess, depending on which side of the fence you are on. It is generally believed that there was a historical Brigid, in the form of an early Abbess of Kildare (Ireland). But, there are many contradictions and variations on the theme. Some believe that she was “the aid woman of the Mother of Nazarus”, the midwife at the birth of the baby Jesus (equating her to the Byzantine Maia) or that she was the daughter of an inn keeper who turned the pregnant Mary away.
But then there is Brigid, as she appears in the various legends of the Cailleach, the Crone of Winter. In these myths, Brigid or Bride as she is also referred to, is equated to the Queen of Spring and the bride-to-be of the Lord of the Summer Isles, Angus, who is the son of the Cailleach. These legends explain the interchange between the seasons: Winter being the domain of the Cailleach, a time when she forces the young and beautiful Bride to wash her cloak until it is perfectly white (snow); and Summer starting when Bride is rescued / escapes to be with her love, Angus; and the cycle repeating when the Cailleach once again captures Bride. One version of this story also provides us with the association of this time of the year with snowdrops and snowdrops with Bride, because it is the kind Father Winter, who gives these flowers to the tortured Bride and through its presence that new life again begins to flourish upon the Earth.
Although now celebrated at the Spring Equinox, the ascend of Persephone back to the surface to be with her mother the Grain Mother, Demeter, was also originally celebrated around this time of the year. Though later writers adapt the story to being one-half of the year on either side once a four season cycle is adapted, earlier sources such as the Homeric Hymns are centred on a three season cycle, thus we find “And all-seeing Zeus sent a messenger to them, rich-haired Rheia, to bring dark-cloaked Demeter to join the families of the gods (phyla theon) : and he promised to give her what rights she should choose among the deathless gods and agreed that her daughter (Persephone) should go down for the third part of the circling year to darkness and gloom, but for the two parts should live with her mother and the other deathless gods. Thus he commanded. And the goddess did not disobey the message of Zeus…”. For this reason, it is also appropriate that there are some who will be celebrating the Mysteries of Demeter and Persephone around the start of February.
But regardless of myth cycles, ignoring folklore and religious convictions, there is no doubt that the first stirrings of Spring brings with it a new surge of energy and hope for the year ahead. Certainly, here in the Avalonia office we need that right now as we prepare for the release of several new titles over the coming weeks, including the long-awaited anthology Vs. (edited by Kim Huggens) in which the different manifestations of polarity within mythology and pagan practices are explored, as well as the exciting new work SEIDR: The Gate is Open by Katie Gerrard in which the author presents her research, combined with personal experiences, advice and ritual practices she has developed both through her own practices and work with others since the 1990′s. But more about that in due course (if you are desperate for more info, you will find more information on our website, see link below) or by searching for the titles on Facebook.
For now, we would like to wish all our readers a very blessed Imbolc and Candlemass; regardless of how you celebrate we hope it will bring you peace, joy, fulfilment and happiness in the months ahead. We will be doing the final spring cleaning in the office over here over the weekend, and weather allowing, clean out the potting shed!
Best wishes
Sorita d’Este & the Avalonia team
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