during these first few weeks here, I've felt the beginnings of this transition...as I've relaxed & arrived into this place... shaped & facilitated considerably by the weather.... because it determines almost everything that happens here.... e.g. it determines what work I'm asked to do.... whether we have electricity, water, telephone.... hot drinks!!!!In the southern hemisphere, Saturday June 21st is Winter Solstice... the longest night of the year. It coincides with Matariki, the heralding of the Maori New Year...
& is associated with planting garlic... which we duly performed in the veggie garden. T&C asked me if I'd like to prepare a Winter Solstice ritual for the 3 of us to share... Yikes! T&C have shelves heaving with hundreds of books on every conceivable subject.... beautiful binding, intriguing titles, interspersed with gorgeous ceramics, feathers & other objects of unknown origin... (it'd be a marvellous place to be marooned in... a book-lovers paradise!!!!) Anyhow...I enjoyed delving into some of these books.... distracted by many....some I need to return to but absolutely nothing to do with southern hemisphere stories of Winter Solstice.... all rooted in nature... the elements etc...
We gathered around evergreen & pine cones from our pine forest, paper from the recycling bin made into decorations... (as all my resources are packed up in boxes at my Mum's flat in Manchester...) I made pyramids to point the way north (earth), south (fire) east (air) & west (water) & green space in the middle symbolising wholeness...
I gathered windfall mandarins, lemons, limes & grapefruit from the Citrus Orchard symbolising the rebirth of the sun... the beginning of the return of Hine-raumati, the Summer Woman... the Goddess of the land.... & the stars symbolising the 6 or 7 jewel-like cluster of Matariki stars, Matariki literally translates as 'little eyes' or éyes of God' as the pleiades appears in the eastern sky... & we reflected together on what was birthing in us, what did we desire to kindle in ourselves, what support might we need to support this re-awakening in us & lastly, took time to name & bless our family & friends.... & ancestors.... with gratitude... & I'd like to share with you two of the pieces I discovered... I hope they speak to you & nourish your journey too....
Änd what are the seasons of the year save your own thoughts changing? Spring is an awakening in your breast, and summer but a recognition of your own fruitfulness. Is not autumn the ancient in you singing a lullaby to that which is still a child in your being? And what, I ask you, is winter save sleep big with the dreams of all the other seasons.' Source:Kahlil Gibran
The Grain Mother, Great Goddess, sacrificed her maiden daughter at harvest. In mourning, she withdrew her energy from the earth & all nature went into a period of dying (winter solstice) Then in spring, the Maiden returned from the underworld & Grain Mother rejoiced & the whole earth burst into life.... (Souce: Greek Fable associated with Demeter, mother of Persephone)
This photo is my first official 'Team Member ' occasion.... (that's me on the left... wearing my green Earthtalk Kathmandu Eco-Fleece... apparently made from 25 recycled plastic bottles... amazing! ) The folks on the photo were adults from an Auckland Adult Mental Health Therapeutic Gardening project.... included a trainee Occupational Therapist from Stoke on Trent, UK .... now living in NZ!Just lost two photos I'd uploaded so I'll go look for them... my roll seems to have ended prematurely... Bye for now.... Suz x
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