The contrast between indoor coziness and exterior misery has something to do with this, I'm sure. But the real reason I love winter is because of the absolute clarity that this time of year brings. It is a clarity that doesn't come from books or journaling or other people. It is a clarity that comes straight from the source.

And here is an example. Standing on the edge of my snow covered lawn, I hear a crow call from the woods and a moment later another responds and even before the words come, I know something I didn't know before. 

A few years ago I came in from another cold lawn and wrote that it takes determination to make a go of winter in Northeast PA. But the truth is that it takes more than determination - it takes hope. And just now, out in the wet snow, I realized something I should have figured out a long time ago. 

Hope is a commitment we make to ourselves. There is something about the darkness this season brings, something about the way it almost overpowers the light, that helps us see just how much that light means. I believe that this is why we light yule logs and Menorahs and Christmas lights. 

Because in the midst of darkness, we need to remember that light is hope and that hope is a promise we must keep. 

This year, a relationship I used to believe in is in trouble and people I care about are trying to make their way through a very difficult holiday. Words are my gift but in this words have failed me.

So I light a candle and I remind myself that even if no one else can see it right now that's okay because there are times when they did and there will be times when they will again. And I know that, eventually, we will all get a chance to keep that flame going and that this year it is my turn to hold the light. 

Because Yule is a holiday that hales from an earth-based religion, it is clearly focused on the movement of the planet and the seasons that cycle creates.

Falling on one of the four quarter points of the the Wiccan / Pagan calendar, Yule marks the Winter Solstice - the shortest day of the year.

From the Autumn Equinox (in the Northern Hemisphere) onward, the days get shorter and the nights get longer until on December 21st or 22nd, the sun rises after seven and sets as early as 4:30 in the afternoon.  After that long night, the process reverses.

Viewed from this perspective, the holiday of Yule, isn't just about lighting candles in the dark.  It is about the lengthening days and the barely perceptible shift from increasing darkness to increasing light.

Witches and pagans don't celebrate that shift because they think that darkness is bad or that light is in better.  They celebrate it because they recognize that both light and dark serve a very important purpose.

In light we see clearly.  We take action. We are filled with purpose.  In darkness we rest.  In darkness, undistracted, we are free to focus on what is within.  And if what we see there is problematic we know that it was already there - in dark or in light.

Earth-based religions value all aspects of the yearly cycle.  And it follows that, as earthly creatures in tune with the turning wheel of the year, the process of looking inward can be cyclical, too.  By working with (instead of against) these inner and outer cycles, we can discover new insights and revelations.  For me, this is what the holiday of Yule is really about.

This year, I began the process of evaluating the passing year in early November.  As the world darkened, I spent more time inside.  I used some of this time to think about strategies related to personal transformation and growth.  When the solstice is still weeks away, I began to write out my plans for the year ahead, allowing myself plenty of time to reflect and redefine.

If we attune to the cycle and follow this process, lighting our holiday candles on the longest night of the year means that we know just what we're creating and what we’re releasing.  In that space, poised between darkness and light, we transition from reflection to purpose, prepared to joyfully welcome the year to come.

Spring is less of a revelation this year than it has been in others. The mild winter was perhaps too kind to Pennsylvania. There was no snow to speak of. No long stretches of low temperatures.

I have always been a fan of seasons. To me, each has its own energy and winter has the energy of air. It is a time for realism and clear thought. At some point over the course of the season, I stop and take stock of things and I didn't do that this year. I'm not sure why but I suspect that in the absense of hard wind and frozen ground, I may have missed my trigger but maybe that's okay.

If winter holds the energy of introspection, spring hold that of action. And there is a fast paced decisiveness to action - a rapidly unfolding plan which makes us think upon our feet and rise above our situation. I am blogging very briefly this week, taking advantage of that amazing energy!

Everyone loves a cozy winter night gathered around the fireplace or bundled up in an afghan in the warm glow of candle or Christmas lights.  Warmth is comfort at this time of year and many of us take extra steps to keep out the cold by weatherizing doors and windows.

When it comes to our heating bills these steps make sense.  But there is a flip side to creating barriers against the season.  Weather tight homes don't "breath" leading to stale indoor energy and that familiar closed in feeling called cabin fever.

This winter I'm working hard to break up stale energy and open the channels that allow environmental energies to flow by clearing, cleaning and organizing my space. 

In the days leading up to New Year's Eve, I worked hard on my bedroom and kitchen.  When I was done with the bedroom, I hung the wind chime (left) from the inside corner of my bed to help move and clear any stagnant energies - and honor the element of air.

Wind chimes are a classic Feng Shui fix and they really do work.  Another thing I love, whenever I turn over in bed I hear a delicate tinkling chime!

I do have more to do but I feel that I'm off to a good start for 2015.  Now to work on my resolutions :)

How do we navigate the cold and the increasing darkness winter brings?

By welcoming the energy of this incredible season into our lives!  And this is what I resolved to do earlier this month when I wrote my Embracing the Seasons: 7 Steps to a Better Winter post.

I began with Step 7 (bring a bit of nature indoors) and added a branch of evergreen to my altar.  I've kept that going by adding a small pot of Morning Glory seeds and a freshly repotted Jade plant to that same space.  Later today, I'm going to take a walk and find a new nature item to put there as well.

In this post, however, I wanted to talk about Step 6 (Break Up Stale Energy) because that is a big one for me.

My house is perpetually under construction and I toggle between remodeling, organizing, and cleaning as best I can.  It's balancing act and isn't unusual for this delicate balance to skew - sometimes quite markedly - in the wrong direction.  

We use our homes for so many things and they can become the repository of so much stuff!  In my case I have boxes in the kitchen (waiting for a home in the new cabinets which are yet to built), paint removal supplies and drop clothes in the front hall, a home office that is rapidly approach the I-can't-see-the-top-of-my-desk stage and a closet I don't even want to discuss.

Some of this is unavoidable, right now, but a lot of it is not.  Changing what you can change is an important step in the direction of transformation.  One of my main goals right now is to transform my home.  So it is really important for me to look at the things that I can do today.

I don't know if I can complete my remodeling goals this season but I can clear and revitalize my space, allowing the element of air to flow freely from one end of the house to the next.  And for the next two days, this is my mission.  I'll be reading Denise Linn's wonderful book "Sacred Space: Clearing and Enhancing the Energy of Your Home" in my spare time and I will be posting before and after pics (I think).

Perhaps because I'm a fire sign, on the cusp of an earth sign, with a moon sign and ascendant ruled by water - the element of air is my favorite element.  And I love winter and the clear, cold current of inspiration that so easily can overtake us at this time of year.  

My goal is to let that current flow.  Wishing all of you that same wonderful energy!

When I as a child in Michigan, I loved the snow.  

Growing up in 1960s, without the benefit of game consoles or computers or cable TV, we found everything we needed in our own imaginations and the vivid, brilliant magic of the natural world.  

We accepted that world however it came - donning slickers for the rain and layers of wool and nylon for the snow.  In winter we built snow forts and snowmen and skated on frozen ponds until the early darkness fell.  We were not impervious to weather but we possessed a hardiness that I no longer own.  

At 57, I find that I have a mixed response to winter.  I do love the first snowfall but the second and third and fourth days of that snowfall don't always excite me.  My skiing days are behind me.  I don't care for shoveling or for icy roads.  There are days when I find our Northeast PA weather challenging and enjoy the cozy comfort of my home.

To degree this attitude is understandable.  In winter our homes become our refuge in the northern climates.  They protect us from the cold and the wind and the bone-chilling dampness of ice and snow.  But this is not entirely good.  The energy of our interior space isn't continual replenished by the elements - as is the atmosphere outside.  

Behind our closed doors and windows the air is still and dry and the earth outside is often covered. Our connection to the elements and the important energies they provide is tenuous at best.  And, to varying degrees, we all need these energies.  

For some of us our emotional, physical and spiritual well-being depends upon our relationship to the natural world and the resonant energy it supplies.  I am one of those people, and I do my best to connect with the elements at this time of year in two important ways. 

The first is to bring the elements inside and into our awareness.  Suggestions on doing that can be found below.  Keep in mind that these are ideas I am developing and working with right now and I will updating you on my progress through the coming weeks!

Air  We can invite the element of air by cracking the windows when we clean - if only for a few minutes - at least once a day.  Because air is an element of motion, it enjoys a clear path.  This can be provided by keeping our inner space clean and organized throughout the winter months.

When we are done cleaning, we can honor the element of air by burning incense and taking a moment to appreciate the movement of this element's revitalizing current.  We may also choose to feed the creatures of the air by keeping our bird feeders stocked.

Water  We can get in touch with the element of water in several different ways.  Long winter baths work well, as does drinking plenty of clear, fresh water.  Most of us tend to drink less water in the winter and this is just as detrimental now as it is in the summer.

We might also consider introducing a water element into our interior space.  I am considering a small aquarium but will probably settle for a simple bowl of water filled with colored stones and floating candles.  We might also make an effort to keep the birdbath free of ice as much as possible so that the birds can take a drink when the weather is dry.

Earth  Earth can be brought into our homes directly in form of potted plants which have the added advantage of radiating the living energy of growth.  If you have an herb garden, as I do, consider bringing some of the plants indoor for the winter.  I didn't act fast enough this year to bring in my parsley, oregano, thyme and mint but I did save the rosemary and have two beautiful plants wintering in my kitchen.  Next year I'll have space for the rest!

Additionally, we can remember the creatures of the earth by leaving food outside for the squirrels, rabbits, stray cats and other animals struggling in the cold.

Fire  Last, but never least! In this season of increasing darkness fire and light are essential for our well-being.  And, surprisingly despite our cold weather dependency upon the element of fire, it is increasingly taken for granted.

Thanks to electricity, we have light whenever we want it.  Through the ready abundance of fuel, most of us are warm from the beginning of the season to the end.  We might not give the element of fire a lot of thought - at least not until we get our our heating bill - but it does come at a price (to both our pocketbooks and our planet).  This price must be paid, however, because, in winter, fire guarantees our survival.

Electricity and central heating have made our lives more comfortable but they have also allowed us to become less aware (and appreciative) of the heat and light the element of fire offers.  To offset this, we can choose to really immerse ourselves in our respective festivals of light and to light a candle every night to honor the lifesaving element of light.

But I promised a second way of connecting to the elements.  What is this second way, you may ask. Open the door and go outside!

You don't have to stay out there long but you will find, as I did this morning, that it's the getting out that's hard and that time spent outside is incredibly revitalizing.

And the best part is, that once you're outside, you don't have to DO anything to experience the elements.  They are all waiting.  The air is wet with tiny molecules of ice and snow and it is always moving.  The earth is solid underneath our feet.  And far away in a gray sky, a pale winter sun is shining.

Ideas come easily in this season of air.  And this morning, as I shoveled a narrow path down to the street, I was inspired to write this post and to put the things I've discussed here to work in my own experience of the season.

This year, I have resolved to make the best of winter.  I resolve to dress warmly.  To build up my tolerance of cold.  To clear my inner space and honor each element in turn.  By doing so I honor not only the elements in their season but the energy of life.

May you do the same <3

For more on making the most of this incredible season please see:   Embracing the Seasons: 7 Steps to a Better Winter

This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as clumsy or random as a blaster. An elegant weapon for a more civilized age. — Obi-Wan Kenobi

I have always identified with the Queen of Wands not only because I'm a Leo but because I'm strong and creative and a few other things that go along with that particular suit on a good day (and a bad one). From time to time however, I reflect upon the Queen of Swords and I recognize that this card represents me too, whether I want it to or not.

The suit of Swords is not a happy suit and we have only to look at Pamela Colman Smith's depiction of the cards it contains to understand that.

Traditionally Swords are associated with air, winter, wind, cold, strength, sharpness, intellect, independence, violence, loneliness, power and ruin—and Colman Smith has incorporated these themes into the Rider-Waite-Smith. And the RWS has become the tarot deck of choice for many readers as well as a interpretive point of departure for many alternative decks—with an emphasis on the negative.

I have never seen a person cheered by Colman Smith's Ten or Three of Swords!

The popular imagery of this suit is may appear tragic. So tragic that it is easy to forget that the symbolism of the suit would have been different when the cards were first introduced. They would have reminded people then of a passing age, where the sword was a weapon reminiscent of chivalry and the nobility. Some might have described the sword in the same way Obi-Wan Kenobi described the lightsaber.

When tarot was new, Wands, the suit of spring and creativity, victory and manifestation, would have been associated with the peasantry or at the very least, the craftsman. Cups, the modern suit of love and happiness—the clergy. Pentacles, which now suggest prosperity—the merchant class. 

In this system then, Swords would have represented the class most respected by society at large. And, at its best, the suit is worthy of respect. It symbolizes strength, independence, intellect, and courage, and these are fine attributes in any estimation. Loneliness, as implied in a reading predominated by swords, may be a byproduct of these characteristics in the same way that violence and ruin can be a potential consequence of decisive action. And yet, I cannot dismiss the inherent sadness of this dark queen.

Perhaps it is only a product of the season. Winter is, in northeastern Appalachia, is an austere and unforgiving time that encourages introspection and dark thought. Even in our modern age, it is a season of survival, and I feel this very keenly when I force myself outside on the coldest days to walk the frozen ground. 

It takes a certain degree of determination to live this season well and I think that is, on a level, what the symbolism of this suit is fundamentally about.

The Queen of Swords is an independent queen. She rules the wind, winter, and herself with a strong and not necessarily gentle hand, but she is the one I think most of us want to be when we face a challenge.

Representing, not only the nobility, intellect and the most difficult time of year in northern climates, she is courage, maturity and self-determination. I can draw very direct associations between this card and the season it represents. A time of year, but more significantly, a time of life.