April

April takes its name from the Latin word aperire, meaning ‘to open’ New life bursts forth from translucent red pomegranate tips on the branches of the handkerchief tree and I stand surrounded by a choir of lilac leaves as they open soft, furry, almost-purple buds and unfurl into delicate new leaves with blushed red tips sounding their Read more about April[…]

Vernal Equinox – Ostara

The time of the year equivalent to 6am We enter the light half of the year and rise from sleep Light reaches its peak of increasing at 4 minutes per day compared to 1 minute/day at the solstice. It will continue to increase but more gradually from now until the summer solstice. The full moon Read more about Vernal Equinox – Ostara[…]

jīngzhé – hibernating insects awaken

Earth aerated Jīngzhé, 惊蛰, is the 3rd of the 24 solar terms (節氣) in the traditional Chinese calendars. It begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 345° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 360°. More often, it refers to the day when the Sun is exactly at a celestial longitude of 345°. In the Gregorian calendar, it usually Read more about jīngzhé – hibernating insects awaken[…]

Spring

Michael hetherington liver and gall bladder meridians connected with smooth flow of energy around the body and detoxifying. Yoga opening the side body and shoulders, pummelling and qigong. Spring is that time of year when new energy, new life and new dreams blossom. As we move out of the colder and more introverted months of Read more about Spring[…]

January

Stirrings. January takes its name from Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and endings. He had two faces so he could see the future and the past! He was also the god of doors. Winter light. Naked trees and bright moons. Dark skies and stars. Quieten rest in the stillness Ice and snow swirl and whirl Breathe Read more about January[…]

Winter

Monk: What happens when the leaves fall and the trees are bare?Union: The golden Wind, revealed.Hegikan Roku the blue cliff record.Yoga through the seasons Sandra sabatini,In Buddhism the Golden Wind is a metaphor for the reality that you can only experience and which we call God.  From midway between Samhain and winter solstice, so the Read more about Winter[…]

First frosts

Frost forms in swirling ferns and birds sing it’s praise,crows call far out across the fields and beyond expanding my hearing and my heart as I follow the sounds into the beyond. The average first frost for many inland areas in the UK and Ireland is within the first ten days of November later along the Read more about First frosts[…]

The Dark time – Know thyself

Samhain to Valentines Day (Deep dark – Sagittarius & Capricorn) Stalking our inner selves “There was no one near to confuse me, so I was forced to become original.” Haydn. Brew, Stew. Soften the shellRoot November. December. January. February

Autumn

Shadows lengthen, leaves begin to turn & fall, fruits, nuts & berries ripen for harvest. Birds migrate from & fro, owls duet & deer rut. Mushrooms pop, winds swirl until first frosts descend. Because the early Roman year began in March rather than January, the final four months of our year—September, October, November and December—were Read more about Autumn[…]

Aquarius – Lightening Sturgeon Full Moon

August’s full Moon was traditionally called the Sturgeon Moon because the giant sturgeon of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain were most readily caught during this part of summer. Other names for this Full Moon include ”Full Green Corn Moon,” signaling that the corn was nearly ready for harvest, “Wheat Cut Moon,” “Moon When All Things Ripen,” and ”Blueberry Moon.” Read more about Aquarius – Lightening Sturgeon Full Moon[…]