Cold Wake-Up Call
Dawn against Komo Kulshan (colonially known as Mount Baker) in Western Washington. (Photo by Runa Troy)
The rising sun makes a torch out of Komo Kulshan. Photo by Runa TroyI awoke today to our first hard frost. I was not prepared for 31 degrees F. But the stars in moonless sky were delicious. You could see Saturn in the western sky, reminding us to use today to build our best week channeling that Aries fire. The quiet enjoyed by those of us in the 5 a.m. club is unmatched. Despite the cold, the morning was glorious.
At this point in our calendar, the sun is rising right overall the valleys of Komo Kulshan. It becomes a soaring silhouette in the eastern skyline, its ice-capped point highlighting the sun’s blinking bright light over the fading leaves of the pumpkin patch. The sight of it seems to echo the knowledge that even in the waning season there is beauty and hope. The glaciers sparkle stronger, any and all light is celebrated, and the decay of the Summer nourishes the Land for a more fruitful Spring.
Looking for the beauty in spite of anything and everything is healthy. Photo by Runa Troy.The first frost has me thinking about the season of Skaði, the season of hunting, the season of inwardness. That was reinforced with my Odin Pull this morning – Algiz. It is the Elk Rune and one that speaks of deep protection, especially during the season of the hunt, the season of those who came before. This season reminds us that we are a living and breathing being of ancestral optimism.
When all the crops have been harvested, shared, eaten, and preserved as possible, the season of migration, then begins the the hunting season. In the time when the Elder Futhark was the graffiti of the day, hunting continued the people’s survival. Standing in the cold this morning doing sun salutations and waiting to capture sun over mountain, I can feel the energy of those people running through my veins.
Algiz, the guardian Rune of the Elder Futhark, My Odin Pull todayThe message this morning from them, from Algiz, from Skaði, is that as winter falls, we should embrace its arrival with enthusiasm – not defeat. These moments of quiet, of seeing the light in the dark, of moving with the Land, and courageously continue to strive to flourish in the delight of our ancestors, sparks a warmth that you can carry through to Imbolc.
I have more to say on the entire subject of Thresholds and Liminal Spaces, and that will be coming up here. In the meantime, I hope this week you find a way to hold fast to the gifts of winter like more time to read, cozy hot cocoa by the fire, never needing it to be cool enough to eat soup, and carving out even more time for your Practice.
Here’s some things to add to your Witchcraft-learning schedule:
At The Garden Gate: Thresholds and Liminal Spaces; Behind The Mask
Front-Porch Sitting: The Rebirth of the Witch Activist; Being The Spooky Kid at Halloween: A Half Century Later
Under The Willow: Autumn Divination
In The Witch’s Garden: Diversity in Practice
At The Witch’s Table: An Autumn Table of Magic; The Mysticism of the Hearth
Dream Circle: Overcoming Excuses in Dream Recording (Oct. 16); Dream Interpretation – Why You May Need Outside Help
Studio Squad: Seasonal Imagination Excursions (Oct. 14); Witches of Letters Workshop
We’ve been (re)creating a Witchcraft Learning Covenstead now for a couple of months – old hat for the many of you have returned to support my Creative Crone efforts. I appreciate you so much. Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns. Leave a comment here or email directly (runa@runatroy.com).
Blessed Be,
~R
