Blessings, Darlings!
It's been one of those days when I've been going "hmmmm" a lot. Like I'm missing some important concept.
A concept related to Pagan "Earth" or "Nature" religions and the "southern hemisphere" problem.
I am pondering the "what is the energy of Samhain, and WHY" this evening. It's been seeming to me that the whole "third/last harvest" idea, like the "Witches New Year" idea is just so .... local. It's certainly not what the Earth is doing in Naples, Florida let alone what's going on in New Zealand or equatorial New Guinea. I'm having issues with imposing the Wiccan Wheel of the Year on the world, rather than just temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere.
If the "veil is thin" October 31, shouldn't that same energy and thin veil be just as present on April 30? Shouldn't the Ancestors of all sorts be JUST as active then?
After all, it's coming on Beltane in the Southern Hemisphere. They are gearing up for planting, not harvest. Or do some folks feel that Samhain is determined by astrology or such, which WOULD be the same in both north and south hemispheres? But why would a 'nature religion' be so out of whack with what nature in the location actually be doing?
I think I"m going to be puzzling over this for rather a while.
Frondly, Fern
Actually I have heard that at Beltane the Veil is thin as well. I always kind of felt a difference at Beltane and Samhain energy-wise but Beltane doesn't feel the same as Samhain, for me anyway. Beltane is sort of like an awakening feeling and Samhain being more of a darker feel. I would be curious to what people in the Southern Hemisphere are feeling physically as opposed to what they are told to believe.
ReplyDeletefrom the southern hemisphere, New Zealand, and yup it is coming up to beltane, the days are certainly warming up and the light getting longer, and there is a potential in the air of newness and new beginnings, growth and movement. the birds are shagging like mad.
ReplyDeletei have to agree with Angela tho, and the veil is thin at this time as well, but in a different way to that of samhain, the veil to me is white as apposed to being black, so to speak. The energy coming through is more about rebirth as apposed to death, it has a feel of potentialness, renewal, growth, and the bring of things. where as i find samhain in april/may the energy is more to do with banishing, letting go, and preparing for some deep contemplation for the coming winter.
ymm.. yeah, physically it is still a little cold, and we generally in wellingotn get one last howling southerly storm, and this year snow in the south island, and i found myself reminding people that it was 'sprint' and not summer thus there will be coldness.
umm..yeah.. also we generally cast our circles from east to north, following the sun, thus 'traditionally' fire is in the north. however given that New Zealand is three Islands, surround by water, if you were casting a circle in a land you live sense water energies could be called from any of the directions, as to the other elements.. *ponders this*.. proves for some interesting experiments. *grins*
*smiles*
Polly
Blessings, Darlings!
ReplyDeleteOver on Facebook, my friend Barbara commented that 'When you are creating the universe you can make things as you like'. I love it when friends hit me with 2 by 4's! When you cast a circle, you are creating the universe, your own universe. Date/time/place/even planet are what you say they are. Samhain can be any mundane day, looking at it this way.
BUT - what spiritual work we do here shows up on the Other Planes, as well as what we do in circle. So our focus on and preparation for Samhain, here in the Northern Hemisphere, shows up on the Other Sides, setting up flares keyed to our personal ancestors. Decorating the yard, setting up an altar, preparatory visualizations/shopping/ritual planning/etc or make that beacon brighter. Thus, ancestors can more easily start showing up in our lives as the month of October progresses.
Frondly, Fern