Beautifully said Joanna. Welcoming the dark, fertile time feels so right to me. Especially this year as all my “normal” family & friend rituals & gatherings have been entirely turned upside down. I’m alone for much of this season & plan to take advantage of it.
Your beautiful words and artwork found me this morning and feel so apt right now, as I am hoping to retire in the new year and begin the next chapter of this wondrous life journey. Thank you for sharing and I look forward to reading more of your wise words. 🙂🙏
Thank you, beautiful person. I read "Wintering" last winter. Just the name, sounds so me, how could I not! Welcome to the Substack world, I hope it goes well for you. I am grateful to know you.
First I wish you a rapid recovery from Covid. It seems everyone I know is reading Wintering by Katharine May, I pick up my reserved copy from the library today. I see winter as a time to rest and reenergize for the year ahead. Before we know it spring will arrive and life will be bursting out all over, so I like to take the winter time to slow down more, my aging body appreciates it. Living in Florida it is sometimes hard to experience Winter though I feel it in my bones when the wheel makes it's seasonal turn. In my heart I long for the northern winters of my childhood memory.
I love how so many folks are hearing and heeding the message to slow down this time of year rather than get caught up in commercial busy-ness. And I hear you about living in a warm place and missing the seasons. I grew up in Los Angeles and part of the reason I moved to the Pacific Northwest (in 1990) was because I longed to experience more dramatic seasonal shifts. Still our winters are much milder here than the Northeast or Midwest and I'm grateful for that. It's another one of those both/and things, right? Missing the harsh winters and at the same time loving the ease of living where it's warm.
Oh my Dear Joanna, Your work moves me. The Mother of Night blessings are so timely for me right now. My partner of 20+ years and love of my life died suddenly and unexpectedly on November 15 and I am adrift with pain. I anchor myself being with family and friends, and going through the motions to decorate the home he helped build with me for the holidays, but each night I am alone with my broken heart. I will take the beautiful Mother of Night blessings to my altar each night for solace. Thank you, dear one. Love, Faelind
Faelind, my heart breaks for you. I wish I could sit with you and hold your hand and bear witness to your grief. Please know I’m thinking of you. I will light a candle for your beloved. May the Mother of Night bring a bit of comfort to you. Sending much love.
Mother of Night is breathtaking—it is reminiscent of being out in a cold winter night when your eyes water from beautiful stars and the icy chill. I love winter darkness especially for the rest it offers.
I hope you like “Substack” going forward and I hope your recovery goes really well Joanna!
This painting is so perfect for this time of year. As someone with a farm, who is really into soil science, I was struct how the "fallow" time of the year is one of designed inactivity. When temperatures are low, nothing grows, especially because there is no activity in the soil microbiome. Growth is not so much what we see on the surface, but a product of what is below the soil.
Winter spaces in our lives and psyche are designed to be times not of growth, but stillness, repair, pruning, death and cleansing.
In our western culture we can struggle with these times of "non-productivity", to which I say, "Peeshaw!"
It is with a heart of gratitude (not always at the time) that I give thanks for the wintering!
I could not agree more, Häxa. I think gardeners and farmers (and lovers of the wild) learn this so keenly and deeply. I'm glad so many people these days are reframing the way they think about winter and the darkness ... reclaiming them in just the ways you describe. Thank you.
This prayer blessing of Mother Night and her accompanying mystic dark painting is so wonderful, nourishing and uplifting that I adapted it for daily use in meditation. Thank you deeply dear Joanna of Sea & Cedar.
I absolutely love this image of Mother of Night and can't wait for the deck to be available! Synchronicity is afoot as I just received word this morning that a poem of mine, also called Mother of Night will be published in Enchanted Haunted Summer. I have also found Wintering to be a wonderful resource, just sen it earlier this week to a friend who is struggling with the shorter days. I've been a mostly a"lurker" in the Walking the Sacred Wheel course but have gotten so much out of it. Thank you. I look forward to all you will share with us!
Oh wonderful, Susan. I love these kinds of synchronicities. It is the time of the Mother of Night, for sure. And congratulations on your poem being published, that's wonderful. Thank you for continuing to walk the Wheel with us, "lurker" or not! :-)
Beautifully said Joanna. Welcoming the dark, fertile time feels so right to me. Especially this year as all my “normal” family & friend rituals & gatherings have been entirely turned upside down. I’m alone for much of this season & plan to take advantage of it.
Bravo on your first post. It was lovely.
Susan ... may your solitude be warm, nurturing, and spacious. May you know peace. 🕯️🎄🕯️
Your beautiful words and artwork found me this morning and feel so apt right now, as I am hoping to retire in the new year and begin the next chapter of this wondrous life journey. Thank you for sharing and I look forward to reading more of your wise words. 🙂🙏
So grateful to hear this, Helen. Thank you.
This was wonderful. Thank you!
Thank you Molly, so kind of you.
Thank you, beautiful person. I read "Wintering" last winter. Just the name, sounds so me, how could I not! Welcome to the Substack world, I hope it goes well for you. I am grateful to know you.
I'm not sure why I didn't read it sooner. All in its own good time. Grateful to know you too!
First I wish you a rapid recovery from Covid. It seems everyone I know is reading Wintering by Katharine May, I pick up my reserved copy from the library today. I see winter as a time to rest and reenergize for the year ahead. Before we know it spring will arrive and life will be bursting out all over, so I like to take the winter time to slow down more, my aging body appreciates it. Living in Florida it is sometimes hard to experience Winter though I feel it in my bones when the wheel makes it's seasonal turn. In my heart I long for the northern winters of my childhood memory.
I love how so many folks are hearing and heeding the message to slow down this time of year rather than get caught up in commercial busy-ness. And I hear you about living in a warm place and missing the seasons. I grew up in Los Angeles and part of the reason I moved to the Pacific Northwest (in 1990) was because I longed to experience more dramatic seasonal shifts. Still our winters are much milder here than the Northeast or Midwest and I'm grateful for that. It's another one of those both/and things, right? Missing the harsh winters and at the same time loving the ease of living where it's warm.
Oh my Dear Joanna, Your work moves me. The Mother of Night blessings are so timely for me right now. My partner of 20+ years and love of my life died suddenly and unexpectedly on November 15 and I am adrift with pain. I anchor myself being with family and friends, and going through the motions to decorate the home he helped build with me for the holidays, but each night I am alone with my broken heart. I will take the beautiful Mother of Night blessings to my altar each night for solace. Thank you, dear one. Love, Faelind
Faelind, my heart breaks for you. I wish I could sit with you and hold your hand and bear witness to your grief. Please know I’m thinking of you. I will light a candle for your beloved. May the Mother of Night bring a bit of comfort to you. Sending much love.
Absolutely breathtaking
Thank you Robin 😍
Mother of Night is breathtaking—it is reminiscent of being out in a cold winter night when your eyes water from beautiful stars and the icy chill. I love winter darkness especially for the rest it offers.
I hope you like “Substack” going forward and I hope your recovery goes really well Joanna!
Heather, what a beautiful description! And thank you for your good wishes too.
This painting is so perfect for this time of year. As someone with a farm, who is really into soil science, I was struct how the "fallow" time of the year is one of designed inactivity. When temperatures are low, nothing grows, especially because there is no activity in the soil microbiome. Growth is not so much what we see on the surface, but a product of what is below the soil.
Winter spaces in our lives and psyche are designed to be times not of growth, but stillness, repair, pruning, death and cleansing.
In our western culture we can struggle with these times of "non-productivity", to which I say, "Peeshaw!"
It is with a heart of gratitude (not always at the time) that I give thanks for the wintering!
I could not agree more, Häxa. I think gardeners and farmers (and lovers of the wild) learn this so keenly and deeply. I'm glad so many people these days are reframing the way they think about winter and the darkness ... reclaiming them in just the ways you describe. Thank you.
Beautiful Painting... love your “need of a haircut photo” as well. I am happy to see you here! 🪶
Thank you! I'm happy to be here. Next photo I post will be post-haircut. Ha!
I am going in the opposite direction. I cut all of my waist length hair off when my mother passed 2 years ago. It’s growing back again.
I resonate with hair cutting as a ritual of grief. 💚
I LOVE the Mother of Night, and am feeling Her blessings. Thank you, and peace, stillness and comfort to you, Joanna.
Thank you Suze, and may peace, stillness, and comfort circle back to you.
(This is Suzanne McAnna, I just have a different substack handle)
Oh that's good to know! 💚
Oh My Goddess! That painting is absolutely stunning. Perfect. So glad I found you here 🙏🏽👩🏼🤝👩🏽💗🌑🐋🪶
Oh thank you Petrina. So glad to circle with you, always.
I always learn something new from your newsletters and appreciate your sharing. Your oracle deck will be beautiful. Am so looking forward to it.
Thank you Mary. I appreciate the encouragement!
This prayer blessing of Mother Night and her accompanying mystic dark painting is so wonderful, nourishing and uplifting that I adapted it for daily use in meditation. Thank you deeply dear Joanna of Sea & Cedar.
It makes me very happy to hear this, thank you so much.
Joanna,
I absolutely love this image of Mother of Night and can't wait for the deck to be available! Synchronicity is afoot as I just received word this morning that a poem of mine, also called Mother of Night will be published in Enchanted Haunted Summer. I have also found Wintering to be a wonderful resource, just sen it earlier this week to a friend who is struggling with the shorter days. I've been a mostly a"lurker" in the Walking the Sacred Wheel course but have gotten so much out of it. Thank you. I look forward to all you will share with us!
Oh wonderful, Susan. I love these kinds of synchronicities. It is the time of the Mother of Night, for sure. And congratulations on your poem being published, that's wonderful. Thank you for continuing to walk the Wheel with us, "lurker" or not! :-)