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pussymagicuniverse · 5 years

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In (St) Brigid’s Arms: an Imbolc Devotional

The week leading to Imbolc 2018 was probably the darkest end of January in my life, but it was the one where Brigid’s flame burned the brightest in my heart. Brigid had always been an important divine figure to me, as a goddess of poetry and creation, as the saint associated with the coming of spring and new life. She didn’t push her way forward as often as, for example, Ceridwen or the Virgin Mary had, but on 23 January 2018 my daughter Bonnie was born with congenital heart defects, and we sped away to a hospital in another city for a week. I was alone with my delicate, unwell child (who is now turning out to be quite a fierce and fiery child, heart problems or not, which is a relief almost one year on), and Brigid stepped up and made her presence felt when I didn’t know who else to ask for help.

When you unexpectedly find yourself in hospital with a poorly newborn (and still recovering from a c-section yourself) 35 miles from home, missing your husband and other children, frightened for the baby you’ve just brought into the world, then magic, prayer and ritual have never been more important, but also must be improvised. There is so much value in the meditative and energetic qualities of burning a plain white candle, and in over twenty years of practicing my craft, I didn’t fully appreciate this simple act until I wasn’t able to do it. For me, everything about Imbolc, and all the power of Brigid, can be distilled into a white candle – the purity of a new beginning, the desire to heal, take action, and create, in a single simple flame.

But a hospital is no place for candles, and all I had to hand was a little pouch containing a piece of black tourmaline, a seashell, the tiniest statue of the Virgin Mary I’ve ever seen, and a worry stone made of clear resin encasing a bronze-coloured heart emblazoned with a cross, which was a gift from a devout Christian friend during my pregnancy. I brought these items to hospital with me for the birth because I had anxiety about surviving my planned c-section without major complications (I’d had some problems in three out of my four previous births), but I ended up needing them for my daughter instead. Tourmaline is good for staying positive; seashells always bring me closer to the goddess.

And knowing (St) Brigid’s mythical connections to Jesus and Mary in Celtic Christianity and my own path of christopaganism, the cross and the figure of the Virgin were more than enough to connect with Brigid herself. The legend goes that St Brigid found herself acting as midwife to Mary at the birth of Jesus, and even nursed the newborn boy when Mary was too exhausted to do it herself. The time frame is more than a little muddled in this story – St Brigid lived several centuries after Jesus, though of course the pagan goddess Brigid pre-dates him, so I quite like the idea that maybe she was there… – so it isn’t meant to be taken as anything more than a myth. But it’s the energy of this metaphorical act of midwifery/nursing that I could feel coming from Brigid while Bonnie and I were in hospital: “Here, let me help you with this baby – she’s going to need you for the rest of her life. For now, you rest.” Whenever I wasn’t cuddling or breastfeeding Bonnie, for the long hours she slept in her hospital cot, attached to monitors and oxygen, I was doing my best to remember Brigid was looking after her for me, helping her tiny heart. It wasn’t easy, but I had to believe we’d get through whatever might happen.

But of course Brigid’s warmth and empowering love isn’t just for mothers and newborn babies, it’s for anyone who needs it and will honour it; she holds you, pockets your concerns, your frazzled stray thoughts, and lets you rest – then smooths it all out in front of you when you awaken so your problems are easier to solve, battles are easier to win, and she imbues you with strength to keep going. And that’s in the spirit of Imbolc, too: celebrated on 1-2 February in the northern hemisphere, halfway between the longest night and the spring equinox, it’s the border between winter and spring, a planning time, a chance to rest before launching fully into whatever it is you need to do as the light increases, gains strength.

If you feel Brigid’s call or need her assistance, there are so many things you can do to thank her; relationships with deities and/or saints must be personal, but there are tried and tested ways to start if you’re stuck. Create something – poetry, art, a Brigid’s cross – whatever it is, make it sincerely. Do something kind for new mothers or mums-to-be or babies – even mama and baby animals if you prefer them to humans (I know plenty who do). Light those white candles. Go out walking, look for snowdrops or other signs of life, even if you’re still surrounded by snow and ice. Find your own connection to the cross-quarter magic that drifts gently at Imbolc, slowly smudging dormant and dark into bright and alive, and grow with it, whatever that means for you. And I hope you grow well, as my Bonnie has grown.

Born in Southern Ohio, but settled in the UK since 1999, Kate is a writer, witch, editor and mother of five. She is the author of several poetry pamphlets, and the founding editor of four web journals and a micropress. Her witchcraft is a blend of her great-grandmother's Appalachian ways and the Anglo-Celtic craft of the country she now calls home – though she incorporates tarot, astrology, and her ancestors, plus music, film, books, and many other things into her practice. Her spiritual life is best described as queer Christopagan with emphasis on the feminine and the natural world. She believes magic is everywhere. Find Kate on twitter and IG - @mskateybelle - and at her website.

#motherhood #goddesses #goddess brigid #brigid #celtic goddess #paganism #pagan christianity #mother child relationships #jesus #virgin mary #ibolc #pagan goddess #pagan #celtic christianity #womanhood #pregnancy #birth #comfort

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katmstanton · 7 years

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Way to go Matt! We are so proud of you! It's crazy to think you hated me 5 years ago, in my wedding 3 years ago, and now you are a permanent member of my family! You are always welcome at the Stanton's! #norwichfamily #ibolc #graduation #proudmom (at Maneuver Center Of Excellence)

#graduation #proudmom #ibolc #norwichfamily

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carei-in-combat-arms · 3 years

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Macedonia 2019

June and July of 2019 my unit was sent to Macedonia to work with the Macedonian Army as a NATO mission. It was a really cool experience.

The first week we were there is was a lot of hurry up and wait as usual. We did some SOP prep and rehearsals and then waited to start our live fire ranges and eventually work with one of the Macedonian companies.

In the second week each company rotated through live fire exercises. In all reality I will probably never have the opportunity to conduct a live fire like this again. The range was massive and is Macedonia they don’t have pre-dictated live fire ranges. The SDZ’s were SDZ’s that we as platoon leaders and the company commander calculated together. There was no “on the right you will see TRP 1 marked with a stake and engineer tape.” My company commander at the time was one of the best officers I have worked with. He was prior AD with the 82nd and was extremely tactically sound. Not only that, he empowered us as PL’s and gave us the autonomy to make actual decisions that shaped the mission. To many this may seem obvious, that this is what commanders are suppose to be doing, however, that is not always the case.

My platoon initially led the mission out of the gate and established the initial support by fire position, followed by rear security. After all the companies went through the LFX we were able to go through again and switch tasks and then my platoon became the assaulting element where we dismounted the trucks and pushed through heavy brush through the objective where an addition support by fire was dismounted. The shifts and lifts worked flawlessly, and the position where the SBF was located allowed them to integrate shifts and lifts through visual contact with my element.

We also got to incorporate IDF and engineer assets. On the movement to the objective there was an obstacle that needed to be breached and my company commander integrated IDF perfectly in all accounts.

The last mission we conducted as a company was a night LFX defensive operation. Macedonia is a very small country. To put it into perspective the country of Macedonia has a population of 2 million people, the state of Pennsylvania has a population of 12 million people. This being said, the base we were operating at made up over 3% of the country. We were in Macedonia during their dry season and during our defensive operations sent fire to 1% of the base, which means we set fire to 1% of Macedonia. We developed primary and alternate battle positions and retrograde criteria, and that night we got to use all of that in a real world situation. The main hilltop we established defensive ops on overlooked a ravine, and on that hilltop we put 2 platoons with interlocking fields of fire. There was a smaller hilltop to our west that overlooked the same ravine and we put a platoon on that hilltop. Once the fire started and mixed with the wind the fire quickly began to develop the other platoon on the smaller hilltop. Guys were grabbing their spare barrel bags as the flames were licking at their feet. Emergency retrograde plan??? Check!

Following the live fire events my platoon got chosen to participate in a mission with a Macedonian company. I was super excited about the opportunity. In Macedonia combat arms have always been open to females and I got to work with one of their female platoon leaders. I was assigned a Macedonian RTO to who spoke some English, and the night before their mission we went to their FOB and my guys got to hangout with their guys while I got briefed the “OPORD”. I put it in quotations because really all they told us was what time to wake up and be ready and the start and ending location of the mission. The next morning we moved to the staging area where each platoon had 5 minutes with the only map that was available. It took us 7 hours to move 5kms. A very slow grueling movement, which all trucks online. I offered alternate planning options such as establishing a SBF near the objective, but they were very set in simply staying on line and pushing through the objective. For training I did not object, but if we were in combat let’s just say I would not be following that mission set.

During the mission my element drove into a near ambush. I instructed my driver and all other vehicles in my command to blast through the near ambush and move to the next terrain feature. The company commander was yelling at the Macedonian RTO assigned to my platoon for us to stop and slow down that we were getting too far in front of the element. I guess he wanted us to stop and hangout at the near ambush?? haha. It’s also interesting to note that we had to stay on the “roads” because the entire range was filled with unexploded ordinance anywhere that was not a road. After we took that contact and moved to the next terrain feature it was around 1200. We were waiting for all the Macedonian elements to catch up, but it looked as if they all had stopped. About an hour later, after waiting at high noon in the Macedonian sun with temperatures around 90-100 degrees, there were no more Macedonians in sight. I kept asking the RTO what was going on and after another hour someone finally responded saying they all went back for lunch. I pulled my platoon and we went back to their FOB, where they told us it was too hot and they would re-do the mission tomorrow. I contacted my company commander and he told us to come back.

Overall, Macedonia was a good experience. The last day we were there we got to go to the Capital of Skopje and tour. One of my friends from IBOLC was from the Macedonian Army and he gave myself and my company’s command team a pretty great tour of the area. Let’s just say the Macedonian’s may like drinking beer and rakia more than doing missions; but who can blame them? haha

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wildflower8281 · 7 years

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My Arizona Adventure

February 2, 2017

February 2nd is historically a big day for me. Thirteen years ago today, I entered the convent, a stage of my life that lasted almost 8 years and has informed my person in innumerable ways. One year ago today, I flew across the country on a 1-way ticket, marking another start on a journey that has shaped me into more of who I am meant to be in this world. Big things happen on this day in my life. In pagan spirituality, February 2nd is called Ibolc and is celebrated as the Festival of Light, the returning of the sun, as it marks the halfway point between winter and spring. It is when we first begin to notice the signs of spring, blossoms, green, hope, warmth. Christianity eventually put their spin on this celebration of nature and named it Candlemas, citing the infant Christ as the light of the world. Either way, it’s a day about Light. In religious life, I was given the name Lumen Christi, or Light of Christ. While I do not identify as a christian or a catholic anymore, I still hold the essence of Lumen as my own and believe Light to be who I am at my core. February 2nd, the Festival of Light always moves me….sometimes just interiorly, but sometimes literally into big, new adventures, leaps into a new chapter…

A year ago today, I hopped on a 1-way flight to Phoenix, Arizona knowing in my heart that things were just gonna work out. And as I write this today and look back on my year here, I am so very grateful for all the ways that Life truly has worked out and the Universe really has upheld and embraced me here. This writing is part story and part litany of gratitude…

For about the third time in my life, I had left a place of work that did not feel like where I was supposed to be anymore. I was in between jobs and it was mid-January in cold, wintery NJ. I intended on going to visit my Dad and stepmom in Arizona for a few weeks just to get some sun and to recalibrate. Very quickly, as I began to have Arizona on my mind, the idea of a visit turned into the idea of a life out there. A co-worker said, “You should just buy a 1-way ticket and see what’s out there for you!” My entire being responded to that sentence and I will forever be grateful to Michelle for speaking what came on her heart that moment. From then on, it was as if Arizona was pulling me out here and, even though I didn’t have any answers or plans, I knew to trust that feeling. I wasn’t scared. There was a deep calmness and overall feeling that this was the right move for me, so I continued to follow that feeling and didn’t really care what anyone else thought. It was confirmed when I asked my dad & stepmom if I could in fact just buy a 1-way ticket, stay with them and see if I could land a job out here – as they were thinking the same thing and going to suggest it to me!

A year ago today, I did not have a job, a place of my own or friends out here. A year ago today I landed in this desert and little did I know how generous it would be to me! It is quite amazing when you just listen to your heart and not let the world scare you. You can make some pretty brave moves and you’ll be surprised by how much the stars align for you.

I must say that none of my life here in AZ could have happened without the generosity of both my mom Susan & sister Erin in New Jersey, and my dad, his wife Erin and Fitz family out here in AZ. After almost 8 years in the convent, I returned home to my mom in 2011 and spent four amazing years with her on the farm, learning how to be me again. She received my broken, exhausted, lost self and gave me the space, love and support to heal, grow and learn to be brave and strong again. My mom’s love has informed my own heart more than any other person in my life. My sister Erin always embraces my choices and always stands by my side, even when it means leaving her. That is brave and that is love. And without her love, I would not feel whole and would not be who I am today. She welcomed me home post covent and she supported me as I moved out west. She is my person and always will be. My dad and his wife Erin so generously welcomed me into their home and allowed me to live with them until I got on my own two feet. They gave me a foundation here, they supported my hopes, they listened to my ramblings, they made me margaritas and put up with my weird yoga ways outside every morning….they showed their love in actions and for all these things, I will forever be grateful. My aunts out here in AZ also supported me whole heartedly: Mary Kay allowed me to hole up in her house, using her laptop to job hunt and apply. Aunt Barb always kept an ear out for me whether it was for jobs or places to live, and she passed her bike onto me, which I now ride to work daily! They opened their lives here to me, for whatever I needed.

It goes without saying that my best friend in life, Lindsay, lives in my heart at each step, walks with me and knows my journey and story like no other. She is my soul friend from all ages, who upholds my spirit and mirrors my light with her love. Amore & Lumen ad eternum.

In New Jersey, I rediscovered myself, I healed, and I was very, very loved….I was sent off knowing that I would always be loved and supported….in Arizona, I was received just the same. If only every human could have these gifts! I wish them upon everyone and am daily grateful for them in my life. Because I feel so blessed, my main priority in life is to make the people in my life feel heard, loved, supported…to look people in the eyes, to listen and connect. In my opinion, once people feel heard, loved, and supported, then they can go out and heal the world however they are meant to – be it through art, music, medicine, laughter, teaching, etc. I don’t need or want big, loud things in life or on my resume, I want to be the quiet, steady whisper in people’s hearts & lives that they are loved, that they shine bright and that they have meaning in this world.

Just as flying one way across the country without a job or any answers isn’t the norm, nor was my plan for job hunting. I didn’t waste my time frantically applying to every random thing. I promised myself that I would only apply to places that aligned with my values and lifestyle, which mainly included health and art in all forms. The first place I applied was a tiny yoga studio called Funke Yoga. It was my first application and my first job offer! This was about 3 weeks in. I will always be grateful to Mara for hiring me, as it was that little part time job at the yoga studio that was my first concrete anchor here in AZ. During my time at Funke, I met two of my first friends who I am grateful now I call my best friends here, Rose & Lee….or as my dad and Erin refer to them: RosenLee, since I always mention them together! They are my crew, my fam, we are nerds who love food, laughter, yoga and root beer. They keep my heart light and bring me much joy. I love them dearly. They are the first two who made me believe that I would find my people out here. And I have.

Following Funke, I only applied to 3 other places: an art center, a handcrafted local soap company and a chiropractors office. I was invited for interviews at all 3. The soap company ended up moving to Oregon. While the chiropractor paid better, the art center felt better and for me, that makes all the difference. There was about a 3 week span between my first interview and getting the job at Phoenix Center for the Arts, but I had stopped looking and applying elsewhere. I knew the position was for me and I just lived my life knowing that it was the right fit. When Lauren called to offer me the job, I was out hiking and answered from the mountain!

When I think of all the amazing people and connections I have made since working at PCA, it blows my mind space! First of all, my coworkers are a bunch of freaking brilliant badasses, who create, maneuver and shape-shift all day, every day, all the while being kind, patient and usually hilarious. I am grateful for the freedom, the expansive energy and the fun comraderie that is fostered at PCA. I have never really been more proud of the people I work with and humbled to be a part of their amazing team:

· Joseph – thank you for your warmth, open spirit and for believing in the best parts of me and us. And for bringing Joy into our family!

· Lauren – thank you for your sense of humor, lightheartedness and for patiently teaching me skills and encouraging me to trust myself again. I couldn’t ask for and wouldn’t want another supervisor/friend/team member all rolled into one.

· Lane – thank you for your kindness and willingness to use your mastery to make everything amazing. And for your specialized lingo that I thoroughly enjoy!

· Jessica – thank you for living in the barrio with me, for having a super fun spirit and for seeing in me more than I see sometimes. And for your great laugh.

· Jessi – my fellow transplant! Thank you for your under the radar badassness, your kind energy and the way you can do all the things!

· Mirinda – what can I say?! Thank you for making me laugh, for thinking of us always and for listening, friend!

· David – thank you for your friendliness and for always making me feel supported and safe, esp on evening shifts! And for sharing your food with me!

· Lindsey – thank you for your generosity with your gifts, you have a depth of perception that most do not. I love being late nite shift buddies!

· Melissa – thank you for cleaning up our messes in a most masterful way! Your gifts are greatly appreciated and I admire your organization and adventurous spirit!

· Sonya – the newest addition! I am stoked you are with us and thrilled to work with you and have more time to get to know each other. You clearly have many gifts to share. Thank you for your amazing spirit.

· Kaitlyn – who would have thought that from across the country, I’d become friends with the girl whose position I took! It’s no surprise to me that we have become hiking buddies! I knew the moment I saw you that we had a similar spirit.

· Laura – thank you for warmly welcoming me, patiently teaching me skills my first few months and introducing me to Lola!

And to all the amazing instructors, PCA regulars & Radio Phoenix people who have welcomed me like family and who make me look forward to going to work each day and week: Don, John, Ingrid, Ann, Mike, Colette, Char, Marilyn, Liz, Michele, Brian, Jess, Andrea, Betsi, Fabrice, Michaela, Nubia, Carly, Travis, Robert….

They say timing is everything and two very special people I met during my first months at PCA have become true life friends, even though they left PCA shortly after: Dorothee and Jose. Dorothee is like 10 years my minor, but we just clicked and became very close right away. She is a true best friend with whom I can share anything and for whom I would do anything. She has supported me during difficult moments and visa versa. We only worked together for a few months at PCA, but that was all we needed to form our friendship, one that is a true pillar of my life here.

Jose I also met during my first week at PCA, as he was a front desk volunteer. He was a quiet, seemingly shy guy, but kind and so polite. As is my custom, I like to engage people beyond the normal surface questions, so as the weeks went on, I would linger at the desk and intend to get to know this human who Life had arranged to be in my place of work a few times a week. I sensed that he was like me, in that we aren’t amazing in groups, but are masters at 1-on-1 conversing. And I was right. Once I got Jose talking, we found out that we could talk forever! And, without sounding cliché, that was the beginning of a beautiful friendship – one full of late nite talks, hiking, coffee on the patio, cooking adventures, library dates and chasing the moon and stars. Jose stopped volunteering in the summer, but again, I am amazed at the timing of the Universe, as it aligned our time at PCA just right, so that we had enough time to warm up and become friends…a relationship that has brought me even more alive than I already felt and for which I am so grateful.

And so here I sit in my Dollhouse on February 2, 2017. A year ago today, I had no job, no friends and no place of my own out here. I just had a knowing in my heart. I flew across the country with that knowing tucked deep down where I promised I wouldn’t let anyone take it, I fell asleep at nite to that knowing and just kept listening to it as the days and weeks unfolded out here. Today I sit in my guesthouse that is the perfect little space for me, my first ever space of my own, I look around and can only be grateful for how that knowing in my heart has manifested into a life out here that I love. It is a simple life, a happy life. It fills my heart, brings me alive and allows me to receive others as Arizona received me: generously, warmly and with an open heart. So, once again, on February 2nd, I am moved. I look around and see that I am surrounded by bright lights here….a true Festival of Light, with much sprouting and blossoming, and so many good things! May we all shine brightly in this world, just as we are meant to, for in the end, the light always overcomes the darkness. I promise.

#arizona #intuition #catholic #nun #journey #gratitude #phoenix #former nun #christianity #imbolc #candlemass #light #lumen #love #heart #grateful #ponderings

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charcoalrunes · 6 years

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I’ve had computer problems since pretty much the first of the year. Finally got the laptop back in working order last week, and slowly, I’m creating a more accessible setup for blogging / writing. In other news, I did get roughly 144 seed-starter pods planted in celebration of Ibolc. So that happened. Grandmother thinks I won’t have enough room for all of them once they’re ready to be transplanted. I have taken that as a challenge.

#Not tarot #Ibolc #Update

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getago-blog · 10 years

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Squad Patrolling

You're past RAP week. You've completed all the little classes leading up to patrols. Now you're ready for the important part. Graded Patrols! I couldn't wait to get to this point because until you get here, you really can't start counting down the days until you get into patrols (even then, you probably shouldn't because you'll probably recycle).

The RI's will announce the leadership in the morning and you'll have small pockets of time to plan. Certain things have to be done in order for other things to happen and the squad leader is gone for most of the morning, coordinating with adjacent units. That's why it's very important to come back and give a solid WARNO before you take off to your meeting. The meetings you go to are to coordinate fires and movement.

If you are selected to be the Bravo Team Leader, you are in charge of Men, Weapons, and Equipment. Essentially, you are the squad sized Platoon Sergeant. If you are in the planning grading cycle as the B team leader, most of your grade will be based on putting in your supply request, the gear layout is complete and dress right dress with the proper tie downs, and completed status cards.

If you're selected to be the A team leader, you pretty much got a "go" by default. You need to help with writing the order on the chalk boards but everyone will be doing that. If you help make the Squad Leader successful and get a go, then you will be successful too.

The hardest part of being the plans Squad Leader, is everyone has to plan (and as importantly, write) your mission. When you go to brief it, you're learning what everyone else has planned for you. On top of that, it's usually hard to read other peoples hand writing. Especially when they're tired, hungry, probably fell asleep when they wrote part of it, and it's on a little piece of paper.

When you go to brief your order, you'll have guys falling asleep and it's your job to keep control (one of the 5 principles of patrolling right!?) and wake them up. All these things seem pretty minor when you read them here, but it all adds up when you're being evaluated. It's apart of the induced stress and how you react to it and overcome.

Once the order is complete, you need to make sure you get rehearsal done and don't miss your SP time. Then you'll step off at your designated LD, make your LD report and start moving through Darby in the Squad Column, Fire Team Wedge. Some missions will include transportation and that has to be included into the movement plan. Don't forget your seating assignment and a bump plan incase you have to leave someone behind.

You will make contact with the enemy and react accordingly. Some times the contact is indirect (12 o'clock, 300 meters!), or direct. Whichever kind of contact you make, you must react in the way that you briefed on your 20 boards, by the book. Do it by the numbers because you will usually fail this phase otherwise.

After you get accountability and make your reports, there will be a change of leadership. Do not confuse this with Index. In an index, everyone can relax. In a change of leadership, you need to stay in security for the sensitive items hand over. If you don't, you'll probably get your balls smoked.

The new leadership group will receive a FRAGO to either do an ambush or an area recon, and you'll step off.

At this point, the Squad Leader makes his money on setting up a good ORP, doing a proper leaders recon, putting everyone in place, and delivering a solid GOTWA (5 point contingency plan) to your B Team Leader when you go on your leaders recon.

B Team Leader makes his money on keeping the ORP active, preparing MWE (men, weapons, and equipment) and counting guys in and out of the ORP, and controlling support by fire. After that, it's pretty cake.

A Team Leader has to make sure the land nav to get to the ORP and ambush or recon site is good, going on the leaders recon, and is typically the assaulting element on the objective.

After the ambush or recon is complete, you consolidate and reorganize. Then you'll get orders from higher (the RI) on where your link up site is.

Once you get to the link up site, you must do it the way you briefed in the 20 boards. I won't go into all the details here, but one important part is the challenge and password. If the challenge is apple, and the password is baseball, you have to use it in a sentence.

Like this.

Challenge- "Do you know where I could get some good apples around here?"

Password- "They have some at the store that look like a baseball"

Once the link up is complete, you move back to Camp Darby for priorities of work. This is a dangerous time to lose any chance of a "go" you might have earned with a stellar performance. This is because people feel checked out and ready to sleep. However, you won't be released for sleep until the weapons are cleaned and inspected. This is also when the RI's like to play fuck-fuck games to induce a little more stress.

Here's what you can expect. Your weapons won't be clean the first time regardless if they are or aren't, you'll identify the dirtbags in your squad that don't help and should be peered out, and you'll feel a wave of relief for being done with your first patrol.

Most guys will have to do two graded patrols during Darby Phase, but if you find yourself with only one patrol and it's the end of Darby, it probably means you got a first time "go".

This is rinse and repeat for the next two weeks accept for Sunday. You will have Sunday off and there will be church services. I don't know if it still happens, but when I went, everyone learned to go to church. Whether you are religious or not, Ranger School can become a very spiritual place and it's nice to have someone talk to you like a person (the pastor does). In addition, the pastor bring bread and peanut butter (aka, GOLD).

After you get your "go" or recycle, there will be a Dog Ex (Hot Dogs, Soda, and cookies for a fee) for everyone regardless of success. I've seen guys drop $40 on hot dogs on this day.

After everything gets turned in, you go back to Camp Rogers and wait for the famous 8 hour pass!

#Ranger #Infantry #IBOLC #Army #Officer

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airbornebear · 10 years

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7 day leader forge starts tomorrow...see y'all on the flip side. Pray I do well. Last hurdle to do.

#personal #tumblr platoon #army #infantry #IBOLC

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mila-stardust · 1 year

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Imbolc & how to celebrate it

Imbolc comes from the Celtic celebration of spring and rebirth. Astrologically it is celebrated halfway between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox and falls when the Sun is at 15 degrees. It is one of the four Celtic Fire festivals. The name Imbolc comes from the old Irish Imbolg meaning "in the belly" – connected to lambing season. Other names for this holiday are Imbolg, Lá Fhéile Bríde (Irish), Bride, Brigid's Day, Brigit's Night, Oimelc (meaning: "Ewe's Milk"), February Eve, Candlemass, and Groundhog Day.

⌛Traditions

new growth

end of winter

ritual of purification

offering to deity

candle rituals

💨Incense

angelica

basil

bay

blackberry

chamomile

frankincense

jasmine

lavender

myrth

rosemary

🎨Colours

gold

grey

light green

pink

spring green

white yellow

🌿Herbs

angelica

bay

basil

blackberry

myrrh

How to celebrate

Honour the Sun

Celebrate the Sun’s return. Yule has come and gone and now the days are slowly getting longer and nights are getting brighter. Slowly and gradually it is going to get warmer. Life is starting to return. Watch the first sunrise or first sunset. You can honour this by lighting a candle or turning on the lights in your home for just a few minutes while you’re watching the sunrise/sunset or just after you experienced it. Open the windows at sunrise to allow solar energy to come into your life. This way you can really fill your home with all this positive and uplifting solar energy. You can also carry out a spell or ritual on either sunrise or sunset.

Feast

Eating dairy food is a great way to connect with nature and the beginning of spring. If you wish to connect to the solar aspects of the festival, you can eat hot or spicy food. Another great way to connect to traditional aspects of the year is eating root vegetables. Usually, at this time of the year people would almost use up all their stocks of food they’ve collected during the harvest and root vegetables are the ones that can be stored the longest.

Offerings

There are many offerings you can make to different spirits, deities and things. A great offering would be to Brigid (Irish goddess of healing, poetry and blacksmiths) by making music, reading poetry or simply lighting candles. An offering can also be made to Earth or Wildlife and nature. You can pour some milk into the earth or feed the animals during colder times.

Brigid's mantle

Brigid is often represented as wearing a green cloak or mantle. This is something that you can create yourself to bring in healing and protection for the year to come. You can use a full-sized cloak or simple fabric scraps, whichever is preferred and easier. The fabric needs to be placed outside in bulk on Ibolc to be infused with the energy. Ideally somewhere where it can be in the direct breeze to blow through them. That way these items will be infused with protective and healing energy and you can carry them on you at all times as the year goes on. You can use them time and time again. You can even use them in spells and rituals. You will use a new fabric every year.

Altar

An altar can be created to honour someone or something or simply to celebrate the Sabbath. Colours that would be ideal to use are white, red, orange, yellow, gold, green and pastels. You can create a correspondence with Brigid by creating Brigid’s doll or adding pictures, to Sun by adding solar items and candles, and with nature by adding spring flowers and sheep figurines or pictures. You can also add small besom to cleanse the energies.

Spring cleaning

Now is the perfect time to clean the space that you are in, both physically and energetically. Spring cleaning is a great way to do it and afterwards, you can give your house a good cleanse. Cleanse can be done with smoke, wind (by opening the windows and letting the breeze in), incense, sound, ocean salt or besom. A great way to clean is top to bottom and then towards the entrance of the home to really cleanse the space.

Activities

Early gardening is a great way to slowly take those first steps into nature. You can also do a first seed manifestation or plant divination (yes/no questions for the long-term). Go into nature and connect with it. Visit your local parks, garden, and woodland areas or if you want to be more adventurous visit the forest and really notice the changes in nature - blooming flowers, birds, and animals. Remember to breathe in that fresh air.

Visiting a well or local spring is a great way to give an offering to nature and Brigid. Thank them for protection during the winter.

Divination can also be done. From now until the next sabbath. It can be done by simply tarot or water and fire scrying.

Fire pits can also be created. You can do them with your coven or as a solitary activity in your home with protection. Fire is the best symbolism for energy so you can burn a candle and paper with manifestations and either return it to the earth or water.

Spells and rituals

Bonfire rituals

Water rituals

Cleansing

Whispering secrets and manifestations to the water

Cleanse with the element of air

On a windy hill

Saying dreams and goals to the gust of wind and letting it carry them out

Incense

Blow the remains in the wind

Return the remains to the earth

Blessings and healing rituals