The Disting

From January 31st to February 2nd is the tide of the Disting. Honoring our feminine ancestors and Goddesses at this time. In the fall, exactly across the wheel, from the eve of August to the August 2nd, we honor the male ancestors and Gods.

Some know this as Imbolc, which means "in milk" and some call it Bridgit's day or Brighid's day. Others know it as Candlemas and celebrate is as the growing of the light. In the fall, at Frey Fest or Loaf Mas or Lammas, some honor the God, Dagha who is known as the Good God, whose cauldron of plenty assures prosperity. Others honor Frey at that time and honor Freya now

It is a way to pay attention, this wheel of the year, a way to tune in to the energy of earth and to the seasons.
Imbolc, Beltane, Lammas, and Samhain are the cross-quarter days. The other four we celebrate are the the Solstices and the Equinoxes.

Our calendar begins at Summer's End. The most used name for this is Samhain. I often call it Hallow's eve. The secular celebration of this is October 31st, but the astrological timing sets the date nearer November 5th to the 7th -- at 15 degrees Scorpio. Beltane is celebrated on the eve of May and May 1st, but again, the astrological timing is closer May 5th. Imbolc and Lammas have their astrological timing, as well, at 15 degrees Aquarius (Imbolc) and 15 degrees Leo (Lammas).

It is eaier to think of these as tides rather than times. The Disting, the chaming of the plow, the attention to the growing of the light, the anticipation of the coming of the green of spring, blessing the seeds and thinking of all things newborn and how nature provides the perfect food for the infants. It is easy to see why mother's are honored at this time.

Many craft a Bridhid's cross from wheat grown the year before. The life-cycle of one of our cherished foods, grain, is thought of at this time and at Lammas. At Lammas, we bake bread from the first harvest of grain and have our first thanksgiving. It is all cycles of blessings and honorings.

In honoring our feminine ancestors, we don't forget the Mama of us all, earth. We do simple things, practical things as well as focus our attention and our thanks. This year, I take a note from friend Jj and sew bags of cloth to use for shopping and vow not to allow plastic bags in my house. I take a note from granddaughter, Mari, and keep the lights off in the daytime. We stop to clean up litter by a country road. Little things -- practical honorings.

And as always, I return what I'm given. Saga as my sun's Goddess gives me words and I return this mead to honor the Disir, to honor my Grandmothers.

Mothers, raise the light and let it grow,
Bring it like a fire's warmth to bestow
Life renewed again

Grandmothers, we find your gifts
In our dreams, our memories shift
To find what you've given

Wise ways in cloth and thread,
In milk and bread,
In stories of wine and grain

Threads spun from Goddess ways
Through your hands on the wheel
To reveal the hidden

Mothers, Grandmothers,
You followed paths softly shown
Through meadows overgrown
Through memories dim,
You reached beyond the known
And sang songs forbidden,

Before a distant God took power
You kept the hours with Ones
Who tended poetry and light,
Who spun the wheel and wove the threads,
Into blankets soft as night

You told the stories
To children at the edge of dreams,
Though ancient fires had burned to embers
You remembered
In the work of your hands,

Leaving traces left to you,
Your hands wove secrets
You scarcely knew to hold
We follow through ways so ancient
They predate the stories told,
Recorded in the land,

We raise the light and let it grow,
Bring it like a fire's warmth to bestow,
Life renewed again.