Imbolc

Noosphere Day Image -  digital - Tatiana Plakhova
(Click to enlarge.)

"By her many graces I call to Brigit who graces us this day;

Grace of eye and grace of hand,

Grace of word and grace of will,

Grace of caring, grace of birthing, grace in mourning,

Grace of carriage, grace of courage,

Comforter and mother,

Brigit of the Blessings I name the one

Who blesses us this day!"

- Brigit Invocation from A Solitary Imbolc Ritual, Rob Henderson and Kami Landy, 1999

"Even after the Roman Catholics banned all Pagan ways, She was so firmly and permanently beloved, She was absorbed into Christianity as a saint. But the Wheel turns and we once more give honor to the Sun Goddess Bride (pronounced “breed” or “breej”), Brigit, or Brig(h)id. She is the Fire Goddess of Healing, Poetry, and Art. You can see Her embodied in the bright stars of the constellation we call Orion.

For millennia at Her temple at Kildare, Her priestesses, and later, the nuns of Her order, tended an eternal flame in Her honor. Although it was extinguished during the Burning Times (the Inquisition), in 1993, Sister Mary Minehan boldly re-lit St. Brigid’s flame in Kildare. It was lit again in 1997, in the square at Kildare by Ragny Skaisten, a member of the Norwegian Brigidine Sisters, at the opening of Her feast day, Feile Bhride."

- from Blessings of Imbolc!, Beth Owl, 2010*

There's sort of "Land of Milk & Honey" vibe about the pagan holiday of Imbolc (pronounced EEM bolg), also known and/or confused with the Christian holiday of Candlemas. While the actual date of the holiday varies, you can begin to see it in the change of light that occurs around this time. While winter isn't exactly over, it's possible to react like our ancestors must've reacted, inwardly breathing a sigh of relief: finally, a flicker of of hope on a previously desolate horizon.

Personally, I'm not a practicing pagan in the official, ritualistic sense... as much as I'm an Ancient Futurist and/or a Space Pagan (not, as of yet, defined... or recognized as a tax-free institution). But, the most ancient holidays are my favorites, simply because they translate into a love of the earth, the cosmos, and the organic, cyclic nature of reality. It also helps that, at all times, pagans held a strong respect and reverence for the feminine aspect of life (and this drove the misogynist Christian patriarchy bat-shit...).

Noosphere Day Image -  digital - Tatiana Plakhova

Traditionally, Imbolc is a time for "cleaning house," and for getting things corporeally organized; but, for a Space Pagan, it's a day spent dreaming up markers for the next mad, mystical journey. If you must dust your mantelpiece, pay the latest bill, and light your pretty candles, fine - you're a more sensible witch than I -  but, leave room for contemplation of your next quantum leap over the patiphysical threshold. That's the main thing.

The digital images (above & below) seemed perfect for this post, created by my latest (and last) featured artist : Moscow-based, Tatiana Plakhova. Hers is the sort of imagery - and hers is the sort of prolific genius - that falls under the auspices of Visionary Art... and I promise to put some Visionary Art links up on the sidebar before I vacate this sinking ship of a blog.

When I look at the myriad examples of Visionary Art, the word "soul" comes to mind. Oh, I know, the S-word is not a popular one these days. In fact, one would be wise not to utter it.

Therefore, you know I will. Soul.

Light Beyond Sound - digital - Tatiana Plakhova

That being said, in regards to this blog, I will be keeping up the Imbolc tradition to some degree. As it happens, over the next few weeks I will be "cleaning house" -  deleting some posts, cleaning up the side-bar, etc. - before vacating the blogosphere altogether. In other words, until it becomes utterly necessary to create another, this is officially the last post on Trans-D. While it might seem abrupt, I've actually been considering abandoning this blog for some time, even toying with the idea of deleting it from the blogosphere in its entirety. Why is this? Well, let's just say that it's a creative drain, and continuously fails to justify the enormous expense of both time an effort. Time to move on.

I think the greatest gratification I've had here was the discovery - in the confines of my research - of other artists who, to some degree, are coming from a similar "place". What place that is, remains to be defined... and, it has finally occurred to me: I am unlikely to be the one who defines it. But, it was also nice to communicate with friends of mine - that is, those who happen to blog as well - and who took the time to provide a little feed-back.(Thanks, BG, TB, and KT!)

What next? Well, that's a good question. And when I have the answer, I'll put a notice on the blog.

Meanwhile, I'm disabling the comment section, but, correspondence can be sent to my email address at the bottom of the sidebar.

Till next time!

Peace out,
Dia

PS True to form, this being the day after this post was written, we on the east coast are currently trudging through 1/2 a foot of snow again...

* I was happy to discover that the Goddess Brigid was another of the rare Sun Goddesses.

Further information about Imbolc can be found here, here and here.

On a related note: Just discovered a charming video short, When the Song Dies, a study of Celtic soul from Scotland... its folklore and lost traditions. (Hat-tip to Rob Beschizza.)

Here's Tatiana Plakhova's Vimeo page, and another page featuring her work.

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A special Happy Birthday wish - belated as it may be - goes out to Herenya. Some images ("Biosphere") for you, sweets. But, here's something you might like even better! :-)