Groundhog Day, Candlemas 2021

February 2nd in modern secular times we have the mash-up of Candlemas/Imbolc and Groundhog day. I know that the last year feels like the same day on re-re-re-re-peat.

What is Candlemas?  

Originally an ancient pagan holiday.  At the beginning of February, in honoring of the myth of spring, wherein Pluto stole Proserpine/Persephone, and her mother Ceres/ Demeter sought her in the night with lighted candles. The custom was to walk around the city with lighted candles in honor of the Goddess. Because the Christians could not destroy these ancient customs, they called it Candlemas  and made it in honor of the Blessed Virgin.

February also takes its name from Februa meaning “religious purification”, and means “the month of purification”, or “the cleansing month”.

Candlemas is celebrated as the 40th day of Jesus’s birth where he was presented in the Temple in Jerusalem for blessing by the Rabbi.. Mothers stayed in their homes with newborns until  the 20th day. Simeon then prophesied to Mary: “Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against. Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” it is recorded in the Gospels.

In modern archetypes, Groundhog Day has become an icon for the literal theme of the movie about “seeing your shadow” which the groundhog may or may not do on Feb 2.  The Movie, starring Bill Murray from  1993 directed and written by Harold Ramis. has the protagonist in a karmic time loop. He woke up every day experiencing the same things over and over and he cannot die.

The message is: WHAT KARMIC LESSONS are you still stuck on and repeating over and over, like Phil Connors in the film? 

Think about this during Mercury’s Retrograde in Aquarius,the sign of liberation. 

Make this your Groundhog day mantra.

Where am I stuck in my life?  What am I resisting? 

Why do I keep repeating the same old same old lessons?

PLEASE SHARE WIDELY. Click to view on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZh6r_qTzNQ

all writing is copyright of Tara Greene 

Get a karmic reading with Tara- or past life regression http://www.taratarot.com

all writing is copyright of Tara Greene 

Get a karmic reading with Tara- or past life regression http://www.taratarot.com

Happy Lammas, Wiccan holiday, you Look marvellous dahling

August 1 is known as LAMMAS in the wiccan/pagan calendar of the 8 rounds of the wheel of the year

Lammas is aChristianized version meaning “loaf Mass.”

Lughnasad is its other name. We are half way to the AUTUMN Equinox now.

This feastival honors the Grain gods. IT’s a very very ancient festival. From the races before the Celts.

At this time of year, The Bees are Buzzing, or should be. Where have all the bees gone? Monsanto?

It is traditionally celebrated as the wake of the Sun KING, who is dying now in the waning of his own Light.

British witches celebrate it on August 6 this is a cross quarter station in the round of the year.  It occurs in relationship to Leo the Lion, the Royal watcher related to Archangel Raphael and the heart chakra and the deep emerald-green colour.

It was a time for communal festivities, crafts, jams, plays, dances, what we think of as a Renaissance fair.

A highlight of these festivals was a wheel set afire and rolled down a hill called  “Catherine wheels. ” Based on a mythological figure, her worshippers were the CATHARS or Cathari= heretics who were routed out by the Catholic Church. The word catharsis comes from the same Latin root.

BONFIRES are always part of this festival perhaps to give the Sun more light.

Celebrations include making cookie people figures and star cookies are baked in celebration.  It is time of anxious waiting, we are not yet assured of a harvest which will keep the people alive. It is  a time to free oneself from FEAR.  A snake dance is created going counter clock wise, bread figures are thrown into the bonfire to symbolize the burning up of one’s fears. Then one says what one hopes to harvest.

Symbols of STARS are held up. The High Priestess would say,

“MAY THE STAR OF HOPE BE WITHIN US ALWAYS.”

The coveners would eat the star cookies and celebrate.

LIke the Tarot image of THE STAR-#17

always a message of Hope- when you wish upon a star.

Think about how your seeded ideas and goals have manifested since Spring EQUINOX. Measure what has grown high, what has blossomed, what hasn’t. Take stock of your life on all levels, as a measure. You are now in the home stretch of greatest growth. Use the time wisely.

Enjoy your Lammas celebrations.  I will be having a small ceremony with my family. We send blessings to you and yours.

And for fun I couldn’t help thinking about another Lamas

Billy Crystal- impersonating Fernando Lamas- “YOU look mahvellous dahling.” from Saturday Night Live  in the 80’s.

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Marvellous- Billy Crystal as Fernando Lamas 

Not to mention S’wonderful, S’marvelous by

THE CATHERINE WHEEL by DAvid Byrne Choreography by Twyla Tharpe 1983