Winter Solstice       

Awakening the Magician Dec 21-23

According to Ted Andrews in his book Nature Speak, the Winter Solstice is a time to slow down outer activities, deeper medications, strong angel contact, intuition, healing, new birth, emotions and dream work.

He also writes that Archangel Gabriel – Giving Birth to Feminine Energies, Creative Energies is the primary angelic realm for the Winter Solstice.  Gabriel is known as the archangel of Love and Hope.  Gabriel assists in the purifying, elevating, and spiritualizing of humanity.  Gabriel is the guardian of the sacred waters of life – the seed and the egg in the male and female.

“Winter Solstice triggers a time in which the Inner Light is kindled in spite of outer darkness.  It is a time to give birth to and awaken the higher self.  Spiritual impulse is born anew within us, adding light and strengthening the love principle within our life.” Ted Andrews

As I consider what Ted wrote about Archangel Gabriel, I connect this wisdom to sacred geometry and ascension information. In sacred geometry the Vesica Piscis is the overlapping of two circles.  In the overlapped portion is the divine energy of Light. When the energy of Light is brought forth, is the balancing of male and female energies (Mer).

In sacred geometry the overlapping of circles creates the Fruit of Life, the Tree of Life and ultimately the Flower of Life also known as the Seed of Life.  The building blocks of all life are found within the Flower of Life known as Metatron’s Cube.  I find it fascinating that Archangel Gabriel is the guardian of the sacred waters as this Archangel is also known for being the announcer of divine messages.

Sowing of seeds for the coming year: These seeds are seeds of abundance, prosperity, love and illumination.

As I consider the link between Ted Andrews’s perspective and that of the Medicine Wheel, I begin to think about how it feels to be in that place of between.  Right now we are in that energy of what the Celtic Ancients called Betwixt and Between (where magic occurs).  When contemplating the Medicine Wheel, the Winter Solstice (and the Summer Solstice) ride the cross winds of the Wheel.  These cross winds are like a switch that brings change – a pause between a change in Nature.  When I think about this pause, it feels like the top or bottom of a full breath.  When at the top or bottom of the breath it is the time when we are either about to inhale or about to exhale — change.

Solstices are opportune times to bring completion of what has gone before and to fix intentions for what will come as we plant the seeds that seem to be dormant but are gathering strength to push through the soil in the Spring.  The Winter Solstice is the time to go within and sort out what intentions will be brought forth.

In Kenneth Meadows book, Earth Medicine, the wind is North North West (NNW) on the Medicine Wheel—Renewal Time.   The north winds encourage patience and inward growth, a renewal of the mind and body.  The north winds also assist to establish intent and purpose.  The north is the direction of the mind and things in the mind – knowledge and wisdom.

The Goose is the Birth and Animal Totem for the NNW December 22 through January 19.  Those born under the Goose Totem have imaginative minds, a great Dreamer.As we prepare to exhale that full breath on December 22, Winter Solstice, we are at the place to begin to dream about the coming year and what we would like to create.

May your Winter Solstice, Yule Tide, Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanza be loving and joyful.  Many Blessings, Neshi.

I just returned from a trip to Arizona.  My husband and I visited the south eastern part of Arizona.  We were at Fort Huachuca around the Sierra Vista area.  Our nephew graduated from his advanced Army training and we went there to see his graduation.  We took a few extra days to explore the area. 

On December 12, an important portal day, we spent out in nature in the Huachuca Mountains.  The Huachuca Mountains are a part of the Sierra mountain range and received its name from the Apache Nation.  Huachuca translates in English as “a place of thunder”.  The mountains are known as the “Thunder Mountains”.  This area is a place of transition from the Chihuauhua-Sonoran desert and the mountains.  This is also the mountain range that Chochise and Geronimo escaped to in order to evade capture.  We have to keep in mind that at one time this place we call Arizona state was actually a part of Mexico and the Native people of that time knew of no borders between the United States and Mexico.

We hiked up part of the way to Garden Canyon which is in the Huachuca Mountains on the Vanished Trail.  Vanished Trail is 6300 feet above sea level.  There are 3 prehistoric archeological sites on Fort Huachuca that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  According to the Fort’s information, the pictographs are dated 300 – 1540 A.D.  We decided to look for the pictographs at the Garden Canyon site.

I had to look up the definition of a petroglyph and a pictograph since I didn’t know the difference between the two words.  A pictograph is a picture or picture like symbol used in a system of writing.  A petroglyph is a drawing or carving on a rock made by a member of a prehistoric people. 

The Garden Canyon pictographs consist of 53 pictures that are painted on the roof and vertical face of the rock shelter. Some of the pictographs are painted in red and black and date to circa AD 1300.  Other pictures are in black and white and date back to circa 1700. The black and white pictures are considered to be Apache drawn.

Since there are some pictures that date to the 1700’s, I can see why the archeologists use the word pictograph instead of petroglyph.  Had the only pictures been dated to the 300-1540 A.D, then we could use the word petroglyph.

I had not done any research prior to our trip so I didn’t know about the pictographs.  We stopped by the Visitors Center on the Fort and we were given a map of the area.  The map had information about the archeological sites.  We decided to try to locate the pictographs.  We were not exactly prepared to do a mile and half hike up.  In fact, I had my Skecher slip tennis shoes on!  We did have water with us.  I have not hiked to this height before and I can say that the air is definitely thinner at 6300 feet.  As we made our way up the mountain we had to jump over small mountain streams of water that came from melted snow.   The vistas were magnificent as we looked across the canyon to other parts of the mountain range.  There was ponderosa pine, barkless trees, and loads of different kinds of cacti.  We came to bends in the trail and at each bend we stopped to decide if we were going to further or not.  While at each bend we took time to rest and breathe….deciding to see what was around the next bend.

We could hear the rushing of the mountain streams, the sound of small waterfalls, birds chirping and the wind blowing through the trees.  The sky was a clear bright blue.  I felt like I was at the top of the world.  At one point my husband pointed out a cactus growing in a tree.  The tree may have been dead or dying, I couldn’t tell.  Here is a picture of the cactus in the tree.

We finally made it up to the first set of pictographs – Garden Canyon Pictographs.  Before approaching the pictures, I gave tobacco to ask permission to pass and to give thanks to the Ancient Ones for leaving behind information for us.  I also gave thanks to the mountain, to the Stone People, to the water and to the trees.  We were allowed to proceed to the pictographs.  Fort Huachuca fenced off the site for its protection so I wasn’t able to touch the actual carvings.  I did sit on a rock outside the fence to connect with the Ancient Ones.  I was directed to Dance on Ancient Ground.  So, I did.  I danced next to the pictographs, honoring those Ancient Ones who left us a story and clues to their life and for ours.

As we headed down the mountain, I realized that it was 12/12.  We felt lighter and happier as we walked down the mountain.  I suggested that it may have been the negative ions from the trees and water.  But, I believe we can also include the blessing we received from the Arizona Ancient Ones.  Here are some pictures for you to enjoy. 

Many Blessings,  Neshi.

All Rights Reserved.   Copyright, Neshi Lokotz, Dec 2007.

A book review for Between the Beats.  I just finished up a book called Spirit Gardens - Rekindling Our Nature Connection, by Minnie Kansman.  I personally know the author and found a pleasant surprise – I didn’t know some items about her gardens.  Minnie takes you on a journey to her own gardens and how she connected with the Spirit of the land, and how she used feng shui to lay out her gardens.  Spirit Gardens is a book for those who are beginning gardeners and advanced gardeners who have a spiritual connection to the Earth. 

Minnie is an experienced feng shui practitioner who blended this skill with her formal education of floriculture and her life long love of gardening.  Spirit Gardens is filled with Minnie’s life experiences, feng shui information and tips, as well as ceremony and meditations. 

If you are looking for a great read, have an interest in garden feng shui and ceremony, contact Minnie at www.minniekansman.com to order your book.  In fact let her know that you found her through this blog post.  She will love the fact that there is another Interior Alignment connection.   You see, both Minnie and I are Interior Alignment practitioners and Master Educators — trained by Denise Linn.  In fact Denise wrote the Forword in Spirit Gardens.

It is my honor to suggest reading Spirit Gardens to you.  Many Blessings from Two Feathers.  Neshi

All Rights Reserved.  Neshi Lokotz, 2007.