Demeter's Journey begins

The Fog embraces my part of the Forest today! As I sat on the Balcony having my breakfast of french toast with butter and maple syrup along with slices of an orange and hot cocoa; I had a vision!

There sat Demeter, with her Cauldron bubbling away. The Steam from Her Cauldron slowly moves out onto the world that is now going cold. The leaves have fallen and are being stirred into her pot. The flowers no longer bring color to the Earth and the Pines are the only trees standing tall in their regalia; never to loose it despite their Sweet Goddess's departure to the Underworld.

Yes, Persephone has heard the cry of the Underworld and thus has begun her journey downward. As She walks past each Field the ground closes its eyes and goes to sleep. As She passes flowers they bow their beautiful heads and drop off in grief and loss. As She moves among the bears, they slowly but surely find their Caves and begin their long winters sleep. Snakes slither to the underground along with Her and birds fly to warmer parts of the Forest!

And Demeter does not know where She has gone! And so Demeter gazes into Her Cauldron as She would a Crystal Ball trying desperately to find the beauty and sunshine of her Daughter. But alas, the Sun also grieves the departure of Persephone and can not hold the Light for longer periods of time. Shorter and shorter the sunlight becomes which leaves Demeter less and less daylight to search for Her beloved Persephone!

Demeter's tears become the ice cycles that form in the dead of winter and the snow that falls from the sky! But She never stops Searching! It is a Dark time for Demeter. A time of Grief and Loss! A time of having to look under all the rocks and bushes and in dark caves. But the one Dark Cave which would lead her to Persephone is closed off and she passes it by day after day until......

Ah Winter! It beacons us to go inward. To drop our beautiful flowers, our green leaves and find the cave of ourSelves! It is the Time that we are called to Hibernate within ourSelves and face the Shadows and the Death that inhibit our full Blooming and Growth. It is the Time we are called to provide our own sources of Light so that Growth awaits the coming of Spring! Like the Fields it is the time to Lay Fallow and Heal; to Lay Fallow and Rest; to Lay Fallow and Prepare for when we Know it is time to come out into the Light and Warmth of the Spring.

What we forget is that Winter is not only a Physical Season, but a Personal Season. We may be called to do Winter Work in the Summertime or the Spring! If we listen to our Persephone Voice we will know when we must Delve into our WinterTime Journey. It is necessary! And it takes as long as it takes!

Yet we live in a society that does not know how to deal with Withdrawal Times! We don't know what to do when someone is in Grief and Loss (that may be a loved one or grieving of something we must put aside to continue on this Life Journey). And we certainly don't Honor those who aren't going around with a hug smile on their face day after day after day! We don't like when the Dark times come, literally or figuratively.

But they come! And as we know; Persephone Knows when it is time to leave the Underworld and come out into the Playground of Gaia's Garden! She knows because She Listens to Her inner Knowing!

May we be as Wise as Her!

Blessed be and blessed Wintertime!