Friday, December 16, 2011

Winter Solstice On the Horizon

Haiku My Heart
December 16, 2011


Haiku My Heart is the creation of my friend Rebecca who pens the recuerda mi corazon blog. Stop over there to see more haiku on Fridays and find out how to participate.


A cold Winter sun peeks through the clouds

Solstice Approaches
Light up the night with fire
Spend time with spirits
I know, it’s almost a week away, but I feel it and I’m getting ready. Next Thursday, December 22nd at 5:30 AM universal time is the Winter Solstice. In the hemisphere where I live, it is the day of the least amount of daylight. After that date, the daylight portion of time starts getting longer. It’s a harbinger of Spring.
I mentioned to my Grandson just yesterday that since he will not be required to attend school on Friday the 23rd, that we certainly can have a fire and tend it all night. We’ve done this before.
I would like to light a fire every full moon, or at least for every Solstice and Equinox. I don’t always get to it. But we did do the Winter Solstice fire a few years ago. We were living at the Cabinette on the Great Lake Superior. The fire pit was right out our front window. I banked the fire and we went inside to watch it as even though it gave off tremendous heat, the cold Winter wind off the lake drove through our bones and forced us into our shelter.
DJ fell asleep on the sofa. I did too. I woke up in the early dawn of light and stoked the still glowing embers back to life, and when DJ woke up, with a little nudging from me, he saw it was morning and that the fire had lasted all night.
We recognized the idea that nature rules the world. We understood how small and insignificant we are in the large scheme of things. We also shared pride that we were the only ones to pay tribute to the universe all night by lighting the way for spirit guides and helpers to find their way in those long hours of darkness.
Come, sit by the fire with us. I’ll feel fortunate to be able to attempt this at least one more time and I can think of no one that I would rather share this experience with than my friends that sent their thoughts and prayers in my direction recently.
Peace

20 comments:

Rosie said...

Dear Joe,
Wonderful haiku! I love the story... I think I shall light a fire at the next full moon and possibly even roast chestnuts in the embers. Yum!
It's so good to see you posting - hope you are feeling better too.
xoxoxo

Kim Mailhot said...

I know your Grandson will cherish the memory of celebrating the Light with you in that way for all of his life, Man.
I too am feeling the strong need to prepare for the Solstice and to celebrate Light; the one within us and well as the one Nature provides.
Sending you light, love and peace, my Friend.

rebecca said...

oh joe,
your sharing here has touched my heart dearly. the act of standing guard on the longest darkest night and ushering in the dawn for winter solstice and the return to light is profound. your invitation to share this profound ritual...brighter still.
thank you peace man for everything about you carries the light.

somepinkflowers said...

oh
thank you ever~so
for reminding me!

solstice must be celebrated
and
your story sharing
makes my day...

~~~you make me Long
for a wee one to
protect with Light~~~


{{ off now
to solstice party plan }}


Unknown said...

I can see this fire...burning through the night...making it's way to the light.

I would love to sit by the solstice fire with you and your family.
x..x

Noelle Clearwater said...

Dear Joe,
I am reminded by this lovely story of you and your grandson as "keepers of the blaze" that a year ago, when I was feeling a bit sad, you told me about the healing properties of fire and the reasons for lighting one on different occasions. You then sent me a picture of a pile of bonfire wood arranged for that purpose and said, "here you go, Noelle, light one up!" I have never forgotten that. It made such a difference in my life at that moment. Maybe you didn't know that. Now you do.
Peace, Love and Hugs,
Noelle

Priti Lisa said...

That picture looks like the eye of God. How lucky that DJ is...wonderful that you spend time with him doing something so cool and man-like as a fire...and so spiritual too.
♥♥♥

deb did it said...

love and light, xoxoxo Deb

carol l mckenna said...

Love your haiku ~ and Winter Solstice ~ What a meaningful and fun way to celebrate and honor the earth ~ enjoy the weekend ~ namaste, Carol ^_^

PS Your blog is coming through very well on Safari ^_^

Unknown said...

Spadoman, I so enjoy your posts!
Peace!
Shannon

Lenora said...

spend time with the spirits is very powerful - as the earth turns to dark so we seek our own light.

Grammy said...

Awe, I will b there virtually. Post a photo on face book.

gma said...

YES! We need to celebrate with a Solstice fire to light our way and honor the order in the universe.

A Bit of the Blarney said...

Beautiful post and words on which to reflect! This time of year has so much to offer us in terms of creation!! Thank you! Cathy

susan said...

That is a wonderful haiku. Thank you for building the fire, sharing it with your grandson, and guarding it the night through. I will keep you in my heart that longest night of the year and will pray you continue to light up our lives for a long time to come.
Peace ♡

Dawn Elliott said...

Joe,
I love your fire ritual; we usually have a fire for the solstice/equinox days, as well. This year, dear friends are getting married on the 21st!

As to your comment on my post...I also have some Guadalupe fabric...what a great idea for my Mary!

Dawn Elliott said...

Joe,
I love your fire ritual; we usually have a fire for the solstice/equinox days, as well. This year, dear friends are getting married on the 21st!

As to your comment on my post...I also have some Guadalupe fabric...what a great idea for my Mary!

foxysue said...

My love lights fires regularly on the land, nothing spiritual but he just loves a fire, he spends ages just gazing, then it could be spiritual at a sub-conscious level. I will ask him to light one next Thursday and will gaze with him and think about you, life and our connection to it all.

Love Ms Foxy x

*jean* said...

my thoughts are sent to lift you and keep you safe and warm in the hands of the spirits and their wings while you recover and look forward to more...hope you have a blessed holiday

Mel said...

Oh, we sooooooo need a fire ritual. I think we could even pull it off with the cauldron. *laughing* I'd no doubt look like a witch out there, but since I'm known for my love of Halloween, that's probably okay!

What a beautiful photo. And the words fit it well.

Yup--gonna check out the cauldron idea. With lack of snow, should be easy enough, eh?!