yesterday was Candlemas.. on the Catholic calendar.it was also Imbolc in the Northern Hemisphere and Lammas here in the southern hemisphere.... and apparently St.Brigids day as well...
I never know if I am coming or going with the seasons... part of me wants so desperately to follow our own seasons down here. but I am constantly polars apart from the catholic church calendar if I do that, because, you see, another part of me screeches out for the catholic tradition that I so love (and THAT will be another story) and yet another screams Celtic celebrations according to the traditional wheel of the year. no wonder I am confused.
so yesterday i followed the yearnings of my soul. I celebrated Candlemas.. a lovely little candle-lit night... surrounded by pouring rain and wind. which also for some reason soothes my soul. makes it feel safe & cocooned.
Sophie came home last night to stay and as she was making up her bed and putting clothes away, she asked me innocently if I had any candles for her to burn.. just because she felt like it.. something in her soul was telling her to light some candles..she had no idea it was Candlemas.does it really matter what we celebrate as long as our souls are at perfect peace and harmony ?
I love candles. I once had a 'discussion' with a nun about candles in the church.. years ago they stopped using candles at Midnight Mass and Easter Vigil (instead they used torches??).. and I didn't quite get the whole reason.. she said that wax dropped on the carpet and was hard to clean.. I said if it is good enough for the Pope, then it was good enough for me.. she asked me if i thought that the whole reason for Mass was a candle and I said that I did not care less - I wanted candles.. they just spoke to my soul.. she didn't get me at all..
I yearn for a box of candles tied up with a piece of blue, vintage ribbon.
9 comments:
I hear you on the being confused with the seasons, specially since the world is so global nowadays, we are in touch with other people living in other lands with different realities.
I think your confusion is fine as I think it's more important to take notice of your souls needs then a calender.
XX
BTW love the Edith Wharton quote.
Sounds like you were more in tune with spirituality than that nun! Candles lit in a darkened space transport us to a more spiritual place, that's for sure. I love being around those tiered banks of flickering votives in Catholic churches, especially if they honour the Virgin Mary.
Yesterday my soul felt like Candlemas too... I love lighting candles. Especially after my day at work...the students all celebrated Groundhogs day! I thought of you as I often do when lighting candles.
Beautiful post....again! Candles have such a warmth and a way of soothing me and making me feel content. I love the last line in your post: "I yearn for a box of candles tied up with a piece of blue, vintage ribbon." That just creates such a picture in my mind.
I wish you weren't half a world away; I think we could have some enlightening conversations over tea. Anyway, I hear and feel your confusion. We read a story about St. Brigid, and then celebrated Groundhog Day.
And candles. I have candles in every room. I wash my dishes with a candle burning. I'm the same way with fire. It warms my soul
Candles are very important to me too. As a child I think the candles and the singing were the most important things when I went to church. I still use candles every day - in the bath, at the table, and when I meditate and do yoga.
Yesterday I visited the Leeper-Rattner Museum of Art where they had, among other exhibits, seven icon paintings by iconographer Sister Eliseea Papacioc, entitled Prayers in Paint. It was awesome. I tried to find a website for her paintings so you could see too, but I guess there is not one. She paints very detailed icons on wood with egg tempera, adds gems and golden scrolls as was done in the old days, and seals it. You would have loved them, I know. xoxoxo
All that burning of candles is a symbol, a very powerful symbol that says you are the Light and you carry the Light and you nurture and hold the light so important for life in our world!You, we all, long to be the living light we all need.
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