It's 2:00 am Somewhere
Today is the Lunar New Year. The Year of the Wood Snake brings an interesting alchemical mix of transformation, intellectual depth, charm, and the need for flexibility.
A quick Google search returns many sites filled with detailed information about the coming year from the perspective of the Chinese Zodiac. Almost all have much more comprehensive information than I can provide, but I feel compelled to share my Daoist, Celtic, (novice Bard) Druid, perspective. I’m always looking for correlations within the connected web of the universe.
This is code for “I couldn’t think of anything to write about this week, so I looked at the calendar”.
In the northern hemisphere, February is the 2:00 am of the year. It’s still dark outside, but moving steadily, if not slowly, towards dawn. The optimism and hope of another day (and year) is the motivation needed to see us through the remaining few weeks of winter and early spring.
February 1st is the pagan sabbat of Imbolc and there is crossover with the Catholic church, who honors Saint Brigid on this day. February 2nd is Groundhog Day in the US. This relatively new folklore mirrors the story of the Cailleach, who determines if winter is over by her response to the weather on February 1st. If the day is clear and bright, she ventures out to gather firewood in preparation for another long nap. If the day is dismal, she remains inside to take a shorter nap, and winter will be over soon. We can see this connection with Candlemas lore as well:
“If Candlemas Day be fair and bright,
Winter will take another flight;
If Candlemas Day be foul and rain,
Winter is gone, and won’t come again.”
Each phase of the cycle serves a purpose. Most of the western world views January 1st as the start of the new year, but the natural world recognizes that the deep darkness of winter is not the time for new beginnings. Seeds sprouted in January won’t survive and this is why, in my unqualified opinion, neither do most ‘new year’ resolutions. The timing is off.
So, if you’ve fallen off your diet, failed at ‘dry January’, or already abandoned your fitness program, cut yourself some slack. It’s not you – it’s the corporations trying to sell you on their ‘new year – new you’ products and programs. The squirrels are still fat because they know winter isn’t quite over. It’s okay if you’re still a little fluffy, too. Nature knows the way and sends a few hardy volunteers to test the atmosphere. Don’t follow the crocus, they’re sacrificial and built to bloom in the snow (most of us were not). Texas folklorist Leon Hale taught me to wait for the Mesquite trees. They don’t bud until they are absolutely sure winter isn’t going to double back one more time.
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If you would like to know more about my ancestral connection work, my Daoist path, or my other offerings such as tarot readings and classes, spiritual guidance, and mindset mentoring, you can find more detailed information by using the drop-down menu on my website: https://tea-in-the-parlour.ghost.io/
You can also contact me via email at themysticsparlour@gmail.com and I’m @teaintheparlour on Bluesky.
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