That Magical Tree {January 2017}

Birch – Beith Ogham letter B … Ruler of the 1st Lunar Month 24th December – 20th January Powers: Purification, A Guardian of New Beginnings, Bringer of Hope,

The Druid tree symbol for the Bards

– ‘The Goddess Tree’ – ‘The Lady of the Woods’, the Birch tree, Betula Pendula is the bringer of promise, light, and new beginnings.

An elegant native of British woods, of all Northern European countries and of North America, the birch is tall, up to sixty or so meters in height, with a slender pale trunk. It grows in clearings, preferring sunlight, but is not fussy about soil and is very hardy although not especially long-lived.
The birch is known as a ‘Pioneer Tree’ – meaning that it can restart the colonization of woodlands after long-term natural disasters.

Its soft green deciduous leaves have serrated edges and are held on thin branches which move and bow in the breeze. Its striking white, peeling bark gives it a faery-like beauty in all its seasons.

As the sap rises in early March, it’s possible to cut the bark, tap the trees and use the sweet liquid collected neat and cold as a water, or as the basis for a birch wine or beer. (Find out how to tap for birch sap in the bushcraft video below).

In early spring the small male flowers develop into long catkins (pictured right) and the female flowers grow into tiny cones (pictured left).

The rest of the article at the Source: That Magical Tree {January 2017}

Year of the Fire Rooster–January 28, 2017

2017annualtalk-2

All Chinese wisdom traditions, including medicine, divination, astrology, and feng shui, are systems of pattern identification that guide us in adapting gracefully to change. A world in flux is assumed; it is the one constant feature of life. Astrology is best viewed as a tool to discern where we are in the shifting cycles of time so we can adjust our expectations accordingly and therefore, from the Chinese point of view, cultivate longevity by not wasting our qi trying to swim against the current.

Last year’s current schooled us all in crisis management as the Fire Monkey’s erratic impulsiveness and dramatic flare produced an unprecedented bit of theater in American politics. (Yes, Monkeys love to play spin doctor in the political arena.) But as writer Isak Dinesen once said, “Anything in life can be born, as long as it can be seen as part of a story.” Fortunately, a new chapter of the story is about to begin with the arrival of the Fire Rooster on January 28, 2017. This chapter might be titled: “Application: how to walk your talk and follow through.”

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Year of the Fire Rooster–January 28, 2017 | JOURNEYS

The Importance of Keeping Balance

In life, especially during these modern times that are a constant go, it’s easy to lose your balance. But what do we really mean when we seek balance in reference to spirituality? Balance is often thought of as a midpoint between two opposing forces. Black and white, hate and love, faith and skepticism. But life is not broken into a straight line that simply. Most people assume that finding balance means never venturing too far into one side or the other; remaining in a true neutral. Others believe it means staying only “in the light” and eschewing everything considered “dark.” But we believe that neither one of these views is truly balanced.

True neutrality does not exist. It’s an impossibility, because it assumes that there is some kind of universal “center” that is true for every single person. But life is much messier than that. We all experience different things, and even when we experience the same things, we may draw different conclusions from them. So everyone’s idea of “neutral” is not the same. And trying to remain only in this imaginary center point deprives you of experience. In life we all experience highs and lows. That is part of what makes life amazing; the endless state of change. That should be embraced.

Read the article at the Source: The Importance of Keeping Balance