Huldre prepare for Spring
What do the Huldre do after the rice pudding is gone and the cider is starting to go "hoopy hoppy" as my great grandmother would say?
Imbolc is the old Celtic name for the February 2nd holiday we sometimes call Groundhog's Day. It is the begining of Spring (where Winter Solstice is midwinter and Equinox is midspring) This is the time when we take the seeds out of the tins and dark cool cupboards to see how they survived the winter. What is viable and what is spoiled?
We take the best seeds saved from last fall's harvest and we bless them. Some of them we need to start soon such as tomatos and peppers. Some of them we keep an eye on so they don't mold as days grow lighter and warmer because they need to be sewn directly, such as corn, peas and beans. The Huldre were the folk that taught the early Nordic people the best practices for agriculture and animal husbandry. As children of the goddess Freya, Queen of the Vanir, the Huldre will celebrate the life that stirs slowly and deeply in their underground homes.
The legend of groundhog must have come from the early people of the hill. If we see our shadow, we may get frightened and stay in our homes beneath the earth for another 6 weeks (until Spring Equinox). Why would our shadow frighten us?
Winter is a time for shadow, deep reflection, hibernation, and the dream time. If we have not integrated our shadow self enough during this time, we need to do it some more. Only through integrating our shadow side do we become whole psychologically. We need to understand the darkness of humanity, the difficult side of things, the choices we have to do great good and great evil. If we do not understand this, we are not able to use our free will to choose the great goodness we are capable of. Huldre understand this.
So, at this cross quarter point between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox, the Huldre are busy sorting their seeds, using the cider-gone-vinegar to cleanse and purge their systems, restoring balance to their bodies and to the Earth Mother from whom we all are born. They are starting to prepare the goats and cows for the trek up the mountain to the Summer pastures. They are finishing their spinning and mending using up the last of the previous year's wool and flax. They are finishing their songs and poems to be sung as the Spring draws near. As the last of winter's candles burn bright they prepare for change.
Ah...the Huldre are a busy lot!
More on Huldre
More on Seasonal Holidays
Imbolc is the old Celtic name for the February 2nd holiday we sometimes call Groundhog's Day. It is the begining of Spring (where Winter Solstice is midwinter and Equinox is midspring) This is the time when we take the seeds out of the tins and dark cool cupboards to see how they survived the winter. What is viable and what is spoiled?
We take the best seeds saved from last fall's harvest and we bless them. Some of them we need to start soon such as tomatos and peppers. Some of them we keep an eye on so they don't mold as days grow lighter and warmer because they need to be sewn directly, such as corn, peas and beans. The Huldre were the folk that taught the early Nordic people the best practices for agriculture and animal husbandry. As children of the goddess Freya, Queen of the Vanir, the Huldre will celebrate the life that stirs slowly and deeply in their underground homes.
The legend of groundhog must have come from the early people of the hill. If we see our shadow, we may get frightened and stay in our homes beneath the earth for another 6 weeks (until Spring Equinox). Why would our shadow frighten us?
Winter is a time for shadow, deep reflection, hibernation, and the dream time. If we have not integrated our shadow self enough during this time, we need to do it some more. Only through integrating our shadow side do we become whole psychologically. We need to understand the darkness of humanity, the difficult side of things, the choices we have to do great good and great evil. If we do not understand this, we are not able to use our free will to choose the great goodness we are capable of. Huldre understand this.
So, at this cross quarter point between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox, the Huldre are busy sorting their seeds, using the cider-gone-vinegar to cleanse and purge their systems, restoring balance to their bodies and to the Earth Mother from whom we all are born. They are starting to prepare the goats and cows for the trek up the mountain to the Summer pastures. They are finishing their spinning and mending using up the last of the previous year's wool and flax. They are finishing their songs and poems to be sung as the Spring draws near. As the last of winter's candles burn bright they prepare for change.
Ah...the Huldre are a busy lot!
More on Huldre
More on Seasonal Holidays
posted by Kari Tauring Blog | 12:38 PM
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