 Dear Friends,
In ancient times, the flowering of the snowdrop around 40 days after the winter solstice signalled the beginning of a very special period of time. For it was understood that, at this season of the year, the spiritual energies emanating from the heart of the solar system and the heart of our own planet Earth are especially helpful for releasing us to some extent from the grip of our ordinary ‘habitual mind’, so that the Divine, already present within our own being, can have much greater freedom of action.
That's why this time used to be celebrated by ordinary people with a festival, marked by a grand spring-cleaning, and offerings to the Divine, in her manifestation of virginal purity (in Celtic lands this was embodied by the Goddess Bridget, or Bride, and in later, Christian times by the Virgin Mary). Often, people also lit all the candles in the house, or blessed all the candles that would be used throughout the coming year, as a way of signifying that now, not only was the Light present, but also free to be seen by all. Another ancient custom was to put all the candles in the house away on that day, because from then on people would rely on the Sun for light.
Well, although the original meaning of these celebrations may have been forgotten or misunderstood in our modern world, the spiritual energies behind them have not stopped working at all! On the contrary, as many people are experiencing, they are working on us more intensively than ever. Far better and less painful, then, if we understand what’s happening and go with the flow, releasing the old patterns Life asks us to release, and giving the New, the Holy in us, the freedom of expression Life asks us to give.
With this in mind, we thought you might find it helpful to read the following quotation about the spiritual gifts brought to us by the snowdrop, taken from Marion Leigh's book, Findhorn Flower Essences:
Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis)
Keynotes: SURRENDER & IMMORTALITY
Snowdrop essence allows us to surrender to the final resolution of past events and attachments in life. In the death of the old we find the seed of our eternal inner light and behold new vistas.
Attributes: Inner radiance in times of darkness; resilience; inner strength; ability to yield; letting go as prelude to spiritual rebirth or initiation; acceptance of the processes of death leading to liberation; knowing of the Eternal Self; detachment; transcendence of the form side of life; optimism and hope for the future.
Indications: Personal darkness and suffering; negative or destructive attitudes; fear of death and dying; depression related to seasonal darkness (S.A.D. syndrome); dark night of the soul; grief. The essence of Snowdrop allows us to access deep inner stillness and to surrender to the processes whereby we can release the past. Then we can see the light at the end of the tunnel and move towards it and the all-pervading presence of God, celebrating the death of the old and rejoicing in the coming of the new.
Affirmation: I surrender and release that which has passed and rejoice in the coming of the new.
Having read this, perhaps you may now be able to feel something of the original power and inner intent of the following beautiful words, reported in the Gospel according to Luke. They are often quoted in churches at this time of the year, since this is the time – 40 days after the holy birth – when Jesus (the Light in us) was first taken out of the seclusion of his home (the heart) to be presented in the Temple of Jerusalem (the body). The old man Simeon (the part of us that seeks the Light), was present in the Temple, and these are the words he spoke when he first beheld the baby Jesus and took him in his arms:
“Lord, now lettest thou thy servant
depart in peace, according to thy word:
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation.”
Yes... when the Light has come, what need is there for candles?
With much love from all of us,
Geoff, Ann, Jackie, Derek, Martyn, Jackie M, Regina, Jon, Sam, Sandra, Pat, Karena, Louisa, Mary, Emma, Belinda, Penny and Tobi.
Text & photographs © Cygnus Books 21-May-2003
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