One of the most magical times of year is fast approaching - the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. Celebrated all over the world, this is the moment when the rhythm of the earth changes and the heartbeat of Gaia, the mother Goddess takes on a new charge of energy. We are told that she is a goddess who, by all accounts, inhabits the planet, offering life and nourishment to all her children. In the ancient civilizations, she was revered as mother, nurturer and giver of life. And in Greek Mythology she represented the Earth, birthing all forms of landscape, plant and creature. Though her creation was majestic, her solitude was great. She longed for love and created the sky with whom she mated, igniting a creative force which birthed countless offspring: Time and the Fates, the Muses and the oceans, to name a few. She’s considered the primeval mother of whom all gods - and life itself - descended. As the mother figure she represents the Divine Feminine.
And in the Christian Faith it links us to the Birth of Christ; in the Muslim tradition Jesus was born in March or September but was not considered to be the son of God. The Hindus celebrate Pancha Ganapati, a five-day holiday beginning on December 21st to celebrate the elephant-headed lord of culture and new beginnings.
Buddhists recognise the similarities between their religion and Christianity and so celebrate by giving gifts and hanging decorations - a time of giving.
My belief is that there is a Supreme Being, who no matter by what name we choose to honour, is universal to all religions and as such conflict should not exist and would have no place between the different religions.
It often seems to me that in my early childhood, there was always snow at Christmas which meant going out was quite a palaver; layers and layers of clothes, including leggings, scarves, woolly hat and of course woolly gloves sometimes with special animals on them. So bundled up that it was hard to move as fast as one would wish!
To this day our Christmas is traditional and my sons love this, and so it is passed down from generation to generation with slight modifications and adjustments to a more modern world. Means of communication being one of them and through sadly my younger son and his family will be at their home in Thailand, we can still reach each other with Skype, Facetime etc. What joy!
With all the merriment and family happiness, this is also a time to remember that this is not the same for everyone, in fact it can be quite the reverse and can have the opposite effect of emphasising loneliness and hardship. People who are homeless and others suffering with family problems.
One year a friend and I resolved to spend Christmas helping in a soup kitchen in London - sadly it didn’t happen but I am very aware of the problems and desperation of homelessness as there was a time in my own life when I was also homeless -----
One of the joys of Christmas is singing carols and the little village in which I live has an annual carol service round a huge and ancient chestnut tree. People come from far and wide and we all sing lustily and wish each other seasonal greetings with mince pies and mulled wine to follow.
This has not been the best of years for everyone but I now have a feeling of great positivity as we enter the new decade of 2020. Just as the winter solstice brings a new and invigorating energy so I feel in my bones that 2020 will also bring this about.
I have had many enquiries about my tours and when they will be taking place. I always take two official tours, one at the end of July and one in early August. Sadly last year we didn’t have many circles that we were allowed to visit so instead I took a tour round the sacred sites around and in Avebury, an area where you feel you are walking in the footsteps of your ancient ancestors. The whole area is throbbing with energy and the sites are not placed randomly but strategically within this landscape linking them together in a wonderfully mysterious and unique way.
However, for the second tour the farmer very kindly opened his field and so we were able to enter the wonderful Clear Hill formation. We were all happy to make a small donation. The weaving around the edge was spectacular. It was a bakingly hot day but we were so astonished at the lay of the fallen crop and absorbing the energies that we spent some considerable time in the circle (hard to remember as I write this with my central heating turned on!).
The first of my Crop Circle tours will be on Tuesday 28th July, with an optional extra of the wonderful private entry evening visit to Stonehenge when we are allowed right up to the stones.
The second tour with the special, and much loved, optional extra of a flight over the circles and surrounding sacred sites, is on Thursday 6th August. For both tours, you will experience the wonder of the circles in a happy, friendly and relaxed way. However, if there are no circles we are permitted to enter we will go on a wonderful and exciting tour of the sacred sites and experience the different energies. I also take private tours.
Please don’t forget your last minute Christmas shopping. The calendars are on their way to being sold out - so please hurry if you would like one.
The reduced offer on my book comes to an end on the 17th December, so please don’t delay if you would like one.
Also my other items make wonderful and unique gifts. I wish you all a wonderful Happy and peaceful Christmas and an especially fulfilling and fruitful New Year 2020.
With my love and best wishes,
Lucy.