Storytelling...of Memorials and Letting Go

A Solstice Hangover...as the sweet Pixie talks about here...lingers around me.

I feel spent and empty, yet full and content.

Yesterday was a full day for me physically and emotionally.

I worked.

Midday I was off to celebrate Alice's Life and document it

via images for the family...

I won't go into detail...

other then to say

working while crying takes something out of you

but

I would do it again...

and

I will

To see the expression of Love

by those left behind...

the heart open up

exposing vulnerability

your own feeling of loss

your own feelings of immortality

your own feelings of fragility

Beautiful Pain...

*

From there it was back to work in the studio

and then preparations for the evening ahead...

Lanterns were lit

Candles frame the way

The fire burns

(thanks to my contributing husband)

and the time draws near.

The time to open the widow

to that which darkens our doors

and to that which will bring it light...

The sisters where lit and waiting

Waiting to hold the flame for those who would come.

A beautiful anticipation was around me

the energy of women

many women

coming together...

If ever the world sees a time when women 

shall come together

purely and simply

for the benefit of mankind

it will be a power

as the world

has never known

Matthew Arnold, 19th Century Philosopher

The women came

they gathered

they poured out

We wrote down what we anted to release,

but we also wrote down what we wanted to replace

those shadows with

My personal belief is that when we rid ourselves

of something shadow

we need to replace it with something Light

if the shadow space is left empty

that shadow will not only come back

it will bring friends...

because the place is familiar

and easy

thus the burden becomes even heavier

So we wrote what we wanted to leave behind on one card

and then wrote what we wanted to bring in on another card.

Then we were off to 

the fire

the cold of the night

the baptism of the darkest day

back into the Light.

for some of us 

this was the first time meeting

for some of us 

it was the first time burning

whatever the story

it did not matter

they came

exposing their hearts

opening their truths

bearing their souls

a beautiful gathering

hands held

prayers raised

voices sang

and we released

into the fire

then in loud voices

we called to us that which we long to replace

in our lives

that which we want to awaken

and bring back

together we surrendered

to Love...

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. ¹ You have searched me, God,

   and you know me. ² You know when I sit and when I rise;

   you perceive my thoughts from afar. ³ You discern my going out and my lying down;

   you are familiar with all my ways. ⁴ Before a word is on my tongue

   you, God, know it completely. ⁵ You hem me in behind and before,

   and you lay your hand upon me. ⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

   too lofty for me to attain.

 ⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?

   Where can I flee from your presence? ⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

   if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. ⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

   if I settle on the far side of the sea, ¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,

   your right hand will hold me fast. ¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me

   and the light become night around me,” ¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you;

   the night will shine like the day,

   for darkness is as light to you.

 ¹³ For you created my inmost being;

   you knit me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

   your works are wonderful,

   I know that full well. ¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you

   when I was made in the secret place,

   when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. ¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;

   all the days ordained for me were written in your book

   before one of them came to be. ¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts, God!

   How vast is the sum of them! ¹⁸ Were I to count them,

   they would outnumber the grains of sand—

   when I awake, I am still with you.

Blessings to all who let go

and to those who have yet to do so

Thank you to Pixie Campbell 

for keeping the Flame.

I sink into my contentment

as reflections of dreams and spiritual encounters

come forth from those who attended

blessings

blessings

blessings

you Brave, Courageous souls

blessings

Love and Light