The Nudge - Dispatch 1

 

Welcome to our The Nudge | Winter Solstice.
This seasonal care package has been prepared by The Trailblazery team.

“Winter Solstice is the death or passing away of the old pattern of the year, old habits, old structures…. and the coming of the new patterns and new possibilities. If you relive the myth at this time you tend to forget your profane condition - the habituations and narrowing of everyday life- and enter for a while into a much larger universe , a larger and truer ecology of being.”
 

Jean Heuston
The Search for the Beloved, Journeys in Mythology and Sacred Psychology

Dear Friends,

We are so delighted to be preparing our brand new care package The Nudge, for you as we approach the Winter Solstice portal here on December 21, the longest night of the year. 

You will receive this newsletter in your inbox every 6 weeks as our dispatches will correspond with the Medicine Wheel celebrated by the ancients and orients around the spirals, cycles, seasons and wild wisdom of the land. The Nudge is a collection of experiences, insights and intel with recommended resources and rabbit holes for you to explore. We want to share what we are learning, unlearning and relearning as we go. We think you’ll like it.

Here in Ireland, for the past 5,200 years, the rising Winter sun shines his rays of dawn sunlight slowly, silently, magically up the narrow stone passageway and in to the dark black womb-shaped chamber of Newgrange, Brú na Bóinne, in Co. Meath. Reaching the central chamber within and fully illuminating the ancient stones, highlighting those adorned with the timeless language of symbology. Lasting 17 minutes this occurrence takes place every year.

Perfectly aligned. Cosmically created. Powerful.

The ancients had a life-affirming, mystical way of viewing and living life, in tune with the forces of Earth and Cosmos. We can weave this ancestral inheritance into our lives today. The moment of solstice can provide us with possibility for change and transformation if we chose to follow the cues and clues.

As the days shorten, the nights get longer, the earth draws its energy deep within, death and darkness surround us. We are deep within the ‘giamos’ period. Here the mode of being that is required is rest, passive attentiveness to the unconscious influences of the otherworld, together with an openness to growth that is slow and unforced. This is the dream time, where the seeds of life, new ideas and new projects are nurtured. When the winter solstice has passed, the journey back out from the depth of darkness and winter slowly begins...

Image: Anthony Murphy, Mythical Ireland

Watching the illumination of the chamber at Newgrange live.

The Office of Public Works’ annual Winter Solstice gathering at the Neolithic Passage Tomb of Newgrange on 21 December was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions. Instead, the hugely significant Solstice Sunrise event was live-streamed from within the Chamber, on December 20, 21 and 22, so that everyone could experience this wonderful phenomenon from any location around the world. The link for 2021’s Winter Solstice will be live, on their Youtube channel page closer to the day.

The Winter Solstice is a potent time to welcome the new light and life born out of the womb of winter. Last year we hosted a live online gathering and over 1,000 of you joined us from all four corners of the world. We invited wisdom keepers from around the world to join us by the fireside and share a gift in the form of a story, song, poem and other dreamtime medicine with us.

This special event was a collaboration with our friends at Rising Appalachia{American folk music group led by multi-instrumentalist sisters Leah Song and Chloe Smith who forge connections with activists and ancestors, one community at a time} with a host of guests who are part of our global family at The Trailblazery. You can watch some of the highlights below.

Some Journal Prompts to inspire you, as we approach the Winter Solstice: 

❄️ What did you let go of or start to loosen the grip of at Samhain? 
 

❄️ How has that act of letting go been for you over the last while?
 

❄️ How easy or how challenging was it for you to practice stopping, surrendering, hibernating, resting more and embracing the darkness?
 

❄️ What has been your most valuable insight/ take away from the Samhain season?
 

❄️ What is your relationship to the darkness? 
 

❄️ Look back on your life  - have you experienced crucible moments? - times when you were transformed from feeling hopeless, joyless, alone, disempowered and uncertain into hope, certainty, ease , clarity and joy?

What’s coming up over the next 

6 weeks at The Trailblazery

As the Great Wheel turns we are invited to pause and remember what we have travelled through together. We are excited to let you know what the future holds for our community here at The Trailblazery.

Scoil Scairte

An immersive journey into the heart and soul of the Irish language. Created by The Trailblazery in collaboration with Manchán Magan (writer, journalist, documentary-maker) and supported by Foras na Gaeilge, Scoil Scairte is the Irish School you always dreamed of guided by a host of inspiring bilingual multidisciplinary artists, activists, creatives, educators, culture makers and indigenous language keepers.We will be making announcements about 2022 very soon. If you are curious please register your interest here 

The Sunday Service

Our self care series for women is now over. We are delighted that we managed to raise over €10,000 for our chosen charity Women for Afghan Women (WAW). With your help, we would love to continue to nudge this figure skywards so we have decided to make all six of the one hour recordings available to watch as many times as you like until January. You can donate here and in return receive access to the entire bundle.

Seasonal Vouchers

Need a Christmas gift idea? Why not buy someone a gift Certificate for The Trailblazery? You can choose the amount and the certificate can be redeemed in 2022 in exchange for any of our events or courses. Visit our website here for more info

Moon Medicine

We launched our much loved Moon Medicine Circle in 2018 and have gathered a global community of inspirational women along the way.

Our monthly gatherings, which moved online in 2020, align with the lunar cycle. We meet around every Full Moon and welcome inspiring guest luminaries to share her story, experience and wisdom with us. We also invite extraordinary musicians and performers to play at our gatherings. This is an opportunity to illuminate and celebrate our creative life force and sovereignty.

You can sign up to our Moon Medicine mailing list here to be informed of all upcoming events. Our first one of 2022 will take place on Monday Jan 17 at 7pm Irish. Cost is €25 and we offer a limited number of free spots each month.

Winter Solstice is a time of year to mark friendship, community and connection. This is a time to be with people you love. Remember we are ‘fite fuaite’ - interwoven and kindred

EnJOY these days - may the fading light be yours.

Thank you for walking this path with us,

Beannachtaí,

Kathy and all at The Trailblazery

 

Highlights of our gatherings

Put on the kettle, make a cuppa and watch some golden moments from the musicians and performers who have joined us here at The Trailblazery.

Recommended Resources

Here are a few reading, watching and listening pieces to nourish your senses in the days ahead:

♪ Listen: For your ears

 
 

The Trailblazery Winter Playlist on Spotify | compiled by our social media guru Robyn 'Roo Elizabeth' Kavanagh (@_rooelizabeth)

On Being Podcast with Katherine May on ‘How Wintering Replenishes’
 

✦ Smell: For your Nose

 
 

Our favourite Oil Allies
Diffuse Frankincense Essential Oil ( The King of Oils) with Clove and Orange for a lovely, seasonal aroma! Read about the health benefits of frankincense here.

✯ Watch:For your eyes

 
 
 
 

Home Body by Rupi Kaur

The Desire Map,  by Danielle La Porte 

Belonging by Toko-pa Turner

All about Love by bell hooks

A Lick and a Promise by Imelda May

Being you, a Journal by Elena Brower

Ireland's Hidden Medicine by  Dr. Rosari Kingston


✬ Connect: For your Soul

 
 

Our friends at Attune to the Moon are hosting a beautiful Winter Solstice gathering online. Treat yourself.

Plants of the Winter Solstice 

Many trees and plants were traditionally important to the celebration of the Winter Solstice

Evergreens were a symbol of immortality, since they were the only trees to stay green when all the others lost their leaves.

Mistletoe stood for peace and happiness. 

Holly was used for protection and good luck.

Ivy symbolized marriage, faithfulness, and healing and was made into wreaths and garlands to decorate during the winter.
 

❤ Touch: For your pleasure

 
 

The Tweed Project - The Tweed Project create handmade, one-off pieces that combine beautiful Irish fabrics with modern tailoring for a truly authentic expression of Irish design. The collection is made entirely of Irish fabrics, in Ireland for the world.

 
Kat Scott