Candlemas!
Candlemas is claimed to be a celebration of remembrance, the place candles are lit to honor and keep in mind Jesus being formally launched on the temple of Jerusalem. (40 days after his beginning on Christmas, December 25th).
In some Catholic Church buildings there’s an added layer of that means the place it’s mentioned to have fun the ritual purification of the Virgin Mary, which might have additionally taken place 40 days after giving beginning to Christ.
Early on, Candlemas was celebrated with an excellent feast… The Feast of Candlemas.
In additional trendy occasions, Candlemas has turn out to be a time when church buildings will bless all the candles for the approaching 12 months.
Right here’s one thing that sparked an curiosity for me.
A Celebration with Candlelight!
Candles are in and of themselves so symbolic.
A lit candle has its personal religious vitality and presence, however a lit candle additionally has the facility to assist you in calling forth better religious presence in your life.
So, as a contemporary twist on Candlemas…
You might need to gentle a candle to gentle a candle, to evoke your individual divine presence and to welcome greater divine presence and spirit into your life.
Easy Candle Meditation
A timeless, and easy, but nonetheless highly effective candle meditation is to gentle a candle.
Then set the candle in entrance of you, and gaze into the candle’s flame.
As you gaze into the flame… Replicate on the qualities of Spirit current within the flame, and inherently current in All.
The identical presence of Spirit you tune into within the candles flame can also be current in you, and with consciousness now you can carry it to the floor increasingly in your individual life.
A Highly effective Time of Purification
The reference to Candlemas being the time when Mom Mary underwent a Purification ritual can also be fairly symbolic.
In my article about Imbolc, which is the Pagan Hearth Pageant that marks the hidden entrance to Spring on February 1st…
I speak in regards to the highly effective energies of Purification which might be accessible proper round this time.
It’s an excellent time for purification each inside on the stage of your ideas and feelings…
However its additionally the right time for a bit of Spring cleansing of your house round.
Connection With Groundhog Day
Lastly…
Candlemas has a connection to the trendy remark of Groundhog day which additionally takes place on February 2nd. The connection is that farmers noticed the climate on Candlemas and used it as a reference level to find out what the climate can be like within the days to comply with.
If the Solar was shiny overhead… It meant extra clear chilly climate to come back. Nevertheless, if it was cloudy it meant hotter climate to come back.
There’s an outdated English track I discovered referenced on Catholic Solutions that goes like this:
“If Candlemas be truthful and shiny, / Come, Winter, have one other flight. / If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, / Go, Winter, and are available not once more.”
With a lot love,