Money was tight and December was rushed this year, which paradoxically meant that Solstice was very nice -- just family, quiet, darkness and fire. We are in our back-woods house with no internet or TV. I made a big fire in my newly rebuilt firepit. It is great to be able to have a real, big fire, burning actual logs instead of bits of branches!
The blazing fire of peachwood from our old house and aged oak from our new house was beautiful on the cold night, and drew out Athena and the kids to sit around and talk, and roast marshmallows. Too much mist and scattered clouds for stargazing, but a gorgeous almost-full moon sporting a huge ring - at least 35 degrees wide, fat and silvery, lasting most of the evening.
Athena sat with me a while, then Aurora came out and talked with me and we shared stories about shamanic journeys. We played some with the bells and drums, Cercatore and Aurora made smores, and we all sat out for a long time talking and enjoying the fire.
Later, after the others went in, I sat by the fire and beat a steady rhythm with the bells Athena had bought, and drifted into non-ordinary reality. As I listened to the bells jingle, I started to hear other bells, like harness bells approaching and jingling across the fire. I could very clearly hear them come close and settle near the fire. The visitors felt like travelling Sidhe, riding some kind of antlered steeds, attracted by my fire. I welcomed them to share the fire, and put out some of my snacks and offered them freely to share. I offered, as my part of the nights tale-telling, for them to watch the spirit journey I was about to undertake.
I took a journey to find a spirit animal to help me in the coming year. The seaside was dark and cold, but the sea looked like clear glass and reflected the flames of my fire; as I walked into the woods I could still feel the warmth of the fire. As I passed the ring of trees and entered the meadow, I could see the sun and moon above bathing everything in light of mingled silver and gold. Oak and I embraced, and I thanked him for his support and strength. Spider met me and I thanked her for her gifts and aid in the past year, and I greeted and thanked Barn Swallow. Then I walked on to the crystalline, tumbling stream and sat beside it, looking across to the edge of the woods beyond, and waited for someone/something to emerge.
After a bit, I could feel something hesitating just beyond sight, unsure if it should appear - apparently because it was not sure I would believe it it. To try and lure it out, I tried asking it what it was, and tried a number of animals without getting a firm response - some recognition at snake and bird, but still not quite right. Next I asked about its element; definitely not earth or air, positive response on both water and fire.
It finally crept out from the trees into the stream, and let me see it - it was a water-drake, a small dragon; a creature of fire and water, very snakelike, standing about 3-4 feet on two hind legs. It said that Water had been a good friend to me and helped me a lot this last year with adaptability and acceptance of change as I moved and started a new job, but that for the challenges in front of me now I will need to add Fire to my gifts. I thanked it, and admired its beauty; it was sometimes transparent, disappearing into the water, sometimes blue and white, curling its neck. I could tell it could also breath flame when it needs to!
I look forward to learning more from Water-Drake, and learning to use its gifts. What a surprising patron!
After returning to my fire, my visitors had moved on. I doused the fire with many thanks, and left my food as a free gift to any that passed that way, and went inside.
