Winter again!

Woohoo! Winter is beautiful. I am thoroughly enjoying the cozy- nest time that winter is bringing along with her. It's beautiful to look out the window and be where I am here in Vermont; I woke up the other morning thinking - this ain't half bad. Downright spectacular. Lavish.

I helped start a fire for a sunrise and water ceremony with my friend Sarah today. We got up in the dark, walked out into moonlit snow, the waning half moon light coming through snow devils created by the tearing wind, gusting and blowing all night like it was the night before too.

Down at the river the dawn was bringing more depth and dimension as I got out my bowdrill and started to warm it up. I made two small coals that went out in the tinder nest Sarah made, until I realized I needed to use tinder that I knew well, since each has their own characteristics and so with my old friends cedar and river grape bark and a larger coal, a fire was born into the solid strong structure.

As the fire lit, I became more fully aware that Angaangaq and Tina and many others had arrived, as well as the one woman who had been there from the start. She later told me she was standing in the east and channeling the rising sun energy as we were working. I knew I had help bringing the fire.

I'm carrying this dream I had in my heart today too: I heard Angaangaq say - You must go through the wind to get to the other side. As the wind has been strong for about three days I've been constantly reminded of the dream by its sound I've been pondering its meaning. I'm thinking its probably pretty important to listen when I meet a shaman in my dream.