Winter Solstice and the Dreamland

Community floatings are warm, sacred, and nourishing.

Welcome Winter!  The element of Earth, of life and death.  In my little family, we celebrate the Earth, the seasons, and the elements, an alternative to religion called Earth-based Spirituality.  We have found it so helpful in understanding our natural cycles, making the ordinary extraordinary, and connecting us with simple yet ancient rituals.  Winter is such a special time of year, but it gets a bad rap.  Our culture is isolating as it is, so add 14 hours a day of darkness and near-freezing temperatures and suddenly Portland seems like a ghost town.  The magic is in the hearth.  Yes, we feel the bed calling a little earlier each night, and the messages are wise--semi-hibernation is a good idea, and dreams can be foreshadowing and inspiring.  While Winter pulls us towards our darkest work and solitude, the need for connection remains, and it is in our sanctuaries, our homes, our fireplaces, that we curl up with those who soothe our souls, and we theirs.  Our families and dear friends, our sweet communities, they still need us and we still need them, but in a softer way.

The delicate and unpredictable nature of Life shows itself in Winter, bringing us face-to-face with death and our deep gratitude for the basic necessities which we have covered in abundance: shelter, warmth, clean water, hot food, blankets, and socks.  We pray for those without shelter and we watch in wonder as the trees snap and fall under the weight of the cold ice.  From this place of gratitude, we give thanks.  We gave thanks at the last harvest of the season for all the bounty our good Earth provides, and we continue to give thanks, for the mere fact that we are surviving winter.  Now at Solstice, we have faith in the sun's return and hope for a brighter tomorrow.

Gift-giving is a tough subject for me.  I have strong feelings about Christmas consumerism.  However, I do believe deeply in our natural desire to give generously, and the possibility to give responsibly.  I would love to see giving spontaneously when the urge arises, rather than a culturally prescribed giving that is more like a checklist than a heart spilling over.  Well, since the checklist isn't going anywhere, can we spill our hearts into our checklist of people, whom we love and care for?  Can we commit to quality over quantity, to sustainability, to our local economy? 

I offer my services because it is my calling, my passion, and I have seen the beautiful effects of my work.  When you purchase a gift certificate for an Aqua4Life session, you are giving health, a memory and a enriching, dreamlike experience.