The Earth continues tilting further back in its seat, making the sun appear to sink further south. Here in the Northern Hemisphere, the result, now that we are past the equinox, is that darkness has overtaken light. The dark night continues to grow and will do so all the way to the winter solstice in December.
Darkness, of course, has a way of making people nervous. We are creatures of light. Perhaps that is why we call on protectors this time of year. Today is Michaelmas (pronounced mick-il-mus), the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel, one of the principal angelic warriors. Michael battled Satan, the dark angel, and as it so happens, he is a protector against darkness of all kinds… including dark of night. This is powerful medicine right about now, as we continue to shave a few minutes of daylight off each passing day, especially in more northern regions. We are running headlong into winter, and we want to make it through once more to light and warmth. It’s good to have a strong protector at your side.
Asters, one of the last flowers to bloom each year, have a prominent role in the day. They are known as Michaelmas Daisies, and our traditional “He loves me, he loves me not” game goes back to an old Michaelmas custom: this was the day each year to perform that particular ritual of plucking petals and learning whether the one you pine for loves you or not. St. Michael’s bannocks are served today in Ireland and Scotland: a scone, basically, made with oats and rye and always served with blackberries or blackberry jam, for the legend goes that when Satan was kicked out of Heaven, he landed in a bramble patch, and he returns each year to curse and spit upon the brambles he landed upon. So it’s best we eat them up, no?
Image: The Archangel Michael by Hans Memling. Oil on panel, c. 1479 [Public domain] via Wikimedia Commons.
Another delightful start to the day…many, many thanks
I love Asters and yes they are the last to bloom, aside from my Japanese anemones. Thanks for the great insight to winter. G