Spring Equinox Salutations

Welcome, Sentient Beings and Brown Butter Tale fans. Equinox Blessings!

I am so honored you found your way back to my blog.

I:i Nwa-geet-harloda (E-NWA-geet-Har-loda: What clay are you made of?)

This is the ancient greeting used by the first Sistars, who learned it from the indigenous people of Grand Island. We still use it thousands of years later.

Being at the Spring Equinox only means one thing: Cosmic cracks are opening in our magnetic field, formed by solar winds. This magical phenomenon occurs when south-pointing magnetic fields inside of the solar wind, oppose the planet's north-pointing magnetic field. Their waveforms partially cancel each other, weakening the planet’s magnetic defenses and allowing the Veil to thin.

Energy radiates through the thinned Veil and is sometimes called the Northern Lights. March is always the most geomagnetically active month of the year –a direct result of these equinox fissures. Some of the minor fissures are 500,000 km2 , and size up to the width of the planet.

These are tremendous events for the Temple Lightworkers who channel energy from this cosmic event. Our gridworkers pick a magnetic field line or ley line, and channel from the solar surface through the Northern Lights, to protect the Sistars. They channel this protective energy which allows the Sistars to continue their work of bringing Souls across the Veil. Our work is guided by the traditional wisdom of the Prime Arts, and particularly protected at the Equinox.

The Prime Arts call for the Return of Light ritual, now that the days are getting longer. At dawn, we celebrate the fresh growth in the forests and the fertility in the air.

The Lightworkers and Adepts spent the day cleaning the Temple; from the radiant heated floors that lined the roundhouse to the self-supporting roof frame built by the first Sistars after the Great Meltdown. The room sparkled with Light.

We gathered for the ritual that began with the Sistars playing sistrums and the Sacred Sound. The High Advisor gave Darshan. We drank blue lotus libations and tended the herb gardens. The air vibrated with sound.

The gardens were green and pink with tree buds and crocus. There were mushrooms and tadpole eggs by the stream. We set seeds full of intentions for the New Year. The water was rejuvenating. It was freezing cold and sweet.

Finally, we hung suet log bird feeders in the Willows, and cast our circle.

This conscious and contemplative forest practice attunes the Sistars and increases our limbic resonance with each other.

We chanted as one:

Celebrate sweet Hathor, and transcendental Ra

The Wheel of Life Turns,

To the Vernal Equinox

Light and Dark confirms.

Spring tides are rising high

Life cycles turning

Bursts of energy have arrived

Rebirth is the learning.

Did you observe the Spring Equinox in any way this year? Did it inspire new thoughts for the new year? Did you receive a message affirming yourself to become more unbound, unafraid, and unapologetic? Share your thoughts or maybe your intention to try it next year.

Thank you for taking a few minutes with me, but now it's time for tea. We are serving Matcha-Rose lattes. I invite you to enjoy a cup with us and plant your seeds this Spring.

YIELD: 3 SERVINGS

MAtcha-Rose Tea Latte

This latte with hot, not boiling water. The Matcha is too delicate to withstand the heat, much like the buds of Spring. You can use any milk or cream of choice. Enjoy the rejuvenation of the Spring Equinox.

PREP TIME 5 minutes

STEEP TIME 15 minutes

TOTAL TIME 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups of water

• 10 bamboo spoons of matcha powder (We prefer ceremonial grade at the Temple. Be aware that the quality of matcha determines bitterness.)

• 2 cups full-fat organic coconut milk, or milk of your choice

• 3 tsp rose water

• 2 tsp vanilla bean powder or paste

• sweetener of your choice

• edible rose petals, for garnish

Directions

1. Warm the teapot with hot water.

2. Sift Matcha powder.

3. Prepare the tea by heating the water. Once the water is hot (70 degrees C) whisk matcha and hot water with whisk until the color brightens and it is foamy.

4. Mix in coconut milk, rose water and vanilla. Steep for 15 minutes off heat.

5. Rewarm tea and keep warm in teapot.

6. Strain, pour the tea into the teapot. Drink.

Enjoy the Season!

February Eve

"I:i Nwa-geet-harloda Sentient Beings." On Grand Island, we welcome everyone with this greeting from the First People, the Sistars honor in our daily rituals.

Tonight we prepare to welcome back the Light. It is February's Eve and the Lunar New Year. Although the ground may be bare, beneath the surface, things are changing. The stark beauty of Winter gives way to the Snow crocus and the snowdrops in the forests. The birds are growing in number and are beginning to sing. We are now at the halfway point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, the time we kiss Winter goodbye and embrace the first signs of Spring, or what I call the Quickening. The first signs of life on the new wheel.

Our Adepts prepared and decorated the Temple in fragrant orange-clove pomanders and planted seeds for the medicine gardens. It is the breath of fresh air we need here at the Temple to manifest our intentions and keep our connection to the World of Souls. It's our moment for calm, quiet, and cleansing for a fresh start. The Sistars sat with the High Advisor and received her blessings to recharge the Healing Well. February eve is the time for rebirth at the Temple and the Fire Tea ritual.

Tonight we build a fire to Sekhmet, our goddess of fire and healing, in the Great Hall. When the fire is roaring, we place handmade clay teacups made from the banks of the Niagara River and nestle them into the fire. We fill the cauldron with water from the Healing Well and brew the Fire Tea. Our members will drink, reflect, set intentions, and light a handheld candle. Charisma, our Head Adept, will lead the procession of Light outside through the beeswax candles on a snow path from the Great Yurt to the Winter Garden. Once the garden is filled with our Light, we kiss the cups, and smash them on the rocks to mark another year.

Will you observe Imbolc, St Brigid's Day, or Michaelmas in any way this year? Could you hear the quietest parts of your being? Did you receive a message affirming a new transformation of yourself? Share your thoughts or maybe your intention to try it next year.

Thank you for taking a few minutes with me, but I must get back to the Adepts. Here is a modified recipe that doesn't require an open fire. I invite you to some lighthearted reflection and enjoy a cup with us.

YIELD: 3 SERVINGS

Fire Tea Latte

This latte is made over an open fire to imbue toasty notes into the tea. You can use coconut creamer or any milk or cream of choice. Enjoy the reflective time of February Eve.

PREP TIME 5 minutes

STEEP TIME 15 minutes

TOTAL TIME 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons black tea

• 1 1/2 cups water

• 3-4 cinnamon sticks

• 2-3 star anise

• 2 1/2 slices of ginger

• 4 cloves

• 3-4 cardamon pods, crushed

• 1/2 tablespoon peppercorns

• 3 cups choice of milk substitute or milk

• maple syrup, to sweeten

• sprinkle of tumeric, for garnish

Directions

1. Warm the teapot with hot water. Prepare the tea by boiling the water and add maple syrup. Once the water starts boiling, add the milk, tea and spices and simmer for 10 minutes. Steep for 15 minutes off heat.

2. With the assistance of a tea strainer, pour the tea into the teapot.

3. Drink.

Enjoy the Season!

Winter Solstice Salutations

Solstice Blessings!

I am so honored you found your way to my blog.

I:i Nwa-geet-harloda (What clay are you made of?)

This is the ancient greeting used by the first Sistars, who learned it from the indigenous people of Grand Island. We still use it thousands of years later.

Welcome.

I am Ariel Jones. Brown Butter Tales and Tea is a collection of my seasonal rituals and herbal libations for grounding and protection. Some might call it a modern grimoire. I am the Lead Scryer and High Priestess of the Temple of Golden Lights. Scryers understand the subtle energies in the world, and I hope to share these with you.

Our Winter Solstice ritual (see below) was performed as it always has been on Dec 21, when we embrace the shadow side of life and own the weight of our existence. Seeing what to let go of is as important as knowing what to embrace.

On the Winter Solstice,

Ritual bathe and burn cedar for grounding and juniper for protection

Then say her name:

I evoke the seven het-herus

Keepers of all we know

both old and new

Hathor. Isis. Mother of magic and life

I thank you for sight on this waxing moon night.

I fire-scryed while the other Scryers and Adepts chanted to our goddesses. We went so long my eyes went dry, and I blinked.

When I opened my eyes, I heard.

Burn your goals.

And I knew what it meant. Release your plans. Release my plans. Release our plans.

So I did.

I burned my goals like sigils with the cedar and juniper herb wands.

And started to channel into this blog.

Did you observe the Winter Solstice in any way this year? Did it illuminate the darkest, quietest parts of yourself? Did you receive a message affirming yourself to become unbound, unafraid, and unapologetic? Share your thoughts or maybe your intention to try it next year.

Thank you for taking a few minutes with me, but now it's Tea Time at the temple. We are serving White Chocolate Mint Tea. So I invite you to some lighthearted wonder and enjoy a cup with us.

YIELD: 3 SERVINGS

White Chocolate Mint Tea Latte

This white chocolate mint latte has been termed the Jack Frost Latte here at the temple. It is full of peppermint and white chocolate flavor. You can use coconut creamer or any milk or cream of choice. I might be known to spike it with a shot of white rum.

PREP TIME 10 minutes

STEEP TIME 15 minutes

TOTAL TIME 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 tea bags mint tea (herbal or green tea and mint)

• 2 cups water

• 3 cups choice of milk substitute or milk

• 8 ounces quality white chocolate, roughly chopped

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1 pinch salt

• fresh whipped cream, for topping

• shaved white chocolate, for topping

Directions

1. In a saucepot over high heat, bring the water to a boil. Add the tea bags and sugar. Remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes.

2. In a second saucepot over medium heat, bring the milk to a gentle simmer. Stir in the white chocolate, vanilla, and salt until the chocolate is fully melted. Remove from heat and froth using an immersion blender.

3. Combine. Top with a generous dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle with shaved white chocolate for each cup.

Nagweet harloda,