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Influence of the Seasons on the Work
Posted: Mon May 25, 2020 7:33 pm
by Angolmois
I'd like to know what kind of effects the yearly seasons have on your occult work. For me example, spring and the now approaching summer have been in the past very creative seasons when I have made most (and in personal opinion best) of my musical works, and autumn and winter have been usually dedicated to more intellectual work, but also painting. I find reading a long time almost impossible in the summer.
Do you have any seasonal preferences in your occult work?
Re: Influence of the Seasons on the Work
Posted: Mon May 25, 2020 8:12 pm
by Nefastos
A nice topic, thanks for starting.
Boreas wrote: ↑Mon May 25, 2020 7:33 pmDo you have any seasonal preferences in your occult work?
When I was young, spring was very cruel time. Not only the libido, hard to live with as it is, exploded to something impossible, but also I suffered from quite bad allergy. Then there's the hard sun, that takes away the comfortable serenity of gloom. Ah yes, springs were evil times. I mostly loved autumn when it was still easy to walk outside, but the sharp edge of light and exuberant life-force had been taken away.
Winter is not great in Finland, for it's too long. It feels that we practically have 6 months for different grades of winter, 2 months each for the rest of seasons. I'm just glad I'm out of South Karelia where it was always either too cold or too warm; nearness of the great lake Laatokka screws up the weather like that, they say. In Helsinki I really enjoy the more mellow climate.
I think I still prefer mostly autumn, the time in-between, which has something akin to the sacred dusk of the (morning &) evening star.
But to answer your actual question more correctly, I haven't noticed a change how my occult work periods would change greatly according to seasons. Since most of my magical working is quite abstract & introverted, done in solitude & at the home altars, it doesn't change so much according to season. There's no real Witch in me who would go to the forest after ripening ingredients, or dance around the maypoles to summon Bacchian (or batrachian) spirits.
Re: Influence of the Seasons on the Work
Posted: Mon May 25, 2020 9:48 pm
by Polyhymnia
Nefastos wrote: ↑Mon May 25, 2020 8:12 pm
There's no real Witch in me who would go to the forest after ripening ingredients, or dance around the maypoles to summon Bacchian (or batrachian) spirits.[/color]
I have a little witch in me that finds the pagan wheel of the year very helpful, not just in my occult life, but in my mundane life as well. Perhaps it's because I put too much emphasis on loving little celebrations, but it's endearing to me to acknowledge those earthly cycles. I don't celebrate as much in this way as I used to (tiny feasts, and extra rites), but I still find it affects my occult workings despite not being much more than a subtle nuance these days. For example my art tends to be more sexual in nature during the spring, and more deathly in the winter, which is also terribly long in Canada.
Re: Influence of the Seasons on the Work
Posted: Tue May 26, 2020 11:00 am
by Nefastos
Polyhymnia wrote: ↑Mon May 25, 2020 9:48 pmI have a little witch in me that finds the pagan wheel of the year very helpful, not just in my occult life, but in my mundane life as well. Perhaps it's because I put too much emphasis on loving little celebrations, but it's endearing to me to acknowledge those earthly cycles.
What I lack in participating understanding of the cycles of vegetation, I can somewhat make up in great appreciation of cycles of time in general. It must have begun in my childhood fascination of counting things in adding up material, and has been strengthened in years of anguish (counting the accumulated years, striving for the next cycles while waiting for death). The result is that I really also enjoy our little SoA calendary rites, which help me divide the year to spiritually understandable seasons, each having its special atmosphere in soul structure. Although this is altar-stuff (as opposed to forest- or garden-stuff), I think it gives a very nice possibilities for grounding and escaping one-sided forcing in the Work. I have also been positively surprised how much I enjoy going through our new little birthday ritual.
Re: Influence of the Seasons on the Work
Posted: Tue May 26, 2020 8:29 pm
by Smaragd
When I'm most immersed in to the Work all the surroundings seems to just be as they are and they, at least seemingly, have not much effect on the work. Then again I'm not so sure because the state could be just aswell interpreted to be about me being so well tuned to the surroundings that the abstract immersion is blurring the border of separation of my body and the dust and the leaves and what not that surrounds me. This is very much simplified image of it, for I think the "blurring" doesn't happen randomly with what ever there is surrounding me. What ever there is around me are not random in the first place, and to what I "blur" into is a question of the powers I've managed to connect - the entities I'm working with, the fraternity, my close relationships, the otherness presenting itself to me in the world etc. I think the seasons work very much in a similar way. Even if I wouldn't have clear changes in my mode following the seasons, all the variables are present there if I'm immersing deeper in to the reality of things.
Re: Influence of the Seasons on the Work
Posted: Wed May 27, 2020 11:32 am
by Aquila
I think my year follows a rhythm somewhat like this, although there's lot of variety how it goes each year:
Spring and autumn are good for creative work. During summer it seems there is not much creative work going on, at least in the meaning of creating something new. Of course various projects can still be pushed forward but nowadays I try to spend most of my time wandering in the forest and observing nature. I try to calm down during winter and not expect too much from myself. It's good time to relax in some sense, think, and only take care of the most crucial things but unfortunately our society expects everyone to do the same amount of work at the same working hours despite the seasonal changes and how it affects us.
The older I grow, the more I seem to be affected by the nature and the seasons. Even discussing the weather with some complete strangers has turned into a meaningful communication and not just an awkward attempt to avoid silent moments
Re: Influence of the Seasons on the Work
Posted: Wed May 27, 2020 3:01 pm
by Astraya
Aquila wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2020 11:32 am
The older I grow, the more I seem to be affected by the nature and the seasons. Even discussing the weather with some complete strangers has turned into a meaningful communication and not just an awkward attempt to avoid silent moments
I have noticed this too
maybe the nature comes closer to ones spirit when there are recurring emotional aspect to it.
Autumn is without doubt the best time for me to do spiritual and magical work. When the nature dies physically( or goes to sleep ), it's spirit lingers in air, and makes the atmosphere vivid and awake.
Re: Influence of the Seasons on the Work
Posted: Wed May 27, 2020 10:58 pm
by Polyhymnia
Nefastos wrote: ↑Tue May 26, 2020 11:00 am
I have also been positively surprised how much I enjoy going through our new little birthday ritual.[/color]
I don't believe I'm familiar with this one, but I'm intrigued.
Astraya wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2020 3:01 pm
When the nature dies physically( or goes to sleep ), it's spirit lingers in air, and makes the atmosphere vivid and awake.
How beautiful! I, too, find everything more vivid around this time. A wonderful visual of that balance being achieved.
Re: Influence of the Seasons on the Work
Posted: Wed May 27, 2020 11:07 pm
by Nefastos
Polyhymnia wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2020 10:58 pmI don't believe I'm familiar with this one, but I'm intrigued.
I'll see if I can make a quick translation & post it.
Re: Influence of the Seasons on the Work
Posted: Thu May 28, 2020 5:03 am
by Polyhymnia
Nefastos wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2020 11:07 pm
I'll see if I can make a quick translation & post it.[/color]
That is so kind! Thank you!