From Beneath the Cloak of Winter
The warmth and the weight of the Cailleach's mantle
The Cailleach’s cape, all heavy with gray and rain, hangs heavy on our shoulders.
How are you wearing it this December?
I hope this is the sort of year when that cloak holds strong and keeps the elements of winter safely “out there.” I hope you are feeling snug inside, gathered around a fire with your beloveds.
But then, there are the seasons when it feels as if the mantle of the sacred hag is sealing the winds and the snows into the very bones of you.
It’s like the grief and the hollowness of the dark time of the year is right there inside you. You couldn’t possibly shrug off the Cailleach’s cloak. All you can do is wait for the weather to finally change.
Maybe you’re like me and you feel a mix of both. I’m mostly warm and dry, but oh, those moments when the cold draughts find their way through tears in the garment…
I send you strength and patience in these last days before solstice.
And, even more fervently, I send you presence.
May you experience that radical sort of opening that allows the wisdom of the oldest ones to permeate your busy brain and set you back to what’s most real and essential, beneath the bustle and the obligation of it all.
An invitation to meet me on the other side of the solstice and the everything of the holidays
I’ll be easing off on the professional and creative to-do list over the next few weeks. It’s my intention to leave lots of room for dreaming and deep, no-agenda writing between now and the other side of Christmas.
Of course, there’s a whole lot of merry making to do, too. As the mama of this house, this means I’m tasked with making a lot of that merry for everyone, but I’m more consciously prepared for that than past years. At least at this moment, I see possibility rather than drudgery in the shopping, decorating, and surprise crafting.
What will you create in 2025?
This week, I announced my group offerings for the new year. I wanted to be sure you knew what was coming up so you could consider these opportunities as you think about the shape of your creative life, come January.
NEW OFFERING: The Authors’ Knot Program, February - November 2025
An intimate 10-month online writing program for thought leaders, memoirists, and heart-led visionaries working on a book or another “big project.”
This is ideal for you if you want more accountability and more specific feedback on your work. We're really going to focus on making progress on the thing you've been longing to write.
Learn more & apply now.The Writers’ Knot Community, January - June 2025
This is the long-running global community where the mythic imagination meets creative expression.
No push to publish. No critiques. No discussions of fancy prizes. In this group, our focus is on writing practice and creative camaraderie.
Register now
Why this is the best time to join a writing group that starts in 2025
If you register for either the Authors’ Knot or the Writers’ Knot by December 16, you’ll be invited to join me for the Reflect & Envision: The New Year’s Writers’ Retreat for free.
This 3-hour online retreat is your opportunity to look back on the past year and plan a 2025 that’s full of creative magic. It’s happening on December 30, 2024, and I would love to see you there!
Curious about which writing opportunity is a fit for you?
I would love to discuss which option might suit you best in the new year.