The Wild Hunt (https://wildhunt.org/author/clio)
Clio Ajana is a death midwife, lover of tarot, numerology, and astrology. A current practitioner of Baltic Heathenry and Hellenic Alexandrian Witchcraft & Spiritual Tradition, she is a member of the House of Our Lady of Celestial Fire, E.O.C.T.O. Her writings include contributions to the anthologies - Shades of Faith: Minority Voices in Paganism (2011) and Bringing Race to the Table: Exploring Racism in the Pagan Community (2015). A frequent presenter at Paganicon (https://tcpaganpride.org/) and Mystic South (https://mystic-south.com, she considers everything in her life to be touched by and guided by the Gods.
Individual freedoms that we take for granted, such as the right to live, walk, play, where one wishes or to speak freely about any subject disappears when authoritarianism descends upon a country.
At times, winter can seem to be an endless stream of snow, ice, and cold harsh winds. The mid-winter point brings a strong internal need to get away, to warm up, and to renew.
Turmoil appears frequently in our lives. Whether it appears in the form of war, political disruption, or an internal battle with individual goals such as getting in shape, connecting with others, or quitting a bad habit, the need to resolve the turmoil begins with the active action of acknowledging the reality that appears before us.
I love December because it is a fresh way to stop being shackled to the past. Choosing to have difficult conversations with yourself allows a freedom to reassess a true sense of who you are and your own memories.
Each of us bears the symbol of life’s progress and transition through the scars we bear on our physical bodies, as well as the scars that dot our emotional, spiritual, and mental beings.