Wheel of Fortune

Magical Child

I didn't realize until I looked at this evening's paper that today is Ash Wednesday--the beginning of Lent. Traditionally a period of 40 days before Easter, a time for fasting and contemplation.

I always like to mark the seasons of Lent and Advent with ritual and meaning. Recently, my attempts at healthy eating have gone totally out the window---so now this is the perfect time to make reperations!

The Lenten season in traditional Catholic terms is a mournful, somber time. When I was growing up all of the statues of the saints in the church I attended would be draped in purple for mourning--and of course I received the traditional ashes on the forehead--"from dust ye came to dust ye will return".

I pulled a card from Caroline Myss' Archetype Cards to have an image for this season and pulled the Magical Child archetype. Not a somber card at all.

The positive attributes of this image are seeing the potential for sacred beauty in all things--and the belief that everything is possible.

The dark attributes are pessimism, disbelief in miracles, and believing that energy and action are not required for growth.

I think the winged child on the card looks like me at about 9 or 10 years old!

I plan to work with this energy over the next 40 days--and exploring the other child archetypes--the wounded child, eternal child, nature child, dependent child.

We need to have both mirth and reverence in equal proportion in our lives...and move our energy and actions forward to miracles.

Blessed Ash Wednesday...