In a world where feminine sovereignty is constantly under attack, you are invited to pause during this time of the solstice to honour Mōdraniht , the “Night of the Mothers”.
Traditionally, this was a time when the Anglo-Saxons marked the longest night, that of the winter solstice, as recorded by the medieval English monk and historian Bede in his 8th century work De Temporum Ratione, or “The Reckoning of Time”. This time of the year seemed to coincide with practices from other peoples, including those of Germanic descent who honoured the disir [DEE-SIR], collective female ancestral beings who often appeared in trios.
As we approach the winter solstice here in the Southern Hemisphere, regardless of whether we have Anglo-Saxon/Germanic roots or not, by pausing and honouring what was once a sacred time to reminder the Mother, we remind ourselves of our connection to not only female deities and our ancestral mothers, wherever they may be, but also to Earth, our Mother. This is because Mōdraniht also marks the rebirth of the sun and with it, the gradual return of longer days.
For those of you who are in the Northern Hemisphere, Mōdraniht occurs in December, however on 21 June the solstice is still experienced, only that it will be the summer solstice, the time of the longest hours of daylight, which brings with it the bounty of the Great Mother.
Regardless of what hemisphere we reside in, whether we will be marking the winter or summer solstice, we can still:
Connect into the ancestral memory of what Mōdraniht meant – that being a way of honouring the Mother, the Sacred She, the feminine divine,
Honour and celebrate our maternal ancestors (regardless of whether we are aware of them or not),
Reconnect with our own roots, our ancestral lineage or heritage,
Find meaning contained within ancient traditions in this modern world that continues to separate us,
Acknowledge our connection in with the endless cycle of life, death and rebirth that the changing seasons symbolise.
Join me on Sunday, 21 June for an online sacred ceremony where we will honour Mōdraniht, the Night of the Mothers.
Taking place from 7pm ACST which equates to:
5.30am – EST (New York) time
10.30am – London time