Night's End

NIGHT’S END

And the darkest hour .. is just before dawn ...

Ahh the long night is over you will be tempted to think. There will be the slight quickening in the air, the sun is just starting to feel properly warm again and the whole world seems to be stretching and rubbing it’s eyes. Hell you will even be lucky enough to catch that first “warm breeze”. It’s a weird thing that … you are standing shivering, the wind changes and there you are … warm! It generally doesn’t last long .. but it is enough to raise hopes.

Now call me a cynic but I like to plan on money that is IN MY HAND!

At this time of year many in the “Neo” world like to drone on about Imbolc. According to them, it is the time where the wiccan mythology talks about the recovery of the Goddess after coping with the God’s childhood. Apparently this is the point at which she shifts from a crone aspect to return a maiden again. The fact that the daylight hours are once again growing longer is supposedly a sign that this reborn child god is maturing. Often therefore, they consider that it is time for a celebration of purification, of removing the dross to make way for the new.

Now, while it should be obvious to anyone who pays attention that I don’t buy this “dieing god deal” (I end my own bad habits by my own hand thank you! *G*) I must say that I DO tend to agree at least partially with their view on it – even if I think the myth is well wide of the mark.

As some of you no doubt know, I live in Brisbane and the nature of this time of year is totally obvious and accepted by all in Brisbane as a matter of fact – even if it’s isn’t considered outré. You see at this time every year, the seasonal change is seen by just about anyone. The warm wind is noted and in what could be considered something of a tipping of the cap to ancient Sumeria, everyone braces for the onslaught of a series of vile illnesses. Around here it isn’t called any ancient occult name – it is called “Ekka Time”.

At the beginning of August everyone starts gearing up – the seasonal cold will see-saw, people’s biological clocks will go slightly off, sleep gets interrupted, bodies get that wee bit weaker and the climatic changes ensure the virulence of any number of colds and flu’s that are spread like wildfire amongst those who still huddle in warm air conditioned comfort.

THEN, at about a distance of a fortnight (an ongoing in joke for those of a Traditional nature!) the Exhibition comes to town. Affectionally dubbed the “Ekka”, the traveling “showies” come from all over for one huge conglomeration of rides and sideshows etc for almost another fortnight. So then on top of everything else we have a sudden influx of colds and flu’s from other parts of the country to which we have little or no immunity. To this pathogen powder keg we flock so that we can get irritated and worn down in a standing room only area with everyone else and one other guest – illness!

If there was a better way to spread influenza ever invented I have never seen it and as virtually everyone knows at least one person who goes … the only way to stay immune is to literally isolate yourself for the month. Don’t go out – you have to stock up food and etc beforehand. Don’t answer the door – home delivery is nice if it is pizza – not so nice if it is the cold.

Now don’t get me wrong … The “Ekka” is fun – especially if you have kids who are old enough! Flashy lights and squeals of kids. Showbags and rides .. oh boy there is a certain charm but just understand that you are gonna pay in more than money! The joke here is that this is a prime example of real occultism in action. Everyone KNOWS these things happen, that they happen at the same time every year and that it is still celebrated with the idea that it will soon be warm and yummy again in the back of the mind.

So how does this fit in with the whole “Neo” meaning given for this time? Well it is really quite simple. The reasons given, as I have stated are along the lines of a celebration of purification, of removing the dross to make way for the new. Now this hits home and hints further of one of the reasons that old celebrations of this time and kind were enacted. Not simply because it would soon be thawing out – but to MAKE SURE IT DID! This extra threat hovering around in the background, is to my mind, very telling.

The fact is that at this time of the year you will discover that while you are saying “Phew! The dangerous MidWinter is gone!” the last vestiges of crap are sneaking round your ankles. This time just before dawn is where anything that wasn’t spent on the MidWinter will be giving the last ditch effort to shag up your day. If there are troublesome people, they will suddenly go haywire and berserk with a strange almost desperate aura about them. If there are stories you should have cut short – you will be bugged about them. Things you should have offered up on the altar (so to speak) but did not .. it will be wrapped about your ears until it hurts.

Frankly this time is the one in which you set the warning fires burning and heap the pyre with anything that steps out of line because if anything CAN go wrong … it will! It is the last gasp of the shitful things as they try with the last strength to choke the fun out of your life.

So it is that this is my suggestion. Take this time out to sort through your life. Watch carefully for things that start to make assholes out of themselves .. they should be “turfed” out. Anything that doesn’t seem to be serving any useful purpose should likewise be disposed of. This is a time of purification all right and you do have to be a bit ruthlessly fanatical about it. This makes this time absolutely priceless for ridding yourself of habits. Three weeks is all it takes to establish a new habit properly so start just before it and you will be all set for the “new year”.

Get rid of everything irritating and unneccassary, start with the clean slate and the new set of rules for the moment you come out of hibernation. Then you should celebrate and I mean give it some old son! Eat, drink and be merry!

The simple truth is that this most simply is the time of the year where you should set aside an evening for looking really carefully about the world you have made about yourself and what you really should do in order to slough off the constraints. It is about being greatful for being still alive and strong enough to fight off crap. About the return of the sun and the movement towards achieveing REAL TANGIBLE goals you have set for yourself. It is about realising how young you are, that there is wisdom in those older than you and the application of power toward the success that is best described by the phrase “Charity starts at home!”

It goes without saying that I personally advise that you should spend at least three nights in succession alone, quietly plotting your new world and replanning your new self. Who do you want to be and how would you go about it ruthlessly are not practices and subjects that make an audience well disposed toward you.

Now I could go on at length as to how this can be achieved and how I have done so very efficiently and successfully over the years but I won’t. That would mean you have something over on me and leverage being called in as sweet wee favours is what happens at this time of the year. Suffice to say that if you are clever you will manage to find any of the number of methods open that have nothing to do with panto mysticism or wanky new age pop psychology – if not you may have to simply plan to observe someone who does and winkle their secrets out of them as you goal for the new year. I wish you the best of luck.

For those who dearly love some ideas for covenwork – here is a basic screed just ripe for the analysis and reworking. In the spirit of Night’sEnd I grant this wisdom:

Night’sEnd rite

All assemble after the offering at the table and stand behind their places.

COVENER: Blessings to the King and Queen who stand by the Wheel.

PRIESTESS: Welcome, thrice welcome, to Night’sEnd; it is time to turn the Wheel, to hear the wisdom of the Elders and progress the magic to all.

COVENER: Now we do begin to recover from long rest and the being of and with others of unlike mind. Now is the time to settle all debts and hear the wisdom we have found in the darkness past. The court is assembled all to greet the King and Queen.

PRIEST: Though apart - we are One.
PRIESTESS: We are both the Shadow and the Light, advocate and accuser.

COVENER: They have come again to bring joy and wisdom in equal measure. Tonight all the world is hushed to hear the judgements of the Mighty Ones. Clear out the old that the new may enter in.

The Priest and the Priestess the invite all to sit. When all have sat then so do they and the feast begins which should be accompanied by a tale or joke or song - at least one from all. When all are finished then the rite continues. The form is up to the Priest and Priestess. It is traditional to talk with all about what has gone over the past year and to come up with new strategies, news and skills. This is a perfect time for teaching and all should bring their work diaries and pens and share the knowledge that they have gained over the past year. This is a time to decide what has worked well (and ensure that all know of it) as well as devise new plans and schemes to overcome any errors or oppositions that it has been felt have been made over the past year.

This is the time that life begins to return to the world and as such, it is the time when all helpful outside influences are aided and opposition be vexed. This is generally done as a part of the magic for those present or apart – and indeed is one of the premier moments for aiding those who may be allies from a distance. The manner in which this is done is left to the PRIEST and PREISTESS. It is as well to look on the Dark Moon rite and things like it such as the basic outline of the Sabbat if it is decided that this is the form it should take. Remember to prepare the idea in advance or it will all fall apart on the night.