The Tides and Flow of the Wheel | Part 2

The wheel of the year is governed by the tides of the earth and sun, called the solar year, and is both literal and energetic. The literal amount of sunlight shifts during the course of the year. Our relationship changes with the Sun and with shadow based upon our place within the orbit of the Earth around the Sun. But our energy levels, awareness, mood and gift skills can ebb and flow with these tides. Modern people try to ignore it, but with the rise of seasonal disorders, or disconnection from these tides is becoming more and more apparent and more urgent to address. 

The Wheel of the Year and the life force as manifesting and affecting the Creatures of Flesh and Blood, which includes plants, animals and humans. We are all impacted by the changes of light and the tides of the moon and sun in our bodies. 

Within the Tides of the wheel is the flow of Life and Death. Because they are linked, it's easy to equate the light with life and the dark with death, and see only one flow, one tide. And in one interpretation, that is true. But by separating the flow into two currents that flow together, like strands of DNA, we can see the flow of multiple subtle patterns and understand their mysteries. 

For example: Winter does not officially begin until the Winter Solstice in our modern calendar, but the waning tide of the land began far earlier,which is reflected in the end/beginning of the cross quarter celebration of our ancestors at Samhain. 

The two tides work together to create themes. It is said that the solar holidays release a particular energy into the world, and the fire festivals bring the manifestation of that energy to visible appearance.

Solar	Cross Quarter	Tide of Light/Dark	Flow of Life/Death	Tides	Flow
Winter Solstice		Dark turn to Light	Death Tide	Tide of Destruction	Winter Solstice releases  During the Tide of Destruction, a cleansing power manifesting at Imbolc.
	Imbolc	Light Growing	Death Tide, Life Rising	Tide of Destruction
Spring Equinox		Light and Dark Balanced	Death tide Waning, Life Growing	Tide of Renewal	Spring Equinox releases a tide of Renewal, of passion and growth manifesting at Beltane.
	Beltane	Light Tide	Life Tide	Tide of Renewal
Summer Solstice		Light Turn to Dark	Life Tide	Tide of Completion	Summer Solstice  releases a tide  of Completion and of maturity and readiness manifesting at Lammas
	Lammas	Dark Tide Growing	Life Tide, Death Rising	Tide of Completion
Fall Equinox		Dark and Light Balanced	Life tide waning, Death Gowring	Tide of Preparation	Fall Equinox releases the tide of preparation for decomposition and death manifesting at Samhain.
	Samhain	Dark Tide	Death Tide	Tide of Preparation

There is a fifth and final force and tide. The tide of the Goddess, Gia, Earth Mother Herself. While she may change form and is found in the manifestations of the Earth, she does not die and resurrect. She simply changes locations, slumbering and awakening. She is the matrix of being, the foundation for these cycles to manifest. She is eternal and whole. In her most cosmic sense, she can be compared to the Ground of Being found in many traditions. You might consider her the Entity that is the Planetary Being, the Earth Matrix or Mother Earth. This interplay between the Earth Goddess and the Sun Star as the father are ancient forces that keep the wheel turning.

And we have not even touched on the Moon, your birth day and so many other things!