How the Ceremony Began
Solstice Memory
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Trudi Davidoff writes...
I was asked how I chose the four sets of seeds--honestly, I started to type and out it all came in a few moments. There was no second guessing, no editing, no purging or retyping. It was typed once and it was done. I recalled stories from Winter Sowers that have been inspiring. Some stories are heart-breaking and tell of emotional recovery, some speak of reclaiming a garden or tell of creating a new one when there was no money to be spent. Some of these letters provided elements to the four sets of seeds:
Sowing seeds that reminded one of a gardening neighbor from childhood, long gone but still inspiring and cherished in memory.
Returning life to a wilderness that was now silent, its life stolen by a controlled burn that had escaped containment.
Trees for a barren city lot where the sun scorches the soil and there is no shade for anyone and no money to buy trees.
Faith that Mother Nature can perform the miracle of allowing life to be born in a harsh climate and thrive.
The Winter Solstice, its initials the same as Winter Sowing, is a celestial and natural event that ages past became entwined with religious ceremonies all over the world. The Winter holidays allow us to express love and concern through tradition, illumination, shared memories, food and gifts. Sowing the four sets of seeds is a gift to both the planet and ourselves. We give back to the land and its creatures and by doing so we give to ourselves an emotional caress; we have faith in Mother Nature and faith in ourselves.