Yule 2019

Season's greetings dearest JCMW family. I wanted to take some time to wish you all health, happiness, and warmth in this cold Yule season.

Yule is celebrated like most other holidays ocurring around the Winter Solstice, where family, tribe, and friends gather to share in feast, fellowship, storytelling, and love. In this time of year people who celebrate Yule come together to welcome the return of the light as the scales once again tip . The Dark half of the year and the Light Half of the year are in perfect balance at this time, so it is that we gather on this, the longest and darkest night of the year, to give thanks, to see the old give way to the new, and to give thanks for all of the abundance of the harvests.

I don’t have much blood family left, so I spend Yule with my chosen family, my kinsmen and kinswomen who are dearest to me. This year, for the 3rd time, I will be celebrating at The Temple Of S.O.P.H.I.A. in Massachusetts with the wonderful Tiana Mirapee, and I’ll be there with my closest kin; Erich Terry, who has been with me all previous years at this event, but also who I am engaged in collaboration and business with; and Ana Nephilim, my beloved partner and collaborator. We will venture up to the gathering, spend the night, and then we will part ways upon our return to New Jersey the next afternoon. From there Ana and I will be Florida bound, as we will be driving down to visit her parents and community.

It is my hope that all of you out there will have some warm home fires to rest beside along with good company.

Let It Go..

Yule, for me, is a time of great release. I push myself SUPER hard each day of each week of each month of each year. I work hard, and I play hard. Yule is a time where I reel in my energies and begin to tie off all my loose ends for the year. I try to wrap up as many affairs as possible BEFORE New Years, so I can actually REST on New Years. I often pay off as many debts as possible before Jan 1st, and I also try to finish up any projects that can be completed, I cleaned out my car and my room with the intention of entering a new year with a lighter load and less energetic residue from the year. I have a very real practice of shedding each year with the coming of Yule, and I believe heavily in the power such actions carry.

The Intention: To Let Go Of The Old And Embrace The New.

Release is in alignment with the theme of the event (Solstice), and it makes me feel in tune with the turning of the wheel of the year.

Where will you be on December 21st, 2019 and what will you do?

At such a festive and transformational time of year it’s good to stop and ask yourself:

“What are my intentions as I end this seasonal cycle?”..

“What is there left for me to do before I wind down for some rest and reflection?”

These are all good things to ponder, but just don’t get yourself worked up if the list you create seems long. It’s not about what you still have to do, but more about what you *have* done, and what can be *easily* concluded at this time. This is NOT a time to make new grand plans, quite the opposite really.

Reflections

I want to take a chance to share some of my own accomplishments this past year, and then I invite you to do the same..

Four major Things I Accomplished in 2019:

Music Videos for my Tarot Music / Film Project including:

The Devil, The Star, The Lovers, The Hierophant, The Tower, The Moon, The Sun, Temperance, and Death. - That’s 9 music videos!!

Starwood Year 3:

This year was my 3rd at the Starwood Festival. I was a presenter again and this year even was granted a full band performance during the event (for the first time), this event also marked my 1st anniversary with my beloved, Ana, who I had met exactly one year to the day prior.

Writing Evolution:

This year I started blogging for the first time ever. I wrote over 80 blogs from the time we launched the first part of my website JCMusicAndWellness.Com up till now.

Professional Growth:

This year I facilitated more events than any other year. I presented over 40 community workshops at more than 10 locations, and all of the events were serving individuals and groups with a focus on Autism and Learning Disabilities. I also appeared as a panelist at the prestigious Millennium Music Conference, the first time I was awarded such an opportunity after nearly a decade of attending and participating in the event.

What Are Your Four Major Accomplishments In 2019?

As We part Ways..

It is with the question posed above that I will start to wrap up this blog, for I still have much to do on my end. I have a lofty blog creation goal, a new music video to plan, and events to book for 2020. All very exciting things in my world.

I want to take this opportunity to once again wish you all a wonderful holiday season.

May your bellies be full, your hearts be soft, and your fires be warm.

From me and all of the JCMW team to you and all of your own,

Blessed Yule,