My Cave and My Blanket. Taos, NM.

As the calendar turned to February, I found myself thinking "where is my cave, where is my blanket?".  My calendar reminded me of how unnatural it is for us to go against the grain of winter.  All I want to do during these days is stay home, read, write and watch movies.  In short, hibernate.

But our society doesn't work that way, at least not in a big city.  We've constructed our world to run 24/7 nonstop and anyone who doesn't keep up that maddening pace is seen as going against the wheel.  "Move over or get out of my way!" seems to be the language of morning and evening drive traffic.

As one who follows the Wheel and is keenly tuned to the seasons, I feel the Earth slow down.  I'm blessed to live in a state where the seasons change.  As the leaves begin to fall in Autumn, I feel a sadness come over me.   As the days get longer, dark and cold, well, some days I'm down right miserable.  I know all about SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), but that's not it for me.  Its the going against the grain of Winter, when I all want to do is hibernate.

There is a place not too far from my home where time seems to move at the correct pace.  The enchanted land of Taos, NM.

Taos Pueblo, photo taken by Najah Lightfoot Bagley

Here the Tiwa People of the Taos Pueblo have been in continual existence for over 1000 years, making the Taos Pueblo the longest continually inhabited place, in North America.

And the magical town of Taos has grown up around the Pueblo. 

Taos Inn, photo taken by Najah Lightfoot Bagley

It takes a bit to get to Taos.  Its in the Northwest corner of NM, surrounded by the Blessed Sacred Mountains.  When you drive into town, you can smell pinion and fireplaces burning. Its quiet.  Taos is the home of mystics, writers, artists, cowboys, farmers, chili lovers and friends.  It is sanctuary.  Georgia O'Keefe stayed a spell at the Sagebrush Inn and painted.  Its the only place where I can get my favorite margarita, "Fire on the Mountain", which is made with Mezcal, at the Taos Inn.  In Winter, You can walk down the street at night and barely see another soul.  Yet take a turn into an Inn or Cantina, and there the whole town is enjoying dinner, drinks and camaraderie.

You can visit the Pueblo and feel the Spirit of the Earth, but watch out for the Pueblo dogs who take no prisoners.

We stayed in Taos for a few days, recently. We've been blessed to travel there since 1996.  In Taos, I can smell the pinion, hear the "quorking" of ravens, watch coyotes pad across the road and see the dogs take them down.  I can walk down the road, have a fantastic New Mexican breakfast or buy some sage at the Pueblo.  And even better, I can sit, be still and hibernate.

Hail to the peace and stillness of Winter.  Hail to the cycles of the Earth and to the Turn of the Wheel.

Winter Blessings to You,
Priestess Najah