The first Zoom of the “Writing the Light in the Season of Darkness” sessions began this past Sunday. It coincided with the first day of the eight day Jewish holiday Hanukkah and the first Sunday of Christian Advent. I was looking at stars, (being bodies of light) and stumbled upon the Octogram, an eight pointed star that seems to have worked its way into just about every religious (and secular) tradition you could imagine. It figures into Goddess spirituality as the Star of Ishtar and Hinduism as the Star of Lakshmi. It appears in Judeo-Christiantradition as the Star of the Magi and kabbalah, and symbolises Islam in the character Rub el Hizb. Buddhists use it to represent the Eightfold Path of the Buddha. Michael Moorcock designated it the Chaos Star and I found an obscure reference to it as The Warrior Star. But to Native Americans an octogram signifies Hope. And hope was the theme for our writing prompts this past Sunday.
Coincidentally, there are eight women who signed on for this Zoom workshop, too! So athe group is also an octogram.
We started with some of the usual symbols of hope as prompts: anchors, rainbows, birch trees, butterflies, as well as that old Emily Dickinson chestnut “Hope…that thing with feathers…” (There was some rebellion in the Zoom Room as a few took exception with Emily, especially since one of our number had just been nipped by her parrot!)
I played around with a few things but what challenged me was that phrase “Warrior Star” and how it connects to Hope. Mostly because I resisted the idea of yoking hope and warrior…but poety is the path of surprise and this is where it led me.
Maybe Hope Maybe hope is what keeps you fighting your corner... Maybe hope is the courage that anchors... Maybe hope is what never shall be moved... Maybe hope is the motor of survival... Maybe hope is the highest stake against high roller odds... Maybe hope is the adreneline rush with the pay off... Maybe hope is the warrior that wears wings...
What is hope to you? An anchor, a butterfly, a rainbow, a thing with feathers, a tree? Can you write eight things, people or events that fill you with hope? Light a candle to them.
Featured image this week is Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
Sojourning Smith 
Given the events of this week it’s a struggle to muster any hope and yet somehow in no particular order masks , patience, boosters, shared data, human kindness, compassion, , outdoors, and women.. Women generally have throughout this ordeal appealed for caution here in Ireland , and have found themselves berated for what now is emerging as the wise choice..
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Some are just more risk averse and are hard wired to protect the vulnerable. I agree that women have generally been much more vigilant here in Ireland, but also doing their best to keep community going, too. It’s been a challenge. We need a mega Women’s Little Christmas celebration this year!
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