A luce ‘ngann: tHE LIGHT IN THE THROAT

In the dialect of my ancestors, we call it 'A luce 'nganna'—the light in the throat. It is the moment where the fire of the hearth meets the breath of the soul.

The Roots of FEBRUARY 2

Long before history assigned this gesture the name of a Saint (Saint Biagio), and even before it was cloaked in the light of Mary of Candelaria, for us, it was the Rite of the Counsel and the Good Tidings.

To bless the throat at the dawn of February meant preparing oneself to become a "Messenger."

My female ancestors knew that the secret resides within the crossing: only where the roads meet can a new vision be born.

By warming the neck with candles, they melted the winter "knots" of the voice, ensuring that every word spoken in the year to come would not be in vain, but charged with counsel and ancestral wisdom. In this "X" that I trace upon the skin, I rediscover the call of Hecate and the mystery of the Trivium (the Crossroad).

The throat is a personal crossroad, the exact point where the breath of the soul must choose which direction to take to become word. To cross the flames is to bring the light of awareness to where the paths meet, just as the ancient priestesses did in the borderlands.

The secret handed down to us is that "within the crossing resides the choice."

Bringing fire to the trivium of the throat is an act of supreme magic: I invoke the counsel of the ancestors to discern what must be spoken from what must remain silent.

Like the Goddess who illuminates the dark paths, I illuminate my vocal passage so that my announcement may be pure, potent, and transformative.

It is a rite of both power and responsibility.

As the heat dissolves the frost, I cease to be only Michela and I become the living bridge between the fire of Vesta, which purifies, and the breath of Brigid, which inspires. In that cross of candles, I consecrate my voice to be the "Good Tidings" that awaken life, protecting the greatest secret: that every word born of light has the power to heal the world.

The Invocation

Whisper these words while crossing the candles beneath the chin, letting the warmth of the flame awaken the memory of your blood:

"In questo Trivio di luce, sciolgo il gelo e apro il varco.
Come le Madri prima di me, porto il fuoco al mio soffio.
Che la "X", il sacro incrocio delle forze sia il mio sigillo, che la fiamma sia il mio consiglio.
La mia gola è libera, la mia parola è vera, la mia voce è la Buona Nuova che risveglia la terra."

("At this Trivium of light, I melt the frost and open the way. Like the Mothers before me, I bring fire to my breath. May the 'X', the sacred crossing of forces, be my seal; may the flame be my counsel. My throat is free, my word is true, my voice is the Good Tidings that awaken the earth.")

It is necessary to utter these words while breathing deeply, feeling the vibration of the voice expand at the exact point where the flames meet.

Preparing the Space for the Blessing

To welcome this blessing on February 2nd, one must prepare the space so that it becomes a reflection of one’s lineage and the threshold about to be crossed. As a rite that unites the fire of Vesta, the awakening of Brigid, and the vision of Hecate, the environment must vibrate with Purification and Anticipation.

1. Cleanse with White and Red Spread a white cloth (symbolizing the purity of Imbolc and the milk of Brigid) and add a red detail (the color of the blood of seven generations and the vital fire).

2. The Call of the Trivium If possible, place three small elements at the vertices of an imaginary triangle around you: a stone (Earth), a cup of water (Flow), and incense or a green branch (Air/Breath). You will stand at the center, at the point of encounter.

3. Water and Salt Before beginning, wash your hands with water and salt to leave the burdens of the daily grind outside the room. This is the moment of the "Vestal": you are entering the temple of your own breath.

4. The Presence of the Ancestresses (The Ave) Keep near you an object that binds you to the women of your family. It could be a piece of jewelry, an old handkerchief, or simply a photograph. Seek to feel them, perceiving them arranged in a circle behind you.

5. The Two Candles Use natural beeswax candles, if possible. Their honey fragrance recalls the gold of the returning sun. Before lighting them, hold them in your hands and "charge" them with your intent: visualize your voice as a channel of light.

When everything is ready, extinguish all artificial lights and let only the flame speak. In that silence, we are no longer merely our "everyday selves": we are the Guardians of the fire that prepares to announce the spring.

- Michela, Tiziana, and Tanya