My Early Years in Catuary

TheTemple of Tasheraling

Mews, Dear Human,

Today we went to the Great Temple of Tasheraling in San Kata, for the midwinter celebration and feast-of-lights. It was a thrill to be going, as we only go to the Great Temple on rare occasions. It is a long journey to San Kata, so we went in our little donkey cart, with Senet pulling it at a very slow pace. We spent the night at our cousins’ house. My friends Primmy and Shazon and their families went also.

Many days are spent in preparation for the festival. Mewma and Pawpa and I made candles scented with herbs that we will light at the feast-of-lights. Although it is still winter, wild sage and mints and rosemary still grow near the river. They make the candles smell so lovely. When we arrived we sat our candles on the steps leading up to the temple. Each family of cats put their candles on the steps, and at sunset on the first day of the celebration, the temple cats lit all of the candles. That was the sign that the celebration had begun. It is an incredible sight to see the thousands of lighted candles on the temple steps. It is like a pathway to the stars. They will burn until tomorrow at sunset, which is the end of the festival

It is a great joy to have so many cats together. We have huge circle dances around great bonfires, and they often go on long into the night. We mew and chant to bells and gongs, and the flow of energy between us is incredible. The music has a healing quality, and it allows us to connect with the earth, and with each other.

Today I played the chimes during the chants, and Shazon and Primmy played bells. We could hear the great gongs in the background. They are the heart of the song. The bells and the singing bowls blended their voices together, centering us. Then came the voices of the chimes, at first softly and delicately like snow falling, then more fiercely, like wind blowing leaves, as the great gongs clanged like a thunderstorm. Suddenly, with the wave of a paw, the high priestess gave the command to stop. The silence was deafening, and we felt our spirits bursting with joy.

On the second day of the festival we went to the temple early in the morning and dipped our paws in the temple pool. It is a ritual cleansing of our spirits and a preparation for spring. Pawpa put his paws in clear up to his armpits. Then he lost his balance and fell into the pool. It was quite funny. I guess he is really ready for spring.

Afterwards we had a lovely feast of fish and catnip cakes that the temple cats had prepared. I love coming to the Temple for the celebrations. It is sad to say goodbye to my friends, but when I get home, I am always happy to be there.