This Full Moon is all about emotions, healing, and balancing. “This powerful Gateway is an opportunity to greatly accelerate your spiritual growth and to promote Balance in your life. Divine Masculine supports the Divine Feminine. As they come together in Sacred Marriage, you realize that one without the other is not balanced. So, do not act unless it is aligned with your Integrity; your Heart. Be inspired and then take a step toward your dream.” – Ascension: Soulstice Rising .
The Farmer’s Almanac tells us that this full moon’s name is attributed to Native Americans because it marked when corn was supposed to be harvested. Most often, the September full moon is actually the Harvest Moon, which is the full Moon that occurs closest to the autumn equinox. In two years out of three, the Harvest Moon comes in September, but in some years it occurs in October. At the peak of harvest, farmers can work late into the night by the light of this Moon. Usually the full moon rises an average of 50 minutes later each night, but for the few nights around the Harvest Moon, the Moon seems to rise at nearly the same time each night: just 25 to 30 minutes later across the U.S., and only 10 to 20 minutes later for much of Canada and Europe. Corn, pumpkins, squash, beans, and wild rice the…
So, where to begin in this post? Balance…If you can believe it, yes, life has gotten a little more hectic – another monkey wrench or two thrown into the mix of life. All was almost balanced – house, kiddies, online college courses, spiritual development, devotions and practices. Now however, due to my husband’s new work schedule that now keeps him from the house almost 16 hours a day with unknown days off in between, I came to the hard and sudden realization on Monday that I’m going to have to yet again, make some changes in my life – really sit down, prioritize and effectively manage my time or I will burn out. This has been showing up quite a bit in my daily Rune readings with Ehwaz on an almost daily basis and quite recently Jera in opposition – indicating a setback, a need for readjusting and asking for help and Isa – again, time to slow down! This really sucks as I HATE change! I’ve just started attending a Seeker’s Course with The Nine Worlds American Kindred which is about an hour’s drive for me, am studying and have recently been initiated into the Apple Branch and am in the middle of completing the Dedicant Path with the ADF (well, actually trying to play catch up as I originally wanted to have it completed within a year of joining the ADF, but that may or may not be a realistic goal right now…). I think, why have these opportunities presented themselves only to be taken away (referring to the Seeker’s Course in particular)??
To add to all of this, I’ve also been dealing with some uncomfortable health issues and upon visiting the doctor on Monday, left me with 2 choices of treatment: (1) major surgery with the removal of an organ that I’m not quite ready to part with yet (and plus I have no one to help me during recovery time should I choose that method of treatment) or (2) hormone injections (which sucks because I like the way I feel not being on hormones). Overwhelmed…feeling quite overwhelmed and ever so slightly grumpy…
My most recent and amazing Full Moon ritual back on March 28 gives me some relief and comfort knowing that things will be OK when I reflect back on it. Upon welcoming Freyja and lighting Her candle, the candle began to literally crackle and pop, putting on a most amazing light show that left me speechless and heart racing until the flame settled back down; there was no doubt that She was there. Personal offerings were made, I had a most amazing and powerful experience in a meditation from a Daily Om course I had ordered last month that I finally started, followed by a Rune reading: Uruz, Eihwaz, and Raidho. My interpretation indicated inner strength coming into effect in daily life – think before acting, take responsibility or act with responsibility and I will have the power to overcome any obstacle. Still holding onto outdated beliefs or desires (yes, this was also told to me at Ostara – I have broken many restraints but there are still a few I need to break), do NOT resist change. Trust and take control – know the true nature, seasons and cycles; BALANCE action with planning and reflection.
And in walks Frigga who has been sitting back since December and observing in Her strong, quiet, and all-knowing way…Perhaps it’s time to develop my home, hearth and kitchen Craft. As She is associated with the home and also with magic, given my circumstances of severely limited to now non-existant solo travel time, I do feel it’s time to work with Her and learn these things necessary to master said Craft.
Reading Nimue Brown’s post “The Druid balancing act” yesterday was very inspirational and spoke to me…
Freyja rides atop Hildisvíni to visit Hyndla (1895) by Lorenz Frølich.
Also on an interesting note, yesterday’s Goddess of the Day was Rindr. My daily Rune draw included Isa – associated with Rindr. Given Her story in lore and some past issues I’ve dealt with that still do affect my life today, I feel as though Freyja is sending me to Rindr. Just as Freyja had to visit the giantess Hyndla to get answers She needed, so too must I visit Rindr to get answers and knowledge needed to progress – just hopefully the meeting(s) won’t be as confrontational…
So, as it stands right now, I need to slow down and take a step back, look at the bigger picture and prioritize – decide what has to be cut back or be put on the back burner for now. A lot of my work is going to have to be solo or online. I will try to make it out to Alabama or up to Atlanta for the High Days with the kiddies as I can because I do need some “real time” contact with community for the sake of sanity. As a dear and wise mentor pointed out yesterday, balance is very important!
“Cailleach Bheur’s themes are balance, cycles, rebirth, overcoming and winter. Her symbols are snow and blue items. In Scottish traditions, this is a blue faced crone Goddess who blusters with power throughout the winter months. She brings the snow and cold until the wheel of time turns toward spring on Beltane (May Day).
Just as darkness seems to be winning, the Crone Goddess stirs in the earth’s womb and inspires hope. She knows that the time for rebirth as a young woman will come in spring, when She will fertilize the earth. For now, however, the first step is renewing the sun, whose light will begin to get stronger.
Since this Goddess is one of cold honesty, wear something blue today to encourage personal reserve, control, and truth with yourself throughout the day.
In keeping with the themes of the Winter Solstice, you could try this mini-ritual:
In the morning, cover your altar or a table with a yellow cloth (maybe a napkin or placemat) to represent the sun. Place a blue candle in a central location on the table, along with a bowl of snow to represent Cailleach Bheur and winter. As the candle burns with the light of the sun, the wax shrinks and this Goddess’s snows melt, giving away once more to the power of warmth and light.
Keep the remnant was and re-melt it for any spells in which you need a cooler head. Pour the water from the snow outside to rejoin the Goddess.”
(Patricia Telesco, “365 Goddess: a daily guide to the magic and inspiration of the goddess”.)
Well, the Cailleach has appropriately blessed us with Her presence yesterday and overnight here in Upstate New York! Now, it’s beginning to look like a real North Country holiday season! It was quite inspiring while researching Her and I was able to find a TON of great info that I listed in the “Suggested Links” at the bottom for you to browse through at your own leisure.
“Cailleach” by Mairin-Taj Caya
Patricia Monaghan had this to write about Cailleach: “Her name, pronounced correctly, sounds like clearing her throat, but ‘coyluck’ is a near approximation. One of the world’s Great Goddesses, She went by many names: Cailleach Bheur or Carlin in Scotland; Cally Berry in northern Ireland; Cailleach ny Groamch on the Isle of Man; Black Annis in Britain; the Hag of Beare or Digne in Ireland. She was vastly ancient; the Irish Triads say: ‘The three great ages: the age of the yew tree, the age of the eagle, the age of the Hag of Beare.’ She could endlessly renew Her youth. All the men She loved – and they were countless – died of old age as She went on, returning to the prime of life, finding another pretty young one with whom to share youth.
“The Cailleach Bheure” by Jill Smith
She had one eye in the middle of a blue-black face, an eye of preternatural keenness. She had red teeth and matted hair ‘white as an apron covered with hoarfrost.’ Over it She wore a kerchief and over Her gray clothing, a faded plaid shawl. She owned a farm and hired workers for six months with the stipulation that none would be paid who could not outwork Her. Looking at the hunched old thing, many a man fell for the trick and paid with his life, dying of overwork while trying to keep the pace She set. So strong was She that She carried boulders in Her apron; the ones She dropped became mountain ranges.
She controlled the season and the weather; She was the cosmic Goddess of earth and sky, moon and sun. Beacuse She does not appear in the written myths of Ireland and Scotland, but only in ancient tales and place names, it is presumed that She was the Goddess of the pre-Celtic settlers of the islands off Europe. She was so powerful and beloved that even when newcomers imported their own divinities, the Cailleach was remembered” (p. 77 – 78).
Cailleach rules the dark half of the year, from Samhain to Beltane, while Her young and fresh counterpart, Brighid or Bride, is the queen of the summer months. At least one tradition views Bride and the Cailleach as being one and the same, with the Cailleach drinking from the Well of Youth at the beginning of each spring, whereby She is transformed into the youthful Bride. However most traditions in Scotland have them firmly pitted against each other as two differing personalities. She is sometimes portrayed riding on the back of a speeding wolf, bearing a hammer or a wand made of human flesh. [1] [2]
“Alternate names: Cailleach Bheur, Cailleach Uragaig, Cailleach Beinne Bric (‘Old Woman of the Speckled Mountain’), Cailleach Mor (‘Great Old Woman’) (Scotland); Cailleach Bheirre, Cailleach Bolus, Cailleach Corca Duibhe (Ireland); Caillagh ny Groamagh, Caillagh ny Gueshag (Isle of Man).” [3]
I would really like to share a neat short film with you that Grey Catsidhe had shared with our Druid group back in November entitled “An Cailleach Bheara“. Click on the picture below to be taken to the Irish Film Board (ifb) site.
I also really enjoy and respect the work that rainbowpagan2 on YouTube does, so I wanted to share this video as well.
Sources:
Firedragon, Tansy/Rachel Patterson. Tansyfiredragon.blogspot.com, “Cailleach and Bride“.
Monaghan, Patricia. The New Book of Goddesses and Heroines, “Cailleach”.
“Leucothea’s themes are creativity, energy, communication, balance, harmony and change. Her symbols are bow and arrow, white items, milk and seawater. In Greek tradition, this woman gave birth to the centaurs [though there seems to be some conflict in that] and was a wet nurse to Dionysus. Her name translates as ‘milk-white-Goddess’, alluding to a strong maternal nature. In later times She became a sea Goddess, bearing the visage of a mermaid. Through this transformation we see the mingling of the spiritual nature (water) with that of the earth (half-human appearance) to create Sagittarius’s customary energies.
In astrology, Sagittarius is the centurion archer who represents a harmonious mingling of physical and spiritual living. Those born under this sign tend toward idealism, upbeat outlooks, and confidence. Like Leucothea, Saggitarians seem to have a strong drive for justice, especially for those people under their care.
To consume a bit of Leucothea’s maternal nature or invoke Her spiritual balance in your life, make sure to include milk or milk products in your diet today. Or, wear something white to figuratively don Her power.
For help with personal transformations, especially those that encourage personal comfort and tranquillity, soak in a nice, long saltwater or milk bath today. As you do, ask Leucothea to show you the right steps to take next.”
(Patricia Telesco, “365 Goddess: a daily guide to the magic and inspiration of the goddess”.)
“Elemental Goddess Water” by `AutumnsGoddess
“In Greek mythology, Leucothea (‘white Goddess’) was one of the aspects under which an ancient sea Goddess was recognized, in this case as a transformed nymph.
In the more familiar variant, Ino, the daughter of Cadmus, sister of Semele, and queen of Athamas, became a Goddess after Hera drove her insane as a punishment for caring for the newborn Dionysus. She leapt into the sea with her son Melicertes in her arms, and out of pity, the Hellenes asserted, the Olympian gods turned them both into sea-gods, transforming Melicertes into Palaemon, the patron of the Isthmian games, and Ino into Leucothea.
In the version sited at Rhodes, a much earlier mythic level is reflected in the genealogy: there, the woman who plunged into the sea and became Leucothea was Halia (‘of the sea’, a personification of the saltiness of the sea) whose parents were from the ancient generation, Thalassa and Pontus or Uranus. She was a local nymph and one of the aboriginal Telchines of the island.
Halia became Poseidon‘s wife and bore him Rhodos/Rhode and six sons; the sons were maddened by Aphrodite in retaliation for an impious affront, assaulted their sister and were confined beneath the Earth by Poseidon. Thus the Rhodians traced their mythic descent from Rhode and the Sun god Helios.
In the Odyssey (5.333 ff.) Leucothea makes a dramatic appearance as a gannet who tells the shipwrecked Odysseus to discard his cloak and raft and offers him a veil (kredemnon) to wind round himself to save his life and reach land. Homer makes Her the transfiguration of Ino. In Laconia, She has a sanctuary, where She answers people’s questions about dreams. This is Her form of the oracle.”
In Ezra Pound‘s Cantos, She is one of the Goddess figures who comes to the poet’s aid in Section: Rock-Drill (Cantos 85–95). She is introduced in Canto 91 as “Cadmus’s daughter”:
As the sea-gull Κάδμου θυγάτηρ said to Odysseus
KADMOU THUGATER
“get rid of parap[h]ernalia”
She returns in Cantos 93 (‘Κάδμου θυγάτηρ’) and 95 (‘Κάδμου θυγάτηρ/ bringing light per diafana/ λευκὁς Λευκόθοε/ white foam, a sea-gull… ‘My bikini is worth yr/ raft’. Said Leucothae… Then Leucothea had pity,/’mortal once/ Who now is a sea-god…'”), and reappears at the beginning of Canto 96, the first of the Thrones section (‘Κρήδεμνον…/ κρήδεμνον…/ and the wave concealed her,/ dark mass of great water.’).
Leucothea appears twice in Dialoghi con Leucò (Dialogues with Leucò) by Cesare Pavese.
A similar name is carried by two other characters in Greek mythology.
Leucothoë: a mortal princess, daughter of Orchamus and sister of Clytia, Leucothoë loved Apollo, who disguised himself as Leucothea’s mother to gain entrance to her chambers. Clytia, jealous of her sister because she wanted Apollo for herself, told Orchamus the truth, betraying her sister’s trust and confidence in her. Enraged, Orchamus ordered Leucothoë buried alive. Apollo refused to forgive Clytia for betraying his beloved, and a grievous Clytia wilted and slowly died. Apollo changed her into an incense plant, either heliotrope or sunflower, which follows the sun every day.
Now, concerning Ino, Patricia Monaghan tells us that Ino was the daughter of Harmonia, ‘she who makes sinewy’ and was originally a Goddess of orgiastic agricultural rites in pre-Helleinc Greece, to whom human victims apparently were sacraficed in a magical attempt to make rain fall as freely as blood on the soil. When later tribes brought their own pantheon into Ino’s realm, the religious conflict that ensued was recorded in the legend that Ino was a rival of the King’s wife Nephele. Ino brought on a famine and in punishment was pursued into the sea bearing Her son Melicertes. Both were then ‘transformed’ into sea deities by Greek legend” (p. 163).
Wow, I thought, how could this be? That seemed a bit of a stretch. However, going back and reading about Ino from Wikipedia, it states: “In historical times, a sisterhood of maenads of Thebes in the service of Dionysus traced their descent in the female line from Ino; we know this because an inscription at Magnesia on the Maeander summoned three maenads from Thebes, from the house of Ino, to direct the new mysteries of Dionysus at Magnesia.” [3] Ah…there it is – there’s the connection between the orgiastic agricultural rites Monaghan spoke of and the Dionysian Mysteries.
“Tenga’s themes are balance, justice, morality and freedom. Her symbols are soil. Among the Mossi of Senegal, Tenga is a potent earth Goddess who presides over all matters of justice and morality. Today She joins our celebration by offering to right wrongs and restore the balance in any area of our life that’s gotten out of kilter.
Equal Opportunity Day commemorates Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and the liberating energy it created for all people. Tenga had to be pleased by Mr. Lincoln’s efforts, and we should honor both him and this Goddess today by reconsidering any prejudices that cloud the way we look at other people or situations.
One way of doing this is through visualization. Hold a handful of soil as you mentally review the last week of your life and the way you handled certain individuals or circumstances. Consider: Did you go into a meeting with negativity, anticipating the worst? Did you overlook an opportunity, or close the door on a relationship because of a bad experience in the past?
These are the negative patterns that Tenga helps us to attack and transform with honest candidness (including being honest with yourself about shortcomings). You may not like what She shows you, but the results will be worth it.
Tenga improves your awareness of the Goddess in all things and all people.”
(Patricia Telesco, “365 Goddess: a daily guide to the magic and inspiration of the goddess”.)
“Tenga is the Mossi Goddess of the earth. The Mossi people of West Africa believe that Tenga is not only responsible for the fertility of the land, but also for social order. She receives this authority from the dead who are buried in Her womb. Tenga is most often worshipped near old trees or springs, which both have roots deep within the earth. When a transgression has been committed, especially one which has caused blood to be shed on the earth, She must be appeased by sacrifice or She will withhold fertility from the land. Tenga’s name, which means ‘earth,’ is also seen as Napagha Tenga.” [1]
“Mother Nature” by Zonagirl
Now, to me, She bears a striking resemblance to the earth Goddess Asase Yaa of the Ashanti.
“Ahnt Kai’s themes are balance, femininity, freedom, protection, fertility and overcoming. Her symbols are fish, sacred music and dance. In Mexico, this Goddess of women and children taught them how to freely dance and sing, expressing the beauty within and liberating them from societal constraints. In myths of the Seris, Ahnt Kai specifically teaches the fish dance, alluding to fertility.
Sometime around the 1930’s a comic-strip artist captured the image of Sadie Hawkins optimistically stepping outside the usual boundaries of ‘womanhood’ to ask a man for a date. The custom continued through special dances for many decades, as people revelled in Ahnt Kai’s liberating atmosphere. Thus, for both women and men, today is a time to free yourself from any restricting, stereo-typical, negative, or outmoded images that originate with yourself, others, the media, or the public. Ahnt Kai’s counsel today is to remember that true comeliness, true beauty, is not measured by externals – it begins within as we reunite ourselves with the Goddess and learn to love ourselves just as we are.
Add fish to your diet today (maybe a tuna sandwich) to internalize self-love and begin the process of personal liberation. Name the meal after an attribute needed to overcome your constrains. Ask the Goddess to bless your food, then eat with anticipation and self-confidence!”
(Patricia Telesco, “365 Goddess: a daily guide to the magic and inspiration of the goddess”.)
I couldn’t find too much on today’s Goddess. What little I did find stated that She was the “Goddess of women and children. Daughter of Koo-mah’mm hahs-ay’ tahm (First Woman). She flies at night and lives above the peak of Tiburon mountain. She is the teacher of singing and dancing, and tells the women and children when to do the Fish Dance. She heals snake bites. Equivalent to Athena (Greek), Kuan Yin (Far East) and Estsanatlehi (North America).” [1]
“Eurynome’s themes are unity, peace and balance. Her symbols is sacred dancing. This ancient Greek Goddess reached out to the chaos at the beginning of time, embraced it, and made order in the world. Through Her sacred dance, the winds were born, from Her womb came the land and the stars, and then She created rulers for the poles (one male, one female) so that balance would forever be maintained. [Also born from the chaos was Gaia, the Earth Mother].
On October 24, 1945, the peace-keeping United Nations was formally established in the orderly spirit of Eurynome to stress the need for understanding between people and the power of working for a unified cause.
To honor this occasion and uplift Eurynome’s positive energies, gather today with any group that you work with regularly. Do something together that focuses on your power as a group to really make a difference in one another, your community, or the world.
To bring Eurynome’s organization and balance into your home, take a small bowl filled with water and three drops each of one male-oriented herbal oil (like cedar, clove, lavender, mint, or pine) and one female-oriented oil (like apple, coconut, jasmine, lemon or vanilla). Put on some inspiring music, dance joyfully around your living space, and sprinkle this water as you go to draw Eurynome’s blessings to you.”
(Patricia Telesco, “365 Goddess: a daily guide to the magic and inspiration of the goddess”.)
“Gaia 1 Photograph” by Renata Ratajczyk
Patricia Monaghan writes: “The most ancient of Greek Goddesses, She rose naked from the primordial chaos and instantly began to dance: a dance that separated light from darkness and sea from sky. Whirling in a passion of movement, Eurynome created behind Herself a [north] wind that grew lustful toward Her. Turning to face it, She grasped the wind in Her hands, rolled it like clay into a serpent, and named it Ophion.
Then Eurynome [pronounced you-reh’ no-may] had intercourse with the wind serpent and, transforming Herself into a dove, laid the universal egg from which creation hatched. Installing Herself high above the new earth on Mt. Olympus, Eurynome looked down on it complacently. But Ophion, Her own creation, bragged that he had been responsible for all that was tangible. Forthwith Eurynome kicked out his teeth and threw him into an underworld dungeon.
“Goddess of the Tides” by Jonathon Earl Bowser
There was another Goddess of this name – or perhaps the later Eurynome was an elaboration of the creator Goddess. Said by the Greeks to rule the sea, She may have been the same Goddess as – or part of a trinity with – the great sea rulers Tethys and Thetis. The ‘wide ruling one,’ Eurynome had a temple in wild Arcadia, difficult to reach and open only once a year. If pilgrims penetrated the sanctuary, they found the image of the Goddess as a woman with a a snake’s tail, tied with golden chains. In this form, Eurynome of the sea was said to have been the mother of all pleasure, embodied in the beautiful triplets, the Graces [by Zeus]” (p. 119).
Sources:
Monaghan, Patricia. The New Book of Goddesses and Heroines, “Eurynome”.
“Themis’s themes are justice, equity, reason, morality, organization, foresight, karma and truth. Her symbols are balanced items and scales. In Greek tradition, Themis personifies the law in both spirit and deed. She regulates karmic order in the cosmos and presides over matters of moral judgment. Today, Themis strengthens the voice of consciousness and the gift of foresight within us, becoming a sound counsellor in difficult decisions and offering balanced perspectives.
Bearing in mind Themis’s legal theme, tend to any pressing legal matters today. If a court matter is pending, check on it. If you need to catch up on past-due parking tickets, do so. Themis will help resolve any matter of law in the most equitable manner possible.
Should you actually have to go to court today, carry an image of a scale or any balanced geometric figure in your pocket to invite Her assistance. Themis lives in just actions and orderliness, so just by treating people fairly and organizing your day, you invoke Her presence.
Throughout the day, take an extra moment to consider the repercussions of your actions, both mundanely and spiritually. Consider this a time to balance your karmic check book and make right some wrongs in your life. Also, be honest in your words and thoughts today. This honors and pleases this Goddess greatly.”
(Patricia Telesco, “365 Goddess: a daily guide to the magic and inspiration of the goddess”.)
“Themis” by Michele-lee Phelan
The ‘steadfast one,’ the daughter of Gaia, was the earth Goddess personified as an unshakable power. By Homer‘s time, She had come to signify a second powerful steadfastness: the social contract among people living on the earth (similarly Fides). One of the most ancient and most hallowed of Goddesses, Themis later became a vague and abstract personality. Yet evidence of Her original precedence is suggested: no Olympian gathering could take palace unless She called it, and neither could any divinity lift the cup of nectar before She had drunk.
In the language of Her people, themis was a common as well as a proper noun, the former indicating the power of convention, of whatever is fixed in society as steadfastly as the earth beneath us. The personification of such social cohesion, Themis was shown bearing a pair of scales; as the fruitful earth, She was shown holding the cornucopia. She was mother of the seasons, or Horae, Goddesses who determined the proper moment for the fruitful earth’s budding and exhaustion, and the proper times as well for human events. One of Themis’ daughters, the fierce Dike, was Her own maiden self, a stern, uncompromising virgin.
Her other children were the Horai [Eunomia (‘lawful order’), Dike (‘justice’), and Irene (‘peace’)] and the Moirai (the spinning, allotting and cutting fate Goddesses).
Themis ruled prophesy, for She knew human nature and the nature of human society and so could predict the outcome of any struggle; thus She shared with Mother Gaia the famous Delphic Oracle. For Her worship, She demanded group dancing, the symbol of group’s bonding through graceful action. Eldest of Greek Goddesses, She was the first to whom temples were built, for before Her there was no human community to offer worship” (Monaghan, p. 294 – 295).
“The only consort for Themis mentioned in the sources below is Zeus.
“Justitia” by Howard David Johnson
A Roman equivalent of one aspect of Hellenic Themis, as the personification of the divine rightness of law, was Iustitia (Anglicized as Justitia). Her origins are in civic abstractions of a Roman mindset, rather than archaic mythology, so drawing comparisons is not fruitful. [Themis is] portrayed as an impassive woman, holding scales and a double-edged sword (sometimes a cornucopia), and since the 16th century usually shown blindfolded.” [1]
Themis armed with sword and balance scales (Legislative Council Building, Central, Hong Kong)
Sources:
Monaghan, Patricia. The New Book of Goddesses and Heroines, “Themis”.
The Farmer’s Almanac tells us that this full moon’s name is attributed to Native Americans because it marked when corn was supposed to be harvested. Most often, the September full moon is actually the Harvest Moon, which is the full Moon that occurs closest to the autumn equinox. In two years out of three, the Harvest Moon comes in September, but in some years it occurs in October. At the peak of harvest, farmers can work late into the night by the light of this Moon. Usually the full moon rises an average of 50 minutes later each night, but for the few nights around the Harvest Moon, the Moon seems to rise at nearly the same time each night: just 25 to 30 minutes later across the U.S., and only 10 to 20 minutes later for much of Canada and Europe. Corn, pumpkins, squash, beans, and wild rice the chief Indian staples are now ready for gathering.
September Moon is also known as Harvest Moon, Barley Moon. The harvesters would gain extra time in the fields by the light of the harvest moon. This is a time of organizing and preparing for the coming months. The zodiac association is Virgo. [1]
“Harvest Moon Painting” by Samuel Palmer
SEPTEMBER: Harvest Moon (September) Also known as: Wine Moon, Singing Moon, Sturgeon Moon, Haligmonath (Holy Month), Witumanoth (Wood Month), Moon When Deer Paw the Earth Nature Spirits:trooping faeries Herbs: copal, fennel, rye, wheat, valerian, skullcap Colors: brown, yellow-green, yellow Flowers: narcissus, lily Scents: storax, mastic, gardenia, bergamont Stones: peridot, olivine, chrysolite, citrine Trees: hazel, larch, bay Animals: snake, jackal Birds: ibis, sparrow Deities:Demeter, Ceres, Isis, Nephthys, Freyja, Thoth Power Flow: rest after labor; balance of Light and Dark. Organize. Clean and straighten up physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual clutter. [2]
* Check out Mooncircles.com every month, or better yet, subscribe to their monthly newsletter to get the scoop on each month’s Full and New Moons, find out more about Moon Astrology and read blogs. They even have a different 3-Minute Moon Ritual for each Full Moon!
I really wanted to share this here with you as we think about and meditate on the Autumn season, finding balance and get ready for the coming winter. This comes from today’s DailyOm, entitled “Seasons of Beauty”.
As we cultivate our life, our beauty becomes as much about what we are creating and doing as it is about our appearance.
We tend to associate youth with beauty, but the truth is that beauty transcends every age. Just as a deciduous tree is stunning in all its stages—from its full leafy green in the summer to its naked skeleton during winter and everything in between—human beings are beautiful throughout their life spans.
The early years of our lives tend to be about learning and experiencing as much as we possibly can. We move through the world like sponges, absorbing the ideas of other people and the world. Like a tree in spring, we are waking up to the world. In this youthful phase of life, our physical strength, youth, and beauty help open doors and attract attention. Gradually, we begin to use the information we have gathered to form ideas and opinions of our own. As we cultivate our philosophy about life, our beauty becomes as much about what we are saying, doing, and creating as it is about our appearance. Like a tree in summer, we become full, expressive, beautiful, and productive.
When the time comes for us to let go of the creations of our middle lives, we are like a tree in autumn dropping leaves, as we release our past attachments and preparing for a new phase of growth. The children move on, and careers shift or end. The lines on our faces, the stretch marks, and the grey hairs are beautiful testaments to the fullness of our experience. In the winter of our lives, we become stripped down to our essence like a tree. We may become more radiant than ever at this stage, because our inner light shines brighter through our eyes as time passes. Beauty at this age comes from the very core of our being—our essence. This essence is a reminder that there is nothing to fear in growing older and that there is a kind of beauty that comes only after one has spent many years on earth.
I also came across this beautiful and inspirational video today from the Tuatha de Brighid Flamekeepers group I belong to. Learning to Dance in the Rain Movie. Enjoy!
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