Imbolc 2010
As I sit here writing this introduction it is snowing hard in my home state of Maryland. What was supposed to be a light dusting turned into a snow storm. The weather here in Florida is far different. Although it isn't as cold as it is in the northern parts of the country, it is cold for Florida standards. We have had a cold winter and fear that many plants and trees will not survive to see the Spring. Today we went for a walk around the yard. The maple trees have small red buds on them - a sign of new life. There are signs of new life in the grasses that have small green sprouts popping up here and there. Even though things are dormant I have faith that life will spring forth.
With blessings of the Season,
Dawn
A Poem For Imbolc by Bendis
I am a child of the Earth.
I live and breathe, walk and dance upon Her face.
She is my source and I learn from Her each day.
This I know…
Life begins in the dark as Desire.
Deep in that dark place life begins to form,
taking root and becoming…..
As life stirs...... deep in the Mother's Belly,
there is a gentle quickening,
movement that alerts us to a "knowing"
of the presence of something yet to come.
As the Earth prepares Herself with warmth,
the rains and waters come and flood the land,
nourishing the soil in which She is creating new life.
Earth and Water and Fire come together and Form continues to take shape.
One last thing is needed...
Just as new form emerges, She breathes Air upon it.
Her Breath, giving Life to all that She has nurtured.
Earth and Water and Fire and Air
Bendis mentors priestesses through the Apple Branch - A Dianic Tradition and is the author of four books. Poetry is her first love, especially when written about images captured in her camera. In addition, Deanne is the founder of Global Goddess, a worldwide organization open to all women who honor some form of the divine feminine. She has led retreats, taught workshops and formed groups of women to honor the age-old tradition of women coming together, doing work with their hands and sharing stories with each other. She currently teaches online through Ocean Seminary College.
For more information on Deanne, visit:
The Blue Roebuck http://blueroebuck.com
Her Breath - Spiritual Mentoring and Wellness Coaching http://herbreath.com
Global Goddess http://globalgoddess.org
The Apple Branch - A Dianic Tradition http://applebranch.org
Artwork by Orna Ben-Shoshan
“The Last Supper – A Moment Before The Dawn of a New World”
Homage to the great master Leonardo da Vinci.
A fresh, contemporary interpretation to the world's famous masterpiece.
One of the world’s greatest masterpieces was completed in 1498 on the wall of Santa Maria Grazie church in Milano, Italy. Leonardo da Vinci was 40 years old. It took him 4 years to complete his masterpiece. Five centuries later, “The Last Supper” continues to inspire artists of modern times, who re-created the scene, giving it their own interpretations and presenting it in contemporary versions.
Being born in the land where the history actually happened, I took the liberty to create my own version of “The Last Supper”. My own version of "The Last Supper" ignores any religious aspects, and offers a new meaning to the subject of festivity. Here I took da Vinci’s creation in a different direction: Instead of a last supper before the ending of a life, my own version shows a last supper before rebirth, a moment before a latent potential materializes. This is a celebration of a night before new souls are incarnated: The boards on the walls show Hebrew letter-combinations, which compose the genetic code of the universe.
The Large moon in the sky symbolizes the feminine energy of revival and rejuvenation.
A significant symbol for birth and new beginnings is the feminine figure which carries the seed of life.
The figures in da Vinci’s original masterpiece were replaced here with twelve pregnant women, who are expecting to give birth the next day.
These women are the vessel through which new souls are incarnated. Their “Last Supper” is a celebration for their forthcoming fulfillment.
One male is present in the scene to demonstrate the balance of a human society.
A night of full moon symbolizes the feminine energies of creation and realization.
The Large texts on the walls are letter combinations of the Hebrew Alphabet, which, according to the Kabbalah – compose the genetic code of the universe.
The essence of this scene is of hope and expectation for good outcomes.
During my creation process, I chose to be loyal to da Vinci’s genius composition in order to let it reflect through my work.
This painting was created as digital art, and is printed as collectors’ limited edition on canvas.
"My Last Supper" Giclee print on canvas Date Completed: 2008
Please visit Orna Ben-Shoshan’s website at: http://www.ben-shoshan.com to see more beautiful pieces.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Alternative Realities lie parallel to the world we are familiar with.
Orna Ben-Shoshan's artwork gives the viewer a rare and insightful visit to places beyond consciousness. Her paintings release the imagination and extend the limits of ordinary perception. In her colorful scenes, which take place in a distant world, creatures and objects interact in unpredictable ways and are uninfluenced by the laws of physics.
Artist Orna Ben-shoshan receives the images she paints through channeling. Unlike most artists, all of her paintings are completed in her mind before she transfers them onto the canvas. Orna's works infuse deep spiritual experience with subtle humor.
Critics remark that each of her pieces is a world unto itself. The images are executed with intricate detail and seasoned by a multitude of colors and decorative patterns that are influenced by her work as a designer. During her career as a fine artist for the past twenty years, Orna has created a large body of work and is presently focusing on oil paintings. In addition to oil paintings, she creates computer art. These images are transformed into hand-decorated prints on canvas. Currently she also works as a freelance illustrator and textile designer.
Orna Ben-Shoshan was born in Kibbutz Yifaat, Israel, in 1956. She received her training as a graphic designer in Tel-Aviv. In 1982 she moved to the U.S. where she lived for fifteen years.
Since her first one person show in 1983 (Lancaster, PA) Orna has exhibited her work in museums and galleries throughout the U.S. and abroad, including "ART EXPO N.Y." in 1996. She has recieved several awards, such as the "Grumbacher Award" from the Copley Society of Boston. Her work was published in "Yoga Journal" and by "Recycled Paper Products". She is also featured in the 10th edition of "The Encyclopedia of Living Artists".
Orna returned to Israel in 1996 where she is continuing to work from her studio in Ra'anana. Her first one person show in Israel took place at "Tzavta", Tel-Aviv, in 1998 and won remarkable reviews. Since then, she has been exhibiting her art at numerous one-person and group shows in Israel and Europe.
View her artwork and become enchanted by an astounding world, where anything is possible. Snatch this opportunity to enrich your imagination, expand your horizons and become familiar with a rapidly rising and talented artist. You will be captivated, exited, enthralled and inspired...
Ask Your Mama by Mama Donna Henes
Are you cyclically confused? In a ceremonial quandary? Completely clueless? Wonder no more.
*Ask Your Mama™
The What, When, Where, Why, How, and Who of
Ceremony & Spirituality
by
©Mama Donna Henes, Urban Shaman
A Question of Moon Names
Dear Mama Donna,
I have noticed that when you refer to the new and full moons, you call them by very colorful names, for example the Harvest Moon, the Beaver Moon, etc. What do these names mean? What do they signify? Where do they come from? Could you kindly explain?
Moon Watcher in the perammoon deliniated importsMassachusetts
Dear Moon Watcher,
You are in good company. People everywhere have always watched the moon, tracked its path, plotted its course, and counted its cycle of eternal return. Originally, the moon delineated the parameters of time, dividing the year into moonths.
Each new moon has usually been associated with and named for common seasonal phenomena — attributes of nature, animal traits, or human activities — which somehow relate to that particular lunar period. How the moonths are named says a lot about a people, revealing specific details of environment, weather conditions, seasonal occupations, diet, and belief systems.
For example, the twelve moonth names of the Omaha, dwellers of the Great Plains and woodlands of the Missouri River valley in what is now Nebraska, clearly indicate that they were hunters, focused as they are primarily on animals: Moon In Which The Snow Drifts Into The Tents Of The Hoga, Moon In Which The Geese Come Home, Little Frog Moon, Moon In Which Nothing Happens, Moon In Which They Plant, Moon In Which The Buffalo Bulls Hunt The Cows, Moon In Which The Buffalo Bellow, Moon In Which The Elk Bellow, Moon In Which The Deer Paw The Earth, Moon In Which The Deer Rut, Moon In Which The Deer Shed Their Antlers, Moon In Which The Little Black Bears Are Born.
The calendar of their neighbors about five hundred miles to the north, the Ojibway, reflects a completely different lifestyle. Here, along the heavily forested waterways surrounding the western Great Lakes, agriculture was impractical and large prey scarce. The people thrived on the wild fruits and grains that they gathered. Long Moon, Spirit Moon, Moon Of The Suckers, Moon Of The Crust On The Snow, Moon Of The Breaking Of Snowshoes, Moon Of The Flowers And Blooms, Moon Of Strawberries, Moon Of Raspberries, Moon Of Gathering Wild Rice, Moon Of The Falling Leaves, Moon Of Freezing, Little Moon Of The Spirit.
The Ugric Ostiak, a group living further north still on the vast, empty tundra of northern Siberia has produced moon names which reflect their chilly existence. Trees seem to have been prized for their rarity and the importance of their wood — less for fuel than for shelter for themselves and their horses. The list also suggests that fish and game birds are import food staples. Spawning Month, Pine-Sapwood Month, Birch-Sapwood Month, Salmon-Weir Month, Month Of Hay Harvest, Ducks-And-Geese-Go-Away Month, Naked Tree Month, Pedestrian Month, Month Of Going Home While Ice Still Remains, Month Of Going On Horseback, Great Month, Little Winter-Ridge Month, Windy Month Of Crows.
Compared with these, the English language month names fall flat. We have inherited our months intact from the Roman calendar, reformed and instituted by Julius Caesar in 45 B.C. The names signify very little to us anymore, and are, as far as most of us know, totally devoid of meaningful allusions to the natural world.
Januarius, the New Year month was named for the god, Janus, who looks both backward and forward in time. Februarius was for Februus, god who oversees the cleansing of sins. Martius was for the war god, Mars, perhaps in deference to March’s stormy weather. Aprilis, from the Latin, aperire, means “to open” or “to bud.” Maius was in honor of Maia, Goddess of Green Growth. Junius, from the Latin, junores, “young people,” might refer to the fertility festivals celebrated around the summer solstice.
Julius was named for Julius Caesar, author of the calendar and Augustus was for Augustus, Caesar’s grandnephew and heir. As if the cup of inspiration had run dry after allocating the eighth name, the remaining months were given numbers, which, having once belonged to a previous and outdated calendar, weren’t even correct. The ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth months, September, October, November and December, actually mean seven, eight nine and ten! Boring.
Of all possible moonth designations, the ones that make the most sense to me living in the Northeast United States are the descriptive names given to the moonths by the Iroquois peoples — the Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Mohawk and Tuscarora — the original inhabitants of the heart of New York State from Albany to Buffalo. The seasonal changes that they describe are completely recognizable. What do I know, after all, about Julius Caesar? Let alone when the salmon spawns, the kangaroo whelps, the crocodiles lay, or when the yams are ripe?
The Wolf Moon, The Snow Moon, when the Winter is long;
The Sap Moon, The Pink Moon, when Spring rises up;
The Flower Moon, The Strawberry Moon, when the world is in blossom;
The Buck Moon, The Sturgeon Moon, when Summer is at its strongest;
The Harvest Moon, The Hunter Moon, when Autumn settles in;
The Beaver Moon, The Cold Moon, during the darkest days. Yep!
There are many books that list Native American moon names. Find the original moonth names for your geographic vicinity. Most likely, they will still resonate for your bio-region. If they speak to you, use them. If not, invent your own. Just look up, look around, set your mind on the moon
----------------------------- and open your heart to the cycle of the seasons. Meaningful names will suggest themselves.
xxMama Donna
Virtual Moonths
We in the United States have, for all intents and purposes, have evolved a contemporary cultural calendar for ourselves; one that we all recognize; one that bespeaks the ways of our society. These, as I see it, are the moonths we really observe:
January — The Month When Grown Men Compete for Dominance byfighting Over the Inflated Skin of a Pig
February — The Month When We Become Sentimental and Maudlin about Love and Work Ourselves into a Fit of Depression
March — The Month When We Stand Eggs on End in Order to Remember That We Are Part of This Planet
April — The Month When We Are Coerced into Contributing to the War Chest
May — The Month That Ends in a Three Day Shopping Frenzy in Honor of Our Dead Soldiers
June — The Month When the Children Are Set Free
July — The Month When We Applaud Bombs Bursting in Air
August — The Month When We Suddenly Remember All the Warnings About The Greenhouse Effect
September — The Month When We Buy New Notebooks and Set Off to School in the Spirit of Renewed Determination
October — The Month When We Worry About Our Children Eating Candy with Razor Blades or Poison in It
November — The Month When We Stuff Ourselves Silly
December — The Month When We Spend Too Much Money Money and Drink Too Much Egg Nog and Get Depressed Anyway
*Are you cyclically confused? In a ceremonial quandary? Completely clueless? Wonder no more. Send your questions about seasons, cycles, and celebrations to Mama Donna at cityshaman@aol.com
***************************
Donna Henes is an internationally renowned urban shaman, award-winning author, popular speaker and workshop leader whose joyful celebrations of celestial events have introduced ancient traditional rituals and contemporary ceremonies to millions of people in more than 100 cities since 1972. She has published four books, a CD, an acclaimed Ezine and writes for The Huffington Post and UPI Religion and Spirituality Forum. Mama Donna, as she is affectionately called, maintains a ceremonial center, spirit shop, ritual practice and consultancy in Exotic Brooklyn, NY where she works with individuals, groups, institutions, municipalities and corporations to create meaningful ceremonies for every imaginable occasion.
Phone: 718/857-1343
Email: CityShaman@aol.com
www.DonnaHenes.net
www.MamaDonnasSpiritShop.com/
www.TheQueenofMySelf.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donna_Henes
http://youtube.com/watch?v=yAR-aIiQ_xE
Read her blog at:
http://www.myspace.com/queenmamadonna
http://queenmamadonna.blogspot.com
http://mamadonnahenes.gaia.com/
Book Review by Bendis - The Sidhe by John Matthews
Book Review by Bendis - The Sidhe by John Matthews
If you have read books by John Matthews, you would be aware of the reputation he has that he is a scholar. One does not get any impression that John is anything less than a credible source for information about the Celtic People. In this book, however, Matthews speaks of his extraordinary conversations with a being from the Otherworld.
In this book, John speaks of his fantastic encounters over a period of about one month with one who says he is of the Sidhe race of beings. Matthews records the words of those encounters almost verbatim with only a small amount of commentary.
This book contains teachings and information that I believe are vital for our continued spiritual connection to the Web of Life. The book gives us six things we can actively do that will deepen our awareness and gently move us along our continued relationship with Spirit.
This is a very important work and one I will not ignore. I cannot wait to begin.
Matthews, John, The Sidhe, Wisdom from the Celtic Otherworld, The Lorian Press, Everett, WA 2004
Brigid the Fiery Arrow By Phoenix LeFae
It was cold outside with the dusk of early night just starting to settle over my town. I sat in a comfortable wooden chair surrounded by soft candlelight. I was nervous and excited for the event that was about to take place. I was about to take on a huge responsibility. I was ready to make a bold statement to the world, by stepping into a place in my spiritual life that I had never gone before.
A beautiful calm Priestess fluttered around me getting all the preparations ready for the event. We did not normally work together spiritually, but I had known her for many years and trusted no one else to this ritual. My arm was resting on a table in front of me with my wrist facing up. Between the flickering of candles, the sacred space my Priestess friend had created and the music playing in the background I was in altered space ready for my dedication to begin.
Finally the Priestess came to sit across from me, my arm serving as a barrier between our two bodies. “You ready?” she said with a smile playing across her lips. I had never been so ready in all my life, but my nerves were keyed up and the words could not find their way to my mouth, so I nodded eagerly instead. She showed me the stencil of the Brigids Cross that she had created and gently placed it on my wrist. When the stencil was in place she looked up at me smiling once again. “Here we go” she said. There was a feeling of anxiousness as I waited for the needle to pierce into my flesh.
I was giving myself to Her, to Brigid. I was having her symbol forever embedded in my flesh. The Priestess turned on the tattoo machine causing the tiny needles to quickly vibrate up and down. She put the tip of the sacred tattoo machine into the black ink and brought it over to my arm. I took a deep breath and focused on the picture of Brigid we had set up in the sacred space.
When the needle touched into my skin the pain was not what I expected. This was not my first tattoo, but all my others are in places where I could not watch them being created. The pain and discomfort of this tattoo was lessened by the fact that I could watch the mark being placed on my wrist, by the fact that a dedicated Priestess was going through the process with me and most importantly by Brigid being called in to witness. I was being born in dedication to her.
I find Brigid to be one of the most well rounded Deity I have worked with thus far. She is a healer and mis-wife, a poet and artist, as well as a creator and warrior. She is often called Fiery Arrow and she guards the sacred holy well, and the sacred holy flame. She is a Goddess of the Land, the Sea, and the Sky. She was so loved by the pre-Christian peoples that the church made her into a Saint and kept her holy day as a Christian celebration.
My first encounter with Her was several years ago during a trance where she called me “flame headed” and set me on fire. I didn’t know what any of it meant at the time, but now She calls to me like a moth to Her forge flame. She is gentle and strong, humble and wise, patient and soothing. Looking back, the signs that I would end up working with her are innumerable, but hind-sight is twenty-twenty.
The whole process took only a half an hour. Small black line connecting to small black line, forming a beautiful piece of Her forever on my skin. It took longer to set the sacred space than do the sacred working, but afterwards I felt elated. My energy level was vibrating at a high rate and I felt a fire in my head like I often do after an encounter with Brigid. I was standing at a new beginning, a beginning of my life as a Priestess of Brigid. I don’t know where this road might be leading, but I am excited for the ride.
Celtic Astrology for Imbolc by Carmen Reyes
If You were born January 21 – February 17
Rowan
Sorbus
Botanical Information
Sorbus aucuparia - European Mountain Ash, native of Eurasia grows wild in the deciduous forests of Europe and Asia; naturalized in SE. Alaska and across S. Canada to
The Rowan, commonly known as the European Mountain Ash and the American Mountain Ash, is not an Ash tree at all but derived its alternate name due to the similarity of the leaves of the two Trees. Rowan is actually more related to the Rose and is cousin to the Hawthorn and the Apple.
Tree Name
Its bright orange berries are an important winter food for birds. In
Tree: Rowan or Mountain Ash
Goddess: Brighid, Sequanna
Animal: Dragon, Duck
Stone: Yellow Topaz
Color: Grey
Asteroid/Planet: Vesta, Uranus
Tree Goddesses
Brighid Triple Goddess
There actually are three Brighids, maiden, mother, crone. Brighid is a Celtic Goddess who is the keeper of the flame; She is a symbol for fire, Her name meaning “bright arrow” or the “bright one”. The Gaelic work for Rowan is luisiu, which means flame.
Brighid is a Goddess of smithcraft, poetry, sacred wells, medicine and healing. She is a muse and Goddess of inspiration, especially poetic inspiration.
Sequanna
Sequanna is a Gaulish Goddess known as The Fast-Flowing One. She is invoked as Deae Sequanae. She is a healing water Goddess associated with ducks whose healing shrine is called Fontes Sequanae. Sequanna is both the surface and underground waters of the Seine, a watershed Goddess, alive today in the watersheds in the
Tree Animal
Dragon
The dragon is a mythical being known to guard secrets and treasures. In Celtic myths they are fiery winged serpents associated with alchemy and the mysterious energies of ley lines.
Duck
The duck is associated with the Rowan month as the month of floods when the ducks swim out on the meadows.
Stone
Yellow Topaz
An empathetic stone that shields during times of transition and rapid change
Color
Grey is the color of reflection, reflected light and mental processes, and in Celtic mythology there is a connection to death and soul migration.
Planet
Vesta
An asteroid associated with dedication to fire and the spirit. Vesta seeks inspiration through meditation on the flame. She is charged to guard the flame and keep it from desecration.
Uranus
Brilliantly inspired ideas are associated with Uranus, a planet associated with
Tree Attributes
One of Rowan’s nicknames is the Quicken Tree, the Quickbeam – the tree of life. The time of the Rowan moon is the time of quickening, when life begins to rouse itself from the slumber of winter.
Tree Personality
Rowan is a warrior tree and Rowan people have a strong sense of self, directing their energies towards manifesting their inner desires. They are energetic, athletic, can thrive in both community and solitude and have a desire for recognition, new experience. The Rowan lesson is to learn to use the power of will for spiritual means rather than self gratification. Their gift is the ability to arouse and stimulate new ideas and new spiritual life in others.
Rowan Craft
Making and carrying a little universal cross (one with both arms equal) of Rowan twigs bound with red thread will protect you against the control of others in the same way that a Rowan tree planted in the yard protects your home.
Tree Essence
Essence of Sorbus aucuparia engenders attunement to the energies of nature, particularly wood and earth, enlarging a deep understanding of the universe
Tree Message
The Lady of the Mountain gives special insight or foreknowledge; it provides forewarnings for things outside ourselves of which we are not aware. Rowan offers the strength to turn away anything that threatens purpose and serenity
Tree Affirmation
“I have insight”
Guidelines for Tree Essence Use
Tree essences are handmade using traditional methods. They comprise the energy signature of the tree preserved in brandy. Liquid essences are traditionally taken by mouth, a few drops placed directly under the tongue or in a small glass of water. They can also be taken by placing a drop on pulse points (wrists, throat, neck, forehead, soles of the feet). Essence cream can be applied to pulse points as well. A guideline for using the essences is 3 or 4 times a day.
Individual experiences with essences will vary. Sometimes there may be a strong reaction, emotional or other. If this is uncomfortable, reduce or stop for a while. Remember, these essences help you to change yourself – they do not create change by themselves.
Although flower and tree essences may help to remove underlying imbalances and increase self healing, they do not replace medical attention. If you have a health concern, please see a qualified practitioner.
FES Quintessentials are herbal supplements, Demeter-certified Biodynamic and made with organic and wild harvested flowers.
Green Man Tree Essences are members of the British Association of Flower Essence Producers.
http://www.faeriefaith.net/HazelNut/Issue6.html
http://www.druidry.org/obod/trees/rowan_susa.html
http://www.greenwisewoman.com/ogham/card/rowan.html
http://www.goddessmystic.com/CoreCurriculum/Goddesses/Sequana/index.shtml
http://www.misslilysmysticalsupplys.com/celticgoddess.html
http://www.celtnet.org.uk/gods_s/sequana.html
http://cura.free.fr/xx/19boutet.html
Green Man Tree Essences – Sue and Simon Lilly
4 Brimble, L.J.F. Trees in
5 Ibid, pg. 175-176, Little, pg. 511.
Boutet, Michel-Gerald. Druidical Astrology Primer.2002
Glass- Koentop, Pattalee. Year of Moons Season of Trees.
Graham, Mark., and Heather Buchan. The Celtic Tree Ogham. Milverton,
Kerr, Linda. The Hazel Nut.
Landis, James Clifford. The Faerie Faith and the Beth-Luis-Nion Celtic Lunar Calendar.
Monaghan, Patricia. The New Book of Goddesses and Heroines. Llewellyn Publications; 3 Sub edition (September 1, 2002).
Quarrie, Deanne. From the Branch a Primer in Dianic Witchcraft.
Dark Moon Mysteries: An Interview with Lady Absinthe by Drusilla Bivalve
Dark Moon Mysteries: An Interview with Lady Absinthe
By Drusilla Bivalve
I caught up with Lady Absinthe as she was making her nightly peregrination through the Mimsy Barrow Grove, a lovely forest of old trees and burial mounds. Lady Absinthe is of course renowned for her Musken Frenzy love potions and her ground-breaking Footsie-Wootsie ritual for divining upcoming trends in shoe fashions. Lady Absinthe was on her way to perform a dark-of-the-moon spell in her grove, but was willing to say a few words on the subject of dark moons.
Drusilla: I see that you’re preparing for a dark moon ritual. What kinds of spells and rituals do you find to be most effective during this phase of the moon?
Lady Absinthe: Without a doubt, the dark moon is the most efficacious for banishing spells. I also do house cleansings, anti-thief wardings, and occasional bits of dream magick.
Drusilla: What deities do you access during this lunar phase, Lady Absinthe?
Lady Absinthe: Well of course there’s Hecate. She’s got a wide range of powers and domains, including the underworld, the sky and the sea. She’s a protector of herds and crops as well as the goddess of witches and crossroads. I give her a lot of credit for keeping her full credentials in spite of the invasions that disenfranchised so many of the other old European goddesses. The invaders were so scared of her that they left her alone. Even in the later Orphic cults, Hecate was revered as the “shouting goddess with the terrible voice who led the stranger to the god.”
Drusilla: What other goddesses are efficacious at the dark of the moon?
Lady Absinthe: There’s plenty of dark goddesses like Kali, Hella, Baba Yaga, the Furies and Nemesis, along with Lilith. Persephone can be helpful during the winter months. Artemis is always effective, especially if you’re working in a forest. Brimo or Phorba Brimo is the appropriate epithet of Artemis during the dark moon. She’s an chthonic Orphic lunar deity associated with Kotys, Semele, Bendis and Leto. Brimo is superb for especially tough banishments. She just chews up the object of the banishment, and they go down the throat of the screaming goddess.
Drusilla: Lovely. I’ll keep that in mind. What do you generally do to get her attention?
Lady Absinthe: I call her with the Orphic katabasis formula: “Phorba-Phorba-Brimo-Azziebya!”
Drusilla: You’ve mentioned the Orphic cult a few times now. Why is this?
Lady Absinthe: Back in the pagan hey-day, the witches of Thessaly and Thrace were quite famous throughout the empire. They really took to the Orphic mystery cult when it started to spread around 500 BC. They fused the cult’s rituals with their own regional specialties. It was a pretty potent blend. They were considered the masters of witchcraft and wizardry.
Drusilla: In general, what kind of energies do you work with during the dark moon?
Lady Absinthe: To me the dark of the moon is like returning to the darkness of the womb. The Earth is between the twins Apollo and Artemis, the sun and the moon. It prevents them from sharing light, and this opens the doors for paradoxes, edges and crossroads. The waning light of the balsamic moon is reduced and withheld, moving the hours of night into a week-long abyss lit only by the stars. All of the hags, biddies and crones of the various pantheons are drawn out of their caves and catacombs.
Drusilla: Hags and biddies and crones, oh my!
Lady Absinthe: You might want to keep your voice down unless you want visitors. My rule of thumb is never to mention entities I’m not prepared to deal with. Back to the subject, waters of the ocean, one of Hecate’s realms, draw in upon themselves during low tide periods, and carry things out to sea. This is why it’s such a good time for banishment and release, because it’s a cycle of reduction in the most literal sense. The waters are shrink away from the shores before starting a cycle of expansion.
Drusilla: So why is this paradoxical?
Lady Absinthe: Because the best workings during the dark of the moon are banishing and release, but there are certain gathering activities that are favored as well. So while a witch might cast a banishing spell to rid herself of something annoying, she may also make a trip to her garden to collect herbs like deadly nightshade, belladonna, mandrake, datura, hellbore, or wormwood.
Drusilla: Why these herbs?
Lady Absinthe: Because they’re all poisons, and are mostly associated with the dark aspect of the lunar goddess. If you look them up in old grimoires they’re associated with Saturn, but that’s what happens when men are the only ones who write books about the Doctrine of Signatures. In my book, they belong to the dark goddesses of the dark moon.
Drusilla: Is there a particular image you use to visualize the dark moon?
Lady Absinthe: The Moon card in the tarot is a good one. The card usually features several of the things associated with Artemis-Brimo, like two lonely towers, the pillars of Boaz and Joachim in the High Priestess card forlorn and rotted. There’s also howling black dogs, and a crab or lobster crawling to the shore from the sea. Although it’s a card associated with the moon in general, the imagery is more suggestive of a dark moon, or even of a lunar eclipse. An eclipse is one of the oldest meanings of this card, and eclipses are dramatic celestial events when the light of the sun or moon is, in effect, swallowed. In terms of spell casting, eclipses aren’t much good unless you’re trying to bring an end something, or push something off course so it fails.
Drusilla: Why is this?
Lady Absinthe: Because eclipses bend and pervert the energies of the two strongest celestial lights, the sun and the moon. Spells require clear intentions and will power, the province of the sun, and strong, focused emotions, which is the province of the moon. Eclipse spells don’t often work out, even when they’re cease-and-desist spells. A normal fourth quarter moon process is gentle and natural, but an eclipse throws the celestial lights under the bus and squashes them.
Drusilla: So what kinds of spells have you performed successfully at the dark moon phase?
Lady Absinthe: One of my favorites was a talisman I created to banish spiders from my basement. I did it when the new moon was conjunct Saturn and it worked like a charm. I also make batches of Four Thieves Vinegar at the dark of the moon, always on a Saturday, which is Saturn’s day.
Drusilla: Care to share your recipe for that?
Lady Absinthe: There’s the old medieval recipe for rosemary, sage and thyme gently steeped in not-quite-boiling vinegar. I prefer apple cider vinegar for it, since apples are a good magical fruit. My recipe depends on what’s available in my garden when I make it, but I usually include wormwood, wolfbane, and some hot peppers. Not only does it keep out thieves, but dogs think twice before doing their business in my front yard.
Drusilla: Good to know. So what spell are you working tonight?
Lady Absinthe: This is a new spell I call “Down the Witching Well.” Since you’re here, you might as well help me set it up.
Drusilla: (Lady Absinthe takes a jar full of some mysterious potion out of her robes along with a hammer and a nail, then hands me a shovel that’s leaning against a nearby tree). What do you want me to do?
Lady Absinthe: It’s a shovel, you dimwit. Dig a hole.
Drusilla: (I dig a hole. It’s about a foot deep and a foot wide. Lady Absinthe takes a petition wrapped in black fabric out of her robes and puts it in the bottom of the hole. Then she uses the hammer to nail the petition to the bottom of the hole. She sprinkles black sand widdershins around the edges of the hole, and then casts her spell.)
Lady Absinthe: Troubles be gone, troubles be past,
Now banished by this spell I cast;
To the Stygian murk of Titan’s hell,
I cast you into the Witching Well!
I offer you this wolfbane tea –
Devour this bane, good Hecate!
Drusilla: (Lady Absinthe pours the steaming, somewhat lumpy potion into the hole, pushes the dirt back into the hole, stamps it three times with her foot and walks away without looking back.) By the banshees, that was a nasty little spell. Who or what did you banish?
Lady Absinthe: Telephone marketers, reality TV and television shopping shows, saturated fats, and political lobbyists.
Drusilla: Well done! So what was in the potion?
Lady Absinthe: Chicken bones, wormwood roots, iron nails, hair of a black dog, skullcap, wolfbane, and a credit card offer I got in the mail, finely minced. I brewed them in rain water collected during a solar eclipse.
Drusilla: What, no black buttons from a dead man’s coat?
Lady Absinthe: I used those up last month. On occasion I’ve done spells for Artemis with sharpened pencil stubs.
Drusilla: Why pencil stubs?
Lady Absinthe: They’re rather like arrows, right? You can poke holes in the soil and set them up in a circle. If you don’t want to use nails, like I did in this spell, you can use pencil stubs. I save them in a box when they get too short to write with.
Drusilla: Good suggestion! So what spells will you be casting after the new moon?
Lady Absinthe: As far as I’m concerned, if you can’t see it, it isn’t there. The moon is dark until you see the new crescent. The new moon listed in your calendar is astronomically correct, but I don’t do spells for increase until the new crescent moon is visible. If it’s not there, then there’s nothing to work with, right? Call me old fashioned, but I bet you wouldn’t catch a Thessalian witch doing a prosperity spell unless the moon was at least half full.
Drusilla: Thanks for your wise words, Lady Absinthe.
….
Lady Absinthe and Drusilla Bivalve are fictional characters created by Elizabeth Hazel, an astrologer, tarotist, mystic, author and lecturer. She writes the Astro-Spell column for Witches and Pagans Magazine, hoping to encourage spell-casters to combine practical magic with the precision of astrology. Her weekly horoscope column is posted at WomensRadio.com. Liz is also interested in mythology and folklore, and has contributed many articles on these subjects to the Llewellyn annual calendars and almanacs. Articles and samples of her artwork can be seen at: www.kozmic-kitchen.com; she can be contacted through this site.
Found Goddesses Maiden Goddesses Part 7 by Barbara Ardinger, Ph.D.
Dirty Dancing [1]
You think watching this movie isn’t a spiritual experience? Just ask the members of the Patrick Swayze Fan Club. Ask the thousands of women who regularly visit Dirty Dancing web sites. Some of them say they’ve seen the movie a hundred times; like Rocky Horror fans, they can recite the liturgy … uh … the lines along with the characters. When you watch Johnny Castle and Baby Houseman’s midnight dance in Johnny’s “great room,” then, omigoddess, you’ll have a Majorly Spiritual Experience. (Some women say it’s orgasmic. The first time my friend Sandra, whose birthday is today, saw the movie, she gasped, “That’s foreplay.”)
Hey, we’re pagans. When the Goddess says, “All acts of love and pleasure are My rituals,” we believe her. If we’re pantheists, we find god or goddess in all things. If we’re panentheists, we believe that all is god or goddess. “All” can include movies, right? If we’re chiliasts—I’ve just learned this Gnostic term, which means we come into a new spiritual reality full of light (and what is a movie if not light?) after the end of the world—then maybe we can find a new reality at Kellerman’s.
We worship the ground we walk on. In the classical Greek theater where drama was invented, the dance floor (the orchestra, where the chorus danced) was holy ground. Maybe we should worship the ground we (dirty) dance on. Maybe we should worship the dancer and the dance, which are identical, and dance with the Lord of the Dance, who in the movie happens to be a kind-hearted young man from the wrong side of the tracks.
Dirty Dancing was released into theaters on August 25, 1987. Some people like movies with messages. Other people like film noir. Just let me take dancing lessons from Johnny Castle.
Barbara Ardinger, Ph.D. (www.barbaraardinger.com), is the author of Pagan Every Day: Finding the Extraordinary in Our Ordinary Lives (RedWheel/Weiser, 2006), a unique daybook of daily meditations, stories, and activities. Her earlier books are Finding New Goddesses, Quicksilver Moon, Goddess Meditations, and Practicing the Presence of the Goddess. Her day job is freelance editing for people who don't want to embarrass themselves in print. Barbara lives in southern California. To purchase a signed copy of Finding New Goddesses, just send Barbara an email at bawriting@earthlink.net.
[1]Dirty Dancing is from Pagan Every Day: Finding the Extraordinary in Our Ordinary Lives (Weiser Books, 2006). Used by permission of Barbara Ardinger, Ph.D.
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Intentional Insights: Q&A From Within by S. Kelley Harrell
2010, The Age of The Succulent Feminine
"As above so below. As within so without." ~Hermesianax, Greek poet
Hi Kelley, I am a middle aged woman who has experienced many changes this decade. Unfortunately, things seem to get worse--job, financial problems, relationships... I feel myself isolating and trust is becoming an issue. I truly don't know how long I can hang on at my job, and there are few new jobs out there. Finances are difficult. Not sleeping is a problem. I feel blind and blocked. No matter what I do to free myself, things get worse. Thanks... Leea
Thank you for your note, Leea. What I am shown is that you have played by the rules of patriarchy to the point of mastery, and it's time to invite in and express the feminine way. The underlying feeling of always adapting, never setting the pace, going with the crowd despite the fact that it doesn't feel natural... These states are all indications that you have well-learned how to function in a linear world with set rules. They are also signs of the feminine giving up power to the masculine, which creates disharmony for both.
On a personal level this dynamic creates a space in your daily life, in which you feel that if you could just play the game better, if you could just get that one break, if you could just meet the right person... While predictable and safe, this routine doesn't serve your deeper needs. It is, in fact, giving away your power.
Image: Feminine Divine, artist unknown
Now on the planet is a sense of the Divine Feminine reawakening. Where has she been? Right here, actually. But the way we live doesn't acknowledge her, which means that we don't honor our natural rhythms. We all know about the millennia of control of men over women, patriarchy, excision of the feminine to yield masculine monotheism. What we seem to be realizing with this re-awareness of the Divine Feminine is the toll the lack of energetic balance has taken on how we live. In Her lack, our existing Masculine is wounded.
None of the established systems work anymore--organized religion, healthcare, government, social benefit. On a personal level, the systems that don't work are the daily grind, running a household, biological and energetic political/sexual dynamics... Does this mean we can't have these things? Not necessarily. It means we have to find new ways of implementing and sustaining them, so that instead of meeting only our dire needs, they meet all of our needs.
The place to begin this transformation is to assess what your real needs are. Yes, we all have to earn a living. We all have to eat and pay bills. To have the energy to do those things means we must be fed on deeper levels, and that is where I see you needing to provide yourself support. Giving yourself the nurture and care that you need will reconnect your inner feminine and masculine, and it will allow you to reshape your perspective on the systems in your life. If you feel supported and trusted inside, your outside will conform to those feelings. It will mirror that support and give back to you. You have worked yourself spare trying to create that support externally, and only come up tired and feeling a lack. Consider the things that nourish you spiritually: a regular massage? A weekend retreat? An evening watching the stars? An artistic pursuit? A class you've wanted to take? I suspect it is some collection of different treats done at a set interval. These are not empty acts of girlie indulgence. They are cogent approaches to solidify trust in yourself and expressing your untapped voice. This will be a leap of faith for you, as there is an element of needing to trust your ability to determine what is right for yourself, and gaining the courage to manifest it. Yet reading these words stirs some wild woman within who needs expression. Allay your fears of her. She is the voice of the Divine in you. She is the key to feeling whole and creating the movement and language that is right for you.
That said, I do see a better job opportunity for you in the next 6-9 months. The thing is, without a calm, confident core, you won't recognize it. Start creating that nest for yourself now, and not only will the opportunities you need meet you, you will see them coming. With these new opportunities meeting your needs, you are quite likely to create your own new system.
~*~*~*~
A Houseful of Virgos and the Saturn Legacy
Kelley, I am a Virgo and have dealt with Saturn since September 2007, when my life turned upside down. I have worked diligently and have made progress, but I don't have a job that can sustain my son and myself, I have not received child support since the beginning of Saturn's visit, and my Virgo son has gotten into trouble and a toxic relationship. We are completely broke and live with my mother. Is this karmic? Am I suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder? Why is this happening, and will it ever end? Sara
Thanks for your note, Sara. The story I am shown is in your chakras.
Your root chakra, which is the first of the primary chakras along the spine and is situated at the perineum, is very overactive. The root chakra does what it sounds like--it roots you as a spiritual being into the form of this world. Mastery of this chakra involves gaining the basic survival skills to stay alive as a formed being, and psychologically it entails that you become aware that you are part of a tribe, in preparation for the mastery of the second chakra, which is all about how one relates (or doesn't) to the tribe, itself.
An overactive root chakra can indeed give the effect of being locked in fight-or-flee instinct, the perpetual feeling that you are being pursued even when there is no threat. The other major point about the root chakra that is vivid for you relates back to the tribe--your family unit. You have a birth family unit, the one you learned to survive in and prepared you for surviving in the world, and you also have created a family unit, your son, whom will be leaving the tribe soon. In your time of peril you have returned to your original tribe, and in doing so have brought your created tribe with you. It's good to have a support system, but in this case, sharing living space with your birth tribe is only creating more inner conflict for you.
Another facet of this overactive root is OCD--Obsessive Compulsive Disorder behaviour. Virgos are given to wanting order and turning themselves inside out to preserve it. I feel like this is something you generally have good habits on, but the constant trigger to preserve survival has created self-harming habits, mostly at a mental level--spinning scenarios in your head until panic ensues, allowing irrational thoughts to trump approaches you know are more healthy.
Sometimes we best manage by stepping back. We think that disengaging and being present is a passive act, when in reality it is the most challenging active pursuit. This is your greatest challenge right now, and as you master it, so shall your son.
Because connections of tribe are so interwoven with the way Saturn is affecting you, I do feel that this experience is karmic. Distress with your birth family is being unconsciously acted out by your son.
He is expressing your repressed stress, which is a long-standing pattern between you that has only increased with Saturn's focus. He is not consciously aware that he is playing out this dynamic. I have a sense of spinning wheels. He is at the threshold of stepping out into the world as an individual, and he feels that he should be able to help you more with the household. His own stress cripples him.
This 'inability to provide' is creating a block for him. He is mature enough to feel the pinch and longing to help, but he doesn't have the experience or emotional grounding to effectively help. Few his age do. Teens deal with 'spinning' by acting out. Rebellion feels productive, despite that it only divides and conquers. Crazy as he may be driving you, disciplining his behaviour won't improve circumstances. His underlying stress has to be soothed, and the best way to do that is by example. Strategically placed, "My emotions are my own to process," in talks with him can unconsciously help him let go of responsibilities that are yours alone to manage. It will also send him the signal to let you be the parent. Conversely, it will send the signal to him to be the child, i.e., to listen and observe.
Your guides are only showing me how this karmic stress is affecting your chakra system. Because everything in our etheric form is connected, so, too, is the internal and external. It's a matter of time before it affects other aspects of your wellbeing, your health in particular. Regardless of what is going on in your external right now, it is imperative that you address the internal. When I observe the rest of your chakra system, I can just make it out for the overwhelming size and brightness of your root chakra. The lower chakras pertain to our earthly growth and maturity, while the upper chakras relate our spiritual growth and maturity. Etherically speaking, what needs to happen is the root chakra energy needs to be moved up the spine, balanced throughout, as it were, and the life force that comes in through the crown--the topmost primary chakra in the form, needs to be drawn down. Whatever meditative technique appeals to you, bringing your awareness to this process will be helpful. Visualize doing it, feel it moving, imagine that primal balance taking place. If you can go to an energy worker to do this work for you, or if you're comfortable with doing it at a distance I can do such work. Either way, some self-maintenance is required. I do not get information on job or new residence, because giving attention to your life force is imperative. My sense is that in giving yourself some solitude and care, you will have better perspective and opportunity will arise from that.
It's been a long haul with Saturn. I completely empathize with you, Sara. You have come through it, and through the aftershock you are regaining your power. Be open to the wisdom Saturn leaves you, and some sweetness will prevail.
~*~*~*~
Intentional Insights is a Q&A column inviting you to look inside yourself. If you have a question that you would like for me to address in my column regarding a brief Soul Reading or questions about spiritual healing and shamanism, please send them to me at Kelley@soulintentarts.com, or contact me to schedule a full-length Soul Reading. Intentional Insights is a production of Soul Intent Arts, © 2010 All Rights Reserved. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter!
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Moon Schedule from Imbolc to Spring Equinox
By Dawn “Belladonna” Thomas
(Times are Eastern Time)
4th Quarter – February 5th 6:50 p.m.
New Moon – February 13th 9:53 p.m.
1st Quarter – February 21st 7:42 p.m.
Full “Snow” Moon – February 28th 11:38 a.m.
4th Quarter – March 7th 10:42 a.m.
New Moon – March 15th 5:01 p.m.
Moon Void of Course Schedule
Date Starts Ends
|
February 4th |
4:27 a.m. |
11:55 a.m. |
|
February 6th |
11:11 a.m. |
7:03 p.m. |
|
February 9th |
12:02 a.m. |
5:43 a.m. |
|
February 11th |
7:39 a.m. |
6:24 p.m. |
|
February 13th |
11:32 p.m. |
February 14th 7:23 a.m. |
|
February 16th |
9:32 a.m. |
7:30 p.m. |
|
February 18th |
10:52 p.m. |
5:55 a.m. |
|
February 21st |
7:15 a.m. |
1:47 p.m. |
|
February 23rd |
12:29 p.m. |
6:28 p.m. |
|
February 25th |
12:48 p.m. |
8:08 p.m. |
|
February 27th |
3:15 p.m. |
7:52 p.m. |
|
March 1st |
12:36 p.m. |
7:31 p.m. |
|
March 3rd |
3:43 p.m. |
9:11 p.m. |
|
March 5th |
11:31 p.m. |
March 6th 2:36 a.m. |
|
March 8th |
6:13 a.m. |
12:13 p.m. |
|
March 10th |
4:59 p.m. |
March 11th 12:42 |
|
March 13th |
7:57 a.m. |
1:43 p.m. |
|
March 15th |
7:00 p.m. |
March 16th 1:32 a.m. |
|
March 18th |
6:22 a.m. |
11:29 a.m. |
|
March 20th |
2:41 p.m. |
7:28 p.m. |
Planting Days
February: 4th, 5th, 6th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 24th, 25th
March: 4th, 5th, 9th, 10th, 14th, 19th, 20th
Harvesting Days
February: 7th, 8th, 12th, 13th
March: 6th, 7th, 8th, 11th, 12th, 13th
New Year’s Intentions by MarVeena Meek
Our Beautiful and rare full blue moon inspired this article. My apprentice guide always told me if you are not intending your time you are pretending. It means you are spinning your wheels.
By segment intending we can break down the time we have in a day and allocate different amounts to the projects we have.
The trick is to have time set aside for the different aspects of our self. Our career-physical life, our mental self, our emotional self, our spiritual self and soul/life force energy.
Some times we get caught up in a survival mode where it is all about making a living. We then will ignore the other aspects of our self. This is a trap and creates distress in the other aspects of our life. We have to have balance to be successful in the end.
I make a to-do today list. Write down the major things I intend to finish or work on and how much time goes to different projects that are on going. Then I set my timer for that amount of time. This gives each project a container. When the timer goes off I wrap up that piece and take a little transition break before moving to the next piece of business. This helps me to keep things moving and get this done.
So here are my seven tips:
1. Write a list to ground the idea.
2. Set a time, stick to it.
3. Do something for each of the five aspects of self
4. Let the inner child have a little fun
5. Rest in between projects to rejuvenate.
6. Re-evaluate your finished projects at the end of the day.
7. Be flexible, this keeps us fluid and moving.
Be more aware of energy sucks, are other people's business eating up your precious time? If so learn to create stronger boundaries around your self and a stronger sense of worthiness for your personal dreams. I teach my students how to do this on an ongoing basis.
Find a mentor, coach or guide to help you push your personal edge this year. There are many programs available. I have had an Apprentice Guide for 10 years. Some times it is really hard but it helps me to get things going! I wouldn't have a 2nd degree black belt if it weren't for my Apprentice Guide. Good luck! Call or email me if you need more ideas on this we can set up a reading.
Blessings
MarVeena -Ghost Queen
© Dec 30, 2009
If you like this article and would like to use it in your own E-Zine or Newsletter you may do so. Just be sure to include this complete blurb: From
The Ancient Witches of Thessaly by Angie Skelhorn
The moon is associated with witchcraft, magic and sorcery and is considered to be the source of witches’ power. In ancient times in Thessaly, a region north
Aglaonike could have had knowledge that the Moon has a nineteen year cycle, at the end of which the New Moon occurs on the same day of the year (Metonic Cycle). She probably followed the schedule so exactly that once the general length were known she could predict the lunar eclipse; when the Earth stands between the Sun and Moon, casting its shadow on the Moon and thus hiding it. The Crone of Thessaly, Erichtho was ordered to expel a spirit from the grave. Sextus, the son of Pomey (106-48 BC), wanted to know his future. By the light of the Full Moon, he and a few trusted companions wandered among the broken graves and crumbling sepulchres until they found the withered crone, collecting magical herbs, chanting.
"You have the power to divulge the fates of man. I pray you exercise the gift and tell me what's to come; extort this secret from the gods, or force the dead to confess what thy knows," he said.
The Crone of Thessaly, Erchtho, told him she could, but would not alter the hands of time to break the eternal chain of cause and consequences. She would agree to tell him only a foreknowledge of events to come. She walked through the graveyard examining one by one the bodies of the unburied dead. She selected the corpse of one newly deceased, and whose origins of speech had sustained no wounds.
Sextus and his companions stood trembling in terror, with eyes fixed on the ground. Erichton spoke to her guests. "Lay aside," she said, "your vainly- conceived terrors! You shall behold only a living and a human figure, whose accent you may listen to with perfect security."
She prepared the dead body for the ritual. At lengths she chanted her incantation to the Magi, the Gods and Hecate, the goddess ruler of the underworld, the queen of the witches for life and death to mingle and combine at once. She did not ask for a ghost, but a spirit of a solider from the great Pompey.
Hearing this, the corpse sat erect, and admired his limp limbs, enraged he had not been given the privilege to pass over. Erichtho reassured the spirit if he told her what she needed to know, with a full and articulate voice, he would never again be summoned to the realm of the mortal living. The soldier told her the names to things and gave places a clear designation. Satisfied with the information the Crone of Thessaly used sacred herbs, wood and more magic, to build a funeral pyre. The spirit was placed on the pyre, Erichtho applied the torch and the body burned ending the charm forever.
Footnote- Witches by Olga Hoyt-Chapter Habits of Witches
Publisher Abelard-Shuman
Rhys, Ernest.ed (1859-1946) The Haunters and the Haunted 1921
Angie Skelhorn's website - http://witchskel.com
The Blue Edge of Her Green Garment by H. Byron Ballard
Here in the ancient mountains of western
Many of us come from hardy--and poor--Scots-Irish stock and we can succumb to the old cultural maladies of too much drink and too much temper. We can be stubborn and isolationist, but we can also be generous and welcoming.
We are a paradox, to be sure.
Many of us cling to the old harsh tenets of a Christianity that is proudly exclusive and no-nonsense: a religion that mourns births and rejoices at funerals. And within that framework is often found the cultural practices of an earlier and wilder people. The physical and spiritual healing techniques of our Celtic forebears blended with Cherokee herbalism to create a unique hillbilly hoodoo, practiced still in the remote fastnesses of rural counties. This wise-woman tradition is a hoodoo that is practiced within the framework of old-timey mountain religion.
We approach the coming of spring with these two patchwork coats around us--our Celtic cultural practices (which include the strange winsomeness of traditional mountain music) and this strong claim of spiritual rightness.
For those of us who practice the earlier forms of Celtic spirituality, it is a time when we examine the effects of the Gaelic diasporas and look towards the spring for this year as well as springs past. We lean on Brigid as we approach Her festival. We look for those first tender greens, we wonder if the path to the well is clear of ice.
For Brigid belongs as much to us as to our sisters in
She even has a story about making beer--how perfect is that?
Here on the brow of the
We’ll do a public ritual for Her in her guise as Gold-red Woman and we will tie clouties to a branch and pray our prayers in Gaeilge. There will be fire and water and song and smoke.
For Brigid belongs to Her Celtic people in
That is where the traditional story ends but Yarnall adds this grace note:
As Brigid put Her warm cloak back on, She tossed the edge over Her shoulder. And that edge floated on the wind all the way to
May She claim you and yours this year and bring you healing and joy. Happy Imbolc!
The Elements by Mary D'Alba
The Air -
so crisp and clear.
It tells me what I need to hear.
It encourages me to think deeper.
It whispers the truth in my ears.
The Earth -
so solid and strong.
It takes on my pain, transforming it.
It helps me to stand strong.
It loves me like a mother would.
The Fire -
so passionate and light.
It brings illumination to what I need to see.
It burns away the hurt and pain.
It keeps me warm when I feel the chill.
The Water -
so cool and refreshing.
It washes me of all my worries.
It glides me along the current of my life.
It blesses me with peace.
The Spirit-
the one that lives inside me.
It keeps all of my memories, my skills, my talents.
It helps me learn my lessons and grow.
It is who I am – as above, so below.
~Copyright 2009, Spiritualitygirl~
The Girdle of Ishtar: Astrology for Everywoman by Jessica North-O'Connell
Imbolg, The Feast of Brigid
“Bride is coming. Bride is come. Welcome Brigid to this home.” - Robin Skelton[1]
Daylight hours are increasing noticeably; the worst of Winter is safely behind us, at least, that's what we tell ourselves! Punxsutawney Pete, that old weather-predicting groundhog, emerges from his winter lair to discover whether or not he can see his shadow; if he sees it that portends six more weeks of winter. If he doesn't, that means winter will be gone in only six weeks. Just in time for the Spring Equinox!
In some parts, the month of February means the height of winter storms, and the Full Moon (February 13th this year) is also known as the Storm Moon, giving us some insight into the type of weather some areas expect. Here in the
Fourth month of the Celtic Druid tree calendar, (beginning with Birch/November),[2] Willow roughly corresponds to the month of February, and celebrates the Feminine domains of menstruation, maternity, home-making, oracular and mantic arts, and the collective lifestyle of Temple priestesses, (a well-known example of which are the Vestals of Rome, though they were hardly the only ones!). Premiere Goddess of the this lunar month is the healer Brigid (aka Bride, pronounce breed), she also of the flame, heart of the home (hearth); the forge, where metallic jewellery and temple wares[3] were fashioned; and poetic incantation, how the history of a people was passed along from generation to generation without being written down.
“During the Age of Chivalry, Brigid was so revered as a model of women of every age, that gentlemen,
knights and nobles began the custom of calling their sweethearts their "Brides" - a custom that has come down to this very day.” [4]
So highly did the Celts regard Brigid, that their legends told of how she was midwife at the birth of the Christ. The Christian Church adopted the 2nd of February as the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin Mary (40 days after Dec. 25), and the year's altar candles are also blessed on this day. After St. Patrick “drove the snakes out of
The pagan Feast of Brigid, commonly known as Imbolg (roughly im-mul 'g), Imbolc, or Oimelc, is a fire festival, and celebration of fertility, observed from sundown February 1st to sundown February 2nd, during which time the Lady herself is invited into the family home. Our new projects, until now kept close to our breasts, are tenderly introduced to our larger communities, as we make a bid for the support our friends and family. With only six weeks of winter remaining, we are well on our way to the Spring Equinox and the productive summer months.
This is the quickening
of the year.
Tuber and seed and root quicken
into the coming of the light
into the growing of the year.[6]
Seasonal Outlook
For those of us living on the West Coast, the chart for Imbolg this year (calculated for midnight) features 27 degrees of Libra on the Ascendant, with her Venus affiliate conjunct the Sun in the fourth house in Aquarius. Those on the East Coast see four degrees of Scorpio rising, also with the Sun and Venus occupying the fourth house. It's a time to keep those home fires burning, as matters of home and family take centre stage. Groups and organizations are also emphasized, and the Moon occupying organizational Virgo in the 11th house reminds us to keep things in order. Don't forget to write down meetings times, places and other pertinent information. We may also find ourselves moved to contribute to, or become involved with, charities at this time. It's also a good time to “strut your stuff” with regards to career aspirations, though don't count on seeing the results of your work just yet, as Mars is retrograde in Leo until March 10th. With Mercury occupying the third house, there is a focus on communication, information, practical and educational, as well as siblings.
Cancer may be thinking of getting away from it all right now. Try taking a course that captures your interest. Often “a change is as good as a rest.” Aries may feel that partners or health issues are occupying your time right now, perhaps keeping you from making headway. By giving a little now, you will benefit in the long run. Sagittarius may find that earning power is impacted now, though this should right itself by the end of March. You may feel somewhat constricted by mundane matters, but taking care of business now makes for more creative enterprises in the future. Capricorn benefits from learning new skills, which can give new depth to your job or calling. Taurus may struggle with sense of self right now, so it's a good time to look at your personal values, as you may be challenged on them. What message are you giving to others through your own self-presentation? Pisces may find this is an excellent time to be creative in innovative and unusual ways. Express yourself, but don't get too carried away. You do have to live with the consequences, after all, and you're not generally one to be comfortable with being on constant display. Virgo, take some time to check in with your inner self. What fuels you at this time? Although others may look to you for service and even emotional support right now, it's important to pay homage to your own inner hearth fire. Gemini is stimulated emotionally to dig deeper into what really matters. Take some time to look at things from the collective's, or your partner's, point of view. Libra may feel weighed down or even ignored right now. This is an opportunity to explore your dreams and assess how your life has brought you to this point. What attitudes are possibly holding you back? Scorpio, others may look to you right now for leadership, but “what they see is not necessarily what they get” - you're used to it, though, so roll with the punches. Leo, you're “making haste slowly,” but keep striving to achieve those goals. It's well worth it, and things will get easier within the few weeks. Aquarius may feel overwhelmed with family matters, but don't let your imagination run away with you. Instead, use that creative spiritual energy to find soul-satisfying solutions for everyone involved, yourself included.
May Brigid inspire you in this season of increasing light, fertility and prosperity. See you at the Spring Equinox!
Jessica North-O'Connell is a founding Priestess of /
[1]The Practice of Witchcraft, Robin Skelton
[2]Based on the more accurate up-to-date research of Colin and Liz Murray. See The Celtic Tree Oracle
[3]Yvonne Owens, in The Witch's Book of Days, p. 59
[4]http://www.saintbrigid-canton.com/SaintBrigid.html
[5]http://www.ordbrighideach.org/raven/
[6]The Practice of Witchcraft, Robin Skelton, p. 109
The Healing Tree by Vanessa Timmons
The Healing Tree: A woman’s column rooted in the wheel of the year
She changes everything she touches and everything she touches changes…
~Modern Goddess chant~
The Moon has been a source of inspiration and reverence since time everlasting. I call her Mother. And she has been the one constant in my life with her ever changing dance across the sky. I have learned to depend on her cycles for the comforting realization that all of life from the tiniest seed to the massive ocean, ebb and flow in a constant dance with change.
From Luna to Yemenja Moon Goddesses play powerful role in showing us the importance of our cycles and guiding us as we navigate the waxing and waning terrain of deep change. They are wild, protective, mothers, and hunters, teaching us that into each season is born abundance.
Their stories tell of healings and divinations, of creation, destruction and release. Our ancestors watched the phases of the Moon for their survival, each turn of her skirt determining when to plant and when to harvest. She inspires magic and invites each of us to explore our intuition and passion for life. At the end of 2009 a Blue Moon and the Full Moon eclipse created unique opportunities for reflection and journal writing. It was a time to review, and look deeply at the cycles; a time to determine what to harvest and what to plant.
The following journal exercise is an excerpt from The Way of The Heroine: A women’s healing journal. It is designed to guide you in your own dance with the Goddesses of change…
My Favorite Season
Through her slow cyclical process Mother Earth teaches us that there is a natural rhythm and order to change. As we connect to this wisdom we are reminded to accept that even the unpredictable cycles of our lives have purpose, rhythm and order. Using the seasons as a metaphor for your life, select the season that best describes what you are experiencing now.
Listed below are some descriptions of the seasons as I experience them. You can use them or create your own descriptions based on your unique understanding of the season.
Winter is a season of chilly extremes long nights and short days. We may feel isolated. The cold weather forces us indoors. It is a time of introspection and gathering of strength.
Spring is a season when the energy of growth begins to stir. Dormant seeds wake up and push toward flowering. You may feel your energy rise and explode with new ideas and beginnings.
Summer is a season of manifestation. All the possibilities of the spring emerge fully in the summer. We slow down and are more likely to want to play than to work. Routines shift as everything takes on a laid back quality.
Fall is a time of harvest and transition. It is characterized by energy moving inward toward deep internal changes as well as outward as the fruits of our work are gathered. In ancient times many cultures started the New Year in the fall.
Using your experiences with the seasons, answer the question, “what season am I in?” Are you experiencing winter a time of introspection and stillness? Or are you in summer a time when the seeds you have planted are manifesting and you’re more interested in play than work. On the top of your journal page, title your entry with the season that best describes the cycle you are currently in. Then write freely about your life at this time.
Vanessa Timmons is a healer and storyteller with more than 20 years of experience working with women and children survivors of trauma. She presents journal writing and storytelling workshops nationally. She is the author of The Way of the Heroine: A Women’s Healing Journal and Support Group Facilitators guide. Visit her website at www.thewayoftheheroine.com
Goddess Bless,
Vanessa
This Woman by Mary D'Alba (Spiritualitygirl)
Like the Phoenix, she rises again.
the ashes represent her past.
They lie on the ground,
flying away into the calming wind.
Like a Scorpion, she stings.
her needle makes a direct hit.
They feel the pain of her wrath,
her point has been made.
Like a Horse, she runs
moving quickly through the fields.
Her hair blows with the breeze,
her beauty and grace is in her movement.
Like a Butterfly, she flutters.
Her wings, small, yet powerful.
She flies through the air,
gliding across the sky, looking down at the earth.
Like a Woman, she heals.
She restores with transformation,
strength, courage, power,
speed, grace and with an open mind.
All and nothing, beautiful focus,
nurturer and executioner,
power and softness,
this woman embraces her mission.
~Copyright 2009, Spiritualitygirl~