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POSTINGS
(Number 374)
THE DAYS OF POWER
Today, I want to talk about the way in which we can follow the wheel
and serve the Lord and Lady. In the past, when people lived with
Nature, the turning of the seasons and the monthly cycle of the Moon
had a profound impact on religious ceremonies. Because the Moon was
seen as a symbol of the Goddess, ceremonies of adoration and magick
took place in its light.
Pagans (those that do not follow the major religions of the world
today, especially Judeo-Christianity, Muslim, etc), witches and other
Earth based religions are aware of the cycles of nature and observe
them as festivals throughout the changing year.
We see and feel the magick in Nature, the magic of balance and
harmony. We bring this loving balance into our lives through our
worship of the God and the Goddess.
Pagans constantly strive for greater spiritual development.
Many of these people practice alone, as well as in groups, and try to
find their roots and connections with nature and the universe
following teachings that have been handed down to them from their
family or mentor. They follow the patterns of the sun and the moon,
and feel the changing energies directly.
We do not attempt to confine and limit our fellow worshippers with
dogma, but encourage each to find one's own personal truth and
fulfillment, both in the inner and outer worlds. We are individuals,
not clones!! It is our differences that make us special. Paganism
is a path for individualists, searchers after truth, delving into the
Otherworlds and rediscovering the Ancient Powers and the Ancient
Ways.
There are eight major festival rites that make up the wheel of the
year and the days of power. All the Sabbats are solar in nature,
marking the passing of the year with natural milestones.
These Greater Sabbats or Solar Holy days occur at roughly six and a
half weeks intervals. They reflect the growing cycle in both
agrarian and hunting societies. Mythologicaly, they represent the
yearly cycle of the Goddess, and the birth, marriage, maturation, and
death of the God.
The word Sabbat by the way, comes from the root word "sabbatu" and is
derived from ancient Assyrian rites observing the New Moon, the
seventh, fourteenth, and twenty-first days of the cycle,
corresponding to the Goddess' menstrual cycle.
Both the Christian and Jewish terms; sabbath and the pagan sabbat
find their origins in sabbatu. Nowadays, the Sabbats represent the
great fire festivals and Esbats are the moon's.
The Solar Festivals are as mentioned above called the "Greater
Sabbats" and the Fire Festivals are called the "Lesser Sabbats".
The
Full Moon rituals are called the Esbats. Some Covens will meet for
worship at each Full Moon, and many will also meet on the New, or
Dark Moons too.
So then, the wheel of the year is not to be confused with the twelve
or thirteen new and full moon rituals, which are termed Esbats, or
Lunar Holy days. The Great Circle of the Year is celebrated by many
Pagan groups, such as the Druids and Witches and other Earth based
religions.
Four of these days (or, more properly, nights) are determined by the
Solstices and Equinoxes, the astronomical beginnings of the seasons.
The other four ritual occasions are based on old folk festivals. The
rituals give structure and order to the Pagan year, and also remind
us of the endless cycle that will continue long after we're gone.
Four of the Sabbats - perhaps those that have been observed for the
longest time - were probably associated with the agriculture and the
bearing cycles of animals.
These are Imbolc (February 2), Beltane (April 30), Lughnasadh
(August 1) and Samhain (October 31). These names are Celtic and are
quite common among Witches, though many others exist.
When careful observation of the skies led to common knowledge of the
astronomical year, the Solstices and Equinoxes (circa March 21, June
21, September 21 and December 21; the actual dates vary from year to
year) were brought into this religious structure.
Who first began worshipping and raising energy at these times? That
question cannot be answered. However, these sacred days and nights
are the origins of the 21 Craft ritual occasions.
Many of these survive today in both secular and religious forms of
all kinds. Mayday celebrations, Hallowe'en, Easter, (or more rightly
Ostara), to name some popular holidays today, are all connected with
ancient Pagan worship. Heavily Christianized versions of the Sabbats
have also been preserved within the Catholic Church, as they stole
them all over time.
The Sabbats are Solar rituals, marking the points of the Sun's yearly
cycle, and are but half of the Pagan ritual year. The Esbats are the
Pagan Full and Dark Moon celebrations.
At this time we gather to worship She Who Is. Not that Witches omit
the God at Esbats - both are usually revered on all ritual occasions.
There are 13 Full Moons yearly, or one every 28¼ days. The Moon is a
symbol of the Goddess as well as a source of energy. Thus, after
the religious aspects of the Esbats, Witches often practice magick,
tapping into the larger amounts of energy, which are thought to exist
at these times.
Some of the old Craft festivals, stripped of their once sacred
qualities by the dominance of Christianity, have degenerated though
and it is alas that Samhain, which is the Pagan's new year and where
the veil between the worlds is the thinnest which suffered the most,
changed into a candy and dress-up trick or treat fiasco.
While Yule has been transformed from one of the most holy Pagan days
to a time of gross commercialism with the Christians literally
stealing the date, (not forgetting that the bible never mentioned
when Jesus was supposed to have been born).
But with or without the Christians theft, the old magick still
remains on these days and nights, and the Craft and Pagans celebrate
them as they have done for thousands of years. Rituals vary greatly
of course, but all relate to the Goddess and God and to our home, the
Earth Mother.
Most rites are obviously held at night for practical purposes as well
as to lend a sense of mystery perhaps. The Sabbats, being Solar-
oriented, are more naturally celebrated at noon or at dawn.
THE SABBATS
The Sabbats tell of the stories of the Goddess and God, of their
relationship and the effects this has on the fruitfulness of the
Earth. There are many variations on these myths, but here's a fairly
common one, woven into the basic descriptions of the Sabbats.
YULE
Yule, also called Winter Solstice, celebrates the rebirth of the Sun,
the Sun God and honors the Horned God. On Yule we experience the
longest night of the year. Although much of the winter's harshest
weather is still ahead of us, we celebrate the coming light, and
thank the Gods for seeing us through the longest night
It is a time to look on the past year's achievements and to celebrate
with family and friends. From this day until Midsummer, the days
grow longer, everyday banishing the darkness a little more in a glow
of the warm sunlight that brings the world to life again.
This day is the official first day of winter. This holiday will fall
somewhere between the dates above and varies from year to year
depending on when the Sun reaches the southern most point in its
yearly trek.
The Goddess gives birth to a son, the God, at Yule (circa December
21). This is in no way an adaptation of Christianity, in fact it is
the other way around.
This is the time that the `Sun' is born! The Winter Solstice has
long been viewed as a time of divine births. Mithras was said to
have been born at this time and not forgetting the Romans with
Saturna. The Christians simply adopted it for their use in 273 C.E.
(Common Era).
Yule is a time of the greatest darkness and is the shortest day of
the year. Earlier peoples noticed such phenomena and supplicated the
forces of nature to lengthen the days and shorten the nights.
Witches sometimes celebrate Yule just before dawn, and then watch the
Sun being born and rise as a fitting finale to their efforts.
As the Sun is reborn, the Pagans would light fires or candles to
welcome the Sun's returning light. The Goddess, slumbering through
the Winter of Her labour, rests after Her delivery.
Yule is remnant of early rituals celebrated to hurry the end of
winter and the bounty of Spring, when food was once again readily
available. To contemporary Witches it is a reminder that the
ultimate product of death is rebirth, a comforting thought in these
days of unrest
IMBOLC
Imbolc, also called the Feast of Brighid, and celebrates the approach
of spring. The term "Imbolc" actually means "in milk" and at
this
time, pregnant sheep, or ewes, begin to lactate. This is one sure
sign that spring is right around the corner. The Christians invented
a holiday and overlaid it over Imboc, calling it Candlemass.
Although the days are getting longer, this is still the heart of
winter and Brighid, the Celtic Goddess of healing, poetry and
smithcraft is honored. Her gift of Smithcraft comes with an added
bonus, fire. This may be the reason some celebrate this day as the
day of the Celtic Fire Goddess
This is a time of new beginnings and growth. At this time, think of
your goals and dreams for this year that you will plant. At this
time, greet the pregnant Maiden Goddess and give Her thanks for soon
She will give birth to the spring. Light many candles and perhaps
make a Bridgit's Cross to hang outside your door for the year to come.
Imbolc (February 2) marks the recovery of the Goddess after giving
birth to the God. The lengthening periods of light awaken Her. The
God is a young, lusty boy, but His power is felt in the longer days.
The warmth fertilizes the Earth (the Goddess), and causes seeds to
germinate and sprout. And so the earliest beginnings of spring occur.
This is a Sabbat of purification after the shut-in life of winter,
through the renewing power of the Sun. It is also a festival of
light and of fertility, once marked in Europe with huge blazes,
torches and fire in every form. Fire here represents our own
illumination and inspiration as much as light and warmth.
Imbolc is also known as Feast of Torches, Oimelc, Lupercalia, Feast
of Pan, Snowdrop Festival, Feast of the Waxing Light, Brighid's Day,
and probably by many other names. Some female Witches follow the old
Scandinavian custom of wearing crowns of lit candles, but many more
carry tapers during their invocations.
This is one of the traditional times for initiations into covens, and
so self-dedication rituals, such as the one outlined in this Book of
Shadows, can be performed or renewed at this time.
OSTARA – ALBAN EILER
Ostara, also called the Spring Equinox or Vernal Equinox, celebrates
the arrival of spring. This holiday will fall between the above dates
depending on which day the Sun, on its northern trek, crosses the
equator. Ostara marks the day when night and day are equal and
balanced. Eostra or Ostara, her symbol the egg and her sacred animal
the rabbit, is the old Germanic Goddess of fertility, and it is She
that is honored this day.
During this time, the snow begins to melt away, the days are getting
warmer and new birth is found in the fields as the ewes drop their
lambs and by the budding leaves and flowers.
This is a time to rejoice, dance, and celebrate. Winter has passed
and you have survived the harshness of the darker days. Life begins
anew. This is a time to plant the seeds of our flower, herb,
vegetable and spiritual gardens. What dreams will you plant to be
fertilized by the earth?
Ostara (circa March 21), the Spring Equinox, also known as spring,
Rites of Spring and Eostra's Day, marks the first day of true
spring. The energies of Nature subtly shift from the sluggishness of
Winter to the exuberant expansion of Spring.
The Goddess blankets the Earth with fertility, bursting forth from
Her sleep, as the God stretches and grows to maturity. He walks the
greening fields and delights in the abundance of nature.
On Ostara the hours of day and night are equal. Light is overtaking
darkness; the Goddess and God impel the wild creatures of the Earth
to reproduce.
This is a time of beginnings, of action, of planting spells for
future gains, and of tending the ritual gardens.
BELTANE
Beltane, also called May Day, is a Sabbat celebrating fertility and
the union of the young Horned God and the Goddess. At this time,
life is renewing itself. Birds and animals are mating. In the
fields, newly planted seeds are beginning to grow. Great fires are
lit honoring the fertility God Belenos. Some leap the fires to show
the exuberance of the season.
Maypoles are erected and bright ribbons are entwined around it. The
Maypole, a phallic symbol, represents the masculine. The soft,
colorful ribbons represent the feminine. The union of the two
symbolizes the union of the God and Goddess.
This is the time to fertilize your dreams with action. It is legend
that children conceived at Beltane were gifted by the gods. These
children are known as Merry-Be-Gots.
Beltane (April 30) marks the emergence of the young God into
manhood. Stirred by the energies at work in Nature, He desires the
Goddess. They fall in love, lie among the grasses and blossoms, and
unite. The Goddess becomes pregnant of the God. Witches celebrate
the symbol of Her fertility in ritual.
Many persons rose at dawn to gather flowers and green branches from
the fields and gardens, using them to decorate the May pole, their
homes and themselves.
The flowers and greenery symbolize the Goddess; the Maypole the God.
Beltane marks the return of vitality, of passion and hopes
consummated.
Witches sometimes use maypoles today during Beltane rituals, but the
cauldron is a more common focal point of ceremony. It represents, of
course, the Goddess - the essence of womanhood, the end of all
desire, the equal but opposite of the May pole which was symbolic of
the God.
MIDSUMMER – LITHA –ALBUN HERUIN
Litha, also called Midsummer and Summer Solstice, celebrates the
abundance and beauty of the Earth. This is the longest day of the
year, and will fall somewhere around June 21, depending on when the
Sun is at its northern most point.
From this day on, the days will wane, growing shorter and shorter
until Yule. The trees and fields are full and prosperous. The young
animals and birds are learning to live and frolic in the fields and
trees.
This is a time of the Faery, when a festival called the Feast of the
Faery is held. It is believed that at twilight on this day, the
portals between worlds open and the faery folk my pass into our
world. Welcome them on this day and they may bless you with their
wisdom and joy. This is a time to look internally at the seeds
you've planted that should be at full bloom.
The Earth is awash in the fertility of the Goddess and God. In the
past, bonfires were leapt to encourage fertility, purification,
health and love. The fire once again represents the Sun, feted on
this time of the longest daylight hours.
Midsummer is a classic time for magick of all kinds.
LUGHNASADH - LAMAS
Lughnasadh, also called Lammas, is the Celebration of Harvest and
begins what is called "the chase of Lugh". Lugh is the Celtic Sun
God and He rains down upon the crops, living within the golden
fields. This is the time of the first harvests. At this celebration
we give thanks to the Earth for its bounty and beauty.
It is from these harvests that we eat through the upcoming winter.
Honoring the God Lugh, games and sports are played to celebrate
strength and good health. The grain Goddesses Demeter and Ceres are
also honored. This is a time to harvest the dreams planted earlier in
the year.
Lughnasadh (August 1) is the time of the first harvest, when the
plants of Spring wither and drop their fruits or seeds for our use as
well as to ensure future crops. Mystically, so too does the God lose
His strength as the Sun rises farther in the South each day and the
nights grow longer. The Goddess watches in sorrow and joy as She
realizes that the God is dying, and yet lives on inside Her as Her
child.
Lughnasadh, also known as August Eve, Feast of Bread, Harvest Home
and Lammas, wasn't necessarily observed on this day. It originally
coincided with the first reaping.
As Summer passes, Witches remember its warmth and bounty in the food
we eat. Every meal is an act of attunement with Nature, and we are
reminded that nothing in the universe is constant.
MABON – ALBAN ELUED
Mabon, or the Fall or Autumnal Equinox, (Druids call it Alban Elued)
celebrates the end of the harvest. Again we find ourselves with a
day and night equal in length. On this day, the Sun again passes the
equator, this time on its trek south.
At this time the "chase of Lugh" ends with the felling of the last
shaft of grain and we search for the child God. It is within this
last shaft that Lugh has hidden, but with His dying, His sacrifice,
we live through His abundance. This is a time for thanksgiving,
evaluation and meditation. Take stock in what you've received and
prepare for the dark days. The Lord of Light now becomes the Lord of
Shadows.
Mabon (circa September 21), the Autumn Equinox, is the completion of
the harvest begun as Lughnasadh. Once again day and night are equal,
poised as the God prepares to leave His physical body and begin the
great adventure into the unseen, toward renewal and rebirth of the
Goddess.
Nature declines, draws back its bounty, readying for Winter and its
time of rest. The Goddess nods in the weakening Sun, though fire
burns within Her womb. She feels the presence of the God even as He
wanes.
SAMHAIN
Samhain (pronounced sow-inn), also goes by the name Halloween. This
is our time of endings and our time of beginnings, so at Samhain, we
celebrate the New Year. This is a quieter time, a time when the
secret veil between worlds is thin and the spirits may pass more
easily.
At Mabon, the God Lugh died in order for us to live through His
abundance. During the intervening time, He has gathered the spirits
of those that have died over the year and waits for this night so
that they may pass through the gate to the other side.
This is the time to revere our ancestors and to say farewell to those
that have passed this last year. It is also a time of divination.
The abundance of the fields now gives way to the power and strength
of the Horned God of the Hunt.
This begins a time of darkness. From now until Yule, the days grow
darker and colder. Winter storms begin to sweep down from the
north. This time is the barer of many destructive forces.
Yet at Samhain, we celebrate the passed year and the year to come.
We light bonfires and perform rituals to honor our deceased loved
ones. Many Halloween traditions stem from Samhain. The wearing of
scary costumes was originally used to scare away those souls that may
mean harm. Yet in spite of the costume, the spirits that know you
will still be able to find you and visit.
The jack-o-lantern was another means of scaring away hostile spirits,
the candle within a beckoning light to those that you wish to welcome.
At Samhain (October 31), the Craft say farewell to the God. This is a
temporary farewell. He isn't wrapped in eternal darkness, but
readies to be reborn of the Goddess at Yule.
Samhain, also known as November Eve, Feast of the Dead, Feast of
Apples, Hallows, All Hallows and Hallowe'en, once marked the time of
sacrifice. In some places this was the time when animals were
slaughtered to ensure food throughout the depths of Winter. The God -
identified with the animals - fell as well to ensure our continuing
existence.
Samhain is a time of reflection, of looking back over the last year,
of coming to terms with the one phenomenon of life over which we have
no control - death.
The Craft feel that on this night the separation between the physical
and spiritual realities is thin. Witches remember their ancestors
and all those who have gone before.
After Samhain, Witches celebrate Yule, and so the Wheel of the Year
is complete.
Surely there are mysteries buried here. Why is the God the son and
then the lover of the Goddess? This isn't incest, this is
symbolism. In this agricultural story (one of many Craft myths) the
ever-changing fertility of the Earth is represented by the Goddess
and God.
This myth speaks of the mysteries of birth, death and rebirth. It
celebrates the wondrous aspects and beautiful effects of love, and
honors women who perpetuate our species.
It also points out the very real dependence that humans have on the
Earth, the Sun and the Moon and of the effects of the seasons on our
daily lives.
To agricultural peoples, the major thrust of this myth cycle is the
production of food through the interplay between the Goddess and
God. Food - without which we would all die - is intimately connected
with the deities. Indeed, Witches see food as yet another
manifestation of divine energy.
And so, by observing the Sabbats, Witches attune themselves to the
Earth and to the deities. They reaffirm their Earth roots.
Performing rituals on the nights of the Full Moon also strengthens
their connections with the Goddess in particular.
It is the wise Witch who celebrates on the Sabbats and Esbats, for
these are times of real as well as symbolic power. Honoring them in
some fashion is an integral part of Witchcraft.
THE ESBATS
When our earliest ancestors first painted images of their religious
rituals on the walls of sacred caves and understood all of Nature to
be inhabited by Spirit, there can be little doubt that they first
reckoned time by the waxing and waning of the Moon.
The primary reason for this is that the monthly cycles of the Moon
are far more visible than the slow and subtle changes in the position
of the Sun, even to someone who is not especially looking for
repeated cycles.
One of the earliest calendars known (although its use is still a
controversy that may never be settled) is a 30,000 year-old piece of
bone from Europe. It is pierced with variously shaped holes in a
series of sevens, suggesting the quarters of the Moon, in a loop
design, which represents the Lunar cycle from New Moon to Full and
back to the New or Dark of the Moon. The artifact, just a few inches
across, describes three such Lunar cycles - three months or one
season.
Because there are 13 Lunar months in a year, and because the first
New Moon does not necessarily coincide with the first day of the
first Solar month, the Full Moon, midpoint of the lunar month, may
not always fall in the Solar month that is given here. And because
there are 13 Full Moons in a Solar year, one month will have two.
The second Full Moon to occur in a Solar month is popularly called
the Blue Moon.
JANUARY
To each Lunar month the ancients assigned a name in accordance with
the nature of the activity that took place at that time. The Moon of
deepest Winter is the Wolf Moon, and its name recalls a time when our
ancestors gathered close around the hearth fire as the silence of the
falling snow was pierced by the howling of wolves. Driven by hunger,
wolves came closer to villages than at any other time of the year,
and may have occasionally killed a human being in order to survive.
The wolf in northern countries was at one time so feared that it
became the image of Fenris, the creature of destruction that
supposedly will devour the world at the end of time. The Christian
version of the myth would leave it at that, but the myth continues.
Like the wolf in the fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood, which
preserves the full idea of the myth but is used only to frighten
children, the wolf is slain; and the grandmother, like the world, is
brought forth once more.
As the light of the newborn year slowly increases and the Wolf Moon
waxes full, it is a good time to look back upon that which has just
ended and learn from our experiences. Bid the past farewell and let
it go in order to receive the year that has just been born. Learning
to let go of that which we would cling to is one of the greatest
secrets of magick.
FEBRUARY
The Moon following the Wolf Moon is the Storm Moon. Whether you meet
with a coven on the night of the Full Moon, salute Her in a solitary
ritual, or simply blow Her a kiss, bear in mind the magick of this
night and the nature of the storms of February.
Unlike the boisterous storms of the light half of the year, which are
accompanied by the clashing of thunder and the flinging of lightning
bolts, the storms of February come in silence. They blanket the
world in coldness in keeping with the nature of the dark half of the
Wheel of the Year. But beneath the blanket of cold and silent snow,
Nature rests, as we do when in the realm of the Spirit that is called
death; and like those in the world of Spirit, Nature prepares for
life anew.
MARCH
The Moon following the Storm Moon is the Chaste Moon. Like Diana,
chaste Goddess of the Moon, all of Nature at this moment is pure
potential waiting to be fulfilled. The Goddess has many forms:
The maiden pure and lovely as the snow of February, the seductive
enchantress of the night, or the Crone ancient and wise
As the Goddess can change Her form according to the Moon or according
to Her will, ever renewing Herself, ever beginning again, se can we,
Her children, always begin again by discovering new potential within
ourselves. When you cast the Circle of the Chaste Moon, when the
candles have been lit and the incense burned, look deep within
yourself to discover what potential lies there waiting, like the
Maiden, to be fulfilled.
As it is the time for the planting of seeds on the material plane, so
may it be time to do so on the psychic planes as well. On the night
that the Seed Moon (another name for the Chaste Moon) of March is
full, cast your magick Circle. Then before the rite has ended,
select the spiritual seeds you would like to plant.
They may be seeds of wisdom, seeds of understanding, or seeds of
certain magickal skills. Then by an act of will, plant these seeds in
the fertile soil of your subconscious mind with the firm commitment
that they will be nurtured and cultivated in the months that lie
ahead, so that they will grow and flower and bear fruit.
APRIL
As the Hare Moon of April waxes full, observe the rabbits leaping and
playing, carefree in their mating and joyful in their games, and as
you cast your Esbat Circle and joyfully dance the round, feel within
your heart the carefree nature of the wild creatures that are also
children of the Old Gods.
MAY
This time of the Sacred Marriage of the God and Goddess is the Dyad
Moon, the time when the two become one, when all things meet their
opposites in perfect balance and in perfect harmony. As you cast
your Circle this night of the Dyad Moon, adorn it with apple
blossoms, and light candles of white. When the sacred round has been
danced, sit a moment and reflect. Seek harmony in all things.
As the dark half of the Wheel of the Year balances the light, as heat
balances cold, recall the words of the Goddess, "Let there be beauty
and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and
reverence, within you." And then before the rite is ended, if it is
appropriate, become one with your working partner, physically as well
as spiritually.
JUNE
After the spectacular flowers of May have passed and the bees have
gathered their pollen and nectar, the hives are filled with honey
that is waiting to be gathered. In ancient times much of this honey
was made into a drink called mead by a fermentation process similar
to that of making wine. The "Moon in June" is the Mead Moon. Mead
has been considered to have magickal and even life-restoring
properties in many of the countries of ancient Europe, and it was the
drink of many of the great heroes of legend.
The legendary figure Robin Hood, who is accepted historically as
being a composite of several peasant leaders during the reign of King
Richard I, is also generally accepted by Pagans as being one of us.
One reason is that Robin was a popular Witch name, and also because
he was always described as being dressed in green, symbolic of the
Green Man of Sherwood Forest.
Lincoln green, which is made from woad, the dyestuff was used by the
Picts of ancient Britain and the Druid priestesses, and is also a
color that symbolizes, historically, the Pagan peasantry. Among the
articles robbed from the rich by Robin Hood are "met and met." This
probably means "meat and mead." In the myth of Odin, one of His
quests is for the Poetic Mead of Inspiration, which He returns to the
realm of the Gods where it belongs, but a few drops fall to Earth,
and this may be had by anyone who can find them.
On the night that the Mead Moon waxes full, after the Circle has been
cast and dancing done, fill the cup with mead (if it is available),
sweet wine, or an herb tea sweetened with honey. Sip the sweet drink
and sit quietly and make yourself a vessel ready to receive the
inspiration of the higher realms.
Become a mead cup ready to be filled, not with the brew of everyday
life but with the clear, bright liquid of illumination. Every time
this ritual is performed, even if there are no immediate results, you
are becoming a more perfect vessel for divine inspiration.
If the night of the Mead Moon is very close to the Summer Solstice,
the results of this exercise can be very powerful. If the Mead Moon
is full on Midsummer Night, then the priestess into whom the Moon is
Drawn should be prepared.
JULY
As the Wort Moon of July waxes full, this is the time for gathering
of herbs. The word worth is old Anglo-Saxon for "herb." When the
magickal herbs have been gathered and hung to dry, the time of the
Wort Moon is the time to give thanks to the spirits who dwell in the
herb garden, and to leave them an offering. Perhaps as you place an
offering in the moonlit garden, they will whisper to you other
secrets of herbal magick.
AUGUST
One day at mid-month we realize that the robins and wrens that were
nesting nearby have simply vanished. Their lovely songs have been
replaced by the shrill calls of the blue jays, which were so silent
during the nesting season.
As August progresses the days are still hot but nighttime
temperatures are beginning to cool, and the late afternoon
thunderstorms that bring the cooler air also bring about the ripening
of tomatoes.
In the fields and meadows and along roadsides now there are wild
herbs to be gathered. There are goldenrod, Queen Anne's lace, and
milkweed - all awaiting the natural dyer who can extract from them
tan, green, and bright yellow respectively, for dyes and for natural
inks for talismans.
Among the medicinal herbs to be collected at this time is boneset,
which does not help broken bones to heal but is a febrifuge that was
used as a remedy for "Breakbone Fever" in the 1840s. Milkweed pods
with their silken fluff, goldenrod, and wild grasses and grains
gathered now will be dried in time to adorn the altar at the Autumnal
Equinox.
As the aromatic herbs begin to fill the rafters in the dry heat of
the attic, and the braids of onions and garlic fill the cool darkness
of the root cellar, the golden grain and yellow corn ripen in the
fields under the waning August Sun.
To the Ancients this was the Barley Moon, a time to contemplate the
eternalness of life. Just as we are descended from the first woman
and the first man, who descended from the Gods, so is the grain of
the bread that we eat descended from the first grain ever gathered?
By ritually eating the Lammas bread we are participating in a chain
of events that stretches back through time to the Gods themselves.
And here before us in the ripening fields is the promise of the
future.
Everywhere there is abundance -in herb garden, the vegetable garden,
the field, and the orchard. The pantry shelves are lined with
glistening glass jars that are filled with colorful fruits and
vegetables preserved for Winter days; quarts of red tomatoes,
cucumbers in slices or spears, dark red beets with cloves and
cinnamon sticks, the yellow of corn, the orange of carrots - a feast
for the eyes as well as the palate. The house is filled with
delightful aromas as pickling spices are added to crocks of brine and
exotic chutneys simmer on the stove.
But the time of abundance is drawing to a close. The fireflies of
June and July have given way to katydids, whose scratchy calls to one
another fill the evening air of August with the promise of frost in
six weeks.
SEPTEMBER
Since wine was, and is, such a sacred fluid, the Pagans of old
naturally named this Lunar month the Wine Moon. As you celebrate the
night of the Full Wine Moon and dance the magickal round in the
moonlit Circle, pour some white wine in a silver cup. Before the
rite is ended, if possible, catch Her reflection in the liquid, and
then take a sip.
As the Moon-blessed wine casts its inner glow, sit quietly and feel
your own spirit, of which the wine is a symbol. As the body is
stilled and the spirit soars, feel on this night of magick a sense of
the kind of transformation that takes place during true spiritual
initiation.
Today the term Harvest Moon is applied to the Full Moon nearest to
the Autumnal Equinox. This is because, it is said, in other times
when harvesting was done by hand, as the days grew shorter farmers
were able to work into the night in the brightness of Her light.
OCTOBER
At this time of year the abundance of fruit and vegetables begins to
slow. It is a time when our ancient ancestors gathered what they
could store and then supplemented their Winter diets either by
hunting wild animals or by slaughtering domestic ones. So this Lunar
month is called the Blood Moon.
As you cast the Esbat Circle on this moonlit Autumn night and fill
the cup with blood-red wine, know that you will be joined in the
sacred dance not only by the unseen presence of departed friends and
family so close at this time of year, but also by the spirits of
animals as well, perhaps of those that have died so that we may have
food.
In this age of assembly line slaughterhouses and meatpacking plants,
it is especially appropriate that on this night of the Blood Moon we
who are on the Pagan path ritually ask the understanding of our
animal sisters and brothers, bless them, and bid them merry meet,
merry part, and merry meet again.
NOVEMBER
As the Winter Sun wanes and the Snow Moon waxes full, cast your
Circle in the warm glow of candlelight. Salute the Moon in Her snowy
whiteness and breathe in the coolness of Her light. Become as still
as this Winter night, and know that the activity of the warm light
months is behind us. Ahead are the dark months of the year. The
Spirit is most active when the body is most still.
DECEMBER
The Full Moon nearest the Winter Solstice is the OakMoon, the Moon of
the newborn year, the Divine Child. Like the Divine Child who is
born to die and dies to be reborn anew, the ancient Oak has its trunk
and branches in the material world of the living, while its roots,
the branches in reverse, reach deep into the Underworld, symbolic
land of the Spirit. As the roots probe downward into the grave-like
darkness of the Earth, its branches grow ever upward toward the
light, to be crowned by sacred Mistletoe.
At this most magickal time of the year, as the light of the old dying
year wanes and the Oak Moon waxes to full, cast your Circle wearing
Mistletoe somewhere. Let this token remind you that like the Oak, we
too dwell simultaneously in two worlds - the world of physical matter
and the world of Spirit.
As you invoke the Goddess of the Moon, ask that you become ever more
aware of the other side of reality and the unseen forces and beings
that are always among us. With that I bid you farewell and Blessed
Be.
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