Volume 11 Issue 3
Beltane 2014

Seasons of the Moon is a quarterly online magazine published by students and members of The Order of The White Moon, an eclectic international order of women dedicated to The Goddess. The Order provides personal empowerment and priestess training, and operates local groups. All contributions are original material submitted by our students and members. (We do not accept outside contributions.) Please direct comments and questions to the Ezine Editor.

Seasons Of The Moon Editor and Council:
Ajna DreamsAwake
Kerritwyn Ceannaire, Moonwater Chalcedony Ashwood, Sea Dragon, Etain Feohwynn, Mystic Amazon, Maeve Cliodhna MoonBird

Beltane 2014

Ritual Work
Beltane chant, Literata

Sacred Sites
Uqsuriarjuaq, Nunavut, Ajna DreamsAwake

OWM Awareness
OWM Happenings, Kerritwyn Ceannaire

The Bardic Soul: Poetry and Song for the Spirit
May Day, Peace Whitehorse
Litha, Peace Whitehorse
Pan - Muse of Nature, Mystic Amazon
Beloved of Mine, Moonwater Chalcedony Ashwood

Ritual Work

Beltane Chant

Flowers fair and ribbons bring

maypole dance around the ring.

As our weave is manifest

by the goddess we are blessed.

Literata is a Wiccan priestess and writer. She edited Crossing the River: An Anthology in Honor of Sacred Journeys, and her poetry, rituals, and nonfiction have appeared in works such as Mandragora, Unto Herself, and Anointed as well as multiple periodicals. Literata has presented at Sacred Space conference, Fertile Ground Gathering, and other mid-Atlantic venues. She is currently completing her doctoral dissertation in history with the support of her husband and four cats. www.worksofliterata.org

Uqsuriarjuaq, Nunavut

In the frigid waters of Northwest Hudson Bay, one large white mass stands out amidst the slow-moving icebergs. This is Marble Island (Uqsuriarjuaq in the Inuktitut language). The island is not actually made of marble, but is comprised of large veins of quartzite, giving the island a glittering, icy appearance. The island is not always a pristine white, it changes colours depending on the weather. In stormy or overcast days, the island shines bright white, but on sunny days, it may appear green or pink, and even dark gray if a storm is approaching.

Marble Island is a sacred site and of great cultural importance to the Inuit. In 1999, the Territory of Nunavut was created and the Canadian government designated Marble Island as a "Special Inuit Possession" . It is truly a magickal place and figures prominently in many Inuit legends.

Creation Myth: The Abandoned Woman

Long ago, an Inuit family were camped at Rankin Inlet, following the caribou. When the caribou grew scarce, the family decided to move to new land, but one old woman refused to go with them. She said she wanted to live on the ice that looked like an island. With sadness in their hearts, the family, left her behind.

Years later, the family returned to the spot where they had left the old woman, but she was not there. They could hear her voice in the wind telling them not to worry, that she got her wish. The family paddled out to the ice island, and saw that the ice had turned to marble. When they arrived, they had to crawl onto the land. Then the old woman told them, "My spirit lives on this marble island."

Since that time, all visitors to the island must crawl ashore as a sign of respect for the old woman's spirit. Great misfortune will befall anyone who does not observe the custom.

The theme of the abandoned woman is a common one in Inuit mythology. There are many similarities between the legend above and stories of the Goddess Sedna. An abandoned woman, transformed by her ordeal, demands respect from the people or punishment will ensue.

In one version of the Sedna legend, She angers her father by refusing to marry (in another version, She tries to eat her parents) and is banished to the sea. As Sedna clutches the side of the canoe, her father cuts off hers fingers. Her hands are transformed into flippers and her severed fingers turn into seals, whales and walruses. Sedna becomes the Old Woman of the Sea, a being so feared, the lives of the Inuit center around appeasing Her. When the people transgress, She makes the animals scarce and can only be pacified by a shaman combing Her hair, something She cannot do Herself because of Her flippers.

When we look at the state of our oceans today, we cannot help but feel Sedna's anger. Perhaps, each of us can appease Her, by descending to Her realm, by paying our respects and combing the tangles from Her hair. In so doing, we may, once more, live in harmony with the natural world.

http://www.marbleisland.ca/history03.html

http://everything2.com/title/Sedna

http://archive.is/P7RKb

Ajna DreamsAwake is a Priestess in The Sacred Three Goddess School. Ajna works with vibrational medicine and toning to heal the Earth's Children. She is an eclectic Pagan, rediscovering Her Visionary Goddess Gifts.

Happenings in The Order of the White Moon

Our sisters and students in the Order have been quite active, this quarter!

The Sisters of the Rising Moon, led by High Priestess Ka Wahine Ahi and High Priestess Mystic Amazon, are delighted to report that their student, Ahes Dahut, completed Level IV and was legally Ordained and elevated to High Priestess on January 31, 2014! We are so delighted to welcome another guardian and teacher! Ahes has joined the Sisters of the Rising Moon as a teacher of our White Moon Lessons.

In addition, The Sacred Three Goddess School, led by High Priestess Kerritwyn Ceannaire, is thrilled to report that her student Ajna DreamsAwake has completed our regular course of lessons, Level I - Level III, and was admitted to Level IV for training toward Ordination! Please enjoy Ajna's wonderful Level III Final Project on the Goddess Eris, at https://www.orderwhitemoon.org/goddess/eris/eris.pdf.

We are all also very happy to welcome new students in Rising Moon, Sacred Three and Beneath Whispering Willows, this quarter! This spiritual Path finds US, and we are always so glad when sisters find their way to the Order of the White Moon!

If you would like to learn more about the Order of the White Moon, the schools which offer White Moon Studies, or take a look at our wonderful Goddess Gallery, we would be delighted!

Blessings to you on your Path, wherever it takes you.....!!

HP Kerritwyn Ceannaire is the President of the Board of Directors and the Head of the Order. She teaches White Moon lessons to women in The Sacred Three Goddess School, and to male-to-female transgendered seekers in the Rainbow Moon School.

The Bardic Soul: Poetry and Song for the Spirit

May Day

May Day comes, Holy Beltane!

Leap across the bale flame,

Dance around the Maypole,

In the Goddess' name!

The Earth is a-greening,

Springtime is here!

Everything is blooming,

It's a wondrous time of year.

The Wheel has turned once again

To this joyful time of growth.

The Sacred Rite performed

By God and Goddess both.

The union of the Deities

Brings new life to the Earth.

Put out the fire Beltane-eve

And kindle anew in the hearth!

For all kinds of fertility

Go through the Beltane smoke.

Leave an offering outside

For all the Fairie Folk.

To talk to those who've gone before,

The veil between the Worlds is thin,

The time is ripe, the time is good

To contact friends and kin.

Don your festive clothing,

Celebrate with food and drink,

Dance and sing, dance and sing,

In red and green and pink!

Litha

Midsummer bonfire, on the hill,

Set the watch and carry the torch,

Protect the village on this night.

Jump the fire with nary a scorch!

Make yourself an amulet

From the ashes of the fire,

Knead into clay for a talisman,

Let the remnants earn their hire.

Wait upon the sun this night,

You will see the little Fey

If you sit in a circle of stone

To keep the mischievous ones at bay!

Walk the fire thrice about,

Tell a pebble your desire,

And on the final trip around,

Toss the stone into the fire.

Celebrate both work and leisure,

Time for children and for play,

Oak King wanes and Holly waxes,

Nights grow long and short the day.

On Midsummer night, the forest elves

And all the little people appear,

Put the ivy on your door,

Bless the pets, and have no fear.

Ring the cauldron with some flowers,

Wisteria oil, Frankincense burn,

Emerald and Jade are stones to have,

Herbs are larkspur, lavender, fern.

Midsummer is here, we celebrate

The midpoint between Spring and Fall,

Hail the Holly King who conquers,

Bless the Goddess, one and all!

Peace Whitehorse is a graduate of The Sacred Three Goddess School and a High Priestess in the Order of the White Moon. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and her Shetland sheepdogs, and is active in Sheltie Rescue.

Pan, Muse of Nature

Great Pan, we hear you

Piping in the meadows...

You are father to the animals,

Consort to lithe Diana

And a Muse of Mother Nature.

Oh dance before the Moon

Skyclad in your rites,

For Pan and Diana join us

This glorious Beltane night!

Son of mischievous Hermes,

With beautiful, sensuous voice

Kind eyes, and merry laughter;

Bring fairies and nature spirits

To dance with us tonight.

Oh, dance before the Moon

Skyclad in your rites,

For Pan and Diana join us

This glorious Beltane night!

Mystic Amazon has studied Reiki with Diane Stein and has also done Shamanic training. She is a High Priestess of the Order of the White Moon and an Ordained Minister, currently co-teaching with HP Ka Wahine Ahi at Sisters of the Rising Moon school. Divorced with two children, she now lives in Mississippi. Her hobbies include writing, folk art, folk magick, Reiki, and reading.

Beloved of Mine

Beloved of mine

My heart, my soul,

How I miss the

Smell of your skin,

The tender look

Of your eyes as

You gaze into mine,

Your soft caress

And fiery kiss.

How I miss the

Feel of you laying

Next to me each night,

The embrace of your arms,

And the weight of your

Body on mine as we

Strive to become one.

Close your eyes beloved,

Hear my voice on the wind.

Come back to me soon;

I'll be waiting for you.

Moonwater Chalcedony Ashwood is a High Priestess, Ordained Minister and co-founder of the Sisters Beneath the Whispering Willows school. She lives surrounded by the beauty of Central Ontario, Canada with her husband. She has a BA in Honors History. She is a Reiki Master, writer, and family historian. Originally initiated into Celtic Wicca, she now practices Eclectic Wicca, leaning strongly towards the Goddess in Her various aspects.

The articles featured in Seasons of the Moon are written and/or submitted by members of the Order of the White Moon and are their own intellectual property. Please feel free to share this publication but do give credit where credit is due and link back to the source.

Thank you for reading. We hope that you have enjoyed it just as much as we have enjoyed presenting it to you.

Many blessings to you and yours,
Seasons of The Moon Staff

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Volume 11 Issue 3 Beltane 2014