Seasons of the Moon

Volume 11 Issue 4
Lammas 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
Ka Wahine Ahi, Kerritwyn Ceannaire, Moonwater Chalcedony Ashwood, Sea Dragon, Etain Feohwynn, Mystic Amazon, Maeve Cliodhna MoonBird

Lammas 2014

Contents

Holy Days

Lughnasadh and Mabon

 Lughnasadh, pronounced Loo-nas-ah, also written as Lugnasadh and Lughnasa, is celebrated this year on August 2 and is the first harvest festival of the year.

Lughnasadh /Lammas is a festival to feast, renew old oaths, and make new ones. Like all holidays, Lughnasadh /Lammas calls for a feast!

How to set a Lammas Feast Table:

Set a table for Lammas with colors of pumpkin orange, sunny yellow, brown and green.

Use woven wheat placemats and make a centerpiece of sunflowers, assorted nuts, and crab apples.

Place Agates and Moonstones around the table for good fortune and joy!

Some ideas for celebration include:

Sacrifice bad habits and unwanted things from your life by throwing symbols of them into a fire. I write mine down on paper then throw it in, and as the smoke rises I say good bye.

Take time to actually harvest fruits from your garden with your family. If you don't have a garden, visit one of the pick-your-own farms in your area. (This year I am hoping to go to Mike's farm again. I love collecting the little gourds and tiny pumpkins to use for decorating, so much more fun than buying them at Wal-Mart! )

Share your harvest with others who are less fortunate, or with friends and family...even your neighbors.

Decorate with fresh vegetables & fruits, grains, berries, corn dollies, bread.

Bake bread; gather first fruits; feasts shared with family and/or Coven; walk through fields and orchards or spend time along springs, creeks, rivers, ponds, and lakes reflecting on the bounty and love of Goddess and family

Mabon ~ Autumn Equinox ~ 2nd Harvest

Date: September 22, 2014

Colors: Brown, orange, violet, maroon, russet, deep gold, red, scarlet, yellow

Stones: Amethyst, carnelian, lapis lazuli, sapphire, yellow agates, yellow topaz

Moon: Harvest Moon

Animals: Dogs, wolves, birds of prey, stag, blackbird, owl, eagle, salmon, goat

Mythological Creatures: Gnomes, Sphinx, Minotaur, Cyclops, Andamans, Gulons

Astrological Sign: Libra/Virgo

Foods: Wine, grapes, nuts, apples, breads, grains, seeds, dried fruits, pomegranates, and vegetables such as potatoes, corn, carrots and onions.

Element: Water

Symbolism of Mabon: Second Harvest, the Mysteries, Equality and Balance.

Wine, gourds, pine cones, acorns, grains, corn, apples, pomegranates, vines such as ivy, dried seeds, and horns of plenty. Basket of fallen leaves, Sun Wheel, wolves, gourds, Horns of Plenty.

This is another wonderful time for feasting and gathering your family around you.

Some suggestions for celebration of Mabon would include:

Go through your garden (if you have one), tending it, thanking the plants and flowers for their abundance, harvesting whatever is ready.

Make a mandala of seeds and grains on the ground, an offering of the Mother's gifts to the animals and birds. I love using peanut butter, I melt it first then shape a triple moon and then pour the seeds on the wax paper.

Have a pot-luck feast of thanksgiving and invite all your friends and loved ones to celebrate abundance. I like making my stew and inviting my mom over.

Bake a loaf of bread for your dinner..... I have taken some pre-made dough and rolled it in to long rows and braided them... rubbed butter and some garlic or other herbs on it then cooked it.

Share your abundance...collect a basket of goodies from your garden to share with a neighbor who has no garden, or who has had a rough year.

Gather donations of food and/or clothing for a favorite charity, we always do the local food drives with cans.

Go on a Nature walk with your circle members; spending time discussing things you've done together in the last year, gathering seeds and seed pods to decorate your circle for ritual.

© Ocean Phoenix

Ocean Phoenix is a 37 year old mommy of three precious boys and a Priestess in OWM. I have been a healer all my life though I did not know it. While looking for a new school, I discovered OWM. I finally found my home and I am so happy. I am a life-long student of magic and the healing arts. I am currently learning Reiki from our very own HP MoonWater Ashwood. I use Candles and oils with my healing as well as Reiki. I do enjoy kitchen magic and I love Candle magic. I am also learning sea magic and angel magic.

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Some Thoughts about Lammas

Some thoughts about Lammas to share with my sisters

I see Jera as a rune for Lammas - it explains the atmosphere around this day. How important patience is for a good harvest…. Jera stands for the Year but also time and patience - for the things in life that take time. Also often in a reading it indicates to wait and that the time for something has not yet come. Just like the pregnant woman of the 7 of discs in the Motherpeace Tarot. It is the card before 8 - before the fulfillment. This is when we wait for things, until the time has come when we can profoundly relish in them.

At Lammas we celebrate the fruits of our efforts and the gifts of the mother goddess. These fruits may be a salary raise, a completed project (a move, a new flat or house, new job, something you were longing for). The important thing is that we take the time to acknowledge our efforts, these blessings, and that we celebrate ourselves - our goddess within and the mother goddess that nourishes us.

Being grateful fulfills us, makes us feel ‘connected' with all - especially with our own source of creativity - and fuels us with positive energies that provide the power to move on. Being grateful gives us the inner security and assuredness that allows us to be patient.

At and around Lammas we may still feel the influence of the new moon just passed or the waxing moon, supporting us in all our future endeavors. So even if you are having a difficult time right now and you don't actually feel like celebrating - use the opportunity to make a change with a fresh spirit.

If you have the possibility it's of course best to spend the day outside and celebrate the ritual under the free sky. If you do so pay attention to your local regulations about open fires etc. - use your discretion and try not to cause damage. Not all of us are blessed to live in the countryside, with fields and meadows around, where you can find the wild herbs, field flowers, wheat or other cereals, and also a nice sacred space to conduct the ritual outside. Some of us may have no other possibility than to stay inside - because of location or for weather reasons. So I designed a ritual for indoors.

Preparation work

For the Decoration: Fieldflowers, Sunflowers, summer flowers, fruits of the season - preferably apples, prune plum, Reenekloden (precious plum), Mirabelle, wheat sheaves, wheat/ spelt grains
Altar cloth, taper candles, incense, water, salt
Amber Stone
Food and Drink (see recipes below)

Decoration

Larger wheat sheaves can be placed upon the altar. You may wish to use smaller wheat-bunches to decorate the doors- like Mistletoe at Yule. If you have a store nearby, buy yourself a piece of Amber - maybe one with a hole in it so you can wear it as a pendant. (Amber melts with heat so you can try to drill a hole with a hot thick needle). Or, after the ritual, you can carry it with you in your pocket as a talisman.

Why Amber?

Brisingamen - Freya's magical necklace is made of amber. It grants power over the elements. The power over the elements - or rather the knowledge of how to work with the elements - is vital in agriculture / farming and needed to ensure a good harvest. Of course this can be taken to a different level as well and refer to our inner alchemy and the understanding and balancing of the elements within us. Also Amber has the color of gold - and is almost as valuable. It can represent wealth and health.

© M)O(rrigan

My name is Morrigan. I am from Germany. I self-initiated over a decade ago as Priestess of Morrigan. Since then, Morrigan has been my magical name. I practice Shamanism, Runes, Tarot and Usui Reiki. I am a sister of the The Sacred Three Goddess School currently studying with HP Kerritwyn. I hope to one day become a High Priestess of the Order of the White Moon.

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Goddess Work

Goddess State of Mind

 I feel my best when I'm in a "Goddess State of Mind."

To me, living in Goddess State of Mind means truly loving myself, and treating myself like a Goddess. It's carrying the Goddess's energy with you so much that you feel Her, see Her and acknowledge Her in all areas of your life.

The secret to the Goddess State of Mind is realizing that you are Goddess. Whether you are Wiccan, Christian, Jewish or Muslim, it doesn't matter. The Divine Feminine radiates through all women. We are made in Her image, we carry Her energy. Yes, this is sacred knowledge, but it's also common sense. We don't always realize how sacred we, as women, really are. Most of us have endured some type of torture because we are women. Unfortunately some women don't even acknowledge the Divine Feminine, patriarchy has pounded into their heads that there is only one God, an angry, judgmental, male God who sits in the sky and watches us suffer. In order to be in a Goddess State of Mind, you must embrace the Divine Feminine Energy, and see it reflected in yourself.

Being in Goddess State of Mind is much more than just accepting the fact that you are a woman. It's loving the fact that you are a woman, and it's embracing yourself as a Goddess. It's feeling Her energy with you all throughout the day. It's knowing that even when things are at their worst, She's right there beside you, helping you get through it.

To be in a Goddess State of Mind you have to actually treat yourself like a Goddess. That might mean putting yourself first, being kind to yourself, taking some extra time to care for your own needs, and loving your whole self. This is not always easy to do at first. We have been so programmed to focus on our faults and shortcomings, and to put everyone else's needs first. Well now is the time to let all of that go, and start recognizing the Divine Feminine within ourselves.

If you find it difficult to treat yourself like a Goddess, it may be because you may need a "Goddess Makeover."

At different points of our lives, we all need a Goddess Makeover. Let's take a look at a few things.

First, the Physical:

Get totally naked and stand in front of a mirror. Do you like what you see? Because you really should love what you see. And if you don't love your gorgeous Goddess body, then ask yourself what you'd have to do to really love the image you see in the mirror. Growing out that super short haircut, losing a few pounds, toning up your arms... Think of what you'd like to change. If it's reasonable, then set goals and use positive affirmations to work towards them.

Consider your diet

Would you feed your daily foods to the Goddess? Do you think She'd really like that repetitive packet of instant Oatmeal, or that sloppy Big Mac with that gassy Diet Coke? Can you picture Her constantly dining on TV Dinners? Maybe if She was PMSing. But seriously, be conscious of the foods you are putting into your body. Your body is the vehicle for your Soul. Your food is your fuel. Eat what makes you feel healthy.

Also remember that everything you eat has a certain vibration of energy. Things like meat, dairy, sugar, caffeine, alcohol and drugs really don't have a high vibration of energy. They are rather dense, actually, and will weigh you down energetically.

Exercise and Movement

If you are physically able, do you ever exercise? A lot of women think that they don't have to exercise if they're not trying to lose weight. That's not true at all. Everyone needs some form of exercise. It's what keeps us strong, our muscles toned, it keeps our metabolism going, and it fuels our endorphins...

The body needs to Move. Yoga is wonderful, as is Belly dancing. You get a great work out with both. Not only that, your body feels great when you keep it moving. Energy flows through the body when you're exercising. Joints and muscles that were tight and locked up begin to relax. Exercise centers the mind.

Energy Healing

Do you do anything to energetically heal/pamper your body? Reiki Sessions, Massages, Acupressure/Acupuncture Sessions, Crystal Healing Sessions, all of these Healing Modalities are wonderful for the body. If you yourself are a Reiki Practitioner it's nice to give yourself daily Reiki sessions. Even if it's for only 10 minutes a day, it's nice to treat yourself to some healing energy.

The Mental/Emotional:

How do you really feel about yourself? Are you happy with the way you live your life? Do your current routines, habits, and behaviors really serve you? Do you spend enough time taking care of yourself? Do you set proper boundaries with people so that you can have healthy friendships/relationships? Do you genuinely love yourself? And why or why not?

Ask yourself some of these questions. Really delve into your psyche. How do you feel about yourself? How do you feel about the way you treat yourself?

Keeping a Journal is a great way to keep your Psyche sorted out. You can use an online blog, an online live journal, or even a notebook. Scribbling down your thoughts and feelings is a great way to balance yourself out. And you can always go back and see how you were feeling days and months before. Positive Affirmations re also a very helpful tool. If you're feeling bad about yourself, generating negative thoughts about yourself, you need to snap out of it, and quick! I've been told by many wise folk that "every thought you think is creating your future." So think positive about yourself, your life, and your surroundings.

Relaxing your mind. Meditate, read books, burn some Aromatherapy Oil, do Yoga... Take some time to clear your head of all the worries, stress and drama that might be rattling you.

Breathing. Breathing techniques are a Goddess-send. There are many DVDs and CDs with breathing techniques. Breathing techniques can be used to help calm your nerves, center yourself, break a full blown anxiety attack, help you sleep, and give you peace of mind.

The Spiritual:

Do you have a current Spiritual Practice or Daily Routine? I've learned from my studies that it is very important to have a Daily Spiritual Routine.

You need a little time each day to get into that Spiritual Space in your head, your heart, and your soul.

Do you Pray? Do you talk to Goddess, thank Her for your blessings, and keep Her in the loop with your life?

Working on all of the above is giving yourself the full Goddess Makeover. And it really is quite the experience. It can be painful, challenging, healing, enlightening, fun, revealing...

Once your Path is a little clearer, it will be easier to stay in a Goddess State of Mind.

Here are some things that I do that I feel help keep me in a Goddess State of Mind:

First, you must find and feel your "Goddess Center." Then you think of Goddess, when you completely feel Her energy, where do you "feel" it on yourself? Some women claim to feel Her energy radiating out of their Heart Chakra, or Solar Plexus Chakra, their Hands... Find where on your body your "Goddess Center" is. Then sit and meditate on your Goddess Center. Feel the Goddess's energy streaming through you. Feel the love She evokes in your heart. Capture this feeling, imprint it in your Goddess Center, imprint it in your Heart, and your Soul. It is this beautiful feeling of the Goddess's Divine Love that graces us with a Goddess State of Mind.

Visualize and focus on your chosen Goddess Symbol. Each one of us has a favorite Goddess Symbol. Mine happens to be the Nile Goddess. That symbol was the first Goddess Pendant I ever bought, and I hold that particular symbol so very dear to me. When I am stressed or feeling disconnected I meditate on that symbol, and I can evoke the feelings and energy that I have associated with it. Using symbols can be a very powerful tool, discover your Goddess Symbol and use it for meditation...

Pray more. Set aside time to actually sit and pray. Whether I'm using my Prayers Beads, or just talking to the Goddess, I make an effort to keep my connection with Her strong. You'll find that praying can really strengthen your relationship with Goddess.

Meditate on Goddess Energy. Be it your Matron Goddess or a specific Goddess for a specific reason, meditating on Her energy surrounds you in it. You can feel Her essence. Feeling Her energy around you keeps you feeling comforted and centered.

Curl up with a good Goddess book and relax. Spending a little time each evening just reading a chapter or two about the Goddess helps keep her fresh in your mind. There is so much to learn about the Goddess. Immerse yourself in her cultures, stories, and herstory.

Listen to some Goddess Music. I find it really nice to listen to Goddess/Pagan music. Listening to songs about the Goddess is always a pleasant experience. It's nice to have music that celebrates Her. Certain Chants and songs to Her can actually shift your Psyche into Goddess State of Mind.

Honour your Moon Time Don't treat your period like it's a "curse." That's what the patriarchy wants. Stop covering it up and hurrying it away. Embrace it, welcome it, revel in your own personal power during this time! Take it easy on yourself, pamper yourself during this time. You might consider switching over to cloth maxi pads. Using them is a great way to really embrace your sacred Moon Cycle...

Beautify your surroundings. Make sure you have one spot in your home that's your own. You need your Sacred Space. I know it's not possible for all women to have their altars displayed, but try to make a Sacred Spot for yourself. Decorate your bedroom with beautiful fabrics, curtains, set up the top of your dresser or a shelf with candles, crystals, maybe a Goddess statue, whatever makes you happy, whatever evokes the Goddess in your soul ... If you are able to have an altar and witchy supplies displayed openly, then do it up! Let yourself have this Space for your inner wild woman, your inner witch. You must have a Goddess Spot where you can go to, to do magick, pray, meditate...

Count your Blessings. Seriously. At least once a day, take a few minutes and think about all of your many blessings. If you can't think of many, think of at least one, and really feel gratitude for it. And also- Love what you do have. Yes, there are a ton of things we wish we had, but we need to stop and feel gratitude and appreciation for what we do have. You'll find that if you do this, the good will actually multiply.

Make Love to Yourself. There's no better way to worship your Inner Goddess than to please yourself. Making love to yourself is a personal, passionate act. You can light candles, burn incense, make a Ritual of it. Your body deserves to relax, feel pleasure, and sometimes it's best coming from you. Taking the time to give your body the love and pleasure it deserves is one of the most sacred acts. Self Love is Goddess Worship.

Go Green! Whatever you can do to help heal The Earth- a.k.a. our Mother, please do! Bring canvas or recycled shopping bags to the grocery store instead of using wasteful plastic bags. Be considerate of how much electricity you use. Unplug your phone chargers when not in use, and turn your computer off at night! It's exciting to know that there are so many ways to help heal our planet. Act on some of them. Taking a proactive approach to helping heal our Earth is one of the best things you can do for yourself and the Goddess.

Be mindful of what you eat. Buy whole foods as opposed to processed foods. Eat foods that make you feel healthy, avoid junk that makes you sleepy or weighs you down. Go Vegetarian or Vegan if possible, you'll be helping your own health and not contributing to the pain and suffering of animals. (that's definitely something to feel good about!)

Spend some time Outdoors, get to know Mother Nature. One of the most healing things for me was to start a Garden. It motivates me to get outside every day, to touch the Earth, to breathe the fresh air. Going for walks every day is also a healing experience.

Being in a Constant Goddess State of Mind

Don't get me wrong, I'm not perfect, I'm not always in a Goddess State of Mind. Yes, I lead a charmed life, but life is also rather mundane sometimes. Work, bills, health issues, stress, drama, family issues... All of the mundane stuff snowballs, and eventually can knock you right out of Goddess State of Mind. You then find yourself completely disconnected and lost. It happens, don't fret.

The trick is to center yourself. Focus on all of the Goddess Energy in your life. See my list above? Make your own list of things that put you in a Goddess State of Mind. It can be the same list, or a completely different list. Whatever makes you feel close to Her and keeps Her energy flowing through your daily life is what you need to focus on. Keep this list with you. When you're feeling blah and need a little reminder, grab your list and read it, and focus on each thing.

Try this simple meditation:

Remember your Goddess Center and Goddess Symbol? We are going to be using them.

Visualize your Goddess Center. Feel the Goddess's energy streaming through your Goddess Center. Feel Her Divine Love. Breathe. Sit for a few minutes and really let this feeling overtake you.

Then see your Goddess Symbol radiating out of the middle of your Goddess Center. Let your Goddess Symbol evoke your personal Goddess feelings and associations. Let your Symbol and the energy it possesses become One with your Goddess Center.

Feel Her radiating through you. Make sure to express gratitude for Her energies and blessings. Thank Her with all of your heart.

By this point you will have evoked your Inner Goddess, and you will have eased yourself into a Goddess State of Mind. Carry Her energies with you throughout the rest of your day and night.

Here are a few simple positive affirmations. Please feel free to add to these and to make your own!

I love myself.
I am beautiful.
I am healthy and well.
I am Goddess. or- "Your Name" Thou Art Goddess.
I am one with the Goddess, the Goddess is one with me.
I honor and acknowledge the Goddess within myself.
I open myself to receive the Goddess's energies.
The Goddess's Energy radiates through me.
I am blessed, I am loved, I live in Goddess State of Mind.

May you always be Blessed, and always live in a Goddess State of Mind!!!

© Fae MoonCrystal

(Formerly Fae Asterope) 8/30/08 New Moon in Virgo
Fae MoonCrystal is a student in Sisters Beneath the Whispering Willows.

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Ritual Work

Connecting with the Ancestors

 This is what I do any time I feel a need for closeness to my ancestors known and unknown to me.

For those ancestors that I know, I own a crystal skull whose properties represent the personality of the person who has passed. I have many skulls and I am still collecting them. I also have one for myself, so that I can be amongst the ancestors. I put the skulls in a circle, and within the circle I create a circle of red candles. The red represents the blood of life that we all have in common; the path that they walked before me and that I carry on until I join them. The candles are also arranged in the shape of the wheel of life, but the branches represented are the life cycles, birth, life, crone-hood, death and renewal. I light frankincense and dragon's blood incense in honor of the ancestors and the gifts they bestowed upon us, and as an honor to the ancient Gods.

Then I cast a circle, declaring it a space independent of time and space, a place under the moon created by the Gods, and say it is a safe and protected place. I invoke Hecate, Goddess and Matron of my family line, so much so that I bear her name. I invoke her for guardianship, mentorship and witness.

The incense is already going, I approach the candle and light the one at the hub of the wheel and say: “The time that rules this realm does not rule yours. Yet you help it and us move on. I light this candle in honor of the ancestors, Gods and those living who we must love and respect as one day we will all be ancestors”.

Then I light the candle at the top of the wheel and say: “This is the candle where life begins, the journey of a new life along the path of the ancestors and beyond. A new life to strive, live, and learn, taking the path that much further”.

Then I light the next one to the right and say: “This is the candle of the fertile life, of motherhood, fatherhood, productivity and learning of the soul. A time to do good deeds and have a light and blissful heart in the delights of the world and the endless possibility for life”.

Then I light the next one: This is the candle of The Crone-hood. This is for men and women alike. A time to take inventory of our lives. Share the wisdom we have gathered with the young ones, to give them an advantage of knowledge on their paths as ours will come to an end. To do things right, to be pleased with our life and its doings, to delight in the new youth and rejoice in the renewal before your eyes”.

Then I light the next one and say: “This is life's crossroads, where we pass through the doorway from one realm to the next. Our own death comes, it is a time of confusion and sadness for the living. For the one dying, it is a transition, from being the wise one people go to for strength, and moving on to a new realm, to be renewed and freed from pain and diseases of the physical world. This path leads to the final candle, the only one that is white. It signifies the ancestor renewed to a new life, an option to return or to stay in the Eleusinian fields of the Summerlands. To have a repose and enter a realm of which we can only peek.

This is the circle of life, its possibilities and renewal. The spark never dies, the moon inside us all reflects the beauty of the shining ancestors and shall never go dim. Blessed be the ancient ones, blessed be the ancestors, blessed be all those on their life's path.

Then I go around the circle counterclockwise and release it. Thank Hecate for her presence and protection, and give any excess energy to the Goddess for her workings. Then we all come together for food, wine and discussion of our journeys.

© Hecate Oliva

Hecate Oliva is an ordained reverend. I hold an HP in 3 disciplines of the craft. Stregheria, which is Italian witchcraft which I was raised with. I also hold one in Egyptian witchcraft and am also working with the Fellowship of Isis to become a Priestess and Hierophant. I have also finished the studies for the Ash, Birch and Willow discipline with Raven Grimassi.

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Cauldron of Cerridwen Celebration

This ritual could be conducted to celebrate one of the fall Sabbats or for a full moon during the harvest season. The core idea is to use ritual to celebrate cooking and eating together, enjoying the results of the harvest in a community. It would be ideal to make a soup or stew with as many local, fresh ingredients as possible. You will have to adapt it to the specific circumstances that will work for you, so this is more of a ritual outline than a script. Be creative! If you can't all gather for the time it takes to cook a meal, for example, then spread the table and conduct the ritual to bless your eating.

Ritual idea:

Once your group and the supplies for your meal are gathered, the host casts a circle around the whole kitchen and dining room, or around the whole home.

Participants take turns calling the Quarters, thanking each for the qualities they provide which have contributed to the harvest. One might thank Air for bringing the right mix of weather to grow the food, Fire for the sunshine that helps plants grow, Water for the substance that makes the base of a stew or soup, and Earth for the nutrients that feed all of us, plants and animals together.

The group gathers around the place where cooking will be taking place, and calls Center as a fifth direction, embodied in Cerridwen's cauldron, the vessel of transformation that provides what each of us needs. If you are cooking a soup or stew, use the actual pot you will cook in as the cauldron!

Prepare the food together: chat while chopping vegetables, talk about what is coming to fruition in your own lives while you stir and simmer, and spend the time supporting one another. Set the table, ideally one that you can stand around and join hands, and when everything is ready, bring the cauldron to the center of the table.

Join hands around the cauldron, and go around the circle at least twice. Each person briefly mentions something she is bringing to add to the cauldron and support the community, and something she is harvesting in her life at this time.

Sing to bless the meal - Thorn Coyle's Harvest Chant is especially appropriate, but plenty of other songs will work too.

Eat and enjoy!

When you are done, thank the Center and the goddess Cerridwen for the bounty she has provided in the harvest, and the community that comes together to enjoy it.

Participants thank and dismiss the Quarters.

Host opens the circle.

Remember to ground yourself and to help clean up after the meal!

© Literata

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

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Lammas Ritual

Altar:

Use a yellow or light-green cover/altar cloth.
Use red, yellow and white candles - and one single blue taper candle.
Place plenty of healing flowers like chamomile, St. John's wort, lavender, Echinacea flowers, marigold(calendula) and some products of the flowers that you use: red oil made of St. Johns worth, calendula cream, chamomiles tea, etc.
Arrange some blinking things/little mirror pieces and/or wind chimes - fairies like them.

Incense: sandalwood - lavender - honeysuckle

If you are a circle of several women let every woman bring something they made themselves.
After the ritual and opening the circle they may give them away to each other.

Draw your circle.
Light all candles - but the blue one
Light the incense - or use an incense stick to draw the circle.

Speak:

Come gentle fairies, elves, mother mine

I invite you to join me at this first harvest time

Protect me and guide me

Join this circle and stay

Let joy be the topic

Of this wonderful day

Let us feast and celebrate

This union so gay (refers to the circle gathered or to the wedding of Lugh)

Place your amber stone, flowers, oils, teas… upon the altar
Light the blue candle (representing healing power)
Ask the goddess to bless them and give power to them

Speak:

I thank you for this harvest

Bless goddess your kids (referring to the flowers - the plants)

So they heal once it's needed

Your wonderful gifts!

If there are several women, you can let each woman ask for her own healing.
You can also let everyone in the circle share some memories on a special healing experience.
When you are ready, open the circle.

Speak:

I am thankful and opening this circle so bright

Part in peace now

The light of the mother shall always be our guide

Now it is time to eat and drink
Also now is the right time to share the 'gifts' that each woman has brought with herself.

ENJOY YOUR CELEBRATION!!!!!

© M)O(rrigan

My name is Morrigan. I am from Germany. I self-initiated over a decade ago as Priestess of Morrigan. Since then, Morrigan has been my magical name. I practice Shamanism, Runes, Tarot and Usui Reiki. I am a sister of the The Sacred Three Goddess School currently studying with HP Kerritwyn. I hope to one day become a High Priestess of the Order of the White Moon.

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Temple of Sekhmet

One of the most memorable places in Egypt, apart from the pyramids and the Sphinx, is the Temple Complex of Karnak. The site covers more than one square mile and has been expanded upon by nearly 30 Pharaohs over a span of 1300 years. Karnak was built to house the Gods, and the site became known as Ipet-Isut, "The Most Esteemed of Places".

The more well-known features include the massive columns which make up the Temple of Amun-Ra and the Avenue of the Sphinxes. Further along the avenue can be found the Temple Complex of the Vulture-headed Goddess Mut. This is thought to be the oldest Temple in Karnak.

The Temple of Mut underwent vast restoration under the reign of Queen Hatshepsut, one of only a handful of female Pharaohs. Hatshepsut also erected two obelisks in front of Mut's Temple, one of which still stands. It is considered to be the world's tallest obelisk and its top can be seen 50 miles away. The Temple Complex of Mut also included a sacred lake for healing and numerous smaller temples dedicated to various deities.

Illustrations on the walls depict drunken festivities, possibly from the annual Sekhmet festival. The festival commemorates the myth of the raging, blood-thirsty Goddess, who became intoxicated when the people added beer and pomegranate juice to the Nile, causing it to look like blood. The intoxicated Goddess lost Her blood-lust; Her uncontrolled and destructive power reigned in.

One of the most secluded Temples, tucked away in a small corner of the Mut Complex, is a small chapel dedicated to Sekhmet. The chapel is quite dark, with only a small opening in the roof to allow sun and moonlight to filter in, to shine upon the head of the life-size statue of Sekhmet. The statue, carved from black granite, depicts the Goddess standing in a traditional pose, with the left foot forward. She has the head of a lioness, upon which sits the sun disk and uraeus. She holds a scepter with a blooming lotus in Her left hand and the Ankh of Life in Her right hand.

There is an interesting phenomenon, called Hanu, associated with this particular statue. Several tourists have witnessed the statue moving. Those who are chosen to witness this phenomenon are often transformed; they may feel empowered, receive healing or become more focused on their spiritual path. Sekhmet may show Herself through dreams and visions, or She may even speak telepathically to those people She deems worthy.

Sekhmet was worshiped throughout Egypt, specifically where wadis sprang up in the desert, as these were the areas populated by lions. It was said that Her breath created the desert.

Although often portrayed as violent and destructive, Sekhmet is actually a Goddess of social justice. She is a Warrior Goddess, standing against oppression. Her destructive nature is not chaotic, but rather, it is generally appropriate for the situation. As patron of Physicians and Healers, Sekhmet is also a Goddess of Healing. Women may call on Sekhmet for healing, to gain assertiveness and self-empowerment, or to free up blocks preventing spiritual growth.

http://panhistoria.com/www/AncientEgyptianVirtualTemple/sekhsigntest.html

Tate, Karen. Sacred Places of Goddess: 108 Destinations

© Ajna DreamsAwake

Ajna DreamsAwake is a Priestess in The Sacred Three Goddess Schooland is currently working toward ordination within the Order. She has a passion for Nature, Labyrinths and Goddess Spirituality. She believes learning never ends and looks forward to the next turn along the path.

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Happenings in The Order of the White Moon

  We regularly rotate leadership positions, in the Order, and so we are delighted to announce that, on July 12, 2014, we elected a new slate of Officers!

High Priestess Ka Wahine Ahi has been elected the new President of our Board of Directors, and the Head of the Order!

In addition, High Priestess Moonwater Ashwood has been elected as the New General Vice President, High Priestess Literata has been elected as the new Treasurer, and High Priestess Ahes Dahut has been elected as the new Secretary for the Board!

We are full of joy and gratitude for the long hours our leaders put in, in service to the Order, and look forward to a thriving future!

  We are 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 Emerita of the Board of Directors and was the Head of the Order from 2009 - 2014. 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.

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The Bardic Soul: Poetry and Song for the Spirit

A Dance in the Rain

Summer rain is starting to fall outside,

It sparkles when the sun peeps

Though the gray clouds.

 

Rumbles of thunder in the distance

Sound almost like drums

Calling down water for thirsty Earth

 

In Mother Nature's symphony.

I sit on a bench on my back porch

Beating out a rhythm on my drums,

 

Harmonizing with the thunder

In a celebration to the Goddess.

Joyfully, I walk out into my garden

 

Soaking myself in the thick wetness;

The rain slides down my body

Cleansing my soul of fears and pain.

 

My heart matches the thunder's rhythm

It sounds like drums playing

Hypnotically, and just for me.

 

My body turns into a slow dance

Then starts to whirl faster and faster

I clap along with the rumbling sky.

 

Wordless melody bursts out of my throat

And a tambourine appears in my hand,

Shaking like the vibrations of my body.

 

Suddenly I am between the worlds...

Part of the rain, part of the grass

Becoming one with the rich black Earth.

 

© Beth Clare Johnson, August 30, 2008
(Mystic Amazon)

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 and HP Ahes 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.

 

Lammastide

We rejoice in the Earth's good bounty,

First of harvest festivals three,

Corn and wheat are coming in,

Fruit of vine and fruit of tree.

 

Thor's wife Sif had golden hair,

Until that Loki's cutting spate.

The dwarves spun new hair for the lady,

And Loki then escaped his fate.

 

Harvest the grain by waning moon,

Dig the potato and cut the peat,

Now is time to celebrate,

Drink the wine, good things eat!

 

Winter still a good ways off,

Life is easy, life is good.

Gifts of gloves are tradition,

Hold the games in honor of Lugh.

 

Wean the calves, first fruits are ripe,

Enjoy them now while there is plenty,

Dog days of summer are upon us,

Love the life the Goddess sent thee.

 

Get the baskets and Boline,

Lammas is upon us now,

Fall is coming surely by,

Time to put away the plow.

 

Summer still, but first of harvest,

Coming in for us to taste,

Lammas, also Lughnasadh,

Has come upon us with much haste!

 

© Peace Whitehorse

 

Mabon Harvest

Harvest time is now in full swing,

Boughs bend down with apples sweet.

Gardens given up their bounty,

Grapes for wine and pears to eat.

 

Cucumbers and peppers picked,

Tomato harvest now is done.

Fall is hear and winter nearer,

With the waning of the sun.

 

Light and dark equate again,

Autumn Equinox is here!

Hospitality, forgiveness

Share the food and mead and beer.

 

Settle your accounts and debts,

Burn tobacco, cedar, hops.

Honor passed as pass the gravesite,

Look out for the great Cyclops!

 

Grapes and acorns, nuts and wheat,

Dogs and wolves and birds of prey,

The harvest and the aging Gods

Are symbols of this special day.

 

God prepares now to depart,

And grow from weakness to be strong

Nestled in the Goddess' womb,

The days grow short, the nights grow long.

 

We celebrate the second harvest,

Cold, long winter closer now,

Put away what will be needed

Until it's time to pull the plow.

 

Prepare ye now for time to come.

Winter's cold and soup be thin.

Weave for warmth and can the goods,

For 'til the Sun is high again.

 

© Peace Whitehorse

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.

 

Recipes fit for a Goddess

Ocean's NutMallows

 Ingredients:

4 cups finely chopped mixed sweet nuts ( I use Almonds and peanuts)
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup Butter
30 individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
1 (16 ounce) package large marshmallows

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.

Crush your nuts to make them tiny and pour into a shallow dish.

In a double boiler (if you have one, I use a normal pot on low heat), combine condensed milk, margarine and caramels. Stir until melted and smooth.

Use tongs to dip marshmallows, one at a time, into the caramel mixture, then roll in the nut-mix.

Place on waxed paper until set. I set mine in the refrigerator and take them out about 30 minutes before time to eat them.

 

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Mabon Stew Roast

Ingredients:

4-5lb pot roast
1 stick butter
1 large onion sliced
1 cup of celery , chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. dried parsley
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
2-10oz cans French onion soup
4 large potatoes, quartered
1-8oz package raw baby carrots
1-16oz pkg. frozen broccoli/cauliflower mix

In a Dutch oven, brown both side of the roast, using half the butter (or use an oven-safe pot with a lid). Set the roast aside. With the remaining butter, sauté the onion, garlic, and celery until onions are tender and beginning to brown. Add the thyme, parsley, bay leaf, and pepper. Mix well and then return the pot roast to the pan. Sprinkle salt over the roast and add the French onion soup. Cook at 325 degrees for 4 hours. Baste meat as needed. Add potatoes and carrots and salt to taste. Cook for another 45 minutes. Add broccoli/cauliflower mix and cook for 20 more minutes. Serve with hot bread.

Makes 8 servings

 

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Harvest Morning Muffins

Ingredients:


3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup grated apples
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup self-rising flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup of Brown Sugar to put on top when done!

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a muffin tin or line it with paper liners. Set aside. In a bowl, blend the eggs, sugar and oil until well combined. Stir in the grated apples and carrots. In a separate bowl, sift the flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Blend the dry ingredients with the apple mixture until just combined. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins and bake for 25 minutes.

Sprinkle the brown sugar on top and serve!

Makes 12 muffins.

 

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Savory Fall Stew

Ingredients:


2 tbsp. olive oil
12 oz. sausage, cut into small chunks (optional)
12 cipollini onions, peeled (pearl onions can be substituted)
1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
3 cups low sodium chicken stock
Pinch rosemary, thyme, Marjoram
2 1/2 lbs butternut squash (peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks)
3 carrots (peeled and cut into 1/2 -inch pieces)
3 parsnips (peeled and cut into 2-inch-long sticks)
2 turnips cut in small chunks
2 zucchini sliced
1 fennel bulb (trimmed and cut into ¼ -inch-thick slices)
2 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

In a large pot, basically put everything in it and get boiling, then put the lid on and turn to simmering for 4 hours or so. I also boil it then transfer it to a large Crock pot and cook all day.... smells so good!!!

I serve this with braided bread.

Ocean Phoenix is a 37 year old mommy of three precious boys and a Priestess in OWM. I have been a healer all my life though I did not know it. While looking for a new school, I discovered OWM. I finally found my home and I am so happy. I am a life-long student of magic and the healing arts. I am currently learning Reiki from our very own HP MoonWater Ashwood. I use Candles and oils with my healing as well as Reiki. I do enjoy kitchen magic and I love Candle magic. I am also learning sea magic and angel magic.

 

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Plum Jam

Ingredients:
2 kilo (5 lbs) plums
Water
1 kilo (2 lbs) white sugar
500 gram (1 lb) brown sugar
1 Teaspoon cinnamon
1 Teaspoon cardamom
2 pieces star anise

Wash and pit the plums, then place them in a pot.

Add water so half of the fruit is covered.

Add the sugar, cinnamon, cardamom and star anise.

Close the lid and bring to a boil. Let it simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally.

Blend the mixture in the pot with a stick blender and let simmer for another hour or until it has the desired consistency and thickness.

Cleanse and sterilize jars and lids with boiling water.

Fill jars with the jam mixture.

You can also set aside some of the jam to decorate and fill the cookies or eat with the bread. (see recipes below)

 

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Lammas Cookies

Ingredients:
300 grams (1 1/3 cups) of flour (wheat or spelt)
2 tsps. of baking powder
Pinch of salt
30-50 grams (2-3 tbps) of sugar (depends on how sweet you like it)
100 grams (1/2 cup) butter, softened
Two eggs
100 ml (1/2 cup) of milk

Preheat oven to 200 C (400 F)

Mix flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Add butter and mix with your hands until it forms flakes.

Separate the egg white from one of the eggs and set aside.

In a separate bowl add together the yolk and remaining egg with the milk. Mix until it is foamy.

Add the milk/egg mixture to the flakes and mix well forming a ball of dough.

Place on a clean surface and use a rolling pin to flatten the dough.

Use a glass to cut out some small moons - half ones , full ones , as you like.

Place the moons on a baking sheet and brush with the egg white.

Place in middle oven rack and bake for 6 to 10 Minutes

 

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Spelt Bread

Ingredients:
330 ml (1 1/3 cup) spelt flour
330 ml (1 1/3 cup) milk
1 pack baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cardamom
1 small cup sunflower seeds
1 small cup of sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 175 °C (350 F). Mix flour and baking powder, add milk, salt and spices. Blend in the sunflower seeds and half of the sesame seeds. The dough will be like that of a cake. Put the dough in a loaf pan. Pour the remaining sesame seeds over the dough.

Put on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20 - 30 minutes.

 

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Lammas Wine

Ingredients:
1 bottle of Red wine ( Merlot )
1 vanilla bean, slit
1-2 organic oranges, peeled and sectioned
1 clove
Calendula petals

Heat the wine carefully on low-medium heat.

Add vanilla bean, orange sections and clove.

Mix together and refrigerate.

Pour into individual glasses and place calendula petals on top of each one

My name is Morrigan. I am from Germany. I self-initiated over a decade ago as Priestess of Morrigan. Since then, Morrigan has been my magical name. I practice Shamanism, Runes, Tarot and Usui Reiki. I am a sister of the The Sacred Three Goddess School currently studying with HP Kerritwyn. I hope to one day become a High Priestess of the Order of the White Moon.

 

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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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