Seasons of the Moon

Volume 13 Issue 4
Lammas 2016

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

Lammas 2016

Contents

  

Holy Days

Lammas ‐ Origin and Custom

At the August Full Moon, Lug ‐ Llew Law Gyffes ‐ celebrated his wedding with the goddess of the Earth Annona, the matron with the cornucopia who nourishes the world. They will be reigning until Samhain. Their time is the Harvest Time. Lugh's Festival was a Fire festival. Huge piles of wood were lit, fire symbolising the metamorphosis of the god. For 3 days ‐ so was the custom of the Island Celts ‐ water was taboo. No washing, no bathing, no fishing, nor could a net be cast. The Corn*‐King [*British English meaning grain or crop] (other names included Corn‐Wolf or Corn‐Bear) was brought to the village in a solemn procession and sacrificed. The Anglo‐Saxons called the feast of the blessing of the grain harvest Hlaf‐mass, from which we get the name Lammas.

On the Feast of Lugh all herbs that were necessary to keep health and wealth of the Farm or house in the coming year were consecrated. It made sense to collect the plants in these hot days, because aroma, taste and healing power are the expression of the cosmic powers of warmth and light that the plants are absorbing in this time of the year.

The women consecrated these herbs to the goddess. The missionary Bonifatius ‐ the same man who had cut down the sacred trees of the heathens ‐ tried to ban this custom in a synod of Liftinae (in the Year 743 CE). But the women were sticking to their ritual and so the church placed the ritual under the patronage of the Virgin Mary, saying those herbs where the flowers found in her tomb instead of her body. So the herbs were collected and consecrated to Blessed Mary on her Ascension day.

Herbs were used for protection against sorcery, fire and hail, herbs for a good cohabitation, and to give an easy birth. Some of the herbs were laid in the chest where crops where stored, others were put in the coffin of a deceased person. Many of them were used as incense, smoked during the sacred times ‐ like the Rauhnächte or winter equinox. These Herbs were: Yarrow, Mugwort, Arnica, Marigold, Sage, Lovage, Dill, Valerian and Tansy.

The sacred bunches of herbs were embellished with cornstalks, some with flowering corn weeds, like the cornflowers which, with their blue color, were a reminder of the sky cloak of the Goddess. These bunches were then framed with shorter growing herbs like camomile, creeping thyme, cleaver and feverfew. In the center, the goddess herself resided on a throne made of common mullein.

  

© M)O(rrigan

  

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Goddess Work

Tailtiu

  

Tailtiu (other spellings are Taltiu or Telta) is said to go back to the ancient Irish Earth Mother Goddess. Her name originates from the Old Irish talam = earth. Tailtiu was the daughter of great lowlands king Mag Mor and married to the Fir Bolg King Eochaid ma Eir (Eochaid ‐ Sohn of the Sky). She was the last queen of the Fir Bolg, and life in Ireland in her time was calm.

Peace and Justice was common and, as mother and goddess of the land, she was responsible for clearing the forest of Breg, providing farmland to her people. Only the invasion of the Túatha Dé Danann brought an end to this peaceful era. King Eochaid lost his life and Tailtiu became the foster mother of Lugh, the celtic god of light.

According to Lebor Gabála Érenn (The Book of the Taking of Ireland), which is a collection of poems and prose about the history of Ireland from the creation of the world to the Middle Ages, when Tailtiu died (some sources say she died of exhaustion when clearing a forest to provide farmland), Lugh buried her underneath a mound that was named after her and was later called Teltown in the county Meath.

As a mourning ceremony for the death of his foster mother Tailtiu, Lugh founded the Tailteann Games. These games took place the last fortnight of July culminating with the celebration of Lugnasadh/Lammas. Modern Folklore claims that these games started around 1600 BCE, and may even go as far back as 1829 BCE. The games were held until 1171 CE when they died out.

The purpose of the games was honouring the dead, proclaiming new laws and holding funeral games to entertain. These games were like the Olympic games ‐ including running, long jump, hurling, spear throwing and many more…

Below is a little ritual to Tailtiu on Lammas/Lugnasadh.

Think about a discipline, sport or craft you would like to excel in, but somehow don't find the energy to go ahead. Write it on a piece of parchment or form a little figure from clay symbolising your wish and ask Tailtiu to support you. Offer her some bread ‐ as she is the great mother goddess, perhaps some apple‐bread. Or, you may want to build a pretty altar for her.

  

© M)O(rrigan

My name is M)O(rrigan. I am a Priestess of Morrigan and practice Shamanism, Runes, Tarot and Usui Reiki. I am a sister in The Sacred Three Goddess School.

  

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Ritual Work

Rainbow Boundary Ritual: To Help with Negative People

I send you now love energy...
Full, overflowing, filling you with light.
Let Athena give you the wisdom
To come to self‐awareness, and
Change your perspective to positivity.

Realize that whatever you do,
Reflects the essence of yourself.
See the negative things you do
That push away the people you care for;
Become willing to have a good attitude.

Realize that life can be joyous, All you have to do is accept happiness
And chase out the darkness;
Instead, replace it with good things
To help yourself and others.

Be the best person you can be;
Stop holding yourself back!
I send you beautiful, sparkling love energy...
Shades of pink for sweet love,
Blue for serenity;
And all the colors of the Rainbow.

May your life be filled with love and light.
Blessings to you,
Blessings to me,
With the help of the Goddess,
So mote it be!   

© Copyright 11/11/07
Beth Johnson
(Mystic Amazon)

  

*I would suggest lighting a candle with this. I usually use a white candle for spirit. Then I would use a candle for the person that the energy is being sent to, a color of your choice, with their name carved on it. I would either roll the candle in glitter, along with an oil of your choice. If you make your own candle, I would put some glitter in it. You can also buy scented oiled glitter.

This spell doesn't mean that you have to let this person back in your life unless they change and you want to. It is just a positive way of letting go of resentment and sending them love. They can still go their separate way, but you have sent them a prayer of healing. As the saying goes, "A spell is a witch's prayer." And this may well keep them from getting so much on your NERVES.

This spell can also be tweaked to just send positive energy to positive people.

  

Mystic Amazon is a High Priestess of the Order of the White Moon and an Ordained Minister, currently teaching at Sisters of the Rising Moon School. Her hobbies include writing, folk art, folk magick, Reiki, and reading.

  

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Lammas Ritual

I dedicate this Ritual to the Great Goddess

If possible please do this ritual outdoors in nature ‐ not in a room.
Altar: Use a light‐green cloth if you use a table (can be with blue or other colors mixed).
Use red, yellow and white candles. And one single blue taper candle.
Place upon your altar plenty of healing flowers like chamomile, St. John's Wort, lavender, Echinacea flowers, marigold(calendula) and some products of the flowers that you use, such as red oil made of St. John's Wort, calendula cream, chamomile tea, etc.
Make sure you put out some sparkly things ‐ elves and fairies like them.
You could place some bamboo or metal wind chimes on sticks
Incense: lavender, dragon's blood, sage, ylang‐ylang
If you are a circle of several women let every women bring something she created herself.
After the ritual and opening the circle these gifts may be given away to each other.

Draw your circle.
Light all candles except the blue one
Light the incense and/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
Keep all evil spirits, any sadness away,

Let joy be the topic
Of this wonderful day
Let us feast and celebrate
This union so gay (you may refer to the union of the circle or wedding of Lugh).

Arrange your flowers as well as products, oils and gifts on your altar.

Light the blue candle (representing the healing power).

Ask the goddess to bless them and give power to them

Speak:

I give thanks for this harvest
Bless goddess your kids (referring to the flowers and plants)
So they heal once it's needed
Your wonderful gifts!

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

When you close 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 its time to eat and drink if you have prepared for this. (see recipes below).
Also now is the right time to share the "gifts" that each woman has brought to the circle.

  

© M)O(rrigan

My name is M)O(rrigan. I am a Priestess of Morrigan and practice Shamanism, Runes, Tarot and Usui Reiki. I am a sister in The Sacred Three Goddess School.

  

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Sacred Sites

Kefalonia

Every year, an interesting phenomenon occurs in the Greek village of Markopoulos on the island of Kefalonia. Between the Christian holy days of the Transfiguration (August 6) and the Dormition of the Theotokos (August 15), thousands of snakes appear at the church of Panagia of Langouvarda.

This small chapel is built on the ruins of a convent. Legend has it that in the early 18th century, the nuns who resided there were attacked by pirates. After praying to the Mother of God for help, the nuns were transformed into snakes to avoid being taken as prisoners. On discovering the snakes, the pirates were terrified and fled. Since then, the snakes have returned every year to the site of the former convent. The Snake Festival, held on August 14th and 15th, celebrates the annual miracle. Snakes are collected and deposited in the church near a silver icon of Panagia Fidoussa (Virgin of the Snakes).

The snakes have a small cross on their head and their tongues are also in the shape of a cross. They are of the Telescopus fallax species (European Cat Snake), and they appear in and around the courtyard of the church, on the walls and the bell tower. The snakes show no fear, they can be handled and are harmless during the festivities. On August 15th, they become hostile and aggressive and disappear until the following year. There have been two occasions in recent history when the snakes failed to appear; during World War II, and again in 1953, when a devastating earthquake struck the island. Some believe that it is a bad omen if the snakes fail to appear, or are few in number.

According to Greek mythology, the island was named after Kefalos, the son of Diomeda and Mercury. The Goddess Io tricked Kefalos into seducing his wife, Prokris, while disguised. Prokris fell for the stranger, but when she realized she had been tricked, she left Kefalos. Prokris eventually forgave her husband, however, while on her way to see him, she was mistaken for a deer by Kefalos and killed. Devastated, Kefalos fled Athens and eventually met Amphetryon and joined his army. In return, Amphetryon offered Kefalos an island, which he called "Kefalonia". Kefalonia was also thought to be the birthplace of the Greek hero Odysseus.

Prior to the arrival of the Greeks, the island had been inhabited for approximately 50,000 years by people who worshipped the Goddess. The wild, mountainous terrain reflected the wild untamed nature of Potnia, "The Mistress". Potnia was usually depicted as a frightening Gorgon. Her symbols are the labrys (double-ax) and serpents. Many people associate snakes with evil or think of it as a phallic symbol. But snakes are an ancient symbol of Goddess, of rebirth and raw potential, coiled and waiting to be unleashed. With the arrival of patriarchal Greek civilization, Potnia's powers were diminished and She was renamed Britomartis, the "Good Virgin". Kefalonia remained sacred to this less threatening aspect of the wild Goddess, and it is quite possible that She eventually evolved into Mary, Mother of God and the Virgin of Snakes.

 

http://www.greeka.com/ionian/kefalonia/kefalonia-festivals/kefalonia-snake-festival.htm
http://www.hri.org/infoxenios/english/ionian/kefalonia/history.html
https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Snakes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britomartis

  

© Ajna DreamsAwake

Ajna DreamsAwake is a High Priestess and founder of Dark Moon's Heart School.  Her personal journey of self-discovery continues as she supports and guides women along their own healing paths.
 

  

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OWM Awareness

White Moon Happenings

 

Tracie has completed Level II and is now an Adept. See her beautiful Project on Yemaya in the Goddess Gallery.

Sherry ~ The Mystical Goddess has completed Level 1 and is an Initiate. You can read her wonderful Project on Selene in the Goddess Gallery.

Raven Elder has completed Level I and is an Initiate. Take a look at her lovely Project on Yemaya also in the Goddess Gallery.

 

Congratulations to our students on their accomplishments!

 

We are, of course, delighted to welcome all of our new students in Dark Moon's Heart , Phoenix Rising Goddess School, Sacred Three and The Sisters of the Rising Moon. We are honored and delighted when sisters find their way to OWM!

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!

If you're not an OWM student and you'd like to learn more about the Order of the White Moon, the schools offering Traditional White Moon Studies, or browse the Goddess Gallery, we welcome you to learn about us!

  

May the Peaceful, Compassionate and Healing Presence of the Goddess be with you now and always.

  

HP Ka Wahine Ahi is the President of the Board of Directors and the Head of the Order. She teaches White Moon lessons to women in the school that she founded, The Sisters of the Rising Moon School of the Feminine Divine.
 

  

Follow us on Twitter at @OrderWhiteMoon for regular updates on Seasons of the Moon, the Weekly Tarot Zodiac and other OWM public outreach programs.

OWM's public Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/orderwhitemoon.Visit and like us!

  

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The Bardic Soul: Poetry and Song for the Spirit

To Be a Witch

 

What does it mean to be a Witch?
I was always a Witch, I just never knew it.
Not for a very long, long time.
Until Goddess opened my eyes a little bit.
And now that my eyes are opened
A little more every day
As I walk my path and I learn.
As I refine my Witch's Way.
It means I love Mother Nature,
That my Church is the Earth.
And Nature is my religion.
Love is my path, my rebirth.
No hexes, no curses, only good.
But neither am I a fluff‐bunny.
I observe the Rede and the Rule of Three.
And on a rainy day, try to make it sunny.
Not by messing with the weather,
But by being a beacon of light.
Helping others is what Witches do,
With power and servitude, right?
So what does it mean to be a Witch?
To me, it means I am to do good
Wherever and whenever and for whomever I can.
Strive always to do as I should.

 

© Peace Whitehorse, June 2016

  

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The Closet

 

Taken aback, I looked across the table at my stepdaughter.
"I like your necklace", the server had said. "It has significance, right?"
"No, no significance, except the Masonic All‐Seeing Eye" said I.
Hating every word as it came out of my mouth that night.

I'm not in the Broom Closet to everyone, I'm out to most,
But one of the ones who "don't know" was sitting across the table.
I hung my head in shame, for having denied my stylized pentacle.
I knew I needed to come out to her, but oh my, would I be able?

How many reading this are still in the Broom Closet? How many?
We do what we have to do to live the life of a witch and to survive.
But do we remain there past time when we should have come out?
Does staying in that Closet cause us to be less effective, less alive?

I am a Witch. I am a Witch. I am a Witch. I am a Witch!
I want to proclaim this to the entire world and everyone I know.
However, we Witches have a history of persecution and worse.
So hiding in plain sight is something that we do, as on we go.

I feel freer now than I have ever felt, I am walking the path of Love.
I am now out of the Closet to my stepdaughter, and several others, too.
And that makes me feel better about myself and my path and my work.
There are still some who "don't know", by necessity, that is true.

Those who mind, don't matter, they say, and those who matter, don't mind.
But I have found that old adage we repeat is not always the case.
So I stay in the Closet when I must to preserve my safety and family peace.
And come out as I can to those who are ready to see my true face.

  

© Peace Whitehorse, June 2016

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.
 

  

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Dance with Me

Link to listen and download:

https://mysticalstrings.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/dance_with_me.mp3

Refrain :
Dance with me, easily,
While I hold you in my arms.
Move with me, in harmony,
While I keep your soul from harm.

1. I am always here with you.
My love is boundless, ever true.
Just let go and see the proof.
Dance with me, I dance with you.

Refrain :

2. Keeping rhythm, taking time,
Waltzing with your hand in mine.
I am here so you can shine,
Touching lives all intertwined.

Refrain:

3. I am here when you don't know,
Guiding gently as you go.
Never once are you alone.
Dancing still, I bring you home.

Refrain : (Twice)

Dance with me, dance with me.

  

© Crystal Spiritweaver

Crystal is a Level 1 student in The Sacred Three school. Music has always been important to her and is a joyful expression of her spiritual path.

  

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Recipes fit for a Goddess

Lammas Cookies

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 and egg mixture to the flakes and mix well, make it a mass you easily can roll out. Keep it about 0.5 cm (¼ inch) thick
Place on a clean surface and use a rolling pin to flatten the dough.
Take a glass to cut out some small moons ‐ half ones , full ones , as you like.
Place the moons on a baking sheet and coat them with the egg white.
Place in middle oven rack and bake for 6 to 10 Minutes

  

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Lammas Wine

Heat the wine carefully on low‐medium heat.
Add mistletoe, orange sections and clove.
Once you have mixed it, serve immediately or refrigerate for several hours.
Place some calendula petals on top in every glass prior to serving.

  

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Apple Bread

Mix the flour, sugar, vanilla‐sugar, baking powder, eggs and cinnamon.
Peel the apples, remove the core and cut apples into small pieces.
Add apple pieces to the batter.
Place in a loaf pan and bake 40 ‐ 45 minutes at 160˚C (325˚F).

  

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Just for Fun

Harvest Candle Holders

These Orange and Apple Candle Holders are a perfect addition to your Lammas and Mabon altars.

 

For the orange candles, you need thick-skinned oranges. Cut the top, with a sharp knife cut out and use a spoon to scrape out the flesh. Now you can put a votive candle or tea light in the orange.

For the apple candleholders, you just take some nice red apples and take out the core with a ritual knife (or any sharp knife will do( until the candle fits in.

  

© M)O(rrigan

My name is M)O(rrigan. I am a Priestess of Morrigan and practice Shamanism, Runes, Tarot and Usui Reiki. I am a sister in The Sacred Three Goddess School.

  

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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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