Early on Bride's morn
The serpent shall come from the hole,
I will not molest the serpent,
Nor will the serpent molest me.
~ Celtic Hymn
sacred-texts.com
Imbolc, celebrated on February 2nd, marks the midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Imbolc is the harbinger of Spring, a return of the Sun, and a reminder that better times are coming. We begin to see buds on the branches and the sprouting of the first flowers of Spring. Although the ground may still be covered in snow, there is hope for renewal. We all seem to be in need of hope at this time. After a long hibernation through the cold Winter months, we anticipate the warmer weather to come. We may feel a quickening within, the urge to purify, to cleanse our home, or to plan our gardens. There is a sense of excitement in the air as we move out of the stagnancy of Winter into the hopeful promise of Spring. Like the animals emerging from their burrows, or the buds appearing on trees, so too is our own Winter retreat nearly at an end.
February 2nd also celebrates the Goddess Brigid, the patroness of the forge, healing and birth. Her Sacred Flame re‐ignites our passion for life and stokes the fires of our inspiration. On the eve of Imbolc, also known as Brigid's Night, we honour the Goddess with sacred bonfires or lighting candles. This is an ideal time to re‐dedicate ourselves to our spiritual path, consecrate our magickal tools in Her name, or practice divination.
So where does the Groundhog fit into all this? North Americans have grown up with tales of Groundhogs predicting the weather on this day. But is there any truth to this peculiar divinatory practice? The Groundhog tradition is simply the latest incarnation of an ancient ritual commemorating the Sun Goddess emerging from Her cave at Winter's end. Snakes, a symbol of the Divine Mother, may have been the first to be associated with this emergence. Other animals include Bears, Badgers, and, of course, Groundhogs. Our ancestors were much more in tune with the cycles of nature, paying close attention to animal behaviour, in order to determine the best times for planting, harvesting and herding. Hibernation, migration and breeding occur in sync with the climate, making animals ideal predictors of the changing cycles in nature. There is much debate as to the origins of using animals as prognosticators of weather in North America, but it does seem to trace back to Europeans who settled in Pennsylvania in the 18th century. The earliest written records of Groundhog divination are dated to 1841.
"Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day; The day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as weather is to be moderate."
‐excerpt from the diary of James Morris of Morgantown, PA
We can view our famous furry forecasters as a modern take on an ancient custom. Amidst the pageantry, cameras and sound bites, there is something intriguing about the Groundhog, and our behaviour changes based on its predictions. Better still, we can avoid the fuss, and go out into nature ourselves, paying close attention to the animals, birds and trees around us. And know that, all too soon, we will be saying farewell to the bitter cold of Winter and welcoming in the warmth of Spring.
Imbolc Blessings
© 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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A Chrysalis Transformation Ritual
Transformation Ritual
Cast the Circle. You can do it with visualization, or raise your arms and say something like this, "Lord and Lady, Powers of Light, please aid me in my magickal workings this night." Visualize a beautiful golden circle of light, love and protection surrounding your ritual area.
Carve and dress your candles. Carve your name on your candle. On your goddess candle, you can carve her name, or just carve an ankh or another sacred symbol on it. On the black candle, carve "transformation" and "dissolving blocks". Dress your candles with oil. Now, light your candles.
Then say this prayer three times, to build up energy, power and confidence:
Chrysalis
"Like the layers of an onion
Peeled to reach sweet meat within
Like the shedding of a snake's skin
To transform to new beauty
Like the cocoon that transforms
Until a new butterfly emerges
Like the Hanged One in the Tarot
That changes through initiation
Like the sacred kundalini fire
Rising through our chakras…
So do we, Oh Goddess, ask you
Help us grow in your image
And be bathed in your Light;
Releasing what holds us back
Dancing forward in joy to the future,
Joining together in Sisterhood."
Then step back a bit from your altar, and visualize yourself stepping into a cocoon. You are safely surrounded with a warm container, you could even visualize it being soft and smooth, or furry and pebbly, whichever you like. While you are in the cocoon, you feel energies working on you, cleansing your body and your aura. It is like being in the womb of the Mother. Then in a little while, you hear voices saying, "She is ready to be reborn." And you step out of the cocoon, which crumbles before you and then disappears. Your Spirit Guides or favorite goddesses come up to you and brush off your aura, cleaning away the last pieces of the cocoon. "Blessed Be!" They say to you, and "Blessed Be and thank you!" you reply.
You open the Circle and thank the Higher Powers for being with you during your transformation, then go to the door and step out into the night. Visualize the happier and healthier new you coming into being, and say (or yell, depending on your neighbors) "So mote it be!"
When you come back into the house, you are leaving the past behind. You have transformed and so have the energies in your dwelling place. Turn on some cheerful music, bang on a drum or clang cymbals, ring bells, dance, Celebrate The New You! It is a joyous time.
© Beth Clare Johnson April 7, 2008
(Mystic Amazon)
Mystic Amazon is a High Priestess of the Order of the White Moon and an Ordained Minister. Her hobbies include writing, folk art, folk magick, Reiki, and reading.
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Ggantija (Maltese for Giants' Tower) is a megalithic temple complex on the island of Gozo in Malta. Built in the Neolithic period, more than 5500 years ago, it is one of the oldest free‐standing stone monuments in the world. According to Gozitan mythology, a giantess named Sunsuna, with a baby at her breast, built the temple single‐handed, stone by stone, in one day. The site is comprised of two temples, enclosed within a boundary wall. They are built in a clover‐leaf shape, and, when viewed from above, the round, curved architecture is reminiscent of the hips, breasts and heads of two full‐figured women. The main passageway faces the equinox sunrise. One temple is larger than the other, suggesting a Mother‐Daughter Goddess worship.
The two temples cover a total of 10,000 square feet and reach heights of six metres (nearly 20 feet). Some of the stones, weighing over fifty tons, were carted from the other end of the island. This is a remarkable feat considering the wheel had not yet been introduced and no metal tools were available. It is most likely that they were transported by a series of pulleys and roller stones. Little is known of the people who built the structures, but what we do know suggests that this was a peaceful, egalitarian society with no metal tools or weapons. Their disappearance, around 2500 BCE, appears to be linked to repeated invasions by patriarchal conquerors.
The temples were dedicated to the Great Earth Mother Sunsuna. Evidence suggests it was a place of healing and an oracular shrine, drawing pilgrims from Malta, North Africa and Sicily. At the entrance of the Mother temple sits a large stone block with a recess, which some believe was a ritual ablution station for purification. Individuals then entered through a "vulva‐like opening". There is evidence of a stone hearth, altars, libation holes in the floor, and the walls were plastered and painted with red ochre. Scenes etched on the stones depict spiral motifs, trees, plants, animal and snake imagery. Small clay figures, including a full-figured sleeping goddess were also discovered.
The Hypogeum II
Adjacent to the Temple complex, lies the Hypogeum II (not to be confused with the famous Hypogeum on Malta). The Hypogeum II is a series of natural caves which were used as a necropolis, dating back to 4100 BCE. It is also known as the Xagħra Stone Circle, the Xagħra Hypogeum or the Brochtorff Circle.
Initially the dead were buried in a fetal position, covered in red ochre. However, as the cult grew, death became more ritualized and complex. The body of the deceased would arrive intact, be dismembered in a ritual context, and the parts redistributed, skulls in one pile, limbs in another. More than 220,000 human bones were uncovered. There may have been as many as 800 bodies interred and many more were cremated.
There is evidence of a threshold and possibly a processional way from the harbour to the Hypogeum. Artifacts discovered at the site include a huge stone bowl, goddess figurines including a double goddess statue covered in red ochre, and at least 450 offering bowls. Goddess, animal and male motifs are also present. The cycle of life and death were a primary feature of both the Temple Complex and the Hypogeum Funerary Complex.
Worship of Sunsuna has survived as a secret society in Malta. Priestesses and priests continue to revere the Goddess and practice rituals in Her honour. Many of the ceremonies commemorate the deeds of the Goddess and her love of the islands of Malta. The Philosophy of the Spiritual Order of Sunsuna is an inclusive, peaceful, nature‐loving congregation. They work to preserve the archaeological and spiritual relics of one of the Oldest Religion of all.
Image courtesy of the Malta culture guide
http://ggantija.faithweb.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%A0gantija
http://heritagemalta.org/museums-sites/ggantija-temples/
http://www.ancient-wisdom.com/maltahypogeum.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xag%C4%A7ra_Stone_Circle
Karen Tate, Sacred Places of Goddess
© 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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I wish everyone a healthy, happy and prosperous 2018!
Mari in Sisters of the Rising Moon completed Level I and is an Initiate. See her wonderful project on Kali Ma in the Goddess Gallery.
Seren Rose Wildheart has completed Level I studies to become an Initiate through the Peace Grove School of the Goddess. See her wonderful project on Brigid in the Goddess Gallery.
We are, of course, delighted to welcome our new students in The Sisters of the Rising Moon, Sacred Three and Dark Moon's Heart from all over the world! We are always happy when sisters find their way to OWM!
More About OWM
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!
You can connect with OWM on social media! Follow us on Twitter at @OrderWhiteMoon for regular updates on Seasons of the Moon, the Weekly Tarot Zodiac and other OWM public outreach programs. Our Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/orderwhitemoon.
Visit and like us! The Twitter feed and Facebook page are available to the public. Feel free to share these links. We appreciate your feedback so please let us know if you have any questions or suggestions.
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.
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Looking for an easy way to find out what day of the week you were born on, check out this interesting, fun website.
You will not only find out what day of the week you were born on but a multitude of interesting facts about the day you were born.
Enter your Month, Day and Year of Birth and their internal calculator goes to work for you.
This website loads easily and is user friendly. You can easily gather your own information and then go on and seek information about loved ones, friends, etc…
1 2 3 4 5
1 ‐ Poor 5 ‐ Excellent
This website gets a 4 Moon rating from me. My only holdbacks on a 5 Moon rating have to do with:
Your Age In Dog Years ‐ this is a fun fact that they have added, but holds no value for me.
The Past Life Reading ‐ though I found this interesting, I don't place a great deal of trust in a computer generated account of what it feels my past life may have been.
But please check it out for yourself, it really is an interesting and fun website.
© Aurora Silverspiritus Amadahy
Aurora Silverspiritus Amadahy is a student of the Dark Moon's Heart School, working on her Priestess path with the Order Of The White Moon.
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Blanche and the Witches Brew
(a Salem‐Turnopia tale)
Stop throwing rocks at my cat!
You'll be very very sorry if you don't…
MEOWWRRRRR! GRRWRRL!
See, I told you! She turns into a
Black bobcat when she gets mad.
Yeah, just keep on running, jerk!
Are you hurt, Tory‐girl? I hope none
Of the rocks hit you. You will feel
Better when we go out on my
Broomstick tonight. You know how
You love it, unless I turn upside
Down, heehee!
The formation group isn't gonna
Meet tonight, so we won't have to do
All those swoops and things that
Make you nauseous. I have been
Feeling restless lately, I think I need
A new boyfriend… We can fly
Around and see what we can find.
It's been a long time since you've
Had a boyfriend either, hasn't it?
Well, maybe we'll get lucky tonight.
I sure hope Blanche isn't gonna
Be out tonight, you know how she is,
If she drinks too much witches brew!
She has a tendency to carry off men,
Have her way with them, and then
Drop them into high trees on her way
Back home. And she wears the same
Boring clothes that she hangs out of.
Things in Salem‐Turnopia are never
Quiet when Blanche is around. The
Broomstick Formation group won't
Even let her join because of her little
Drinking problem. She is my first
Cousin, so I usually get the joyless
Job of trying to sober her up.
She almost always throws up on me,
So I try to be nowhere around when
She is drinking, so someone else has
To clean up after her! It's always:
"Cally, come clean up after your cousin!"
(My name is Calliope). Sometimes family
Sucks.
Tory's a shape‐shifter and can turn
Into a bobcat, and sometimes a black
Owl at night. Our little town of Salem‐
Turnopia is a haven for all sorts of
Witches and magickal people. We get
Along fine with the townspeople
For the most part, as long as nothing
Gets blown up. We do protect them
From all kinds of monsters, too. Some‐
Times we intermarry with the townspeople,
But most of us don't, because we don't
Want to dilute our strong witchy powers.
Some of us can trace our witchy roots
Back to Adam and either Eve or Lilith,
His first wife. So we are proud of our
Lineage and even have a Salem‐Turnopia
Witches Genealogy group! This is a
Very cultured place, we have all kinds of
Leagues and groups.
Anyway, I'm getting off the subject again,
I need to get home and dress up so that
Tory and I can go out flying and trolling
Tonight (for men and shape‐shifters, not
Trolls), hahaha! I'm so funny. I usually
Put a collar on Tory to match my outfit;
She loves that, the fancier the better.
II
Tory and I were back in my bedroom,
Getting ready for a night out on my broomstick.
I wanted to be able to blend into the shadows
If we had to make a quick getaway for some
Reason, but black was so overdone. So I
Decided on Midnight Blue instead, with a
Sequin top, leggings, and high heel boots.
I put a sequined blue collar on Tory, and we
Were set. I don't wear a lot of makeup, my
Cousin Blanche wears so much that it would
Take a long hot bath of two weeks to get it
Off, along with a bunch of scraping knives.
Blanche has gotten me in too much trouble
To be on my favorites list. Instead, she is
On my @#&^%*
list. I think you can figure
Out for yourselves what the symbols mean!
Thank Goddess she hasn't gotten me kicked
Out of the Salem‐Turnopia broomstick
Formation,
(Yet, anyway) and I intend to keep it that way.
I picked out my favorite riding broom, Tory
Held onto it, and we were on our way. By the
Way, Tory talks to me with telepathy. Since
She is my familiar, naturally I can understand
Her. There are a few guys that are animal
Shape‐shifters around here, but they are not
Easy to find. Usually, only one shape‐
Shifter can recognize another. Outwardly,
They just look like very handsome black cats.
Or beautiful, in the case of Tory. *Thanks*
You're welcome, Tory.
We flew over to my friend Lili's house. Of
Course, I could have just called her on her
Cell phone or used my crystal ball, but I
Preferred to go there in person. She always
Knows if any parties or rituals or other events
Are going on. And Tory gets along fine with
Her male familiar, Dander. You can guess
Where he got that name; she had to use anti‐
Dandruff shampoo on him, and never let him
Forget it. She suggested that we try one
Of the magickal people's night club hangouts,
Like The Hot Cauldron, or the Bloodie Mary
Bar and Inn.
So we set out for the Hot Cauldron, and a
Night of drinking, dancing, flirting and loudness.
I'm not real loud actually, but Lili is. It was
In full swing, lots of dancing people. We
Went up to the bartender, Phil and ordered
Fuzzy Warts on the rocks. We like them
Better than fuzzy navels. Phil is very
Imaginative when it comes to drink names.
One that makes me sick just to think of
It, is the Pulverized Grasshopper. It is just
A regular Grasshopper drink with ground
Up cinnamon, nutmeg, and some vodka in
It, but it sounds so awful that I can't drink it.
We found some cute guys to dance with
(Although we didn't know yet if they were male
Witches or vampires). Not all vampires are
Bad, you know. We have all kinds and degrees
Of "Magickals" here in Salem‐Turnopia.
Just as we were really getting in the spirit of
Some Western boot‐kickin' music, guess who
Showed up. Yep… Blanche. Guess somebody
Told her that the action was at the Hot Cauldron
Tonight. I was hoping someone would side‐
Track her before she got to Phil, but no luck.
She headed right to him, and asked for the
House Witches Brew. Why she couldn't ask
For the House Wine or the House Beer, I don't
Know. This was ruining my evening fast!
Maybe it was time to get out of here, before all
Hell broke loose. I hated to let a cute guy
Go to waste, and Tory and Dander were in
The broom closet with our brooms and maybe
Getting it on… but I had to leave before she
Got drunk and started throwing up or changing
People into things. Once she got mad at a
Girl who was dancing with a guy she liked,
And changed her to two feet tall; it lasted a
Year before it wore off. Poor girl. So you see,
Blanche was capable of anything. And as sure
As my hat is pointed, trouble was like the eye
Of a tornado, hovering right over the Hot
Cauldron; and yours truly, her first cousin.
… to be continued…
© Beth Clare Johnson October 25, 2005
(Mystic Amazon)
Mystic Amazon is a High Priestess of the Order of the White Moon and an Ordained Minister. Her hobbies include writing, folk art, folk magick, Reiki, and reading.
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Spiralling Dancer
Out of darkness
Sunlight breaks through
Her song of delight
A gold so bright
She eclipses the sun
A star in in the night sky
Forever spiralling
In and out of being
Bliss
In a teardrop
I have heard her song
© 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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A blessing upon you for the Imbolc Season.
The Feast of the Lactating Sheep is the reason!
The first of three fertility Holy Days,
This is a High Sabbat and a Cross Quarter day.
Falling in between Yule and Ostara,
We are given the promise of a warmer tomorrow!
Cold air blows and snow covers the land,
Yet visions of spring are becoming more grand.
Of things that no longer serve your highest good
Time to release these things into stone or wood.
Brighid is the Goddess of this High Holy Day,
She brings Her fire so She can burn away
All that you need to release and let go.
And brings Her Wisdom so that you may know
What will, on your path, move you ahead.
By the hearthfire is Brighid and Her maiden bed.
The Maiden is honored as the Bride today,
We all give Her praise, each in our own way.
Blessings upon you this Holy Season through,
Brighid and Her wisdom reside within you!
© Peace Whitehorse January 27, 2015
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Honor the Maiden and honor the Bride,
Imbolc is here this eventide!
Bless the tool and bless the seed,
Open the bottle and pour the mead.
Crocus from the earth break forth,
Yet snow still coming from the North.
Now in the middle are we here
Of the dark half of the Wheel of the Year.
Place Brighid in her floral bed,
With a gemstone on her head.
Wait to see, will Winter end?
What will the groundhog now portend?
Drag the plow from door to door,
Beg for pennies, candy and more.
Also known as Candlemas,
Get ready to greet the spring at last!
Do nought of picking or cutting of plants,
But sing the songs and chant the chants!
Decorate the harrow and plow,
Pour Water of Life upon it now.
Break a furrow newly turned,
And leave an offering freshly earned.
From the Earth the snowdrops bloom!
Light a candle in every room
To welcome back the warm, bright Sun,
Brighid's fire for everyone!
© Peace Whitehorse, December 2013
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Bright! Bright! So bright the night!
Moon is full and ground is white!
Mundane is made a magickal sight,
And all that's wrong is set aright.
Come ye, gather 'round,
Magick circle now is cast.
We are now standing
Between the worlds at last.
Call to the elements,
The cardinals four ‐
Air, Fire, Water, Earth ‐
Then Spirit the core.
Work magick and worship
Beneath the full moon.
Bang on the drum,
Sing Her a tune.
Dance without care,
Raise the cone of power,
Direct it to need
In the witching hour.
Now ground yourself,
The elements dismiss,
The circle is opened,
But on lives the bliss.
Bright! Bright! So bright the night!
Moon is full and ground is white!
Mundane is made a magickal sight,
And all that's wrong is set aright.
© Peace Whitehorse, February 2012
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Ostara is upon us now,
To the Maiden do we bow.
Equal dark and equal light,
Equinox, to our delight!
Decorate the colored eggs,
Of Winter left is just the dregs.
Persephone can now return,
The Equinox bale‐fires burn.
Demeter will no longer mourn,
Her daughter now has been reborn
From Hades' bower within the Earth,
Spring has come to field and firth.
Bunnies hop about the land,
Calf and kitten, foal and lamb.
Flowers bloom and garlands hung ‐
Bless the Maiden, Spring has sprung!
Sun‐like roll and hot cross bun,
Feasting, merriment and much fun.
Ostara is upon us now,
To the Maiden do we bow.
© Peace Whitehorse December 2013
Peace Whitehorse is a graduate of The Sacred Three Goddess School and a High Priestess in the Order of the White Moon, teacher at the Peace Grove School of the Goddess and facilitator and High Priestess of the Peace Grove Coven. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and her Shetland sheepdogs, and is active in Sheltie Rescue.
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It is natural for our thoughts to turn to growth and manifestation at this time of year. It is an ideal time to plant the seeds for personal growth. Think about what you would like to manifest in the coming months and how you can achieve your desired goal.
The First Card: Planting the seed. What is it that you would like to grow in the coming months?
The Second Card: Now that you have planted the seed, what do you need to do to nourish and sustain it?
The Third Card: What do you need to let go of in order to create space for the seedlings to grow?
The Fourth Card: Unexpected obstacles. What might get in the way of growth and what can you do to avoid or minimize damage?
© 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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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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