Volume 20 Issue 4
Lammas 2023
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.
Lammas 2023
Contents
- Holy Days
Lughnasadh in Ireland, Jaymie Doyle
Mythology around Mabon, Jaymie Doyle
Mabon Traditions, Jaymie Doyle
Some Thoughts about Lammas, M)0(rrigan - Goddess Work
Autumn Hearth and Home with Goddess Hestia, Maeve Moonbird
- Ritual Work
Lammas Ritual, M)0(rrigan
Mabon Ritual, Lady Zephyr
Working with Mermaids, Mystic Amazon
Mabon Sabbat, Jaymie Doyle
- Stargazing
Astrology Virgo, Jaymie Doyle
Moon Observances , Jaymie Doyle
- Witchy Writings
Bells and Chimes, Peace Whitehorse - Thou Art Goddess
Lammas in the Midwest USA, Emily Beatrice - Sacred Sites
Dendera, Ajna DreamsAwake
Hill of Uisneach: a Sacred Space, Jaymie Doyle - Gardening with the Goddess
It's Hot…, Emily Beatrice - OWM Awareness
OWM Happenings, Ajna DreamsAwake - The Bardic Soul: Poetry and Song for the Spirit
Beach Reverie, Mystic Amazon
Ocean Dreaming, Mystic Amazon
End of Summer, Moonwater Ashwood
The Fall of the Year, Peace Whitehorse
Both Sides, Peace Whitehorse
A Sip of Coffee, Ajna DreamsAwake
Bean Sidhe, Jaymie Doyle
Lamia, Jaymie Doyle
- Recipes Fit for a Goddess
Apple‐Bread, M)0(rrigan
Plum Jam, M)0(rrigan
Lammas Cookies, M)0(rrigan
Lammas Wine, M)0(rrigan
Celtic Knot Bread with Herbs and Cheese, River
- Just for Fun
Lavender Wands, Ajna DreamsAwake
- Féile Lughnasadh
- Hill of Tara
- Hill of Uisneach
- Mountain climbing in Croagh Park
- Cornucopia (Horn of Plenty), Pinecones, Seeds
- Colors: Orange, Red, Yellow, Brown, Copper, Dark Yellow, Dark Green
- Foods: Corn, Beans, Squash, Apples, Pumpkins, Cider, Root Vegetables, Pomegranate, Wine
- Herbs: Yarrow, Rosemary, Sage, Mugwort, Rosehips,
- Stones: Amber, Citrine, Cat's Eye, Aventurine, Sapphire, Jasper
- Flowers: Sunflowers, Thistle, Marigolds
- Deities: Mabon, Green Man, Demeter, Persephone, Morgan, Pomona, Inanna
- Animals: Owl, Stag, Blackbird, Salmon
- 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)0(rrigan
M)0(rrigan is a Priestess of Morrigan, and a practitioner of Shamanism, Runes, Tarot and Usui Reiki. She is a Level III Adept in the Sacred Three Goddess School
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Goddess Work
Autumn Hearth and Home with Goddess Hestia
As Autumn begins in the Northern Hemisphere, days are getting darker and colder each day. Trees turn beautiful shades of red, yellow, orange, and gold scattering across the landscape. Nature creates a painting before us. Our creativity can come alive with all these magical colors.
We start to go inward and spend more time indoors. Working with and honoring Goddess Hestia, is a beautiful way to bring magic and the Divine Feminine into our homes during autumn. Hestia is the Greek Goddess of Hearth and Home. Hestia can assist you with bringing the beauty of the season inside, creating a cozy, joyful home, as nights grow dark, and the air becomes more chilly. She can help you connect with the creativity of tending your home and hearth.
Some ways to work with Goddess Hestia are:
* Ask Hestia to bless your home with her joyful warmth, as you light your hearth fire (if you have a fireplace).
* Lighting a candle honoring Hestia is a simple and lovely way to connect with her on a daily basis. Choose an Autumn scented candle such as apple or pumpkin spice, to bring the scent of the Autumn season indoors.
* Bake some Autumn deserts or bread, connecting to Hestia as you bake in your kitchen.
* Create a delicious Autumn meal to enjoy for dinner at home. Light candles at the dinner table honoring Hestia in your home, as you enjoy your evening meal.
* Make hot apple cider, enjoying the warm, spicy apple scent. Ask for Hestia's blessings over your home, as you make and drink this delicious fall cider.
* Ask Hestia to guide you to decorate your home for Autumn, creating a beautiful, cozy experience to enjoy while you are relaxing at home.
* Create an altar to Hestia. This can include candles and a small cauldron to burn incense in, to honor her connection to the hearth.May Goddess Hestia bless your home with Autumn's creative, cozy beauty and magic.
Click on the link to follow Maeve at thecreativepriestesspath.com
© Maeve MoonBird
Maeve MoonBird is an HP of Order of the White Moon and the founder of Moonlit Path. She is a visual artist who enjoys exploring where creativity and her pagan spirituality meet. Maeve is passionate about sharing the Goddess and spirituality with OWM Sisters.
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Ritual Work
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. John's wort, calendula cream, chamomiles tea, etc…
- Arrange some blinking things/little mirror pieces and/or wind chimes ‐ fairies like them.
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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 themSpeak:
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 guideNow 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)0(rrigan
M)0(rrigan is a Priestess of Morrigan, and a practitioner of Shamanism, Runes, Tarot and Usui Reiki. She is a Level III Adept in the Sacred Three Goddess School
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Supplies Needed:
- 1 White Candle for the Spirit Goddess
- Green, Orange, Brown, or Dark Red Candles to represent all colors
- Incense ‐ Rosemary, Sandalwood, Jasmine, Cinnamon, or Musk
- Flowers ‐ Mums, Marigolds
- Stones ‐ Amethyst, Yellow Topaz, Carnelian, Lapis Lazuli, Sapphire, or Yellow Agate
- Images of Animal Totems for Fall ‐ Dogs, Wolves, and Birds of Prey
- Decorations ‐ Fall‐colored leaves, Corn Dolly, Gourds or Earthen Bowls of Fruit or Nuts, Acorns, Pine Cones, Bowl of Grain/Seeds, or Basket of Leaves
- Chalice
- Tarot Cards ‐ Judgment (for healing of the planet and women's bodies) and The World (for everything achieved, harvest, and reaping of hard work)
- Drums
- Food ‐ Apples, Nuts, Breads made from Wheat/Pumkin Bread, Baked or Candied Yams, Grapes, Wine (or substitute with Water)
- Altar Cloth
- Wand
Ritual
Light Candles
Purify Altar with Incense
Taking the Grain/Seeds from the basket, form a circle.Cast circle and Invoke the Earth Goddess:
Earth ‐ Goddess Corn Mother who feeds and nourishes her children
Air ‐ Nuit, Goddess of the night sky and all heavenly bodies
Fire ‐ Goddess Pele of fire and shape shifter
Water ‐ Goddess Yamaya, ocean of all life
Spirit ‐ Goddess Gaia, the great Mother EarthGoddesses Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit ‐ Please come join us within the circle, casting your blessings on us all that are here tonight.
(Each participant states their name aloud)Say:
The circle is now closedInvocation:
Our blessed Goddesses, we come together tonight to ask for your blessings and healing of Mother Earth… to replenish while she rests for the next Summer's harvest…
We ask for healings of women during the long Winter mnths so she may be blessed and energized, and ready for the season's trials and tribulations…
We are here to thank you, our Goddesses, for all the life's gifts we have received these past seasons…Read the following poem:
Falling Leaves
As I sit beneath my sacred old oak
Crone in all her glory
Resting against her
Wishing I could capture the beauty of her leaves,
Their colors changing
And floating so softly on the cool north winds
To land gently at my feetI wrap my shawl around my shoulders
And think on Summers' past,
The sowing and reaping of harvests
From Springs' plantings
The time for Mother Earth to rest
Healing and replenishing during the long Winter daysMabon has arrived
On the turn of the Wheel
Waning days, waxing nights
Cycle of endings
Mother Earth lies beneath her covers
In repose, readying herself for hibernationAltars prepared and purified
Rituals performed
Blessings and thanks given
Tables laden with bountiful food
Now is the time to celebrate
Mabon has returnedRaise and send energy with drums/flutes
Ground
Perform a Self‐Blessing
Say aloud: The circle is now open
So Mote it Be…Time to eat and celebrate
© Lady Zephyr
(HP Lady Zephyr passed away in April, 2015. She remains forever in our hearts)Back to top.
Working with Mermaids & Ocean Deities
You will need:
- 1 White Candle for Spirit
- 1 Blue or Green Candle for Water/Ocean Deities
- Seashells, anything to do with lakes, rivers, oceans.
- Decorate your altar with blue, green and white.
- Pictures or statues of mermaids/undines, Yemaya, sea creatures.
- Yemaya oil, or any oil that reminds you of the sea.
- A soothing incense, if desired
Call your Circle. Ask in the Higher Powers, the four Elements, your guides and guardians, and the guardians of North, South, East and West. Carve the blue or green candle with a symbol for water, or a seashell. Oil your candles. Light your candles, and then center yourself.
Say this invocation Three Times. (It is long, so make sure you have a glass of water to sip from).
The Calling of the Mermaids
(Invocation)Mermaids, Mermaids
Soft and sleek,
And often found
In sea or creek;
It is your wisdom
That I seek.Beauteous Liban,
Lorelei of the Rhine,
Ancient treasures
Help me find;
Gold and jewels
In the brine.Hippocampus,
Neptune's horse,
Carry me
On the waves
That crash against
The shores.Nereids ride dolphins
With Amphitrite,
Chanting magic spells
Day and night;
For beauty, balance
And the Light.Melusine, half‐serpent maid
Please come swimming
To my aid;
To manage money
With felicity,
It is this I ask of thee.Teach me water magicks
Please,
To see the future,
Heal, control weather
On the seas;
Opening my third eye
With ease.Mermaids, Mermaids
Charming and sleek,
Often found
In sea or creek;
Your magickal wisdom
I do seek.Now, go sit or lie down in a comfortable place, we are going to do a visualization journey. After that, we will open the Circle.
The Ocean Journey
You are standing on a beach next to the ocean. A mermaid or ocean goddess comes up to you. She puts an amulet around your neck, and tells you it is for protection in any ocean or body of water. You will be able to communicate with sea creatures, deities & sea/water elementals both on this plane and the Astral. This amulet will be there whenever you want or need it. Then she gives you some sort of fish, right into your hands.
You see other sea animals and creatures around, and you pick one or two of them. Then you spend time talking with her telling her about your life, what your dreams and needs are. She listens sympathetically.
After you have spent enough time with her, you go into the ocean. There are sea animals and other mermaids and undines in there. You can either swim around on your own, or ride on a seahorse, dolphin, large turtle, or hippocampus (large fairy seahorse). You will have a wonderful time. When you get out, you are wearing Hawaiian clothes and flowers in your hair (all wet, of course)! You sit on the beach and eat with the mermaids, nereids, and animals. Then when you are ready, you slowly count to ten and wake up.
When you wake up, you will say this thank‐you to the Water Elementals. Say this one three times as well:
"Mermaids, mermaids
In the sea…Gifts, blessings
And protection
I ask of thee;
And as I will, So mote it be.Teach us how
To honor thee…
Oh,
Thank you mermaids,
And blessed be!"Then open your Circle and thank the Higher Powers, guides and guardians that you have asked to be with you. Then go to the door, open it, and visualize blessings from the Sea deities coming into being. Then say,
"So Mote it Be!"© Beth Clare Johnson June 27, 2008
(Mystic Amazon)Late beloved OWM Sister, HP Mystic Amazon, died February 18, 2021. Mystic Amazon's poetry and rituals keep her memory alive in our hearts.
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Image courtesy of: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/year-celebrations-the-year-3088405/
Mabon is a sabbat in the Wheel of the Year, marking the end of Summer and the beginning of Autumn. The holiday of the Autumnal Equinox, Harvest Home, Mabon, the Feast of the Ingathering, Meán Fómhair, An Clabhsúr, or Alban Elfed (in Modern Druidry). It is a Pagan ritual of thanksgiving for the fruits of the Earth, and of the need to share them to get the blessings of the Goddess and the Gods during the coming Winter months. The name Mabon was chosen by Aidan Kelly around 1970 as a reference to Mabon ap Modron, a character from Welsh mythology. Among the sabbats, it is the second of the three Pagan harvest festivals, preceded by Lammas/Lughnasadh and followed by Samhain. It is the opposite point on the wheel to the Spring Equinox ‐ Ostara. This Holy Day falls sometime between the 21st and the 24th of September. It aligns broadly with traditional European harvest festivals.
© Jaymie Doyle
Jaymie Doyle is an Initiate in theMoonlit Path and a journalist from Ireland. She enjoys activism, poetry and helping others.
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Stargazing
Image courtesy of: https://images.app.goo.gl/319TVLd1WAsV5nJL7
Virgo (August 23rd ‐ September 22nd)
Virgo is an earth sign represented by the goddess of wheat and agriculture. Virgo is associated with the Maiden aspect. Virgos are logical and practical. This earth sign is a perfectionist.
In August 2023, it is a month of growth and change for Virgos. With the influence of the planets, Virgos may experience some challenges, but they have the opportunity to learn and grow from them.
Here are some tips for Virgos in August 2023:
* Spend time with loved ones: focus on relationships
* Pursue creative endeavors: express yourself creatively© Jaymie Doyle
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Image courtesy of: https://images.app.goo.gl/7uxTaQqFEunPFVqd7
Super Moon
There is a Super Moon on the 1st of August, Lughnasadh in Ireland. It is when a Full Moon takes place when the Moon is near its closest approach to Earth, is a Super Full Moon.
Sturgeon Moon
The Full Moon in August is named after North America's largest fish, the sturgeon. There is a Sturgeon Moon on the 1st of August
© Jaymie Doyle
Jaymie Doyle is an Initiate in Moonlit Path and a journalist from Ireland. She enjoys activism, poetry and helping others.
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Witchy Writings
Sometimes referred to as the witch's bell, or lesser known, the devil driver, the bell in Wicca is used to communicate messages to the spirit world, as well as to mark specific places within ritual.
Bells have long been used in many religions, such as some sects of Christianity, as well as in Shinto, Buddhism and Hinduism. Mostly used to communicate with living participants of these religions, the purpose and meaning of bell ringing varies among different traditions.
The bell's vibrations can banish unwanted entities or negative energy. They can also call in positive energy or simply clear stagnant energy from a space.
Sound is energy, and energy affects energy. So the bell is both an etheric tool as well as a physical tool to Wiccans.
The bell can be used to clear the ritual space before ritual begins. It can be used to clear and charge crystals. Herbs and other items can be cleared of negativity by a ringing bell's sound vibrations.
In ritual the bell is placed on the left side of the altar. Usually associated with the element of Air, because of how sound waves ripple outward some associate it with Water.
The bell has many uses within ritual. It can be used at the start of the ritual to get the attention of the participants and to remind them to focus. It can be used to seal the circle, to announce different sections of ritual, or to dispel any remaining energy when the circle is taken down.
Bells can also be used in spellwork, to seal the spell.
Considered a protective tool, bells may be hung at entrances to homes and other spaces to ward off evil. Perhaps this is where the concept of the doorbell comes from.
The bell's sound is the most important quality when selecting a bell. Shopping for one in person is therefore much better than ordering one online. Bells can be found in most metaphysical shops and in some gift and department stores.
Bells vary widely in appearance, from simple and plain to very ornately decorated. There are traditional hand bells as well as chimes and even gongs which are struck with a mallet to produce sound.
Bells with more weight to them often have a better feel in your hand and a more pleasing tone than lighter ones. A heavier bell will be more expensive, but may well be worth the investment.
Chimes come in single bar and multiple bar varieties. There are even chimes with seven bars tuned to the seven main Chakras. Shopping for chimes is best done in person so you can hear the sound the chime produces before making your purchase.
Every time a bell or chime sounds, the energy released impacts the Universe.
Click on the link to follow Peace at Witchy Writings
© Peace Whitehorse August 19, 2020
Peace Whitehorse is the author of Witchy Writings. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and her Shetland sheepdogs, and is active in Sheltie Rescue.
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Thou Art Goddess
Mama deer and one of her twins (the other one is hidden back in the trees).
River Crossing and one of many corn fields surrounding the area
© Emily Beatrice
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Sacred Sites
The Temple at Dendera, one of the best preserved in all of Egypt, is dedicated to the Egyptian Goddess, Hathor. Located in Upper Egypt, it is situated near the modern Arab town of Qina, on the West Bank of the Nile River. Qina is built on the ancient site of Ta‐ynt‐netert which means 'She of the Divine Pillar', or Tentyra which is Greek for Dendera.
The Temple Complex itself rests on the foundations of earlier buildings that date back to the reign of Khufu, the builder of the Great Pyramid of Cheops (approx. 2570 BCE). Additional buildings were introduced by subsequent Pharaohs. The Temple Complex as we know it today dates back to the Ptolemaic Dynasty of Late Period Egypt and was completed by the Roman Emperor Tiberius in the 1st century BCE.
Dendera is famous for two fascinating pieces of architecture, the Hathorian columns and the Dendera Zodiac. The columns have a unique appearance. Each one bears a four‐sided capital carved with the recognizable face of the cow‐eared Goddess. Enshrined Solar cobras appear at the tops of the columns, making the entire structure appear like a giant naos sistrum, an instrument sacred to Hathor. The faces on the columns are also unique in that they demonstrate one of the few frontal views of a deity in Egyptian art or architecture. Many of these faces were vandalized in antiquity, yet the beauty of the Goddess with the enigmatic smile remains. Archeologists have discovered traces of paint and it is most likely these columns were once beautifully painted in an array of bold colours.
The Dendera Zodiac was carved onto the ceiling of a chapel dedicated to Osiris. The round zodiac depicts the twelve zodiac signs, the known planets, the Moon, the Star Sirius and the constellations of Orion, Draco, Ursa Minor and Ursa Major. The relief was dated to approximately 50 BCE but is likely based on much older astronomical knowledge. When the Dendera Zodiac was created, the Egyptian calendar had already been in use for more than 3 millennia. The original zodiac is now located at the Louvres in Paris, but a plaster replica can still be found at Dendera.
Unlike our current zodiac which begins in Aries, the Denderah Zodiac began in the sign of Cancer. This is because the Egyptian New Year begins on July 19, when Sirius becomes visible in the night sky.
The Temple Complex is made up of a number of different buildings that honour Hathor in Her many aspects, as well as a number of underground chambers and tombs. Sacred Astronomy is important to this celestial Goddess. A Lunar Temple within the complex also contains a series of zodiacal images though these are not as famous as the round Zodiac.
It is clear Dendera was home to the astronomers who tracked phenomena in the Heavens. Other buildings of the Temple Complex offered funerary services to honour Hathor in Her role as 'Lady of the Sycamores', the Goddess who nourishes the Dead on their journey through the afterlife. Other buildings were used as birthing chambers, dedicated to Hathor in Her role as 'Mistress of the Vulva'. She presided over conception, labour, childbirth and healing. Nearby, a sanatorium was situated next to the Sacred Lake. Here, visitors could bathe in the sacred waters or spend the night in order to receive a healing dream from the Goddess.
The roof of the main Temple is the highest area of the Complex. During the Festival of the New Year, Hathor as Wadjet, the Sun's Eye, was reunited with Her Father, Ra. On this day, an image of the Goddess was removed from the Holy of Holies, brought to the roof and exposed to the sun's rays to receive cosmic energy. By doing so, the Goddess was able to radiate this magickal energy throughout the world. This Temple was used by the pious and still contains gaming boards, carved into stone blocks, which the faithful used to pass the time during their vigils. The masses were not allowed in this main Temple; instead, they visited the Hearing Ear Shrine where they could make supplications to Hathor.
Two weeks before the new moon in the third month of the summer season, the priests would place the statue of Hathor on Her ceremonial barge. She traveled south from Dendera to visit the God Horus at Edfu, stopping the procession at various temples along the way during the two‐week journey up the Nile River. Hathor's procession arrived at Edfu for the Festival of the Beautiful Union. This festival honoured the divine couple as they enacted their sacred marriage.
Other important dates honouring the Goddess Hathor include August 29 and September 17. Although most well known as a Solar deity, many of Her rituals took place at night. At this time, She is in Her youth and followers celebrate with music and dance. Both the sistrum (a percussion instrument) and the menat (a beaded necklace that was used as a rattle) are both sacred to Hathor and to women's mysteries.
Milk is a sacred offering to this bovine Goddess, it is said the Milky Way was produced by Her udders. As a Goddess of mining and smithing, galena, turquoise and copper are sacred to Her. Honour Her as the Goddess of Love with phallic offerings. Call upon Hathor when working with divination tools, especially the scrying mirror, which is sacred to Her.
Since 2007, the Temple at Dendera has been undergoing restorations to clean soot and grime from the ceilings. Images that have not been viewed in centuries are now making an appearance. Although only a small portion of the ceiling has been cleaned, the results are fascinating. Vivid colours have been well‐preserved under the layers of soot, most notably, blue pigments which were very rare and expensive at the time the images were painted.
Newly restored images depict a series of astronomical scenes, figures representing the hours of the night, signs of the Egyptian zodiac and the Moon's course through the sky. This collection of images depicts the opposition of northern and southern skies, of day and night, between sun and moon. The backbreaking restoration work will continue for years to come, offering up new details that may teach us even more of the wisdom of this ancient society and the worship of the Goddess Hathor.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dendera_Temple_complex
Karen Tate - Sacred Places of Goddess: 108 Destinations© 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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Hill of Uisneach: a Sacred Space
I headed up early for the Hill of Uisneach on the 13th of July. The Hill of Uisneach is located in Westmeath in Ireland in Loughnavalley. It has monuments and relics dating back from 3700‐2500 BC and 2500‐500 BC. The hill is a spiritual center of Ireland and was the ceremonial seat of the kings of mide.
Lugh the god and king died there, and it is where Saga the father of the gods made his home. They have a Bealtaine fire for the Summer in Ireland, it is an ancient tradition. It contains a lake, Lough Lugh, a ritual pond named after the god Lugh. It is a great place to do rituals, especially casting circles.
I traveled up to the Hill of Uisneach, which is about twenty minutes from my home. It is a spiritual pagan place. Although it was raining, I hiked from my car to this sacred place, it felt perfect for the ritual. I brought my chalice, my chakra wand, my mini broom, my candle, and my bell. I believe tobacco has spiritual benefits and I'm a smoker so I used this for the element of air, the chalice for water, the candle for fire and the earth on the ground for earth.
Here is the ritual I did:
Items needed:
Each ingredient will be facing one of the directions:
- North, the Element Earth 🌱: A bowl of salt will represent this element.
- South, the Element Fire 🔥: A white candle will symbolize Fire.
- West, the Element Water 💧: A glass of water will symbolize it.
- East, the Element Air 💨: Light some incense and place it facing East.
Take your athame or wand in your dominant hand. Stand up facing East. Take 3 deep breaths.
Raise your tool towards East. Say:Guardians of the Watchtower of the East, I do summon, stir, and call you up to protect me in my rite. Breathe into me the spirit of the pure joy of life.
Turn clockwise to face South. Say:
Guardians of the Watchtower of the South, I do summon, stir, and call you up to protect me in my rite. Kindle within me the flame of spiritual awakening.
Turn to face West. Say:
Guardians of the Watchtower of the West, I do summon, stir, and call you up to protect me in my rite. Water my deepest roots that I may find peace of mind.
Turn to face North. Say:
Guardians of the Watchtower of the North, I do summon, stir, and call you up to protect me in my rite. Nourish me so that my hopes may grow to fruition.
Great goddesses Lilith and Gaia, great gods Lucifer and Pan, I call to you, be with me here in my circle
Dearest gods and goddesses Pan, Lucifer, Gaia and Lilith
Raise both arms above your head and say:
I conceive this Circle as a place of contemplation and protection. Blessed by the God and Goddess. So mote it be!
If you are from Ireland, or travelling to Ireland, I would highly recommend here to visit as it is such a beautiful and sacred place.
Image by the author. All rights reserved.
© Jaymie Doyle
Jaymie Doyle is an Initiate in Moonlit Path and a journalist from Ireland. She enjoys activism, poetry and helping others.
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Gardening with the Goddess
I don't know about anyone else, but it has been a brutal summer so far for us. A month ago a Derecho blew through bringing much needed rain. A month later we're in a moderate drought. Our water bill tripled last month trying to keep things alive.
About 2 months ago I needed a project to focus on, so I finished building the garden. What was supposed to be a 2‐3 season project was done in a few weeks. Between hauling what felt like hundreds of cubic feet of soil and fighting an invasive non‐native tree, Creeping Charlie, Crab Grass, and various other things I'm standing at over 10 raised beds. I only have 7‐8 beds planted (I didn't plan this year out very well). Of those 7‐8 beds only 2 are able to be harvested this year. What I've planted in the rest are either inedible (pollinator/native plant bed) or I'm letting them establish a root system first (Rhubarb). Believe it or not, the tomatoes died. They never grew. It wasn't a blight issue. The only thing I can think of is that it was just so darn dry. And while this may seem like I'm just venting, I am worried.
We're a family who uses what we grow to supplement our grocery bill. We're not the only family that does this. I worry that eventually it won't become sustainable. That with each extreme weather event we're going to struggle more and more with food supply. If Covid taught us anything, it's that what we came to be comfortable with as normal isn't. I'm on the fence about planning a fall garden. If anything, I may start it later, and next year I might plant earlier and try a few things that can grow in warmer growing zones.
© Emily Beatrice
Emily Beatrice is a High Priestess of the Order of the White Moon. She is Usui Reiki I & II certified and feels called to support others on their healing journey.
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OWM Awareness
River continues to excel in her Level IV High Priestess studies on the path to ordination. We are thrilled with her progress.
Peace Grove School of the Goddess, founded by HP Peace Whitehorse, has now closed.
We are always delighted to welcome our new students in Sacred Three, Moonlit Path, 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!
For those who are not currently Sisters of the Order but would like to feel supported, we encourage you to visit OWM's website and submit a Prayer Request. This Public Outreach program is one of the ways that OWM gives back to the community. We offer prayers, distance healing, and loving support to members of public.
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.
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May the Peaceful, Compassionate, and Healing Presence of the Goddess be with you now and always.
Blessed BeHP Ajna DreamsAwake
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The Bardic Soul: Poetry and Song for the Spirit
I walked on the beach in the dark
The waves calmly lapping at my feet,
The oceans sounds charged with energy.
I felt you walking with me, companionably,
Your ghostly hand holding mine.Walking in the dark, cold sand on my feet
I felt salty breezes sweep us upward
And our souls flew together, over the ocean…
Watching the moon glimmering on the water.I see you in dreams and trances;
And tonight in the dark, walking…
You said you'd always be there for me,
Although I didn't know you would die so soon.Sometimes at home I feel you with me
Sitting across from me, telling silly jokes.
I remember our passionate kisses,
How we laughed so hard our stomachs hurt.Talking at your favorite Chinese restaurant
(We went there on your birthday),
Dancing at your family's Low Country Boil
With seafood… your mother dancing, too
The men didn't dance, just us women.Now in the moment with the foamy water;
Then again fluctuating in time with you.
Here, let's walk together some more!I may not be able to see you, but I know
That you are there looking out for me,
Caring, and wanting me to be happy…
And when I find a corporeal love to be with,
You will wave goodbye with a smile.© Mystic Amazon (Beth Johnson) June 11, 2008
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May love wash over you
Like an evening wave from the ocean;
Cleansing away all your sorrows and fears
And may the Great Mother fill your life
With Her guidance and wisdom.Now is a new time, a new year;
But the sea has always been with us
Like Mother Earth, it is ancient and beautiful.
Cry your salty tears if you must;
Cry out the pain so there will be room at last
For the joy that will come.Walk upon the sandy beaches,
Your feet will take you to your special place.
Rest there in the moonlight;
as the Faeries come down upon the moonbeams.
After you rest, swim skyclad, with the mermaids
And the dolphins keeping you company.The ocean will wash away your tears,
And you will be reborn;
For the sea is the womb of the Mother.
Float upon the waters,
Giving yourself entirely over to trust;
And She will bring you home.Listen! The mermaids sing lullabies to you,
And the faeries have brought you food
And drink. Watch the faeries dance, and dream…
Dream of the life you long to have;Then let your requests
Fly home to the Mother.
When you awake, the faeries have your
Crown of flowers waiting; and Pan
Is playing his pipes for the dance.© Mystic Amazon (Beth Johnson) December 31, 2005
Late beloved OWM Sister, HP Mystic Amazon, died February 18, 2021. Mystic Amazon's poetry and rituals keep her memory alive in our hearts.Back to top.
Lavender, pink,
Mauve and blue,
Yellow, orange,
And a little red too,
The horizon explodes
In a showcase of shades,
Tempting us back to
The sweet everglades.But holiday fun has
Now come to an end,
Back to real life, goodbye
My sun-kissed friend.How I shall miss our midnight
Strolls on the beach, sweet
Breezes off the ocean and
The feel of sand on my feet,
Yet most of all I shall miss
Your loving smile, your touch,
Your taste, I know now that
I love you far too much.So I will return to my life
And somehow make it new,
Likely to spend every night
Of my life dreaming of you.© Moonwater Ashwood August 26, 2008
(Jennifer Runham‐Stark)
(HP Moonwater passed away in February, 2020. She was a prolific writer and we are honoured to share her work What is remembered lives on)Back to top.
Fall. It radiates coolness
After the hellish heat of summer.
Such a relief it is to us
As the Wheel turns once again.Autumn. Leaves are turning,
Showing off their splendor.
Nights are cooler
And days are for sweaters.Mabon, marks the delineation
Between Summer and Fall.
Sweet Mabon, the second harvest.
Time of field corn and apples.Lay in the cold weather stores,
for the winter comes, and soon
The snows will be upon us.
The fields cleared and fallow.Then the long wait begins.
© Peace Whitehorse, September 2016
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A Witch is both light and dark,
White and black, bite and bark.
And all the shades of gray there are,
Without which she shan't go far.She can be "good", she can be "bad".
She is often happy but sometimes sad
To do the things she needs to do.
Without dark, light has no hue.Positive workings by waxing moon,
Negative workings by waning's gloom.
Sometimes she is good and nice,
Other times, poppets on ice!So if a Witch you see today,
Be sure to step out of her way.
Does not pay to anger a Witch,
Lest you and a green frog make a switch!Light without dark cannot exist,
Open hand and strong, closed fist.
Hex to throw and will to bend,
Magick used to achieve an end.© Peace Whitehorse, August 10, 2017
Peace Whitehorse is the author of Witchy Writings. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and her Shetland sheepdogs, and is active in Sheltie Rescue.
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With cup in hand
I make my way down
To the water's edge
I take a sip of coffeeCurling mists hover above
The lake's placid surface
A loon plaintively calling for its mate
I take a sip of coffeeHighway traffic fades
Into the background
Drowned out by exuberant birdsong
I take a sip of coffeeA hare sits immobile
Then, in sudden burst
It swiftly bounds away
I take a sip of coffeeThe sun rises higher in the sky
Burning off the mists
Fish jump, scales like glittering diamonds
I take a sip of coffeeBreathe in tranquility
In this moment of serenity
In this place of quiet solitude
I take a sip of coffee© Ajna DreamsAwake 2023
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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Bean Sidhe is associated with the banshees
The bean sidhe is an omen of death
The wail to a local individual,
Usually someone of importance
Sometimes she is seen by a riverbed
Washing blood out of garments of
The soon to be deceased mothers who
Were murdered, or died in childbirthA passerby can discover the names
of those who die if they politely ask
However, the bean sidhe will ask three of her own questions© Jaymie Doyle
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Lamia is a child‐devouring queen
And is the daughter of Poseidon.
She drew the attention of Zeus
And became his mistressShe was cursed by his wife Hera
And this led to her becoming
A child eating demon.
Any child she had would die quickly after.She was driven to madness
And could not sleep.
Her mental state worsened
And she began to kidnap infantsShe feasted on children
And became determined to rob
Women of all their children
Because she lost her own placeWhen Zeus heard of her actions
He sought to protect his children
He visited Lamia and
made her eyes removable
to stop her morbid obsession.Some tales about her suggest
Not all her children died.
Herophile was the first woman
To chant oracles
She may have been the daughter
of Zeus and Lamia.
In other tales she is a sea nymph
The daughter of Poseidon and Aphrodite.© Jaymie Doyle
Jaymie Doyle is an Initiate in Moonlit Path and a journalist from Ireland. She enjoys activism, poetry and helping others.
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Recipes Fit for a Goddess
The Irish goddess Tailtiu reconnects us with the Earth's cycles and the spirit of excellence. Her foster son, Lugh created the Tailtean games, which took place during Lammas. Lammas is the first of three Harvest festivals and so, preparing dishes with the first fruits or grains of the harvest is one way to honour Tailtu.
- Ingredients
- 500g (2 Cups) Apples
- 250 g (2 Cups) Flour
- 150 g (⅔ Cup) Sugar
- 2Pkg [16 g] (4 tsp) Vanilla‐Sugar
Vanilla‐sugar is a common ingredient in traditional German recipes. It may be found in the specialty foods section of your local grocery store. - ½ Pkg [7.5 g] (1½ tsp) Baking Powder
- 4 eggs
- Cinnamon
Directions
Mix the flour, sugar, vanilla‐sugar, baking powder, eggs and cinnamon. Peel the apples, remove the core and cut the apples into small pieces. Add them to the batter.
As you stir, chant:
Flour from grain, the spell begins, let the power rise within;
Apples from trees, now impart, Tailtiu, bring _ _ _ to my heart.*Fill the blank with a word that describes the area in which you want to encourage improvements or develop mastery.
Put all in a greased pan, bake for 40 ‐ 45 minutes at 160° C (325° F).
Eat the bread to internalize the energy
* From our Level I text ‐ 365 Goddess by Patricia Telesco
© M)0(rrigan 2015
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- Ingredients
- 2 Kilo (8 Cups) Plums (Italian plum/prune)
- 1 Kilo (4 Cups) White Sugar
- 500 gram (2½ Cups) Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Cardamom
- 2 pieces Star Anise
Directions
Wash and pit the plums, then fill them in a pot (non‐stick coating).
Add some water ‐ so half of the fruits are covered.
Add the sugar, the cinnamon, cardamom and the star anise.Close the lid and bring all to a boil ‐ let it simmer for an hour. Stir frequently.
Purée with a stick blender and let the mass simmer for another hour ‐ or less if you see it has the right consistency/ thickness.
Sterilize jars and lids in boiling water.
Pour mixture into sterilized jam jars.You can also set aside some of the jam to decorate or fill cookies, or enjoy immediately with fresh bread.
© M)0(rrigan 2015
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- Ingredients
- 300 grams (1¼ Cup) of flour (Wheat or Spelt)
- 2 tsp of Baking Powder
- a pinch of Salt
- 30‐50 grams (2‐3 tbsp) Sugar (depends on how sweet you like it)
- 100 grams (½ Cup) Softened Butter
- 2 Eggs
- 100 ml (½ Cup) Milk
Directions
In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
Add butter and mix together with your hands until it flakes.Separate one egg and place the egg white in a small bowl, set aside.
Whisk remaining egg and yolk, add milk and mix this very good until it's foamy.Now add egg/milk mixture to the flakes and make it a mass you easily can roll out.
Keep it about 0.5 cm thick.Preheat at 200° C (400° F).
Take a glass and use to shape small moons - half ones, full ones, as you like.
Position the moons on a baking sheet and brush the tops with egg white.
Place the baking sheet on the center rack, bake for 6 to 10 minutes© M)0(rrigan 2015
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- Ingredients
- 1 bottle Red Wine (Merlot)
- 1 split Vanilla Bean
- 1 Clove
- 1‐2 Oranges, peeled and sliced
- Calendula Petals
Directions
Heat the wine in a large pot, carefully, on medium low heat.
Add vanilla and orange slices.
Add one cloveMix together and place in the fridge to cool. Serve chilled.
Pour into glasses and top each one with calendula petals.© M)0(rrigan 2015
M)0(rrigan is a Priestess of Morrigan, and a practitioner of Shamanism, Runes, Tarot and Usui Reiki. She is a Level III Adept in the Sacred Three Goddess School
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Celtic Knot Bread with Herbs and Cheese
Ingredients
-
For the bread:
- 1 packet dry active yeast
- 1½ teaspoons sugar
- ¾ warm water (105‐110° F)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1¾‐2 cups all‐purpose flour
-
For the glaze:
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon coarse salt or sea salt
-
For the filling:
- 3 tablespoons fresh, finely chopped summer herbs
- 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar or parmesan
Directions
-
In a large bowl, combine the sugar and warm (not hot) water. Stir in the yeast and whisk for 30 seconds.
Set aside until it becomes foamy. -
Mix in the salt and oil. Add flour slowly, about ⅓ cup at a time. Mix well until it forms a ball in the bowl. Then, knead the dough until it is stretchy, about 10 minutes.
Cover the dough with a clean damp towel and allow it to rise for 1 hour. -
Punch down and knead the dough for one minute, and allow it to rest for another 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400°. -
Divide the dough into 4 or 5 equal parts.
Roll them each out on a well‐floured surface until they are each about 12‐14 inches long.
Make sure each rope of dough is the same thickness all the way through. -
Take one rope and cross at the center to create a loop
Take each end and and join them at the center, forming two more loops.
It will look like a 3‐leaf clover
Pinch the rounded corners of each loop and gently pull to create a triquetra. Repeat with remaining ropes of dough -
Combine the melted butter with the powdered garlic. Baste each bread knot.
Generously sprinkle coarse salt on top of each knot.
Bake for 8‐10 minutes. -
Allow the bread knots to cool.
Stuff the holes of each knot with cheese and fresh herbs.
Source: Moodymoons.com
© River
River is a Priestess of the Order. She is currently in the Level IV High Priestess Training Program.
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Just for Fun
Creating a lavender wand takes time and patience. But the results are worth it.
Supplies
- 10 to 30 lavender flowers and stems
- 5 feet of satin ribbon
- Toothpick
- Gardening shears
Directions
Step 1 ‐ Harvest freshly‐cut lavender, the longer the stems, the easier they will be to work with (at least 8 i" long)
Step 2 ‐ Remove leaves from the stems.
Step 3 ‐ Hold the stems all together in a bunch and tie the base of the flowers with one end of the ribbon, leaving 1 foot of this ribbon dangling free for later use.
Step 4 ‐ Hold the clump of flowers upside‐down and gently bend each stem over to cover the flowers.
Step 5 ‐ Weave the ribbon tightly through the stems, over and under, until all the flowers are encased in ribbon. Use a toothpick to push the ribbon into place.
Step 6 ‐ Knot the ribbon at the base of the woven bundle.
Step 7 ‐ Cut the stems to the same length.
Step 8 ‐ Wrap the ribbon tightly around the handle and tie off.Image courtesy of: My Humble Home and Garden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tgQ_Lx7n5M&t=465s© Ajna DreamsAwake 2023
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 StaffGet Seasons of the Moon via email! Join the Seasons of the Moon group.
Holy Days
This photo was taken at festival mná, a spiritual women's event that took place in Dún na Sí heritage park, Moate, county Westmeath in Ireland. The photo is of the god Lugh at a women's circle.
Lughnasadh is associated with the god Lugh, Lughnasadh means Assembly of Lugh, it comes from the Irish word for August. Lugh is one of the gods of the Tuatha De Danann, he is the god of harvest, sun and crafts.
Lughnasadh is the Celtic name for Lammas. It is a Celtic pagan festival that celebrates harvest and summer. Lughnasadh is celebrated on hill tops, mountains and riverbanks. Festivities include harvested crops, music, dance, matchmaking, storytelling and bonfires.
There are many areas where the celebration of Lughnasadh in Ireland take place, the main important ones are at Carrickfergus castle, the Hill of Uisneach, Newgrange, Croagh Patrick, and the Hill of Tara.
Lughnasadh marks the midway point between Summer Solstice and Autumn Equinox. It is the end of Irish Summer. Symbols of the season, are the colors yellow, green, brown, and orange. The foods associated with Lughnasadh are apples, berries, herbs, and root vegetables; due to the harvesting of various grains, homemade bread is a natural and tasty expression of the season.
Events in Ireland
Image by the author. All rights reserved.
© Jaymie Doyle
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Greek Mythology
Image courtesy of: https://images.app.goo.gl/7fQiQn2SvYYNFreL7
Image courtesy of: https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2020/03/08/15/25/cover-painting-4912734_1280.jpg
The Greek legend of Persephone, the daughter of Demeter ‐ the Greek goddess of agriculture and the harvest. Hades, god of the underworld, abducted Persephone, taking her down to his realm to be his queen. Demeter became so upset that she refused to use her powers to make plants grow, causing crops to die and people to starve. Zeus tried to help, but Hades tricked Persephone into eating six pomegranate seeds, obliging her to spend six months of the year in the underworld. So, from that time forward, at the Autumn Equinox, Persephone would go down into the underworld, during which time Demeter stopped giving life to all the plants.
Christian mythology
Image courtesy of: https://images.app.goo.gl/RahTGfmuP7JJ8WUu6
Michaelmas is the Catholic feast day to celebrate Archangel Michael. It involved gathering and eating nuts, blackberries, and feasting on a fattened goose. The feast was set near the Autumnal Equinox to draw people away from pagan celebrations.
Moon festival
Image courtesy of: https://pixabay.com/vectors/moon-holiday-lantern-festival-25647/
The Moon Festival, is celebrated in Chinese and Vietnamese communities. It is held on the Harvest Moon, near the Full Moon closest to the Autumnal Equinox.
Celtic mythology
Image courtesy of: https://images.app.goo.gl/dvn4yGc4rrqjZJv47
The Earth Mother Goddess and Guardian of the Otherworld Modron gave birth to the Great Son Mabon ap Modron on the Autumn Equinox. Three years later Mabon was stolen from Modron and held captive in the otherworld (Modron's womb) where he is nurtured and faces many challenges. He was rescued by a group of animals including an owl, stag, and a salmon, and he was reborn as the "Son of Light". In another version he is rescued by King Arthur.
© Jaymie Doyle
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Image courtesy of: https://images.app.goo.gl/jptvKSCJPc4AgstF6
It's a time to give thanks for the Summer and pay tribute. It is known as Pagan Thanksgiving. Modern Pagans began celebrating Mabon as the last of the eight Sabbats in the 1970s, but its roots as a harvest festival go back to ancient times.
Symbols
Image courtesy of: https://pixabay.com/tr/photos/yaban-hayat%C4%B1-bayku%C5%9F-do%C4%9Fa-hayvan-5177595/
Activities
Image courtesy of: https://pixabay.com/tr/photos/te%C5%9Fekk%C3%BCr-ederiz-te%C5%9Fekk%C3%BCrler-kart-515514/
You can celebrate it by making a gratitude list, crafts, going to a harvest festival, go to a bonfire and meditate. Traditions vary globally, in the UK they celebrate at Stonehenge, in Mexico they have the Snake of Sunlight, in China they have the Moon Festival, in Japan they have Higan, and globally ‐ Michaelmas. In Vilnius, Lithuania, people light candles after sunset during the Autumn and in Poland, people celebrate the Feast of Greener by getting foods and bouquets. In India, Hindu people celebrate Navaratri, a festival that lasts a couple of days in the months of September and October ‐ the festival honors the divine feminine Devi (Durga).
Honoring the Season
Image courtesy of: https://images.app.goo.gl/K9roUBjrj62Gx8Yr8
People celebrate different rituals during Mabon: burning rituals, to gratitude, shadow work, protection magic, breathwork, harvest fruits and vegetables, gathering and feasting on apples, offering apples to the goddess and sharing food. Some cultures give thanks to ancestors by busting their grave. Mabon is a name for the Autumn Equinox. The Druids call this celebration, Mea'n Fo'mhair, and honor The Green Man, the God of the Forest.
© Jaymie Doyle
Jaymie Doyle is an Initiate in Moonlit Path and a journalist from Ireland. She enjoys activism, poetry and helping others.
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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 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