Dark blue background with the phases of the moon in light blue across the top. Below the moon phases is the following text in light blue font: Order of the White Moon presents Seasons of the Moon.

Volume 22 Issue 1
Samhain 2024

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.

Samhain 2024

Holy Days
Samhain Blessings, Moonwater Ashwood
Honoring and Connecting to Our Ancestors During Samhain, Maeve MoonBird

Goddess Work
Working With Goddesses of Winter Yule Season, Maeve MoonBird

Ritual Work
Ritual With Baba Yaga, Mystic Amazon
Creative Samhain Ritual, Maeve MoonBird

Witchy Writings
Ancestors, Peace Whitehorse

Sacred Sites
Maa Gok Miu, Ajna DreamsAwake

Holistic Living
Past, Present and Future, Lady Zephyr
When We Die ‐ A Pagan's Perspective, Peace Whitehorse
The Dark Time of the Year, M)0(rrigan
Winter Spice Magic for Yule Season, Maeve MoonBird

OWM Awareness
OWM Happenings, Ajna DreamsAwake

The Bardic Soul: Poetry and Song for the Spirit
Box of Darkness, Moonwater Ashwood
Changing of the Seasons, Lady Zephyr
Fey Morgana, Mystic Amazon
The Red Orbs, Peace Whitehorse
Touch of the Morrighan, Moonwater Ashwood

Recipes Fit for a Goddess
White Moon Cider, Ajna DreamsAwake

Reviews
Seasons of the Witch: Samhain Oracle, Ajna DreamsAwake
Book Review: The Bones Fall in a Spiral, Jayme DePaolo

Just For Fun
Samhain Word Search Puzzle, Ajna DreamsAwake
Witches' Brew, Ajna DreamsAwake

Holy Days

Samhain Blessings

There's a crispness to the air,
An urgent need to hurry
Along our way, get back
To where our path began
So that we may look
Back and see how
Far we've come.

On the horizon burns
A thousand shades of
Red, orange and yellow
Set against the sharp
Grey lines of bare limbs
Swaying in the Fall wind.

In the breeze is the echo
Of children's laughter,
Footsteps along long
Deserted walkways,
Emotions long since passed.

It's Samhain, the time
Of our ancestors,
The feast of apples,
The third harvest,
The Crone's time.
My favourite time.

Blessed Be!

© Moonwater Ashwood October 9, 2010
(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

Honoring and Connecting to Our Ancestors During Samhain

Samhain is a pagan sabbat of honoring and connecting to our ancestors. This is a liminal time when the veils between the worlds of living and dead are thinnest. Our ancestors are close to us. We can communicate with our ancestors and honor them this time of year as part of our Samhain celebration.

There are many ways you can do ancestral work during Samhain season, and dedicating your time to this work is very deep and powerful. You do not have to know your ancestors to connect with them. They are with you always in your bones and blood, as well as in spirit. Whether you do not know about some of your ancestors or know a lot about your ancestry, this is a wonderful time to personally connect with them close to the veil.

Some ways of working and honoring ancestors this time of year are:

* Create an ancestral altar in honor of your ancestors. You can add their pictures and items that represent them and their cultural heritage. If you do not know a lot about your ancestral lineage you can still create an altar with an intent to connect and honor them.

* Host a Dumb or Silent Supper in your ancestors honor.

* Light a candle in the morning and sit with the intention of connecting to your ancestors. Have a conversation with them over your morning coffee or tea. Keep a journal of any insights or guidance you receive from them. Thank them for being with you and for the life you have because of them.

* Do some ancestral research and see what you can learn more about your family tree. You can find many resources online and if you have local ancestry, your local historical records will be very useful. Some local libraries also have free versions of Ancestry.com online.

* Explore the culture your ancestors came from. Watch movies, read books and stories, listen to music, or make food from your ancestral traditions. What animal spirit guides and Divine Feminine Goddesses are linked to your ancestral heritage?

* Create a family tree and hang it as a reminder of your roots and branches. You can be as creative as you want drawing or painting your family tree. Light a candle and ask for their guidance while you create your tree.

* Collect stories from your family about your ancestors and write them down in a special journal. This is a beautiful way to honor your ancestors and keep stories for your family members.

* If you have ancestors in local cemeteries, this is a lovely time to visit their graves and place flowers or other offerings of gratitude. Talk and connect with them while you visit.

* Be inspired by your ancestral heritage and create a costume that represents some aspect of your heritage in honor of your ancestry.

May you have a beautiful time this Samhain season honoring and connecting to your ancestors.

Goddess Work

Working With Goddesses of Winter Yule Season

Goddesses related to winter and snow are connected to Yule season. Often the crone goddesses are connected to the cold darkness of wintertime. Goddesses related to the sun, are also good for connection during Yule Winter Solstice's sun renewing energies.

Some ways to work with these winter goddesses are through daily connection. For ten minutes over your morning coffee or tea, light a candle and reflect with one of these winter goddesses, as well as the sun in the morning in preparation for Yule. You can also make this a night ritual, reflecting on a winter goddess and the darkness of the evening, as you light a candle.

Meditating and journaling with one of these goddesses, is also powerful leading up to Yule.

If you like to paint, drawing, crafting, or writing, work with a winter goddess or the crone archetype to make a creation for Yule Winter Solstice. Connect to the divine feminine energy of this winter Yule season with promise of the sun's renewal ahead as you create.

Winter goddesses and the crone are a beautiful way to connect to the full season of winter as well. They represent the cold, dark time of year as the sun slowly grows toward Spring. This is the time of year for death before renewal on the Wheel of the Year. Even if this is metaphorical death of parts of ourselves, old habits, or letting go of something no longer serving us. The winter goddesses, especially the crones can help us through our winter journey until spring.

Some winter goddesses and crone goddesses to connect to are:

Cailleach: This is a Celtic Crone Goddess. Cailleach is called Queen of Winter, Veiled One, and Old Hag. She is connected to weather, cold winds, and how harsh and long the winter will be. Cailleach can bring us wisdom during the winter season. She is often depicted as a hag with light blue skin and red teeth.

Skadi: This is a Norse Goddess who is connected to winter, hunting, wilderness, mountains, and skiing. She is depicted with a bow and snowshoes or skis in snow covered mountains.

Frau Holle: This is a Norse Crone Goddess called Wise Queen of Winter, Mother Holle. She is connected to evergreen plants especially holly, the woods, darkness, winter, death and rebirth. Frau Holle is depicted as an old woman. She is also connected to spinning and weaving.

Khione: This is a Greek Goddess of Snow and Ice. She is depicted in snowy mountain tops.

Marzanna: This is a Slavic Goddess of Winter. She is related to death and rebirth, nature, and is also a kitchen goddess.

Poli'ahu: This is a Hawaiian Goddess of Snow and Ice. She is depicted on Maunakea &lpar:white mountain).

Beiwe: This is a Sami Goddess connected the sun. She is also related to rebirth, beauty, spring, and the cycle of reindeer.

However you work with the Goddess this Yule season, may you be blessed by Her during this beautiful season of winter solstice and the return of the sunlight.

Ritual Work

Ritual With Baba Yaga

You will need:

1 Black Candle to banish negativity and release any unneeded 'baggage' you are carrying
1 White Candle for Positive Energy
1 Candle for Baba Yaga (any dark color that appeals to you will do)
1 Candle for yourself, in a color of your choice
Oil(s) for 'dressing) the candles
Incense, if desired

Body of Ritual

Cast your Circle, call in your guides and guardians, and the Higher Powers. If you wish, call in the elements and the guardians of the four directions… (all you have to do is say just that, if you are keeping it simple).

First carve the candles, then oil them. On the black candle, carve 'banish negativity, release troubles'.
On the white candle, you can leave it uncarved, or carve 'positivity'.
On your own candle, just carve your name.
On the Goddess' candle just carve 'Baba Yaga'.
You can carve symbols that have meaning for you on them if you like.

Then oil your candles, and light them. When you are through with that, say the invocation three times, feeling the energy growing and connecting with Baba Yaga.

Baba Yaga Invocation

Grandmother Yaga, Baba Yaga!
We journey to your hut
That is carried on chicken feet;
And like the Russian heroes of old,
We come to seek your counsel.

You guard the fountain
With the Waters of Life and Death,
And live at the world's edge
Guarding the portal to the Otherworld;
You are full of great wisdom.

Teach us to let go of the unnecessary,
To be reborn in spiritual waters.
Your nature is wild and untamable…
Help us find that within ourselves,
And courage to walk our True Path.

I have seen you flying across the sky
Riding in your mortar, laughing!
Ancient Nature Mother,
Teach us to fly in the other worlds…
Give us your protection.

Baba Yaga, Baba Yaga!
We are outside your hut, knocking…
We will make tea and eat little cakes.
Please tell us stories of your adventures,
And help us develop our own.

When you are through with the invocation, open your Circle, saying something like "The Circle is open, but unbroken", or whatever you usually say. Then go to the door and open it, visualizing what you have asked for coming to pass. Then say or yell (depending on your neighbors), "So Mote It Be!"

Let the candles finish burning down safely before you go to bed.

© Mystic Amazon (Beth Johnson) June 21, 2008
Late beloved OWM Sister, HP Mystic Amazon, died February 18, 2021. Mystic Amazon's poetry and rituals keep her memory alive in our hearts.

Creative Samhain Ritual

Making your Samhain ritual creative adds magic to your pagan sabbat celebration. I will share some ideas for a solitary ritual here. You can always adapt it for a group. You can do this ritual on Samhain October 31^st or a few days before.

For your ritual you will need:
* Four Candles: Black, Orange, Red, Or White Colors of your choice
* Incense if you would like: Cedar, Rosemary, Patchouli, Cinnamon, Clove, Sandalwood, or Pumpkin Spice
* Altar cloth Orange, Red, Yellow, Gold, Black, or Brown
* Items to represent Samhain such as Pumpkins, Gourds, Leaves, Cauldron, Acorn, Broom, Dried Flowers, Apples, Witch
* Any items that may represent the Dark Goddess, Crone, Animal Spirit Guide, Ancestors and/or Beloved Dead for you this Samhain that you wish to connect with in ritual
* Creative materials for drawing, painting, collage, vision board, or creative writing
* Optional music to play while creating ritual art
* Food and Drink: anything related to the late autumn season such as apple cider, wine, pumpkin bread, apple crumble or soul cakes

Set up your altar on your altar cloth as you feel represents Samhain for you with all your items.

You may want to dress up in a celebratory way or even a costume to feel more creatively connected to the sabbat. If you like glamour magic, get self expressive and put makeup on before your special Samhain ritual.

Creative Samhain Ritual

* To start your ritual, call the 4 directions and elements casting your circle and facing each direction:

North/Earth
East/Air
South/Fire
West/Water

* Light incense if you are using and one of your candles.

* Call upon the Dark Goddess, Crone, Animal Spirit Guides, Ancestors, and Beloved Dead to be present with you in your ritual. They can be anyone you wish to work with directly during this Samhain ritual. Light another candle on your altar.

* Honor this end of the year and thank all the blessings you have received. Honor what is ending and what you are releasing as you head into this dark time as a New Year begins.

* Light a candle and ask for guidance on your new Wheel of the Year ahead as you create your Samhain ritual art. This could be a painting, drawing, collage, vision board, or a creative piece of writing. Spend as much time as you would like intuitively creating this piece for the Samhain. Play music that connects you to the Samhain sabbat if you find it inspires you.

* After you finish your creative piece light the last candle. Spend some time reflecting on what you created and what your ritual art for Samhain has to tell you. What is the wisdom of this art or writing you created?

* Offer your food and drink to the Dark Goddess, Crone, Animal Spirit Guides, Ancestors, and Beloved Dead in gratitude. Enjoy the drink and food as long as you want.

* Thank the Dark Goddess, Crone, Animal Spirit Guides, Ancestors, and Beloved Dead. Tell them they may depart the circle.

* Thank the four directions and elements facing each direction for being with you in this circle. They may depart as well.

* State the "The circle is open but unbroken".

This ends the formal ritual. You can enjoy your Samhain celebration for as long as you would like after.

Witchy Writings

Ancestors

Who are the Ancestors? Well, they are lots of folks. They are the recently deceased, those who have been deceased for a while but within remembered history, and those Ancient Ones who passed on in pre‐history.

There are Enlightened Ancestors, who have found peace and their place in the order of the dead. Then there are those who have not yet come to terms with being dead, are unhappy and maybe even angry, and some that may not even know they are dead.

In working with Ancestors, it is important to be working with members of the Enlightened Ancestors group. Dealing with unhappy and maybe even angry spirits should be left to the experts.

So, how do we know if the Ancestors we are working with are Enlightened? Well, for starters, put your call or request out to the Enlightened Ancestors, specifically. If you call upon a recently deceased individual, use your intuition and listen to your gut. If the spirit does not feel happy and at peace to you, I would advise not working with that particular Ancestor.

There are ways to help the unenlightened dead move into the realm of Enlightened Ancestors. If you are interested in doing so, there is a good book called Ancestral Medicine by Daniel Foor. In this book the author emphasizes the care that must be taken in working with the Ancestors.

Click on the link to follow Peace at Witchy Writings

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.

Sacred Sites

Maa Gok Miu

Macau is located on China's southern coast, 60 km west of Hong Kong, in the South China Sea. It is home to Maa Gok Miu, a temple dedicated to Honoured Mother A‐Ma.

Macau got its name from Portuguese sailors who arrived in the 1550s. When told the area was called Bay of A‐Ma, they misheard it as 'A‐Ma‐Gau' and so named it Macau.

Macau's oldest and most famous temple, Maa Gok Miu, was erected in 1488, during the Ming Dynasty.

Legend has it that A‐Ma was a poor girl traveling to mainland China. She was refused passage by most of the boat owners, but finally, one fisherman agreed to take her. When a typhoon arose, all the boats capsized, except for the one carrying A‐Ma.

When they reached Macau, the girl vanished, reappearing at the top of a mountain. In thanks for saving his life, the fishermen built a temple there in her honour.

A‐Ma became known as the Goddess of seafarers and fishermen. To this day, they call on Her spirit to protect them from the dangers of the sea. Macau itself is said to be protected by the petals of a magic lotus.

The Maa Gok Miu Temple complex includes the Gate Pavilion, Memorial Arch, Prayer Hall, Hall of Benevolence, the Hall of Guanyin.

A grand statue of Goddess A‐Ma, overlooks the Temple, Macau and the south China Sea.

Visitors come here to ask for the blessing of A‐Ma, that She may guide and protect them on their journeys.

In 2005, the temple was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-Ma_Temple
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazu
https://macaulifestyle.com/culture/heritage/a-ma-temple-macau/

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.

Holistic Living

Past, Present and Future

They say you can't go home again, but I beg to differ. I also say the past, present and future are the same and run consecutively. I believe the past is my present and the future is my present, and they all play a part in our paths. The circle of our lives has no beginning and no ending. But I digress; let me explain how this came to be.

I have lived now for over half a century, this fact alone still amazes me. I am married now with 4 grandchildren. Just by closing my eyes and taking deep cleansing breaths I can step back into that time in the past that is my present and my future.

Going out and down the back porch, I headed down to the pond first but along the way I changed my mind, turning instead towards the little known path in the forest.

As I walked the same path I did so long ago when I was just 8 years old, it was still the same. The beginning of spring, birds were singing, the forest floor still damp with a slight moldy, woodsy smell. I remember I was running away from my parents who didn't believe me. My dreams come true and I can see and talk to dead people and animals too. My momma and daddy said I was either making it up or telling a lie just to get attention. There was just no way for me to make them understand what I said and did was not an overactive imagination or lying. This has been happening to me as far back as I can remember and further for sometimes when I slept I had these strange dreams where I was another person, sometimes a grownup, other times a child. I never told them about this. They would have said I was crazy on top of everything else they called me.

With all these thoughts running through my head, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. Somehow I had wandered off the little path and was now in an area of the forest I had never been. It was getting close to evening time too. The forest had grown darker. The sun was close to sinking. Sort of the way my heart felt right now. Boy was I going to get it when I got home, that is, if I found my way out. I walked and walked till I was so tired I had to sit down and rest up against this tall old tree with heavy branches and long knurly looking roots. I think I had been just going around in circles. It was completely dark now and somehow I knew nobody would know where to look for me. I had wandered into the part of the forest that belonged to the Magickal Ones.

It was completely dark now and getting very chilly. I scrunched up against the big tree and tried to cover myself with moss and dried leaves. As I lay there, listening to my stomach growling, I had missed dinner and was very hungry and thirsty too.

I couldn't get up and hunt for anything in the dark so I might as well try to sleep. I kept telling myself "don't be afraid" I could always do that thing with my breathing and see the white light around me Grandma Telly had taught me. So I had been practicing and practicing this over and over till I could see and feel that beautiful misty white completely surround me as if I was in a bubble.

Something startled me awake. I felt warm. I opened my eyes just a little and was amazed at what I saw. There were little Faeries, oh so many, had made themselves into a blanket and were covering me, keeping me warm and safe. They were beautiful with their tiny wings that were all lit up like Christmas, only Grandma calls it Yule. I am so happy I have my Grandma, I know she believes me. Said she was going to teach me some stuff when I got a bit older but it must be a secret between us. I love secrets. I fell back into a deep slumber and when I awoke the next time, they were gone! I heard some soft snuffling sounds and then one by one, these big white wolves came out of the bushes. The first one bowed down on one leg and then looked up at me. I could almost hear his thoughts telling me to follow them and they would lead me safely home. I felt no fear, none at all. As I followed the big powerful white animals, they led me though the shimmery misty area and I was back onto the little path again. I turned and they were gone and I didn't even get to thank them.

I never told what happened that day in the woods to anyone but my Grandma. As I grew older, she began to teach me the ways of the Goddess, magick, spells, past and future lives, and of course Summerland. She taught me all about the 8 Pagan Sabbaths and how to celebrate each one. Beltane was coming up soon. I wish she was still with us, but that's ok too, because I can always step back into the past and visit her as I was about to do today. I was going to visit the little Faeries also just as I do each Beltane and leave them a gift of little cakes. My family will be waiting for me when I returned to start the celebration of Beltane, but this is one of the 2 sacred times each year when the veil is the thinnest. I will be able to see and talk to my Grandma Telly. My past is my present and my present is my future.

HP Lady Zephyr passed away in April, 2015. She remains forever in our hearts.

When We Die ‐ A Pagan's Perspective

Everyone, I think, has wondered about life after death at one time or another. There are many theories as to what happens at the time of death and afterward. I'm not going to expound on others' beliefs because I am by no means an expert on them. We've all heard of the near‐death experiences of moving toward a bright and welcoming light.

I'm a Pagan, specifically a Wiccan. I believe in reincarnation. But I believe there is a lot more to life after death than that. What form do we take? How much of ourselves leaves the body? What is the difference between soul and spirit? How much time after the time of death does it take to leave the body behind?

Most Pagans believe in something called 'The Summerland'. They do not believe in heaven or hell. Yes, there are good and bad people, but more specifically, there is good and bad in each of us. Does the bad in each of us doom us each to an afterlife of torment and pain? No, I don't believe so.

When we die, our bodily systems shut down and cease to function. However the soul within us is still very much alive and alert. I've heard that it takes around fifteen minutes for the soul to fully vacate the body. This makes sense to me, because I don't believe these things happen instantaneously.

When you sit with the dying, and they die, don't do anything immediately. Continue to sit there. Hold their hand. Lend your comforting presence, because the soul inside is embarking on a journey into the unknown. Be careful what you say. Be sure to tell them that you love and care for them. You can gently tell them that their time on earth in this lifetime has come to an end. That they are free to leave when they are ready. That you will miss their bodily presence in your life.

But don't leave them, or start making any arrangements, until that fifteen minutes has passed. They can still hear you. They can sense your presence. And your continued attention to them will help keep them calm and start their journey off on the right foot. Giving them those last moments of calm, caring and peace, I believe, allows the deceased to begin their journey with confidence.

But after that, what then?

I believe we have a soul. That the soul houses all that we are, good and bad. There is no evil in the Summerland. So, something has to happen to split the evil from the good.

What is the Summerland? I believe Summerland is more the name of a process than a place. Once we are no longer tied to an earthly body, we no longer have need of a "place". Summerland, therefore, is the (re)union of us with the Universe, or Source Energy, or Divinity (Goddess and God). Known by many names, I believe it is all the same entity.

At the basis of everything, we are comprised of energy. Energy is eternal. It has neither beginning nor ending. Energy is universal. Individuals are not discrete pieces of energy. All energy exists together. We are One with the Universe our entire lives, and beyond.

So, what happens to our Essence, our Soul, when we die? I believe the positive or good part of our Soul is our Spirit. It is that energy that is born into us at (re)birth. Babies are pure and there is no evil in them, right? Their Souls are pure Spirit. Bad energy, depending on life experiences, attaches to us as we go through life. Some more than others. But our Soul grows as we do, and we gradually become beings of light and evil, good and bad. Some people throw off evil. Some nurture it, or at the very least, do not recognize it. And so they carry it with them.

At the point of dying, the Soul separates into Good ‐ Spirit, and Evil ‐ what is left after Spirit leaves. Evil dissipates and does not accompany the Spirit in rejoining Source Energy. Sometimes Evil is so strong that it more or less wanders off on its own, not so much dissipating as continuing to exist on the earthly plain. It is still energy. Energy has no beginning nor ending. And I believe it is this Evil that has coalesced into an entity that becomes a demon, doomed to walk the earth in etheric form.

The Spirit part of us rejoins Divinity. Summerland. The demonic parts of us stay here in the Earthly Realm.

But what happens after that initial separating and rejoining? Well, as I said before, I believe in reincarnation. I think reincarnation is a choice. We can choose to stay joined tightly with Source Energy. Or we can choose to be reborn, after a time.

Those that pass on have a duty and obligation to watch over those still on earth that love them and miss them. And so they do. And they remain in the Summerland state until the very last of their loved ones have passed on, also. Then, they are free to reincarnate, if they so choose.

But to offset that duty/obligation, those who rejoin Source Energy enjoy living in many perfections. They exist in an environment of perfect love. They also have access to All Knowledge, perfect knowledge. There is no stress or worry, so there is perfect peace. There is no need, so there is perfect abundance.

Having access to all that perfection, it is a wonder that any spirits choose to be reincarnated! But they do, each for their own reasons.

For most, there is something they want to experience on the human plane. They choose all the circumstances of their reincarnation. That's why there are no mistakes in the Universe. Everything we experience in our human lives is the result of choices we made before we reincarnated.

For some, there is some sort of karmic debt they need to make right. How, if there are no mistakes in the Universe, if we choose all of the circumstances of our reincarnation, can a karmic debt be incurred? We choose our own circumstances, but what we may not foresee is how those circumstances may impact others on the earthly plane. If what we have chosen hurts others, then we incur karma. And we are responsible for that.

Just because a spirit joined with Source Energy has access to perfect knowledge, that doesn't mean they always avail themselves of it when choosing to reincarnate. Or, perhaps perfect knowledge doesn't apply when making choices for the human existence. Perfect knowledge does not follow us into rebirth, so perhaps we do not have access to it when planning that rebirth. However it happens, if others are negatively impacted by our life choices, we incur karma and that debt must be paid.

What is the Soul? What is the Spirit? First of all, they are energy. And as I've said before, energy is eternal. It has neither beginning nor ending. I believe the Soul is comprised of all the good and bad bits and pieces of who we are. It is an energetic, etheric being that animates our earthly body. It is who we are in the Earthly Realm. All the good bits together comprise the Spirit. These good pieces coalesce into Spirit and leave the body at the time of death to rejoin Source Energy, also known as the Universe, or Goddess and God, or Divinity. Thus, some use the term, "birthed into Spirit" when speaking of death.

The pieces of us that are bad or evil leave the body at that time also, but not necessarily coalesced into an etheric being. If there is a lot of negative bits, perhaps they do coalesce, and that may well be where demons come from. But for the most part, for most of us, they leave the body in pieces and stay in the Earthly Realm, perhaps to become attachments on others.

The Soul animates us when we are alive, and the Spirit part of the Soul represents our good essence after we have died. It is the Spirit part of us that lives on and is an eternal, etheric being. As such, the Spirit exists as part of the Universe. Part of Source Energy, Goddess and God, Divinity, or how you are used to referring to it. It was a part of this Divine Energy all along, even when it was part of a Soul animating a human body. It is sometimes referred to as the "Divine Spark". But it was housed within a human body, and was not free within the Universe. After death, that freedom returns for the Spirit until the point where the Spirit reincarnates.

Bits and pieces of the Soul can be lost along the way in life due to trauma. That trauma can be current, or generational. These bits can be retrieved through Shamanic work and Soul Retrieval. Generational trauma is trauma passed down from Ancestors. It is up to us in the here and now to heal Generational Trauma so it does not affect us or further generations.

I am not an expert on Shamanism or Soul Retrieval so I will not expand on those concepts. There are many books available on both those extensive subjects.

Our Ancestors give us more than trauma, though. They also give us strength and power, if we claim it and learn to use it. Hereditary Witches have learned how to harness this Ancestral Power. Non‐hereditary Witches have learned to harness power from the Universe. Witches in generations to follow can claim that power as Ancestral.

I believe at the time of death, our Ancestors gather to comfort, guide and protect us. To lend us their strength. Even traumatic, immediate deaths such as the result of an accident or violence are not truly immediate. Remember the fifteen minutes? That is more than enough time for the Ancestors to gather, since they are always with us. In this sense, nobody ever really dies alone, no matter what the circumstances are.

But who are the Ancestors?

If most Spirits reincarnate, who is left behind to be our Ancestors? Well, not all Spirits choose to reincarnate. My Spirit Guide, Alim, is a perfect example of this. He has been with me through all my incarnations. But I don't believe choosing not to reincarnate is all that common.

So, there must be something else at work here. I believe when we die, we leave behind a memory, an Earth Echo. This is a sort of ghost of each of us, of our Spirits, of our goodness. Sort of a place marker memorializing each of us in a specific incarnation. It is these Earth Echos that live on etherically, forever, in touch with both the Spirit World and the Earthly Realm. When we are in the process of dying, these Earth Echos or Ancestors come to us to comfort, guide and protect.

We can call upon our Ancestors at any time for help. We can draw on their wisdom and power. They are here to support us. It is through these Ancestral lines that we find Generational Curses, the result of trauma, but we also find Generational Power. The job we have is to use that power and also to heal the trauma.

But, who are they? They are those spirits that we are connected to, generationally or etherically. They are our ancestral foremothers and forefathers, from whom we have descended by blood and by spiritual connection. If you were to imagine them in a crowd, they would fill a stadium! All those Ancestors, there for us. Imagine. You have a veritable army of Ancestors to call upon in times of need and distress. They are always there, watching, but will not interfere unless asked. They want to help. Let them. Call upon them, not just in bad times, but in good times as well.

Is it possible to have existed and not leave behind an Earth Echo? I don't know. Perhaps the unborn, with no life experiences, do not leave any trace of themselves behind when they pass. But, there still existed within them a Spirit, distinct and separate from the mother. Does an echo of that Spirit remain behind? Even though their entire existence was within the mother's body, they are still alive. Totally dependent on the mother for that life, but they are alive. Their only life experiences are in utero. They have no language. I think maybe these Echoes exist, but they had no descendants, and so in that sense are not truly Ancestors.

However, these unborn Spirits are whole and complete. They rejoin Source Energy as any Spirit does. And they can choose to reincarnate.

When we reincarnate, memories from the Summerland are wiped clean. Memories from previous incarnations are there, but deeply buried and difficult to access. Nevertheless some humans are able to access these memories through much self work, and remember bits and pieces of previous lives, or perhaps entire previous lives. I think perhaps dejá vu is produced by those buried memories, working their way into consciousness. Dejá vu is a possible clue to a previous life.

We can see how previous lives can add to the cast of Ancestors. There are those Ancestors that we are connected to through blood. But there are also the Ancestors of our previous incarnations behind us. We are connected to those particular Ancestors etherically, and not by bloodline.

Are there also the Earth Echoes of ourselves from previous incarnations behind us? No, not behind us. We cannot be our own Ancestor. But behind our offspring we are there as any Ancestor would be.

Since Ancestors are connected to the Spirit World as well as the Earthly Realm, they do have access to The Perfections. Perfect Love, Perfect Peace, Perfect Knowledge and Perfect Abundance. So in addition to their own life experiences/memories, they possess these supernatural perfections as well. These are very wise and powerful etheric beings. Once discovered, why would we not want to avail ourselves of their power and wisdom?

How do we avail ourselves of the Ancestors? We need to call upon them. But, how do we call upon them? We need to invite them to our rituals and our magickal workings. Simply by calling on them, we bring them forth, they know who they are. We do not need to know the names of our specific Ancestors. They have been with us, focused on us, waiting to help us.

Rituals and Magickal Workings can be simple or elaborate. The simplest manifestation of this is prayer. A higher manifestation is ceremony or religious service. In either of these and any other type of manifestation, Ancestors can be called upon. And their help can be invaluable. Let me be clear. We are not praying to our Ancestors. We are not worshiping them. We are simply inviting them to hear, observe and participate, and in so doing, give them permission to assist. They cannot assist without an invitation to do so.

You can ask your Ancestors directly for their help, after you have initially invited them to help with a specific problem by including them in your prayer or ritual. If another problem crops up where you want their help, invite your Ancestors once again by including them in prayer or ritual for that problem.

This need not be elaborate. A simple prayer to your Higher Power where you have invited the Ancestors to observe and hear is all that is needed. Of course it can be as elaborate as you want. It is up to you. But it is polite to introduce them to each separate problem in turn. That way they are certain that you want their help.

Someday we will be among the Ancestors, waiting for the opportunity to help. So when we die, we actually assist our loved ones in two ways. Our Spirit in the Summerland can help until such time as the last loved one on earth is gone. And we also help as part of the Ancestors, lending assistance to those who have descended from us.

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.

The Dark Time of the Year

As we have to become silent in order to hear, to become open to in order to receive, so we achieve in order to experience letting go of things in life. We will rest in darkness to welcome the light again. We need this time of calmness to recreate so we can cope with the demanding spring energies.

Now with the dark times we are not so busy and dragged outside. Instead of spending all day outside at the lake we stay indoors. Some of us have troubles getting used to this time. After the long loud summer this stillness feels strange, this being alone with ourselves. It can lead to feeling moody or even depressed. When there is nothing distracting us from looking at ourselves, this confrontation with our thoughts and feelings can be like a shock. We need to see that the stillness helps us to feel ourselves and, through this, that we are connected with everything. This allows us to step out of the ego and artificial patterns; we can experience ourselves in connection with the universe and feel the unconditional love in us. This gives us the enthusiasm that makes us do whatever we do with passion. When we find that, we are in connection with our essence we can live our life, share our love with passion, and do the right things for the right reasons.

It might take time but finally we will relish and enjoy it, allow it to be silent without feeling the urge to fill the silence with action and noise. A ritual, a celebration of the beginning of this time with Samhain, will help us to welcome this time as a gift, a chance and a great opportunity for spiritual growth. By this ritual, an action on the outside, we make it visible to us.

Over the years, I came to see that our society, our modern structure often is working against us. How can we use this time from Samhain to Yule to become still, when we have to function in this world, our jobs… We can hardly stay at home or spend the day at work in meditation or dreaming along. Nevertheless, we can reduce the distraction of the outside, and do everything with more awareness. We can take a bit more time for everything so that we avoid stress from the beginning. We can consequently use our lunchbreak for a walk in nature, seek the stillness to feel the connection… Just be in a more frequent and direct connection with yourself

M)0(rrigan is a Level III Adept in Sacred Three

Winter Spice Magic for Yule Season

There are many lovely spices you can use to add to your Yule season celebrations and magical practice. If you love kitchen witchery, this is a great season to work with these spices in your Yule baking and cooking.

Winter spices to use during Yule season include:

* Cinnamon: fire spice connected to the sun, used for protection, passion, and prosperity magic

* Ginger: fire spice connected to the sun, used for health, prosperity, and love magic

* Nutmeg: fire and air spice, used for prosperity, psychic enhancement, love, travel, and good luck magic

* Cloves: fire spice, used for protection, love, health, and prosperity magic

* Allspice: fire spice, used for prosperity, health, and good luck magic

* Cardamom: water spice, used for love, passion, protection, and clarity magic

* Star Anise: fire spice, used for protection, love, divination, psychic awareness, purification, cleansing, and protection magic

* Peppermint: air spice, used for protection, purification, prosperity, health, psychic enhancement, love, dream work, and good luck magic

* Rosemary: fire spice connected to the sun, used for protection, health, cleansing, purification, and love magic

* Sage: air spice, used for protection and cleansing magic

Enjoy exploring these winter spices adding magic to your Yule season in your home, rituals, and kitchen.

OWM Awareness

White Moon Happenings

OWM is thrilled to announce that HP River has opened OWM's newest Branch School Goddess Rising. HP River offers the traditional White Moon lessons and is now accepting students.

OWM is proud to announce that Jayme, of Moonflower Ministry, has completed Level II of the White Moon lessons to become a level III Adept. Please enjoy her beautiful Final Project on the Goddess Kali Ma

OWM is proud to announce that Jess, of Moonflower Ministry, has completed Level I of the White Moon lessons to become an Initiate and Lifetime Member of the Order. Please enjoy her gorgeous Final Project on the Goddess Oya.

OWM is proud to announce that Rosemary EverGreen, of Moonflower Ministry, has completed Level I of the White Moon lessons to become an Initiate and Lifetime Member of the Order. Please enjoy her wonderful Final Project on the Goddess Hekate Pammetor.

OWM Sisters will once again be participating in our Annual Yule Gift Exchange. This OWM tradition is a wonderful way to celebrate the Season of Giving and bring Sisters closer together. It is a joy to gift away beloved treasures, passing them on to someone else who will cherish and love them as much as we have. It is also a great way to clear out our bookshelves and drawers to make room for something new. This is one of my favourite OWM traditions.

We are always delighted to welcome our new students in Sacred Three, Moonlit Path, Moonflower Ministry, Goddess Rising, 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.

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.
Blessed Be

HP Ajna DreamsAwake

The Bardic Soul: Poetry and Song for the Spirit

Box of Darkness

Alone in the darkness
Still I want you, even
Though it was you
Who put me here.

Alone in the darkness
In a room all my own,
With no doors and no
Windows; my new home.

Alone in the darkness
Has it been hours or
Days; I'm all alone
With only my fears.

Alone in the darkness
To live or to die?
I've an eternity now
To ponder why.

Alone in the darkness
But why am I here?
I thought you loved me,
Why keep me in a box?

Alone in the darkness
I can hear your heart
Outside; you're standing
There watching aren't you!

Alone in the darkness
But not for long; I'll
Lure you in here sooner or
Later and then you're mine!

© Moonwater Ashwood October 28, 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

Changing of the Seasons

Fall is coming…
I can feel it in the air
As I sit on my back porch
Watching Mother Earth
Putting on a glorious show for me
Beautiful colors of orange, red and yellow
I reflect on things I have accomplished
Journeys I have traveled
Wondering if I have achieved what I desired
Musing on what is to come
The chill of the morning air
The warmth of the late afternoon sun
Cool night airs
The humming birds filling their little bellies
Preparing for their flight south
The sound of the geese overhead
Making their way north
We all have our journeys
By instinct or choice
Samhain draws nigh
Like a child I cannot wait
I do so love this cycle of Mother Earth

Winter has arrived
The Trees are bleak and bare
No ornaments adorn them
Yet I do not despair
I love winters cycle
The cold days invigorating to my soul
I do not hide and abide this time of year
Looking forward to snowflakes in the air
Yule time celebrations
Sitting inside my precious sacred home
Time for resting
Snuggled under a favorite old afghan
In the past I have crocheted
Reading a book
The smell of homemade soups and bread
The ending is just a beginning
Cycles within circles
I do so love Winters Time

Spring is emerging
As I sit here on my back porch
Sipping my favorite coffee
The bare trees
Timid at first…tiny leaves
With each days warmth
The Sun coaxing them out
Buttercups are blooming
Scattered across the yard
Grass turning green yet again
Tempting me to walk barefoot
Across that lovely carpet
Ostara is here
Colored eggs
Time for rejoicing in the rebirth
I do so love the cycle of Spring

Summer Time in the South
Long hot lazy days
Sipping iced tea on my back porch
Ceiling fans stirring
Creating an illusion of coolness
As I watch babies emerging from
Springs Mating
Mother wren feeding her little ones
In the nest she made in my pot of ivy
Mother Coon is back with her young ones
So glad to see her once again
Afternoon naps
In my air‐conditioned house
Evenings outside…listening to the tree frogs
Oh so loud…
Battling for first place with the crickets
Lightning bugs
Dancing in the air
Do their mating rituals
Almost time for a rain dance
To bring relief to my plants
Giving me respite from my daily waterings
Oh How I do so love summer in the South.

Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer
Moon Cycles
Beginnings and endings
I love them all.

HP Lady Zephyr passed away in August 26, 2008. She remains forever in our hearts.

Fey Morgana

Of late you have walked in Arthur's lands
Homesick for misty lakes and isles…
Your black hair hiding your fair face,
Hands throbbing with blood and magick.

Green velvet you wear, like the grasses
Brown are your eyes and deep amber;
Your great beauty is almost terrifying,
Aura shining with swirled enchantments.

You hold a bright red apple in your hand
The color of blood, the symbol of Avalon.
Mists flow around you now as you walk
But they do not block your sacred visions.

You stop to pick herbs for your healings
Blessing waters and wells with a breath,
Singing soft enchantments on the wind
Often dancing with the nearby faeries.

Faster you dance to the piping tunes
Tying your gown up to kick higher,
Laughing with the wildness of your nature
Blessing the meadows with your footfalls.

You ask the birds to sing their trilled tunes
Singing for a young lover to join you,
Lying together on your cloak and soft mosses
To rumble and fertilize the land with sweet love.

You shake enchantments from your fingers
As you walk along with those who now follow
A court of young lovers, faeries and knights
Playing cymbals and shrieking with abandon.

Morgana, Fey Morgana
We miss your dark beauty
We call for you to join us!
Morgana, Faery Queen
Magick lady, dark lady
Come walk the land once again.

Morgana, Fey Morgana
Don't let your knowledge
Fade from the hearts
And memories of women;
Morgana, sweet enchantress
We need your love with us.

© Mystic Amazon (Beth Johnson) August 16, 2008
Late beloved OWM Sister, HP Mystic Amazon, died February 18, 2021. Mystic Amazon's poetry and rituals keep her memory alive in our hearts.

The Red Orbs

Bowed down almost to the ground,
Red orbs hanging singly or clustered,
Greenish leaves flutter in the breeze.
Row upon row, marching in stillness.
Both sides of the road filled with them,
Sweetness on the bough.
Gala, Rome, Macintosh, Honey Crisp.
Too many to name. Too many to taste.
Walk the fluttering aisles,
Pick one and bite its crispness,
Sweet juice running down your chin.
Taste buds sit up and take notice
Of this Adams County delight.
Pennsylvania apples, fall is here!

Touch of the Morrighan

I thought She was gone from
My life, drifting further away
With each passing year.
I should have known better,
For once the Morrighan
Touches your soul, forever
Will She linger within you.
I thought the darkness that
I related to Her was gone
From within my heart;
What a noble idea, but
We all have both the light
And the dark at play within
Us, dancing constantly.
I thought if I were to heal
Myself and others that
I couldn't acknowledge the
Warrior within me as well,
That I had to choose,
Even though both are within
Me, both ARE me.
I'm happy to feel the warmth
Of the touch of the Morrighan
Once again on my skin,
On my heart, on my soul.
With Her comes the ravens
And crows, my "little brothers",
And I know, for now, I'm home.

© Moonwater Ashwood January 18, 2010
(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

Recipes Fit for a Goddess

White Moon Cider

Ingredients

4 cups apple cider
4 cups grape juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
½ tsp whole cloves
Cinnamon sticks

Directions In a 4‐quart saucepan, heat cider and grape juice over medium heat.
Add cinnamon, allspice and cloves.
Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. As you stir, clockwise, visualize the attributes you'd like to bring into your life (wisdom, healing, protection, connection to Goddess…).
Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Ladle into cups and add a cinnamon stick for stirring.

Makes 8 cups.

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.

Reviews

Seasons of the Witch: Samhain Oracle

Seasons of the Witch Oracle Decks were co‐created by Juliet Diaz and Lorriane Anderson. Each deck in the series focuses on a different Holy Day in the Wheel of the Year.

The Seasons of the Witch: Samhain Oracle reflects the time of year when the Veil is thinnest. Magickal workings and divination are at their most potent, making this a good deck to use at Samhain. It would also be ideal for exploring grief, or doing Shadow Work at any time of year.

The artwork by Giada Rose ( giada-rose.com ) is hauntingly beautiful. Somber, muted colours reflect the mood of the season. Blood‐red gilded edges bring a classy look to the cards, and the reflective nature is eerily beautiful when doing readings by candlelight. This deck would make a great gift for your favourite Goth.

The deck includes a 44‐cards and an accompanying booklet. The cards are divided into three sections ‐ Familiars, Tools and Samhain. The booklet contains information on each card, as well as providing meanings for both their upright and reverse positions.

Each card includes original poetry from Juliet Diaz that can be used as invocations or incantations, for spellwork and/or rituals. Diaz is an Indigenous Taino Cubana. A Bruja, Healer and Seer who comes from a long line of Curanderos and Witches. Her vision is to "help us better show up for the world, support those in need, dismantle oppressive systems within us and without, and rebuild a liberated world for all". For more information on Juliet Diaz visit her website at iamjulietdiaz.com.

The accompanying booklet provides intuitive guidance from Lorriane Anderson. Anderson is a multidisciplinary spiritual teacher, writer, and soul‐based entrepreneur, whose work focuses on "intentional and energetic living as well as using spiritual practices as a pathway for profound healing, growth and transformation". For more information on Lorriane Anderson, visit her website at spiritelement.co.

If the other decks in the series are of similar high quality, I may just need to add another shelf to my Tarot Deck bookcase. The accompanying booklet offers a variety of different spreads which reflect the themes of Samhain. I tried the 'Coming of Winter Spread', which focuses on reflection, and preparing for the inner work to be done during the upcoming dark season. I found the reading to be quite profound and insightful. The information received will be useful in guiding me through the dark weeks ahead.

Coming of Winter Spread

Card 1: What is my energy like right now?
Card 2: What do I need to reflect on right now?
Card 3: What is the lesson behind this situation?
Card 4: What is something I overlooked?
Card 5: How can I refresh my energy?
Card 6: How can I protect myself against future storms?
Card 7: How can I prepare myself for future growth?

Tarot Cards on a red background

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.

The Bones Fall in a Spiral by Mortellus

Summary

The Bones Fall in a Spiral is an informational text written by a High Priestess and Mortician with multiple degrees in Design, Education, Fine Arts and Mortuary Science, about the role that death plays in daily life, and how Necromantic practices can be incorporated into magical ritual and applications to give practitioners a more balanced approach towards the cyclical process of living and dying that all humans experience. The book is broken into 17 sections, including a Foreword, Prologue, Epilogue, Glossary and Bibliography, all of which are organized into two parts.

The first part, Necromancy Without a License, includes seven chapters that provide information about the history and practice of Necromancy while equipping the reader with a rich portrait of background information about the intersection between science and mysticism in discourse about Liminal Spaces, the Zero‐Point field & Akashic Records, the Astral Plane, Dreaming and the journey of the soul across realms of consciousness. This introductory section provides an extensive wealth of information designed to expose a beginning, Necromantic practitioner to the manner by which our Universe functions within a vast repository of limitless and unending energy and how it might benefit the practitioner's spiritual practices to familiarize himself/herself with principles for working with the energies of those who have passed away.

The second part, A Book of Shades, is a more advanced section of ritual practices and information that includes specific methods by which Necromantic practitioners can enhance and expand their spiritual workings. It includes an opening outline of topics that will be covered, including a list of specific rites and rituals, skills and attributes that will make it easier to work with The Dead, information about reincarnation, transmigration and healing, correspondences that will improve ease of practice, information and advice regarding protection and devotionary acts to honor Death and The Dead. Part two is both informative and reverential, providing not only facts about seasonal and practical applications for designing and implementing Necromantic rites and rituals world‐wide, but it also bestows the reader with a profound respect for how and why Necromantic practices can enhance the connection between our experiences in Life and the inevitable journey home into the waiting arms of Death.

Sources
https://www.mortellus.com/

Jayme is a Level III Adept in Moonflower Ministry. She identifies as a HedgeWitch and is primarily fascinated by Divination, Green Witchery and Energy Work of various kinds

Just for Fun

Samhain Word Search Puzzle

Wordsearch puzzle on a blue background

Wordlist for puzzle on a blue background

To download and print a PDF copy of this puzzle Click here

Thanks to http://puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com for assistance in creating this Word Search puzzle.

Witches' Brew

Ingredients

1 quart lime sherbet
2 Quarts Ginger Ale
1.5 Quarts Unsweetened Pineapple Juice
¼ Cup Lime Juice
Green Food Coloring (Optional)

Directions

Mix ginger ale, pineapple juice, lime juice, and food coloring together in a large punch bowl.
Add sherbet and stir.

For added spookiness, toss in some plastic eyeballs. (Monitor younger children as these may be a choking hazard)

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.

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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Seasons of the Moon Home

Volume 22 Issue 1 Samhain 2024

Samhain 2024

Holy Days

Goddess Work

Ritual Work

Witchy Writings

Sacred Sites

Holistic Living

OWM Awareness

The Bardic Soul: Poetry and Song for the Spirit

Recipes Fit for a Goddess

Reviews

Just for Fun

Volume 22 Issue 1
Samhain 2024