Volume 4 - Issue 2 - Beltane 2007

Seasons of the Moon is a quarterly online magazine published by students and members of The Order of The White Moon, an eclectic international order of women dedicated to The Goddess. The Order provides personal empowerment and priestess training, and operates local groups. All contributions are original material submitted by our students and members. (We do not accept outside contributions.) Please direct comments and questions to the Ezine Editor.

Seasons Of The Moon Editor and Council: Morgana Ravenwings, Heathwitch, Nessa CrescentMoon, Spiralotus, Silver, Shalimar, Lila, Lady Silver MoonWolfe, BellaDonna
Webmaster and Publishing: Kelly, Heathwitch, Tranquillity Fearn

Issue 2 - Beltane 2007: Contents

Goddess Work
Nantosuelta By Susan Allen
Goddesses of Spring

Holistic Living
Color Therapy by Morgana Ravenwings
In Praise of the Humble Onion by Morgana Ravenwings

Holy Days
Beltaine
Midsummer

Whispers of Melete
Sacred Journaling by Nessa Crescent Moon
Honoring Yourself By Artemisia

The Bardic Soul: Poetry and Song For The Spirit
Aching to Forget by Mystic Amazon

Just for Fun!!
Beltaine Word Search by Lady Silver Moonwolfe

Reviews
Returning by Lila
Eat, Pray, Love by Artemisia

Weaving the Web
Weaving the Web by Nessa Crescent Moon
Getting to know the Order of the White Moon

Goddess Work

Nantosuelta
by Susan Allen

Nantosuelta is a Goddess who is associated with many cultures. She is claimed as a Celtic, Gaulish, Lusitanian, and Gallic Goddess. She is the goddess of hearth and home, well-being, prosperity, nourishment, fertility, fire, nature and protection. Her traits of fertility and fire are associated with Gaulish mythology and Her association with nature is related to Lusitanian mythology. She is often depicted with Her husband, Sucellos. She holds in Her right hand a scepter like staff with a house or dovecote on the top. In Her left hand She holds a ritual dish called a patera which She holds over a large vase. At Her feet is an image of a raven, giving Her associations as a death Goddess.

Perhaps the most interesting detail about Nantosuelta is Her name. For hundreds of years, Her name has been thought to mean “Winding River”, so She was deemed a water Goddess, even though the rest of her depiction had nothing to do with water. In fact there are very few attributes of Hers that include water. Recent scholars have explained this error as a misunderstanding of the language. Words in the Proto-Celtic and Gaulish tongue have multiple meanings and can be translated incorrectly. These scholars say that nanto- means valley, and swell with -ta means sun-warmed. They now say that Nantosuelta actually means “Sun-Warmed Valley” or “She of the Sun Warmed Valley”. This seems to fit her other attributes more correctly.

Nantosuelta also has a few Goddesses She is sometimes compared to: The Morrigan and Persephone/Proserpina. Her association with The Morrigan seems to simply come from Her relationship with the raven, as Raven is often a form of The Morrigan. Her association with Persephone is in part because Nantosuelta is associated with a sacred site in Lourdes, France that was once a part of Roman Gaul (ideally the Romans replaced the Gaulish Goddess with their own Persephone). This location is also famous in the Catholic tradition as the place where St. Bernadette saw The White Lady (an incarnation of Mother Mary). This seems to be the only place where Nantosuelta gains Her water attributes. There is a spring in the grotto near where The White Lady was seen that is said to have restorative and other miraculous properties. Because of this spring, Nantosuelta may in fact, have very powerful water associations.

Ritual to Nantosuellta (adapted by the author from Judi Singleton’s “To Honor the Goddess”)

Pour yourself a tall glass of spring (or purified) water, and then run a bath with your favorite scent.
As you bathe, imagine all of the negativity you’ve been holding in your body being “washed away” by the water in your bath.
As you drink the spring water, imagine the water is purifying you with Nantosuelta’s great attributes, and restoring you to a state of positive energy.
As you drain the bathtub, imagine your negativity is disappearing down the drain.
Sacred Objects of Nantosuelta

Birds (specifically ravens)

Bee-hive

Honeycombs

Cornocopia

Apples

Houses

Sceptre

Water

About the Author: Susan Allen is a student of Daughters of the Greening. She lives in Missouri with her husband, two children, and several fur babies (including dogs, cats and horses). She is a high school science teacher in the “muggle” world.

Goddesses of Spring

There are many Goddesses associated with this time of year, and in this issue we will focus on two of them, namely Persephone and Maia. Maia is the Greek Goddess of spring, and it is from Her that we get our name for the month of May. She was the oldest daughter of Atlas, and was one of the seven sisters of the Pleiades constellation. It was said She was the most beautiful of Atlas' daughters. She gave birth to Hermes, the son of Zeus, who became well known for his workings in medicine and astrology. Hermes was also the guardian of the underworld. Maia, his mother, was spring time personified and responsible for the blooming of the flowers and the greening of the Earth.

We all know the story of Persephone, the daughter of Demeter who was taken as a wife by Hades after he had kidnapped Her. Persephone is another Goddess of springtime, for as long as She is underground with Hades, nothing blooms. But as soon as She returns, the Earth bursts forth in the full array of spring. Her myth exemplifies the cycles of nature.

Other Goddesses celebrated over the next few months include:

May 2 & 3: Fire Festival of Bona Dea (Roman)

May 4: Festival of Sheila Na Gig (Irish)

May 14: Isis Tithing Day (African)

May 24 – 28: The Mothers of Arles (French)

May 30: Feast of the Queen of Heaven (European)

June 13: Feast of Epona (Celtic)

June 14: Birthday of the Muses (Greek)

June 24: Day of the Fates (Roman)

July 3: Festival of Cerridwen (Celtic)

July 13: Celebration of Our Lady of Fatima (Portuguese)

July 17: Festival of Amaterasu (Japanese)

July 19: The marriage of Isis and Osiris

Happy Celebrating!!

Holistic Living

Color Therapy
by Morgana Ravenwings

Color therapy is a healing modality that uses the visible light of the electromagnetic spectrum. This spectrum consists of different types of energy waves from radio waves to cosmic energy waves. Color waves, in the form of visible light, are found in the middle of this spectrum. Science and medicine make use of many of these waves, but until recently the use of color in healing was largely overlooked. This was not so in ancient times. Archeology has found that ancient Egypt had healing rooms in their temples that utilized different colors in the diagnoses and healing of its patrons. Color therapy was used by Hippocrates and is still in use in India as it has been for many centuries.

In color therapy, each color has certain properties that can be used to heal particular ailments or conditions. Each color also has a complimentary color. Both colors are used either together or one after the other in a session. This maintains balance in the treatment.

Color can be administered in a variety of ways. Some therapists utilize lamps, others use visualization and still others use specifically designed tools such as a tool called a torch. A torch is a small pen-like instrument with a crystal at one end that lights up. A small stained-glass disc is placed over the crystal and the colored light is then projected onto the body. Other methods of administering color include using patches of cloth or paper, laying colored gemstones on the client, and making recommendations of colors to include in the wardrobe.

While color therapy may seem new, there are some things that can be said in its favor. Many who have tried this form of healing have found that it has helped them greatly physically, mentally and spiritually. Another thing to consider is that if science and medicine know that the electromagnetic spectrum affects humans both positively and negatively depending on the waves, what would even suggest that color would not also have an affect on us, considering it is part of the same spectrum? Either way, this type of therapy has been around for a long time and it looks like it is here to stay.

About the Author: Morgana is a High Priestess with the Order of the White Moon and founder of Daughters of the Greening online school. She is a registered healer and her life and school focus on the healing of the Earth and animal rights. She is currently accepting new students. Email:morgana@daughtersofthegreening.com

In Praise of the Humble Onion
by Morgana Ravenwings

Spring has sprung the grass has riz, oh my, and here I am with a cold. I just hate spring time colds. All around me life is bursting forth. Birds are waking up and singing their little hearts out early in the morning. Trees are budding, bees are buzzing, flowers are peeping up above the ground....and here I sit wrapped up in a blanket, sneezing and coughing and wheezing. Only one thing to do!! Good old fashioned Onion Soup. When I first met my husband, he swore by this remedy that had been passed down to him from his grandmother in the hills of VA. I had never heard of it. My mother always trusted in allopathic medicine and our medicine cabinet was full of store bought remedies. However, once I tried this recipe from my mother-in-law's mother, I adopted it and it has now become a staple in my home also.

Onion is one of the most highly extolled plants in ancient medicine, being frequently mentioned by many different schools of thought including those of Galen and Hippocrates. It is high in Vitamins A, B and C and has many of the antifungal and antibacterial properties of garlic, its cousin. Onion helps to keep colds and flu away, loosen phlegm and chest congestion, lower cholesterol and blood pressure and can even help clear arteries!!

Onion has been used in many different folk remedies down through the ages. Some of these remedies include rubbing the juice of an onion on your head and then lying in the sun to cure baldness (still cant talk my hubby into that one!!), erasing freckles, age spots and warts by rubbing a mixture of onion juice and vinegar on them and laying salted onion slices on burns.

But still, the one tried and true remedy that I keep coming back to is Grandmother's. It is very simple:

Take several strong yellow onions and boil them in spring water for an hour or so, adding a bit of honey. Pour into a cup without removing the onion, and sip. When you are done, eat the bits of onion at the bottom. Do this every two or three hours as needed.

This recipe promises to shorten colds by two or three days at least!! I have to admit it has always worked for us. Try it and see!!

Holy Days

Beltane

Beltane is an ancient pagan holiday that has been celebrated all over the world by many different cultures and with many different gods and goddess in the star roles. For our purposes though, we will focus on the European traditions of celebrating this wonderful and passionate Holy Day.

With it's celebration beginning on the eve of April 30th, Beltaine marks the emergence of the young male God to manhood. He joins with the Goddess and the two lie among the fields. The Goddess conceives from this union.

At this time of year, spring is bursting forth all over. Trees are budding, the grass is greening and flowers are opening. Cultures all over the world marked this day as the day that their Deities blessed the Earth and ensured the continuation of life.

Beltaine has long been celebrated with feasts and rituals. In the European tradition, Maypoles were erected and may baskets were made up and delivered to those less fortunate such as the elderly and the infirm. Couples went off into the woods a-maying, and returned to dance around the maypole. Beltaine is a time of the renewal of passion, of vitality and of life in full bloom. Here are some great links to help you put together your Beltaine celebration:

http://www.crystalforest3.homestead.com/Beltane.html

http://www.joellessacredgrove.com/Holidays/beltaine.html

http://www.bewitchingways.com/wicca/year/beltane.htm

Midsummer

Midsummer, or Litha, falls on or around June 21 and is the longest day of the year. From here on out, the days begin to shorten. There is a lot of folklore surrounding this Holy Day, especially that it is a day of extremely high Fae activity. This is because this day is the high point of the fertility of the earth. In the past, bonfires were lit and leapt over to ensure fertility. They also remained lit to protect the people from spirits who were believed to be roaming about once the days began being shorter again. Plants were believed to have magical properties on this day, and were picked for their wondrous healing powers. Leaping over bonfires, feasting and ritual are all a part of this day. For more information on Midsummer see the following sites:

http://www.wicca.com/celtic/akasha/litha.htm

http://www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/tigris/567/id20.htm

http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Corridor/3621/litha.html

Whispers of Melete

Sacred Journaling
By Nessa CrescentMoon

Perhaps you have a journal and have been journaling your thoughts daily for some time. Maybe you’ve not even picked up a pen except to jot down a spell or a ritual or a note to a friend. The art of scared journaling can assist you in the exploration of you!

“You never know what you will learn till you start writing. Then you discover truths you never knew existed.” Anita Brookner

A sacred journal can be separate from your daily journal. It can be a sacred space to journey within yourself, to learn and grow from the wisdom with you. As much a book of light as it is a book of shadows- for we all contain light and dark; a sacred journal is a Book of Mirrors; allowing you to reflect upon thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

I urge you to take some time this Beltane to explore your self. The truth of Beltane begins with its name; which means Bright Fire. You might imagine a bright fire within you. Ignited by your creative spark; explore the blaze within yourself. Write the reds, yellows, oranges, whites and blue.

“Write fast, write everything, include everything. Write from your feeling, accept whatever comes to mind, and note it in your journal" Dan Phillips

One way to lead your self to beginning a personal journey is through the use of journal prompts for exploration and growth of the self and spirit. By writing out one quote that attracts your interest. Write that quote down at the top of the page in your sacred journal and begin writing your responses to it.

Here are a few prompts to get you started in sacred journaling:

“Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace “~ Amelia Earhart

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act but also a habit” ~Aristotle

“Your treasure house is in yourself. It contains all you’ll ever need “~Hui Hai

"We don’t receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us” ~ Marcel Proust

Journal Handmade Freebies for Writers located at http://www.religions-and-spiritualities-guide.com/journal-handmade.html has some wonderful printable pages that can be placed in a three-ring binder for your sacred journaling.

Enjoy your sacred journaling!

About the Author: Nessa CrescentMoon is a High Priestess, an Ordained Minister and the Founder of The Triple Moon School, a branch and affiliate of the Order of the White Moon. Her website is www.thetriplemoon.com

Honoring Yourself
By Artemisia

When thinking of Beltane the first thing that often comes to mind is Lovers pairing off in celebration. However, there is a deeper, more personal way to experience the Lover archetype. As Vicki Noble describes in the Motherpeace Tarot, the attraction of opposites and union represented by the Lovers can also be applied to yin and yang of the personality or the body and spirit of one person coming together or the self merging with the Divine Self in wholeness and love.

Whether you are have a lover or not, you can celebrate Beltane by honoring yourself through love and acceptance. One powerful, yet simple way to do this is through reflection and meditation. In your journal or on a piece of paper, write out a list of negative qualities, actions, thoughts or feelings about yourself that have been on your mind. Then create or go to a sacred space and allow yourself to come to a peaceful place in meditation. Bring before you each item on your list, and offer that part of yourself your love and forgiveness. Breathe out (for a count of 10) and release the negativity. Breathe in (for a count of 6) forgiveness, acceptance and love. Continue to breathe deeply until you find a place of peace. Be patient and gentle with yourself. If you are unable to come to place of peace on the first try, keep coming back to it daily or weekly until you are able to develop a deeper sense of acceptance and love with yourself.

Another way to grow your inner love is through an energizing meditation. While sitting comfortably, bring into your mind the thought of someone or someplace beloved that evokes joy for you. Envision that joy as a golden globe in front of you infused with a smile. On an inhale, bring the golden smile into your crown. Let it fill your crown with smiling and say in your mind "I am love". Let yourself enjoy the feeling for as long as you desire. Go back again to the golden globe in front of you. On an inhale, bring the golden smile into your third eye and say in your mind "I see love all around and inside of me." When you are ready, go back to the golden globe. On an inhale, bring the golden smile into your throat and say in your mind "I express my love for myself and others freely and generously". When you are ready, go back to the golden globe. On an inhale, bring the golden smile into your heart and say in your mind "I love myself and others compassionately and unconditionally". When you are ready, go back to the golden globe. On an inhale, bring the golden smile into your solar plexus and say in your mind "I love myself and others courageously". When you are ready, go back to the golden globe in front of you. On an inhale, bring the golden smile into your navel and say in your mind "I love and honor my creative power". Allow yourself to bask in the love infusing you. When you are ready, go back to the golden globe. On an inhale, bring the golden smile into your root and say in your mind "I am secure in love. I have always been and always will be loved." If you feel so inclined, at this point, tell yourself each and every way in which you love yourself. Stay in this meditation as long as feels right. Repeat whenever you need a recharge.

About The Author: Artemisia is an Ordained Minister and High Priestess of The Order of the White Moon. She teaches the White Moon Tradition and other personal empowerment practices at her Holistic Rites School located near Boston, MA. She has an MS in Natural Health and works to enact positive change and healthy living practices with individuals and communities seeking wellness. Email: artemisia333@gmail.com

The Bardic Soul: Poetry and Song For The Spirit

ACHING TO FORGET
by Beth Johnson

I wanted so much to forget you
That I cut off a piece of my heart
To lessen the pain,
So I could forget completely.
I wrapped the piece of my heart
In tissue paper and put it away.
When when others laughed
I could only smile. When others cried for sorrow,
I felt only a mild regret;
Where I used to be caring,
There was only indifference.
I left anger, passion, sorrow
To lesser mortals
That chose to face life,
For I could see no reason to.
Now my arms no longer Ached to hold you,
Because my heart was dying,
And I did not even know it.
One day when I was praying,
I heard a voice say, "Feel!
Feel, or you will die!"
And I knew that it was true.
I unwrapped the lost piece
Of my heart,
And put it back into my breast.
Feelings almost overwhelmed
Me then; But among them was gratitude
For the love my Deity had for me,
That was stronger than any sorrow...
And I was glad to be alive.

About the Author: Born August 10, 1944, Mystic is the oldest of four children. Her father was a minister (from a long line of Methodist ministers) and her mother taught piano and French. Mystic was born while her father was a chaplain in the Navy, serving on a ship with General MacArthur in the Philippines. His father had been a chaplain in the Army in WWI. Mystic was married for 25 years to a marine and has two children, Kristin and Erik, both married but no grandchildren yet. She is divorced and lives in Saltillo, Mississippi. She is a folk artist and sometimes teach that and fabric painting with dyes. She also teaches Reiki and sometimes basic Tarot. She loves to read, dance barefooted, write poems and spells, do candle magick and make candles.

Just For Fun!!

Word Search Beltane
Created by MoonWolfe 2007

Q N G D W Q R K S D J B L W Z F E G H O G K W Y

E N O R C O N K L F J Y V P I M R W A R B I R V

V S U N E V R A P H R O D I T E H R E H T O M S

Y A N E C U L R P T Y N B H G X Q D T Y S U K U

E Y L R O O D M A S N A C U M N E L O P Y A M L

T R P L G S X M O Y L A Q D G O I G E O M P T Z

T C E R E T K P W E V M L U I B C O I F B F N R

F A R Q B Y N O F N Z T T P E B R D U X O O I E

C P U L B A D I M I H R W A S I E K I U L T M N

E E K R I J R E E Y O N Z E N R T H A C U H S A

N L K C U E N L M W N C I J E A E O B A A Y H T

I B T L M S V E G L N R F E R T I L I T Y N A L

A G F U Q M Q U I A I I G H J Q K D B E F A W E

T M A A T E M L P A R C H E U B N R A J E T T B

L J N R U S Y G F S O I I E L D O X B P U T H D

E V S R Q N A X M F S W E L M O G A D B Q I O S

B G I H R W U E G F E N F R M A S B K E G D R D

Q B M U H I Q S F Y O I D D L K I S L M N U N M

B D E M A R R I A G E X J V E E L D A X X R E E

V E T D A N C E T X B L G T T V F G E C Q D O L

M E R X C X D E V O L D D L S L Y O B N R W Y H

Q S A T D R A T L A K W U E O I M G A R R E N I

L G R D D P I L Z O V N G R R V X U S S K Y D V

D Z O V C Q J A I A M I A W Q A E N T U G P O S

ALTAR	FAUNUS	MUGWORT
APHRODITE	FEAST	PAN
ARTEMIS	FERTILITY	PLANT
BALEFIRE	FLORA	QUEEN
BASKET	FOXGLOVE	RIBBON
BAST	GOD	ROODMAS
BELTAINE	HAWTHORNE	ROSE
BELTANE	HORNED	SACRED
BROOM	LILY	SEED
CRETE	LOVE	SYMBOL
CRONE	MAIA	TAURUS
DANCE	MAIDEN	THYME
DIANA	MARRIAGE	VALLEY
DITTANY	MAYPOLE	VEIL
ELDER	MINT	VENUS
FAIRIES	MOTHER	YARROW

About the Author: My name is MoonWolfe, currently a student at Daughters of the Greening. I am a Master/Teacher of Reiki and live in the Florida Panhandle with my husband. I have been a solitary most of my life. I enjoy writing, teaching, enjoying life, helping others and Mother Earth.

Reviews

Title: "Returning"
Artist: Jennifer Berezan
By Lila

This CD was gifted to me recently. It is mesmerizing in its haunting beauty. The artist recorded it in the Hypogeum, an underground temple in Malta. This ancient temple is a Neolithic Sacred Site, dedicated to the Goddess. The chant is simple.

"Returning, returning, returning to the mother of us all." It evokes a meditative state in the listener. I love using this music in ritual and any time I feel a need for Her embrace. It is wonderful as a lullaby for children as well. When I listen to this music, I imagine myself surrounded by women of all ages, throughout the ages, chanting together in her name.

About the Author: Lila is an initiate in The Sacred Three Goddess School. She lives on a mountain in beautiful British Columbia with her husband, four cats, two ferrets and other varied critters of nature. She spends her time communing with the Faerie folk and longs walks by the river.

"Eat, Pray, Love"

Author: Elizabeth Gilbert
Category: Memoir/Spirituality
By Artemisia

Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia chronicles the author's journey through the dark night of her soul to discover herself and find peace, happiness and love. After suffering from a painful drawn-out divorce and heartbreak over a soulmate, Elizabeth sets off for a year abroad to recover and delve deep into her soul. She spends three months in Italy eating to her heart's content, allowing herself to explore and enjoy the act of pleasure for it's own sake. Then she spends another quarter year in devotion in an Ashram in remote India praying, healing, meditating and finding the Divine within. Finally, she finishes her sabbatical in Bali, Indonesia learning about letting her inner beauty shine, how to maintain happiness and how to fall in love and stay balanced.

This reader's opinion:
This is a fabulous book. The author writes so intimately that you feel you are taking the journey with her - so many of her words resonated deep within my soul. I laughed. I cried. I sighed. I prayed along with her. While not many of us journey across the world to discover ourselves, the tale of the inner journey Elizabeth takes is very familiar to my own and other women's spiritual awakening. I recommend this book as a reminder of the inner power, beauty and divinity we all have access to if only we take the time to journey there.

Weaving the Web

Weaving the Web
By Nessa CrescentMoon

For your web weaving pleasure!

Printable Tarot Journal pages at

http://www.tarotjournaling.com/printables.htm

An interesting article entitled Pleasuring the Goddess

http://www.sacredsexuality.us/pdf/Pleasuring_the_Goddess.pdf

Amma, called the hugging saint

http://www.ammachi.org

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