Saturday, January 30, 2010

A Moon Poem

Silver Lady
Riding the Sky
Clothed in stark darkness
Or adorned in clouds
That both obscure and illuminate your light
You turn your face, eye to observe all
One Moon’s light blurs,
Becomes three
An eternal triple
A force of tides turning
Churning light
That effects even the most stubborn bodies of Water
White Lady
We rise to meet you
We hold our hand out to reach
You
To cup you in our hands
To draw you down
We drink in your cool, distant, watchful, powerful,
Illuminating presence, essence
You nourish us, filling us, feeding our starving soul
Bathing us in your light, healing our wounds
And words that cut more than any danger
We surrender to your light, your chaos, your madness, you unpredictability
Your lessons and power over our lives
As we rise and fall, as we grow and diminish
Under your ever present light
Moon ride the sky, Moon ride our bodies
Moon ride our minds, Moon ride our souls
Take us in your arms, embrace us
As we embrace you
Blessed be!

Friday, January 22, 2010

Full Moon in Leo

Full Moon in Leo

Sun Sign time: July22-August 23
House: 5th House
Ruler: The Sun
Gender: Masculine
Stones: Rock Crystal, Cat's Eye, Garnet, Ruby, Gold, Diamond, Sunstone, Opal, Citrine, Amber, Garnet, Peridot, Rhodochrosite, Onyx, Petrified Wood, Golden Quartz, Tourmaline, Sardonyx
Scents: Frankincense, Myrrh, Juniper, Neroli, Bay, Rosemary, Cinnamon, Basil, Ginger, Citrus, dragon’s Blood
Colors: Reds, Oranges, Yellows, Golds.
Gods: Helios, Apollo, Artemis, Hercules, Mithras, Cybele, Ra, Osiris, Sekhmet, Marduk, Nergal, Yaghuth, all Sun Gods & Goddesses,
Symbol: The Lion

The most fiery, solar sign of the whole zodiac, Leo joins the Moon in a perfect Yin-Yang balance; a balance of darkness and light, of Masculine and Feminine and of action and introspection. Leo brings new strength, vitality, warmth and energy to the Moon.

The symbol for Leo is said to represent several things, some say it is the curved tail of the Lion, some say it represents the two valves of the human heart, a part of the body Leo rules. Some say it is two incomplete circles of the Sun joined by a crescent Moon symbolizing power derived from both intellect and emotions. The pictograph is also the Greek symbol for the first letter of Leo.

Leo is the sign of the Lion, a truly powerful and magickal creature, Lions are fierce, and regal, they are guardians, protectors and hunters. Lions represent strength, courage, royalty, authority and power. Lions are one of the only animals in the feline family to live in groups called prides. These are tightly knit communities, with a definite and designed social structure. The females hunt and provide for the pride, and will even help raise other lionesses cubs. The males typically are clumsy hunters but do roar to panic their prey and lore them to the waiting lionesses. The males however are the first to feast upon the kill. Male Lions are the protectors and defends of the pride. Lions can teach us not only to rule our little part of the world, but teach us lessons in issues dealing with the community and your place in a group.

There are many lions in popular tales and mythology, the Lion drew the chariot of the Sun, The Goddess Cybele rode lions, and Artemis held a lion by its paws. The lion is a symbol of many royal families and is a symbol overnight for many nations and even greets us during the opening credits when we watch a movie. It is an important emblem for our times and that of the ancients.

The first of the 12 labors of Hercules was to bring King Eurystheus the skin of an invulnerable lion that terrorized the area around Nemea. He found this a daunting task, for he could not kill the lion with any of his weapons, instead he had to fight the animal with his brute strength and bare hands. After a long battle he succeeded in strangling the creature and using its own claws to cut the pelt from the animal and from it he fashioned a cloak that would protect him from all danger He also used the Lions head as a helmet, From that point the fierce Nemean lion skin became a powerful icon of Hercules’s strength and power.

Egyptians believed that the lion presided over the annual floods of the Nile and used statues and portraits on or above the gates of their temples to guard them. A lion with a Sun disk represented the God Ra and when it was a lion with a crescent it represented the God Osiris.

Sekhmet a powerful war goddess was depicted as a fierce lioness; or as a woman with a lion’s head and a woman’s body, she was dressed in red clothing, the color of blood.”Tame,” lions were kept at her temples. She is a perfect symbol of the feminine powers of the Sun, her breath was said to have created the desert and she shot fiery arrows at her or the pharaoh’s enemies. She brought death; destruction and disease as away to cleanse purify and destroy evil and right wrongs. She could also cure and protect against these ailments and she is a patron Goddess of physicians and surgeons. She is a protector of women and ruled over the menstrual cycle. Her feasts day coincided closely to the change of seasons and the flooding of the Nile. This indicated that cooler weather was ahead, as well as the promise of renewed life. This is perhaps connected to the myth of Sekhmet’s homicidal rampage to avenge Ra and her soothing. The peoples of Egypt had insulted and angered and even threatened to overthrow Ra, so he sent Sekhmet to avenge him. She was an excellent warrior but became enrage and intoxicated with bloodlust. She drank the blood of her victims and killed both the innocent and guilty. So much blood poured from her victims that the soil turned red. Ra seeing the destruction tried to stop her and tell her that was enough, that she had down a good job and he was satisfied, but to no avail. He devised a plan to get Sekhmet drunk; he infused wine or ale with herbs and pomegranate juice to look like blood and filled the Nile River with it. Sekhmet thinking it was blood drank and drank deeply and became intoxicated and soothed. She no longer was full of rage but was transformed into the mother Goddess Hathor. Sekhmet is the perfect symbol of a maternal figure with a great capacity for violence. Think of what a woman will endure to protect their children and think about the great rage and power than can overcome them when one harms or wrongs their children. Some see the lion as a reflection of feminine energies of creativity, intuition, and imagination and a model to use for a powerful, strong female leader.

Just like a Pride of Lions humans may feel the desire for companionship at this time. This Moon is a social Moon and not one to be faced alone. Surround yourself with friends and family, throw a party, especially one that leads towards the extravagant, and make it a truly elegant, black tie affair. This Moon lends itself well to forming and strengthening friendships. It is also a perfect time to draw near to you a new love or to bring back the spark in a relationship that may have cooled. It is the perfect time to lavish gifts upon your partner and to plan a romantic dinner or getaway. The Leo Moon is a perfect time to travel and to plan vacations. Scheduling a vacation at this time will not only ensure that the trip is rewarding but that it is packed with long lasting memories.

In business this is an excellent time to grow some balls and exhort yourself, it is a good time to ask for a raise or apply for a managerial position. Managers and bosses can use the natural leadership skills, and charisma of Leo to help them form a closer, more personal, more pack like atmosphere. She or he may want to encourage closeness by having her or his employees engage in out of the ordinary, fun and creative activities. It is a good time to recognize employee’s efforts and reward their abilities. It is a good time to encourage your employees to bring their special talents to the workplace. It is also a good time for speculation and investing, and signing contracts. Public speaking opportunities will go well and be well received. People in powerful situations do however need to avoid the temptation of becoming too self-centers and selfish, or becoming overbearing and know-it-all-ish.

The Leo Moon is a great time to do magick to draw a large sum of necessary money to you and can be a good time to ask for loans. Prosperity and abundance spells work well under this Moon. The Leo Moon is also a good time to sell a house for a profit or to lease or rent a property. Performing basic maintenance around the house and to redecorating will also go well under a Leo Moon. Leo is a sign of luxury and buying luxury items is appropriate at this time, jewelry, rings, designer clothes, silks, lingerie, theater tickets, champagne, caviar etc. Treat yourself you are worth it. You may be able to find some great deals at this time, but make sure to plan ahead, save your money and do not over do it. The Leo Moon also lends great energy for risky gambling ventures, buy a lottery ticket or play the slots.

The Leo Moon is a great time when one can become a leader, not a follower and truly change the world. It is a time to be generous to and thoughtful of others, and to bring about positive social change. It is also a good time for protection spells for our world leader and to ask the Universe to bless them with the knowledge and ability to use their power and influence, ethically, sanely and responsibly. Leo’s energy can also be used for binding spells. The Lion is a symbol of Justice so spells dealing with justice, knowing what is a just and fair action and legal issues work well at this time.

The sign of Leo is a confident, and self aware, it knows its strength and is proud of them and is proud to be who he is. He is not afraid of being noticed and not afraid to shine like the Sun that fuels him. Eternally powerful and confident, he can accomplish anything he sets his mind to and thrives to be the best he can be. Leo asks you to join him in his confidence, his energy, and his light. He asks you to banish all self doubt, to stop cowering in the shadows and to step into the light and be noticed, praised and adored. Do not shy away from complements and do not shy away from being proud of yourself and your accomplishments. Do not be afraid of being noticed but relish in it. Our society teaches us, that though we are special and unique, that we should strive to be ordinary and to fit into a certain mold or box. And if we stray, we will face harsh criticism and lose friends. If we are proud and confident then we are conceded, narcissistic and in love with yourself. If we have big hopes and dreams then we are being childish and unrealistic.

Now, is the time to be in love with yourself, now is the time to rejoice in just being who you are. Now, is the time to just do something for yourself, to visit a spa, to be pampered, to get a manicure, pedicure, to eat your favorite foods, to read your favorite books, to watch your favorite movies, to take a long candle lit bath, and just rejoice in the pleasures of relaxation. Now is the time to dress to stand out, to wear things that you may not have dared, that may be a bit flashy, reds, oranges, yellows and gold are particularly appropriate. Wear your fine jewelry; wear sunny stones such as Diamonds, Amber, Citrine, Sunstone, Opal, Garnet and Ruby. Anoint yourself in citrus, spicy, and/or warm scents, and/or buy yourself a bottle of your favorite perfume. Find ways to indulge in your favorite hobby, be creative and artistic, write, paint, dance, cook, participate in theatre, show off, and express yourself. Work on developing your personal skills and talents. Self edit less and talk more honestly, freely and openly.

A ritual that would be great for Leo would be to take some fine quality, brightly colored paper, and write down a list of things that define you, things that you are proud of, list your special talents and your accomplishments. Do not be shy or hold back, but let it flow freely. You are not being conceded just proud of who you are. When you are done read the list either silently or aloud and relish in your many wonderful qualities, this is you. Anoint the list with some Rose oil, some perfume, or other scents and maybe perform a self blessing ritual and either hang this list up, proudly displayed or put it somewhere, where you may find it when you truly need to remind yourself how awesome you really are.

You can also choose to turn this into a creative collage with letters, words, and phrases from magazines, and pictures of yourself, or things that represent qualities in yourself that you like arranged in a collage. You can write these qualities into a poem, a love poem to yourself. You can paint a self portrait with words or symbols to represent these qualities. You can sing yourself a song, or weave yourself a nice blanket or socks infused in this energy. Go with what your heart tells you to do and make the activity enjoyable.

This Leo Moon take some time to rejoice in playfulness and the pure joy of living, connect with your inner child and do things that you enjoyed as a child; (even if this is as seemingly silly as swinging or drawing with sidewalk chalk,) do it! Rejoice and reconnect. Take some extra time to play with, spend time with the children in your life. Honor and learn from them, they are the true spirit of Leo. They are unabashingly honest, they know who they are, they yield to no one’s expectations and aren’t particularly self conscious, they are truly selfish creatures but in the most positive sense of the word. Now, is also a good time to name a child or to make it known to the Universe that you would like to attract one into your life.

The Leo Full Moon is the time to have confidence, trust, and faith, it is the time to be bold and take a risk. Know that you will do well and that you really are the regal, powerful and proud lion. Be optimistic and determined, blast through any limitations and restrictions. Now is the time to completely rejuvenate your life.
Under the Leo’s influence honor your feline friends, appreciate the joy they bring and the lessons they teach. Spend some extra time with them, feed them some of their favorite treats, give them Catnip, and lavish them with attention. You may also wish to give time or money to charities that help conserve and protect wild cat populations or those that wish to reintroduce them to the wild.

Be cautious and aware not to be swept up in the negative sides of Leo avoid being entangled in others drama, avoid bragging about your success, avoid becoming selfish and self indulgent and self centered. Avoid being temperamental, stubborn and avoid manipulating others. And avoid getting cared away, spending too much and being too extravagant.

At the time of the Leo Full Moon be extra aware of the health of your, heart and circulatory system, back, spine, wrist and forearms. Be also aware of contracting diseases and of fevers. Be careful when enjoying yourself not to overindulge. Spend some time Sunbathing and otherwise enjoying the renewing properties of the sun.

In gardening now is the most barren of all the signs, do not plant or transplant, instead focus on tilling up gardens, pruning, trimming, weeding, destroying pests and diseases. It is also a good time to harvest root crops and store them.

Enjoy the Sun pouring down upon you, enjoy the light shining within you and with courage, strength and optimism face and celebrate the Full Moon!

Moon Magic Lori Reid
Praise to the Moon Elen Hawke
Lady of the Night Edain McCoy
Everyday Moon Magic Dorothy Morrison
Sisters of the Dark Moon Gail Wood
The Only Astrology Book You’ll Ever Need Joanna Martine Woolfolk
Grandmother Moon Zsuxsanna E. Budapest
Animal Speak Ed Andrews
Animal Magick DJ Conway

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Monday, January 18, 2010

January Wolf Moon

January Wolf Moon

Also known as: Hunger Moon, Bone Moon, Quiet Moon, Old Moon, Cold Moon, Ice Moon, Fog Moon, Full Snow Moon, Winter’s Moon, Little Famine Moon, Powamuya or Purification Moon
* Colors: Brilliant White, Blue-Violet, Black, Silver
* Scents: Musk, Mimosa
* Gemstones: Garnet, Onyx, Jet, Chrysoprase, Hematite
* Trees: Birch, Hazel
* Gods: Freyja, Inanna, Sarasvati, Hera, Ch'ang-O, Sinn, Janus, Fortuna, Baba-Yaga, Tsao-Wang, Tsai-Shen
* Herbs:, Marjoram, Holy Thistle, Snowdrop, Crocus, Nuts and Cones
* Foods: Nettles, Winter Squash, Pumpkins, Cabbage and Sauerkraut, Beans, Bread, Root Crops: Beets, Turnips, Potatoes, Carrots, Onions, Garlic
* Animals: Wolf, Fox, Coyote, Dog, Pheasant, Bluejay
* Element: Air

Now, we enter the month of January and a new calendar year. The name January comes from the Roman name for the month Janus, a God that had two faces looking in opposing directions; one looking toward the beginning and one looking toward the end. This is a perfect name and energy for this time of year and for this Moon. The January Full Moon comes at a strange, unformed time, when all is possible, yet only in its fetal stages. We have set our goals for the next year and we now need to begin working towards them with follow through and conviction.

Like Winter’s slow progression into Spring and the slow growth of daylight from the darkest night of the year January’s energy is sluggish and often just below the surface. You may wish that the continual the hub of activity, and social interactions that has occurred since October to continue; but try as you might the enthusiasm and energy just won’t be there. January is an introspective time to review the past year, to think of your accomplishments and failures, and the lessons that they teach. It is a time for forgive yourself and others and to clean and clear out our lives of anything that we are hanging onto. It is also a good time to clean and organize the house and home and to perform home blessings and protective spells. It is an excellent time to go through paperwork and files and to shred or delete any that are unwanted and unnecessary. January is also an excellent time to work on issues dealing with the self and family problems. It is a great time to get your health in order. Starting eating right, taking vitamins or supplements, or starting a cleanse or exercise program. It is also a good time to begin studying Herbalism, Reiki, Massage Therapy and other healing practices. January is a good time to relish in memories, to review one’s life, to contemplate and journal. It is also an excellent time to archive and back up important information. Do not fight the current of energy of the January Full Moon instead embrace it and spend some time in deep thought and mediation, write, remember, clean, and work towards what you would like to see in the coming year.

If the general energy of the month does not keep you inside, close to hearth and home and dealing with practical matters then the weather surely will. January is the month where we tend to feel the pure cruel, oppressive strength of Winter. By this Moon the glint and glamour of Winter may have begun to wear off and we may be looking to the frozen world with dread not wonder. Our yards, our gardens are covered in snow, snow that can fall in feet, not mere inches. The cold can be unbearable and can reach below zero. Even a slight wind can reach its icy finger round your heart and creep right into your very soul. If it is not snowing then it may be foggy or smoggy and air quality alone may keep you trapped inside. It is for this reason why this Moon is called the Snow Moon, the Fog Moon, and the Ice Moon to reflect the outside world.

The names Hunger Moon, and Bone Moon comes from the fact that at this dark and desolate time of the year food was very scarce, most of the vegetables and fruits that you had gathered in Autumn would have been mostly used up and now what you would be left with was dried meats, root crops and grains. Even game was scarce and the weather made hunting next to impossible. Because of this, the January Full Moon was called the Hunger Moon. There was a really good chance that if you had not planned ahead well, enough, if you had not conserved, or if your crops had not produced that you and your family would starve. It is at this time you may wish to deal with addictions and attitudes towards food and your relationship to it, it is also a time to ask yourself what indeed you really “hunger,” for. The Moon was called Bone Moon not only because the Earth around you appeared white and any vegetation around you became weather and Sun bleached but because people would often resort to eating stock made of boiled bones or eating bone marrow.

The name Wolf Moon comes from the fact that game was scarce and wolves and other predators would be forced by their hunger to move closer and closer to human populations. They may have stolen livestock or even attacked humans. Hearing them howl along with the relentless wind must have been rather frightening. Now is the time to think about the Wolf, Coyote, Fox and common canine and think upon their role in history, mythology and as a totem animal. Think about what lessons canines have taught man. Ted Andrews says that the lessons of Wolf are many, loyalty, family, communication, strength and confidence. Wolf can teach us how to properly govern and the balance between authority and democracy, how to establish order and harmony in your life and that true freedom requires discipline. Wolf’s have excellent senses, especially when it comes to their sense of smell and hearing, Wolf teaches us to become aware, to listen to the world around you and to your inner thoughts, words and intuition. It would be appropriate at this time to research the many myths about wolves, about wolves being the Gods companions, guardians and helpers, of Lup or Feronia the Great She Wolf of Early Rome and the foster Mother of Romulus and Remus; of fierce Fenrir a monstrous wolf that refused to be tethered and many others. At this time you may wish to support environmental organizations that protect and want to reintroduce the wolf back into the wild, or work with animal shelters and organizations. You may wish to spend some extra time and give extra attention and treats to the canines in your life. In the bustle of energy and in the coldness of Winter we may have neglected to spend as much time with them as we did on warmer days.

At this time of year you may be feeling the urge to become extra domestic and crafty, give into that urge and get down with your kitchen witch self! Spend some time cooking healthily filling and comforting foods, eat for your health and for luck. Some foods eaten at the beginning of the Year to bring forth a little extra luck are: noodles, pork, lentils, fish, green black eyed peas, pomegranate, citrus, grapes, and round cakes and bread, among others. Enjoy cooking and eating and make each meal a spell. At this time you may wish to try your hands at various crafts, soap and candle making and crafts dealing with yarn, and fabric are very appropriate, spinning, weaving, embroidery, crochet, knitting quilting and cord magick are appropriate and beneficial as the influence of the Fates and Norns can be seen at this time.

If the dark and cold has simply gotten you down an activity to bring your spirits up and to banish Spring and Cabin Fever is to look at seed catalogs and gardening books and to begin planning your future gardens. Or you can go into a nursery, the warmth, humidity and sight of millions of little seedlings and starts will remind yourself that there is still life in the darkness. Also, bringing potted plants home can help your revitalize your spirit. Forcing Crocus, Paperwhite or Narcissus bulbs can be a good way to welcome Spring ad bring color into this time of year. Another activity you may want is to begin looking into planning Summer trips and vacations, think about renting parks and campsites early as they usually start taking reservations around the first of the year and tend to fill up quickly. If there is a hot spring or a spa in your area, or if nothing else add some wonderfully scented salts to your bath, sit and relax in the warm water, feel the water warming an soothing your body, feel this water working its medicine, feel it cleanse and comfort you down to your very soul. Enjoy the contrast of the warm tub and the cold outside. Pamper yourself and simply enjoy.

This Wolf Moon do not fear the dark but embrace it, do not fear the cold and isolation of Winter but celebrate it. Hibernate, go within, meditate, learn, let go and enjoy the brief break before the activities of Spring and Summer.
Blessed Be!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Animal Speak Ted Andrews
Animal Magick DJ Conway
Grandmother Moon ZSuzsanna E. Budapest
Wheel of the Year Pauline Campanelli
Moon Magic DJ Conway
Everyday Moon Magic Dorothy Morrison
Full Moon Feast Jessica Prentice


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