Please tune in – chat too if you like – when Wendy talks to her friend, Annwyn Avalon, about Water Witchcraft, the book, incorporating her dancing into her rituals, tools, altars, and more!
A Bit about Annwyn Avalon: Annwyn Avalon is a witch, priestess, and the founder of Triskele Rose, an Avalonian witchcraft tradition. She has devoted her life to the study of art, witchcraft, and magic. She has a BFA in sculpture and a BA in anthropology and has completed her Reiki Master teacher training and studied herbalism and Middle Eastern folk and esoteric dancing. Annwyn writes the Patheos.com blog, The Water Witch, and is an award-winning, internationally known dancer with a repertoire of water and mermaid themed belly dance performances.
An accessible in-depth guide to Celtic water lore, including spells, rituals, water spirits, and merfolk
Let Annwyn Avalon, a practicing water witch herself, take you into the world of water magic. The water magic and lore in this book focuses on the Celtic tradition, but draws on other water magic traditions as well, and features rainwater, as well as lakes, rivers, oceans, canals, swamps, and other watery locations, together with the folk and magical customs that have been and are still practiced at these places. The book teaches the reader how to set up a water altar at home, how to connect with water spirits, and how to gather or create water witch tools. Readers are encouraged to visit local water sites but will also find an abundance of material to perform at home. Included are practical examples, visualizations, and exercises so any reader can start to take up spell work and establish their spiritual connection to water.
We will be speaking with the Wise and Irreverent Rune Woman, Ingrid Kincaid! The discussion will include Ingrid’s recently released book ‘Lost Teachings of the Runes: Northern Mysteries and the Wheel of Life’, and then see what other mischief we can get up to!
Tune in on Wednesday, October 9th at 10 PM E/9 PM C!
About Ingrid Kincaid
Ingrid at a Harvest Festival
Known as the Rune Woman, Ingrid Kincaid is a born storyteller whose style of writing is a mixture of poetry and prose that is fueled by curiosity, sourced in wisdom and irreverence and woven around questions that beg to be answered. Ingrid lives life as an adventure. Her travels are both imaginary and real. She is an educator and workshop facilitator with over 40 years of experience. In addition to runes and Northern mysteries, she teaches courses in women’s wisdom and creativity, traveling throughout the United States and Europe.
Lost Teachings of the Runes: Northern Mysteries and the Wheel of Life
Lost Teachings of the Runes is an unexpected adventure into the hidden meanings and profound lessons held in these simple markings that are the signatures of ancient beings.
Lost Teachings of the Runes invites the reader to journey to the realms of past and future that exist hidden beyond the horizon and beneath our feet. Using an engaging blend of stories, meditations, and ancestral knowing, author Ingrid Kincaid explores Northern Mysteries from the center of the Wheel of Life. Kincaid demonstrates ways the Wheel can be used to connect ancient wisdom with modern life, and offers tools and teachings that may be used on a daily basis to enable readers to reclaim their personal power.
Lost Teachings of the Runes presents a life-affirming, death-honoring approach that returns the runes to a place of balance, to light and dark, to order and chaos, and to the roots and branches of the world tree.
In this show Roman Delgado will guide us on a journey into the world of Shamanism and Shamanic Healing. We will speak of this Ancient Spiritual Practice and gain an understanding of Soul Level Illness. We will be ranging from Power and Soul Loss to the Evil Eye and many things in between. Be prepared to understand energy hygiene and human interactions in new and useful ways!
We will also briefly touch upon Dia De Los Muertos – Day of the Dead, as the season is upon us.
Now, I’m no expert in any of these things, but I know what I enjoy. Research and Learning are at the top of my list. I will be delving into one aspect of Magic, Witchcraft, Folklore, Myth and/or Legend in each article. So, if you are so inclined, join me on this journey of discovery!
About Roman Delgado
Roman Delgado
Roman is a practitioner of Brujeria, Southern Conjure and Shamanic Healing. He grew up surrounded by magic and magical practitioners with his family in Mexico. Through his cultural upbringing he has gained a unique understanding of the ailments of the soul and the magical ways of healing them.
For this segment, Wendy will be talking with good friends, Denise Pridemore and Jen Smith, both of who have Appalachian family with strong leanings towards Folk Magics, Healing, and Lore. I’ve been doing my homework as well, so this should be an enlightening show!
Now, I’m no expert in any of these things, but I know what I enjoy. Research and Learning are at the top of my list. I will be delving into one aspect of Magic, Witchcraft, Folklore, Myth and/or Legend in each article.
So, if you are so inclined, join me on this journey of discovery!
‘American Witchcraft’
The people who have called The Appalachian Mountains their home over the centuries and beyond are a mish-mash of the Native American Indian tribes – Shawnee, Cherokee, Creek and Delaware, just to name a few. Added in later were settlers from Ireland, Scotland, Germany, and more. When you mix in all of these different peoples. cultures and traditions – not to mention adding in ancient lore of the people brought in as Slaves – and blood, sweat, tears and deaths of those just trying to carve out a little niche in the world, you come up with the recipe for some powerful beliefs, magics, healing practices and downright scary – sometimes – ‘wise ones’..
I’ve run across the term ‘Granny Magic’ in several different articles and websites, and really get a kick out of the term. However, I feel it’s not really accurate since gender isn’t really the heart of the practitioners these days. But the traditions are definitely passed down from great-grandparents, grandparents, and on down the line. The Ancients and Ancestors are key elements of the rootwork, healings, conjurings and so on.
On this episode, our hosts will be talking with Kyle J. Macias – Film Maker, and Seth Michael – Psychic Medium, about The Hat Man. Kyle recently released a documentary “The Hat Man: Documented Cases of Pure Evil”, so we will pick his brain on the subject and talk about the Documentary.
Seth Michael will give us his take on The Hat Man from a Medium’s perspective, as he has encountered more than one such entity.
History and Folklore Of Shadow Creatures and Hat Man
A number of religions, legends, and belief systems describe shadowy spiritual beings or supernatural entities such as shades of the underworld, and various shadowy creatures have long been a staple of folklore and ghost stories.
The Hat Man typically appears at night, dressed in a long, black trench coat, a black three-piece suit, and a black hat – either a fedora, top hat, or cowboy hat. Witnesses say the Hat Man’s eyes glow red and occasionally he checks a gold pocket watch chained to his belt. He is described as being at least six feet tall, though usually his stature reaches between seven to 10 feet.
Kyle J. Masias On Set
About Kyle J Masias: Kyle J. Macias is an aspiring filmmaker specializing in narrative films and documentary films alike. He’s an avid researcher and paranormal aficionado covering a wide range of subjects, such as; the occult, entity contact and unknown realms.
“The Hat Man: Documented Cases of Pure Evil”, is his first documentary feature, covering the subject of shadow people, specifically focusing in on the distinct figure, the internet and eyewitnesses have dubbed ‘The Hat Man’.
Kyle J. Macias delved into the subject of ‘shadow people’ back in 2008, when he learned that his own family has had experiences with the “Hat Man”.
Throughout the duration of making this film, it came to Kyle’s attention that the ‘Hat Man’, is not just a figure seen in sleep paralysis or nightmares. The eyewitnesses are adamant that they also see him in waking life. Manifesting under street lamps, in the back of passenger seats, in the corner of the room, on the side of the road, peaking around corners and in some cases physical attack. Is the Hat Man hiding in the darkest places of our subconscious? Or is he crossing over to our physical existence? It may be both…
Our good friend Seth Michael is a natural born psychic/medium with over 28 years of experience giving formal readings. In addition to his work doing private and larger group readings, he co-founded a paranormal team called White Light Paranormal Insight where he is a Medium and the Director of Spiritual Resolves. Seth also co-hosted a web radio show called, Into the Light with Seth Michael and Teresa Kleve on Blog talk radio, and is an instructor for Awaken-Yourself Psychic/Medium Workshops. Seth Michael’s passion and intent is to assist others in reaching their higher-self and honing in on their own individual strengths. Seth Michael is also the primary focus of the, “All Around Us,” documentary currently in production. Whether the topics are about life issues, spiritual path direction or connecting with passed loved ones or animals, Seth Michael’s life mission is to help others, bring comfort, and hope. *Your reading is strictly private and confidential.
While June is off attending a concert, Wendy and Jacob will be talking with Annwyn Avalon – Water Witch, Priestess, Artist, Author, Dancer – about her Craft, Book, and everything else in between..
A Bit about Annwyn Avalon: Annwyn Avalon is a witch, priestess, and the founder of Triskele Rose, an Avalonian witchcraft tradition. She has devoted her life to the study of art, witchcraft, and magic. She has a BFA in sculpture and a BA in anthropology and has completed her Reiki Master teacher training and studied herbalism and Middle Eastern folk and esoteric dancing. Annwyn writes the Patheos.com blog, The Water Witch, and is an award-winning, internationally known dancer with a repertoire of water and mermaid themed belly dance performances. Visit her at: www.waterwitchcraft.com. https://www.facebook.com/AvalonPriestess/ https://www.facebook.com/triskelerose
An accessible in-depth guide to Celtic water lore, including spells, rituals, water spirits, and merfolk
Let Annwyn Avalon, a practicing water witch herself, take you into the world of water magic. The water magic and lore in this book focuses on the Celtic tradition, but draws on other water magic traditions as well, and features rainwater, as well as lakes, rivers, oceans, canals, swamps, and other watery locations, together with the folk and magical customs that have been and are still practiced at these places. The book teaches the reader how to set up a water altar at home, how to connect with water spirits, and how to gather or create water witch tools. Readers are encouraged to visit local water sites but will also find an abundance of material to perform at home. Included are practical examples, visualizations, and exercises so any reader can start to take up spell work and establish their spiritual connection to water.
On this episode of Wendy’s Magickal Studies, I will be talking about the gorgeous Harvest Moon as well as the Pagan Mabon/Harvest Home/Autumnal Equinox due to my Eclectic guest not feeling up to doing a talk at this time. Wishing her more good days!
Player will go to the show as soon as we go ‘Live’
Now, I’m no expert in any of these things, but I know what I enjoy. Research and Learning are at the top of my list. I will be delving into one aspect of Magic, Witchcraft, Folklore, Myth and/or Legend in each article. So, if you are so inclined, join me on this journey of discovery!
Eclectic Witch: A witch that embraces all types of magic and magical traditions, refusing to be pinned down to one type of magical practice.
The Full Harvest Moon on Friday, September 13th, 2019
The Spiritual Meaning Of The 2019 Harvest Moon Is About Releasing Yourself From The Past This is the season that starts a slow, patient process of death after a vibrant and burgeoning summer. However, this death is not the end. It’s about shedding skin, letting go, and cleansing yourself from deep within so you can prepare for a swift rebirth. The veil is thinning and the spiritual meaning of the 2019 Harvest Moon will help you dig into your heart and discover what truly lies there.
Taking place on Sept. 14 at 12:32 a.m. ET (Friday the 13th, for most of the United States), the Harvest Moon always happens nearest to the autumn equinox. According to TimeAndDate.com, this full moon marked the moment your ancient ancestors collected their crops and began storing them away for the impending winter. Spiritually speaking, the Harvest Moon is all about taking stock of your emotional and physical well-being, helping you come to terms with the results of the decisions you’ve made so far. After that, it’s about understanding what you could have done differently, forgive yourself for your mistakes, and decide that you’ll learn from them. Source: https://www.elitedaily.com/p/the-spiritual-meaning-of-the-2019-harvest-moon-is-about-releasing-yourself-from-the-past-18749391
Mabon Autumn Equinox, 2nd Harvest, Falls Between September 21 – 23
Mabon, (pronounced MAY-bun, MAY-bone, MAH-boon, or MAH-bawn) is the Autumn Equinox. The Autumn Equinox divides the day and night equally, and we all take a moment to pay our respects to the impending dark. We also give thanks to the waning sunlight, as we store our harvest of this year’s crops. The Druids call this celebration, Mea’n Fo’mhair, and honor the The Green Man, the God of the Forest, by offering libations to trees. Offerings of ciders, wines, herbs and fertilizer are appropriate at this time. Wiccans celebrate the aging Goddess as she passes from Mother to Crone, and her consort the God as he prepares for death and re-birth.
The Goddess at Mabon
Various other names for this Lesser Wiccan Sabbat are The Second Harvest Festival, Wine Harvest, Feast of Avalon, Equinozio di Autunno (Strega), Alben Elfed (Caledonii), or Cornucopia. The Teutonic name, Winter Finding, spans a period of time from the Sabbat to Oct. 15th, Winter’s Night, which is the Norse New Year.
At this festival it is appropriate to wear all of your finery and dine and celebrate in a lavish setting. It is the drawing to and of family as we prepare for the winding down of the year at Samhain. It is a time to finish old business as we ready for a period of rest, relaxation, and reflection. Source: https://wicca.com/celtic/akasha/mabon.htm
Despite the bad publicity generated by Thomas Tryon’s
novel, Harvest Home is the pleasantest of holidays. Admittedly, it does involve
the concept of sacrifice, but one that is symbolic only. The sacrifice is that
of the spirit of vegetation, John Barleycorn. Occurring one quarter of the year
after Midsummer, Harvest Home represents midautumn, autumn’s height. It is also
the autumnal equinox, one of the quarter days of the year, a Lesser Sabbat and
a Low Holiday in modern Witchcraft. Recently, some Pagan groups have begun
calling the holiday by the Welsh name ‘Mabon’, although there seems little
historical justification for doing so.
Technically, an equinox is an astronomical point and, due to
the fact that our leap-year cycle causes dates to slip and then snap back into
place, the date may vary by a few days depending on the year. The autumnal
equinox occurs when the sun crosses the equator on its apparent journey
southward, and we experience a day and a night that are of equal duration. Up
until Harvest Home, the hours of daylight have been greater than the hours from
dusk to dawn. But from now on, the reverse holds true. Astrologers know this as
the date on which the sun enters the sign of Libra, the Scales (an appropriate
symbol of a balanced day and night).
However, since most European peasants were not accomplished
at calculating the exact date of the equinox, they celebrated the event on a
fixed calendar date, September 25, a holiday the medieval church Christianized
under the name of “Michaelmas”, the feast of the archangel Michael. (One
wonders if, at some point, the Roman Catholic Church contemplated assigning the
four quarter days of the year to the four archangels, just as they assigned the
four cross-quarter days to the four Gospel writers. Further evidence for this
may be seen in the fact that there was a brief flirtation with calling the
vernal equinox “Gabrielmas”, ostensibly to commemorate the archangel Gabriel’s
announcement to Mary on Lady Day.)
Again, it must be remembered that the Celts reckoned their
days from sundown to sundown, so the September 25 festivities actually begin on
the previous sundown (our September 24). Although our Pagan ancestors probably
celebrated Harvest Home on September 25, modern Witches and Pagans, with their
desktop computers for making finer calculations, seem to prefer the actual
equinox point, beginning the celebration on its eve.
Mythically, this is the day of the year when the God of
Light is defeated by his twin and alter ego, the God of Darkness. It is the
time of the year when night conquers day. And as I have recently shown in my
seasonal reconstruction of the Welsh myth of Blodeuwedd, the autumnal equinox
is the only day of the whole year when Llew (light) is vulnerable and it is
possible to defeat him. Llew now stands on the Balance (Libra/ autumnal
equinox), with one foot on the Cauldron (Cancer/summer solstice) and his other
foot on the Goat (Capricorn/winter solstice). Thus he is betrayed by
Blodeuwedd, the Virgin (Virgo) and transformed into an Eagle (Scorpio).
Two things are now likely to occur mythically, in rapid
succession. Having defeated Llew, Goronwy (darkness) now takes over Llew’s
functions, both as lover to Blodeuwedd, the Goddess, and as king of our own
world. Although Goronwy, the Horned King, now sits on Llew’s throne and begins
his rule immediately, his formal coronation will not be for another six weeks,
occurring at Samhain (Halloween) or the beginning of winter, when he becomes
the Winter Lord, the Dark King, Lord of Misrule. Goronwy’s other function has
more immediate results, however. He mates with the Virgin Goddess, and
Blodeuwedd conceives, and will give birth—nine months later (at the summer
solstice)—to Goronwy’s son, who is really another incarnation of himself, the
Dark Child.
Llew’s sacrificial death at Harvest Home also identifies
him with John Barleycorn, spirit of the fields. Thus, Llew represents not only
the sun’s power, but also the sun’s life trapped and crystallized in the corn.
Often this corn spirit was believed to reside most especially in the last sheaf
or shock harvested, which was dressed in fine clothes, or woven into a
wicker-like man-shaped form. This effigy was then cut and carried from the field,
and usually burned, amidst much rejoicing. So one may see Blodeuwedd and
Goronwy in a new guise, not as conspirators who murder their king, but as
kindly farmers who harvest the crop that they had planted and so lovingly cared
for. And yet, anyone who knows the old ballad of John Barleycorn knows that we
have not heard the last of him.
They let him stand till midsummer’s day,
Till he looked both pale and wan,
And little Sir John’s grown a long, long beard
And so become a man….
Incidentally, this annual mock sacrifice of a large
wickerwork figure (representing the vegetation spirit) may have been the origin
of the misconception that Druids made human sacrifices. This charge was first
made by Julius Caesar (who may not have had the most unbiased of motives), and
has been restated many times since. However, as has often been pointed out, the
only historians besides Caesar who make this accusation are those who have read
Caesar. And, in fact, upon reading Caesar’s Gallic Wars closely, one discovers
that Caesar never claims to have actually witnessed such a sacrifice. Nor does
he claim to have talked to anyone else who did. In fact, there is not one
single eyewitness account of a human sacrifice performed by Druids in all of
history!
Nor is there any archaeological evidence to support the
charge. If, for example, human sacrifices had been performed at the same ritual
sites year after year, there would be physical traces. Yet there is not a
scrap. Nor is there any native tradition or history that lends support. In
fact, insular tradition seems to point in the opposite direction. The Druid’s
reverence for life was so strict that they refused to lift a sword to defend
themselves when massacred by Roman soldiers on the Isle of Mona. Irish brehon
laws forbade a Druid to touch a weapon, and any soul rash enough to unsheathe a
sword in the presence of a Druid would be executed for such an outrage!
Four Hallows
Jesse
Weston, in her brilliant study of the Four Hallows of British myth, “From
Ritual to Romance”, points out that British folk tradition is, however,
full of mock sacrifices. In the case of the wicker man, such figures were
referred to in very personified terms, dressed in clothes, addressed by name,
etc. In such a religious ritual drama, everybody played along.
John Barleycorn Effigy
They’ve hired men with scythes so sharp,
To cut him off at the knee,
They’ve rolled him and tied him by the waist
Serving him most barbarously….
In the medieval miracle-play tradition of the “Rise Up,
Jock” variety (performed by troupes of mummers at all the village fairs), a
young harlequin-like king always underwent a mock sacrificial death. But
invariably, the traditional cast of characters included a mysterious “Doctor”
who had learned many secrets while “traveling in foreign lands”. The Doctor
reaches into his bag of tricks, plies some magical cure, and presto! the young
king rises up hale and whole again, to the cheers of the crowd. As Weston so
sensibly points out, if the young king were actually killed, he couldn’t very
well rise up again, which is the whole point of the ritual drama! It is an
enactment of the death and resurrection of the vegetation spirit. And what
better time to perform it than at the end of the harvest season!
In the rhythm of the year, Harvest Home marks a time of
rest after hard work. The crops are gathered in, and winter is still a month
and a half away! Although the nights are getting cooler, the days are still
warm, and there is something magical in the sunlight, for it seems silvery and
indirect. As we pursue our gentle hobbies of making corn dollies (those tiny
vegetation spirits) and wheat weaving, our attention is suddenly arrested by
the sound of baying from the skies (the “Hounds of Annwn” passing?), as lines
of geese cut silhouettes across a harvest moon. And we move closer to the
hearth, the longer evening hours giving us time to catch up on our reading,
munching on popcorn balls and caramel apples and sipping home-brewed mead or
ale. What a wonderful time Harvest Home is! And how lucky we are to live in a
part of the country where the season’s changes are so dramatic and majestic!
And little Sir John in the nut-brown bowl–
And he’s brandy in the glass,
And little Sir John in the nut-brown bowl
Proved the strongest man at last.
The
Legend of John Barleycorn
In
English folklore, John Barleycorn is a character who represents the crop of
barley harvested each autumn. Equally as important, he symbolizes the wonderful
drinks which can be made from barley — beer and whiskey — and their effects. In
the traditional folksong, John Barleycorn, the character of John Barleycorn
endures all kinds of indignities, most of which correspond to the cyclic nature
of planting, growing, harvesting, and then death.
Although
written versions of the song date back to the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, there
is evidence that it was sung for years before that. There are a number of
different versions, but the most well-known one is the Robert Burns version, in
which John Barleycorn is portrayed as an almost Christ-like figure, suffering
greatly before finally dying so that others may live.
In The
Golden Bough, Sir James Frazer cites John Barleycorn as proof that there was
once a Pagan cult in England that worshipped a god of vegetation, who was
sacrificed in order to bring fertility to the fields. This ties into the
related story of the Wicker Man, who is burned in effigy. Ultimately, the
character of John Barleycorn is a metaphor for the spirit of grain, grown
healthy and hale during the summer, chopped down and slaughtered in his prime,
and then processed into beer and whiskey so he can live once more.
Beer
in glass and barley
The
lyrics to the Robert Burns version of the song are as follows:
There
was three kings into the east,
three kings both great and high,
and they hae sworn a solemn oath
John Barleycorn must die.
They
took a plough and plough’d him down,
put clods upon his head,
and they hae sworn a solemn oath
John Barleycorn was dead.
But
the cheerful Spring came kindly on’
and show’rs began to fall.
John Barleycorn got up again,
and sore surprised them all.
The
sultry suns of Summer came,
and he grew thick and strong;
his head well arm’d wi’ pointed spears,
that no one should him wrong.
The
sober Autumn enter’d mild,
when he grew wan and pale;
his bendin’ joints and drooping head
show’d he began to fail.
His
colour sicken’d more and more,
and he faded into age;
and then his enemies began
to show their deadly rage.
They
took a weapon, long and sharp,
and cut him by the knee;
they ty’d him fast upon a cart,
like a rogue for forgerie.
They
laid him down upon his back,
and cudgell’d him full sore.
they hung him up before the storm,
and turn’d him o’er and o’er.
They
filled up a darksome pit
with water to the brim,
they heav’d in John Barleycorn.
There, let him sink or swim!
They
laid him upon the floor,
to work him farther woe;
and still, as signs of life appear’d,
they toss’d him to and fro.
They
wasted o’er a scorching flame
the marrow of his bones;
but a miller us’d him worst of all,
for he crush’d him between two stones.
And
they hae taen his very hero blood
and drank it round and round;
and still the more and more they drank,
their joy did more abound.
John
Barleycorn was a hero bold,
of noble enterprise;
for if you do but taste his blood,
’twill make your courage rise.
‘Twill
make a man forget his woe;
’twill heighten all his joy;
’twill make the widow’s heart to sing,
tho the tear were in her eye.
Then
let us toast John Barleycorn,
each man a glass in hand;
and may his great posterity
ne’er fail in old Scotland!
Welcome to Wendy’s Magick Studies, a companion blog/podcast to Mystic Moon Café Radio. Once a week, probably late on Sundays, I will be presenting something magical, something mystical, and possibly movie and/or book reviews of Urban Fantasy, Magic, and so on.
Moon Magic – Folklore, History, Legend & Myth: Since this is a companion article for Mystic Moon Café, I thought I would begin with a basic introduction to Moon Magic and the accompanying Lore. Please keep in mind that I am not a ‘practicing’ anything – except for snark-ologist – so this is pretty much academic, although I will try to include a few relevant spells and will attempt these spells myself whenever possible.
Welcome to
Wendy Lady’s Magickal Studies, a companion blog/podcast to Mystic Moon Café
Radio. Once a week, probably late on
Sundays, I will be presenting something magical, something mystical, and
possibly movie and/or book reviews of Urban Fantasy, Magic, and so on.
Now, I’m no
expert in any of these things, but I know what I enjoy. Research and Learning are at the top of my
list. I will be delving into one aspect
of Magic, Witchcraft, Folklore, Myth and/or Legend in each article.
So, if you
are so inclined, join me on this journey of discovery!
Pisces Full Moon September 13th/14th: Be Prepared To Have Your Faith Tested
Shall we
start with a bit of Friday the 13th lore and such since this coming Friday
is both September 13th and there is also a Full Moon? Here’s everything to know about
this year’s unique September full moon.
The moon is
a wonder in all of its phases, but we seem to go a bit loony for her when she’s
full. And this month, the full moon has a lot going on; enough to make all of
us lunar fangirls and boys extra excitable. Consider the following:
1. It’s the
harvest moon
The full
moon closest in date to the autumnal equinox is awarded the title of harvest
moon. Given the moon’s cycles, this means that harvest moons can happen as
early as September 8 or as late as October 7. This year’s equinox falls on
September 23, and thus the month’s full moon will wear the crown.
2. It will
provide extra light
Because the
harvest moon occurs when the orbit is more parallel to the horizon, its
relationship to the eastern horizon stays close to the same for several days.
This means that while usually the moon rises around 50 minutes later each
night, the harvest moon rises just 25 to 30 minutes later across the northern
U.S., and only 10 to 20 minutes later for much of Canada and Europe, according to
NASA, which notes. While all full moons rise at sunset, the fact that the
Harvest Moon has a shorter rising lag on successive days means that we get what
appears to be a full moon rising near sunset for more days than usual; this
gave farmers a “sunset extension” of sorts, which went to good use during the
very busy time of harvest.
3. It’s full
just for an instant
True of all
full moons – although it may appear full for a few days, astronomically
speaking, the moon is full at the moment that it’s exactly 180 degrees opposite
the sun in ecliptic longitude. For this year’s harvest moon, that means it will
be full for a fleeting moment at 4:33 Universal Time on September 14.
4. But for
many the harvest moon coincides with Friday the 13th
For those of
us in the Eastern time zone, the moon turns full at 12:33 a.m. on Saturday,
September 14th – thereby depriving us of the spooky magic of such a mash-up.
For the rest of the United States time zones, the moon becomes full officially
before midnight on Friday the 13th.
(Bonus
fact: Paraskevidekatriaphobia means a fear of Friday the 13th!)
5. A Friday
the 13th full moon is relatively rare
We have not
had a nationwide full moon on Friday the 13th since October 13th, 2000 – and
won’t have another until August 13th, 2049.
6. It will
also be a micromoon
Sure,
supermoons get all the fanfare for their increased appearance in size … but
let’s not ignore the adorable micro moon! This month’s full moon nearly
coincides with apogee – the point in the moon’s orbit when it is farthest from
Earth. The difference in moon-to-Earth distance between apogee and perigee is
30,000 miles. This difference in distance makes a
supermoon look 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than a micromoon. We
love underdogs, go little micromoon!
MOON:
The Moon is Earth’s oldest temple, holding the potency of countless
prayers since the dawn of Time…A bell whose ringing brings you into the field
of the Mother, where body & soul can quietly drink.. Dana
Gerhardt, Mooncircles
Moon Magic – Folklore,
History, Legend & Myth:
Since
this is a companion article for Mystic Moon Café, I thought I would begin with
a basic introduction to Moon Magic and the accompanying History
and
Lore. Please keep in mind that I am not a ‘practicing’ anything – except for
snark-ologist – so this is pretty much academic, although I will try to include
a few relevant spells and will attempt these spells myself whenever possible.
So,
here we go:
The Moon, in terms of distance, is the closest
Heavenly body to Earth. It can be see it in the sky for three out of four weeks,
and for thousands of years, people have used its light to guide them in the
dark.
Since
well before recorded history, the Moon has been the subject mystery and
fascination, both worshipped and feared.
Perhaps, because of the Moon’s waxing and waning, she has garnered more
mystical folklore than even the steady Sun.
The
Oldest Lunar Calendars and Earliest Constellations have been identified in cave
art found in France and Germany. The astronomer-priests of these late Upper
Paleolithic Cultures understood mathematical sets, and the interplay between the
moon annual cycle, ecliptic, solstice and seasonal changes on earth.
The
First (Lunar) Calendar
The archaeological record’s earliest data that speaks to human awareness of the
stars and ‘heavens’ dates to the Aurignacian Culture of Europe, c.32,000 B.C. Between
1964 and the early 1990s, Alexander Marshack published breakthrough research
that documented the mathematical and astronomical knowledge in the Late Upper
Paleolithic Cultures of Europe. Marshack deciphered sets of marks carved into
animal bones, and occasionally on the walls of caves, as records of the lunar
cycle. These marks are sets of crescents or lines. Artisans carefully
controlled line thickness so that a correlation with lunar phases would be as
easy as possible to perceive. Sets of marks were often laid out in a serpentine
pattern that suggests a snake deity or streams and rivers.
Aurignacian Lunar Calendar / diagram, drawing after Marshack, A. 1970;
Notation dans les Gravures du Paléolithique Supérieur, Bordeaux, Delmas / Don’s
Maps
Many
of these lunar calendars were made on small pieces of stone, bone or antler so
that they could be easily carried. These small, portable, lightweight lunar
calendars were easily carried on extended journeys such as long hunting trips
and seasonal migrations.
Hunting
the largest animals was arduous, and might require hunters to follow herds of
horses, bison, mammoth or ibex for many weeks. (Other big animals such as the
auroch, cave bear and cave lion were well known but rarely hunted for food
because they had special status in the mythic realm. The Auroch is very
important to the search for earliest constellations.) Info from:
https://sservi.nasa.gov/articles/oldest-lunar-calendars/
The Sun, Moon, planets,
and stars have provided us a reference for measuring the passage of time
throughout history. All cultures before recorded history charted the heavenly
skies to make some sort of sense out of their environment.
Ancient Mayan Calendar
Astronomical
calendars have been in existence for thousands of years. For our ancient
ancestor’s time was measured by the number of Moons that had passed from a
certain period, and by the shadows that the Sun and Moon cast.
There
are “Man made” lunar calendars that some scientists place as old as
32,000 years. Some recent archeological findings are from the Ice Age where
hunters carved notches and gouged holes into sticks, reindeer bones and the
tusks of mammoths, depicting the days between each phase of the Moon. These
artifacts are dated between 25,000 and 10,000 B.C. There are also surviving
astronomical records inscribed on oracle bones dating back to the Shang dynasty
of the fourteenth century B.C. that reveal a Chinese calendar, with
intercalation of lunar months.
The Sun, Moon, planets, and stars
have provided us a reference for measuring the passage of time throughout
history. All cultures before recorded history charted the heavenly skies to
make some sort of sense out of their environment.
Ancient Egyptian Calendar
In
Egypt, the paths of the stars were recorded as early as 6,000 years before
Christ. The wisest of the Egyptians were the Hermetic philosophers, who
possessed a profound knowledge of the sky. They relied upon the predictable
motion of these bodies through the sky to determine the seasons, months, and
years. People began a preoccupation with measuring and recording the passage of
time. There was a need for planning and for divination and prognostication; to
maintain these cycles meant that records needed to be kept and observatories
needed to be built to precisely measure these cycles.
Ancient Chinese Calendar
They
erected various calendars to provide a source of order and cultural identity
and as a need to organize their time more efficiently. As far back as 5,000 to
6,000 years ago civilizations in the Middle East and North Africa also made
primitive clocks in order to divide their time more precisely. Of primary
importance to the Egyptians was the time when the Nile river began its annual
flood tide. This was carefully noted so they knew when to plant and harvest.
All
of their activities, whether for work, rest or play were in harmony with the
flow of “Mother Nature,” the changing of seasons, the rising and
setting of the Sun and Moon and the phases the Moon passed through in a month.
There was a time for everything under the Heavens! The seasons, tides,
eclipses, and phases of the Moon were known to be in direct correlation to the
movement of the Sun, Moon, and Earth.
Clocks
and Calendars traditionally held a sacred status among diversified cultures and
provided the basis for maintaining the cycles of religious and civil events, as
well as for agricultural and hunting purposes. These early calendars are based
on the Moon’s cycles.
Ancient
time keepers were usually Sages, Magi, or astrologer-priests who guarded the
sacred records in their rock temples in India, on their ziggurats in Babylonia
or their stone observatories and pyramids in Egypt. They calculated that a
month was the period the Moon revolved around the Earth, and from this understanding
various Lunar Calendars evolved. Until the time of Julius Caesar, the calendar
was primarily lunar, with various schemes devised to keep step with the cycle
of seasons. When measured in this fashion, lives ebbed and flowed in a 29.53059
day cycle.
Magic. The
Occult, Astrology, Alchemy, Prophecy, Fortune Telling, Spells and Superstition
The Moon
plays a large and complex part in magic and the occult. This is a comprehensive
history of the moon’s importance in the worlds of astrology, alchemy, prophecy
and superstition.
A Brief
History of the Moon and Astrology
The Moon’s
place in the astrological world starts in about 4000 BC with the Sumerians who
worshipped the god of the Sun (Utu), Venus (Inanna) and the Moon (Nanna). Their
rulers came from the priest who communicated with these gods. A special sort of
priest emerged called Banu Priests who could read the signs of the sky. These
priests were predicting natural phenomena, usually an eclipse of the moon.
The moon is
an essential element in the most important text relating to alchemy. That text
is known as the Emerald Tablet:
The Emerald
Tablet drawn by Heinrich Khunrath, 1606
The Emerald
Tablet has several other names: the Smaragdine Tablet, the Tabula Smaragdine
and the Secret of Hermes. It is an ancient text said to have been produced by
the Egyptian moon god Thoth, who is also referred to as Hermes Trismegistus.
The short and highly cryptic piece of writing claims to describe the secrets of
the primordial substance and how it can be harnessed. The tablet’s meaning is
very obscure. It seems to state that all things come from some primal source of
which the sun is the father and the moon is the mother:
‘Its father
is the Sun, its mother the Moon, the wind carried it in its belly and its nurse
is the earth.’
The Ancient Egyptians worshipped her as the Mother of the Universe, and in Central Asia, sheis the Goddess’s mirror, reflecting everything in the World.
In the Basque language, “Moon” and “Deity” are the same word – Ilargi, Ile or Ilazki. In Basque mythology, she is the
daughter of Mother Earth, to whom it returns daily..
Britain’s old name is ‘Albion’, meaning “the Milk-White Moon
Goddess.”
To the Persians, the Moon was ‘Metra’ – “Mother, whose love
penetrates everywhere.”
The Vedas, sacred texts for Hindus, say that the Moon is a
receptacle of souls between incarnations.
The Catholic Church’s Mary is closely associated with the Moon.
Early paintings depict her standing on a crescent Moon.
It is unlikely that any civilization, ancient and modern, has
not been influenced in some way by the Moon’s magic.
Outside of religion and spiritual beliefs, a rich folklore about
the Moon developed among common people in Europe. It was believed that:
At the moment you see a new Moon, jingle coins in your
pocket. This is a sure way to multiply your fortune as the Moon waxes.
Never start a project during the waning Moon, it will not be
successful.
A woman who sleeps in the Moonlight increases her fertility.
The New Moon is good luck but should never be looked at through
glass or tree branches.
After seeing the Moon for the first time in a new year, ask a
question of the first person you see. If the answer is “yes,” you will marry
your love.
A pregnant woman should never face the Moon; her child will be
born with mental problems. To stop this, she must turn in a counterclockwise
circle three times and spit.
Seems a
bit fantastical, but Folklore and Superstition are quite often that way.
Gypsy Moon Lore
The word lunatic comes from the Latin ‘Luna’, and it was
believed that people were more likely to exhibit aberrant, crazy behavior
during a full moon. Studies have been done which show that emergency room
visits and accidents are increased during the full moon period, but there has
yet to be conclusive evidence for the cause
Folk magic involving the Moon could fill pages and pages. How
much of this is based on real magic and how much is mere superstition?
Surprisingly, a lot of Moon lore and magic holds true power. One “superstition”
about the Moon is that emotions become unstable during the full and new Moons.
The Moon has been credited with lunacy for centuries. Paracelus, a 14th century
alchemist and physician, claimed that insanity grew worse during the dark of
the Moon. Before 1808, some mental hospitals routinely had patients beaten
during certain lunar phases. This was to prevent outbursts of lunacy..
The moon
seems to have an effect on animals as well as people. Dr. Frank Brown of
Northwestern University, an expert on animal behavior, reports that hamsters
spin in their wheels far more aggressively during the moon’s full phase. Deer
and other herbivores in the wild tend to ovulate at the full moon, and in
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, the full moon is mating time for coral.
The
Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson, was
inspired by the strange – and yet very true – case of Charles Hyde, a London
man who committed a series of crimes at the time of the full moon.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde DeviantArt
A British
legend says that if Christmas fell on the day of a dark Moon, the following
year’s harvest would be a bountiful one. Some parts of the British Isles
believed that a waxing moon on Christmas meant a good crop the next fall, but a
waning moon indicated a bad one would come.
From a
folklore standpoint, many traditions of weather magic indicate that a lunar
halo means rain, snow, or other types of foul atmospheric conditions are on the
way. Related to the lunar halo is the phenomenon called a moonbow. Interestingly,
because of the way light refracts, a moonbow – which is just like a rainbow,
but appearing at night – will only be seen in the part of the sky opposite of
where the moon is visible.
Other
Lunar Superstitions
• The first time you see a crescent moon for
the month, take all your spare coins out of your pocket, and put them in the
other pocket. This will ensure good luck for the next month.
• Some people believe that the fifth day
after a full moon is the perfect time to try to conceive a child.
• Many cultures throughout history have
honored lunar deities, including Artemis, Selene, and Thoth.
• In some Chinese religions, offerings are
made to the ancestors on the night of a full moon.
• In some Native American legends, the moon
is held captive by a hostile tribe. A pair of antelope hope to rescue the moon
and take it the village of a good tribe, but Coyote, the trickster, interferes.
The antelope chase Coyote, who tosses the moon into a river each night, just
out of reach of the antelope.
• The night of the full moon is believed to
be a good time for divination and scrying.
“The new and first-quarter phases, known
as the light of the Moon, are considered good for planting above-ground crops,
putting down sod, grafting trees, and transplanting. From full Moon
through the last quarter, or the dark of the Moon, is the best time for killing
weeds, thinning, pruning, mowing, cutting timber, and planting
below-ground crops.”
Most every farmer knows that roots are supposed to grow best
when planted during the dark of the Moon, and plants with edible parts above
ground grow better when planted in the waxing Moon. A quick search in the
internet will bring hundreds of sites on planting by the Moon. Many
farmers—commercial and backyard —swear by the Moon method
Many pre-Christian lunar worship rites and rituals have carried
over into modern times. These have long lost their original meanings but are
nevertheless still practiced. The use of birthday candles and cakes is a good
example. This tradition comes to us from the ancient Greeks. To honor the
birthday of Artemis, goddess of the Moon, lunar-shaped cakes with candles were
placed on her altar. Blowing out the candles and making a wish is a remnant of
prayers offered to Artemis
Weather and the Moon
The Moon’s role in weather patterns has some interesting folk
magic. When the crescent Moon lies on its back, with horns up, a drought is
thought to be inevitable. When it is vertical, like the letter “C,” rain is on
its way. A long drought is expected if the Moon hovers low on the southern
horizon. A ring around the Moon is supposed to bring heavy rain or snow.
Counting the number of stars in the ring tells how far away the storm is. No
stars bring the storm within a day.
These
indications may seem like superstition, but the Moon does affect weather.
During its waxing phase, the Moon affects the earth’s magnetic field and may
trigger thunderstorms. Reports from over 1500 weather stations during a 50 year
period show heavy rainfall occurs more often in North America during the 2nd,
and 4th quarters of the lunar cycle than during the other phases
At the site, History.com, there is a great
article that looks at even more obscure and less mainstreem myths,
including the ideas that aliens inhabit the moon, that the moon is actually a
hollow spacecraft, or that there was a secret Nazi base there during World War
II.
Fear of the Moon
Moon Demon
People of ancient times often feared the moon. The Aleutians
thought that if anyone offended the Moon, it would fling stones down at the
offender and kill him. The Hakkas believed that, if on the 15th day of the 8th
month, clouds covered the moon before midnight, oil and salt would soon be
scarce. The Chaldeans, close observers of eclipses, believed that when the Moon
was obscured, she had turned her back on earth. Many Native American’s believed
that eclipses were caused by a serpent swallowing the Moon. Hindus explained an
eclipse by describing a giant who grabbed the luminaries and tried to eat them.
The Chinese had a similar belief, but a dragon instead of a giant grabbed the
Moon for a tasty meal.
Some ancient peoples tried to help the Moon escape the monster’s
clutches by shouting and making loud noises with musical instruments. This
would supposedly frighten the beast away. And since the Moon always reappeared,
they naturally believed their din had indeed frightened the monster and saved
the Moon.
Moon Magic
For many Pagans, the cycles of the moon are
important to magical workings. It’s believed in some traditions that the waxing
moon, the full moon, the waning moon and the new moon all have their own
special magical properties, and so workings
should be planned accordingly.
The full moon has long had an aura of mystery and magic about it. It is tied to the ebbs and flows of the tide, as well as the every-changing cycle of women’s bodies. The moon is connected to our wisdom and intuition, and many Pagans and Wiccans choose to celebrate the full moon with a monthly ritual.
If you’re starting your path to become a Witch, one key element
that can determine your success when casting spells at home is your ability to
keep track of the moon phases and work with them to improve your ritual Magic.
The first thing is to be aware of what the Moon phase is today.
Today, September 8th, 2019, has a First Quarter
Moon/Moon in Capricorn
Light
some incense to help you set the mood. The best aromas for tonight are: Musk, Frankincense, Lemon, or Citrus.
As the
Moon is passing through Capricorn, invite Her energies with this chant:
“Thank
you, Dear Moon, for uniting me to the stability and practicality of the Goat.
Just like her, I am ambitious
and determined to achieve my goals”.
Take a
piece of paper. Write in clear letters your deepest wish. Don’t overthink.
Instead, just start writing. Visualize your idea of a perfect future and write
it down in the present tense. The First Quarter Moon is a time of abundance and
growth, so think BIG! Be clear and precise, whether it’s a love request, a
money target, or just a dream to work towards.
Light a white candle on your altar. Place it
next to your petition and leave it there.
Place on
your altar any crystals that you would like to charge with the energies of
tonight. Especially sensitive gemstones for a Sunday are: Amber, Carnelian, Diamond, Tiger’s Eye Quartz.
Meditate for a while. Then take the paper and paste it in your
diary, Book of Shadows, or hide it in a secret place.
Drawing down the Moon (also known as drawing down the
Goddess) is a central ritual in many contemporary Wiccan traditions. During the
ritual, a coven’s High Priestess enters a trance and requests that the Goddess
or Triple Goddess, symbolized by the Moon, enter her body and speak through
her. The High Priestess may be aided by the High Priest, who invokes the spirit
of the Goddess. During her trance, the Goddess speaks through the High
Priestess.
History
The name most likely comes from a depiction of two women
and the moon on an ancient Greek vase, believed to date from the second century
BCE.
It could also come from line 145 of Claudian’s First Book
Against Rufinus. Megaera, one of the Erinyes, in the guise of an old man,
speaks to Rufinus:
Despise not an old man’s feeble limbs: I have the gift of
magic and the fire of prophecy is within me. I have learned the incantations
wherewith Thessalian witches pull down the bright moon, I know the meaning of
the wise Egyptians’ runes, the art whereby the Chaldeans impose their will upon
the subject gods, the various saps that flow within trees and the power of
deadly herbs; all those that grow on Caucasus rich in poisonous plants, or, to
man’s bane, clothe the crags of Scythia; herbs such as cruel Medea gathered and
curious Circe.
In classical times, ancient Thessalian witches were
believed to control the moon, according to the tract: “If I command the
moon, it will come down; and if I wish to withhold the day, night will linger
over my head; and again, if I wish to embark on the sea, I need no ship, and if
I wish to fly through the air, I am free from my weight.”
Circe changing Picus into a bird
The drawing down of the moon derives from the Vangelo. In
this a poem defining the drawing down of the moon is written and this has been
used as the basis for the drawing down of the moon by various Wiccan groups.
The practice forms part of both Gardnerian and Cochranian rites. The practice
is also reference in Reginald Scot’s “The Discoverie of Witchcraft”.
The modern form likely originated in Gardnerian Wicca,
and is considered a central element of Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wiccan
ceremonies. During the modern rite, the High Priestess may recite the Charge of
the Goddess, a text based in a mixture of writings by Gerald Gardner and
Aleister Crowley, though now often used in its recension by Doreen Valiente,
High Priestess in the Gardnerian tradition.
Mel D. Faber explains the ritual in psychoanalytical
terms of attempting to re-unite with the protective-mother archetype.
In modern traditions, some solitary Wiccans also perform
the ritual, usually within a circle and performed under the light of a full
Moon. The solitary will stand in the Goddess Pose (both arms held high, palms
up, body and arms forming a ‘Y’) and recite a charge, or chant.
The ritual in print:
“Drawing Down the Moon” is also the title of a book by
National Public Radio reporter, Margot Adler— Drawing Down the Moon: Witches,
Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today—originally
published in 1979. Adler writes:
…in this ritual, one of the most serious and beautiful
in the modern Craft, the priest invokes into the priestess (or, depending on
your point of view, she evokes from within herself) the Goddess or Triple
Goddess, symbolized by the phases of the moon. She is known by a thousand
names, and among them were those I had used as a child. In some Craft rituals
the priestess goes into a trance and speaks; in other traditions the ritual is
a more formal dramatic dialogue, often of intense beauty, in which, again, the
priestess speaks, taking the role of the Goddess. In both instances, the
priestess functions as the Goddess incarnate, within the circle.
So, the more attuned one is with the Moon,
the more easily Life and it’s surrounding circumstances can flow.
I’m going to stop here. What was supposed to be a short article
has turned into a 4000+ word essay.
Upcoming Sabbat: Mabon
the autumnal equinox in the Northern
Hemisphere, the point after which the nights become longer than the days, as
the North Pole tilts away from the sun. … In pagan mythology, the equinox is called
Mabon, or Second Harvest. It is a time to give thanks for the summer and to
pay tribute to the coming darkness.
I want to wish you Luck in your Magickal pursuits. I hope you found this interesting and helpful. I know I did.
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