Blessing Moon

July's full moon is often referred to as the Blessing Moon and it  falls within the season of our early harvests. For this, along with the symbolic harvests within our lives, we count our blessings at this time. 

Back in March, I wrote about the Storm Moon which marked the perfect time of year for inviting new influences into one's life: I particularly focussed my ritual on reaffirming my desire to make more time for a return to the creative practices of  illustration and writing. 

Hopefully these little delvings into my sketch book will show that towards tonight's Blessing Moon I will be directing thanks for the inspiration and guidance to make this seed of intention come into fruition.

We also sometimes refer to July's full moon as the Meadow Moon or 'Wort' Moon. The word 'wort' comes from the Old English 'wyrt' meaning 'plant' and is most frequently associated with herbs. 

This time of year is perfect for harvesting herbs. They have been growing in abundance over the past few months and those which flower are likely to have done so already.

Designing a ritual today around the gathering of herbs would be the perfect way to celebrate and channel the energy of July's full moon. Those which you harvest can be dried and will hopefully last through the winter.

As this year's July moon falls in Aquarius, it is heavily influenced by the Aquarian attributes of innovation, inspiration and the expanding of the mind. If you have not yet learned the healing and culinary properties of the herbs you are gathering, you could begin doing so today, making a note of what you learn. Many garden herbs make nourishing teas, so perhaps you could experiment with some infusions, and begin keeping a journal of the flavours and qualities of each. 

However you choose to spend your days and evenings, full moon blessings go to all of you.

Pagan Enough?

Stumbling around the web, I have come across various sites hosted by pagans, many of which have contained manifesto-like posts stating what they feel is the most 'pagan' way to live one's life. Many of these sites caused me to question my own beliefs and practices.

For a long while I referred to myself as a 'hedgewitch', only to discover an increasing number of people out there in the ether making (often totally contradictory) statements about what a 'hedgewitch' must be/use/do/believe. Feeling like this no longer fitted with my practices and pathway, I dug deep within my psyche to consider where and with what my pagan practice is most comfortable. It was at this point that I realised the hearth, garden and home are my places of magick.

Simplicity and spirituality marry well for me: it is in the practicality of cooking, growing and tending herbs, watching the sunrise, lighting a candle or taking a bath that I find my moments of magick and they are about the least ritualised (and more often than not, most shambolic) instances I can imagine.

There have been moments on my path when people have stated how they feel a pagan should practise and it has caused me to feel insecure about my own ways. Yet, ironically, I have referred to myself as pagan or 'a witch' largely because of my belief that these terms encompass acceptance, tolerance of others and a life lived in harmony with the Earth and its seasons. If there was one 'tenet' I value above all others it is that the type of energy I put out into the world reflects the type of energy I will get back.

Whether you call this karma, the threefold law of return or 'doing unto others as you wish to be done by' the virtue at the heart of these professed belief systems is the same: tolerance. How is it, then, that pagans everywhere are not only criticising people of other religions; they are criticising people who share very similar beliefs and pathways? It seems incredulous to me.

And I am not alone in my concerns. While browsing through blogland, I came across Project Pagan Enough over at Inciting A Riot.

I encourage all of you to stop by for a visit - whether you are pagan or non-pagan - as I feel it is an all-encompassing issue. Whatever your beliefs, whatever your practices, my humble two-pennies worth would be that you should be true to yourself. Don't define yourself by another person's ideals and do not feel discouraged if they show intolerance of your beliefs. Know yourself: if you feel 'pagan' is what you are, you are pagan enough.

Confusion and awe

Me:        I.JUST.DON’T.UNDERSTAND

Him:      Understand what?

Me:        How DO they make them smell so real?

Him:      What?

Me:        Yankee Candles.

Him:      Oh, well they will have specialists in perfumery who work out all  the elements that create the smell and simulate it.

Me:        But this smells like ACTUAL cut roses.

Him:      Right. Well that’s how they do it.

Me:        But it smells nothing like anything ‘rose’ I’ve ever smelt. It’s too                authentic. ACTUAL CUT ROSES.

Him:      It probably doesn’t have anything ‘rose’ in it. It’s a synthetic                      smell.

Me:        ACTUAL CUT ROSES!

(One of my work colleagues was today exclaiming the same surprise at this candle’s authenticity of aroma. As far as I’m concerned it must be voodoo trickery. And probably a whole host of flower-bearing sprites.) 

Imbolc

It has been a funny old week. Change is afoot in my department at school, with new appointments being made and colleagues moving on. Unsettling as this may be, I have found myself taking a strange kind of reassurance from it; ironically it has reminded me that one thing we can be sure of is change itself.

At exactly this time last year, I took a giant leap towards changing my own life.  It was at the beginning of February that I applied for and was given my current job. Having begun planting and putting down the roots of my teacher training during the previous autumn, it was with the first signs of spring that I began to see the results and the pathway I was about to take began unravelling before me.

It comes as little surprise to me now that this time of year often brings new growth and development. As the seasons change, the light increases and the earth warms, we find ourselves waking up and taking our first steps towards the year’s goals.

It is this awakening that I celebrate at Imbolc – the midpoint between winter and spring. ‘Imbolc’ originates from the Celtic ‘Oimelc’ (‘ewe’s milk’); the festival which falls on February 1^st or 2^nd is so named because the life-giving flow of milk heralds the return of spring. This sabbat is in honour of Brigid, goddess of the hearth and bringer of fire to warm the frozen earth. 

Having no open fire in my cottage, this year I saw fit to create a symbolic hearth to which I could invite Brigid. This was a simple ritual, using materials I could gather from around the home and hedgerow.

Firstly, I chose the point in my home which I feel is its centre. The living area downstairs is actually the lowest point in the cottage and feels closest to the earth; this is where we naturally gravitate towards for comfort and relaxation.

I then filled the space with white candles, to represent the coming light. On a small table in the space, I placed a red pillar candle, which would represent the flames of fire and surrounded it with stones gathered over the years, to represent the hearth.

Now, I rarely cast a formal circle but as this was the first time I had called upon Brigid and the first time I had used this particular space for magick, I thought it would be appropriate. Previously I had used the wind vane in the farmyard to check my directions, however we have since discovered it is out of sync so my partner insists on checking North on his iPhone compass. Granted, this is not the most traditional method but it definitely comes under the heading of ‘practical magick’.

In spite of this preparation, however, my first attempt to cast a circle in a long while was not without its hiccups.  I really hope I’m not alone in being over the age of eight and still having to think hard about which is East and which is West. Not the best trait in a witch.  Having apologised to the elemental guardians and rearranged my incense and my water goblet, we could finally begin.

The ritual was a simple one; I asked Brigid to bless our home and hearth with her warmth and light and thanked her for the return of Spring. I then cast a small spell for a positive attitude and the creation of happy memories as the year unfolds. Finally, we gathered around our ‘hearth’ and ate a traditional Imbolc feast of roast lamb.

Later in the evening, long after it had gone dark, we used our hearth flame to light the candle of our lantern, which we took for a walk down to the nearby river. Placing an incense stick in the earth on the riverbank and with our lantern aglow, we had the four elements surrounding us once more. As cold as the night was, there was a warmth in that moment: one beautiful memory already created.

To warm the heart and ease the mind

This is a beautiful spell that was passed on to me by a hedgewitch friend at a particularly sad time in my life. It helped me re-energise with positivity and has since become a favourite ‘treat’ when I’m feeling low.  I send it into the ether now, with love and light, for anyone who may so need.

Firstly, cleanse your bathroom, ensuring the space is free from clutter or items which may distract you. The aim of this ritual is to focus on yourself which means mobile phones and so on should be banished from the area.

• Around your bathroom, light purple or pink candles. Place them safely so that they cast pools of light on the water when you fill the bath.
• Let the water run to fill the bath, then turn off the taps.
• Add five drops of rose essential oil and five of ylang ylang, dropping them into the pools of light. *
• Place a rose quartz or amethyst crystal into the water to strengthen self-love and approval.
• Lie in the water and swirl the light pools in turn, making a clear affirmation for each one. For example, ‘I exist, I am unique, I am of worth, I have many gifts (name them), I value myself, I love myself, I am complete in myself, I treasure what I have and what I am’.
• Continue to swirl the light, visualising it flowing within you, making you a body of light and loveliness.
• Finally, make a wish for yourself in each light pool.
• When you are ready, stand up and step out of the water. Take out the plug, saying:

Doubts and sorrow, flow from me, what I wish, I can be.

• Look at yourself in the mirror framed by light and you will see how your inner radiance creates true beauty that cannot fade.
• Carry the candles into your bedroom or living room and spend the evening reading a special book, listening to music, or just dreaming of happy tomorrows as you gaze into the light.

 * While rose essential oil can be added to the bath water unblended, some people experience sensitivity to ylang-ylang and so may wish to blend the oil in a carrier such as sweet almond beforehand.