April New Moon

On the Celtic Tree Calendar this is the Alder Moon and a time of Spring Cleaning, and purification.

Like the Sabbats, this is less about writing the ritual and more about what sets the ritual apart. For the Esbat title the page.

The Alder moon  is a period that includes the Spring Equinox. Falling at the start of spring, this period symbolizes the reawakening of the Earth Mother’s fertility. Alder is a tree that can make one drunk with its lore. The Alder is a tree that supports and protects physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Its associations with both weapons and shields reminded the ancient Celts that part of the skill of the warrior lies in knowing when to take up the sword and when to take up the shield. Although an alder shield will protect you and give you courage and an alder-forged weapon will help you defend yourself, ultimately the most important aspect of the warrior is his or her intent. This is the key to success or failure. They alder reminds us of the need to blend strength and courage with generosity of spirit and compassion. There is a time to challenge things and a time to hold our peace. The alder teaches us this discrimination and the need to see beneath the surface of things. It combines the desire for self-preservation with the desire to serve and emphasizes the need for a firm foundation to stand on. The Celts referred to this month as Fearn.
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Alder is mentioned in the Welsh tale "The Battle of Trees" as having been on the front lines, Associated with the God Bran and interestingly enough when cut this pale wood slowly turns red as though bleeding.


The Alder Moon is associated with A master of the Isle of Britain, a cauldron-God, associated with a cauldron of regeneration which would revive the slain while leaving them voiceless. His cauldron destroyed, he was mortally wounded in a war to rescue his sister Branwen, he instructed his adherents to decapitate him, after many travels, bear the head to London and bury it (the site of the modern Tower of London.) where it would become a defense and a protection to the whole Isle.
"If the Tower of London ravens are lost or fly away, the Crown will fall and Britain with it.".
As a time for purification, burn all old Magical Implements that may no longer be used. (Candle leavings, herbs well past their use, unlabeled incense.. etc) 


Talismans

Alder wood talismans provide strength to the words of the Witch. The wood provides the authority of her verbal skills and strengthens spell casting.

Take a naturally hewn  (Wind broken, not touched by blade) piece of Alder and drill it for stringing on a cord.


Ceremony of the Raven

Work within the ways of the partner totem of this night. The Raven. Raven magick is a powerful and can give you the courage to enter the darkness of the void, which is the home of all that has not yet taken a form. The void is called the Great Mystery. Great Mystery existed before all things came into being. The Gods/Great Spirit live in the void and emerge from the Great Mystery. Raven is a messenger of the void.

In your circle, position a black mirror and a single candle, visualize the Ravens wings closed around your torso and allow your eyes to unfocussed on the mirror.

"I am the Voice of the Raven Upon the Wind. My harsh cry echoes long upon the Earth and Air: Nothing is forever. Not life, not love, not death, nor loss. Only change is eternal, and only in destruction can the seed of creation form. My wings bear me between Darkness and Light, Land and Sky, the Garden and the Wildwood. I perch upon the Threshold of the Worlds, both flesh and spirit, gifting the Brave Seeker with the Visions and Magic of the Otherworld. To face me is to face your greatest terror, the Shadow of yourself, the unknown and dangerous. In chancing destruction, your fear loses its power to destroy. For only in acceptance of mortality will you learn the Secrets of Immortality as I, the Raven, possess. "

Tilt your head back and light your smudge stick on the candle. As it smokes and smoulders walk the circle:

"Mother Earth, Fire, Wind, Water and Spirit; I ask thee to Cleanse my home of all negative energies."

Walk the circle again:

"Mother Earth, Fire, Wind, Water and Spirit; I ask the to Free and heal my body from all negative forces."

Walk the circle a third time and while doing slowly speak your spell if you have magick that needs working. If not:

"Smoke that rises take away
Negative energy—
These thoughts can’t stay.
Anger, misery,
Worry and doubt,
Smoke, please carry them
Out, out, out!"

Extinguish the lone candle, and dispose of the smudge.

Throughout time and many cultures and traditions, Raven has carried magick. It is sacred, in the medicine ways of the Native Tribes, to honor Raven as the bringer of magick. If the magick is bad medicine, the carrier may be honored out of fear rather than respect. Those who fear Raven may do so because they have been dabbling in areas which they had no knowledge, and a spell may have backfired on them. Rather than analyzing the dark side of sorcery, realize that you will fear Raven only if you need to learn about your inner fears or self created demons.

In Native teachings the color black means many things, but it does not mean evil. Black can mean the seeking of answers, the void, or the road of the spiritual or nonphysical. The blue-black Raven contains an iridescence that speaks of the magick of darkness, and a changeability of form and shape that brings an awakening in the process.

Raven is the guardian of ceremonial magick and in absentia-healing. In any healing circle, Raven is present. Raven guides the magick of healing and the change in consciousness that will bring about a new state of wellness from the Void of Great Mystery and the field of plenty.

Raven is the messenger that carries all energy flows of ceremonial magick between the ceremony itself and the intended destination. For instance, if a ceremony is being performed to send energy to a disaster area where people need courage and strength, Raven would be the courier for that energy flow. The intention could be to allow the people of the devastated area to feel the concern and support of the participants of the ceremony.

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