September Full Moon

~ Originally posted as a copy of the July Full Moon

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Actually called "The Singing Moon" Now, after the seasonal harvests are complete comes a time for acceptance, mellowing, and rest after labor. Many believe this moon to possess great magickal powers, and numerous superstitions are connected with it.

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

This is September, we have had our first autumn rains blanket us in relief of the summer heat, the bleached greens and ambers are becoming crimson and brilliant gold before fading to rust. A time when we retreat to well loved past times and out dearest and oldest friends.

The Singing Moon is a time of protection, prosperity, and abundance. This is the time of year when the grains are being harvested, and it is a good time for magick involving your prosperity, abundance, and the nurturing of others. If you have had a long illness, this is the time to finally come back to full health again. This is also the time to obtain that higher paying position at work. The energy of the Harvest Moon will help along any magick that is geared to bring you or someone else abundance. The power that has been filling your batteries is ready for some direction.


Corn Dolly
Many preserve the Corn Dolly Tradition as a Lughnasadh activity. To me it makes more sense to create you Dolly under the magick of the Singing Moon. The corn dolly really represents the spirit of the harvest. Many witches use corn dollies in spell work they make exceptional Poppets when done right, made on the moon, kept on your altar and then burned or tossed in open water during the Ice Moon or.at Imbolc.

Be careful when splitting, buying, or bind the corn stalks. The corn stalks are pretty sturdy but can easily rip with excessive or rough handling.

You will need:
two small bunches of corn stalks
green/yellow strips of  wool or cotton
a grape vine

1)Take one bunch of the corn stalks and with the yellow cotton strips, bind the stalks just below the top and tie them tightly.

2)Around a half inch to and inch below your first knot, do the same.

3)Split the bundle into four strands. This will make the arms and body for your corn dolly. The middle two will become the body and the outer two strands will become the arms.
4) Bend the stalks that make your corn dolly’s arms and bind carefully with the yellow cotton strip.
5) Take a longer strip of cotton and tie it around the neck of your corn dolly. Bind the body pieces together and crisscross the yellow cotton strips around the body. The body should be around 4 inches in length. Take the green cotton strips and tie it around the base of your corn dolly’s middle and body section.

6) Split the bottom of your dolly to form the legs, just as you formed the arms. Bind with the green cotton.
7) Ask for blessing for your corn dolly. You should ask an agricultural deity. You might say: God of plenty, bless now this image of your fertility.
8) Decorate with the grape vines, other greenery and the ribbons that represent your celebration or festival.


To make the corn dolly representative of a female deity just leave the bottom section to free so that it looks like a dress or skirt.

September New Moon

~Personal Note this was mis-posted as the Alder Moon (April) which I was using as a template, again posted automatically while I was having issues with Blogger. Edited with corrections.

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On the Celtic Tree Calendar this is the Hazel Moon and a time of manifestation and Spirit Contact.

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 Hazel moon is a period that leads up to and often includes the Autumn Equinox. Falling at the end of summer, this is the best time of year to focus on gaining wisdom and absorbing knowledge. The hazel might be said to be the quintessential Celtic tree because of its legendary position at the heart of the Otherworld the embodiment of spiritual change or crossroads. As might be expected from their legendary reputation for bestowing prophetic powers, hazels have been used for divination throughout the centuries. Druidic wands were made from the wood, and it has always been the preferred wood for water divining and dowsing. Hazel Lore is a steady lesson on how all things are connected. The alder teaches us the price and value of knowledge hard won. The Celts referred to this month as Coll.
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Hazel is mentioned in the Welsh tale "The Battle of Trees" as having been at the back, associated with Cerridwen and her Cauldron, a guiding hand or strategist.

The Hazel Moon is associated with the story of Mabon in the Song of Taliesin, the journey all begins with the Hazelnut falling into the Cauldron.

Use this time to start on a journey or craft ritual tools.


The Wand

Hazel wood is excellent for making all purpose magickal wands. Wands made of this wood symbolize white magick and healing.

Take a naturally hewn branch (Wind broken, not touched by blade) of Hazel, you may or may not choose to strip the bark, if you strip the bark sand it smooth. As a note I brand all my tools, so using a wood burner mark the hilt with the Kenaz Rune or other symbol of power.

Kenaz: (K: Beacon or torch.) Vision, revelation, knowledge, creativity, inspiration, technical ability. Vital fire of life, harnessed power, fire of transformation and regeneration. Power to create your own reality, the power of light. Open to new strength, energy, and power now. Passion, sexual love. Kenaz Reversed or Merkstave: Disease, breakup, instability, lack of creativity. Nakedness, exposure, loss of illusion and false hope.

If your path doesn't make use of runes (I am a Scottish American with Pictish ancestry and a bit of Sweden/Belgium) then you may omit this or use another similar symbol of your path. Set the wand with a crystal if you like.

Combine, 1 tbsp base oil, 1/4 tsp melted beeswax, three drops of your own blood and a drop of lemon essential oil, when cooled it will look vaguely like vasoline. Massage into your wand while visually the wands purpose in the most dramatic fashion you can.

If you want to at this point you can wrap the hilt (yes even if it obscures Kenaz, you know its there.)

Mabon

~Personal Note~ I was having problems accessing my Blogger account so this originally posted as Lughnasadh again, this is because I copied and pasted it in order to schedule the post, that I might edit it from my smartphone. Please forgive me it has been edited and fixed, albeit two months after it posted.

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Mabon, the Autumn Equinox.

September 21st, It is the time of the autumn equinox, and the harvest is winding down. The fields are nearly empty, because the crops have been plucked and stored for the coming winter. Mabon is the mid-harvest festival, and it is when we take a few moments to honor the changing seasons, and celebrate the second harvest. For many traditions it is a time of giving thanks for the things we have, whether it is abundant crops or other blessings.

As a spiritual holiday, Mabon represents the balance between light and dark, a thresh-hold holiday, personifying "A time that is not a time." In a more practical aspect it is a time to give thanks for the harvest that there is enough to carry your family through the dark months of winter. It is customary to give an offering to the earth that the next harvest be plentiful.

Title the page, you can write it in English or Witches Alphabet. Mabon or Autumn Equinox. Whichever you prefer.

To start this page, draw a bundle of wheat.

We are not writing a Ritual, some things should be taught and not written down. But if you choose you can record a ritual after the rest.

For detailed information read here.

First and Foremost it is a feast and celebration


Make notes on your Altar, herbs you use. Deities.Incense recipe or Anointing oil.

For me the strongest connections to marigold, sage and nuts. But that won't be the same for everyone. Put some thought into it. Here is another post that is a great reference.