Category: Articles

Lammas / Lughnasadh Traditions

Lammas/Lugnasadh Comments

Lammas / Lughnasadh Traditions

At Lammas, sometimes called Lughnasadh, it’s time to celebrate the first harvest of the year, and recognize that the hot summer days will soon come to an end. Celebrated July 31st – August 1st, the plants of spring are withering and dropping their seeds to ensure future crops. Grains are ready to be harvested and the fruits are ripe for picking.

As autumn begins, the Celtic Sun God enters his old age, but is not yet dead. The God symbolically loses some of his strength as the Sun rises farther in the South each day and the nights grow longer.
The Christian religion adopted this theme and called it ‘Lammas ‘, meaning ‘loaf-mass’, a time when newly baked loaves of bread are placed on the altar. An alternative date around August 5 (Old Lammas), when the sun reaches 15 degrees Leo, is sometimes used by Covens.

 
Source:
Wiccan & Pagan Holidays: An Easy Beginner’s Guide to Celebrating Sabbats and Esbats (Living Wicca Today Book 1)
Kardia Zoe

 

Lughnasadh Ritual Tools, Symbols, and Decorations

Lammas/Lugnasadh Comments
Lughnasadh Ritual Tools, Symbols, and Decorations

 

Altar Decorations: Gold or yellow altar cloth; gold altar candles; four ears of corn, each tied with a yellow and orange ribbon; small basket of fruit; gold-colored pillar candle; chalice covered with a yellow cloth; red and white wine; cornbread or ritual cakes.

Symbols: Corn; bread and all baked goods; the pentacle; the hearth, broom, and things connected with the home; baskets filled with corn and fresh vegetables; gift baskets filled with fresh baked goods and tied with gold ribbons; dried corn husks for making corn dollies.

Legends and Lore of Lammas (Lughnasadh)

Lammas/Lugnasadh Comments

Legends and Lore of Lammas

(Lughnasadh)

In many cultures, there are different legends and lore surrounding Lammas (Lughnasadh). Here are a few of the stories about this magical harvest celebration from around the world.

In Israel, the festival of Shavout commemorates the beginning of the harvest, as well as honoring the date that Moses received the Torah on Mt. Sinai. The final sheaf of wheat is brought to the rabbi for a blessing, synagogues and homes are decorated with flower, and a great feast is prepared for all to enjoy.

The festival of Onam is celebrated in India, and people dress up in their finest clothes and give food to the poor. Onam is celebrated in honor of King Mahabali, who was a ruler of Kerala. In one story, the god Vishnu approached Mahabali dressed as a beggar, and asked for land, which Mahabali gave him. Mahabli ended up buried under the earth by Vishnu, but was allowed to return once a year, symbolizing the planting of the seed and the subsequent harvest.

Thor’s wife, Sif, had beautiful golden hair, until Loki the prankster cut it off. Thor was so upset he wanted to kill Loki, but some dwarves spun new hair for Sif, which grew magically as soon as it touched her head. The hair of Sif is associated with the harvest, and the golden grain that grows every year.

In the Shetland Islands, farmers believed that grain harvesting should only take place during a waning moon. They also believed this about the fall potato crop, and the cutting of peat.

At Lughnasadh, calves are weaned, and the first fruits are ripe, such as apples and grapes. In some Irish counties, it was believed farmers had to wait until Lughnasadh to start picking these fruits, or bad luck would befall the community.

In some countries, Lammas is a time for warrior games and mock battles. This may hearken back to the days when a harvest festival was held, and people would come from miles around to get together. What better way for young men to show off their strength and impress the girls than by whacking away at all the competition? Games and contests are also held in honor of Lugh, the mighty Celtic craftsman god, in which artisans offer up their finest work.

It’s become a custom to give people the gift of a pair of gloves at Lammastide. In part, it’s because winter is just around the corner, but it’s also related to an old tradition in which landowners gave their tenants a pair of gloves after the harvest. The glove is a symbol of authority and benevolence.
Source:
By Patti Wigington, Pagan and Wicca Expert
Article found on & owned by About.com

About Lammas

Lammas/Lugnasadh Comments

About Lammas

a guide to the Sabbat’s symbolism

by Arwynn MacFeylynnd

Date: August 1 or 2.

Alternative names: Lughnassadh, Lammastide, August Eve, Harvest Home, Ceresalia (Roman, in honor of the grain goddess Ceres), First Fruits, Festival of Green Corn (Native American), Feast of Cardenas, Cornucopia (Strega), Thingtide and Elembiuos. Lammas, an Anglo-Saxon word, means “loaf mass.” Lughnassadh is named for the Irish sun god Lugh (pronounced Loo), and variant spellings are Lughnasadh, Lughnasad, Lughnassad, Lughnasa and Lunasa.

Primary meanings: This festival has two aspects. First, it is one of the Celtic fire festivals, honoring the Celtic culture-bringer Lugh (Lleu to the Welsh, Lugus to the Gauls). In Ireland, races and games were held in his name and that of his mother, Tailtiu (these may have been funeral games). Second, the holiday is the Saxon Feast of Bread, at which the first of the grain harvest is consumed in ritual loaves. These aspects are not too dissimilar, as the shamanic death and transformation of Lleu can be compared to that of the Barley God, known from the folksong “John Barleycorn.”

Lammas celebrates the first of three harvest celebrations in the Craft. It marks the beginning of autumn, the start of the harvest cycle, and relies on the early crops of ripening grain and any fruits and vegetables ready to be harvested. It is associated with bread because grain is one of the first crops harvested. Those in the Craft often give thanks and honor now to gods and goddesses of the harvest, as well as those who represent death and resurrection.

Symbols: All grains, especially corn and wheat, corn dollies, sun wheels, bread, harvesting and threshing tools and the harvest full moon. Altar decorations might include corn dollies or kirn babies (corncob dolls) to symbolize the Mother Goddess of the Harvest. Other appropriate decorations include summer flowers and grains. You might also wish to have a loaf of whole cracked wheat or multigrain bread upon the altar, baked in the shape of the sun.

Colors: Red, orange, gold, yellow, citrine, green, grey and light brown.

Gemstones: Yellow diamonds, aventurine, sardonyx, peridot and citrine.

Herbs: Acacia flowers, aloes, chamomile, cornstalks, cyclamen, fenugreek, frankincense, heather, hollyhock, myrtle, oak leaves, passionflower, rose, rose hips, rosemary, sandalwood, sunflowers and wheat.

Gods and goddesses: Lugh, Thor, John Barleycorn (the personification of malt liquor), Demeter, Danu, Ceres, sun gods, corn mothers, all grain and agriculture deities, mother goddesses and father gods.

Customs and myths: Spellwork for prosperity, abundance and good fortune are especially appropriate now, as well as spells for connectedness, career, health and financial gain. Sacrifice is often associated with this holiday. Visits to fields, orchards, lakes and wells are also traditional. It is considered taboo not to share your food with others now.

Activities appropriate for this time of the year are baking bread, wheat weaving and making corn dollies or other god and goddess symbols. You may want to string Indian corn on black thread to make a necklace, or bake cornbread sticks shaped like little ears of corn for your Sabbat cakes. The corn dolly may be used both as a fertility amulet and as an altar centerpiece.

Some pagans bake Lammas bread in the form of a god-figure or sun wheel — if you do this, be sure to use this bread in your Lammas ritual’s cakes and ale ceremony, if you have one. During the Lammas ritual, some consume bread or something from the first harvest. Some gather first fruits; others symbolically throw pieces of bread into a fire

 

The Witches Correspondences for Lammas, August 1, 2015

Lammas/Lugnasadh Comments

The Witches Correspondences for Lammas, August 1, 2015

 

Time of Day: Mid-Afternoon, Noon to 5 pm

Time of Life: 40-60’s, Middle Age, Height of Powers, Fatherhood

Decorations: Bread, Corn, Wheat, Fruits, Corn Dolly, Green Man

Foods: Plums, Peaches, Grapes, Wheat, Lamb, Berries, Barley Cakes, Breads

Herbs: Heather, Acacia, Hollyhock, Aloes, Sunflowers, Frankincense, Sandalwood, Rose

Tools: Baskets, Lugh’s Spear (Areadbhar), Sickles, Scythes

Goddesses: Ceres, Demeter, Corn Mother, Pomona, Mother Earth

Gods: Lugh, Mercury, Hermes, Adonis, John Barleycorn, Green Man
Lughnasadh is more of a Men’s Holiday

Themes
Harvest, Transformation, Fruitfulness, Change Abundance, Completion, Prosperity, Robustness, Achievement, Letting Go, Reaping, Sacrifice, Purification, Contentment, Bread of Life, Table of Plenty, Ever Flowing Cup, Chalice of Plenty

Farming Activities
Harvesting and preserving wheat, corn, vegetables

Animals: Crow, Salmon

Tarot, Divination: Wheel of Fortune, Justice

Colors: Golden Yellow, Light Brown, Purple, Orange, Red-Brown, Brown-Grey

Activities, Celebrations
Dancing, Singing, Playing Music, Poetry Reading, Bardic Competitions, Games, Competitions, Men’s Sports, Drinking beer, whiskey, mead, iced tea

Sacred Circle (Valley Spirit): South-West, Violet

Celebrations:
Lughnasadh – Druid, Neo-Pagan, Lammas – Wiccan, Mea’n Fo’mhair (Greenman) – Druid, Welsh

 

The Witches Almanac for Saturday, August 1st

Lammas/Lugnasadh Comments
The Witches Almanac for Saturday, August 1st

Saturday (Saturn): Longevity, exorcism, endings, homes, and houses.

Lammas

Waning Moon
The Waning Moon (from the Full Moon to the New) is a time for study, meditation, and little magical work (except magic designed to banish harmful energies).

Moon phase: Third Quarter

Moon Sign: Aquarius
Aquarius: Rebellious energy. Time to break habits and make abrupt changes. Personal freedom and individuality is the focus.

Moon enters Pisces 6: 36 pm
Pisces: The focus is on dreaming, nostalgia, intuition, and psychic impressions. A good time for spiritual or philanthropic activities.

Incense: Ivy

Color: Brown

Let Us Celebrate The Gift of the First Harvest, Lammas! Thank You Divine Mother & Almighty Father For Our Bountiful Harvest!

Lammas/Lugnasadh Comments
“Now is the time of the First Harvest,
when bounties of nature give of themselves
so that we may survive.
O God of the ripening fields, Lord of the Grain,
grant me the understanding of sacrifice as you
prepare to deliver yourself under the sickle of the
goddess and journey to the lands of eternal summer.
O Goddess of the Dark Moon,
teach me the secrets of rebirth
as the Sun loses its strength and the nights grow cold.

I partake of the first harvest, mixing its energies
with mine that I may continue my quest for the starry
wisdom of perfection.
O Lady of the Moon and Lord of the Sun,
gracious ones before Whom the stars halt their courses,
I offer my thanks for the continuing fertility of the Earth.
May the nodding grain loose its seeds to be buried in
the Mothers breast, ensuring rebirth in the warmth
of the coming Spring.”

– Scott Cunningham, Lammas Ritual

A Few Full Moon Goodies

A Few Full Moon Goodies

 

Full Moon Oil Recipe

6 drops gardenia essential oil
4 drops lotus essential oil
2 drops jasmine essential oil
Add to a base oil such as sweet almond or grape seed (about 15mls of carrier oil should be about right).

Full Moon Balm

(for pulse points)
6 drops sandalwood essential oil
3 drops lemon essential oil
2 drops palma rose essential oil
¼ cup grated beeswax
¼ cup vegetable oil
Melt oil and wax together, cool slightly then stir in essential oils. Store in an airtight pot.

Full Moon Incense

(loose mix to burn on charcoal disc)
2 parts sandalwood
2 parts frankincense resin
¼ part dried rose petals
½ part orris root
6 drops sandalwood oil

Moon Magic Bath Salts

1 cup sea salt
8 drops sandalwood essential oil
8 drops lotus essential oil
Mix together and store in an airtight container, sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of the mixture in you bath.

Source:

Pagan Portals – Moon Magic
Rachel Patterson

The Full Moon & The Perfect Spell for When It Fall On Friday – Making Love Grow Spell

The Full Moon & The Perfect Spell for When It Fall On Friday – Making Love Grow Spell

 

Love is in the air … especially on a Friday full moon. For this bewitching recipe, we combine all those ripe, full, mystical, and inspiring lunar energies of a full moon mixed together with the special day of the week aligned with the planet Venus. Now sprinkle in a dash of love and romance, add a teaspoon of flower and color magick, and you’ve got yourself one powerful formula with which to work loving and romantic theme spells.

This full moon spell works with a common variety of houseplant, which is also a magickal flower: the African violet. This hearth-and-home spell is designed to increase the loving vibrations and the feelings of the fullness of love in your home. Just like the common violet, the African violet falls under the planetary influences of Venus. These little blooming houseplants make a lovely addition to your Friday full moon spells. Basically, this spell is a floral fascination. A floral fascination is a term that I coined years ago, and it means practical and powerful magick worked with a flower or a blooming plant.
Making Love Grow Spell

• 1 African violet plant-a pink blooming variety is best (if for some reason you cannot find a pink blooming violet, go with a white variety; white is an all-purpose color)
• 1 pink votive candle
• 1 votive candle cup
• A pin or nail to engrave the candle with the symbol of Venus
• A small tumbled rose quartz stone to increase warm, fuzzy feelings
• Lighter or matches
• A safe, flat surface on which to set up the spell

Again, I would suggest working this spell out under the moonlight or at least near a window that allows you a view of the full moon. To start, set the African violet and the rose quartz stone in the center of your working area. Take the pin and gently carve the planetary symbol of Venus into the side of the votive candle. Drop the votive inside of the cup, and set it to one side. Take a few moments to visualize the spirit of love blessing ing your home. Feel the fun and the joy of love, and let it fill up your heart. Now light the candle, and place your hands on either side of the potted plant. Repeat the following verse:

Under the light of Friday’s full moon
I ask the Goddess to grant me a boon
By the energy of a Venus flower
Mix with this a rose quartz’s warm, fuzzy powers
Bless this home with love and your grace
Let it expand out and fill up this place.

Close the spell with these lines:

By flower petal and moonlight, this spell is begun
For the good of all, this witchery brings harm to none.

Pocket the rose quartz stone and keep it with you. Care for your houseplants and enjoy the richness of love that is sure to bless your days and your home.
 
Book of Witchery – Spells, Charms & Correspondences For Every Day of the Week
Ellen Dugan

How To Draw Down the Moon

How To Draw Down the Moon

In this beautiful and powerful rite, the practitioner invokes the Goddess directly into herself (or himself, as the case may be). In some variations, a High Priestess (HPs) may go into a trancelike state and speak the words of the Goddess, or it may be a formal monologue calling upon the Goddess in her many forms. Regardless of how you practice it, Drawing Down the Moon is best performed on the night of the full moon, or on one of the nights immediately before.

While it’s more suitable to be performed outside, if the weather is inclement or your neighbors are easily startled, you can hold the ritual indoors.

Stand at your altar with your arms crossed over your chest, and feet together. Face towards the full moon. Say:

Goddess of the Moon, You have been known by many names in many lands in many times. You are universal and constant. In the dark of night, You shine down upon us and bathe us in Your light and love. I ask You, O Divine One, to honor me by joining with me, and allowing me to feel Your presence within my heart.

Move your feet apart to about shoulder width, and raise your arms up and out to welcome the Goddess into you. The next part is one that you can memorize and learn, or you can speak spontaneously from the heart. You will begin to feel a surge of energy, a palpable tingle – don’t worry, that’s the Goddess making Herself known to you. Feel free to change these words as you like. You are speaking for Her, in Her voice, so let Her say what She wishes.

Say:

“I am the Mother of all life, the One who watches over all. I am the wind in the sky, the spark in the fire, the seedling in the earth, the water in the river.

Continue:

“I am the vessel from which All Things spring forth. Honor Me from within your heart! Remember that acts of love and pleasure are My rituals, and that there is beauty in all things. Honor Me on this night of the full moon! I have been with you since the moment you were created, and shall remain with you always. Let there be beauty and strength, wisdom and honor, humility and courage within you. If you need Me, call upon Me and I shall come to you, for I am everywhere, always.

Honor Me as you seek knowledge! I am the Maiden, the Mother and the Crone, and I live within you.”

Feel the power of the Goddess within you. When you are ready, conclude with:

“I look down upon the sands of the desert, I crash the tides upon the shore, I shine on the mighty trees of the forests, and watch with joy as Life continues every cycle.

Be true to Me, honoring that which I have created, and I shall be true to you in return. With harm to none, so it shall be.”

Take a few moments to stand and bask in Her glow, and to meditate upon that which you have just experienced. Once the energy surge has subsided, lower your arms, and proceed with your ceremony as you normally would at the conclusion of a ritual.

Tips:

Drawing Down the Moon is an altered state of consciousness, a ritual possession by the Divine. It is not uncommon to feel the energy of the Goddess for quite some time following Drawing Down the Moon, so don’t be alarmed if you feel a heightened sense of clarity over the next few days. You may also feel extremely emotional — it’s not uncommon to cry or laugh spontaneously during this rite.

The above ritual is one that I created myself, but for more variations on Drawing Down the Moon, there are excellent versions in Wicca For One by Raymond Buckland (pp. 87 – 89 and The Grimoire of Lady Sheba (pp. 167 – 168).

 

 

Source:
Article Found On & Owned By About.com

Hold an Esbat Rite – Celebrate the Full Moon

In addition to the eight Sabbats observed every year, many Pagans celebrate a regular Esbat, in which magic is performed and the gods and goddesses of the tradition are honored. Most covens and groups meet at least once a month, and time this ceremony so it coincides with the full moon. The word Esbat is of French origin, from s’esbattre, which loosely translates to “frolic joyfully.” In addition to frolicking, this is a time to commune with the gods of your tradition.

In some groups, the Esbat rite is followed by a Cakes and Ale ceremony. You may also wish to tie this in to Drawing Down the Moon.

First, if your tradition requires you to cast a circle, do so at this time. If you don’t normally cast a circle, at least take the time to ritually purify the area by smudging or asperging. This will establish the space as sacred. You’ll need a bowl of water and a moon candle for the altar. This is traditionally a white unscented pillar-style candle. You can decorate the moon candle with sigils or inscriptions etched with a hot knife. Adorn your altar with lunar symbols — mirrors, silver ribbons, white crystals. Feel free to substitute the names and attributes of the deities of your path in this incantation.

Turn to the altar, and hold your arms open wide. Tilt your head so that your face is skyward — after all, this is a celebration honoring the full moon. Say:

Goddess of the moon, queen of the night,
keeper of women’s mysteries, mistress of the tides,
you who are ever changing and yet always constant,
I ask that you guide me with your wisdom,
help me grow with your knowledge,
and hold me in your arms.

At this time, light the moon candle, and take a moment to reflect upon the gifts you have in your life.

Hold the bowl of water to the sky. Say:

The moon is the symbol of the mother,
and she watches over us day and night.
She brings the changing tide, the shifting night,
the flow that changes women’s bodies,
and the passion of lovers to their beloved.
Her wisdom is great and all-knowing,
and we honor her tonight.
Keep your watchful eyes upon us, great mother,
until the cycle returns once more,
and bring us to the next full moon,
in your love and light.

Take a few moments to think about the things in your life which have changed in the past moon cycle. Are there people who have come into your world that you’re thankful for? Have you ended a toxic relationship? Have you experienced good fortune at work? Meditate on all the things you have to be thankful for, as well as the things you would like to see change for you by the next full moon. When you are ready, close the circle and end the ritual. If you choose, you can move into healing rites or magical workings, or a Cakes & Ale ceremony.

Tips:

Use the moon water over the next month for watering plants, making offerings, or doing spellwork.

 

Source:
Article Found On & Owned by About.com

July’s Full Moon – The Blessing Moon

Blessing Moon

Definition:

July’s full moon is known as the Blessing Moon, although it’s also called the Meadow Moon. July was originally called Quintilus, but was later renamed in honor of Julius Caesar.

Correspondences:

Colors: Green, silver, blue-gray
Gemstones: Moonstone, white agate, opals or pearls
Trees: Ash and oak
Gods: Juno, Venus, Cerridwen, Athena, Nephthys, Lugh
Herbs: Mugwort, hyssop, lemon balm
Element: Water

This is a great time to do divination and dreamwork. Find a way to incorporate the watery energy of the Blessing Moon into your spell crafting and ritual. Enjoy the relaxing feeling of July’s full moon and use it in your personal meditation.

Also Known As: Meadow Moon

 

Source:
Article Owned & Found On About.com

A Little Blue Moon Magick

A Little Blue Moon Magick

 

Blue Moon Blessing Water

First get a glass jar. Paint the inside with blue paint and glitter if you’d like. Decorate the outside by gluing gems, cut outs, or paper in blue shades and in the shape of the moon or stars. Or you can paint these on. Use a blue Sharpie to write the date of the Full Moon on the jar on the bottom or the lid. Fill the jar with water (a natural source such as the river or ocean is best but tap water is okay) and leave it under the Blue Moon to charge. The blessed water can be used in ritual and workings.

 

 

Blue Moon Chant for Love

Blue Moon shining in the night,
Fill my heart with love and delight,
Grant me someone who loves me too,
Bless our love that is true.
As I will it, so mote it be.

 

Blue Moon Candle Spell (Version 1)

Get a blue candle. Write down your wish on a slip of paper. Tell the candle and the cosmos what it is you desire, why you want it, and why you think you should have it. Create a simple affirmation that you can chant as you burn the paper and let the smoke carry your wish to the Blue Moon. Let the candle burn completely.

 

 

Blue Moon Candle Spell (Version 2)

Get a blue pillar candle. Using a pin scratch you name and wish onto the candle. Anoint the candle with myrrh oil. Take the candle in your power hand and imagine the Blue Moonlight flowing into the candle. Light the candle and then concentrate on your wish. Let the candle burn completely.

 

 

Source: The Domestic Witch

A Blue Moon Magic Spell

A Blue Moon Magic Spell

You will need:
A square piece of blue fabric, felt works well. You can even decorate it with Moons if you like.
Safety pins
Paper and pen
Length of cord or ribbon, gold or silver would be good
Lay out your items and calm, ground and centre yourself.

Then make a list of all the things that you would like but you think are unobtainable, the sort of things that you think you could never achieve or own.

Once you have written your list go back over it and really think hard. Double check all of the things you wrote down. Are there some that you don’t really, really want? Are there some that in reality wouldn’t work for you? If there are cross them off.

Once you have narrowed down your list cut your paper into strips and write a wish on each piece. Be positive when you write each one down, and visualise it happening.

Then, using the safety pins, pin each piece of paper to the blue cloth. Once you have pinned them all fold the cloth up and tie it with the ribbon or cord.

When the Full Blue Moon is risen take the bundle outside and hold it up to her, then make your request that your wishes be fulfilled, but don’t forget to thank the Goddess. You can write a poem or chant to say at this time if you wish.

Once you are done, put the bundle somewhere that you can see it regularly, on your altar would be a good place. Then wait and see what happens …


Pagan Portals – Moon Magic
Rachel Patterson

What Exactly Is a Blue Moon?

What Exactly Is a Blue Moon?

“Blue Moon” facts and folklore

July 31, 2015 will be the occasion of a blue moon — the last blue moon anyone will see, in fact, until 2018. But what exactly is a blue moon, and why does anyone care?

These days, the term “blue moon” is most often defined as the second of two full moons that occur within the same month. By a somewhat older definition, it’s the third full moon in a season that has four full moons instead of the usual three.

Either way, a blue moon is an out-of-the-ordinary phenomenon that occurs only once every few years, hence the expression “Once in a blue moon.”

Historically, the phrase was understood in a much more literal way, writes folklorist Philip Hiscock in the pages of Sky & Telescope. Once upon a time, he says, it denoted an even rarer phenomenon than an extra full moon in a given month or season, a phenomenon that has occurred perhaps only once or twice in recorded history — the face of moon actually appearing to turn bright blue in color.

“In fact,” notes Hiscock, “the very earliest uses of the term were remarkably like saying the Moon is made of green cheese. Both were obvious absurdities, about which there could be no doubt. ‘He would argue the Moon was blue’ was taken by the average person of the 16th century as we take ‘He’d argue that black is white.'”

Unusual atmospheric phenomena such as dust and ash thrown up by volcanic eruptions probably account for the few times in recent millennia when the moon presented an azure face to observers on earth.

One such incidence occurred over a period of several days in December 1883, when geologist W. Jerome Harrison, among others, reported viewing a striking “electric-blue” crescent moon against a copper-colored sky from his home in Birmingham, England. He and other scientists attributed it to lingering debris from the explosion of the massive volcano Krakatoa, which had occurred a little more than three months earlier. In fact, oddly-hued skies, sunsets and moonrises were observed for up to two years after the eruption.

Most people don’t realize that “blue moon” took on its present meaning only recently. It’s a “truly modern piece of folklore, masquerading as something old,” says Hiscock. The second-full-moon-in-a-month definition is only slight more than 50 years old.

No matter how it’s defined, “blue moon” will probably always retain its ancient connotations, as evinced in popular songs identifying the image with loneliness and despair.

Source:
About.com

Blue Moon Full Moon Rises Tonight: What to Expect

Blue Moon Full Moon Rises Tonight: What to Expect

by Calla Cofield, Space.com Staff Writer

 

There’s a “Blue Moon” in the sky tonight — but that doesn’t mean the lunar surface will turn indigo.

Tonight’s (July 31) moon will be a gorgeous sight, but it won’t look different than any other full moon. The term Blue Moon has come to refer to the second full moon in a given month (since full moons come around about every 29 days, most months only contain one). So set your sights skyward tonight, but don’t expect a change in the moon’s regular hue. NASA explained the July 31 Blue Moon in a video released earlier this week.

However, there are rare occasions when the moon can appear to turn blue. According to the Science@NASA blog, observers have reported the moon having a bluish tint following volcanic eruptions. These explosions send particulates (like ash and smoke) into the air that scatter red light, but let blue light through, creating a natural blue filter and giving the moon a sapphire complexion.

“Back in 1883, for example, people saw blue moons almost every night after the Indonesian volcano Krakatoa exploded with the force of a 100-megaton nuclear bomb,”  according to the Science@NASA statement. “People also saw blue-colored moons in 1983 after the eruption of the El Chichón volcano in Mexico. And there are reports of blue moons caused by Mount St. Helens in 1980 and Mount Pinatubo in 1991.”

Particulates created by forest fires can also create a blue filter in the sky, according to NASA.

“A famous example is the giant muskeg fire of Sept. 1953 in Alberta, Canada,” NASA officials explained in the statement. “Clouds of smoke containing micron-sized oil droplets produced lavender suns and blue moons all the way from North American to England. At this time of year, summer wildfires often produce smoke with an abundance of micron-sized particles — just the right size to turn the moon truly blue.”

The meaning of the term Blue Moon changed some time during the 20th century. According to the Maine Farmers’ Almanac, it once referred to the third full moon in a season that had four (once again, a three-month season typically has only three full moons). But the meaning changed, perhaps because of an article in Sky and Telescope magazine, which mistakenly used blue moon to refer to the second Blue Moon in a single month.

While the moon usually appears full for an entire day or longer, a full moon is actually an instantaneous event. Today’s full moon took place at exactly 6:43 a.m. EDT (1043 GMT), but you can enjoy the view of the Blue Moon through the night.

Editor’s note: If you capture an amazing view of the Blue Moon full moon of July 31 and would like to share it with Space.com for a story or gallery, send images and comments in to Managing Editor Tariq Malik at spacephotos@space.com.

 

 

Source:
Space.com

Now Starts Our Celebration of the Full Blue Moon

blue+moon

Blue Moon

Every so often we get a second Full Moon in a month and sometimes we actually get four Full Moons in a single season. Such Full Moons are called Blue Moons or sometimes ‘Goal Moons’. Sadly the Moon doesn’t actually change colour, it looks just the same as the usual Full Moon.

The term ‘Blue Moon’ seems to only be a few hundred years old. References in history to a Blue Moon were improbable events or things that would not normally happen. This evolved to mean a rare occurrence or happening, and has led to the saying ‘once in a blue moon’.

There is a belief that the Blue Moon holds the knowledge of the Crone and, therefore, all the wisdom of the Triple Goddesses combined. It is also said that the Blue Moon brings a time of heightened communication and connection with the Divine and the spirit world.

I would work magic on a Blue Moon for something that seems unobtainable or difficult to achieve … go with the thought that whatever your intent is, the outcome might just happen ‘once in a Blue Moon’.

 
Pagan Portals – Moon Magic
Rachel Patterson

Your Daily Witches Rune for July 31st is The Birds

Daily Witches Rune for the Day

The Birds

Keywords: Unexpected news, change.

Meanings: The Birds Rune means some unexpected news that may alter your life completely, especially if this is the leading rune. Generally, the news will lead to a positive change but pay close attention to the nearest runes to determine its nature. It can also mean news of friends or family that you haven’t had contact with in quite a while. Letters and documents should be watched for as they may well bring happiness.

Your Daily I Ching Hexagram for July 31st is 30: Clinging Like Fire

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Your Daily I Ching Hexagram for Today

from the Experts at Tarot.com

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30: Clinging Like Fire

 

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Flames cling to their source of fuel in order to keep the fire burning. Likewise, in the human world, emotional attachment results from everything that radiates light or warmth is dependent upon something else. Through these dependencies we can see that all things are related, each thing to the other. Awareness of your own dependency on others is the key that unlocks the door to your true place in the world. No woman is an island.

Fire is also a symbol of liberation — sending out crackling molecules that fly away from home. Paradoxically, by clinging to what is balanced and true, we gain inner freedom.

Given perseverance on your part, this hexagram indicates success. In spite of challenges, cling to what is luminous in yourself, in others, and in life itself, never forsaking your belief in what is right. When events seem foreboding, or people seem oppressive, remember the good that has been and is yet to be. Holding to this idea is to cling to the power of the light and love within you.

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