Tag: Earth

Daily OM for August 2nd – Trees and People

Trees and People

Children of Mother Nature

by Madisyn Taylor

We can be more like trees opening our crown to the Universe and rooting down deep with our feet into mother earth.
A tree that is beginning to grow sends roots down into Mother Earth even as it reaches and opens to the sky above, seeking nourishment from the sun and the moisture in the air and in the rain that falls. In the same way, we can envision ourselves as treelike beings, imagining that we have roots reaching down into the earth, energetic strands that keep us connected. At the same time, the crowns of our heads lift and open to receive nourishment from above. Just like a tree, we seek the sunshine and water we need to survive and thrive. Both trees and people serve as conduits for the intermingling of the opposite and complementary elements of air, water, sun, and earth. 


We also share creative ways of growing, regardless of the challenges we come up against in our environments. Trees will even grow through rock, shattering it, in their effort to reach the air and light they need to survive. We are similarly resilient, with a built-in propensity for growth and the conditions that promote it. We find creative ways around the obstacles we confront as we move along our paths, moving toward the light that feeds us, just as trees grow around other trees and rocks as they make their way upward. 


Contemplating the ways in which trees and people mirror one another brings us into alignment with the reality that we are part of Mother Nature. Our children, and the trees and their children, will live together on the earth as long as we all survive, sharing the elements and serving together to forward nature’s plan. Walking in a forest can be a meditation, the interweaving lives of all living creatures and the planet on which we all take root and reach for the sky

Rhyming Charge of the Goddess

Rhyming Charge of the Goddess

 

I am the harmonious tune of the songbird And the laughter of a gleeful child.
I am the bubbling sound of the running brook
And the scent of the flowers wild.

I am the floating leaf upon the breeze
And the dancing fire in the forest glade.
I am the sweet smell of rains upon the soil.
And the rapture of passion when love is made.

I am the germination of seed in the Spring
And the ripening of wheat in the Sun.
I am the peaceful depth of the twilight
That soothes the soul when day is done.

I am found in the twinkling of an aged eye…
And found in the birth of a newborn pup…
Yes…Birth and Growth and Death, am I
I am the gracious Earth, on whom you sup.

I am your sister, your mother, the wise one.
I wrap you gently in the warmth of my love.
That which your seek you shall find within:
Not without…not below…not above!
Remember always, my children, be reverent.
Be gentle, loving and kind to each other
And hold sacred the Earth and its creatures:
For I am the Lady: Creatrix and Mother!

-Kalioppe-

Current Moon Phase for August 2 – Full Moon

Full Moon

(waning/180-135 degrees)

A veil of self-absorption is lifted and suddenly you gain access to an unbiased view of others. This is a rare moment when you can see yourself objectively and become aware of whether or not what you want in your heart is actually beginning to manifest in your life. Traditionally, the Full Moon phase stirs emotion, and this is because when you “see” what is happening, you may become upset if you’re experiencing the “same ole, same ole” — rather than the things you would like. If the Full Moon phase is a disappointment, on the next New Moon it’s time to take creative action in the direction of your dreams.

Ancient Mother

ANCIENT MOTHER

Holy Mother, you are the Earth!

You ground us as we walk upon you,

You are in the trees that shelter us

And when we hug the trees we hug you.

You were here from the very first,

Nurturing us; and we made clay statues

Celebrating your thighs and breasts

That birthed us and fed us.

We baked bread in your images,

Since we knew all food came from you.

Lady of the Beasts, we are grateful…

Since earliest times, we have loved you.

Asherah, Astarte, Mawu, Inanna,

Ishtar, Anahita, Gaia, Isis;

So many from such different lands!

We don’t know all of your many names,

But we know you have always loved us,

Cared for us and protected us;

You are rooted in our lives and our dreams.

We hear your voice in the humming bees

See your beauty in the blooming flowers,

Hear the sound of your drum and sistrum.

The very beat of our hearts is in tune with you,

For you are the Ancient Mother of our souls.

Beth Clare Johnson

Calendar of the Sun for August 1

Calendar of the Sun

1 Weodmonath

LAMMAS

Colors: Golden and purple
Element: Earth
Altar: Upon the cloth of golden and purple fill baskets of unthreshed grain, and bowls of threshed grain, and clay jugs of beer and wine, and grapes, and other fruits of the harvest. The wheatsheaf loaf should have pride of place, and beside it should be the corn dollie from last year’s Lammas. The new corn dollie should be carried in the arms of one participant.
Offerings: Give food to the poor.
Daily Meal: Bread. Lots of bread and grain.

Ritual Note: Like all the eight high holidays, this day should ideally be spent not enclosed and isolated, but in common with the larger pagan community. This can be done a number of ways, including spending the day elsewhere, at the Brigid’s Day ritual of another group or tradition, or by inviting in those pagans who would otherwise not be able to attend a ritual. Either way, the eight holidays should be a time of remembering the place of the house in the greater community. If the choice is made to go elsewhere, then no liturgy is needed for the day. If the choice is made to bring the greater community into the lesser one, the following ritual can be used:

(First four who have been chosen to do the work of the ritual cast the quarters with sickle, flail, basket, and pot.)

East Caller: Spirits of the East, Powers of Air!
You who are the cold steel of the scythe,
You who are the blade that separates
One from another,
Life from death,
You who are smoke on the wind
And the bringer of the new dawn,
Be with us today!
South Caller: Spirits of the South, Powers of Fire!
You who are the bright Sun above us,
You who are the unflinching light of day,
The scorching heat of the summer,
Pulling the crops toward the sky
And drying them to golden as your rays,
Be with us today!
West Caller: Spirits of the West, Powers of Water!
You who are the gentle rains that fall
To feed the plants that long ago sprang forth,
You who are the summer storms
That knock down those you nourished,
Capricious and random as you are eternal,
Be with us today!
North Caller: Spirits of the North, Power of Earth!
You who are the ground beneath our feet,
You who sustains and nourishes us,
You who brought us forth,
You to whom we shall all one day return,
We honor you especially today.
Be with us now!

Lammas Invocation

Great Lugh,
You who shine forth upon us,
Give us this day our daily bread
And serve it forth with a great helping
Of joy and mirth
Even as we watch your track in the sky
Slowly lower down from the zenith,
This is still your time,
You are still strong,
Ruler of the Earth,
Until the day we watch you fall.

(The sickle is swung in the air.)

In this time of harvest,
When the Sun begins his drop from the sky,
We shall find beauty and contentment by our hearths.
For as the Sun falls, so falls the grain,
So falls each plant life grown by those golden rays,
Fallen by our hand to nourish us,
And nourished we shall be,
By he that grew from the Mother’s womb so many moons ago.
The Sun above has become part of our memories
And we shall carry him forever,
And the grain below will become part of our bodies,
And we shall carry that memory as well.
For to be bound to the cycle of life
Though it be painful, is the truest thing
That any of us can ever do.

(The bread is passed, and torn apart, and eaten.)

Do not forget, in this time of harvest,
The power of love above and below the Earth.
At Beltane, when love flourished forth
In all directions unchained and unboundaried,
We felt it like a rushing wave of pleasure
Unadulterated with pain.
At the Solstice, when the Oak King died
We learned again, and for the first time,
That there is pain in love, and the deeper the love
The greater the pain. And now as we face
The first funeral of the year, we gain
An inkling of how deep both love and pain can be.
May this wisdom bear us up
Throughout the bright days and the darkness
And the dawning yet to come.
Taste sweetness and give thanks
That there is still sweetness in life.

(The wine and beer is passed around, and drunk.)

Follow the serpent to the end of the labyrinth,
And there you will find the door under the earth.
Slide down between the roots of all life
And there you will find the source of all life.
Follow the roots to the underground rivers
And there you will find the deepest nourishment.
Swim down the rivers through the darkest caves,
And there you will find hidden the spark of life.
Follow the spark upwards through the soil
Until it bursts out into the singing air.
Watch it shoot skyward towards the Sun its progenitor,
As gold returns to gold
And the heavens take back their own.
Do not let go of that spark!
Stretch upward with its soaring,
Risk the bright sky and the high flight
Though it will mean your death,
And then you understand the Mystery.

Song: Lammas Prayer

(Last year’s corn dollie is lifted aloft and carried to the stove or fireplace, where it is burned. Then the new corn dollie is lifted to her place on the shelf or altar, and all cheer. Great feasting comes next. Invite in as many as possible to share it.)

[Pagan Book of Hours]

Current Moon Phase for Lammas – Full Moon

Full Moon

The Moon Sign is in the zodiac sign Aquarius

(waning/180-135 degrees)

A veil of self-absorption is lifted and suddenly you gain access to an unbiased view of others. This is a rare moment when you can see yourself objectively and become aware of whether or not what you want in your heart is actually beginning to manifest in your life. Traditionally, the Full Moon phase stirs emotion, and this is because when you “see” what is happening, you may become upset if you’re experiencing the “same ole, same ole” — rather than the things you would like. If the Full Moon phase is a disappointment, on the next New Moon it’s time to take creative action in the direction of your dreams.

Oh, What A Glorious Morning! Greetings & Merry Lammas To You!

 

Wishing You & Yours A Very Prosperous Harvest This Year,

Dear Friends!

“Lammas celebrates the first wheat or barley  harvest f the year and the skills of those who tend them. Baking and sharing  bread, feasting with neighbor, and honoring the still-powerful forces of the  summer sun’s light, and are key elements of this cooperative, community-based sabbat.   Corn and wheat dollies made from the last sheaves and stalks  of harvested grain are kept through winter to be planted with the first seeds of  spring. These organic Goddess figures powerfully affirm the reverence for the  Earth’s cycles of birth, death, and renewal. The celebrations, which feature a  break from toil, contests of skill, laughter feasting, and dancing, are tempered  by the knowledge that most crops are still growing in the fields with no  guarantee of adequate abundance for the long winter.   Lughnasadh’s energy of cautious optimism and feeling of  well-being bring out the best in all people. The sabbat mingles the expansion of  vibrant summer energy with the gathering energy of the upcoming season. The  result is a unique time for solidly expanding toward focused goals, such as  perfecting and challenging your skills.”

Calendar of the Sun for July 31

Calendar of the Sun

31 Haymonath

Oiche Lughnasadh: Lammas Eve

Colors: Golden and purple
Element: Earth
Altar: The golden and purple cloth is laid for the Lammas altar, and a single purple candle is lit in the center, but nothing else is in place. This is a time of waiting.
Offering: Promise to work for the harvest.
Daily Meal: Fasting, till nightfall. The great feast will come on the next day.

Lammas Eve Invocation

Imagine…..
That you fly through the air on the back of a crow
Fly back in time
See all our ancestors
Reaping the harvest
Reaping the grain
That will be their daily bread
Reaping the life
From the breast of the Earth
Who feeds us forever.
Imagine
That you fly high in the air
Watching the fields stripped
Like a man combs his hair
Like the scythe reaps the row
Like the wings of the crow
Like golden Lugh shining bright
Like the wind bears your flight
Like the Sun that blinds your sight….
Imagine.
(Each approaches the altar and lays down an empty basket, which will be filled tomorrow.)
Summer is the season for cultivation and caring.
Flowers come forth, later to give way to fruit.
Now is the time for us to review all things –
That which is to remain, and that which must
Be pruned away, for the sake of growth.
Growth in all things; in the seeds of the Earth
And in ourselves.

Chant: We look forth to the grain,
We look back to the grave.

[Pagan Book of Hours]

Quiz of the Day for July 30 – Are You Energy Sensitive?

Are You Energy-Sensitive?

by Annie B. Bond

If you have ever found yourself getting irritated or depressed for no  apparent reason after spending time with certain people, the answer may be  simple: you may be a sensitive, absorbing or reacting to energy from these  individuals that isn’t healthy for you.

Answer these questions to see if this could be true for you, and then find  out what to do about it so you don’t continue to feel depleted or irritable when  you’re around these people.

1. Do you frequently feel angry, nervous, tense, or irritable around certain  people?

2. Do you often feel sad, low-energy, drained, or lethargic when you are  around some individuals?

3. Do you ever find yourself wanting to lie or cover-up around specific  people?

4. Do you frequently find yourself folding your arms over your midsection  when you are with certain people in your life?

5. Do you often feel ill-at-ease or uncomfortable with some individuals?

6. Does the mere sight of some people cause you to feel instantly defensive  or angry?

7. Do you find yourself inwardly groaning when you hear a specific person’s  voice on the phone?

The more questions you answered “yes” to, the more sensitive you probably  are.

Most of us are unconsciously influenced by others’ energies. These energies  are what they are, neither good nor bad–but some may be beneficial, and some  detrimental to us. The extent to which you are affected is a sign of your  sensitivity. Becoming awareof the energy-effects of interactions is a  wonderful first step in becoming more conscious, and in undoing the negative  effects of others’ energies on us.

If you think you are being adversely affected when you are in the company of  certain people’s energy fields, here are some things you can do:

If you are around someone whose energy makes you feel drained:

1.  Move away from the person.

2. Politely cut the interaction short.

3.  Redirect the person’s attention.

 

If you find yourself feeling irritable around someone:

1. First,  realize that you do not need to take this personally. Simply notice, “This is  someone who makes me feel prickly.”

2. Ground yourself. This can be as simple  as just placing your hands on the ground, or as complex as doing a brief  relaxation and grounding exercise.

 

Poems Of The Goddess – For You Are Not Alone, From the Goddess

Lammas/Lugnasadh Comments

Poems Of The Goddess

A Column of Original Works

For You Are Not Alone

From the Goddess ~

By DesertStar,WMS, Order of the White Moon

I hear you crying in the night
So softly the breeze carries your sighs
I see your heart breaking with hurt
I see your life filled with sadness
And your mind wondering which way to turn

Hush my dearest one
For I am hear,
I hold you in my arms
I understand the pain you feel

Hush my dearest one
For I am near
And forever you are in my heart

Hush my dearest one
And please remember dear
That I the Goddess am with you and your
Are not alone.

As I hear you crying in the night. . .

7-10-2004

About the Author: Desert Star is a Level 1 student of the White Moon School. She is an Arizona native studying

Magikal Herbs and Herbal medicine, with an interest in plants indigenous to the Southwest Arizona Desert.

Magickal Graphics

ANCIENT MOTHER

ANCIENT MOTHER

 

Holy Mother, you are the Earth!

You ground us as we walk upon you,

You are in the trees that shelter us

And when we hug the trees we hug you.

 

You were here from the very first,

Nurturing us; and we made clay statues

Celebrating your thighs and breasts

That birthed us and fed us.

 

We baked bread in your images,

Since we knew all food came from you.

Lady of the Beasts, we are grateful…

Since earliest times, we have loved you.

 

Asherah, Astarte, Mawu, Inanna,

Ishtar, Anahita, Gaia, Isis;

So many from such different lands!

We don’t know all of your many names,

 

But we know you have always loved us,

Cared for us and protected us;

You are rooted in our lives and our dreams.

We hear your voice in the humming bees

 

See your beauty in the blooming flowers,

Hear the sound of your drum and sistrum.

The very beat of our hearts is in tune with you,

For you are the Ancient Mother of our souls.

 

© July 3, 2008

Beth Clare Johnson

(Mystic Amazon)

Daily Feng Shui Tip for July 26

Water lilies and sweet pea are the two plants most associated with the month of July. The water lily is akin to the Eastern symbol of the lotus; the most beautiful of flowers that begins its journey heavenward while still being rooted in the earth. Water lilies have a long lore associated with spirituality and religion. The Christian Church sometimes depicts the Archangel Gabriel bringing glad tidings of water lilies to the Virgin Mary. The offering of these flowers signifies fire and water, and this idea of creation/generation has survived through the ages. Complimenting the idea of being rooted in the earth while reaching for the sun is the iconography concerning the sweet pea. This plant strives to teach us all that we can be a socially connected ‘climber’ while still stirring a strong sense of community. This plant also engenders a sense of our own individual and powerful place on the planet. If you ever feel like you’re wandering and you can’t seem to find your place in this world, a few drops of sweet pea flower essence remedy under the tongue a few times a day (for at least a dozen days) will bring you back to balance, and you’ll soon feel rooted again. The essences and energies of both of these plants allow you to reach for the stars while keeping your feet on the ground.

By Ellen Whitehurst for Astrology.com