WORKING WITH THE MOON

 

WORKING WITH THE MOON

 

1) MOON

a) Waxing Moon- this is the time of beginnings, health and healing, fertility, psychic awareness, beauty.

i) Waxing Information: The time from the New Moon through the first quarter to the Full Moon is the proper time to perform healing rituals, positive magick, and spells that increase love, good luck, growth of any kind, sexual desire, and wealth.

b) Full Moon -Protection, Love, Healing Purification, Money, Travel and psychic awareness.

i) Full Moon Information: The period of the Full Moon increases the powers of extrasensory perception, and is the proper time to perform lunar goddess invocations, fertility rites, transformations, spirit conjuration’s, and spells that increase psychic abilities and prophetic dreams.

c) Waning Moon- Banishment’s of habits, addictions, disease and negatives. Jealousy, guilt and hurts are released.

 

The Current Moon Phase for May 3 – Gibbous Moon

Moon Phases: Gibbous Moon

(waxing 135-180 degrees)

by Jan Spiller

Distractions from the outside begin pressing into your world. Analysis is favored, reevaluating all the various factors you are dealing with. It’s a time to process information and effectively integrate your aims with the people in your immediate environment. This is a good time for organizing things. This Moon Phase is suited to synthesis: coming up with a practical plan for getting from point A to point B. Adjustment is required.

The Zodiac Sign Taurus April 20 – May 20

Taurus

The Bull

April 20 – May 20

You aren’t necessarily like a Bull in a ring with a toreador. You could be more like peace-loving Ferdinand, seeking the gentle meadows filled with flowers, sunshine and natural beauty. It’s only your stubbornness that can make you angry enough to charge at someone who is disturbing your peace.

You Bulls are noted for your determination. You get to where you are going, not because you are exceptionally fast or clever, but because you will not be distracted from your goals. Your need for stability and simplicity can motivate you to create a life for yourself that is quite functional, though it might seem boring to someone else. But you aren’t interested in taking unnecessary risks that can put your solid footing in jeopardy.

Your motto might be “Take care of the senses and everything else will take care of itself.” It may be that your attraction to material things is less about the objects themselves than it is about the pleasure they bring to your senses. Comfortable living and working space is important to you, along with nice linens, clothing, food and music. And, as one of the most practical signs, your outlook on life is usually quite sensible. As you plod along in life, getting what you need in order to survive, don’t forget to look at the beauty that is beyond the material world of material possessions.

Element: Earth

Earth signs are naturally practical. In this lifetime we are bound to Earth. There is no escaping the reality around us. The Earth is about as real as it gets; it can be felt, weighed and it has substance. Accordingly, the earth signs base their life on what is real, not what is imagined. Sensation is valued over thoughts or feelings. Earth signs live with their feet on the ground. Others seek their advice because of their basic sensibility. For earth signs, seeing is believing.

The earth of Taurus is simple and sensible. It’s about getting back to basics. This is about working the earth in a garden or about having the tools that we need in order to build.

House: Second

The Second House symbolizes those things that are of value to us. Personal possessions are within this domain, as is our money. Anything having personal value is associated with the Second House. It also represents those things we value that are not things. When you think about what is most important to you — your own values — you are indeed thinking about your Second House.

Key Planet: Venus

Venus is the planet of love and desire. She is in charge of romance and beauty. But Venus isn’t only about physical love; she’s also symbolic of the ideal love. When we see a beautiful painting or other work or art, Venus is present. She is the beauty of a rose as much as she is the attraction we have to someone we love. As the key planet of Taurus, Venus is sensual and simple. We fulfill the senses with beauty and life is good.

Greatest Strength:

Your sensible outlook on life

Possible Weakness:

Accepting less than you can achieve

The Current Moon Phase For April 25 – Waxing

Moon Phases: New Moon

(waxing/0-45 degrees)

by Jan Spiller

The New Moon is a time best suited to making new beginnings! For the first 48 hours following the exact time of the New Moon each month, a window of opportunity opens for making wishes that, if written down, come true in the days and months ahead. There is a tremendous amount of enthusiasm in the atmosphere and a feeling of Springtime. This is a great time to go forward and begin projects that you feel instinctively attracted to initiating. Follow your impulses and let yourself make new starts in areas that are important to you.

Making Gemstone water

Making Gemstone water

Making gemstone water is actually very simple, you will need the following ‘ingredients’ for this:
* a glass vessel
* a gemstone
* bottled spring water or boiled (and cooled) tapwater
* a windowsill

Before you start making gemstone water you will have to make the choice whether you wish to use the energies of the sun or the energies of the moon. The sun will charge your gemstone water with soothing, soft and warm energies while the various moon phases will give a different result.

The Moon phases:
Waxing Moon: The energies of the waxing moon are suited for new projects, new relations and to plant new ‘seeds’.
Full Moon: The Full Moon is the symbol of positive magick, blessing, creativity, healing and reinforcement.
Waning Moon: The energies of the waning moon are connected to get rid of bad habits, negative thoughts and to build down things, to purge yourself from all negativity from the outside world, but also from within yourself.
New Moon: The New Moon is the time of death, a time to stop and look inside yourself and to realize that you can always start again, no matter what happened to you. It is the time to halt an illness or a pattern of thoughts and give it a positive spin.


It is therefore important to ask yourself for which purpose you wish to use the gemstone water before you start.

Put the stone in the glass vessel and fill it up to 3/4 with spring water or the cooled down tapwater. Put the vessel with the stone in it on your windowsill for 12 hours and leave it to ‘charge’ there without interruption. If you have decided to make use of the energies of the sun, you should take into account that certain stones may discolour in direct sunlight.

You can enhance your immune system by drinking a few glasses of gemstone water every day, but you may also use it to wash your face and/or hands, especially for skin disorders it is advisable to use Aventurine water to wash yourself. Next to that it is also possible to give your plants this water, the stones that are highly suited for this are Jade and Moss Agate.

…
Text © copyright Branwynn Annwn. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. No portion of this issue may be reproduced and/or disclosed publicly in any way, shape or form without the written permission of the editor/author Branwynn Annwn. Feel free to share with a friend.

Binding Spell for the Waning Moon

Binding Spell

Do on a waning moon.
On a sheet of paper, write the name of the person who you wish to bind. Also write down some negative behaviors that you would like to change positive. Roll the paper
and wrap with black ribbon, set paper on fire, and place in a fireproof bowl. Chant this until completely burned:
“As this paper chars and burns, all these behaviors soon will turn.”
Dump the ash in the water. Visualize it glow with power of peace. Concentrate on your intent. Take the water and ash to a north tree at your home, and pour water & ash
around the base while chanting three times:
“Sink this into mother earth, give love and understanding birth.”
Visualize how things will be different.
“So mote it be!”

Correspondences for Ostara

Ostara Comments
Correspondences for Ostara

Alternative Names/ Spring Celebrations: Alban Eiber, Bacchanalia, Caisg, Eostre’s Day, Lady Day, Mean Earraigh, Pasch, Pess, Spring Equinox, Vernal Equinox

Symbolism / Ritual Work: new beginnings, new life, rebirth, fertility, balance, communication, growth, agriculture, planting, love, sex

Decorations / Symbols: Eggs, new moons, butterflies, bees, cocoons, rabbits, baskets, sprouting plants, wildflowers, lambs, robins, chicks

Traditionally Worshipped Deities: Warriors, hunters, youthful, spring, horned, moon, sexual, of ove

Animals of Ostara: snakes, rabbits, chicks, hares, robins

Mythical Beasts of Ostara: Unicorns, merpeople, dragons

Stones: Aquamarine, amethyst, rose quartz, moonstone, bloodstone, red jasper

Plants: Blessed thistle, crocus, daffodil, jasmine, Irish moss, oak, snowdrop, ginger

Incense / Oils: Lotus, magnolia, ginger, jasmine, rose, sage, lavender, narcissus

Foods: Seasonal foods, seeds, edible flowers, eggs, fish, hot crossed buns, sweet breads, chocolate, honey cakes, fresh fruit, milk, dairy foods, nuts, sprouts, asparagus,

Drinks: Lemonade, mead, egg nog

Planet: Mars

Colors: pastels, grass green, robin’s egg blue, red

References:

Examiner

Kris Bradley, Domestic Witchery Examiner

~Magickal Graphics~

Lunar Almanac for Wednesday, January 25th

Moon & Witch Comments & Graphics

Lunar Almanac for Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Waxing, New Moon Age: 2 ¾ days.
Ascending Node is at 11° Sagittarius.
Moon in 10th degree of the Sign Pisces, the Fishes;
also in 13th deg. of the Constellation Aquarius, the Water-Bearer.
Moonrise: 8:16 morn. Midheaven: 2:10 eve. Moonset: 8:14 eve.

 

~Magickal Graphics~

Cosmic Calendar for Monday, Jan. 23

With last night’s New Moon in Aquarius in your hip pocket, it may seem as if it is clear sailing ahead – as each solar-lunar union offers a forward push for the next 29+ days. However, even though Mercury and Mars form a flowing trine of 120-degrees in earth signs this morning (3:17AM PST) – potentially bolstering communications and construction projects across the board – everyone is about to deal with a possibly volatile Mars station at 24 degrees of Virgo (4:55PM PST) where the red planet shifts from direct to reverse until April 13. While our very accurate, scientifically-calculated ephemerides give us the exact timing of the Mars shift, this entire day (not to mention the last few days and the next 48+ hours ahead) is under the aegis of the red planet gone wild. Stations or the apparent stopping points of celestial bodies are tremendously significant because the planetary archetypes are then thrust upon us – often in an unrelenting manner. Thus, Mars motionless equates with a vast increase in themes such as courage, leadership, passion, sensuality, desire, athletic prowess, independence, but also selfishness, egocentricity, rash acts, immature and adolescent attitudes, as well as violence, anger, aggression and volatility. Accidents, fevers, burns and inflammations are much more common when Mars is singled out via the cosmic players who throw their weight around in our solar system. Do all in your power to steer clear of temperamental individuals, avoid dealing with legal matters and signings, and remember to drive defensively. The good news about Mars retrograde is that you can review and re-evaluate many of your behavior patterns – on the personality level – over the next 80 days.

New Moon Report for Jan. 22 – New Moon in Aquarius

New Moon Report for January 22

by Jeff Jawer

New Moon in Aquarius

Sunday, January 22, 11:39 pm PST, Monday, January 23, 2:39 am EST

The New Moon in brainy Aquarius opens minds to fresh ways of seeing and enlightens us with brilliant ideas. Broadening visions of the future can reveal unexpected professional opportunities and help establish strategies for meeting long-term goals. Enthusiasm may rise and fall with skeptical Saturn and optimistic Jupiter’s 90-degree squares to this lunation. A supportive sextile from innovative Uranus in Aries, though, reveals alternative ways to express ourselves and contribute to the well-being of the community.

The Aquarius New Moon is like entering a laboratory where objective thinking permits us to observe life without prejudice or prejudgment. Learning comes with sudden flashes of insight that arise from being in unfamiliar positions. Stepping outside our comfort zones feels alienating, yet exploring alternatives permits new vistas of awareness to open.

Lunar Almanac for Thursday, January 19th

 Moon & Witch Comments & Graphics 

Lunar Almanac for Thursday, January 19, 2012

Waning, Last Quarter Moon Age: 25 ¼ days.

Moon at Ascending Node.

Moon in 5th degree of the Sign Sagittarius, the Bowman;

also in 5th deg. of the Constellation Scorpius, the Scorpion.

Moonrise: 3:51 morn. Midheaven: 8:50 morn. Moonset: 1:47 eve.

 
~Magickal Graphics~

Current Moon Phase – Waning

Moon & Witch Comments & Graphics
Current Moon Phase: Waning

 
Waning Moon Magick: The period between the Full Moon and the New Moon, from three-and-a-half to ten-and-a-half days after the Full moon. From the Full Moon to the New is a time for study, meditation,and magic designed to banish harmful energies and habits, for ridding oneself of addictions, illness or negativity. This is a time for banishing and rejecting things in our lives that we no longer wish to carry around with us.

~Magickal Graphics~

Get in Tune With the Moon

Get in Tune With the Moon

Author: Jess

The modern age has led us to believe that we are better than nature. We have calendars that help us count the days and clocks to tell time for us. There is just one problem with that: it’s incorrect. How is it that our months have different numbers of days? Or that we have to adjust our calendar every four years to make up for our current systems inadequacies?

These are simple issues that all lead back to our ancestors and how their primeval ways were sometimes more advanced than our own. Humans of the past followed the moon’s cycle, a simple and natural way to connect with our planet and its time.

Following the moon’s cycle can help people to better understand their own internal clocks, especially women. There is a reason that the female body has a twenty-eight day cycle, and that females have such a passionate range of emotions.

The moon has much more power over us than a lot of people seem to believe. But we Pagans have a leg up on most people in that department. We acknowledge the moon and its stages along with the Goddess. So how much do we really connect with our beliefs in that regard? The moon helps women’s bodies change, sways our emotions, and even allows us to experience more enlightenment when the time is right.

No one can argue against the moon’s connection with women’s bodies. We wax and wane along with this bright beacon in the night’s sky. At our fullest we are fertile and I have met many a man who finds women more attractive during this time. It’s only natural.

Unfortunately, nowadays many women take oral contraceptives. And with good reason, of course. The world is overpopulated, and having a child is a big responsibility. But by masking our natural connection with the moon, women hinder the bonds with the Mother Goddess. That makes it harder to feel at peace with oneself.

My husband and I learned this when I stopped taking birth control pills to conceive our first child. Since then I have been much more in tune with my body, nature, and the Gods. After my daughter was born, I did the natural thing and breastfed her. While doing so I did not have my cycle. Its nature’s way of allowing your current baby the nourishment and care it needs.
Now that my daughter is a toddler and weaned, I do not wish to get back on any form of hormonal birth control. Since I have been off of the pill I have had less mood swings, and am much more in tune with my body. And there are so many other options of non-hormonal birth control.

Our hormones drive us to do what is natural, especially women. So when healthy women are taking unnatural doses of these chemicals to keep from getting pregnant, they alter their natural behaviors. This is not to say that I am against birth control in any way, but I have found that there are so many options out there that hormonal options are not always best.

Now that I am no longer on the pill I feel more connected to my body, and have found that following the moon’s cycle prepares me for what is coming next. I am more aware of when my mood may be more sensitive than others. And my husband is thankful that he can follow the moon in order to better understand how I may be feeling.

Next, there is no doubt that people have more energy when the moon is waxing, and that surge of energy is often able to contribute to success as opposed to the new moon stage, when a lot of people often feel drained or downtrodden.

I call this nature’s way of forcing us to slow down and take it easy. But many people fight these feelings in our fast paced society, creating adverse effects like depression or anger issues. A lot of us experience pressure to do better in the workplace or at school. But you cannot do more when you are feeling like less of a person.

Then there is the last and most intriguing of the moon’s direct effect on people. When we adhere to the moon’s cycle, it is possible to reach higher heights. Certain meditations are best done at specific days and times that coincide with the moon’s stage that best suits the practice.
This is where the gods come in. Being that the moon represents the Goddess and the sun represents the God, these spiritual high times are when the presence of the gods can be felt at a stronger and more intimate level. Nature is our direct link to the gods.

And nature’s clock is the sun and the moon; there is no sleep button, no loud buzzing alarm to set. Taking the time to listen to the moon and perform rituals and spells accordingly will help your practices be more effective. This is also more helpful in finding enlightenment or even simple piece of mind.

The full moon has always been the greatest time to have an out of body experience for myself. And when mastered, a knowledgeable spirit can glance into the Summerlands. There is so much more to life than what the technological world offers. Sure technology is great if used as just another tool, but the natural world is much more substantial.

Connecting with nature and understanding the moon helps people to live better lives. It allows us to be more conscious of the world around us and inside of us, just as following the sun helps people to draw on the elements. And by following the different stages of the moon, humans can better understand each other.

Men can better understand why women may be a bit more emotional during certain times and to be more understanding when emotions run a bit hot. Whereas women can be more in tune with their bodies, their emotions, and we can all experience more enlightenment. Following the moon’s cycle helps people to have a better grasp on the world around them. You don’t need a computer to tell you that.

New Moon Report for Nov. 24 – New Moon Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius

New Moon Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius

Thursday, November 24, 10:10 pm PST, Friday, November 25, 1:10 am EST

New Moons are usually characterized by a sense of freshness and initiative, but this one is a solar eclipse that puts a backward spin on the lunation cycle. Even though it’s in forward-thinking Sagittarius, the Moon’s shadow crossing the Sun is a reminder to take a step back and rethink our beliefs and re-examine our ideas about the future. Letting go of outdated expectations and rigid moral judgments is necessary before progress can be made. Inventive Uranus in Aries’ favorable trine to this Sun-Moon conjunction opens channels of innovation, but a tense square from energetic Mars in efficient Virgo demands a high degree of attention to current tasks.

The New Moon in visionary Sagittarius casts eyes toward distant horizons of unexplored possibilities. However, this lunation is a solar eclipse that will punish runaway egos and irresponsible behavior. The success of great journeys is built on carefully planned steps that may seem trivial or tedious at the time, yet can take us as far as our imaginations can go.

New Moon Report for November 22nd – Sun in Sagittarius

 

  

Sun in Sagittarius

Tuesday, November 22, 8:08 am PDT, 11:08 am EDT

The Sagittarius Sun turns eyes toward distant skies where hope is revived by images of brighter days ahead. This uplifting fire sign can stir hearts with heroic stories and noble aspirations. Yet the shadow of its rampant optimism about tomorrow is denial of current concerns. Instead of dealing with the concrete issues of the present, we can escape into an imaginary future. Overselling ourselves on beliefs and plans may provide short-lived relief, yet can make reality more painful when we’re finally forced to face it. Judgment based on concepts of absolute right and wrong can crush compassion under the heel of self-righteousness. Yet when minds are open and innovative ideas are exchanged we can change the world.

New Moon Report for October 26th – New Moon in Scorpio

New Moon in Scorpio

Wednesday, October 26, 12:56 pm PDT, 3:56 pm EDT

The New Moon in passionate Scorpio arouses deep emotions. We may become hungry with desire, riddled with doubt or embittered with discontent that could seem like more than we can handle. Trying to bury these feelings is tempting, yet they provide the fuel required to make positive changes. Eliminating unhealthy beliefs, behavior and individuals that stand in the way of fulfillment is sometimes a painful task. However, the secret of tapping into Scorpio’s deep well of resources is to understand that we sometimes have to let go to in order to grow.

The New Moon in passionate Scorpio takes us to the heart of desire, often arousing thoughts and feelings that can be frightening or inappropriate. But this is the season to face the demons of our fears and accept the truth of what we’re really hungry for. The rawness of these feelings releases emotional power that can be applied intelligently to overcome obstacles and begin fulfilling our deepest needs.

Current Moon Phase: Waxing Half Moon

Moon Phases: Waxing Half Moon

First Quarter Moon (waxing/90-135 degrees)

by Jan Spiller

Emotions begin to stir coupled with recognizing that the new beginnings you are making must also increase personal security to be worthwhile over the long haul. This is a time when it’s appropriate to get in touch with your gut instincts and begin to guide your life more deliberately, with an awareness of using your “6th sense” as well as your enthusiasm. Obstacles may emerge that require you to reevaluate how to better integrate yourself into your immediate environment.

Waning Moon Chant

Waning Moon 

 
The shrinkage of the Moon from full to dark is called the waning phase, and it offers an energy suitable for recession, peaceful separation or elimination. Use the waning Moon to end undesirable eating patterns, break bad habits or to remove yourself from dysfunctional partnerships or stressful situations. Its energies favor any magickal effort requiring decrease or removal.
 
To seal spells performed during the waning Moon, use this chant or one of your own choosing:
 
Oh Aging One of grace, now hear:
With your guidance, this spell steer.
Remove all blocks and hesitation,
And take it to its destination.