Peaceful Blessings at the Mourning Moon
Nov. 7th, 2014 03:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alivemagdolene
Also Known As: Dark Moon, Fog Moon, Ancestor Moon, Moon When Horns are Broken Off, Frost Moon, Trading Moon, Beaver Moon, Snow Moon, Blotmonath (Sacrifice Month), Herbistmanoth (Harvest Month), Mad Moon, Sassafras Moon, Moon of Storms, Moon When Deer Shed Antlers
Element: water
Nature Spirits: subterranean faeries
Herbs: grains of paradise, verbena, betony, borage, cinquefoil, blessed thistle, fennel
Colors: grays, sea-green, blues
Flowers: blooming cacti, chrysanthemum
Scents: cedar, cherry blossoms, hyacinth, narcissus, peppermint, lemon
Stones: topaz, hyacinth, lapis lazuli, turquoise
Trees: alder, cypress, hazel
Animals: scorpion, crocodile, jackal
Birds: owl, goose, sparrow
Deities: Kali, Black Isis, Nicnevin, Hecate, Bast, Osiris, Sarasvati, Lakshmi, Skadi, Mawu, Astarte
Power Flow: Taking root, preparation, transformation. Strengthen communication with the Gods that seem closest to you.
Mantra: I learn and grow from the past.
Info on This Moon From About Dot Com: In November, the Mourning Moon is upon us. It's also known as the Fog Moon or Frost Moon, depending on where you live. Some Native American tribes referred to it simply as The Moon When Deer Shed Antlers (although in most regions it's more accurate to say they're shedding their velvet - a buck doesn't usually lose antlers until later in the winter, unless you're very far north). In the early Celtic society, November was the beginning of the new year -- why not use the magic of this moon phase to celebrate new beginnings?
This is a time of washing away the baggage of the past and letting it go. Once you've done that, you'll be able to focus on the joys of the future. During the Mourning Moon phase, say goodbye to bad habits and toxic relationships, and get a fresh start for the new year. Work on developing and strengthening your connection with the Gods.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Wicca and Witchcraft by Denise Zimmerman and Katherine A. Gleason
The Snow Moon is also known as the Beaver, Mourning, or Tree Moon. This is a good time to work with abundance, prosperity, and the bonds of family and friendship. This is also a good time to use divination to get an idea of what is up ahead. Remind yourself that although winter is coming, it will not last forever. Do what you can to reduce your stress and to strengthen your bonds with family and friends. Back before the advent of grocery stores and central heating, people really counted on those bonds, which could be the difference between making it through the winter or perishing. So, know who is really there for you, and count your blessings.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Paganism by Carl McColman
NOVEMBER (Snow Moon)-- Divination, intuitive & psychic skills. Final preparation for cold.
The Craft - A Witch's Book of Shadows by Dorothy Morrison
Name: Snow
Cakes & Ale: butter cookies and hot chocolate
Colors: black, purple, navy blue, and other dark colors to honor the sleeping period of the earth
Altar Decor: purple candles, onions, garlic and other root vegetables, a child's sheet or quilt as an altar cloth
Incense mugwort or patchouli
Esbat Purpose: Celebrate the coming of the dark months; it's time for Mother Earth to rest and sleep
Try Drawing the Circle With: dream catcher [
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif){kind=small}
alivemagdolene's note: Please only use dream catchers made by actual Native people; avoid woo appropriative nonsense whenever possible]Witch's Brew: Good Spells for Peace of Mind by Witch Bree
November's Beaver Moon is when we call upon our wild nature.
Witches Datebook (2002) by Edain McCoy
The Reed Moon is connected to the solar festival of Samhain, the time when we are open to contact with ancestor spirits, strengthen our family ties, and gather in supplies for the winter ahead.
First, take time to collect items you feel link you to your ancestors and place these objects on an altar. Light a candle for each spirit whose name you call aloud, then light one more for friendly wandering spirits. Once you sense their presence, offer them food and drink.
Thank the spirits for making sacrifices that made your world a better place, and for giving you stamina to cope with adversity. Think of all the positive aspects of yourself and honor them with blessings. For example:
Blessed be they who made me smart and patient.
Blessed be they who gave me artistic talent.
Blessed be they who gave me a sense of humor...
Witches Datebook (2003) by Edain McCoy
The Reed Moon means winter is approaching. It is a month of turning our energies toward hearth and home. The tree symbolizes family, fidelity, and trust. The wood was burned to honor household spirits and a family's patron Deities, and in ancient Scotland a broken reed was an omen of familial betrayal.
As the Reed Moon begins, you should bring reeds into your home and weave them into decorations or altar adornments. Place them in your hearth or kitchen area.
As you go through your home putting the reeds in place, chant a charm to empower them as talismans of protection and trust. They will impart the blessings of unity and purpose to your family this winter.
Impart your protection to one and all;
Beneath this roof shall fealty reign,
Love and security is ours again.
Witches Datebook (2004) by Edain McCoy
There is an old saying in Ireland that the reed can stand where mighty oaks have fallen. Slender, sturdy, and sharp, the reed reminds us that it's not always the biggest guy who withstands the storms of life, but the smartest.
Call upon the energies of the reed during its Moon to help you stay calm-- and to help you remain standing through whatever storms life throws your way.
No gale or cyclone makes you fall;
Tip as sharp as an arrowhead,
Fells your enemies, blesses your dead.
Grant to me your steady calm,
Be unto my soul a balm;
Keep me standing, keep me strong,
Through wind and calm, right and wrong.
Witches Datebook by Dallas Jennifer Cobb
As the Sun wanes and outward growth slows, vital energy settles in the roots. In November, turn within and let inner growth be the focus of the journey through the underworld. Learn, study, reflect, and grow. In this time of mourning and loss, let the quietness of home and hearth sustain you, for in safety and familiarity there is hope to see us through the long winter. As you explore the darkness, practice divination and exercise your intuition and psychic skills. The brightness within can help you to "See" with clarity in the time of the darkness. Make final preparations for the cold season, putting your life in order to that you are able to sustain yourself and care for your loved ones through the long months ahead.
I draw your brilliance deep within me,
Kali, Black Isis, Hecate, Osiris,
In our homes with loved ones, ever be near us.
Witches Datebook by Ellen Dugan
November is a transitional time as autumn fades and it becomes more winterlike every day. The skies may be brilliantly blue, but most leaves have fallen from the trees. In the morning, you may find that Jack Frost has been hard at work decorating windows, adorning autumn leaves, and coating blades of grass with his silvery-white frosting. Jack Frost, an elfish character connected to Norse folklore, was believed to have brought the brilliant fall colors by nipping leaves with his frost. In Russia, he is known as the benevolent Papa Frost-- a Santa type cloaked in shimmering white and silvery blue-- who was thought to bind water and earth together during the year's coldest days. Welcome the spirit of Papa Frost or Old Jack Frost into your magic and put the freeze on a troubling situation. Tonight, as the Full Moon rises, write your problem on a slip of paper, tuck it in a paper cup, fill the cup with water, and place in in the freezer.
Bring harm to none, and as I will it, so mote it be.
Witches Datebook by Elizabeth Barrette
In Cherokee tradition, November is the Trading Moon. With the harvest in and necessary foods stocked up, this time before the full force of winter is ideal for visiting and exchanging goods. To the Choctaw, this is the Sassafras Moon. When the mitten-shaped leaves turn orange and drop off, that's a good time to harvest the roots for flavoring beverages. The Dakota Sioux call this the Moon When Horns are Broken Off. This may refer to the broken antlers that occur when bucks fight over mates.
During November, the earth goes dormant. Many plants die back. People and animals begin relying more on stored foods and fat reserves. Several species of large animals have their mating season in late autumn or early winter. Offer suet and other high nutrient forms to wildlife.
Magically, work spells relating to animals at this time, such as deer totems. A piece of deerskin leather or some antler buttons can increase the connection. Hunting charms are appropriate for people who still hunt some of their own food. Rituals may celebrate animal spirits or the introspective energy of the dormant season.
Bring harm to none, and as I will it, so mote it be.
Witches Datebook by James Kambos
As a part of this ritual, take a walk in the November night. Leaves crunch underfoot, grass is sequined with frost, and bare trees look like ebony brushstrokes against the sky. Above this world is the crown jewel, the Frost Moon. Silver, distant, and serene, she represents the unseen realm and intuition. The guardian of the mysteries, she is all knowing, but reveals little.
We should look inside ourselves to find the answers we are seeking to improve our lives. During your Frost Moon ritual, develop your psychic powers. Light a silver candle. in your ritual space, place the divining tools you like to use, such as the tarot, pendulum, cauldron, or magic mirror. Or you may scry into the flame of the candle you've just lit. To help connect with the Unseen Realm speak this charm:
Bless me Frost Moon, share the secrets you keep.
Share with me the divine gifts of prophesy,
By card, mirror, smoke and fire, let me "see."
A safe and peaceful holiday to all that celebrate~!
