Imbolc

For those of us going through Winter, take a peek outside and get some inspiration from nature, you will see signs of New Life popping up everywhere.    Next week we celebrate Imbolc which is the mid-way point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox.  Astrologically the mid-way point this year is August 7th.  As this date changes each year it is often observed on August 1^st.

At Imbolc we begin to see the first signs of Spring, flowers are starting to bloom and the days are getting longer.  Imbolc is the Celebration of the Mother Goddess with the young Sun God that was born at Yule.  This is Sacred day for the Divine Feminine.  On this day our Ancestors would initiate any of the young girls who had begun their Moontime into the Sisterhood and the Feminine Mysteries. 

This is a perfect time to revisit the Manifestations you set in place at the start of the Year.  Tick off what you have already achieved.  Make any adjustments needed with any changes you have experienced through the year so far.  Set any New Manifestations that you want to achieve.  Start working on your new Manifestations and any you haven’t started on.  Just as we are seeing the first signs of Spring appear, we can also see how the seeds we planted at the start of the year are growing and beginning to bloom.

This is a wonderful time to Celebrate the Goddess and our Earth Mother.  Spend some time outside if you can (rug up though it’s still cold out there).  Create a special night with the Goddess and Honour the Divine Feminie within you.  Put yourself at the top of that pesky To-Do-List and do something that makes your Soul Sing.  Create a special place in your home to display signs of the Wheel beginning turn towards Spring.

Many Blessings to you all and may all your Manifestations come to reality.



©Ange Foster

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Samhain - April 30th 2017 - Southern Hemisphere

This is the big one! 

Samhain (pronounced; Sow-win) is also known as All Hallows Eve, Halloween, and Festival of the Death just to name a few.

Samhain is regarded as a major Sabbath.  Samhain is the time when the God returns to the Underworld until he is reborn at Yule.  It is not quite winter but the days are getting shorter and cooler, since Mabon (Autumn Equinox). Most of the leaves have changed colour and have fallen from the trees.  This was the time that our Ancestors would finish any harvests left and store their food for the winter months.  Samhain is also the time of the Crone, the keeper of the secrets and wisdom of life and death.  During now and Yule the Goddess returns to the Underworld with the God returning the earth to Winter.

Samhain is also the time we remember and honour our loved ones that have passed over.  This is the time when the veils between the worlds are at their thinnest.  It is said that the veil is made thin as the God crosses over to the Underworld.  This is the when our ancestors would invite loved ones to cross over and join in the celebrations.  It was also believed that this was the time to reaffirm karmic ties with loved ones you wish to join in the next life.  The Celts have a beautiful belief of an Anam-cara, which basically means soul friend.  It is believed that we each have one true love that in each life we seek out the spirit of our Anam-cara.

It is not certain exactly where the name Samhain originated from; it has been traced back to a couple of possibilities.  One of these comes from the Celtic Tradition.  There is an Irish Gaelic word Samhridreadh that means Summers end.  Samhain was celebrated by the Celts as the end of summer and the following day was the beginning of winter.  This was because in the UK the sun was at its lowest point on the horizon.  Many sacred stones still mark the journey of the sun scattered across the UK.  This is when the Celts celebrated their New Year, unlike many other cultures that celebrate it at Yule.

Many of the myths associated with Samhain have the similar theme, that is the time when the Sun/God dies and returns to the Underworld.  The Goddess who is in her Crone phase mourns his passing by traveling to the Underworld with him. 

The Goddess in her Crone form is the image taken and distorted into the evil witch in the fairy tales told to our children for many generations to help further help in the effort to abolish the Old Religion.  It is sad that the once revered Crone Goddess has been turned into such an ugly and feared image for many.  This image has been carried over to the modern celebration of Halloween. 

Our ancestors used to cherish the Crones of their community for they were women of great knowledge and wisdom accumulated through her many great years from the Crones before her.  The Crone was well practiced at many of the skills needed for the community's survival.  Her knowledge of herbs used for healing and the precious gift of delivering the children to continue the next generation were just some of the wonderful roles the Crone played in the Old World.

Unfortunately, because of these gifts the Crone possessed led to the persecution of many of our ancestors by the patriarchal crusades of the Church.  Samhain was such an important time for our ancestors the church found it hard to wipe out the celebrations of the Sabbath.  One of the ways the church tried to convert the "pagans" (originally pagan meant town folk rather than the corrupted definition of devil worshiper) was to re-name the Old Religions Sabbaths in the hope that the people would begin worshiping their God and Saints of these days rather than the old deities.  The Church first called Samhain, Michaelmas, the feast of Saint Michael.  Although the ancient traditions of Samhain were so sacred to the people one Saint was not enough to convert the masses.  So, the Church re-named it again calling Eve of All Saints or All Hallows Eve, the day before one of the churches most popular days, All Saints Day.  Despite the churches efforts to abolish Samhain the people continued to celebrate the traditions of the Old Ways.

The Church then decided that the only way to convert the people was to create evil stories about Samhain.  Samhain became a night where evil spirits would appear and create havoc through the villages with the aid of witches.  The Church warned people not leave the safety of their homes on this night for if they did they would fall prey to the evil spirits.  The Church proclaimed that it was not until the dawn of All Saints Day when the Church bells would chime and drive the evil spirits back to hell, that it was safe to leave their homes.  The fear of these so-called evil spirits eventually took hold of converted Christian's minds that the Old Ways were replaced.  Also, the fear of death took over anyone who wished to maintain the Old Ways.  In the Churches efforts to take over anyone who did not take up the ways of the church were tortured and killed.

These evil stories were the beginnings of the modern day Halloween, which is so far removed from the original celebrations of Samhain.  One thing that we must remember though is that there can be evil present on this evening, with the veil at its thinnest there is the possibility of something undesirable crossing over.  Our ancestors were well aware of this and would protect themselves and their loved ones from these entities.  One of the ways this was done was to carve faces into vegetables to place in windows, pace around their circle or carry with them.  This is where the concept of Jack-o-lanterns from modern Halloween celebrations originated. 

Many of our Ancestors left candles in windows and offerings of food for the spirits for their journey back to the Underworld.  Simple gestures like these are quite appropriate ways for us today to honour this wonderful time of year.  Also, as with New Years Celebrations, this is a time take time to look at what you have achieved over the last year and decide what you can do to improve the year to come.

 It is the time for our New Year’s Manifestations!

Which is wonderful timing with last night’s New Moon in Taurus.

I also feel it is worth mentioning that in Australia and New Zealand we have ANZAC Day (Australian New Zealand Army Corp.) on April 25th which is the day we honour and remember those who died defending the freedoms we enjoy today.

You can honour and celebrate Samhain in many ways.  If you have like-minded friends, this is a great time to get together and

celebrate.  If not you can write your own special ritual to honour this Sacred Day.  I have experienced many different Samhain celebrations and rituals now and each one has been unique and wonderful, this is my favorite Sabbath.

I have focused on the Celtic Traditions for this Sabbath, as this is what I believe this day represents.  There are many Myths from all over the world, which has similarities, have some fun looking into the different ways cultures around the world honour this time of year.

Learning about and gaining an understanding of other cultures and ways of life helps in understanding ourselves.

Symbols for Samhain:

- Apples or Pomegranates (Pomegranates are said to be the fruit of the

underworld) when cut to expose the seeds in their star formation.

- As the Goddess is in her Crone Aspect you can either call on all the

Goddess in general or choose a Goddess whom you feel drawn too.  Some

Crone Goddess's include; Morrigian, Cerridwen or my personal favorite

for Samhain Hecate.

- There are also many Gods to choose from, I tend to call on Hades at

this time but there are many others.

- This is a good time of the year to pull out the cauldron.  The

cauldron is said to represent the belly of the Goddess, which holds

the wisdom of birth, life, death and rebirth.  It is also believed,

that it is the belly of the Universe where souls go to wait for

Reincarnation.

- This is also a good time for Divination.  So think about including a

read of some sort in your ritual, whether it is Tarot, Runes, I-Ching

whatever you feel most comfortable with.  If you haven't tried

Divination, this could be a good time to have a go.

- Red and Black Candles

- Red Flowers, Torch Lilies are said to represent rebirth.

- Black Altar Cloth

- Black Pen and Paper, to write down your "New Years Manifestations!"

- Balefires (Bonfires) were traditionally lit to help the departed souls on their

journey.  If you are able to have a fire circle is a wonderful way to celebrate this Sabbath.

With the list above, you should be able to come up with a ritual that is appropriate for you.  With everything we do remember that the Magick comes from within and it is your intention that will create your desired outcome.

Samhain is a great time to get together with like-minded others and celebrate, even if you do have a ritual remember to have fun too.  Your imagination is limitless so use it to create a memorable evening for all.

©Ange Foster

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Mabon - Autumn Equinox

Southern Hemisphere - March 21st

Northern Hemisphere – September 21^st

Traditionally Mabon is celebrated on March 21st. Astrologically, this year Mabon falls on March 20th at  8.29pm. At Mabon (March), the God has died. The Earth has received His body and given up the last of the harvest. Leaves are falling from the trees and the Earth is preparing for the long, cold winter without the light of the Sun.

Mabon is the 2nd of the 3 harvest festivals.  It is also the Autumn Equinox, which means that day and night are equal.  This is because the earth is tilted at a right angle to the sun, and the sun is directly over the equator. In Latin, the word equinox translates to "equal night."   After the equinox the days begin to get shorter and the nights longer as the earth moves into winter.

Harvest festivals are celebrated by many cultures around the world since the beginning of time.

Symbols of the Season:

The harvest is a time of thanks, and also a time of balance, after all, there are equal hours of daylight and darkness.  While we celebrate the gifts of the earth, we also accept that the soil is dying. We have food to eat, but the crops are brown and going dormant.  Warmth is behind us, cold lies ahead.

Some symbols of Mabon include:

Mid-autumn vegetables, like Pumpkins and Zucchini’s

Apples and anything made from them, such as cider or pies

Seeds and seedpods

Baskets, symbolising the gathering of crops

Sickles and scythes

Grapes, vines, wine

You can use any of these to decorate your home or your altar at Mabon.

Feasting and Friends:

Early agricultural societies understood the importance of hospitality, it was crucial to develop a relationship with your neighbours, because they might be the ones to help you when your family ran out of food.  Many people, particularly in rural villages, celebrated the harvest with great deals of feasting, drinking, and eating.  After all, the grain had been made into bread, beer and wine had been made, and the cattle were brought down from the summer pastures for the coming winter.  Celebrate Mabon yourself with a feast and the bigger, the better!

Magic and Mythology:

Nearly all of the myths and legends popular at this time of the year focus on the themes of life, death, and rebirth.  Not much of a surprise, when you consider that this is the time at which the earth begins to die before winter sets in!

Demeter and Her Daughter

Perhaps the best known of all the harvest mythologies is the story of Demeter and Persephone.  Demeter was a goddess of grain and of the harvest in ancient Greece.  Her daughter, Persephone, caught the eye of Hades, god of the underworld.  When Hades abducted Persephone and took her back to the underworld, Demeter's grief caused the crops on earth to die and go dormant.  By the time she finally recovered her daughter, Persephone had eaten six pomegranate seeds, and so was doomed to spend six months of the year in the underworld.  These six months are the time when the earth dies, beginning at the time of the autumn equinox.

Inanna Takes on the Underworld

The Sumerian Goddess Inanna is the incarnation of fertility and abundance.  Inanna descended into the underworld where her sister, Ereshkigal, ruled. Erishkigal decreed that Inanna could only enter her world in the traditional ways, stripping herself of her clothing and earthly possessions.  By the time Inanna got there, Erishkigal had unleashed a series of plagues upon her sister, killing Inanna.  While Inanna was visiting the underworld, the earth ceased to grow and produce.   A vizier restored Inanna to life, and sent her back to earth.  As she journeyed home, the earth was restored to its former glory.

Shamanic and Native American Celebrations and Traditions

Shamanism has always embraced and understood the true nature of darkness.  Shamans work with the darkness.  Journeys are usually done with a blindfold. In some cultures shamans were even deliberately blinded, to help them develop their other senses.  Some of our earliest evidence for people practicing shamanism comes from cave paintings, some of which are over 35,000 years old.  These paintings are deep inside caves, where people have deliberately sought out places of total and utter darkness.  In many tribal societies, shamanic rituals and ceremonies are always performed after sunset, and throughout the night.  For shamans, the darkness, by shutting off our outer visual sense, actually allows us to 'see' the reality that lies

beneath surface perception. 

The physicist David Bohm said that there are two levels of reality.

The surface reality we live in most of the time he called 'explicate' reality. Behind the explicate Bohn says lies a deeper reality which he called the 'implicate', where all things are connected together.  Shamans have known this for tens of thousands of years. Shamans the world over have similar terms; it is a central concept of shamanism.  Light, and external sight, tends to keep us focused in this, surface reality.  Letting go of light and external sight helps us to let go into the deeper, implicate, reality. 

Potentially the darkness is a place of great richness and riches.  Entering it draws us into introspection and contemplation.  If we work with it, it brings us a stillness of mind and an opening up of our other senses.  We can open up to what we would otherwise have overlooked and not noticed, and we can 'see' the truth below the surface of things.  

Famously of course, the psychologist Carl Jung said: 'Filling the conscious mind with ideal conceptions is a characteristic of Western theosophy, but not the confrontation with the shadow and the world of darkness.  One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.'  So shamanism has always embraced and worked with the darkness.

This is not to say at all that shamanism values the dark more than the light.  In fact shamanism (unlike the western religions) stays clear of making any such judgments, and sees all as having its place and part in the wheel. 

On a psychological level, embracing the darkness means embracing our shadow; the bits of our self that we deny or have locked away, and which lie unresolved and un-integrated.  Most people think they can ignore the shadow side.  Many religions and new age beliefs support this, and encourage people to focus only on the light.  In fact, we can never be whole by doing that.  Instead, the shadow becomes stronger the more we deny it.  At worst, we even project it out onto other people (hence the sky religions' willingness to judge and persecute others).  To quote Jung again: 'Projections change the world into the replica of one's own unknown face' (Aion, 1955). And so many people are uneasy with the dark, as in it lies their own un-owned issues, and so they find the decent into the winter darkness hard as it brings them into closer contact with their own unresolved issues and emotions.

In fact, the next six months of darker energy can be a time of great richness, growth and inner exploration. Whereas the spring equinox is a great time to launch plans and projects that involve outer work, the autumn equinox is a great time to set new goals that involve inner work and exploration.  It is also a great time to renew ones commitment to one's shamanic path (or even to start one in the first place!).So you may want to spend some time setting some new goals for 'inner' work.  It is also a good time to study and learn – an inward process (it makes sense that

the new academic year starts around this time).

Shamanically if you want to explore the darkness, then, along with your usual power animals and/or guides, working with animals that are comfortable with the darkness, such as Mole, Bat, Black Panther, Owl and Moth can be of great help. Crow and Raven too, although they are not active in the night as animals, know much about the hidden side of things.  You can work with them through shamanic journeying of course, and/or by taking the relevant Power Animal Essences.

Of course, the dark nights are not on us yet. The equinox just signifies a tipping point.  What it also signals is a time to get ready. If the year were a day, then we are only yet at early evening.

Traditionally it is a time of taking stock.  What do we need to let go of or resolve, in terms of getting ready for winter?  Traditionally this was a time of making amends; of sorting out any unresolved disputes; of getting things in order; and of putting finances in order.

If you choose to celebrate Mabon, give thanks for the things you have, and take time to reflect on the balance within your own life, honouring both the darkness and the light.  Invite your friends and family over for a feast, and count the blessings that you have among kin and community.

©Ange Foster

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Beltaine

Southern Hemisphere – October 31^st

Astrologically – November 7th @ 3.25pm

Beltaine is the second most important day in the Celtic Calendar.  It marks the start and end of the two seasons of the year, the light and dark half, Summer and Winter.  Beltaine celebrates when the Maiden Goddess becomes the Mother and the Young Sun God becomes her consort.  This is the celebration of The Great Rite, the Sacred Union between the Goddess and the God.

As with Samhain, which falls opposite Beltaine on the Wheel of the Year, the veils between the worlds are at their thinnest.

Beltaine, is also known as, Beltane or May Day in England and Wales and Bhealtainn in Scotland.

One of the most popular beliefs on the origin of this Celebration is that of the Sun God Bale.  Balefires, or Bonfires, would be lit on May Day Eve in his honour.  In Brittan the Royal Family still lights a Balefire each year on May Eve in order to continue the family line.

Another popular way to celebrate Beltaine is the May Pole.  The May Pole was, and still is, a prominent symbol of this Celebration.  Traditionally the may Pole would be made from the communal Pine Tree that would be decorated at Yule, but would have the top branches removed to attach Red and White Ribbons to the trunk for “Morris Dances” to hold on to as they danced around the May Pole.  The red and white ribbons were representations of the Goddess and God intertwining to symbolize the creation of life.

Beltaine is celebrated by many cultures around the world.

In Russia everyone waits until the moon rises on Beltaine before they light their Balefires and throw sprigs of Holly into the fire in honour of the Holly King.

An old Swedish tradition is that two people, a female and a male, must light the Balefire each using flints to symbolize the Sacred Union of the Goddess and God.

In Norway, Balefires are called Balder’s Fires in honour of their Sun God.  They would also throw their old brooms on the fires and dedicate the new ones that were made during the winter months.

Germanic and Dianic traditions celebrate the Night of the Dead, similar to Samhain.  Ancestors would be invited to join them by the fire.

In Slavic countries young men would go from house to house within the village to collect fuel for the fires.  Wreaths would also be made to throw into the fire for healings.

The Celts also believed that on this day the Faye (Fairies) would disguise themselves as humans to join in the festivities.  Daisy chains would be made and placed around children’s necks to protect them from the Faye’s.  Livestock would also be fed fresh dill weed for protection.

The best protection was believed to be bells.  Faye’s were not only believed to be nature spirits but tricksters and pranksters.  Bells were said to hurt the “Wee Folks” ears.  So it is not surprising that bells feature strongly in the folklore surrounding Beltaine.

Other bells have long been used for protection too.  However, most of their origins have been forgotten.  Wind chimes were hung outside windows and doors to prevent the Faye’s and other baneful spirits from entering the home.

The Primrose flower was also used at Beltaine to keep the Faye at bay.  In Ireland many people still boil Primrose flowers and pour it outside their doors to prevent the mischievous Faye from entering their homes.  Fires would also be extinguished on this night and then relit in the morning from logs taken from the main Balefire in the community.  It was considered bad luck to use logs from the previous season in the new fires.

The Norse believed you must sleep at home on this night and keep the hearth fire burning until dawn to ensure good fortune and harvests for the coming year.

In China, all fires need to be put out on May Eve and new ones lit at Sunrise to promote good luck for the next harvests.

In Wales, Balefires would be kept alight for the first three days of May.  Three is a sacred number for the Celts.  The Warriors and Warioressess would take turns in keeping the Balefires going.  In other countries this day was not celebrated as a Sabbath as such but a day to honour different deities.  In Rome for instance, it was called Floralia in honour of Flora the Goddess of Flowers.  The Romans also honoured Bacchanalia, the God of Wine and Frolic.  This day is still celebrated in parts of Italy as the first day of Spring with community festivals that feature dancing, singing, drinking wine made from the previous season.  It is tradition that all the old wine must be drunk before midnight.  So that new wine could be made from the new Spring harvests.  Young men would climb the Alps to pick Edelweiss flowers and then return to the festival and give the flowers to the young woman of his choice.  If she accepted then the couple would become engaged.

In the Germanic lands Beltaine was known as Walpurgisnacht in honour of the Earth Mother Waburga who would marry the Sun God and become impregnated with the son who was born at Yule.

Native American’s would also look to nature at this time and was a popular time of the year to embark on Vision Quests.

Other Festivals at this time of year included the Festival of Sheila-na-gig in Ireland, Tithe Day in Germany, and the Festival of Pan in Greece (also known as Cernunnos by the Celts) who is the master of the hunt.  During Spring he represents the Young God of Fertility and later coming into his full power in Summer and Autumn. This day is also known as the day Buddha was born and is know as Wesak.

The Great Rite is performed at Beltaine.  Most people usually misunderstand this.  The Great Rite Symbolises the sexual union or Sacred Marriage of the Goddess and the God from whose union comes all creation.  One female and one male, representing the Goddess and God, perform the right.  They unite sexually in a symbolic way by placing an Athame (Ritual Knife) into a Chalice.  Each being representations of the Goddess and God.

The month of May was named in Honour of Maia, originally a Greek mountain Nymph identified as the most beautiful of the Seven Sisters, which are known today to modern astronomers as the Pleiades.  Maia was the mother of Hermes, the God of Magic.

May is also the month that celebrated everything to do with Women.  Maidens, Mothers, Crones and Goddesses.

For most of Europe, Beltaine marked the last of the Spring planting season.  Many cultures would use sympathetic magic to ensure the success of the harvest.  Women would ride Besom’s (Brooms) over the fields to bless and protect the crops at this time.  Menstruating women were especially sought after for these rituals as the blood was regarded as sacred and life giving.

  Most importantly Beltaine is a time of Celebration, Festivities, Feasting and Love.  Celebrate all the beauty that Mother Earth has to offer. Our Ancestors would take time out from the fields to celebrate the Wheel as it turned. 
 So join with friends and loved ones and take time out from our hectic and often stressful lives and Celebrate!

©Ange Foster

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A Magical Month Ahead!

Today marks the 1st day of the Lunar Calendar such as the one the Chinese follow, this is known as the Spring Festival and goes for 15 days.  It is a time when people return to their families and celebrate the past year and welcome in the New.  On the first day the Chinese believe you should not shower, clean or do laundry so you do not wash away all the Good Luck.  This year we will be entering the Chinese year of the Fire Monkey on February 8th. 

Tomorrow we also celebrate Lammas here in the Southern Hemisphere and Imbolc in the Northern.  Lammas is the "cross-quarter" day marking the first harvest of early grain, where the first loaf of the bread from the harvest is broken and shared in the name of the Goddess. All crops associated with grain and of the season are sacred to this time. It is a time to reflect on the successes of the year and to reward yourself for jobs well done. Lammas magic can be magic of facing up to change. The God gives his energy to the crops to ensure life while the Goddess, as Mother, prepares to transform into her aspect as the Crone. The God loses his strength as the days grow shorter. Traditionally this day falls on February 2nd, however astrologically it falls on February 4th this year.

For those of you in the Northern Hemisphere the Wheel of the Year is turning to Imbolc. Also known as Candlemass. For those of you going through Winter take a peek outside and get some inspiration from nature, you will see signs of New Life popping up everywhere. This weekend you celebrate Imbolc which is the mid-way point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Astrologically the mid-way point this year is February 4th. As this date changes each year it is often observed on February 2nd.

 At Imbolc we begin to see the first signs of Spring, flowers are starting to bloom and the days are getting longer. Imbolc is the Celebration of the Mother Goddess with the young Sun God that was born at Yule. This is Sacred day for the Divine Feminine. On this day our Ancestors would initiate any of the young girls who had begun their Moontime into the Sisterhood and the Feminine Mysteries.

Mercury is also in Shadow Phase at the moment, which is the phase just after the actual retrograde period, until February 14th. This is the time to consolidate anything that arose during the retrograde period. Jupiter has also recently entered its retrograde phase, on January 8th, allowing us to look at issues concerning self-love and self-esteem. This phase continues until May 9th. 

We also have a rare event occurring in our skies throughout February, with five of our major planets in alignment. These planets include Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter. This line up highlights areas of Self-Worth, Abundance, Action, Communication and Personal Responsibility. 

Use this time wisely as the universe gives you a cosmic push in these areas. 

I wish you all a Magical Month!

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