Dog Days and End of the Oak Month

"Dog Days bright and clear / indicate a happy year. / But when accompanied by rain, / for better times our hopes are vain." Taken from the Old Farmers Almanac

We are approaching the beginning of what the Egyptians first termed as the Dog Days (3rd July to 11 August), when Sirius, the Dog Star rises, predicting the type of weather there will be for the rest of the year. It is part of the hottest, most humid time of the year (although this weather can continue well after the 11th of August) but for the Egyptians this was the time preceding the flooding of the Nile.

We are in to the last phase of the Oak Month, the time of masculine power and strength, stability and success, healing and fertility, money and luck, of Solar power and is therefore associated with the element fire. It is especially associated with thunder/lightening deities like Thor, Zeus, Jupiter, and Perkunas (Lithunaian deity) because they often attract lightening to them.

Artemis was sometimes depicted as having a necklace of acorns and the acorn is often associated with creativity of the mind.

The oak is a tree of truth and honesty and is therefore classed as a holy tree. A leaf from this tree can be worn over the heart and allows the wearer to see through deceptions.

Oak can be used as talismans for protection and to bring in money. The best time to harvest anything from an oak is now, during the waning time of the oak moon. The last quarter of the moon begins tomorrow.

Have a wonderful summer!

On another note, my second book, The Island of the Mist, is now available on both Kindle and paperback formats:

Kindle: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Island-Mist-Kingslayer-Series-ebook/dp/B0092TUS7U/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1346945410&sr=1-2

And paperback: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Island-Mist-N-Roy/dp/147921292X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346506656&sr=1-2

and in the US: http://www.amazon.com/Island-Mist-N-Roy/dp/147921292X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346946271&sr=1-2&keywords=the+island+of+the+mist

My first book, The Stone in the Sword, is now reduced in price: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stone-Sword-ebook/dp/B006ZQIEPG/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1327179005&sr=1-3

Empowerment

As we approach Midsummer many of us wish to reflect on empowerment, specifically of ourselves and our family, as well as our views. Midsummer is all about empowerment. It is an active energy, a doing sabbat.

While it is deemed more a masculine sabbat, as the god gains his full power, I think it is equally true of the goddess and for those of us who were not born pagan but came to it after years of living under a monotheistic (and masculine) religion, I think its important to rebalance and take note of the feminine energy at this time as well. Please note that I am not saying ignore the god - I would not do this but I do think that for many of us this festival is all about the god and for those of us trying to find balance, we need to focus on the goddess for a while.

This week there has been a great deal in the British press regarding Emily Davison, the suffragette who was killed at Epsom Derby 100 years ago this week. Female power is very much on my mind at the moment given this anniversary. Some people, very cruelly class her as a crazy lady who wanted to throw her life away but research has shown that she had no intention of committing suicide, she had no idea just how dangerous the race was. I salute this woman in her incredible belief in her movement, a movement that allowed people like myself to be able to vote, and to have the same rights as men.

It is sad that in this day and age that feminism is a dirty word with so many negative connotations. I now class myself as a feminst. I am married, love my husband and have no animosity towards men. I simply believe we are equal and entitled to the same treatment as men, such as equal pay.

So empowerment is on my mind this week, as the sun gains power in the heavens and the earth breathes in the warmth after a strange winter and late spring. At this time of year I am drawn to causes and to exposing injustice. As a Sagittarius I cannot help but feel great anger at injustice. The current situation in Turkey for instance, really angers me. Currently under a totalitarian regime, the people rose up in protest and were met with severe violence, like the situation in Syria. But there appears to be very little coverage of this situation in the media. Part of this could be that in order to keep the likes of the US off their back, Turkey's government have very rapidly put through laws allowing oil exploration in their country, giving the US rights to drill. Meanwhile they abuse their people without anyone speaking out about it. Read more here.

I also believe in ethical sourcing for my food and this is a wonderful site, if you don't know it already: Compassion in World Farming.

Empowerment is not only about external issues. It can be as much about reaching for your own personal strength as anything else. This is the time of year to go inside yourself to find that core centre of your being and know that nothing can take that from you and that you can increase this core when you feel threatened or need a little extra confidence. Our willpower and core strength are located in our solar plexus chakra, our stomach area. This is a vibrant golden yellow and when we need extra confidence or strength we simply visualise this chakra expanding until it surrounds us. When you no longer need that extra oomph, return it to its normal size.

Whatever your passions are, whatever makes you angry and want to change a situation, now is the time to act! Solar energy is doing energy so get involved!!

On another note, my second book, The Island of the Mist, is now available on both Kindle and paperback formats:

Kindle: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Island-Mist-Kingslayer-Series-ebook/dp/B0092TUS7U/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1346945410&sr=1-2

And paperback: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Island-Mist-N-Roy/dp/147921292X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346506656&sr=1-2

and in the US: http://www.amazon.com/Island-Mist-N-Roy/dp/147921292X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346946271&sr=1-2&keywords=the+island+of+the+mist

My first book, The Stone in the Sword, is now reduced in price: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stone-Sword-ebook/dp/B006ZQIEPG/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1327179005&sr=1-3