Halloween/Samhain, Reed Moon & Fog Moon

Halloween is also called Samhain (Sowen) in the pagan community. This is classed as the Celtic New Year. It is a time of endings and of beginnings. I find it deeply satisfying that the Celts celebrated their new year in the dark, before the return of the light. It is a time of inward-ness, of looking to ourselves, facing our fears and shouting 'I am not afraid to face this year. I will take all that it throws at me and I will roar in its face.' There's a fierce defiance, a fierce careless bravery about this.

As a time of endings, we say farewell to our loved ones and think about those who have gone before. Not just our parents/grandparents, but those several generations back. We wonder how they lived, loved and died. What their dreams and fears were.

In Scotland, telling ghost and faerie stories is a favourite past time and has been for a few centuries. Halloween has always been the favoured time to do this. Apple dooking (bobbing for apples) is another. And divining for your future lover/life partner is another. There were many ways of doing this - peeling an apple while reciting the alphabet and whenever the peel fell away on a letter, that would be the initial of your lover. The same goes for twisting the stem. Looking into a mirror to see a face was another way. Popping a posy of herbs under your pillow at night was a way to entice dreams of your love as well.

In the UK we never had 'trick or treating'. We had guising. This was the same sort of thing but the guisers, those going round houses looking for treats, had to tell a joke, poem or sing a song to win their treat. And you didn't trick someone. I miss this aspect of life. Only in the last 20 years has this died out.

So what do you like to do for Halloween? Do you like to dress up and party or light a candle for those who have passed? Do you celebrate the New Year or do some quiet divination? Or a combination?

The 28th of October is the beginning of the Celtic Tree Month Reed (or Elm). A water element tree. This is a great tree for using music in your magic, as well as for divination. Protection spells are good just now. It is also a good luck tree, so talismans made with this wood are especially effective. It is sacred to Odin, and the Festival of Woden is on the 2nd of November.

On the 1st of November, All Saints Day, or Beltain in the Southern Hemisphere, we also see the festival of the Fogmoon. This was a day of remembrance, dedicated to Odin and also to Freya. This is also the festival of Pomona, called Pomonia, the Roman Goddess of orchards. This is a very busy time of year.

Sacred fruit of this time are apples and pomegranates but also anything coming from an orchard xx

BB x


On another note, I have written 3 books. 2 are part of a series set in Scotland about the Sidhe, fairy folk. Available on kindle and in paperback: The Island of the Mist is book 2 The Stone in the Sword is book 1
The 3rd book is an adult, sexy witchy werewolf/vampire story set in New York and featuring a strong female lead character, again available in kindle and paperback formats: The Wolf, the Witch and the Coffin

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

Imbolc and Spring

Imbolc is on Saturday - that is the 'official day' however if you see snowdrops pushing up through the soil or even flowering already, you can have your ritual at any time now. Imbolc is not as fixed as Halloween date-wise, as it is usually celebrated with the appearance of the first snowdrops - and they will appear at different times in varying countries. SO do what feels right for you.

To me, Imbolc is a Celtic festival and as a Scot, I welcome Bride (rather than the Irish counterpart, Brigid or Brede). I use white candles and a pale green altar cloth (you could use a white altar cloth here if you wish). I light the candles and go to my front door at night, opening it and welcoming Bride in. I see a tall, dark haired young woman in white as she enters my home, and I lead her through the house, with the candle to light our way. No part of the house is neglected (and this is why I clean beforehand (this is the forerunner to spring cleaning!)). This is also a type of house blessing.

Some people will make corn bread at this time but as I celebrate this time as a Celtic festival (and corn did not grow in the UK/Ireland prior to a couple of hundred years ago), I bake soda bread - recipe on my last post. It's very easy and native. however, if you live in America or anywhere else in the world where corn was native, go for the corn bread. Again, this is entirely up to you.

Making a brigid knot or a corn dolly is something else many people do at this time, tying it off with red ribbon. There are hundreds of site on how to do this, including youtube video's. Here is one example : How to make a Brigid Cross

Remember that while they will state using straw, you can use lavender stalks and other similar material.

If the weather is not too horrific, try to go out and have a look at some greenery, spot a few snowdrops, which are the symbol of Imbolc. This is the first Goddess festival of the year and the energy is expectant, soft, that breath before the burst that is Spring.

BB

On another note, I have written 3 books. 2 are part of a series set in Scoltand about the Sidhe, fairy folk. Available on kindle and in paperback:

The Island of the Mist is book 2

The Stone in the Sword is book 1

The 3rd book is an adult, sexy witchy werewolf/vampire story set in New York and featuring a strong female lead character, again available in kindle and paperback formats:

The Wolf, the Witch and the Coffin

Spring Equinox

This Sunday (20th March) is the Spring Equinox. It follows the full moon on the 19th and is a time of renewal, of fresh starts and new ventures.

This article covers the basics better than I could say here. http://www.bukisa.com/articles/469047_spring-equinox

Want to celebrate but not sure what to do? Why not have a little ritual planting seeds with special meanings attached to them. Bulbs would be an excellent alternative. Getting your hands dirty is especially satisfying at this time of year.

Spring cleaning is often done now, clearing out the old to make way for the new.
Telling stories is another form of ritual for this time of year, as it would have been in the past.

Found this wonderful video on U-Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lZ-YKIeXww

Whatever you choose to do, have a wonderful time.

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

And you can still obtain the first book, The Stone in the Sword: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stone-Sword-ebook/dp/B006ZQIEPG/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1327179005&sr=1-3

Imbolc

Imbolc is the pagan festival of the return of Spring, the return of life to the land. It is most often on the 2nd of February (as it is this year) but it is always best to look outside and see whether the snowdrops are pushing through. This is the true sign of Imbolc.

At this time pagans, especially witches, wiccans and druids, celebrate by cleaning house and welcoming the spirit of spring into their homes and lives. It is a time of welcome, revival after winters harshness and a time of celebration.

Imbolc is a fire festival and the time of year most associated with the Goddess Brigid/Bride/Brede. Lighting candles is one of the easiest ways of welcoming her into our homes.

For more information on this wonderful festival from the wheel of the year, why not look at this article: http://www.bukisa.com/articles/226301_the-festival-of-imbolc-2nd-february

Enjoy and may light and warmth fill your home this spring :D

On another note, I have written 3 books. 2 are part of a series set in Scoltand about the Sidhe, fairy folk. Available on kindle and in paperback:

The Island of the Mist is book 2

The Stone in the Sword is book 1

The 3rd book is an adult, sexy witchy werewolf/vampire story set in New York and featuring a strong female lead character, again available in kindle and paperback formats:

The Wolf, the Witch and the Coffin