This is the month of the vine, and a time of celebration. We have the happiness of the harvest and the remnants of the warm, later nights, before the long winter begins.
The vine is considered to be the celebration of joy and its wood was used as one of the nine woods for the balefire at Beltain. The vine is sacred to many deities, including the more obvious Bacchus/Dionysus, Venus and Minerva, and the less obvious Osiris, Demeter, Hathor, Rhea and Aphrodite.
Associations for this tree include the snake, tit-mouse and white swan, variegated colours although silver and burgandy are very strong at this time of year and the stone is an amethyst.
Types of magic used at this time of year are related to the harvest, joy, poetry, imagination and inspiration. Other types of magic include garden magic, faerie magic, spells of wrath, joy, exhiliration, prosperity fertility, mental powers, happiness and especially binding.
If you lack self esteem or suffer an inferiority complex, this is the time to work magic to improve this, with the leaves and fruit of the vine. Vine can also help with those looking for strength and to succeed in their ambitions.
Fertility is both in the harvest itself but also in preparing the garden for the year to come, as well as making the foods you are about to harvest are as good as they could be. In ancient Greece and Rome, this time would also have been spent in festivals of thanksgiving and revelry, and as a result, many babies would be conceived at this time :)
Because wine is the 'afterlife' of a grape, this tree is also a symbol of rebirth (hence the connection to Osiris). Of course, grapes are not the only vine fruit but they are one of the most common.
As this is the month of the Autumn Equinox, we are looking at ourselves in detail, watching how the year has affected us, what worked and what did not. We need to strengthen our bodies and minds for the coming winter and looking into courses on any crafty or cooking classes we might want to attend is a good step.
We are entering a very fecund time of year where nature has given us all the ingredients packed with nutrients that will keep us healthy over the coming winter. it is a good time to eat seasonally, stock up on potatoes (general as well as sweet), squashes/pumpkin, mushrooms, berries, pears, beetroot, plums, apples, cabbage, damson and mussels are all in season just now.
Getting into your kitchen is as important as getting out into nature, as food is nature. It is the first, deepest connection we have with the earth and the wheel of the year. Steer clear of processed foods, which have very little nutritional value and opt instead to pop some of these glorious foods into a soup, stew or a lovely crumble :D
BB and have a wonderful, colourful September!
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
