The Lightning Moon, the Blue Moon, and the First Harvest

Back in action!

The last couple of months have been an exercise in humility. I\’ve struggled with my health and had to lean on the witches around me for both moral support and the crafting of your goodies. I\’ve been able to dip my toe back into the healing waters of herbalism and I\’m beginning to feel like myself again, but it\’s going to be a long road.

Welcome to your super-sized Blue Moon delivery from the Witch’s Garden. A Blue Moon happens when when the lunar and solar cycles line up so that a full moon comes twice within a calendar month. This delivery is about \”Spirit\” – that divine fire within us that connects us to the world around us and the gods we love. Our Blue \”supermoon\” this year whispers of the ineffable and mysterious, fate and serendipity and the countless small ways we find ourselves exactly where we need to be – just when we thought ourselves lost. There\’s a resilience and grit in leaning on that kismet, stoking it by trusting in the fire within us and the fire in those around us. Like companion plants that work together and hold each other up, when we find ourselves in community we can make the impossible happen. So let\’s get to it!

Reminders:

• Please bring back your cloth bags with the name tag attached, so we know that you returned your bag. Each customer gets two bags for the year – one to pick up full of goodies, and one to return empty so that we can refill it for you next month. The cycle continues until the end of the year, when you can choose whether to keep both bags, one bag, or return them both for us to recycle next year. Right now we’re using a lot of paper. We’ll try to reset next month with more cloth bags, but we won’t be replacing them again this year.
• We will also re-use any glass, metal, or packing materials you return. Please help us keep costs down by letting us reuse as much as possible.
• If you haven’t yet, please fill out this survey to let me know what you thought of the Flower Moon delivery!
• If you have any trouble with the form, the blog, or the website, please let us know so that we can iron out any kinks.

Password Update

The password for the site is now:

BoldMagnolia

On the night of Saturday August 26, this will become:

TakeTheKnife

As always, the password is based on S.J. Tucker’s lyrics, this time from the song “Where the Ocean Meets the Land,” a heartwrenching retelling of Andersen\’s \”The Little Mermaid\” from the Sea Witch\’s viewpoint. It sees the world as hard and unyielding in water or in air, and honors the sometimes tragic wild spirit that cannot bend to the ways of either world. You can listen to (and purchase) this haunting single on Bandcamp. For all the Soojy goodness the interwebs can hold visit https://linktr.ee/sjtuckermusic.

Lammas/Lughnasadh, The First Harvest

As we near the end of summer, The Wheel of the Year turns to the first fruits of harvest at Lammas. Though we missed this moon delivery, you\’ll find items in your bag related to Lammas and the August Moon, the Lightning Moon. The energy of Lammas continues through the Autumn, as the Wheel turns from the green growing of the \”Oak\” half of the year (ruled by the Green Man or the Oak King) to the reaping and restful \”Holly\” half of the year (ruled by the Holly King).

The Lightning Moon and the Blue Moon

It feels like everything is defined by heat, storms, and blazing sun this time of year. Our lives can be changed in the blink of an eye by tornadoes, swift winds, drought, hail, or floods. We \”ride the waves\” as best we can, holding to each other and to what we love as Oak and Holly energies meet, swirl, battle around us. We honor the precious lesson of letting go, as we watch the illusion of control melt away under heat and dust intermixed with rain, thunder, and lightning.

The Blue Moon is in August this year, at a time when the moon is particularly close to the earth in its orbit, a phenomenon dubbed a \”supermoon\” by some news maverick somewhere who is better at marketing and horoscopes than I am. With the moon so close to Earth in its orbit, its pull on the tides is stronger, as the gravitation of the moon and the tides of the Earth\’s oceans engage in their timeless dance. This is the perfect time of year to talk about the Mother, the Mysteries, the Magick of time and tides.

The Celtic Tree Calendar

A tradition of some Celtic pagan paths, most likely arising in the 1800s but based on the historically ancient ogham writing system, relates a tree species to each lunar month. This month’s lunar correspondence is with the Holly, as Oak and Holly battle for influence over the world – a battle that Holly always eventually wins this time of year. The Vana Grimoire has a lovely retelling of the Oak and Holly story.

Spirit and the Moon

Let\’s talk about Spirit. Considered the culmination of the four elements, in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, Spirit is that ineffable spark that breathes life into us. From the deepest depths of the ocean to the dryest deserts, life exists. And where life exists, it draws on all the elements to varying degrees. We are inextricably linked to Spirit, and Spirit inextricably linked to matter. Like light and dark, each is incomplete and ill-defined without the other.

Every life spirit (soul?) is a spark of Source. Call that Source God, Goddess, Life, Breath, or any other name you prefer. That Source is the creative element, the generative principle, that holds sway when paintings, literature, babies, herbal tinctures are made – when something unique comes into being. This is the greatest Mystery, and in it is every question humanity has ever tirelessly explored about life and death. When it is here, we are here. When it is gone, we are gone – though all our elements remain. Over the course of our lives it is always to be found within us, right there to be explored and experienced – though many of us spend our lives looking outward or to the heavens for answers.

The Moon is representative of these Mysteries. She represents those things that cannot be held with the hands, cannot be fully grasped by the fingers, by the intellect, or by words. She is those ineffable messages that come when we ponder life and death in the dark of night. A reflection of the sun but possessed of her own unique unearthly beauty, she pulls and pushes the tides of the sea in an endless, wordless, constant dance.

She is ever-constant, ever-present even when invisible by the light of day, but she is also ever-changing. She shifts continually through phases from dark to whole and back again, never in the same place or with the same aspect two nights in a row. Yet in her continual change, she is the most trustworthy count of time that we humans have in the natural world, her cycle a pillar of regularity on which whole empires have built the charting of the passage of time. What better symbol for the Goddess, the one who makes matter manifest, the one who represents most intimately the complex relationship between humanity and the Divine?

Your items this month symbolize, work with, and encourage a relationship with Spirit. May they be a blessing in your practice.

Your Items

So what’s in the box?

This month’s box includes a smorgasbord of handmade items. Spiraling from center right – Sea water from the Gulf of Mexico; seashells and other trinkets hand-picked from beaches between Pensacola Beach and Gulf Shores; A \”hidden\” pentagram pendant by Raine LaMee and quartz chakra wand by Raine LaMee; a handmade Mother Doll by LaSheet\’s Treats or Jen of The Witch\’s Garden; Storm water from our hardest-hitting summer storms; Anti-Itch Balm from Elm of The Witch\’s Garden; a Holly Athame and \”Curious Dice\” divination tools/art work by Emma\’s Limbs; and a linen Altar Cloth by Elm of The Witch\’s Garden.

Sea water – Not for drinking, this water was collected under the full moon during our trip to the gulf coast this summer. I can\’t bring the sea to all of you, but I can send a little token with love. Place it on your altar and use it as an offering under the Blue Moon.

Sea Shells and Trinkets – Picked by hand on our beach walks, tumbled by the sea and cushioned by the sand, these shells were selected for you with intention and care. We added seaweed, driftwood, and other little bits of ocean magick as we found them. Place them on your altar at the Blue Moon to celebrate the tides and our Mother Ocean, home of still-unknown mysteries and source of all life on earth.

\”Hidden Pentagram\” – Handcrafted by Raine LaMee, these beaded necklaces symbolize earth, air, fire, water, and spirit in a form that emphasizes the pretty beading and hides the pentagram in plain sight… great for wear around our beloved but perhaps misguided muggle friends. The stones are aventurine (green – Earth), citrine (yellow – Air), carnelian (red – Fire), kyanite (blue – Water) and chalcedony (white – Spirit).

Quartz Chakra Wand – Handcrafted by Raine LaMee, these crystal quartz wands can be held in the hand for meditation and magick. Call your circle with it or use on your altar to represent unity and totality. The 8 beads in the chakra colors represent the internal and relational work it takes to be a fully realized being, inside and out, connected to the life within us, the world around us, and the Gods who hold us. Crystal quartz is a powerful amplifier for magickal energies and can representdivine energy. The tarnish-resistant silver wire embodies the indelible threads that join us with the divine. For a gentle introductory chakra meditation, try this one by My Peace of Mindfulness.. Your wand might also be a lovely addition to your Oak wand blank from earlier in the season, either strung onto the handle with cord or wrapped into the tip.

Mother Doll – Lovingly created by hand, your doll is made entirely of thread and cord. Let her remind you that even if you feel pulled in a million directions or split into a million pieces, you can still be something beautiful. With her blue robe and silvering hair she embodies wise, nurturing energy. Whether we nurture projects, careers, children, inner work, art work, community, or all of the above, the Mother guides us and provides an energy we can always lean on when we feel we have none of our own energy left. Her green belt and gold-flecked hair carries something of the Maiden\’s youthful spirit, and her dark and silver hair something of the Crone and her Wisdom.

Storm Water – Collected during our most harrowing summer storms this year, then warmed (and sterilized) by the sun, this water is excellent for calling on the power of storm magick in seasons like this when there isn\’t a storm in sight. Use it as an offering on your altar or as a ritual object. The Tea Witch has a lovely post on beginning to work with Storm Magick.

Kill-the-Itch Salve – This salve is a powerhouse for killing the itch from bug bites or pain from stings. Cooling, comforting, and antibacterial, it\’s also an excellent all-purpose first-aid salve for cuts, burns, chaps, chafes, scrapes, dry skin, and eczema. Spiderwort-and-plantain-infused coconut oil; Lemon balm-infused sunflower oil; Juniper-infused avocado and olive oil; beeswax from our hive; dandelion-infused white vinegar; lemon juice; clove essential oil. I\’ve been working on this recipe for about 6 months and I\’m finally happy with it.

Holly Athames – Holly is a symbol of fertility and eternal life, thought possessed of magickal properties by the Druids. Emma of Emma\’s Limbs had this to say about her stunning holly athames:

A while back, the boxes included an oak wand blank; the holly athame marks the shift away from Oak’s reign (but oak is still around—see the dice below!). Each of these has a different length, shape, and design. They are “sharp” on both sides, so they cut both ways. The tips are pointed—be careful! A few have designs on the hilts, but most are just the beauty of the natural oiled wood. Each one has a different rune on the hilt. If you aren’t familiar with Elder Futhark Runes, here is a summary of meanings. The runes aren’t random. I borrowed a Witch’s Familiar Runic Oracle deck from Becca of LaSheet\’s Treats and associated each athame with an animal based on intuition.

Rune | Animal
ᚠ      Squirrel
ᚢ      Ox
ᚦ      Wolf
ᚨ       Crow
ᚱ      Whale
ᚲ       Owl
ᚷ      Goose
ᚹ      Hummingbird
ᚺ      Scorpion
ᚾ      Badger
ᛁ       Bat
ᛃ      Bee
ᛇ      Cat
ᛈ      Snake
ᛉ      Stag
ᛋ      Kingfisher
ᛏ      Eagle
ᛒ      Rabbit
ᛖ      Horse
ᛗ      Prarie dog
ᛚ      Seahorse
ᛜ      Lion
ᛞ     Butterfly
ᛟ      Crab

Curious Dice – These dice are both a beautiful work of art and a delightful means of divination. Work with your preferred numerology method to answer your questions… Here\’s one set of numbers and their symbolism from 1-100 that I\’ve seen work well with these dice. \”Yes\” or \”No\” questions are fun with the Curious Dice too – use lower numbers as \”no\”… the lower the number, the more emphatic the \”no\”. Use higher numbers as \”yes\” – the higher the number, the more emphatic the \”yes\”. Numbers in the middle are more of a \”meh\”. Try it… it grows on you. They\’re fun to talk with.

Emma of Emma\’s Limbs had this to say about her fascinating Curious Dice: Oak isn’t gone. These are made from 100-year aged barn oak. These dice are curious; they don’t play like you might expect them to, but they still love to play. One is odd: numbered 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11; the other is even: numbered 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. Roll them both and you can get any odd number total from 1 to 21. Roll them more than once and you can get even totals, too.

Linen Altar Cloth – The use of linen fabrics may date back more than 30,000 years. As one of the oldest fabrics in the world, linen ties us to our ancestors, to their Gods, and to the spark of Spirit. The blue pentagram in a never-ending Celtic knot style symbolizes the unending connection between the Divine (white linen) and our own internal spiritual divinity (blue of the pentagram, combining earthly elements with Spirit).

Basil plant (not pictured)

Forest Fae Message Card – Pulled for you by Elm from the deck \”Forest Fae: Curious messages of enchantment\”. I\’ve come to love these cards and so we bought a deck to share with you. The text inside the cover reads: \”… Choose a card at random and discover what messages the forest fae have for you. Perhaps the answers will be clear or maybe they will ask more questions before they answer. Such is the way of the fae.\” May the message light your way through the heat into the first cool of Autumn.

Using Your Items

The items in your box are yours to do with as you please. I don’t put together “spell kits” or provide rituals for you – you have your own path to walk, and I have mine. Instead I try to provide you with items to use in your own practice, sharing some of my own plans and ideas as inspiration. Legalese, because it’s an important thing sometimes: By using these items, you acknowledge that YOU are responsible for any and all outcomes, including any allergic reactions, and not me or The Witch’s Garden. Know thyself, witch.

A few suggestions for using your items:

Create a Blue Moon Rite. Set your altar, outdoors if you can, with the altar cloth, the athame, the Mother Doll, the Sea water and shells, and the quartz chakra wand. Add other ritual items as you wish. Feel free to include some others from this bag – wear the stone pentagram, set out your message from the Forest Fae, add the Curious Dice if you\’d like to do some divination work. If you\’re outdoors in this part of the world this time of year, the anti-itch salve isn\’t a bad idea either.

A suggested order for your ritual: Call your circle if that\’s a thing you do. Begin with the chakra meditation. Continue by offering sea water and shells to the Mother. If it\’s a thing you do, draw down the moon. Finish with scrying in the seawater and/or divination with the Curious Dice. Share food and drink, with others gathered with you or symbolically with the God(s) you\’re working with. Close your circle and thank your deities.

Happy Blue Moon, beloveds. May Mystery and Divinity find you everywhere you go. Blessed Be.