February Full Moon, Storm Moon

 Full Moon is tonight, February 7 at 4:54pm EST

Brigid under a Full Moon

This post is partly new and partly a previous post.  I found the bath and meditation reminder and it is exactly what I need at this time, so I thought that I would share it again.

The picture of Brigid is a reminder that Imbolc was less than a week away.  Keep in mind the changes that are taking place within the earth and how they are going to impact your life very soon.

The February Full Moon is also known as the Storm Moon as used to be a time of extreme hardship.  Cold weather, big storms, short days, diminishing food supplies.  Keep this in mind if you work magick this month.  Take that same determination that was essential for survival and use it to solve a big issue in your life.  Add the strength and power of our ancestors to your work.

If you are looking for guidance in the coming month get out your Tarot cards, Runes, Pendulums, Crystals or whatever other tools you use and ask your questions about the coming months.  You do not have to be a psychic to make use of these magickal tools.  Regular use of these items can help you establish a closer and clearer relationship with your spiritual guides.  They help to clear your mind and stop all that negative chatter from fouling up your attempts to solve problems or learn new things.

This is also the time to get out your list that you wrote for the ritual of the New Moon.  Cross out the things that have resolved themselves.  Keep the list until the next New Moon ritual, but at that time, throw away the list and create a new one on a new page.

Full Moon is, of course, a time that magical people of all traditions gather to honor the Goddess, or reflect on the universal energy or offer respect to local Gods and Goddesses.
If you do not have access to a Coven,  a Grove, a Kindred, a Clan or another gathering and you feel that a community ritual would suit you best, look for the nearest Unitarian Church.  Chances are they are holding a Circle tonight.

Along with ritual, this is a good time for relieving stress, teaching your body to relax, using meditation and essential oils can calm the mind and body and make the stresses of life easier to handle. 
Try a simple cleansing/relaxing bath as part of your ritual today.   Substitute or leave out ingredients to make use of what you have at hand.  Lavender is relaxing to the mind and body and citrus is cleansing.
Mix:
one cup of powered milk
half cup of epsom salts
half cup of sea salt
8 drops of lavender essential oil
4 drops lemon essential oil
Mix and pour into running bath water

I turn off the electric lights, light a candle and do a meditation while I am soaking in the heat and wonderful feelings from this bath.

Full Moon Blessing to you

Imbolc

Imbolc is a fire festival, usually celebrated on the 1st or 2nd of February.  It is the midway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.  The first signs of spring can be found at this point in the Wheel; lambing season is about to start, the earliest spring flowers are starting to peek from the earth. 
I live along one of the main migratory paths for birds and many many flocks are seen daily, flying north with great speed and determination. 
Besides the turning of the Wheel, Imbolc also celebrates the powers of Brigid.  Brigid is supposed to walk the earth again during Imbolc.  You can petition her for some of her healing powers by leaving an article of clothing outside overnight.  If she touches the article, it will help you with your healing powers and knowledge.
Imbolc is our proof that the Wheel is turning and spring is on its way.

apologies for missing Esbats

I don't know if I have mentioned it here, but I am making a living training horses and after a lifetime of not being injured by horses I have managed to get hurt twice in the last year.
This time was January 2 and probably thanks to the mud and ice I ended up only bruised and sore and not blogging much for several weeks.
I just realized yesterday that I was about to miss the New Moon and did a quick ritual late last night.  If you also missed it, it was only yesterday so go ahead and do a New Moon ritual and set the tone for the next month.
The next Full Moon is in February, but in between is Imbolc.  One of my favorite days of the year, regardless of the weather it brings spring.  I will be posting information on Imbolc which is celebrated on the 1st or 2nd.

Happy Holidays!

I don't even notice that this is a commercial for beer. Every frame of this lovely minute is a classic holiday greeting card. Enjoy! and enjoy this holiday week.

December New Moon in Capricorn

 New Moon in Capricorn, December 24, 2011 at 1:07pm EST. 


If you are trying to develop some new habits of manifesting and appreciating and you have not tried this ritual yet, now would be an good time.  The next Full Moon is near the beginning of the new year, an excellent time to take stock and offer thanks.

This is also an excellent time to do some cleansing; cleanse your ritual tools, cleanse the whole house with a sage and lemon grass smudge. 
Crystals are often overlooked and they pick up energy from anyone who handles them and can become less effective when you want them for healing or ritual.
Hibiscus Moon offers a video demonstrating several different ways to clean your crystals HERE.


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repeating New Moon ritual






You will need:

One candle to honor the Goddess in her new moon, blue or white is nice, any color is fine. I have a large pale blue/green candle that I use for all moon rituals.

Incense or sage for cleansing the area.

A small unused notebook and a pen.

Four items to honor the elements.
I sometimes use:
a small bottle of sand for the element of earth
a feather for the element of air
a red candle for the element of fire
a small cup of water for the element of water

When I am in a candle mood I use candles for the elements:
brown or green for earth
yellow or pink for air
red or orange for fire
blue or white for water


Cleanse the area with incense or sage. I create sacred space by simply grounding and centering and visualizing an area around myself filled with energy, closed to random or chaotic spirits and open only to those I invite.

Call the Elements.
I start with Earth. If you are using candles, light them as you call each Element.
Calling them can be as simple as 'I call the Element of Earth to attend and add energy to this sacred space' or as elaborate as you wish.

After calling the Elements, take a moment to honor Goddess, ask her to look favorably on this ritual that you offer up to her and light the candle for her.

Take a few minutes to sit quietly. Reach out to the Elements for additional energy and power. Fill the space around you with their power and energy and reflect on the new moon as an opportunity for new beginnings. An opportunity that we are offered over and over again.

Take your notebook and write something along the lines of:
I will manifest these things that I desire and need in my life and I will do so without harm to anyone else.

Then begin to write down what you need to create in your life. It can be a few things or many. Large or small, tangible or not.

Concentrate on manifesting these things in your life without harming anyone else.

Release the energy that you have created with this work and send it out into the universe to do your bidding.

Thank the Goddess for her presence in your life and put out her candle.

Thank the Elements for loaning you their energy and ask them to return to their own realms, putting out their candles (if any).

Bring yourself back to normal time/space, ground the energy creating your sacred space.
_____________________________

On the full moon take your notebook and cross off any items that have manifested in your life since the new moon. On the next new moon create a new list, leaving off the things that have already arrived. Do not just cross off and add to the old list, each new moon write down the new list.

On her blog Liz has a cleansing ritual bath that would be a wonderful way to prepare for this ritual. Check it out at Lizzie's Logic.