gonzo

I've been kicking it around...whether to post this or not.

Herbal Reference Library

Gaia

Awesome! And Thank You!

A Week from today, I'll have Surgery. Will be in Hospital for at least 7 Days, probably will also take awhile to recoup after. So when I stop posting here, you will know that I didn't just lose interest. I notice by the Views Number, that there are quite a few People reading here, that's why I thought I'd fill you all in.

__________________
"As the clock of fate ticks away, the dance of destiny continues"

gonzo

Heal fast my sister. You'll be missed!

Gaia

Thank you!

__________________
"As the clock of fate ticks away, the dance of destiny continues"

Gaia

30 June 2008


Honoring Goddess Corn

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Every day is a Feast Day!!!

Celebrate It!!!

GrannyMoon ~Bringing You The Feast Since 2001

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>



Join me on my new Ning network! It is a free and fun community!!!

GrannyMoon's



Lunabar Moon Almanack for Monday, June 30, 2008



Waning, Balsamic Moon Age: 27 ¼ days.

Dragon´s Head is at 20° Aquarius.

In the 18th° of the Constellation _ Taurus, the Bull;

& in the 10th° of the Sign ` Gemini, the Twins.

Rises: 2:47 morn. Souths: 10:33 morn. Sets: 6:28 eve.

)0(

Goddess Month of Rosea runs from 6/13 - 7/10

GrannyMoon's

Coventry of Healing Arts and Pagan Studies

GrannyMoon's Coventry of Healing Arts and Pagan Studies

Contact GrannyMoon grannymoonsmail@yahoo.com for more information!



About The Morning Feast and Goddessschool.com - The teachings here are based on ordinary magick, the principle that the mundane and the Divine are not separate, but peacefully coexist in all things. Know Mother Earth as the ultimate healer, and learn to utilize her gifts of nature. Inside each woman is a being of wisdom, deeply connected to the phases of the moon and the tides of the sea. All we need to do is trust our innate wisdom.



Having trouble reading THE FEAST at Yahoo? Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page. It will say *** Expand Message *** , click on this. You will receive the full message, not truncated.



Thank you all my dear readers...be blessed.~ GrannyMoon



Moon Moon, Mother Moon



The moving moon went up the sky,
And nowhere did abide;
Softly she was going up
And a star or two beside.

- Coleridge, "The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner."
...

The moon rising solemnly over the crest
Of the hills to the east of my station
Displayed her broad disk to the darkening west
Like a visible new creation.

- Ambrose Bierce, "The Devil's Dictionary."

- …

- Midsummer glories, moonlight, flowers asleep,

- And delicate perfume, mystic winds that blow

- Soft-breathing, full of balm, and the great deep

- In leagues of shadow swaying to and fro;

- And loving human thought to mark it all,

- And human hearts that to each other call.

- - Mrs. Celia L. Thaxter, in the "Old Farmer's Almanac" for 1929.

)0(

Monthly Moon Phases

Current Moon Phase: WANING MOON



Time: From full moon to dark moon (approx.14 days)

Goddess Aspect: Crone

Associated Goddesses: Callieach, Banshee, Hecate, Kali, Morrigan

Magickal Attributes: BANISHING Releasing the old, removing unwanted negative energies, wisdom, psychic ability, scrying,

reversing circumstances. Workings on this day are for banishing magick, for ridding oneself of addictions, illness or negativity, physical and psychic cleansings.



July Moons

***

New falls on Wednesday, July 02, 2008 at 10:20 PM

First Quarter falls on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 12:34 AM

Full Moon falls on Friday, July 18, 2008 at 4:00 AM

Last Quarter falls on Friday, July 25, 2008 at 2:43 PM



New falls on Friday, August 01, 2008 at 6:13 AM

First Quarter falls on Friday, August 08, 2008 at 4:20 PM

Full Moon falls on Saturday, August 16, 2008 at 5:18 PM

Last Quarter falls on Saturday, August 23, 2008 at 7:51 PM

falls on Saturday, August 30, 2008 at 3:59 PM

)0(



July Facts

Traditional Birthstone: Ruby

Mystical Birthstone: Ruby

Ayurvedic Birthstone: Ruby

Flower: Pink Larkspur

Chinese Floral Emblem: Lotus

Sun Signs: Cancer / Leo)0(



Upcoming Holidays

For Northern and Southern Hemispheres

August 01 - August 2, 2008: Lammas/Lughnasadh: Northern Hemisphere - Candlemas/Imbolc: Southern Hemisphere

September 22, 2008: Mabon/Autumnal Equinox: Northern Hemisphere - Ostara:Southern Hemisphere

October 31, 2008: Samhain: Northern Hemisphere - Beltane: Southern Hemisphere

December 21, 2008: Winter Solstice/Yule: Northern Hemisphere - Summer Solstice: Southern Hemisphere

Feb 2, 2009: Candlemas: Northern Hemisphere - Lammas: Southern Hemisphere

March 2009 Ostara: Northern Hemisphere - Mabon: Southern Hemisphere

May 1, 2009: Beltane: Northern Hemisphere - Samhain: Southern Hemisphere

)0(

GrannyMoonsMorningFeast-subscribe@yahoogroups







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GrannyMoon Says Today Is: Moon Day



Energy: Female Ruler: The Moon - Rules emotions, protection, healing, and women's mysteries - Use for magick involving the subconscious, healing, emotions, love, spirituality, healing wounds, children, small animals, women's mysteries, the female side of men, mothers, sisters, female partners, wives, instincts

Today's Magickal Influences: Agriculture, Domestic, Long Life, Medicine, Travels, Visions, Theft

Today's Goddesses: Luna, Selene, Diana, Re, Gaelach, Ida, Artemis [Whom The Greeks Associated With Bast], The Witches, Yemaya, Erzulie, Bast

Incense: Myrtle

Perfumes: White Poppy, White Rose, Wallflower

Color of The Day: Silver, Grey, White

Colors for Tomorrow: Red

Lucky Sign: Monday Is The Lucky Day For The Sign of Cancer

Candle: White

Cooking on Monday will improve magics for creativity, insight, maternal nature, and goddess-related efforts. ~Quote from Magickal Martha


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Lady,

What is the color of Your song?

Like azure sea,

or jade of earth,

or colors of the stars rebirth?

Your song weaves light and life

and joy--

through eagles flight,

and storms refrain

and rhapsody of growing grain.

Your song is quintessential

--rare.

And when I hear it

You are there.



Meditation

The day is bright and full of activity. Stop in the midst of it and take stock. What do you really want to be doing? Do it!



Daily Affirmation

In the Name of the All-Mother: I will be mentor or friend to someone in need today.



Closing Prayer

Terra Mater, Mother of all life. I give

Thee thanks for Thy blessings--

the fruit of the vanes;the fruit of my spirit;

life's abundance.

)0(

Blessed Be!

The Book Of Hours: Prayers to the Goddess

By Galen Gillotte


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GrannyMoon's MotherPeace Reading of the Day



Shaman of Discs



Yes! You can make it happen...like no other! Have no fear...trust in yourself. To will something is to select the goal,

determine your course of action, and then hold to that action till the goal is reached. The key this week is action.
.)0(

Readings by GrannyMoon:Need a last minute gift? Order an intensive 9-10 page reading for yourself or a loved one!

In-Depth Reading $25.00 with Love Match Reading $45.00 LoveMatch Readings $25.00 inthestars

Gift Certificates Available Tarot Readings and Divinations


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Today's Rune Reading From GoddessSchool.com



Ansuz



Ansuz symbolizes creativity in all its forms. Words, music, the birth of a child, or an endeavor which is coming to fruition. Life force and ambition are also represented here. Inspiration, wisdom and spiritual knowledge.

)0(

Readings by GrannyMoon: Need a last minute gift? Order an intensive 9-10 page reading for yourself or a loved one!

In-Depth Reading $25.00 with Love Match Reading $45.00 LoveMatch Readings $25.00 inthestars

Gift Certificates Available Tarot Readings and Divinations


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Seasons of the Witch!

Remember the ancient ways and keep them sacred! (and some not so ancient )



Burning of the Three Fires (France)

Circus Comes To Town Day

Festival of Ass-Kissing

First Martyrs of the Church of Rome Day

Freedom Festival (Philadelphia)

George Harrison's Give Me Love reached No. 1 (1973)

Kudzu Festival (Union, South Carolina)

Meteor Day

National Ice Cream Soda Day

Sky Day

St. Theobald of Provins' Day (patron of charcoal burners)

World Championship Inner Tube Race

Zaire Independence Day



Greek: The last day of each month is sacred to the Goddess Hekate.

Rome: On this sacred Day of Aestas, the ancient Roman CornGoddess of Summer was honored annually. Corn bread and all foods made of corn are traditionally served.

Catholicism: First Martyrs of the Church of Rome - day of remembrance for the martyrs of the early days of Christianity, including those killed by Roman persecution.

Turning the Wheel of the Year - Celebrate the holidays with us! Share your favorite ideas for each holiday. Rituals, recipes, poetry, ornaments, etc

Celebrate all of the holidays!!! Even the most obscure! TurnTheWheel : Celebrating The Turn Of The Wheel

Resources : GrannyMoon's Morning Feast Archives

)0(

NOTE: Because of the large number of ancient calendars, many in simultaneous use, as well as different ways of computing holy days (marked by the annual inundation, the solar year, the lunar month, the rising of key stars, and other celestial and terrestrial events), you may find these holy days celebrated a few days earlier or later at your local temple .


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Daily Horoscope Overview

by Rick Levine



The paradoxes of life seem closer today as we simultaneously lighten up while also feeling serious. The Moon's entry into witty Gemini at 4:02 am EDT allows us to cleverly flit from one fascinating conversation to the next, without investing in any. But assertive Mars is Pluto-powered now, supported by a harmonious trine that urges us to dig beneath the surface noise so we can experience more intense passions that aren't always this accessible.



Aries Horoscope (Mar 21 - Apr 19)

Your key planet Mars can force you into some emotionally intense places today, for you know that time is running out. It's the very last day of Mars' visit to fiery Leo and you want to squeeze every last drop of excitement out of a pleasant experience. Just remember that your good intentions can backfire if you push too hard, so try a gentler approach if anyone's feathers seem ruffled.



Taurus Horoscope (Apr 20 - May 20)

Your determination can be useful today as you handle a family situation that has caused stress. Fortunately, you can now find a solution to a problem that has been nagging at you for a while. But it might take a minor crisis for you to realize that you are running out of time and cannot procrastinate. Get to the bottom of the issue, for quick fixes and temporary patches are not a good idea at this time.



Gemini Horoscope (May 21 - Jun 20)

You know that you have to contend with a powerful person now, even if it's unpleasant just thinking about it. Luckily, once you begin a conversation, it will go a lot more smoothly than you think. Your greatest strength is your mental agility, so don't stiffen up under the tension. If you can remain flexible and are willing to learn from your opponent, you'll probably get what you need out of the interaction.



Cancer Horoscope (June 21 - Jul 22)

Issues of net worth and self worth are inextricably entwined, even if they seem like they are separate issues. Today you may feel more confident because you can feel the power of your emotions. If your self-esteem is rising, don't be afraid to ask for a raise. Naturally, circumstances at work need to support your request, but you're likely to see more money if they do.



Leo Horoscope (Jul 23 - Aug 22)

It may feel like the last beautiful bloom in a magical garden, for Mars meets passionate Pluto today before leaving your sign. If you are involved in a creative project or a romance, you could go overboard now with extra flourishes as you attempt to produce the best show on Earth. This can be a memorable day as long as you don't get lost in your fantasies and try to make everything unrealistically perfect.



Virgo Horoscope (Aug 23 - Sep 22)

You are inclined to limit your distractions so you are able to fully concentrate on what needs to happen today. But this gets more complex as your curiosity is tweaked. It's hard to ignore the information that's swirling around you because some of it could be very significant. On the other hand, more data probably won't change your mind. You already know what to do, so do it now.



Libra Horoscope (Sep 23 - Oct 22)

You may feel better now about your current plans, but no matter how upbeat you are, something is still gnawing away at the bottom of your imagination. You might be limited in what you do today, especially if you cannot free your mind from the past. Instead of trying to escape from your history, dig into it. Once you can find your way around in the darkness of your subconscious, you'll also be much better at navigating in the light.



Scorpio Horoscope (Oct 23 - Nov 21)

Unexpressed anger can turn cold and transform into resentment, which is much harder to process. Today's fiery trine between your two key planets, Mars and Pluto, can agitate your emotions. Fortunately, it's easier than usual for you to act on your intuition. Following your instincts now is your best insurance against negativity. Taking the high road is surely your best option.



Sagittarius Horoscope (Nov 22 - Dec 21)

You may not be in a very lighthearted mood today as you seek ways to express your uncharacteristic emotional intensity. But your unwillingness to acknowledge a more easygoing aspect of your own nature now could lead you to get very angry with someone who doesn't seem willing to be serious. Don't try to change anyone else; instead, pay attention to your own feelings and work to transform them in a positive manner.



Capricorn Horoscope (Dec 22 - Jan 19)

You may grow tired of others being so nice to you now, for you think their behavior is a sign of weakness. Don't fall into the trap of hardening your stance in an attempt to demonstrate your strength. The lesson of these times is that you can be strong and yielding; recognizing the intelligence of flexibility can help you through an intense day.



Aquarius Horoscope (Jan 20 - Feb 18)

It's refreshing when you feel creative and a playful approach seems to make you more productive. But your easygoing attitude today can be deceptive. Although you can skillfully disarm someone else's aggression, you are still ready for serious business at a moment's notice. Use your ability to shift between the extremes -- lighthearted and heavy-handed -- to take command of a situation at just the right moment.



Pisces Horoscope (Feb 19 - Mar 20)

You may sense that someone in your life could turn into more of a problem for you in the days ahead. An attempt now to nip the situation in the bud could be effective, but not if you try to suppress the natural expression of anger or fear. If you really want to handle the situation, draw the other person out and let them share his or her story. At least then you'll be able to deal with it in the open.


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THE CALLING OF THE MERMAIDS



Mermaids, Mermaids

Soft and sleek,

And often found

In sea or creek;

It is your wisdom

That I seek.



Beautious Liban,

Lorelei of the Rhine,

Ancient treasures

Help me find;

Gold and jewels

In the brine.



Hippocampus,

Neptune's horse,,

Carry me

On the waves

That crash against

The shores.



Nereids ride dolphins

With Amphitrite,

Chanting magic spells

Day and night;

For beauty, balance

And the Light.



Melusine, half-serpent maid

Please come swimming

To my aid;

To manage money

With felicity,

It is this I ask of thee.



Teach me water magicks

Please,

To see the future,

Heal, control weather

On the seas;

Opening my third eye

With ease.



Mermaids, Mermaids

Charming and sleek,

Often found

In sea or creek;

Your magickal wisdom

I do seek.



© June 26, 2008
Beth Clare Johnson (Mystic Raven)


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Today's Goddess: Antheia

Arretophoria (Greece)



Themes: Promises; Friendship; Trust; Honor; Community; Love; Relationships

Symbols: Gold-colored Items; Honey; Myrrh



About Antheia: Since 800 B.C.E. Antheia has been known as the Greek Goddess of marriage, companionship, and good council. These attributes manifested themselves in a triple Goddess figure who flowered, sought a mate, and reached perfection. Today we ask her to bless our rites by flowering within our souls so we too can obtain spiritual perfection.



To Do Today: In ancient Greece this festival of trust and friendship was held sometime between June and July. Each year, two maidens were given a special honey-laden diet and clothed in golden robes to take on a special trust. They delivered a package untouched to a secret place in a local temple, then spent the year in community service, never peeking inside the box. This sounds like a fun activity for couples or friends. Each person picks out a trust gift for the other and gives it to them to put in a special place, leaving it untouched for a year. The entire time the gift remains there unopened, Antheia will energize it and bless the people in that relationship, so don't get tempted to peek. Believe me when I say it's worth the wait. At the end of the year, don something gold, burn myrrh to create a sacred space in which Antheia dwells, and open the gifts, explaining the significance of the items. I guarantee it's a present you'll never forget.

)0(

By Patricia Telesco~ From "365 Goddess" and GrannyMoon's Morning Feast


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"We should not let a day go by without learning something from a child" ~Mystiblu


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Heartwings Love Notes 319: Celebrating



Heartwings says, "Celebrations mark a day that it may be an occasion for joy."



This week Americans celebrate the birthday of our United States of America. Fireworks, parades, barbecues and family gatherings are featured throughout the land. A general holiday is declared with most businesses and even stores closed. The fourth of July provides us a good reason to celebrate, relax and have fun.



By chance, this week also marks my husband Stephen's birthday. Because it falls on the day before the 4th we always celebrate with a party on the day itself. We also take the week surrounding it off, setting aside our everyday tasks and obligations to make this time special. This is how we mark the joyful passing on of one old year of life and the beginning of a new one. It is Stephen's New Year celebration and he will mark it with more than a party.



Just as the actual number of the year we all celebrate with each New Year's Eve is unimportant, so the number of years Stephen has lived is not as vital as is the celebration itself. To have lived, learned, flourished and grown for one whole year are all causes for joy. To review that year as well as to project his wishes and hopes for the next one in the form of affirmations and resolutions is also part of the ritual with which this new year of life is celebrated.



Taking the time to acknowledge what has been gained or lost, given and received, tried and failed or triumphantly accomplished is an important aspect of life. There is no way to know how far we have come unless we look back over the road traveled. To set one's intentions and goals for the next year is equally as important. As Stephen's lifetime companion on our journey together I welcome his new year of life and celebrate it with all the joy my heart can hold.



May you find occasions for celebration all the years of your life.



Blessings and Best Regards, Tasha Halpert



Filled with helpful information, lovely poems and practical wisdom Heartwings: Love Notes for a Joyous Life delights all who read it. Order an autographed copy for yourself or loved one. Send desired dedication, plus your name, address and $15, which includes postage and handling to Tasha Halpert, P.O. Box 323, Grafton, MA 01519. The book is also available at Galde Press :: Quality Books that Make a Difference!, and Amazon.com: Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, Books, DVDs & more. Click to sign up for your free weekly Heartwings Love Notes, or catch up on any you might have missed: www.heartwingslovenotes.com - (Re-Direct Page) .


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In seeking happiness for others, you find it for yourself.


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From GrannyMoon's Book Nook

Don't Take Anything Personally
Embrace Your Freedom

You gain a huge amount of freedom when you take nothing personally. No spell can affect you regardless
of how strong it may be. And if you live without fear, if you love, you will be happy with your life.

)0(

From GrannyMoon's Morning Feast

(c) The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

"The Four Agreements" Amazon.com: The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book): Don Miguel Ruiz: Books


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"In the struggle to recall the past, I stumbled upon the truth." ~ Evie Appel


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Pagan Studies – Blood-Free Battle Spell



Today is the Santeria festival of Elleggua, the Warrior Orisha. The best battles fought now are the ones fought without bloodshed. It is a good day to cast spells dealing with beginnings, with competition and struggle, and with battles large or small. A good question to ask now is: How do we attempt defensive magic? Get a piece of red cord a foot long. Think of a goal you are struggling to attain. As you knot the red string eleven times, repeat these words:



With this string I cast. A spell to make it last. Give to me what should have been.
Bind to me what’s rightly mine.
I give love,
and love is divine.
Grant this wish in all due time.
So mote it be.



Wear or carry the red knotted cord for the next several days. Go after your dream. There is no better time.

)0(

GrannyMoon's Coventry of Healing Arts and Pagan Studies


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Eat a live toad the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.


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Herban Corner - GrannyMoon's Cauldron - Hot - Flash Tea

1/2 Teaspoon Linden Flowers
1 Teaspoon Lemon Balm
1/2 Teaspoon Peppermint

Cinnamon Stick
1 Quart Water

Add Herbs To Boiled Water And Steep For 10 To 15 Minutes. Strain The Herbs. Enjoy!



Purchase this tea from GrannyMoon. $10.00 a jar includes shipping.

)0(

GrannyMoon's Coventry of Healing Arts and Pagan Studies


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I listen to my body.


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Daily Aromatherapy Tip



Peppermint is said to strengthen and regenerate the liver. Use after periods of illness or general weakness

)0(

GrannyMoon’s Morning Feast


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Out of clutter, find simplicity. From discord, find harmony. In the middle of difficulty, lies opportunity." ~Albert Einstein


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The Goddess Companion



Look over there! It is the rainbow.

Bright and cheerful, it is the rainbow.

Listen to that! It is the swallow.

Singing to gather the rainclouds to us.

Come over here, come, sings the swallow.

Come over here, come, sings the swallow.

Listen again! It is the corn.

Singing and growing in the light rain.

How fair, the earth. How fair, the world.

Hi, hi, how fair the earth.

~Zuni Corn-Grinding Song



How fair is the earth, indeed. Our bodies evolved on this specific planet. Our eyes are adapted to its light, our ears to its sounds. Even the shape of our bodies is determined by the gravity of our mother planet.



In earlier times, we lived more closely in tune with the earth. Our daily actions connected us with her. We saw the corn grow in our fields, we harvested the corn, we ground the corn, we made bread and we ate it. With each bite we absorbed the weather of the previous year, the way the light slanted across the tasselling corn as the sun set, the eyes of a loved one sparkling as harvest concluded. Our food no longer connects us to the earth and to our own memories, and so we must find our own new ways to make that important connection..

)0(

By Patricia Monaghan - From " The Goddess Companion" and GrannyMoon's Morning Feast 1-800-THE-MOON


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"When a child is ill or a close friend dies or an all-important relationship is in trouble, there are no gray areas anymore.
It suddenly becomes easy to see what is primary and what is merely peripheral. But what a shame that we must wait
for a crisis to get our priorities in order. Our lives would be so much easier if we would take the time to look closely at
our lives and begin focusing on the important things before a crisis comes."

~Claire Cloninger, 'A Place Called Simplicity'


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A Hug



Hugging is good medicine. It transfers energy,

and gives the person hugged an emotional boost.

You need four hugs a day for survival, eight for maintenance, and twelve for growth.

A hug makes you feel good.

The skin is the largest organ we have and it needs a great deal of care.

A hug can cover a lot of skin and gives the message that you care.

It is also a form of communication.

It can say things you don't have words for.

The nicest thing about a hug is that you usually can't give one without getting one.



E-mail me if you need a hug!!! (Yes! Really!)

GrannyMoon

grannymoonsmail@yahoo.com



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__________________
"As the clock of fate ticks away, the dance of destiny continues"

mentor

Hi Gaia!

__________________
The Darwinian Revolution is over. Darwin won.

Gaia

Hi Mentor!

__________________
"As the clock of fate ticks away, the dance of destiny continues"

Gaia

The official newsletter of School of the Seasons

July 10, 2008

Seasonal Quote: Katagiri Roshi
July Calendar Update
My Season: Going to Seed
Slow Time Update
Living in Season: Burn Out [reprise]
What I'm Reading
School of the Seasons Offerings:
• Lammas Holiday Packet
• Summer Correspondence Course
• Calendar Companion
Signs of Summer


Welcome

Welcome to my semi-monthly newsletter featuring ideas for bringing the beauty of the current season into your life.

Please forward this newsletter if you enjoy it. If a friend sent you this newsletter, welcome! You can subscribe for free at my website:
School of the Seasons - Calendar, Holidays and Festivals

We never rent, sell or give away subscriber information.

Seasonal Quote

Settle your self on yourself

And let the flower

Of your life force bloom

—Katagiri Roshi


July Calendar Update

The July calendar is up. Celebrate the feast days of Mary Magdalene and St. Martha. Learn about holidays like O-Bon, Ocean Day, Dog Days and Ice Cream Day, at
July 2008 Calendar - School of the Seasons

My Season: Going to Seed

The honeysuckle and linden trees are blooming in Seattle and filling the air with sweet fragrance. But this year, more than ever, and perhaps because I've been studying botany for my writing about flowers, I'm noticing the amazing ways flowers change to seeds.

The poppies are forming magnificent brown pepper pots. The cheery orange coreopsis petals are shriveling into brown disks clutching a nest of black seeds. I especially like the way the petals of the rhododendrons drop off, leaving a green tube that swells. I can hardly wait to see what the next transformation will be.

In my life, things have settled down after the crises of the spring. My daughter is recovering. My best friend also. I'm getting used to the loss of my brother although grief still hangs around in the background, surprising me with the exhaustion it brings.

I'm trying to take it easy this summer which is why I've reprinted one of my favorite articles from 2003 about burnout: Dog Days of Summer. I'm hoping that leaving myself plenty of free time will allow the room for new ideas to bloom.

This month, I'm meeting with my wonderful business coach, Noelle Remington (Noelle Remington, CPC, Creative Life Coach), and have scheduled a consultation with one of my favorite mentors, Mark Silver (Small Business Owners: Make a profit without losing your heart), all with the glorious intention of transforming School of the Seasons. I look forward to launching something new (or maybe just clarifying what I currently offer) in September.

May your summer bring you space for new growth,
Waverly Fitzgerald

New Slow Time Book News

The Slow Time book stopped climbing up the ranks at Lulu, my print-on-demand publisher. (Last month it was at 706, now it's 716). If you're interested in buying a copy (great summer reading) you can order it directly from Lulu here.

I finally created a Listmania list on Amazon which features my Favorite Books on Time that are not Time Management. If you've got my Slow Time book, you'll recognize many of these as I quote them frequently:

If you’d rather read my Slow Time book slowly, I’m posting the chapters, one a month, on the Slow Time book website. The seventh chapter, “Moons to Months” will be posted on July 15.
Slow Time: Recovering the Natural Rhythm of Life by Waverly Fitzgerald

Living in Season: Dog Days of Summer [August 2003]

In August of 1942 when the dog days were drawing to an end, I set off to walk the county of Suffolk, in the hope of dispelling the emptiness that takes hold of me whenever I have completed a long stint of work. And in fact my hope was realized, up to a point; for I have seldom felt so carefree as I did then, walking for hours in the day through the thickly populated countryside, which stretches inland from the Coast. I wonder now, however, whether there might be something to the old superstition that certain ailments of the spirit and of the body are particularly likely to beset us under the Sign of the Dog Star.

With that ominous paragraph W.G. Sebald starts his novel The Rings of Saturn, a strange, rambling narrative that wanders all over the place like the journey through Suffolk it describes.

You can read all about the Dog Days in my calendar on July 2nd although there are many different dates assigned, including July 4, July 17, July 22 (St Margaret's day), July 28 (the start of the fruit harvest in Greece) and August 18 (or at the start of Leo). So many dates but all linked to one thing: the rising of Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky.

Sirius is the dog tag around the neck of the dog depicted in the constellation Canis Major, which Sirius is the dog tag around the neck of the dog depicted in the constellation Canis Major, which leaps up to the left of Orion the Huntsman (some say he is jumping up at the Hare at Orion's feet). You can find Sirius by following the line made by the three stars in Orion's belt, down and to the left. If you're a savvy star-watcher (I'm not), you're now saying "but Orion is only visible in winter!" That's true, the star that once rose at dawn around summer solstice in Egypt in 4,000 BCE now rises around dawn in February in the United States.

But in earlier times, the Dog Star rose at the hottest part of the year, a time when the searing heat of the sun brought sickness and made life precarious, like the similar period right after Winter Solstice, the six weeks before Candlemas, when people were likely to perish of cold and starvation. (Of course, in the southern hemisphere the opposite conditions prevail.)

Arthur Waskow describes this period most beautifully in his opening paragraph on Tisha B'Av, the Jewish festival which occurs at the height of summer's heat (Aug 10 this year):

It is the heart of summer: hot as a furnace, dry as the tomb. A shower, a breeze are forgotten memories. The earth is panting in exhaustion — almost as if the birthing of her harvest has gone awry, as if the birth-pangs will go on forever but there will be no fruit. And people are exhausted, too; their freshness and fertility, warmed and renewed by the sun of spring, has wilted as the sun grew still hotter. We feel burnt out. The whole world is being put to the torch.

The Greeks considered this period especially dangerous for men, based on their belief that men were hot and dry, thus easily dessicated by the heat of summer, while women, naturally cold and wet, were likely to be more lascivious and thus dangerous to their weakened men. This belief persisted throughout the ages, with men advised to eschew sex during the Dog Days, as in this advice from The Husbandmen's Practice in 1729:

In these Dog Days it is forbidden by Astronomy to all Manner of People to be let Blood or take Physic. Yea, it is good to abstain all this time from Women. For why, all that time reigneth a Star that is called Canicula Canis, a Hound in English, and the kind of the Star is broiling and burning as Fire. All this time the Heat of the Sun is so fervent and violent that Men's bodies at Midnight sweat as at Midday; and if they be hurt, they be more sick than at any other time, yea very near Dead.

I like the notion that there's a time of year that is particularly dangerous to men because women are so wanton. It reminds me of the belief that May was the women's month and thus an unlucky time to marry, for the woman would have the power in the marriage. This may be a time period that women want to recapture, a time for asserting desire and kindling the fires of passion.

Mary B Kelly, writing about Russian folklore, mentions the belief that the Rusalka arrived (also during the height of summer) on the Monday after Trinity Sunday bringing with them Rusalka sickness. This was considered dangerous and women were not allowed to spin, weave, sleep during the day or wash their hair. They wore garlic and walnut leaves for protection and spent time gathering flowers and making bouquets for their lovers. Kelly speculates that Rusalka sickness was a kind of lovesickness that was ritually indulged and then banished.

But I also wonder if the Dog Days offer us a chance to recognize the dangers of infatuation and lust, the way they burn up desire, like the Gardens of Adonis which flourish for a brief time period, then wither and die. Some lines from a Cole Porter song, "Just One of Those Things," seem appropriate here:

If we'd thought a bit
At the start of it
When we started painting the town
We'd have been aware
That our love affair
Was too hot not to cool down

Or perhaps the Dog Days provide a chance, as Waskow suggests, to examine where we are burnt out, where we need to regroup and gather our resources, nurture ourselves by withdrawing from too much activity rather than pushing forward.

Resources:
Sebald, W.G., The Rings of Saturn, New Directions 1999
Kelly, Mary B, "Bulgarian Rituals," excerpted in Goddessing Regenerated, Issue #10, (PO Box 269, Valrico FL 33595). From the book, Goddess Embroideries of Eastern Europe, (available for $25 from Studiobooks, Box 23, McLean NY 13102)
Kightly, Charles, The Perpetual Almanack of Folklore, Thames and Hudson 1987
Waskow, Arthur, Seasons of Our Joy, Beacon Press 1982

__________________
"As the clock of fate ticks away, the dance of destiny continues"

Gaia

Friday, July 18, 2008

12:59 am PDT/3:59 am EDT

Sun at 26.04 Cancer

Moon at 26.04 Capricorn

Capricorn Full Moon Ritual:

Invoking the Spirit of Creativity and Art


On this night the full moon is in the earth sign of Capricorn, opposite the sun in the water sign Cancer. Their gift to us at this particular lunation lies in the interplay of the elements: earth mixed with water makes clay. As told in ancient creation myths, the stirring together of elements resulted in the earth and all its creatures. In the same way, by mixing these two elements together in a sacred way, we can work magic to invoke the spirit of creativity and art into our lives. Just as, down through the centuries, the skilled potters, builders, and sculptors worked with the soft dough of clay to produce beautiful bowls and urns, adobe homes, and great works of sculpture. ....
read the full article at MoonCircles.com - Moon Astrology
Intuitive Message for the Capricorn Full Moon:


Strong in Broken Places
by Julia Bondi

"Your vulnerability is your greatest strength"…this mantra is the underlying secret of the archetype of Cancer. Many of the key watchwords associated with the sign of Cancer, "feeling, sensitivity, and caring", are not commonly thought of in our modern western culture as strengths but sometimes as weaknesses to be protected. Yet, the strength we assign to Cancer’s opposite sign, Capricorn, derives from Cancer. Without the true foundation of Cancer’s developed feeling nature Capricorn can only display the appearance of strength in an attempt at control and domination....
read the full article at MoonCircles.com - Moon Astrology


3-Minute Full Moon Ritual
by Dana Gerhardt

Draw your hands to your heart. Massage this area. Feel that you have become the goddess, capable of balancing the earth and harmonizing its opposing forces. In particular you are tuned to the forces of Capricorn and Cancer, signs devoted to responsibility and nurture. They represent the forces of "father" and "mother," protecting, securing, holding, and stabilizing, each in their way. Out of balance, they raise the shadows of authoritarianism and helplessness. When we confront their shadow expressions, we feel lonely and unsafe; we feel un-fathered and un-mothered. This negativity circles the globe like a dark smoke. Know that if you breathe in this smoke you have the power to transform it in your heart-breathing it out as the pure white light of the goddess......
(follow the full ritual at MoonCircles.com)

__________________
"As the clock of fate ticks away, the dance of destiny continues"

Gaia

Sunday July 13, 2008

I found this piece by way of Mark Morford's blog over at the SF Gate, and I gotta tell you, it's one of the funniest things I've seen all day. It has nothing to do with Paganism or Wicca, but instead is about a right-wing evangelical group and why sanitizing your news feeds can be problematic.

We've talked before about the American Family Association (AFA), which is the delightful group that sends out a list of retailers every year at Christmas time... you know, which retailers are Good and American, and which ones are the Evil Pawns of De Debbil. Well, apparently the folks over at AFA have their own IT specialists, because their website has some really interesting features. For starters, they've set it up to block traffic from websites they don't approve of -- heck, I'm not even sure you can navigate there from here, but I'm sure we'll find out.

Another nifty thing they've done is create an auto-replace feature in their newsfeed service. This allows them to replace objectionable words with words that are apparently not as offensive. For instance, the word "gay" is replaced by "homosexual" every time it appears in a news feed, because the AFA doesn't want you to think there's anything happy or fun about being homosexual. Well, this is great news for Olympic hopeful Tyson Gay, who got an entire article dedicated to the trials and tribulations of Tyson Homosexual.

Since the Tyson Homosexual page first appeared, evidently the IT guys have fixed the problem, and his name does appear correctly in the updated version, but man, that is totally worth the time it took people to do a screenshot. No word yet on what could happen when they want to boycott Bravo TV over "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy", or if they ever have an interview with Dick Van Dyke.

Just for fun, read why the AFA wants you to boycott McDonald's... and it has nothing to do with the food.

The AFA Has a Gay Old Time

__________________
"As the clock of fate ticks away, the dance of destiny continues"