| BIRCH THE BIRCH MOON PREPARES US FOR THE JOURNEY THROUGH THE YEAR AHEAD. PURIFICATION AND PROTECTION RITUALS ARE COMMON PRACTICES AS THE YEAR BEGINS IT WAXING PHASE. PREPARE YOUESELF FOR THINGS TO COME BY MAKING A BIRCH BROOM. FOR THE SHAFT CHOOSE ANY BRANCH OR DOWEL TWO TO FOUR FEET IN LENTH. ATTACH BIRCH TWIGS TO ONE END USING TWINE. LIGHT THIRTEEN CANDLES, ONE FOR EACH OF THE THIRTEEN CELTIC TREE MONTHS. RHYTHMICALLY TAP THE BROOM OVER YOUR BODY TO PURIFY YOUR SPIRIT AND TO GARNER A PROTECTIVE FORCE AROUND YOU. THINK OF LOSING THE UNEASY AND UNSETTLED ELEMENTS OF THE PAST YEAR WHILE GAINING THOSE NEEDED TO MAKE THIS YEAR BETTER. DO THIS TO A CHANT, BROOM AND BIRCH MY SPIRIT FREE, PREPARING ME FOR WHAT MAY BE; THE PAST IS DONE, THE FUTURE UNFORMED, WITH PURITY AND PROTECTION MY PATH ADORNED. |
| ROWAN AS ARE SPIRITS WAX WITH THE NEW YEAR, THE ROWAN MOON COMPELS US TO ACHIEVE THE INNER STRENTH THAT ALLOWS US TO TRIUMPHS OVER ENEMIES AND DANGER. THE ROWAN HAS BEEN USED FOR PROTECTING DWELLINGS, BARNS, AND GRAVEYARDS; TO ENHANCE HEALING AND DIVINATION RITUALS; AND TO INCREASE OUR OWN SENSE OF INNER POWER SO THAT WE CAN FLOW WITH- NEVER AGAINST- THE SPIRAL FORCES OF THE UNIVERSE. CLOSE YOUR EYES AND SPREAD YOUR ARMS, REACHING HIGH. VISUALIZE THEM AS BRANCHES OF THE ROWAN. IMAGINE THAT YOUR FEET ARE PROJECTING ANCHORING ROOTS DEEP INTO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH. YOUR BODY IS THE ROWANS' TRUNK. FEEL IT GROW STRONGER, HOLDING FIRM AGAINST WHATEVER ONSLAUGHT THE ELEMENTS CAN PRODUCE. KNOW THAT WITH EACH PASSING YEAR YOUR TRUNK GROWS STRONGER; A BULWARK AGAINST ANYTHING THE UNIVERSE CAN HURL AT YOU. EACH YEAR IT IS EASIER TO COPE WITH ADVERSITY, EASIER TO TURN BACK ILL-WILL AND DEFLECT DANGER. KNOW THAT YOU ARE THE ROWAN, STURDY AND CONFIDENT, ROOTED IN MOTHER EARTH WHILE REACHING FOR FATHER SKY |
| ASH THE ASH MOON IS THE BALANCING FORCE THAT CONNECTS ALL OF US WITH ALL WORLDS, SEEN AND UNSEEN. IT OFFERS POTENT ENERGY FOR HEALING SPELLS, PSYCHIC WORK, PROTECTION IN OR ON WATER, DREAM MAGICK, AND CURSE BREAKING. FOR THIS RITUAL YOU WILL NEED AN ASH LIMB, OR YOU MAY WISH TO DECORATE AND EMPOWER A DOWEL AS AN ASH SUBSTITUTE. FACE EACH DIRECTION IN TURN- MOVING CLOCKWISE AND STARTING IN THE WEST- WHILE HOLDING THE ASH WAND BEFORE YOU. VISUALIZE IT BEATING DOWN ANY CURSE ENERGY OR ILL-WILL BEING SENT YOUR WAY. BY THE ASH TO ALL WORLDS MY WILL DOES GO, TO THOSE WHO WOULD CURSE, I SAY TO THEM "NO!" THE ASH PROTECTS AND ABSORBS THE BANE, BREAKING THE CURSE SO I'M WHOLE AGAIN. END THE RITUAL BY TAKING THE WAND OUTSIDE AND PLACING IT ON THE GROUND SO THE NEGATIVITY WILL BE GROUNDED. |
| ALDER THE ALDER MOON BRINGS OUT OUR INNER PSYCHIC. EUROPEAN FOLKLORE TELS OF AN ALDER'S ENERGY IS ETERNAL, AND IT SHOULD NEVER BE CUT DOWN. ALDER HAS BEEN USED TO ASSIST IN DIVINATION RITUALS AND WIND INSTRUMENTS MADE OF THE WOOD HAVE AIDED IN SUMMONING SPIRITS AND WORKING WITH WEATHER MAGICK. IN CELTIC MYTHOLOGY, THE ALDER IS SACRED TO THE GOD BRAN, WHOSE SEVERED HEAD BECAME AN ORACLE. OPEN YOUR PSYCHIC CHANNELS BY LYING FLAT ON YOUR BACK. PLACE A SPRIG OF ALDER AT THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD TO BRIDGE THE PATH TO BRAN. PLACE ELDER LEAVES OR BARK CHIPS ON YOUR FOREHEAD AND NEAR YOUR MOUTH, AND ANTHER ON YOUR BELLY TO HELP YOU HAVE THE RIGHT "GUT REACTIONS" TO PSYCHIC IMAGES. ASK BRAN'S ASSISTANCE, RELAX COMPLETELY, AND FOCUS ON RECEIVING IMPRESSIONS FROM THE OTHERWORLD. WAIT TO INTERPRET WHAT YOU SEE OR HEAR UNTIL LATER. SLEEP WITH SOME OF THE ALDER FROM YOUR RITUAL UNDER YOUR PILLOW TO DREAM PROPHETICALLY AND, PERHAPS, TO CLARIFY YOUR PSYCHIC VISIONS. |
| WILLOW LIKE THE WILLOW THAT BENDS BUT DOESN'T BREAK, THE WILLOW MOON HELPS US DO WHATEVER WE HAVE TO DO. IT TEACHES US THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PUSH OURSELVES TO LEVELS WE ONCE THOUGHT IMPOSSIBLE. ONCE WE ATTAIN THINGS HARD WON, THE WILLOW OFFERS ITSELF AS A GLUE TO BIND THEM TO US FOREVER. BINDING MUST BE ENTERED INTO WITH CARE. BECAUSE WE ARE ALL LINKED ON THE WHEEL OF LIFE, THE ENERGIES WE PUT INTO MOTION WILL EVENTUALLY MAKE A FULL CIRCLE AND COME BACK TO US. WITH WILLOW BRANCHES, YOU CAN BIND TO YOURSELF ANY OBJECT OR IDEA, OR YOU CAN BIND THE ACTIONS OF SOMEONE DOING HARM. SOAK THE BRANCHES OVERNIGHT IN WATER CONTAINING A FEW DROPS OF PATCHOULI OIL. TAKE A SYMBOL OF THE THING TO BE BOUND, AND WRAP IT SNUGLY IN THE BRANCHES. TIE IT CLOSED UNTIL THE BRANCHES ARE DRY. PRESENT THE OBJECT TO THE FOUR ELEMENTS TO GARNER THEIR ASSISTANCE. WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED, KEEP THE OBJECT HIDDEN. |
| HAWTHORN IS SACRED TO THE OLD GODS AND GODDESS OF IRELAND ALSO KNOWN AS THE TUATHA DE DANAAN. LONG AGO DRIVEN BELOW THE GROUND BY FOREIGN INVADERS, TODAY THE TUATHA DE DANAAN ARE THE FAIRY FOLK OF IRELAND. YOU CAN OPEN YOURSELF TO FAIRY CONTACT THROUGH A SIMPLE RITUAL. YOU WILL NEED TWO HAWTHORN BLOOMS, A BASKET , AND A CHALICE OF WATER. GO OUTSIDE TO A NATURAL SETTING OR GARDEN AND PLACE THE BASKET ON THE GROUND. MEDITATE ON THE SETTING'S SYMBOLISM AS A PLACE OF UNITY FOR TWO POLARIZED FORCES; GOD-GODDESS, MALE-FEMALE, FAIRY-HUMAN. FAIRIES OF OLD, I WELCOME YOUR TRUST, I LONG TO REKINDLE THE BONDS BETWEEN US. PLACE THE TWO HAWTHORN BLOOMS IN THE BASKET, POUR WATER OVER THEM, AND WALK AWAY, LEAVING YOUR OFFERING OF FRIENDSHIP TO THE FAIRIES. |
| OAK THE MIGHTY OAK MOON OCCURS AT THE TIME OF THE SUMMER SOLSTICE, WHEN THE SUN GOD IS AT ITS PEAK OF STRENTH AND VITALITY. THE OAK MOON OFFERS US THIS SAME SECURITY, VIGOR, COURAGE, AND HEALING ENERGIES. THE OLD IRISH WORD FOR OAK HAS OFTEN BEEN GLIMPSE INTO POWER AS THE PORTAL BETWEEN ALL WORLDS. TO ATTAIN STRENTH OR HEALING DURING THE OAK MOON, YOU WILL TWO OAK TWIGS AND TWO ACORNS. HOLD A TWIG IN EACH HAND. CLOSE YOUR EYES AND FEEL YOURSELF BEING PULLED TO THE CENTER OF ALL PLACES AS EACH TWIG LEADS YOU TO A DIFFERNT WORLD. WHEN YOU FEEL YOU ARE AT THE OAK'S DOORWAY, TAKE AN ACORN IN EACH HAND; VISUALIZE ONE GIVING YOU STRENTH, AND THE OTHER TAKING AWAY WEAKNESS OR ILLNESS. BURY THE ACORN YOU FEEL IS TAKING AWAY YOUR WEAKNESS- PREFERABLY AT THE BASE OF AN OAK TREE- AND CARRY THE OTHER AS A TALISMAN OF STRENTH AND WELL-BEING. |
| HOLLY THE CELTS SAW HOLLY AS HAVING A MASCULINE ENERGY, PROJECTIVE AND FIERY. IT PROVIDED THE USER WITH A DIRECT LINK TO THE ENERGY OF THE GODS. MAKE SURE YOUR MAGICKAL DESIRE IS CLEAR IN YOUR MIND, SEEN ONLY BY YOU AND UNSEEN BY ALL OTHERS. WITH YOUR GOAL CLEARLY IN MIND, TAKE TWELVE HOLLY SPRIGS AND SEPARATE THEM INTO BUNCHES OF THREE. WRAP THREE OF THESE BUNCHES IN CLOTHS OF COLOR REPRESENTING YOUR GOAL. YOU MAY CHOOSE ONE COLOR, OR TWO, OR THREE. AS YOU WRAP EACH BUNCH SAY: HOLLY RED AND HOLLY WHITE, CARING FOR MY WISH TONIGHT; HOLLY STRONG AND HOLLY GREEN, BRIGHT TO SIGHT THE NOW UNSEEN. GARNISH THE BUNDLES WITH THE REMAINING HOLLY SPRIGS AND KEEP THEM COVERED AND CLOSE TO YOUR SLEEPING PLACE |
| HAZEL THE ENERGY OF THE HAZEL MOON IS GOOD FOR CONTACTING SPIRITS AND FOR ENHANCING SHAPE SHIFTING OR ASTRAL PROJECTION RITUAL. IT HAS A SOLID REPUTATION OF PROTECTIVE ENERGY, ESPECIALLY USEFUL FOR THE PROTECTION OF TRAVELERS. HAZEL WOOD ALSO MAKES AN EXCELLENT SHIELD FOR DEFLECTING NEGATIVE INTENT WHEN MADE WITH THIS GOAL IN MIND. TO CRAFT A SIMPLIFIED VERSION OF YOUR HAZEL SHIELD TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR PROPERTY, YOU WILL AT LEAST NINE HAZEL NUTS, SOME THIN CORD IN GOLD OR WHITE, AND A HAMMER AND A NAIL. EMPOWER THE NUTS AS EMBLEMS OF PROTECTION. HAMMER A HOLE THROUGH THEM LARGE ENOUGH FOR THE CORD, THEN STRING THEM TOGETHER, MAKING A BINDING KNOT EACH. HANG THESE IN YOUR HOME AND SAY, HAZEL, RAISE THE SHIELD SO HIGH, SO TALL AND WIDE THAT NONE SLIPS BY; PROTECT, DEFLECT, AND QUELL ALL BANE, MAKE ALL AROUND ME SAFE AGAIN. |
| Continued |