"I'm one with the Goddess
and opened to Her Wisdom."
1st Day of the 11th Lunar Cycle
Ruled by Persephone
Lunar Tree Cycle ~ Gort/Ivy
Moon Phase: New - 1:33AM EDT
Moon rises: 8:06AM EDST
Moon sets: 6:28PM EDST
Moon in Libra v/c 1:33AM EDST
Moon enters the Fixed Water Sign
of Scorpio at 10:23AM EDST
Blodeuwedd's Cycle of the Moon
Lunar Meditation: The freedom of a decisive
action you must take.
Sun in Libra
Sunrise: 7:33AM EDST
Sunset: 6:36PM EDST
Solar Question for the Day: ""What joy do you miss most;
where is joy within you?"
Lughnasadh (Gwyl Awst) Quarter of the Year
October 18th, 2009
New Moon - Hecate withdraws, making way for the Maiden moon who will seize our thoughts and push us into outward activity once more. There is a spicy, piquant edge to our energy now. The tiredness and the drained feeling of the old moon has been replaced by an alertness that has yet to find structure and direction. Creative fire strives toward a goal that is not yet found expression. It is as if the moon's closeness to the sun results in a quenching of her light but also the honing of her impulse to bring creative ideas into form. We are faced with possibilities from which we have yet to choose.
The beginning of a new cycle - Keywords for the New phase are: beginning, birth, emergence, projection, clarity. It is the time in a cycle that you are stimulated to take a new action. During this phase the new cycle is being seeded by your vision, inner and outer. Engage in physical activity. Spend time alone. VISUALIZE your goals for the 29.6 day cycle ahead.
This New Moon comes on a Sun Day - the Day of Intent, Creation and Renewal.... how fortuitous.
On
http://owlsdaughter.blogspot.com/ this was posted yesterday on the Dark Moon telling us what this new moon can bring to us.
"Astrologer Lynn Hayes writes, “The New Moon in Libra takes place at 1:33 am Eastern time on October 18, beginning the new lunar cycle seeking the balance and beauty that Libra desires. At its best, Libra would like the world to be filled with beauty and happy people loving each other with perfect balance and harmony. And this New Moon forms a trine to the Chiron/Neptune conjunction, so there is the potential for a cascade of beautiful and soulful healing energy (Chiron/Neptune) that clears the way for the new beginning of the New Moon.
“However,” she continues, “the New Moon (the conjunction of the Sun and Moon) forms a square to the lunar nodes, suggesting that we will be tested. How much are you giving up to have peace in your life, and where is better balance needed?
“We also see Mars forming a square to Ceres in the lunar chart, pitting the self-oriented aggression of Mars against the urge for nurture and comfort. There is tremendous potential here for healing the past and healing relationships with others, but it is clear that attention must be paid to the Self here as well. Then the power of the New Moon can operate fully and unencumbered to empower and protect.”
In addition, another astrologer, Theodore White, tells us: “By the time of the positive October 18th New Moon in Libra, the favorable energies will allow most people to begin to make significant gradual progress deep into the fall season after the delays and frustrations of September and early October.
“The transits for mid-to-late October offer those who have had to deal with the previous frustrations of September and the first 17 days of October the opportunity to catch-up on lost time. It is a good time to shop, looking for bargains, new job opportunities, and to make the most out of the second half of October. Relationships will seem easier to take part in as Venus transits deeper into tropical Libra.”
This is good news! May all of your new beginnings be most richly balanced, beautiful and blessed."
Also take note that the leaves the zodiac sign of Libra at the same time it turns into it's new phase and begins waxing. While New Moons are to happen in the same zodiac sign that the current sun sign is, these split second happenings can be a bit confusing... This New Moon also begins the lunar cycle of Gort/Ivy for me as I continue to follow my Lunar Tree cycles.
The moon is perhaps humankind's oldest form of marking time. According to some scholars, the Celts used a Lunar Calendar that consisted of 13 months, each 28 days in length. Each month of the Celtic Lunar calendar bears the name of a tree, which also stands for one of the consonants in the Celtic 'tree alphabet'. There are basically two different versions of this Lunar calendar: the Beth-Luis-Nion (which begins on the Winter Solstice) and the Beth-Luis-Fearn (which begins on Samhain). I work with the Beth-Luis-Nion simply because it seems to work the best for my style of Witchcraft. But due to some influences in my studies in the past I take and twist this Graves' lunar cycle tracking one step further and make the New Moon of lunar phase marking my new tree cycle.
Ivy Month: The Celts considered the Ivy a 'tree' of power, able to overcome even the mighty Oak, because it can bind, constrict and strangle. It is also a tree of warning: dreams, visions of it, or even large amounts in your area indicate that may be taking a wrong path or contemplating a wrong direction in life, and it is time review your life and motivations, and perhaps seek a new direction. It is a plant of persistence, not just for the ancient Celts. A quaint 19th-century story tells of an Ivy in Oxford which penetrated the wall of a wine cellar, removed the cork from a bottle of port and drank the contents. The bottle was later found congrested with the roots of the plant!
Ivy leaves made up the wreath of the Roman God Bacchus and were often hung outside inns to advertise their trade. It was thought that wearing a circloe of Ivy around the head would prevent intoxicaton. Drinking from a bowl of Ivy wood was said to be a cure for drunkenness. A wreath of Ivy was given to newly-weds as a symbol of fidelity. A young gir would carry an Ivy leaf in order to meet her future husband. Should a man gather 10 Ivy leaves at Halloween, discard one and sleep with the other 9 under his pilloow he will dream of his future love. To dream of spirits, place an Ivy leaf on each corner of your pillow. Ivy is magickally linked with Holly and it used to be forbidden to bring Ivy into a church because of its Pagan associations.
[From: Kate West's "The Real Witches' Year"]
Some Magick Appropriate for the New Moon
With each of these spells, you can ask for the blessings of a chosen deity according to which one fits your current needs, or you cxan simply ask for help of the Goddess and/or God.
Take a seed for each new goal, hold them one by one in cupped hands till you have thoroughly visualized each intention, then plant the seeds individually in a bowl of earth.
Take a pure white candle, stroke it from base to center and up to tip to center with oil such as olive or almond. Be careful to avoid the wick or the candle will splatter when lit. As you dress it in this way, concentrate on a fresh new project that you wish to work on, then light the candle. Burn it every night at the same time till the moon is full.
Invoke Artemis, then visualize yourself drawing back a bow and letting its arrow fly, carrying a wish with it to take root on the astral plane, to yield its harvest in due season. Really, really work hard at building up the image of your goal, and strongly picture the bow and arrow as well. It might help to see Artemis herself with bow pointing upward at arm's length, or see your own hands with the bow in them. Feel the strain and then the sense of release and hear the swish as the arrow arcs through the air. A visualization like this might seem naive and simplistic, but it can be extremely powerful - strong visualization is the basis of the most successful magick.
Think of a goal, then tie three knots in a silver cord or ribbon, voicing your magickal intention with each know. Put it on your shrine or tie it in the branches of a tree in outside till just before the next new moon, then untie the knots and cleanse the cord through the elements so that it can be used again for future spells.
Go outside when the new crescent moonn is visible and make a wish (but don't tell anyone else till it comes true!)
[From Elen Hawke's "Praise the Moon"]
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