MOON Sagittarius SUN Gemini

Aegishjalmur

Something for your Full Moon, best performed Saturday evening or Sunday morning this weekend.

You will need:

  • a green stone
  • your favourite incense
  • a candle, preferably green but white is also good
  • Holy Water or Florida Water or water from a natural source
  • seeds that you can either eat or plant in your garden

The ceremony:

  • Create your circle in a way that suits you then ground & centre in the space.
  • Light the candle & sit holding your seeds in your non-dominant hand. Close your eyes, pretend you are asleep & dream of what you would like to manifest in your life. Focus your dream thoughts down along your arm & into the seeds that you are holding. When you are done, place them beneath the candle.
  • Light the incense & hold the green stone in your dominant hand. Close your eyes & send your awareness throughout your body checking for any imbalances that require your attention. These may be physiological, emotional, spiritual or psychological. Focus on these spots of imbalance then radiate the colour & solidity of your green stone to those exact areas, energising them for healing & restoration. When you are done, hold the stone over the incense & give thanks. I recommend carrying this stone with you, close to the skin, every day until you feel that you have dealt with or are dealing with these imbalances. For now, place the stone next to the incense.
  • Stand in Warrior Pose (see image below or choose your own style of Warrior pose) facing North. Stare out towards that horizon, empower your pose & breath deep. While you hold this position, connect to the rich, nourishing energy that rises up to you from Earth. Draw it up through your feet & legs & trunk, considering your healing & dreams as it rises. Let it pool & build in your chest as you define the steps ahead that your healing & your dreams require of you. When have reached your peak, shoot the energy out to the Northern horizon. Step your legs together, facing North, & bow.
  • Take the Holy Water, dip your finger into it & draw the Aegishjalmur (pictured above) on your chest. As it evaporates & cools your skin, feel the waters connecting you to the world of material things & calling to you all that you need for the healing that you require & all that you must cross paths with to see your dreams coming true. I recommend anointing this Bindrune daily until you begin to experience the changes you wish to see.
  • Say the following 3×3 times-

Let me pray for peace, health, wealth, wisdom for all.

May all meet under the light of Grandmother Moon forever more.

Children of my children hear my prayer.

Blessed Be!

  • Stamp your feet, shake your limbs & make some noise (I recommend a bell or singing bowl).
  • Release & clear your circle in a way that suits you.
  • Allow the candle to watch over the seeds until it has let itself go out (you may have to snuff it out & relight it again for safety reasons). When the candle is done, eat the seeds or set them aside for your next planting day.
  • Gather the incense dust & toss some into the Winds.
  • Carry the stone with you & each day cleanse it by sitting it in the Holy Water on an altar.

Warrior Pose

Blessings on your Full Moon Weavings!

)O(

Embodying the Aettir

When I first met with the Runes I felt that something essential was missing, like the offering of information that I had at the time seemed an extremely diluted version of the well of information they contained (three wells actually). As a result, they were put aside until I could delve deeper…

Yielding to their call a number of years later, I began to absolutely devour whatever I could find on this ancient gift; a much easier task with access to a plethora of mythical tales, research articles, historical writings & references at the touch of a button. This information was then taken into many long, smokey, ceremonial sessions that drove the teachings of the Runes deep into my entire being.

The result of this venture, which lasted a few years, is a series of ritualised meditations to explore each Rune in turn, unfolding their story from beginning to end to new beginning, within the context of the life experiences of the individual participating.

It is a fascinating study to see the Runes roll out in a story like fashion, a dreamy tale with hidden pockets full of adventurous teachings. Each aett (group of eight) contains a clear cycle of its own, that can be worked in rhythm with the seekers own cyclical flow. One definition of the three aettir that I particularly relate to is from Freya Aswynn. To simplify enormously, the first aett can be read as the creation tale, the second aett the playing out of antagonistic forces, & the third aett the unfolding of the human condition which is the beginning of the end.

In offering these Runic meditations to others, I have been able to see how beneficial it can be to work with this ancient tool & have begun the journey for a second time myself… You can never do enough work on yourself, right?!

So, it seems that when I first met the Runes I was not ready to begin uncovering their secrets & I am very lucky that they called me back into their mystical world when I was ready.

If you are interested in learning more about the Runic meditation circles (held in Melbourne, Australia) please send an email to alison@thehedgewitchery.com

)O(

Long Nights

I was recently instructed to take a Long Nights Sit for three consecutive nights as a way to pray for the return of a part of me that has been lost. No matter how much work I do to grow & change into the best that I can be, there is always more that can be done.

Sitting with the nights entirety is something that I do at Yule, occasionally it will spontaneously occur. The space between Sun down & Sun up is spectacular… It has its own rhythm & soul, so different to the rolling pace of the day time. Consciously embarking on a quest in this sacred shadow time is something that I highly recommend.

The drive for this was a calling to seek, an urgent need to reclaim an important part of me. This became the held space for my nights, keeping me alert to the messages coming through & the clues that I was asked to follow. I left myself opened & unbound to structure, which led me down many a wonderful path & set me before incredible people, enlightening rune & tarot readings, interesting midnight snacks & volumes of information to document.

My day times became dreamlike as I meandered through the mundane workings of my life, & I was surprised that I had no desire to catch up on sleep during the light hours. I would find myself excited as the Sun began his descent & eagerly wrap up the mundane world in anticipation of each night.

The hardest part about this process for me was the emotional settling at the end of the three nights. So much had been returned to me which meant that so much of me was falling away, & this was hard for my heart to manage. Thank the Gods for my shamanic mentor or I may be a messy puddle on the floor right now! But here I am, changed in the most exquisite of ways & eager beyond belief to see how this me embraces what will come.

)O(

MOON Capricorn SUN Cancer

I have been feeling quite out of my body of late so am taking the opportunity of this Moon to sink deeper into my flesh & honour this Earth-bound temple that I call home. This is the process I will undertake this evening as the Moon rises…

Create you sacred space in your own way.

Stand in a small circle of salt, feel your feet connected to the ground. Slowly raise your awareness up your body aligning & correcting your posture as you go. Once you have reached the top of your head, take some time to listen to your flesh… Are there any sensations that are calling to you? Where are they? Why are they? Move along these lines for as long as you can, taking note of the information stored in your body.

When you are ready, write your experience down in a journal or on a piece of paper. Then sit in the salt circle & ask your body how you can make its life more pleasant, what measures you can take to improve your physical wellbeing. If you have access to clay, inscribe it with a promise to your physical self of the steps you are willing to take to make these improvements. If you have no clay do the same steps but write on a piece of paper instead.

Give thanks & release you sacred space in your own way.

When the Sun rises tomorrow, bury the clay tablet along with the salt as close to your bedroom window as possible.

)O(

MOON Scorpio SUN Taurus

On the night of the Scorpio Full Moon prepare yourself for this ceremony by clearing & quietening your self & your surrounds. When you are as close to stillness as you can be without being asleep, you are ready.

Create a sacred space & settle within it. Grind together herbs for an incense mix. Michelle Duke developed a blend especially for this Moon…

Wormwood

Nettle

Patchouli

Sage

Catnip

Lavender

Grind your mix widdershins (unwinding the Sun) & chant the following as you do-

Open All & push me through

I grind & hold to Spirit true

Send me deep to wounds unhealed

A balm this journey shall reveal

Repeat this chant 3 or 9 times, light your charcoal & add your mix.

Lay flat on the ground, close your eyes & breath in the smoke. Let your journey begin at the mouth of a cave with a small stream of water flowing into it. Light a torch from the bright, big Moon & walk into the cave. Explore as long & as deep as you can, keeping your attention attuned to your senses & honouring them in your explorations. When you are ready, return by way of giving thanks to the cave & Grandmother Moon.

Surface & add more of your mix to the charcoal. Write down your experience & how you wish to bring your findings out into the mundane world, with the intent of healing to your deepest self.

When the charcoal has gone out, bury it along with the ashes in the earth under the light of the Moon.

)O(

 

 

MOON Aquarius SUN Leo

Full Moon meditation

As the Sun will be moving into Leo at 1:57am AEST & the Moon into Aquarius at 4:08am AEST Tuesday the 28th, I will be performing this meditation at Moon rise tomorrow.

Find a comfortable, quiet place to sit for the duration of this meditation.

Light a candle, burn incense, create an altar, do whatever your process is to get into the head space for meditation. Say the name Etain (pronounced Ay-deen) three times taking three breaths between each annunciation.

Begin in your Power Place, explore & ensure that it is your perfect space for you in that moment. Then take a journey along a path with the intention of meeting Etain, the Shining One.

When you find Her, She is going to illuminate the parts of you that are rising with the growth of this past solstice/super moon/water trine/retrograde period. So much wisdom that has been developing within you in a whirl of life experience & mental processing. Etain will show you how to ride this into a balanced whole from which your next journey can begin. Allow Her to guide you without any preconceived idea of how that will happen, put your trust in Her as she works with you.

When She bids you farewell, be sure to offer Her thanks & head back to your Power Place. Spend some time thinking back over your experience before coming back into your body.

Write your experience down & revisit these words after a day or two has passed.

)O(

MOON Taurus SUN Taurus Solar Eclipse

Begin by marking your circle space with a combination of ground salt & rosemary. Then stand in the center with your arms outstretched, palms facing up. In this pose welcome Earth, Air, Fire & Water, welcome your ancestors, welcome Divine Masculine & Divine Feminine, welcome all of Creation. If you wish it, feel free to couple elements with directions here, to light a candle, incense, whatever feels right for you.

Sit in the center & enter your Power Place. From here take a journey to find all things that make you feel sensual & desirable & alive… Things that awaken all of your senses & insight reactions. Acknowledge what these things are, without judgement or analysis, & feel your physical body’s response as you gently come out of meditation.

Place your hands on the ground (this would be perfect to do out of doors) & take three deep breaths, each time you breath in, draw up energy from Mother Earth through your palms, & each time you breath out offer Her something in return.

Take a seed (it is to be swallowed so ensure it is small & not toxic, such as a sunflower or sesame or pumpkin seed) in your palm & whisper into it all the healing that you wish to offer to your body, for example green smoothies, regular sex, walking, more sleep, etc.. When you have filled the seed with your whisperings, swallow it using water.

Now think on your animal totem, guide, companion, teacher, & walk around in your circle as that animal, making the noises, displaying the personality. Note the impact this process has on your consciousness.

To finish, stamp your feet on Mother Earth, place you palms on the ground, ring a bell or clap hands & give thanks to Earth, Air, Fire & Water, to the lands spirits, your ancestors, to the Divine Masculine & the Divine Feminine, all of Creation.

)O(

Full Moon in Virgo

You will need: pen & paper, Moon offering (such as flowers or baked goods or menstrual blood)

Find a quiet place where you can stand undisturbed under the light of the Full Moon.

Stand with your bare feet on the Earth, your knees slightly bent, your tail bone tucked under, your spine straight, your fingertips reaching down, your shoulders rolled back,. your crown being pulled up… Focus on your breath. Feel the Earth reaching up to hold you.

Let your mind’s eye open to the bright, illuminated light that is the Full Moon, draw it down & into you, filling you until you too are aglow.

Send your mind over the physical world in which you dwell. Sort through all that is connected to you on this earthly plane of existence & ask yourself:

  • Does this reflect who I am?
  • Is this a representation of how I feel/think/work?
  • Can I survive without this?
  • What can this do for me?
  • How is this great realm of existence better for having me connected to this?

Then decide what must stay & what needs to go. Write them down.

When you have your list of things to be rid of, appeal to Grandmother Moon for assistance in removing those things from your life. Tell Her what you are willing to do in support of this. Then present Her with an offering & give thanks.

Be sure to follow-up on your part in this process & present Grandmother Moon with an offering every night until She disappears for this cycle.

)O(

Introducing Daily Reads…

I am happy to announce that I now offer daily reads! There is finally enough time in my day to share with those who are on their spiritual journey to healing & growth. If I could, I would do tarot readings all day because I feel open & available as soon as I start to shuffle, which is uplifting & deliciously invigorating. After working with a number of clients in doing these distance readings, I am very confident in my ability to receive & express the answers that they seek.

The Daily Reads involve you asking a question which is answered for you via a tarot reading summarised & sent to you email address the following day. You may require this service for a week, a month, or even a year, & if you are stuck for a question, there is always something waiting for you in the other realms so you won’t be disappointed.

Email before the end of February for details of a special introductory offer, alison@thehedgewitchery.com

Access more information here.

)O(

MOON Virgo SUN Pisces

Having just finished my magickal workings for this Virgo Full Moon I sit now in reflection of the ebb & flow of life, seeing a strong connection to this fluctuating flow of all things & homeostasis. As a member of the Natural Therapies community I am continually looking at ways to make my Magickal & Muggle existences work holistically together, & I really see this concept of homeostasis as a key part of this connection.

Homeostasis is defined by Tortora & Derrickson in Principles of Anatomy & Physiology 11th ed., as ‘The condition in which the body’s internal environment remains relatively constant within physiological limits.’ This to me creates a system by which the body is limited with regards to its own ability to control internal processes. This seems to be a very orthodox medico idea, & one that I find reducing function to an action/reaction type model & doesn’t allow for miracles (magick).

Chambers 21st Century Dictionary states that homeostasis is the ‘tendency of an animal or organism to maintain a constant internal environment regardless of varying external conditions.’ This sets a better point of focus for me as it speaks of the stability & grounding that can be reflected via the hypothalamic homeostatic response of the body to its external world, something that I could certainly use in my healing practice as well as in my life.

Deepak Chopra, in his book Perfect Weight, says ‘Physiological balance is a function of intelligence.’ Now this idea of homeostasis is not only an action/reaction model, but opens the gateway for psychological control of managing the internal environment of the physical body. Deepak Chopra is such an empowering being…

All of these different ways of looking at homestasis creates within me this wonderful image of homestasis being much like a pendulum. The set point at which the pendulum can swing is the point of stasis that is desirable. If this set point can be consciously manipulated, as suggested by Deepak Chopra, then the body can be guided towards healing via the hypothalamus & using the body’s own resources to achieve optimal health. I like to call this Holistic Homeostasis.

So, back to my Magickal Muggle cross-road, I can use this information to create another dimension to the wheel of directions, celestial bodies, seasons, lunar aspects, elements, archetypes, deities, etc. When I stand at the centre point of all of these circles, cycles & polarities, I can see where the pendulum swings & I can guide the pendulum through different realms thus connecting  with any realm by whatever threads I see fit for healing work. Given this, if I can stand in the centre of a body (mine, yours, the Earth, a cockatoo, whatever the body) I am be able to induce homeostasis simply by connecting this body with whatever healing energy it needs coupled with the relevent natural therapy…. This is how I work as a holistic healer of the mind, the body, the spirit, the soul, the psyche.

In my language, I call this process Alignement.

)O(