Full Birch Moon & Penumbral eclipse

Tomorrow the moon is fat in the sign of Gemini and although we may misplace objects of importance, it is an auspicious time fore travel, buying, selling, learning and communication.
This full moon however sees a penumbral eclipse, ie a partial eclipse, where the top half of the moon will be obscured. If the skies are clear we should be able to see it as it will rise eclipsed at 4pm, but will have cleared around 5pm.
The word 'eclipse' derives from the Greek 'ekleipsis' meaning 'abandonment', for the ancients felt abandoned when the moon and the sun behaved in a strange way and would perform many strange rituals in order to 'bring it back'. The Masai tribes of Africa threw sand in the airwhilst the north American Injdians rattled pots and pans .
Eclipses have always been feared throughout history and in Shakspeare's Richard 11 we are told:
The pale-fac'd moon looks bloody on the earth,
And lean-look'd prphetswhisperfearful change..
These signs forerun the death orfall of kings'
Mrs Darley however looked upon the eclipse as a time when personal transformation and forward movement are experienced, as outlined in our lunar eclipse celebrations at the moonstone in 'Mrs Darley's Moon Mysteries.'
May this partial eclipse and its changes bring you more in line with your true self.

The April Full Moon, Eostre & Christ

Tomorrow (Fri) marks 3 specific events. In the lunar calendar it is the day of the April full Moon. In the Pagan calendar it is the festival of Eostre or Ostara, Saxon Goddess of the dawn & new beginnings and in the Christian calendar it is Good Friday, the time when Christians remember the crucifixion of Christ. Despite however the unliklihood of the former two having anything to do with the latter, they are all inextricably linked.

The festival of Eostre was always a moveable lunar festival and was calculated as falling on the day of the first full moon following the Spring Equinox. When Christianity came to these islands & the powers that held sway were trying to convert the peasants to the new religion, they decided to replace the festival of Eostre with that of Easter and made a slight alteration to the date so that it was celebrated on the Christian holy day - that of Sunday.

Thus Easter is always calculated as being the Sunday following the first full moon following the Spring Equinox.

Whether you choose to honour the full Moon, Eostre or Christ tomorrow may the day bring you peace & solace.

For more information read 'Mrs Darley's Pagan Whispers' or 'Mrs Darley's Moon Mysteries'

The Most Powerful Time of the Year

Tomorrow (15 June: 21.13GMT), heralds the full moon, just a week away from the summer solstice when the sun is at full power. In addition, the moon is in Sagittarius a powerful fire sign and, as though this wasn't sufficient enough, there is also a lunar eclipse.

The moon will rise eclipsed at 21.13. By 22.34 it will be half over and will finish at 23.45. It will be visible over Europe, Africa, , Asia and Australia.

This time of year is traditionally used to make powerful magic regarding abundance in every sphere of life. With the Sagittarian element legal matters, education, travel, faith and philosophy are all highlighted for favourable outcomes.

The eclipse, from the Greek, 'eklepsis' meaning abandonment, due to tribal people feeling abandoned by the moon as it turned bloodied in the sky, brings changes on many levels, but weave your magic and influence those changed to work in your favour.

The Sumatra Earthquake and the Full Moon

As discussed in the previous blog entry there is much evidence to suggest that the moon has the power to affect not only our tidal waters but also the earth itself and that many natural disaters such as earthquakes, volcanic erruptions and tsunamis occur around the time of the full or new moon or when the moon is closest (perigee) or furthest (apogee) away from the moon.

On 26 December 2004, the day of the full moon, the most powerful earthquake recorded for over 40 years occured off the north west coast of Sumatra, measuring over 9 points on the Richter scale and causing the planet to wobble on its axis. It had the enery of 23,000 atomic bombs.

The tectonic plate of India slipped 15 metres beneath the Eurasian plate causing a rupture in the earth's surface of some 1,200 kilometres below the sea. This resulted in 30 square kilometres of seawater being displaced leading to a tsunami that claimed 150,000 lives, with the worst country affected being Sri Lanka.

Can life ever be looked at in the same way again after experiencing nature in one of her most formidable moods?

For fascinating information on the moon and the elements click the link to Amazon at the top of the page to buy 'Mrs Darley's Moon Mysteries' and 'Mrs Darley's Pagan Elements'

Winter Solstice at Newgrange

Next week heralds an exciting time, for the solstice, the full moon and a lunar eclipse all converge on the 21st, the day which heralds the return of the sun.

For the Irish Celts, the winter solstice was held in high esteem as evidenced by the magnificent burial tomb at Newgrange in the Boyne Valley in County Meath, a monument which predates both the pyramids and Stonehenge and which took 40 years to build.

For approximately 5 days around the winter solstice, the rising sun shines through a roof box positioned above the entrance to the tomb and penetrates the depths of the triple chambered tomb. This beautifully crafted burial chamber stands as a testament to the high esteem in which the ancestors were held, by the Neolithic people of Ireland.

Newgrange is well worth a visit however, if you intend to go specifically at the winter solstice, do take note that over 25000 people usually put their names down to be one of the 25 lucky people to watch the sunrise!

From 'Mrs Darleys Pagan Whispers'

The Autumn Equinox

The equinox arrived along with the full moon yesterday (23rd) at 10.17 BST. From now on our world with descend further into darkness whilst the earth begins her period of rest and renewal following the gathering of the final crops.

The equinox is a strange time, it is unpredictable, brings strange weather patterns to our door and often makes us feel unsettled. When this is coupled with the effects of the full moon, be prepared for the unexpected.

'Gather, gather the last fruits of summer

Drink of their sweetness

And bathe in their juice,

Gather, gather the last fruits of summer

For winter is bindingAnd tightening her noose.'

From 'Mrs Darley's Pagan Whispers'

First Quarter Moon in Libra

The Wort Moon approaches her First Quarter phase and is half in darkness half in light. As such she is perfectly balanced between the poles of opposites, a time for bringing harmony into your life on all levels. If there have been arguments, hold out the olive branch or if your time has been consumed by too much work, take a day off.

For the next week the Moon gains in light and brings impetus to everything planned at the time of the New Moon. It's time to make the phone call, or write the email you promised, it's time to complete the job application form or to ask that special someone out. Seize the moment, live for today and move your life forward.

This afternoon the Moon moves into the sign of Libra, again the sign of balance in the zodiac. It is time to concentrate on partnerships, justice, peace and love in your magical practices.

May the waxing gibbous moon shine its light on everything you do.

June Marriages

The month of May has never boded well for marriages but where exactly did this superstition come from? In ancient times it was considered unlucky to marry in May, as this was the month of the Goddess and any man who married during this time would fall prey to the lust and power of a woman! For the Romans May saw the festival of Lemuralia at which sacrifices were made to purge the home of hostile spirits, hence marriages were not considered appropriate. With the arrival of Christianity May was seen as the month of the Virgin Mary, a time associated with chastity and purity, therefore again not approriate for marriage.

On the 1st June however all of May's restrictions were lifted and at one time this became the most popular month for weddings. The full moon in June (which falls on 26th this year) is usually rich in colour and was known as the 'honey moon', hence the term following a marriage became known as a honeymoon.

If you have a wedding or civil ceremony this month, may the Goddess bless your union.

Waxing Gibbous Moon

The Moon is now between its first quarter and full, and is said to be in its 'Gibbous' phase, which derives from the Latin word 'gibbosus' meaning, 'humpbacked' and describes rather aptly its odd shape as it moves towards the full orb. The Moon appears in the sky during the afternoon and sets early in the morning.

The Gibbous Moon exudes confidence as She stamps her independence on the night sky and calls us to mirror her example. She calls us to move forward, to take action and strive ever toward our dreams. She wills us to make that phone call, fill in the job application form, ask friends around to dinner and shouts, 'carpe diem' or 'seize the day', just live for the moment for that is all there is.

The warrior Goddess Artemis captures the essence of the gibbous moon for she knows what she wants and sets out to achieve her goals. She is old enough to benefit from being self assured yet still maintains the impetuosity of youth. Call upon her when self assurance is required or when you need to stand on your own two feet.

Full Moon celebration

Sunday 28th February 2010 heralds the time of the full moon, a time for action. The full moon is an auspicious time for bringing your immediate plans to fruition. Now is the time to go out on the date you planned and arranged during the first 14 days of the new moon, now is the time to write the letter, send the text or apply for the job. Seize the power of moonlight and take action to make your dreams a reality.

To the Celts this was known as the 'storm' or 'snow' moon. Although this was a time of great concern, for them, as they were still in the grips of winter and food supplies were often running low, they did acknowledge a stirring within the earth. This stirring they attempted to encourage with drumming and chanting in order to calm the storms and hasten the spring.

This full Moon is seated in the sign of Virgo and is an excellent time for seeking employment, begininning a new educational pursuit or reassessing your health and diet. It is auspicious for dealing with business matters,the law and carrying out healing rituals for the intestines, thoracic spine or nervous system.

Luna

I am the nectar

That sweetens your dreams,

I am the rainbow

That colours your tears,

I am the cloud

That carries the storm.

I am knowledge,

I am Goddess.

(From Mrs Darley's Moon Mysteries)