GrannyMoon's Morning Feast
2 Aug 2005
Happy Lammas!
Happy Anniversary Steve and GrannyMoon
37 years woohoo!
Sending You Harvest Wishes of Health, Wealth and Abundance!
No matter what days you celebrate!
Lughnasadh
Lammas
Teltane
Cross Quarter Day
Eighth Station of the Year
Kalends of August
Scottish Quarter Day
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Every day is a Feast Day!!!
Celebrate It!!!
GrannyMoon ~Bringing You The Feast Since 2001
GoddessSchool Celebrates it's 5th Year!
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The Goddess Calendar
Goddess Month of Kerea runs from 7/11 - 8/8
Lunabar Moon Almanack for Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Phase: Waning, Balsamic Moon. Age: 27 days 13h. 31m.
Ascending Node is at 17° Aries.
In the 19th° of the Constellation ` Gemini, the Twins;
& in the 18th° of the Signe a Moonchild, the Crab fish.
Rises: 3:23 morn. Souths: 11:20 morn. Sets: 7:16 eve.
~~~
Thank you all my dear readers...be blessed.~ GrannyMoon
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Current Moon Phase - Waning
Waning Moon Magick: From three-and-a-half to ten-and-a-half days after the full
moon. From the Full Moon to the New is a time for study, meditation,and magic
designed to banish harmful energies and habits, for ridding oneself of
addictions, illness or negativity.
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Star IQ - Tuesday, August 2
A couple of weeks ago mental Mercury opposed imaginative Neptune. Today, in its
retrograde phase, Mercury repeats this alignment as irrational fantasies again
overtake logic. We have a sense of déjà vu, especially with the Moon in Cancer,
tying us emotionally to our memories. Nostalgia can color current events; it can
even trick us into rewriting the past. We are susceptible to an emotional appeal
from someone else, but we also tend to adjust the facts to what we want to
believe. Higher expressions include exploring spiritual vistas and deepening our
compassion.
Aries Cancer Libra Capricorn
Taurus Leo Scorpio Aquarius
Gemini Virgo Sagittarius Pisces
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GrannyMoon Says Today Is: Tiu's Day - the day of Mars...also Ares, Tiwaz, Tiw
(from whom it is named), Tuisco, and Tyr. Tuesday is ruled by Mars, whose
Magickal influences are: Passion, courage, aggression, and protection. Tuesday
comes under the influence of Mars, the planet associated with vitality, passion,
ambition, and raw, unabashed power. Mars energy makes the mind acute, and the
body restless; therefore, on Tuesday we are likely to exert ourselves physically
and take action to achieve goals. This day is dynamic and high-spirited, and the
prevailing energies may include carelessness and destructiveness as well, so it
is good to be cautious---especially while traveling. Tuesday is the proper day
of the week to perform rituals involving courage, physical strength, revenge,
surgery, and the breaking of negative spells.
a.. Today's Magickal Influences ~ Destination, War, Courage, Surgery, Physical
Strength
b.. Today's Goddesses: Aset [Isis], Soorejnaree, Pingalla, Anna, Aine, Danu,
Yngona, Bellona, Aida Wedo, Sun Woman
c.. Perfumes: Hellebore, Carnation, Patchouli
d.. Incense: Lignum Aloes, Plantain
e.. Color of The Day: Red
f.. Colors for Tomorrow: Yellow
g.. Lucky Sign: Tuesday Is The Lucky Day For Aries and Scorpio
h.. Candle: Red
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Moon Moon, Mother Moon
Lunar Lore
~~~
The Rigs O' Barley
It was upon a Lammas night,
When corn rigs are bonnie,
Beneath the moon's unclouded light,
I held away to Annie:
The time flew by wi' tentless heed
Till 'tween the late and early,
Wi' sma' persuasion, she agreed
To see me thro' the barley.
Corn rigs, an' barley rigs,
An' corn rigs are bonnie:
I'll ne'er forget that happy night,
Amang the rigs wi' Annie.
The sky was blue, the wind was still,
The moon was shining clearly:
I set her down, wi' right good will,
Amang the rigs o' barley:
I ken't her heart was a' my ain:
I lov'd her most sincerely;
I kiss'd her owre and owre again,
Amang the rigs o' barley.
Corn rigs...
I lock'd her in my fond embrace;
Her heart was beating rarely:
My blessings on that happy place,
Amang the rigs o' barley!
But by the moon and stars so bright,
That shone that hour so clearly!
She aye shall bless that happy night,
Amang the rigs o' barley.
Corn rigs...
I ha'e been blythe wi' comrades dear;
I ha'e been merry drinkin';
I ha'e been joyfu' gatherin' gear;
I ha'e been happy thinkin':
But a' the pleasures e'er I saw,
Tho' three times doubled fairly,
That happy night was worth then a',
Amang the rigs o' barley.
Corn rigs...
~Robert Burns
...
August brings the sheaves of corn; Then the harvest home is borne
...
Drie August and warm,
Doth harvest no harme
...
If the first week in August is unusually warm,
the coming Winter will be snowy and long.
For every fog in August,
There will be a snowfall in Winter.
If a cold August follows a hot July,
It foretells a Winter hard and dry.
If corn husks are thicker than usual, a cold winter lies ahead.
~~~
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Seasons of the Witch - Ancient Holidays
And some not so ancient too!
The Celts celebrate this festival from sunset August 1 until sunset August 2 and
call it Lughnasad after the God Lugh. It is the wake of Lugh, the Sun-King,
whose light begins to dwindle after the summer solstice. The Saxon holiday of
Lammas celebrates the harvesting of the grain. The first sheaf of wheat is
ceremonially reaped, threshed, milled and baked into a loaf. The grain dies so
that the people might live. Eating this bread, the bread of the Gods, gives us
life. If all this sounds vaguely Christian, it is. In the sacrament of
Communion, bread is blessed, becomes the body of God and is eaten to nourish the
faithful. This Christian Mystery echoes the pagan Mystery of the Grain God.
Grain has always been associated with Gods who are killed and dismembered and
then resurrected from the Underworld by the Goddess-Gods like Tammuz, Osiris and
Adonis. The story of Demeter and Persephone is a story about the cycle of death
and rebirth associated with grain. Demeter, the fertility Goddess, will not
allow anything to grow until she finds her daughter who has been carried off to
the Underworld. The Eleusinian Mysteries, celebrated around the Autumn Equinox,
culminated in the revelation of a single ear of corn, a symbol to the initiate
of the cyclical nature of life, for the corn is both seed and fruit, promise and
fulfillment.
You can adapt the themes of Lughnasad and Lammas to create your own ceremony for
honoring the passing of the light and the reaping of the grain.
Honoring the Grain God or Goddess
Bake a loaf of bread on Lammas. If you've never made bread before, this is a
good time to start. Honor the source of the flour as you work with it: remember
it was once a plant growing on the mother Earth. If you have a garden, add
something you've harvested--herbs or onion or corn--to your bread. If you don't
feel up to making wheat bread, make corn bread. Or gingerbread people. Or
popcorn. What's most important is intention. All that is necessary to enter
sacred time is an awareness of the meaning of your actions.
Shape the dough in the figure of a man or a woman and give your grain-person a
name. If he's a man, you could call him Lugh, the Sun-King, or John Barleycorn,
or the Pillsbury Dough Boy, or Adonis or Osiris or Tammuz. Pauline Campanelli in
The Wheel of the Year suggests names for female figures: She of the Corn, She of
the Threshing Floor, She of the Seed, She of the Great Loaf (these come from the
Cyclades where they are the names of fertility figures), Freya (the Anglo-Saxon
and Norse fertility Goddess who is, also called the Lady and the Giver of the
Loaf), the Bride (Celtic) and Ziva or Siva (the Grain Goddess of, the Ukraine,
Hungary, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia).
Feast
Like all holidays, Lammas calls for a feast. When your dough figure is baked and
ready to eat, tear him or her apart with your fingers. You might want to start
the feast with the Lord's Prayer, emphasizing the words "Give us this day our
daily bread." The next part of the ceremony is best done with others. Feed each
other hunks of bread (or gingerbread people or popcorn), putting the food in the
other person's mouth with words like "May you never go hungry," "May you always
be nourished," "Eat of the bread of life" or "May you live forever." Offer each
other drinks of water or wine with similar words. As if you were at a wake, make
toasts to the passing summer, recalling the best moments of the year so far.
Corn Dolly
Another way to honor the Grain Goddess is to make a corn doll. This is a fun
project to do with kids. Take dried-out corn husks and tie them together in the
shape of a woman. She's your visual representation of the harvest. As you work
on her, think about what you harvested this year. Give your corn dolly a name,
perhaps one of the names of the Grain Goddess or one that symbolizes your
personal harvest. Dress her in a skirt, apron and bonnet and give her a special
place in your house. She is all yours till the spring when you will plant her
with the new corn, returning to the Earth that which She has given to you.
Food for Thought
Lammas is a festival of regrets and farewells, of harvest and preserves. Reflect
on these topics alone in the privacy of your journal or share them with others
around a fire. Lughnasad is one of the great Celtic fire-festivals, so if at all
possible, have your feast around a bonfire. While you're sitting around the
fire, you might want to tell stories. Look up the myths of any of the grain Gods
and Goddesses mentioned above and try re-telling them in your own words.
Regrets: Think of the things you meant to do this summer or this year that are
not coming to fruition. You can project your regrets onto natural objects like
pine cones and throw them into the fire, releasing them. Or you can write them
on dried corn husks (as suggested by Nancy Brady Cunningham in Feeding the
Spirit) or on a piece of paper and burn them.
Farewells: What is passing from your life? What is over? Say good-bye to it. As
with regrets, you can find visual symbols and throw them into the fire, the lake
or the ocean. You can also bury them in the ground, perhaps in the form of bulbs
which will manifest in a new form in spring.
Harvest: What have you harvested this year? What seeds have your planted that
are sprouting? Find a visual way to represent these, perhaps creating a
decoration in your house or altar which represents the harvest to you. Or you
could make a corn dolly or learn to weave wheat. Look for classes in your area
which can teach you how to weave wheat into wall pieces, which were made by
early grain farmers as a resting place for the harvest spirits.
Preserves: This is also a good time for making preserves, either literally or
symbolically. As you turn the summer's fruit into jams, jellies and chutneys for
winter, think about the fruits that you have gathered this year and how you can
hold onto them. How can you keep them sweet in the store of your memory?
Feast of Old Greek Deities Aphrodite and Eros--Day to honor love and passion -
8/1 eve to 8/2 eve
Remember the ancient ways and keep them sacred!
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GrannyMoon's Book Nook
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MotherPeace Reading
By GrannyMoon
6 of Swords
Today you see the "big picture"! This clarity comes from wisdom. Your mind is
sharper than usual and in great form!
You have an "Ah Ha!" moment. Now, you know what needs to be done, so do it!
Readings by GrannyMoon ~ In-Depth Reading $25.00 with Love Match Reading $35.00
~
LoveMatch Readings Only $15.00 ~ Gift Certificates Available
http://goddessschool.com/tarot.html --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Circle of Friends
Don't let loneliness hurt your health; reconnect with a family member or old
friend this weekend. Studies show
that loneliness can have deleterious effects on your health. Surrounding
yourself with friends and family,
on the other hand, can give your heart and health a boost. Make it a point to
see three or more of your closest
friends and family members at least once each month.
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Weaving the Web! Networking With Others of Like Mind!!
Please share your art or craft...with pictures, stories, poems and articles.
You will receive all credits and a link to your website in the Feast!
Thanks!
~~~~~
THE NIGHT
She pulled the night around her like a blanket,
protecting her from the cold and rain;
A hood of smoky darkness,
to hide her from the pain.
No one knew where she was going,
And no one knew where she had been;
As long as she could hide away,
they never would again.
© July 2005
Beth Johnson
(Mystic Amazon)
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Goddess For Today: The Veelas
Day of the Dryads (Macedonia)
Themes: Fairies; Nature; Healing; Wealth; Abundance
Symbols: Sweet Bread; Sacred Fairy Plants (oak, ash, thorn, foxglove, etc.);
Healing Herbs
About the Veelas: These Balkan Goddesses preside over the woodlands and have the
power to heal or harm, depending on the circumstances. The Veelas kindly treat
humans who respect them and the earth, rewarding them with the knowledge of how
to work harmoniously with the land, which, in turn, creates prosperity and
abundance.
To Do Today: In ancient Macedonia, today was a time to appease the spirits of
nature, called Drymiais. We can follow their customs by not harvesting any
plants (especially vining ones), and not doing any cleaning (especially with
water). If you must do one of these forbidden activities, carry iron to protect
you from mischievous fairy folk.
If you live near any oak, ash, or thorn trees, leave under it a little gift of
sweet bread for the Veelas. As you do, whisper a short request to the Veelas for
renewed health and permission to gather some herbs associated with health and
healing today.
Afterward, look for an ash or oak leaf or some tansy flowers. These will act as
an amulet for well-being whenever you carry them with you.
For prosperity and abundance, and to improve your connection with the earth,
give the Veelas an offering of honey instead, and a bit yourself to consume the
earth's sweetness.
By Patricia Telesco ~ From "365 Goddess" and GrannyMoon's Morning Feast
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Draw on the inner strength that you always knew was there.
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{} {} {} AngelVoice by Zsuzsana {} {} {}
Welcome to AngelVoice, where you meet the Angel that is guiding you each
day, and receive the loving Angel Message sent to you for contemplation and
motivation. And - as a special inspiration from the angelic realms - you
are given a joyful daily thought or idea to help light up your world.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EARTH ELEMENT: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Your Guiding Angel today is: The Angel of Adaptability.
Angelic Advice: Small problems can be smoothed over in the
wink of an eye if you look for balance. Optimism and an
easy-going attitude help in everything. Innovations abound.
Your angels wish you joy in: Rising above obstaclesFIRE ELEMENT: Aries, Leo,
Sagittarius
Your Guiding Angel today is: The Angel of Wishes. Angelic
Advice: All dreams come true begin with a wish. Whether or
not those wishes come true depends mostly on the sincerity
of your desires and the passion with which you pursue your
goals. Never say never - your Angel of Wishes is always at
your side. Your angels wish you joy in: PassionAIR ELEMENT: Aquarius, Gemini,
Libra
Your Guiding Angel today is: The Angel of Natural
Competence. Angelic Advice: Striving to succeed in all
areas is admirable as long as one doesn't neglect their
spirit in the quest to succeed. Do your best as always, but
try to remember what is truly important in life. If your
heart is in your project you will shine. Your angels wish
you joy in: PrioritizingWATER ELEMENT: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
Your Guiding Angel today is: The Angel of Human Unity.
Angelic Advice: Express love and understanding wherever you
can today - with your co-workers, your family, people you
meet on the street. See the ripple of unity you can create
with just a smile, or the touch of your hand. Your angels
remind you of the strength in numbers. Your Angels wish you
joy in: Starting a Trend~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~New!!! Angels Abound a new
book by Zsuzsana, is available in paperback and e-book. Both can be browsed or
ordered exclusively through Zsuzsana's site
www.arcanamatrix.com {"I received
mine!!! It is awesome!
A must read says GrannyMoon!"}
The Now Age : Demystifying Spirituality, the New Age and the Metaphysical By
Zsuzsana
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I rescind obsolete vows of struggle and outdated beliefs in separation.
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Heartwings Love Notes 169 Lessons In Living
Heartwings says, "Life gives us wonderful lessons as we live it."
Lately I have been living in a movie set; this is how I would describe the way
my house appears now. In the last several months it has been repainted,
redecorated and redesigned. It no longer resembles the home Stephen and I lived
in for the last 16 years. This is because we have followed the instructions of
our realtor to make it appear more attractive to a buyer.
The walls are nearly bare; most of the rugs have been taken up; almost all the
books and videos together with their bookcases are in storage; and as well we
have eliminated most of the incidental tables, shelves and small furniture.
There are no longer any surfaces I can use as places to put things. It is
relatively easy to get rid of any daily clutter--either I throw it out or find a
place to hide it away.
The house does look lovely. All the surfaces gleam, and I try to keep them that
way. I am getting lots of exercise bending down to retrieve my appliances from
the cupboards that used to hold other items now stored elsewhere. I spend time
and energy running up and down stairs hunting for things I need and can't
remember where I stowed them. This is a very strange way to live, yet it is also
an amazing experience in simple living.
Both Stephen and I are beginning to feel as though we might prefer to reduce the
number of objects we will have in our future home. We hadn't realized before how
much we could live without. We are talking about keeping possessions to a
minimum once we unpack. I have also noticed that as I live in my movie set, I am
growing in my appreciation for what I do have, and that may be the best learning
experience of all.
May you live and learn with joyful acceptance.
Blessings and Best Regards, Tasha Halpert
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Blessed be my little witch. To those who came before and those who will come
after, know that the Goddess is with you always.
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Lammas Hospitality Spell
Incense of the day: Lavender
Lammas has been characterized since prehistory as a time for the sharing of
bread. In the Celtic countries, clan chieftains were obliged to be hospitable to
all guests, even their enemies. The sharing of food bonds people together. In
humanity's deep past, breaking bread together was an offering and acceptance of
friendship. In many ways, eating with others is a very intimate event. Recall
all of your first dates that began by dining out. Wasn't that the most
uncomfortable part of the evening? Create a grand feast this Lammas, and invite
as many as many people as your home can hold. Be sure to include a few people
who don't like you, a few you don't like, and any people who have been
quarreling with each other. For your feast, bring the warm loaves of bread to
the table after everything else has been placed. Announce that you will be
passing the loaves so that everyone can break bread. While the bread is being
passed you may tell the story of Celtic hospitality-how the sharing of bread is
a symbol of peace and unity. End your explanation with a simple prayer that will
not offend anyone's religious beliefs, or, depending on the size of your feast,
allow everyone a chance to also offer a prayer. The ending of yours might sound
something like this:
From the womb of Mother Earth comes bread,
From this gift we all are fed.
Sharing the creator's bounty together,
May generosity and peace be with us forever.
By: Edain McCoy Llewellyn and GrannyMoon's Morning Feast
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To wake, alive, in this world, where everything is mortal - what happiness!
Summer rain.~ Shosha
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Daily Aromatherapy Tip
Simple Shampoo
To create an aromatic shampoo simply add 4 drops of your favorite essential oil
to 1 Tablespoon of unscented baby shampoo. Wash your hair as usual.
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"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, nor touched . .
. but are felt in the heart."
"Dance is the hidden language of the soul of the body."
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Crone's Corner - Lammas Bounty Spell
ammas is also called Lughnasadh; it is a celebration of plenty and optimism, and
of nature's infinite bounty. It is the time of the first harvests, and it marks
midsummer's joyous and fanciful energy. This spirit is celebrated, too, in
Shakespeare's A Mid-Summer's Night Dream. To tap into this energy, gather a
small bundle of long grass or reeds to braid, and light a white candle. Braid
the grass as you speak this verse:
Fairies prancing in the meadow,
Spirits in the corn;
Green Man is flourishing everywhere
On this Midsummer morn.
Grains begin to ripen,
All things bear fruit.
Summer glistens with
possibility,
Blossoms take root.
Fairies whisper secrets,
Powerful blessings to see.
Cycles move and all around,
they share their gifts with me.
Air to fire,
Fire to water,
Water to earth,
Earth to air.
Elements feed spirit,
And the circle glows.
At Lammas, day and night,
We witness Nature's awesome might.
Growing full
And blessing all,
'Tis Earth's celebration Before the chill of fall.
Now braiding this grass,
I mark this day
Protect my hearth,
With the abundance of grain.
The blessings of the Goddess come again;
Place the braid above my door.
Hunger be banished now and then.
Blessings be drawn to this place,
Summer's energy fill this space.
Air, fire, water, earth unite,
And bless us all this day.
Holiday lore:
Lammas is a bittersweet agricultural holiday, mingling joy at the current high
season's harvest with the knowledge that summer is soon at an end. Many cultures
have "first fruit" rights on this day-the Celt's version called Lughnasadh; the
Anglo-Saxon version called hlaf-masse. In the Middle Ages, the holiday became
set at August 1, taking its current form for the most part, with sheaves of
wheat and corn blessed on this day.
By: Abby Willowroot
GrannyMoon's Morning Feast Archives 2002
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As I allow myself to grieve, I heal my sadness and create space for the new.
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Saules Meita
I open the window to the sun.
I look out at the Goddess.
Ah, my! It is too short,
this life we lead in her light!
I look at Suale and I see
my mother. Look at them:
both, so beautiful, both
so pale, so very pale.
~Lithuanian and Latvian Folksongs
In the Baltic lands, the greatest Goddess was the sun mother, Saule. And beside
her, at all times, was her daughter Saules Meita, the sun maiden. Saules Meita
was a lovely young woman whose outer demeanor hid a tragedy, for she had been
raped by her father, the man in the moon. Her mother, finding her weeping, near
heaven's central fountain, went in pursuit of the moon man. Slashing his face,
she drove him from heaven, leaving scars still visible on the moon's face today.
But the damage, alas, had been done, and could not be undone.
Like Saules Meita, there are many among us who have been deeply injured by those
whom they loved. We may not know, from their carriage and speech and appearance,
the depth of their pain. Opening the heart of compassion to others means
learning how little we know of others until they have revealed themselves to us
By Patricia Monaghan ~ From "The Goddess Companion" and GrannyMoon's Morning
Feast
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