The Rowdy Goddess

An Ecstatic Vision of the Goddess, dancing in harmony with the Universe.

Archive for the tag “Crone”

25 Feb 2014
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Celebrating the Hag! Baba Yaga, the Hag of Winter

Baba Yaga 2

Baba Yaga by Kinuko Y. Craft

This eternal winter, dubbed the Polar Express by the press, has turned into a polar depression for many people.  The persistent cold and sudden snow squall is peppered by blizzards, traffic accidents, and cruel, teasing almost-thaws.  It can lay siege to our hearts and our nerves.  How do we melt our frozen wills?  By celebrating.

Our circle celebrates the hag.  We laugh, we kvetch, we keen, and we laugh some more.  Two of our witches have decided to bypass the wisdom of the crone and, as they say, “go straight to hag,” because the hag doesn’t care.  She wears what she likes, she says what’s on her mind, and she does as she pleases.  If children cross the street to avoid the hag’s house?  So what, the hag views that with glee!  And that is what the hag has become for us:  a woman of a certain age who stands in her power and acts as she wills.

Each quarter this year, we are identifying a Witch of legend and lore to celebrate and explore.  In the grip of a cold, harsh winter, we celebrate the Hag, Baba Yaga.

There is no character in folk-tales or mythology who is so irredeemable and wicked as Baba Yaga. She is a fearsome, ugly old hag who lives on the edge of the forest. Her house is surrounded by a fence of bones and topped with skulls whose eyes glow red in the dark. The house itself is set on chicken legs and can move around with great noise and frightening disruption.

The hag herself is not a pretty sight. Her nose is so large, it is said that it touches the ceiling when she sleeps. She has iron teeth and is frequently called, Baba Yaga Boney Legs. While she is said to have no control over the pure in heart, she does have a reputation for baking young children in her huge oven and crunching on their bones.

She rides around in a mortar using a pestle to propel her and when she arrives a great winds begins and stirs up the world around her. When she leaves, she removes all traces of herself with a broom made of silver birch. Sometimes her conveyance is a huge kettle. Other times, she appears as a kindly old crone, assisting people in distress.

Like so many legends and stories of the mythic creatures and the gods, there is great power underneath. Who was she before these stories; and who will she become as we work with her. The author Deborah Blake describes her journey of creating a modern-day story with Baba Yaga in it. You can read it at her blog. I am very much looking forward to reading her first novel published by a major house–it now has a cover.

As Blake points out, John and Caitlin Matthews in The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures have researched the story behind the story of Baba Yaga, pointing that although she is portrayed as an “archetypal bogey-woman, she is actually a primal goddess. The mortar and pestle are symbols of creation and destruction, and her broom cleanses and cleans.

She inhabits the borderlands, those places between life and death, the places between this world and other worlds. She gave Koshei the Deathless, a dragon with human shape, his mortality. She also controls another fire-breathing dragon, Chudo-Yudo who guards the Water of Life and death.  She has fierce companions and friends.  She befriends the friendless and empowers the powerless.  She is one of those teachers you strive to meet her standards, because she hold the bar high and demands your achievement.

It’s obvious she’s a great witch of power.  I met her during a healing journey.  She was fierce, strong, and in good fighting shape.  She gave me strong words of wisdom for my protection and healing.  I’m working through a lot of uncertainty and sorrow at this point in my life, and she made it clear that she was at my back.  She joked about the chicken legged house, saying a lot of disruption and noise is not a bad thing.  She changed her visage from kindly old crone, to girl, to hot chick and back to fearsome hag before me; and then told me people see what they need to see where she is concerned.  She gave me some advice about some of my struggles and then said “I leave that with you to do or not do.”  Then she gave me a very fierce hug and was off again.

Baba Yaga

I am the wild, untamed nature of the world
I am the whirling music of nature
And the strange heartbeat
Of life and death.

I fly the world in my vessel of change
Propelled by creation and destruction.
I sweep from this world to the others
Clearing and cleansing the way.

I am in love with the unusual
Finding beauty and interest in the odd.
Wonder and curiosity move me
From marvel to marvel.
Shift your vision and you will see it too!

My the paralysis you feel about certain things be melted in glee, delight, and fierce determination.

Posted in Goddess, shamanism and tagged , , , , ,
28 Jan 2013
3 Comments

Caillech, The Hag of Winter

When I got in the car this morning, the car’s onboard temperature gauge said 25 degrees Farenheit.  I often complain that these enhancements to automobiles are really TMI (too much information) for the early morning commute.  But that temperature is a whole lot better than the negative 9 last week and the single digits that went on until this Sunday. The whole landscape is frigid and cold. We are all bundled up and trundle through our worlds trailing hats and gloves and all sorts of things as we don and shed our layers depending on the temperature and the weather.

When I called my mother this past weekend I asked her if she’d gotten any snow. She said they’d had a little but it had all melted. I told her we had a lot of snow on the ground and it would snow a little every day until — pause — forever. She laughed and said it must feel that way. Yesterday, the young men of the family across the road cleared off their frozen pond and played ice hockey most of the day, taking advantage of the bright sunshine and making a lot of fun out of the freezing cold. It was fun to watch from my warm comfortable kitchen window.

My circle is practicing living in harmony with the seasons this year. Each quarter we have a “sponsor” or two. Deities that help us understand what qualities and essences we are studying. The gods we work with give us a charge. I find that They usually evokes in me some creative work. Caillech is our sponsor for the winter.

I first met her many years ago when I was taking an advanced course on Wicca, emphasizing telling our stories. It was a time when I was still adapting to the hard winters in Central New York. She appealed to me with her ability to shift and change, the shawl about her shoulders, and her ability to survive and thrive in the hard landscapes, along with her gracious relinquishment of power in the springtime. As I told her story, I became her and channeled her wisdom. It was a very special moment of embodiment of the Goddess.

In all the Celtic myths and legends, there are variations of the Cailleach, the ruler of Winter. She appears at Samhain and rules and protects the world, the weather, the land and the animals. At Beltane, the Brighide appears and Cailleach hides beneath a holly bush. When she enters the world, she brings death, sharp storms, ice, and snow. She created the lakes, streams and rivers; and the rocky cairns fell from her apron.

The world is hers beginning at Samhain. Her staff, when it strikes the land, turns everything into ice and snow. She is especially protective of wolves and deer as she moves through the land though all animals are in her heart. She herds the deer and protects them. Swine, wild goats, and wild cattle are also her creatures. She is the great ancient earth mother, the embodiment of the Dark Mother archetype, who destroys, creates, and destroys. When she first appears, she is wearing a great plaid over her shoulder. She starts to wash her plaid and when she is finished, it is pure white and the land is covered in snow and frost.

Her name means “hag,” “old woman,” or “old wife” in Gaelic. There are many variations and legends found throughout the Celtic speaking lands. She has the ability to transform from old woman to a beautiful one according to her mood; and her moods change the weather and the land.

The Charge of the Goddess Cailleach

Hear now the charge of the Goddess Cailleach,
I who am known as the Ancient Earth, the Hag,
And the Old Woman do tell you and instruct you.
Do not be afraid of my wild moods and changes
Just as you should not be afraid of your own.
Find creation in all death and destruction
And find beauty in the bleak, cold, deadness of winter.
Guard and protect what is dear to you
As I do with the animals of the earth;
And find comfort and strength
In the changes of your loved ones
Even as their transformations may wound you
And change you.

Always know that
In the stark coldness of bitter storms and frigid land,
There is beauty and hidden treasures.
Look beneath cairns of your life
To find the hidden riches.
Celebrate the joys and the sorrows
For as death and destruction is brought forth,
So is new creation and joy.
Be blessed in all aspects of your life
And be beloved by yourself and those you love.
Blessed Be.

May you find joy and blessings in the harshest and sweetest moments. 

Posted in Rowdy Goddess and tagged , , , ,
15 Feb 2009

The Goddess, With Chocolate: The Spirituality of Chocolate

I could write a lot about chocolate, as I’m sure many of us can. Chocolate comforts us, heals us, and makes us feel good. It’s a delight to the senses with a pungent earthy smell and a delicious flavor. It combines well with other substances and flavors to bring us to a state of sensation and satiation.

Botanically, chocolate means “food of the gods,” and it held a sacred place in the customs and rituals of native peoples of Central America. Our modern culture has worshipped chocolate, shaping it to our own beliefs. Women have a special affinity for chocolate and we know the Goddess infuses Herself into it.

Brieflly, and I’m sure there will be more later, the spirituality of chocolate is complex and powerful. Here is part of my vision of it, though I’m sure more is to be revealed:

  • White chocolate corresponds to the Maiden
  • Milk chocolate corresponds to the Mother
  • Dark chocolate corresponds to the Crone

And before you think I’m employing M-M-C fundamentalism talked about in another post,

  • Cocoa Powder corresponds to the Hag (more on Her later)
  • Chocolate with nuts corresponds to the God

I am actively pursuing additional wisdom on the spirituality of chocolate. It’s a sacrifice, something I do in service to All-That-Is. And I’m very glad the Universe has a good sense of humor as well as the good taste to bless us with this wonderful substance.

Happy Valentine’s Day and may your day be filled with love and kisses, chocolate or otherwise.

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27 Jun 2008
2 Comments

Mother, Maiden, Crone Fundamentalism

I go to a number of women’s gatherings and pagan festivals and sometimes I get twitchy when those gathered [very sincerely] categorize the Goddess and the divinely incarnated women present into the pigeonholes of Maiden, Mother, Crone. Like it’s some kind of divine order or framework into all of us MUST and WILL fit into.
I went to a Mother’s Council at one gathering and never went back because the mothers present made it implicitly clear that if you did not have children, had not borne children out of your body, you were not welcome. At that gathering, the age limits were strictly, if non-verbally, “enforced.” So even though I was single, career-oriented and driven to excel, I couldn’t join the maidens because I was older than 19, way older. Because of that experience more than 15 years ago, I ignored my mothering side, rejected it or was defensive about that fact that I never had children out of my body. Never mind that I’m a doggie mom, that I guide people to become witches and priest/esses in their own spiritual life, I supervise, I counsel, and I am often the chief cook and bottle washer in my various roles.
If you’ve read this blog (go ahead read the previous posts, you will like it!), you know that I resisted the Crone threshold too. I only accepted after I realized the the Crone is a threshold, a stage, a step onto a strange new shore. The Crone isn’t all there is. There’s more and I get to discover that!
There are lots of writers out there suggesting new roles. Donna Henes in her book Queen of Myself
says there’s a stage between mother and crone where a woman has sovereignty over herself and her life. She is the Queen. Vivianne Crowley in her book The Way of Wicca expands her view of the Goddess and the God into five aspects. In my book, Rituals of the Dark Moon, I suggested nine ways. Since I wrote that book, I’ve learned that woman and Goddess is even more limitless and encompassing.

We don’t need to be pigeonholed and categorized into one label. We can encompass many roles at once. Maiden, Amazon, Warrior, Queen, Mother, Teacher, Priestess, Witch, Crone, Grandmother, Crone, Croney, Daughter, Sister, Companion, Friend, Lover, Sweetheart; and even the less complimentary terms of Bitch, Slut, Bad Girl, Rowdy Girl, Babe, and more…………
We need to remind ourselves of this chant

Woman am I, Spirit am I
I am the Infinite within my Soul
I have no beginning and I have no end.
Oh, yes I AM!
Posted in Goddess and tagged , , , , ,
14 Jan 2008

The Crone Zone

 

Last year at this time, I looked at the calendar and realized that Friday the 13th was smack dab on the dark moon. Lucky day, favorite moon sign. What else was I to do. I scheduled my croning for that day.

If you’ve read this blog from the beginning, you know that I have struggled a bit with the crone designation. I’ve realized, after all, that it doesn’t have to be all that’s left. The Crone offers out a richness and power that is not limited to that one single concept. It was something I wanted to explore.

The ritual was fabulous. Three priestesses, Sci, Phaezara, and Thia Moonstone embodied the Moirae. I had done a number of shamanic journeys, seeking the ancient mothers of the elements and asking their wisdom. In addition, a tarot reading at the Tarot School’s Readers’ Studio gave me a lot more insight into this crone initiation. Each portion of the ritual helped complete the journeys and give me more insight into the Crone.

And as I stepped over the threshold, I was greeted by the Crone herself who gave me a shell necklace in celebration of arriving at this strange new shore. It was a wonderful, personal ritual attended by dear friends and beloved witches. Oh yes, and we danced to “The Golden Years,” by David Bowie.

And so the journey begins. This month, I passed the thirteenth month without a period. The day fell, not surprisingly, on the Dark Moon.

And may the cycles of your life be blessed!!!

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14 Mar 2006
2 Comments

I’m Not a Crone, Please leave me alone!

I’m not a Crone…Please leave me alone!!!

As soon as I hit the 50 birthday mark, people kept asking me when I was going to have a croning. I wasn’t ready for it. My body wasn’t signaling the end of a cycle at that time, if you know what I mean, though things were obviously slowing down.
I’m not against being a Crone. There are some really cool old broads who are not only admirable but also inspire awe with their creativity, vision, and ability to speak their minds. It’s just in the narrow triple thinking of M-M-C, this seems to signal the end; part of the downward slope to the old folks home. I’m not done yet. I’ve got things to do and more to explore.
It’s been pointed out to me that Crone is the initiation point, the threshold over which we step onto a new path and a new way of thinking, living and being. I’m feeling better about it and I may do the Crone ritual thing at some point. As long as it signals and symbolizes stepping over the threshold into diverse roles, aspects, and explorations. If it’s “crone till I’m prone,” then forget about it.

The Jubilee Years
One of the ways I prefer to think about is that this “F” decade of the fifties is a jubilee. A celebration of magic, accomplishment and “more-riches-to-come.” The Jubilee is 50th year/anniversary celebration rooted in ancient traditions of Judaism–the Sabbath and the sabbatical. All rooted in the number seven.
The Jubilee year is at the end of the seventh of seven year cycles (7X7=49). Seven being the magical number of spiritual work and wisdom. The Sabbath, seventh day, was a day of reflection, retooling and quiet interaction with the Divine. The seventh year was a time of sabbatical, another time of refreshment and reaquaintance with our Divine partner. This is the root of the modern academic practice of sabbatical leaves; a time to move out of the hurly burly of everyday teaching and committees and to peacefully delve in to the refreshing stream of scholarship. In ancient times, the Jubilee was marked with great celebrations; debts were forgiven and slaves were freed. It was and is a time of fresh starts and celebration of accomplishments.

My friend StoneLightWeaver and I had a Dragon Jubilee party for our 50th birthday. We were born in the Year of the Water Dragon, a potent symbol for both of us. I’ve been called “The Dragon Lady” by the students I’ve supervised. But it’s really about the jewelry I wear–it’s all about the jewelry!!

The Geezer Dance
And then there’s the point of view of my partner, Mouse. In the four years that I’ve known him, he’s talked about being old, growing old and aging. At first, I responded with platitudes like ‘you’re only as old as you act,’ and ‘you’re not growing old, you’re getting better.” One time he looked me straight in the eye and said, “Gail, if you tell them you’re old, they carry stuff for you!” So I dropped that line of talk, it wasn’t doing any good.
Of course all of this is all in great good humor. Mouse has a theory of the cycles of Sacred Masculine. Mostly pagans use “youth-lover-sage” or some variation of that. Mouse’s cycle of the Sage is this: Geezer, Codger, and Drooler. We haven’t figured out where old coot fits in, but it does somewhere. “Don’t fear the Geezer.”
He loves to dance. And he does a wonderful Geezer dance. Because at this age, who cares what we look like, we just enjoy the dance.

Dance on and enjoy every step. Whirl and twirl in the ecstasy of the Rowdy Goddess and Her consort The Geezer!

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13 Mar 2006
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More Ways to Look at the Goddess

More Ways to Look at the Goddess: Keying Her Aspects to the Phases of the Moon and the Wheel of the Year
Part III

Last week I talked about the nine phases of the Goddess, keying them to the nine phases of the Moon. I mentioned that it worked for me, but it didn’t work for one of my friends. I suspect that these things are very individual and we each need to find ways to relating to the Goddess that resonate with our own personal truth. Pick a little from here and pick a little from there.

Last year, I was researching a project that I call Tarot by Moonlight and I came across this very cool article in Llewellyn’s 1996 Moon Sign Book And Lunar Planning Guide. In it I found an article by Karin E. Weiss entitled “The Goddess Circle: A Lunar Portrait of Feminine Spirituality (pp 244-255).” In this article, Weiss presents the eight phases of the moon (my view of nine phases is not traditional, eight phases is the traditional view) in three aspects. She also keys these aspects to the pagan Wheel of the Year, giving a model with a lot of symmetry. I like a lot of symmetry!

Within each of the phases, she points out that there are three faces of the feminine. She bases her ideas on astrology combined with [archetypal] psychology. I’ll try to summarize in a way that is coherent. If you have any questions, please post them in the comments section and I’ll give you my thoughts….

  • New Moon (time between Yule & Imbolc) is Mother-Containment-Nurturance
  • Crescent Moon (time between Imbolc & Ostara) is Maiden-Assertion-Innocence
  • First Quarter Moon (time between Ostara & Beltane) is Wildwoman-Action-Freedom
  • Gibbous Moon (time between Beltane & Litha) is Muse-Expression-Creativity
  • Full Moon (time between Litha & Lammas) is Lover-Fulfillment-Romance
  • Disseminating Moon (time between Lammas & Mabon) is Companion-Synthesis-Mutuality
  • Last Quarter Moon (time between Mabon & Samhain) is Warrior-Reaction-Passion
  • Balsamic Moon (time between Samhain and Yule) is Wise-Woman-Release-Mystery

Within each of those archetypes are more ways of looking at the Goddess, and below you’ll find a summary of Weiss’ concept of these archetypes along with the three manifestations of it.

Mother teaches us about our connections to mother earth while at the same time clarifies our knowledge of our own bodies, its rhythms and cycles. The Mother teaches the elemental power of fertility, pregnancy and birth, as well as the acts of conception, creation, and the sustenance of life. In her we find: Mother Earth, Divine Mother & Child, Grandmother Her holy day is Yule, a time of rebirth and renewal.

Maiden teaches us about emergence and initiation–they mysteries of puberty. She brings together innocence, curiosity, and playfulness as we discover our sexuality. This is the time of “coming out” and asserting our own individual personalities. In her we find: Good Girl, Orphan, Naughty Girl Her holy day is Imbolc a time of initiation and introduction

Wildwoman teaches us about raw, uninhibited power, wild sexual energy and using our passionate and erotic power. She shows us freedom and the unrepressed joy of living fully without artifice or restraint. In her we find: Maenad, Dame Nature, Whore Her Holy day is Ostara, a time of return and rejuvenation

Muse teaches us about giving voice to our own inner vision. She calls us to be true to our imagination and develop as we are called, not as others expect or tell us to. We master our won self-expression without censorship, including our own inner critic. In her we find: The Clown, The Star, The Siren Her holy day is Beltane a time of blossoming and exclaiming the beauty of life.

Lover teaches us about the richness of love, sexuality, and attraction in all its manifestation including lust, erotic, sexual, affection, romance, attachment, and love. She embodies magnetism, beauty, and desire. In her we find: Vamp, Sweetheart, Beauty Queen Her holy day is Litha, a time of high romance

Companion teaches us of relationships, focusing on others along with support, trust, and equality. The support of others’ identities can be a thorny issue of balance and sharing. In her we find: Sister, Mate, Handmaiden Her Holy Day is Lammas, a time of abundance and thanksgiving

Warrior teaches us about strategy, defense and self-authority. She shows us how to protect and to stand up for ourselves and what is right. She establishes boundaries and masters responsibilities. It is a time of passion, creative power, and courage. In her we find: Rebel, Huntress, Heroine Her holy day is Mabon, a time of dedication and liberation

Wise-Woman teaches us about the mysteries of live and of womanhood. She brings to light our erotic power and reveals the power of the Dark within us. She shows us how to transcend our limitations and move into sacred ecstasy. In her we find: Witch/Shaman, Priestess, Mystic Her holy day is Samhain, a time of casting out, letting go and healing

This vision further enriches our ways of looking at the Goddess, the Sacred Feminine and our own inner nature. Many, many facets reflecting the beauty of our own truth.

Posted in Goddess, Moon and tagged , , , , , ,
13 Mar 2006

Finding Richness in Maiden, Mother, and Crone

Finding Richness in the Maiden, Mother, Crone Aspects
Part II

Of course there is a richness and diversity within the Triple Goddess aspects of Maiden, Mother, and Crone; especially if you move beyond some generic aspects of each of these archetypes. In my meditative work with these aspects of the Goddess, I’ve learned that my understanding is very personal. I key it to the moon cycles and to the seasons.

In my book Rituals of the Dark Moon, I talk about working specifically with the Dark Moon in the signs of the Zodiac and with the Maiden, Mother, and Crone aspects of the Goddess. In doing so, I discovered that, for instance, the Maiden aspect works within an astrological sign, she takes on those characteristics. So there is an Earth Maiden, Air Maiden, Water Maiden, and Fire Maiden. Likewise there is and Earth Mother, Air Mother, Water Mother and Fire Mother, as well as an Earth Crone, Air Crone, Water Crone, and Fire Crone. Then on the 13th month it all weaves together with the Witch.

Looking at the Maiden, Mother, and Crone aspects in this way brings us to the nuances of the Goddess. We see the subtle as well as the obvious. We can dive deep into these aspects and find a very personal interaction with the Goddess. We find out who she is in the infinite variety of She.

The Dark Moon is the perfect time for these kinds of meditations on the Goddess and her stories. The Dark Moon calls us to spiral inward into ourselves. As we do, we find that infinity exists within us, and the inside of us is as vast and eternal as the heavens. The Dark calls us to be honest and to bravely face/confront anything found there. When we do, we find richness and radiance. The anticipation and fear is the worst thing and when we work through that inner fretting and into acceptance, we find treasures. The facets of our internal jewels shine brightly, enhanced by the Dark not supressed by it.

May your brightness always shine wherever you are!

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10 Mar 2006

Maiden, Mother, and Crone, Isn’t She More?

Maiden, Mother and Crone: Isn’t She More?
Part One


Yes….Seeing the Goddess and Maid, Mother, and Crone is practically a doctrine in the Goddess and pagan communities; most people not realizing that this particular envisioning of a triple goddess is not universal and this M-M-C concept came primarily from the Greeks and popularized by Robert Graves in The White Goddess. Some cultures did not envision the Goddess as triple, and others did not see the triple Goddess as M-M-C.

For me, in particular, I didn’t always relate to one aspect or another. I never birthed a child out of my body so some of the more biological versions of Goddess/Woman as Mother held no meaning for me. As I became older [*ahem!*], my pagan friends started assuming I would want a croning ceremony. It has intensified as I’ve journeyed deeper into my fifties. I’m reluctant; not because of growing older or the death thing but because I keep asking “is this all there is?” I’m a crone and then I’m dead. EEEk!!
You already know the answer. No. Just as people, women and men, are incredibly diverse in their roles and self-understanding so is the Goddess infinitely diverse, adapatable and creative. So when I wrote my first book, Rituals of the Dark Moon, I talked about my concept of linking concepts to the nine phases of the moon. This provides a number of ways of relating to the Goddess at different times in our lives–or even multiple ways at one time in our lives.
  • Maiden corresponds to the New Moon. The light is reborn and shines as a tiny sliver, just as the Maiden is new and eagerly embarking on new ideas or a new life. This is a youthful, hopeful and joyous time.
  • Amazon corresponds with the Crescent Moon. The light sharpens and becomes more distinct. This is a time for pursuing passions and fighting the good fight. Confidence and strength are all part of this time.
  • Lover corresponds wit the First Quarter Moon. Half light and half dark. Fully sexual and living without the burdens of responsibility or worry. She looks to others not for completion but for partnership. She is in tune with herself and wants to harmonize with others. She is full of romance, love, lust, and sex.
  • Priestess corresponds with the Gibbous Moon. Waxing and nearly full. She is journeying with Spirit and integrating mind and body with emotions and spirtual life. She knows that there are many things hidden and sacred. She is an initiate in the mysteries of the mon and of sacred womanhood.
  • Mother corresponds with the Full Moon. The moon is all light and fully luminous. Fertile, nurtuing and shining without shadow. Optimism and a vision of hope throughout the world. Fullness. Happiness. Productivity. Fertility.
  • Teacher corresponds with the Disseminating Moon. This is the first phase of waning where the dark begins to overtake the light. Knowing and communicating. Lessons have been learned, and it’s time to pass wisdom on to others. This is a time of acknowledging the dualities of life as part of the song of life. Grief, sorrow, joy, love, life, light, death and dark begin to move together in life.
  • Elder corresponds with the last quarter moon. The moon wanes to half dark and half light, and we all know that the darkness is coming, inexorably. She knows of disappointments and lies, but she also knows of hopes, birth and truth. She reaches out to others, to share her experiences.
  • Crone corresponds with the balsamic phase. The moon is three quarters dark. The Crone knows power. She knows how to use it, badly and for good. Her choices define her, sadden her, uplift her, and enlighten her. She is fully in her power.
  • Witch corresponds with the dark moon. These are three days when the moon is no longer visible to the earthbound. It is a time of radiance and reflection. In my book, I called this phase the Weaver, because of the ability to bring things together in beautiful patterns. The Witch is equally if not more fitting because of the magic and mystery involved in bringing all the extraneous and diverse pieces into the pattern. The Witch brings together everything that the Maiden, Amazon, Lover, and Priestess knows and combines it with the experiences of the Mother, Teacher and Elder. She takes the power of the Crone and transforms this into a magical understanding of the mysteries of All-That-Is. The moon in all her phases is found here. The seasons pool their energy here. It is alchemical, radiant and fabulous!

The waxing phases of the moon teach us of exploration and activity. Through growth and change we learn and gain understanding. Waxing phases teach us that life is good and we can handle it with hope and happiness. After the full moon, it all begins to change and as we experience these changes, we learn that what we fear isn’t all that bad. Even the hardest lessons teach us of our toughness and ability to survive and thrive. In our sense of knowing we become aware of the songs of the Universe and how to sing all the harmonies.

Pretty cool, huh! I tied it all up in a nice neat little package. It works. I related this to a friend of mine and it didn’t work for her at all. So there’s more. And what about the eclipses? What about Void of Course? That’s why this is Part One!

Have a good one and stay tuned for more………….

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