The Modern Witchcraft Grimoire Page 10

  Scorpio

  Most types of magick can benefit from Scorpio’s energy, for astrologers connect this sign with hidden knowledge and occult forces. Your intuition may grow stronger now and your dreams may provide important insights. Consider shamanic journeying, past-life regression, working with spirits and nonphysical entities, divination, and scrying this month. You may also wish to do spells for financial growth and personal power at this time.

  Sagittarius

  Use the expansive nature of Sagittarius for travel spells—whether you’re traveling in the physical world or the realms beyond. Consider shamanic journeying or engaging in a vision quest now to gain wisdom. This is also a wonderful time to expand your knowledge of the Craft or to study other magickal traditions. Growth spells of all kinds can benefit from Sagittarius’s energy—use it to get a raise or a promotion.

  Capricorn

  The pragmatic nature of this sign can aid spells for business and career endeavors, as well as magick to improve your financial savvy. If you wish to bolster your public image or need to ward off attacks from adversaries, tap Capricorn’s energy. Do spells for protection, strength, security, and banishing, and to bring something to a successful close.

  Aquarius

  If you want to make changes in your life, do magick while the sun is in Aquarius. This stimulating sign can help break up stagnant conditions, sometimes quite quickly. Aquarian energy can also aid spells to encourage new adventures, gain new knowledge, or attract new people. Under its influence, you can acquire amazing insights that advance not only your own way of thinking, but other people’s too. Consider doing magick with a group of like-minded people now.

  Pisces

  Your intuition may improve while the sun is in Pisces, so consider engaging in practices such as divination, telepathy, and psychic healing at this time. You could find it easier to communicate with the spirit realm now too. The imaginative energy of Pisces can aid spells to enhance creativity as well as those that use creative visualization. Because Neptune, the planet that rules liquids, governs this sign, you might enjoy concocting magick potions this month––make sure to record your recipes in your grimoire.

  Happy Birthday!

  Pay special attention to the month in which your birthday falls. Your magickal energies increase on your birthday, so this is usually the ideal day to work spells for your own well-being and empowerment.

  Chapter 9

  LUNAR SPELLS

  One of the most important connections we have in the magickal universe in which we live—and one of the most obvious—is to earth’s closest neighbor: the moon. Earthlings can’t help being captivated and mystified by the moon. Poets, artists, musicians, lovers, astrologers, and, of course, witches all find the moon juicy subject matter for study and inspiration. For Wiccans, as you know, the moon symbolizes the Goddess and the archetypal feminine power in the universe.

  Since ancient times, cultures around the world have connected the moon with the Divine Feminine. In early agrarian cultures, our forebears sowed crops and bred animals in accordance with the moon’s cycles. Even today, despite the many sophisticated scientific developments in modern-day agribusiness, the Farmers’ Almanac still publishes information about lunar cycles—it’s not uncommon for farmers who employ advanced technical methods to also consider the moon when planting and harvesting.

  If you’re like many people, you experience the moon’s ever-changing energy in your everyday life––your emotions, your sleep patterns, your mental alertness, your vitality, and your intuitive power. Wiccans know that the moon also plays a key role in spellwork. In your grimoire, keep track of how you relate to the moon and how it influences your mundane and magickal affairs.

  The moon rules the night, affects the tides, and influences women’s fertility cycles. In Wicca, the moon’s phases represent the three stages of a woman’s life and the Triple Goddess:

  The waxing crescent moon symbolizes the maiden aspect of the Goddess.

  The full moon signifies the mother aspect of the Goddess.

  The waning crescent moon represents the crone aspect of the Goddess.

  “I have called on the Goddess and found her within myself.”

  —MARION ZIMMER BRADLEY, THE MISTS OF AVALON

  Moon Goddesses

  Anunit (Babylonian)

  Arianrhod (Celtic)

  Artemis (Greek)

  Candi (Indian)

  Cerridwen (Celtic)

  Chang-o (Chinese)

  Dae-Soon (Korean)

  Diana (Roman)

  Hecate (Greek)

  Ishtar (Babylonian)

  Isis (Egyptian)

  Ix Chel (Mayan)

  Kuan Yin (Chinese)

  Luna (Roman)

  Mawu (African)

  Sarpandit (Sumerian)

  Selene (Greek)

  Sina (Polynesian)

  Yemaya (African/Caribbean/South American)

  Some goddesses depict the maiden, some the mother, and some the crone. We often associate maiden goddesses with purity, independence, and joy. Mother goddesses usually represent fertility and fruitfulness, love and relationships, nurturance, and creativity of all kinds. Crone goddesses epitomize wisdom, courage, power, and sometimes death and destruction.

  Maiden goddesses: Artemis, Diana, Bast, Athena, Rhiannon

  Mother goddesses: Brigid, Isis, Demeter, Astarte, Inanna, Ishtar, Tara, Sekhmet, Yemaya, Oshun

  Crone goddesses: Hecate, Cerridwen, Kali, Sophia

  Because the moon holds such significance for witches, you may choose to organize your book of shadows around your esbat rituals.

  “’Tis the witching hour of night,

  Orbed is the moon and bright,

  And the stars they glisten, glisten,

  Seeming with bright eyes to listen —

  For what listen they?”

  —JOHN KEATS

  In a magickal practice known as “drawing down the moon,” a witch goes into a trance and invites the Goddess (or divine feminine energy) to enter her body. While the witch is in the trance, the Goddess speaks through her. Margot Adler wrote in depth about this in her book Drawing Down the Moon, and it’s usually considered a more advanced technique for working with lunar energy. However, novices can connect with the moon’s power in simpler ways:

  Go outside at night and observe the moon. Let its silvery light wash over you. How do you feel standing in the moonlight, under the dark bowl of the night sky? How is this different from how you feel in the daytime?

  Follow the moon’s passage through the heavens, from new to full and back to new again. Pay attention to how you feel during different phases of the moon. Many people feel more energized during the full moon and less vital during the last three days before the new moon.

  The moon moves into a different sign of the zodiac approximately every two and a half days. You might notice that your moods and feelings change every time the moon passes through a different astrological sign. For instance, you may feel more impulsive when the moon is in Aries, more sensitive when it’s in Cancer.

  Keep notes in your grimoire about what you experience, so you can refer back to them later. What you learn from strengthening your connection with the moon will be useful to you when casting spells and doing rituals—and perhaps in other areas of your life too.

  THE LUNAR YEAR

  The ancient Druids used a lunar calendar with thirteen months, rather than a solar one as we do today. They associated each month of the year with a tree.

  THE DRUID LUNAR CALENDAR

  Tree Month

  Birch December 24–January 20

  Rowan January 21–February 17

  Ash February 18–March 17

  Alder March 18–April 14

  Willow April 15–May 12

  Hawthorne May 13–June 9

  Oak June 10–July 7

  Holly July 8–August 4

  Hazel August 5–September 1

  Vine September 2–September 29

  I
vy September 30–October 27

  Reed October 28–November 24

  Elder November 25–December 23

  ESBATS

  Witches often come together for esbats, usually on full and/or new moons, to enjoy community and fellowship. On the full moon, the radiance of the Goddess illuminates the night sky, and her brilliance dims the brightness of the stars. Her shining body hangs like a voluptuous pearl against the surrounding darkness. The full moon calls witches to gather and honor her divine power.

  Each full moon has its own unique characteristics, often based on seasonal energies. Use the specific qualities of each full moon to guide you as you create your rituals. Esbat rituals draw upon nature’s patterns, as well as mythology, cultural traditions, and astrology. Whether or not your magickal practice involves gathering with a coven or other people, you may wish to mark the full moons with rituals and/or spellwork. The following list briefly describes some of the attributes of each full moon. (Note that different cultures call the moons by different names.)

  January—Known as the Cold, Frost, Ice, and Quiet Moon, it marks a time for renewal, discovery, resolve, and focusing on your purpose. Now is the time to set goals and to do spells for wealth and prosperity.

  February—Called the Wild, Snow, Ice, and Starving Moon, it represents a period of healing and purification. Spells that prepare you for initiation, encourage healing or new growth, or foster physical or financial well-being are appropriate at this time.

  March—The Storm, Wind, or Death Moon ushers in a time of change and awakening after a bleak, dormant period. Goals set under January’s Cold Moon now begin to manifest. Do spells for personal growth and change now.

  April—The Seed, Water, Growing, or Awakening Moon is a time of opening to new opportunities and experiences. Do spells for love, cleansing, growth, and strength at this time.

  May—Known as the Hare, Bright, Grass, and Corn-planting Moon, it encourages joy, pleasure, sexuality, and fertility. This is a good time to do love spells, as well as spells for healing from emotional trauma and loss.

  June—During the Honey, Mead, Planting, or Horse Moon, focus on strengthening relationships of all kinds: love, family, friendship, etc. This is also a good time to do spells to enhance communication and domestic harmony.

  July—The Wort, Raspberry, or Rose Moon represents a time of maturation and fulfillment. Spells for career success, prosperity, and protection can benefit from the energy of this full moon.

  August—Known as the Barley, Gathering, or Lightning Moon, this marks a time for gathering together all that holds meaning for you. Celebrate your blessings now and show gratitude, which will bring more blessings your way. Work with others of like mind during this time to share ideas, goals, and information.

  September—The Harvest, Singing, or Spiderweb Moon is another period of reaping rewards for your efforts, and for seeing your dreams come to fruition. Give thanks for goals realized, projects completed, and wisdom gained. Focus on completion and bringing your life into balance.

  October—During the Blood, Harvest, or Leaf-falling Moon, release old patterns and clear away emotional/psychic debris. Do spells to help you let go of whatever or whoever is standing in the way of your dreams’ fulfillment. This is also a time to remember and honor loved ones who have moved on to another realm of existence.

  November—The Snow, Dark, or Tree Moon is a time to look beyond the mundane world, into the magickal one. Scry to gaze into the future; do divination to gain guidance and wisdom that will aid you in the coming months. Open your mind to receive prophecies of things to come.

  December—Under the Dark, Cold, or Long Night Moon, release your fears and banish those things in your life that are harmful or no longer useful. This is a time for silence, meditation, and introspection. Do spells to break old bonds, overcome obstacles, and end self-limiting habits/behaviors.

  Decorate Your Altar for Esbats

  A beautiful way to align yourself with the changing lunar cycles is to decorate your altar in accordance with each esbat. A bowl of pinecones or evergreen branches might grace your altar on the Cold Moon, along with bayberry candles to represent financial stability. In the spring and summer months, place a vase of seasonal flowers on your altar along with candles in a color that harmonizes with the moon’s energy. Where you live on Planet Earth will influence what you choose to place on your altar each month. You may also like to display artwork, crystals and gemstones, figurines of deities—and of course, your grimoire—on your altar. Keep notes about what you did. You might also take a picture of your altar on each esbat and include it in your book of shadows.

  Whether you belong to a group of magick workers or practice solitary witchcraft, during full-moon nights you will experience the sense of community and fellowship of like-minded individuals. You can be certain that on any full moon, witches around the world are casting circles and performing spells, celebrating and chanting, scrying and meditating. You are an integral part of this global community. By realizing your part in the whole, you will bring yourself into closer connection with your fellow beings and the Divine.

  “The moon does not fight. It attacks no one. It does not worry. It does not try to crush others. It keeps to its course, but by its very nature, it gently influences. What other body could pull an entire ocean from shore to shore? The moon is faithful to its nature and its power is never diminished.”

  —DENG MING-DAO, EVERYDAY TAO: LIVING WITH BALANCE AND HARMONY

  MOON PHASES IN MAGICK

  The term moon phase refers to the part of the moon’s face that you see illuminated in the night sky. The relative positions of the sun, moon, and earth shift as the moon orbits the earth, causing the changing phases. For the purposes of magick, witches are mainly interested in four lunar phases: new, waxing, full, and waning. Astronomically these phases are further defined as the new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, and waning crescent.

  You’re more likely to reap the rewards you desire if you do magick during favorable phases of the moon. When casting spells or performing rituals, pay particular attention to the new moon, the full moon, and the waxing and waning phases. Each has its own unique energy that can add to the power of your spells:

  The new moon, as you might expect, encourages beginnings. Are you looking for a new job? A new romance? A new home? The best time to start anything is during the new moon. As the moon grows in light (and seemingly in size), your undertaking will grow too.

  The waxing moon—the two weeks after the new moon and leading up to the full moon—supports growth and expansion. Do you want to boost your income? Turn up the heat in a relationship? Get a promotion at work? Cast your spell while the moon’s light is increasing to generate growth in your worldly affairs.

  The full moon marks a time of culmination. It allows you to start seeing the results of whatever you began on the new moon. Want to bring a project to a successful conclusion? Receive rewards, recognition, or payments that are due to you? Perform a spell while the moon is full for best results—its bright glow puts you in the spotlight. If your goal is to attract attention—from a lover, boss, or the public—the full moon illuminates you favorably. The full moon can also shine light on secrets and deception to help you get to the truth of a murky situation.

  The waning moon—the two weeks after the full moon and before the new moon—encourages decrease. Do you want to lose weight? End a bad relationship? Cut your expenses? Reduce your responsibilities at work or home? Cast your spell while the moon is diminishing in light (and size) to diminish the impact of something in your life.

  Record in your book of shadows what you experience while working with the energies of the different moon phases. To fine-tune your magick, consider both the moon’s phase and its zodiac sign.

  Blue Moons and Black Moons

  When two full moons occur in the same month, the second is dubbed a blue moon. During the blue moon, you may find you get big
ger or better results than on an ordinary full moon, or that you experience a lot more activity or vitality. When two new moons occur in the same month, the second one is called the black moon. This is considerably more powerful than a regular new moon, so any seeding spells you do under a black moon may manifest more quickly.

  MOON SIGNS AND MAGICK

  Witches have always placed great importance on the moon’s role in magick, and astrology helps to explain why. Astrologers associate the moon with emotion, intuition, and creativity—the very things witches rely on when doing magick. As the moon circles the earth, it travels through all twelve zodiac signs in approximately a month, remaining in a sign for about two and a half days. Each sign favors certain types of magick. To make the most of a spell or ritual, perform it while the moon is in a sign that supports your intentions. The following list shows the best types of spells to do during each moon sign:

  Aries: Confronting obstacles and adversaries, courage, competition, starting new ventures, vitality, masculine virility

  Taurus: Abundance, fortitude, fertility, sex, plant or earth magick, spells for home or property

  Gemini: Communication, learning, mental pursuits, short trips

  Cancer: Spells for the home, protection, security, feminine fertility, children

  Leo: Leadership, career success, courage, recognition, creativity, vitality

  Virgo: Health and healing, job-oriented spells, discernment, mental clarity, pets