Circles of Strength

"I imagine and then feel, that when I gather in sacred harmony with one woman or many, gathered with us is the power of all women. I see the circles of women who have come together since the beginning of time and I know I am descendent from this long line of female strength. And even in my weakest and in my darkest moments there is a silent strength that draws me to the light. It is a power within me that calls me to live and it is a power I draw from all women, whose paths have not always been and are not always easy, and yet who find the courage to keep walking.
I keep walking..."

Karen Haffey

Things to do at the Full Moon

Moon gazing is a nice thing to do during the full moon. Ideally from moonrise to moonset...but it depends on how much time you can spend. I particularly enjoy moonsets because of the color changes which vary from a golden honey color to rusty orange and even pinkish red when really low on the horizon. Try to pick a place like the top of a roof, a sandy beach...A place where you won't be bothered either by too much artificial lights or too many people.

If you wish to benefit from lunar energy, wait for the moon to rise just above the horizon. Then stand up and stretch your arms above your head, the palms of the hands facing the moon. Inhale deeply and let the moon fill your body, from head to toe, with lunar energy. Once connected with Dame Lune, feel free to whisper a wish or a prayer for she has a kind, loving nature and is a good listener. She'll shine upon you and your wishes with her blessings.

Don't forget to thank her, then leave a wine glass full of water (you can add a crystal) all night long in her honor. She'll bless it with moonlight on her path. You can drink your moon water the following morning (you can share it with your beloved as well) or pour it into an opaque glass bottle to sip at your own leisure. Your plants may benefit from this moon water too, don't hesitate to splash the roots, stems and flowers of your favorite trees, totem plants and herbal allies.

Celebrate Lammas/Lughnasad...

"...As my own eyes survey the miracle of fruition, I am reminded of the European earth goddess Habondia, her braided hair thick as loaves of oven-baked bread, her arms pliant as dough yet supple and strong from outdoor labor, her long skirts colorful and well-pocketed to carry the bounty of the harvest and share it with all.
The ripening of the barley, the flowering of the goldenrod and the readiness of the corn all come from the generous land embodied by this luxuriant goddess. The purpling of the plums and the reddening blush of the apple fruits mirror the healthful bloom in her cheeks and the swelling of the gourds matches the mounting ripeness of the goddess to womanhood. Habondia's lush physicality teaches us to be proud of abundance in all forms on earth, be it our own ample and curved flesh, the fruits of her joyous labor or the endless river of human imagination which brims its banks, flooding us with poetry, dance, song, story, meal-making and ritual. She invites us to savor, celebrate and create with the gifts of the land and to remember that we are worthy of these gifts.
Habondia's spirit is meant to remind us that abundance is our birthright and that through the act of gathering to ourselves the harvest of nature, we accept and relish this cycle of ripeness and fullness as well as our worthiness to receive treasure. Spilling her vast riches before us, Habondia challenges us to use our creativity to preserve some of the harvest, that it can sustain us through the long winter months. She asks only that we have gratitude for our full baskets and that we share what we have with others through the gift of hospitality..."

"Herbal Rituals" by Judith Berger