and (bonus!)
I will teach you a goodly way to remember Moon Phases!
MERLIN
Ever since I first learned to read, I was interested in magic stories and those of legend and myth.
Arthurian legend, and those tales about Merlin, in particular, had me spellbound.
I always had my nose in a book and would love to wander around thinking (and truly believing) that I was a Magickal person and could make my own magick.
I am a Magickal person.
You are too.
We all are.
While my thoughts were indeed influenced by Mary Stewart (I think I have read the "Crystal Cave" and "The Hollow Hills" at least 5 times each....among many other books about him).
"The Book of Merlyn" is probably my all time favorite and evidently, Disney was also inspired to tell his tales based upon T.H. White's stories!
"Merlyn" is even in my HS yearbook under my picture way back in 1978!
Personally, I find a lot of hope in the figure of Merlin.
His legend says that he came from royal lineage, a bastard child of King Merlinus Ambrosius, to be precise, yet he preferred to live among the lower classes and even by himself and nature more.
He studied much.
Loved books.
Traveled extensively throughout Britain (but could not traverse water well).
He could play the lyre.
Knew the Pagan ways and the ways of the Church.
Passed on his knowledge to those interested enough to learn and study and grow.
Always hoped in the future, even though by knowing the past could've been dismal.
There is always hope in his way of thinking, because of the fact that man has free will.
Merlin influenced politics, and help to guide the monarch of Arthur as his adviser.
He also did dabble occasionally in manipulation of people and events for the greater good.
Or at least...what he believed to be the greater good.
Merlyn also fell prey to the one vulnerable chink in his armor.
LOVE.
He knew that he was being beguiled by Morgause (or Morgana/Morgan depending on which version you read....). Merlin took the ultimate risk. He showed her the spells he knew, even the one that would entrap him forever.
I've done that too.
I guess we offer ourselves so willingly to the one we love, and we open our hearts up so fully for them to learn of our inner workings, that we give them the key to our door. It is in their power now to imprison us or to set us free. Merlin did that too. He was trapped in the forest sealed magickally in a tree by his own strong binding spell that he freely gave her...knowing she had the power...He was waiting to see how she behaved with it. (obviously, not well...)
He is there, locked within the spell, still waiting for the right time to be set loose to come forward again, when we need him the most.
So it is with ourselves as well.
We trap our ownselves by our own doing or by love... and with nature and magick we can hide or heal and be reborn.
Merlin was wisdom that risks itself emotion.
He is head ruling the heart....but sometimes....
The Heart WINS.
Now....onto MOON PHASES
The moon goes through it's monthly cycle, forcing us to follow along by watching it's ever changing faces.
New Moon
(sometimes known as the Dark Moon) is actually a time of darkness.
If you can't see the moon....then it's the New Moon.
It is beginning to be reborn. A goodly time for new beginnings, starting projects, cutting your hair to make it grow faster, and it's the best time to plant your garden.
Yes, but HEY!
Sliver moon....are you Waxing or Waning???
Know how to tell the difference?
Here are two easy ways to remember by looking at the moon sliver to tell if the moon is:
Waxing (growing) or Waning (shrinking):
1)
If you imagine the moon is a sliver like a backwards "c" (don't have one on the keyboard...)
then imagine adding the stick of an 'l' to its open side
you would make the lower case "b" for "baby moon" or "beginning" or WAXING MOON.
If you imagine the moon is a sliver like a letter "c",
then imagine adding a stick of an "l"to it's open side...
you would make the lower case "d" -for "dying moon" or "decreasing" or WANING Moon.
You can also recant this poem I made up (being a Bard like Merlin) to remember which is which:
"LIGHT on the RIGHT is MIGHT" (growing/waxing)
"LIGHT on the LEFT is LEAVING" (shrinking/waning)
Then there is the Gibbous Moon. (a fun word to say too :)
This moon wins the "Oh So Close Award" and is the "almost full moon" on either side of the Full Moon.
Waxing Moons-
good for constructive magic. Growing things.
Waxing Gibbous Moon
Waning Gibbous Moon
Full Moon is Just that.
FULL!
The 2nd full moon in a month is a "Blue Moon".
Full moons are good times to grow your hair fuller, cut it now by trimming/or layering.
Time for prophesy, divination, extra power. Culmination.
There are some fun names of the full moons to go by too:
January Wolf Moon or Cold Moon
February Snow Moon
March Windy Moon or
Worm Moon
April Flower Moon or
Pink Moon
May Milk Moon or
Flower Moon
June Rose Moon or
Strawberry Moon
July Mead Moon or
Corn Moon
August Lightning
Moon or Harvest Moon
September Harvest
Moon or Singing Moon
October Hunters Moon
November Dark Moon or
Beaver Moon
December Long Night
Moon or Full Cold Moon
Waning Moon- for banishing magic...ridding yourself of habits, addictions, negativity. Releasing.
Merlin helps remind me of the Old Ways....
and the Moon tells of both the Old Ways ...and where we are today.
Merlyn thinks you ought to know this important natural information :)
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