September esbat: the harvest moon
The September moon is also known by the following names: Wine moon, Harvest moon, Songs Moon, Paving deer moon, Rice/mulberry Moon, Freshness moon.
The September moon corresponds to the harvest and balance time and unlike the Earth Goddess who delighted us with her fruits in the summer and is now preparing for her well-deserved rest, with the end of the summer we find ourselves resuming our usual work rhythms.
The days get shorter and shorter, while the night gets longer, nature prepares for the changing season, and that is why it shows itself to us with its sweeter side. The animals, on the other hand, prepare themselves by making provisions.
Nature is in tune with the zodiac sign of Virgo, which teaches us the importance of conserving and using resources while avoiding waste. It is therefore an excellent time to reflect on this.
Spirits of nature: fairies
Plants: fennel, bursera, valerian, wheat, rye
Colors: brown, orange, green, yellow and all the colors of autumn
Flowers: narcissus, lily
Stones: citrine, olivine
Trees: hazel, laurel, larch
Herbs: wheat, vine leaves and oak
Animals: snake, jackal
Divinity: Demeter, Ceres, Isis, Freya, Thoth
Incense: myrrh, pine, sage, hibiscus and rose petals
Energies: rest after work, balance between light and dark, organize, clean up and remedy the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual disorder.
Symbols: grapes, wine, figs, garlands, pine cones, corn, dry leaves, sun wheels, pomegranate.
How to decorate the altar:
- Yellow, brown, orange tablecloth, colors of the autumn
- Take a picture of the autumn landscape and place it on the altar
- Collect pine cones, ears and apples and place them on the altar
- Candles in brown, yellow, orange, etc.
- Pine incense
- Pine cones and apples should not be missing, as well as freshly fallen leaves
- Inside your cauldron, insert pine cones, chestnuts or chestnut hedgehogs, leaves and herbs suitable for this holiday
- Do a little ritual for protection
THE MOON OF SEPTEMBER
The grape moon, or as it is called in other ways (see explanation above) tells us about job done, tells about the harvest ... it is an important period of transition: we say goodbye to summer, to slow rhythms, to holidays and instead we welcome the winter everyday. The air in this period is unpredictable, the first big rains arrive, the colors around us change.
In this period we take the opportunity to reflect: we have to organize winter activities, manage children who return to school, work, get used to the temperatures that are getting colder.
What to do?
Take the opportunity to go for walks in the woods, savor the changing flavors, smells and colors. Collect on the walk an object that attracts you: it can be a pine cone, a broken branch, a fallen leaf or whatever it calls you with its energy. It will be a great gift on the altar of the gods, or it could become your talisman for the fall season.
Also take the time to reflect: where are you heading with your life? What do you expect from the coming winter? Are you only concerned with filling the days, or are you mainly trying to grow inside and out? What relationship do you have with nature? Do you feel the plants, the air, the animals changing? How do you feel the energies?
Ideas for a little ritual:
Always remember that, however much you may find ideas here, the best thing is to always rely on your instincts and follow what the heart teaches us. However, they recognise that daily commitments do not always leave us time to think and dedicate ourselves calmly to ourselves, so here you can find some simple ideas in case of need.
On the evening of the full moon, prepare a small altar near a window from which you can admire the moon (prepare the altar, if you want, according to the advice written above), if you are lucky and the weather is mild, you can also decide to stay directly outside. Close your eyes for a few minutes, and simply contemplate: observe the moon, full and round, feel its rays on you, listen to the air, and enjoy the moment of absolute peace. Leave the anxieties, the problems of the day, the thoughts of what you still have to do, the worries ... leave everything silent inside and outside of you.
Light a small candle and if you want some incense. Also have a small bowl of water in front of you, and a handful of soil or salt. This way you will have all four elements in front of you. Ask the gods to purify and bless you. Write on a piece of paper a small commitment to nature, you do not need something big, but something that comes from the heart: taking care of a plant, giving energy to the earth, whatever the moment suggests, as long as it is a commitment that you intend to respect. Hide the piece of paper in the bowl under the soil (or the salt) and you will take it out next October 31 to see if you have sprouted that commitment, or if it was a fruitless commitment. Making this small commitment is a thank you to nature, for all the fruits and crops that she generously gave us during the summer. In fact, THANKSGIVING is the key word of this moon.
If you want to devote yourself to divining, tonight the ideal is to do it with water, which has always been a source of ancient knowledge. Take a large bowl, fill it with water and let it be illuminated by the moon. Look at the drawings that are reflected in the water and listen to what they have to tell you, you might be pleasantly surprised!
Remember that if you have crystals or other objects to purify or recharge, tonight is a great time to leave them on the windowsill, illuminated by the moon.
Hope this post will help you celebrate this new full moon. Leave a comment below if you have anything to add or if you have questions :D
Happy full moon witches
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