Autumn Memories

Autumn, my favorite time of the year. I chose this picture because it reminds me of the home of my childhood. We lived on a street like this for so many years. I remember when I was a little older and got to stay out later, walking along a street like the one above and holding my hands over my hair because hundreds of bats were flying around. I was an only child, and as I grew older, I began to feel so alone; I couldn't wait to get away from there. So, I went from the tranquil scene above to the maddening noise and excitement of city life...and for many years I was happy living here in the city....wouldn't want to live any place else. But, now that I am growing older, I yearn for the peace and serenity I left behind a lifetime ago.

Quickly earth's jewels disappear;
The turf, whereon I tread,
Ere autumn blanch another year,
May rest above my head.

Touched by the finger of decay
is every earthly love;
For joy, to shun my weary way,
is registered above

The languid brooklets yield their sighs,
A requiem o'er the tomb
Of sunny days and cloudless skies,
Enhancing autumn's gloom.

The wild winds mutter, howl, and moan,
To scare my woodland walk,
And frightened fancy flees, to roam
Where ghosts and goblins stalk.

The cricket's sharp, discordant scream
Fills mortal sense with dread'
More sorrowful it scare could seem;
It voices beauty fled.

Yet here, upon this faded sod,
O happy hours and fleet,
When songsters' matin hymns to God
Are poured in strains so sweet.

My heart unbidden joins rehearse,
I hope it's better made,
When mingling with the universe,
Beneath the maple's shade.
(Written in girlhood, in a maple grove by Mary Baker Eddy)

Moon Water Tonic

Tonic waters containing the energies of the moon embody very powerful healing benefits that bring about balance and wholeness throughout the body, mind and soul. Clear quarts crystal catalyzes the absorption of the lunar energies as well as amplifies the healing benefits.

1. Wait for a clear night, preferably on or right before the full moon, put your crystal in a clear glass and cover with one cup of purified water.

2. Check to see the exact time of sundown on the day you have chosen. At sundown, place the glass outdoors in a moonlit area. Cover the glass with clear plastic wrap.

3. Remove the glass at dawn. The water is now filled with lunar potency. Drink the moon water every morning to prepare your body, mind and spirit for the stress of the day ahead.

When the wisdom of the grandmothers is heard, the world will heal. --Native American Prophecy

When I am Old

When I am old and drenched in world's of sadness,
And wear a lacy cap upon my head:
When looking past the future's singing gladness,
I linger, wistful, in the year's long dead.
When I am old, and youngfolk all about me,
speak softly about religion when they speak
When parties are a grand success without me;
and when my laugh is fluttering and weak--

Will I then be content to raise my glances,
Serenely to the cloud-entangled sky?
And will I be content to watch at dances,
Without a heartbreak, as the hours pass by?
Or when I see young lovers' fingers twine,
Will I remember, dear, your lips on mine?
Margaret Elizabeth Sangster (1838-1912)

When did it happen? I know not, for I was so busy trying remain in the warmth of summer that I never took notice that I had passed into the autumn of my life. One day I was in the prime of my youth, and the next day I became a crone. Where has time gone? Why does it have to pass by so fast? I haven't accomplished all that I had hoped and dreamed for when I was young, but I am content with my life, of the all the battles I have faced and won. Life truly is good so why do I feel as if something is missing?

The Moonlight

What is the Moonlight to me?
An infinite rest;
The subtle and sweet memory
of song unexpressed.

What is the Moonlight to me?
The peace of a river;
companionship of a sea
that flows forever.

What is the Moonlight to me?
Satisfaction completest;
A precious and dear memory
of all that is sweetest.

What is the Moonlight to me?
A tryst and a union;
A promise of futurity;
A soulful communion.
--Sarah Knowles Bolton (1841-1816)

Coney Island is one of my special places, my haven away from the madness of the world of reality. A 20 minute subway ride from my home, the beach offers me a much needed escape from the hectic city, and although there might be thousands of people frolicking on the beach, it is only the ocean, our Great Mother, who grabs my attention. I love the salty smell of the air, the sand glistening brightly under the sun's rays, and the ocean breeze rustling gently through my hair. I watch the waves as they crest and crash over one another. Near the shoreline, the warm ocean water is covered with foam and bubbles from the rumbling waves. Hours later it is time for me to say good bye, but I am not sad because I know she will always be there for me, waiting for my return.

Artemis: Moon goddess to Greeks and Amazons. Associated with the waxing Moon. Also referred to as the Bear Goddess, Hunter of Souls, Goddess of wild places and wild animals. Known to be a shapeshifter. Associated with young girls, enchantment, magick, sorcery, and healing. Her symbols are night, earth, nature, and hunting. She was often prayed to during childbirth, as she was considered a 'defender' of women.

She was a virgin goddess of the hunt who ran through the wilderness with female attendants whose chastity she guarded as fiercely as her own.

Write a poem or a journal exercise in which you explore her powers and characteristics, including wild animals and nature, deer and their antlers, the promotion and protection of life, fertility and chastity, initiation rites, the night sky and themes of sanctity, transformation, and respect. Think about how these attributes relate to the Moon and its cyclical phases. Create a piece of artwork that explores the goddess' various aspects and attributes. Or create an altar to honor Artemis, utilizing a green cloth, a set of deer's antlers, symbols of Artemis' bow and the crescent Moon, images of wild animals, a wand or other object made of will, chestnut, or cedar.

Working with the Moon

Elemental Magic

*Earth*
spells should be performed when the moon is in one of the astrological signs governed by that element: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn.

*Air*
spells should be performed when the moon is in one of the astrological signs governed by that element; Gemini, libra, Aquarius.

*Fire*
spells should be performed when the moon is in one of the astrological signs governed by that element: Aries, Leo, Sagitarrius

*Water*
spells should be performed when the moon is in one of the astrological signs governed by that element: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

The Moon is a great mystery, the Queen of Mystery. On earth, we watch her changing phases as she moves through her cycle, and by knowing these cycles, we get to know ourselve better and begin to recognize our own patterns, for better or worse. Following the moon cycles can bring us deeper in touch with the intuitive knowledge that we all hold within our ancient and all-knowing selves.

*Today's Exercise*

Think about the pattern formed by the Moon's transit through its various shapes,; crescent, first quarter, gibbous, full, gibbous, third quarter, crescent, and void Moon. What images or energy patterns are evident? how do these relate to the universe, creation, the cycles of nature, or the energies in your own life?

Coney Island Beach. My haven in this wild and wonderful city

Who am I?

Who am I? That's a good question for am I really the same person that I was yesterday? Or will I be the same person tomorrow that I am today? Like our beloved Moon, I am forever changing...it may not be noticeable to family, friends...even myself, but each day I am a different person than I was the day before.

I am a wife, a mother, a pagan, a Druid, a counselor, a crone, a friend, an employee....I am no longer a daughter, and that saddens me because that is a part of my life that is over.

The Moon, the mighty Ocean, two entities forever entwined to each other. A transplanted country girl, I have lived in the city for over 30 years now...an urban pagan. I may not have the access to the fields and forests that I had in my youth, but I have the Moon and the Ocean who have never left me. Unless you have experienced it, you will never know the powerful emotions that on midnight of a full moon standing before the great Ocean Mother can awaken. During my journey to discover and understand the worship of the Moon, I have uncovered a number of recurring themes.

• Fertility (water/ocean, plants/forest0


• Cycles of life and death


• Creation


• Gateways and portals


• Transformation, healing and birth


• The creative, intuitive mind