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    Samhain or A New Year Rises With the Full Moon

    Holly Cleary
    Holly Cleary


    Gender : Female Location : Bon Temps, LA
    Likes : 9

    Samhain or A New Year Rises With the Full Moon Empty Samhain or A New Year Rises With the Full Moon

    Post by Holly Cleary Tue Dec 18, 2012 3:12 pm

    9 days til Samhain, or Halloween. Time to get ready to have some fun and ring in my witchy new year.
    Such a busy time getting my stones, mirrors, and waters ready to have them all fresh for another year of crafting.


    A single white candle burns. The rest of the lights down and the contents of my meager alter box lay open before me on the table. On the floor next to me, a few bags from some shopping.
    I grab a small bundle of cinnamon shards and light them with the candle's flame. Seeing in my mind's eye the face of the goddess, not a young girl, but a woman, not quite to her fullness in adulthood. The moon waxing to her full beauty as the goddess is. I thank her for the time I've been given, ask for her guidance and portent for the skill in my task tonight. The year draws to new and is a time to replace that which has been lost or worn, to make new again.
    The small flame that was alight on the end of the small bundle in my hand. A curl of smoke rises and wraps itself around me like a hug. I reach down and pull up my spools of ribbon, running the smoke under each. Thanking the goddess for allowing me to continue and putting goodwill and good thoughts into the ribbon before setting the small bundle on the crystal plate next to the candle.



    Unwinding the ribbon spools, I pick up the end of the white, "The Goddess as a child," the red, "The Goddess as a woman," finally the black, "The Goddess as a crone."
    Stacking them I measure the width of my palm before tying a knot. "The Goddess as a whole." I begin to braid the three ribbons carefully, not too loose and not too tight. Slowly and evenly I work and the cord begins to grow from my hands. The movement a meditation, I consider actions not taken, actions to be taken, words said, words that shouldn't have been said and finally thoughts being given. When I feel my hands begin to tire, I reach for my old cingulam and carefully compare the length, just to be sure. Thanks to Her guidance, it's much like the momma bear's oatmeal- just right. I tie my knot and again measure a palm's width before carefully trimming the ends. Passing each end of each peace of ribbon's ends over the fire to seal them, I thank her again for her guidance and for continuing to guide me on my journey tonight.
    Before I put my altar box back together and allow my candle to burn out, I light what's left of my cinnamon shards again and lift the bundle of the cingulam passing it through the smoke in a final act of cleansing. As I finish my last pass, the glowing ember goes dark. I take this as my last sign that my work is done and carefully put the rope into the box, slide my chair away from my table and head for a shower.


    8 days to Samhain.

    Bayous, especially St John's Bayou, on whose banks I stand tonight, are powerful waters. Not in the usual church kind of Holy way, but in a primal, ancient way.
    Marie Laveau once practiced her Voodoo arts on these very waters. Strong powers run here. The perfect place for me to collect water for me to use in my spells.
    I stand looking over the water, lightly dappled with light from the moon, growing large and heavy like a mother's pregnant belly. A slight breeze shifts a leaves around me. The patterns on the water shift. I close my eyes and can feel eyes watching me. Not animal eyes, but something else. Something with knowledge in them. An awareness that looks to find my intent. I bring my hands together, displaying the the jar in my hands for my watcher to see.
    The tenor of my watching changes, what was curious and worrisome now becomes relaxed and approving in acknowledgement of my desires. I speak, breaking the silence. "Guardian of the water, I thank you for allowing me to parable of your waters. Worry not, my intents are of a good and harmless nature, and your waters will never purposefully harm another."
    I lean down onto my knees and pull the stopper from the bottle then dip it into the waters listening to the almost musical sound as the waters fill the glass.
    Once the bottle is full, I pull it from the water and replace the stopper. Carefully placing the jar on the ground, I stand and pull the small bundle from my pocket and open the pouch. Whispering my thanks once again to the contents before scattering them across the surface.
    I pick up my bottle and turn to walk back to my car, the sounds of insects I hadn't noticed weren't there start as I leave the shore. First a single cicada then more until an entire chorus of their sounds fill the air followed by the low croak of a couple frogs and even the sound of an alligator. All were silent witnesses of my actions and now sharing their observations with the spirit of the bayou.
    As I put wheels to the highway and make my drive back to Bon Temps, I wonder what exactly those critters are telling the spirit of the water. Hopefully all good things and that I might be welcome back again next year.


    Wednesday! Wow. A week til Samhain, 5 days til the first night of the full moon and still so much to do.

    Spent today in the garden. Not that there was much left in the little space in the front of the house, having sat empty most of the summer after the fire. Though thankfully for the rain and swampiness of Bon Temps and Louisiana in general, there was enough surviving to have a decent little harvest. My sage grew enormous and I think it was actually happy to have me trimming it down to size today. The primrose was worse for the wear though. Fresh mints and some chamomile and a few other plants harvested didn't give me what all I need. It looks like I'll have to hit the Whole Foods in Shreveport when I travel that way tomorrow. Although I may be in luck to find seeds at the greenhouse for the plants I need to replace when I go to pick up my flower order. Roses of several varieties, violets and a few others. My car is going to look like I'm decorating for a wedding, and hopefully I can borrow some space in Sam's big fridge for the ones I can't fit in mine in the house.
    I should also maybe ask Sookie if I can hit up her flower beds next summer, she always grows such great flowers in them. Plus I'm sure my keeping them from going all dead head on her would be a weight off her mind and one less chore to worry about.

      Current date/time is Thu Mar 28, 2024 3:48 pm