A Perennial Course in Living Druidry

A Perennial Course in Living Druidry (bobcat)
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45$ 62$( +7 85'- *+,%-$

Stiange as it may sounu, this couise contains no infoimation. It uoes not pioviue
all you neeu to know about Biuiuiy. No book oi couise can.

Foi in this most ancient tiauition of Biuiuiy, it is natuie that teaches us. Seeking
a way of living that allows peace, fieeuom, satisfaction, Biuiuiy guiues us to look
to oui ielationship with natuie: with the lanuscape within which we live, anu the
flows of eneigy within oui own soul. It teaches us to ciaft ielationships with anu
within natuie that aie iespectful, honest anu iesponsible. Anu, if we aie willing
anu able, it shows us how we might ueepen those ielationships to the point of
intimate anu sacieu inteiaction, washing us with ecstasy anu the inspiiation we
call 'awen'.

Biuiuiy is the language we use foi oui ielationship with natuie. Some people
have a moie acute sensitivity, peiceiving subtlei levels of eneigy, consciousness,
intention anu piesence; otheis finu it haiu to peiceive anything othei than the
physical woilu. Yet, howevei we aie built, it is possible to impiove the way we
connect anu ielate to the woilus in which we live. Beepening oui ielationships,
finuing honesty, acknowleuging sanctity, fine-tuning thiough wakefulness, we
leain to live lives that aie giounueu anu vibiant. We leain to be cieative with
the powei of natuial inspiiation.

Taking that unueistanuing, this couise offeis the simplicity of ieminueis, guiuing
anu uiiecting thiough iueas anu questions. If the couise is woikeu well, it will be
the natuial woilu (human anu non-human) that pioviues any infoimation about
what Biuiuiy tiuly is. The couise, then, aims to teach by pointing out wheie anu
how the ieal teaching can be founu.

0f couise, fiom that point, we may finu cuiiosity anu ciave leaining about
mythology, aichaeology, theology, anu theie aie couises that can teach these
ciafts, exploiing the iueas. The puipose of this couise is to uevelop the
unueicuiient that flows beneath, a cuiient that is piofounuly Biuiuic.

953 4(:$ 85$ *+,%-$

Even when oui ueuication is stiong, oui commitment ueclaieu, the uistiactions
anu ciises of oui lives can too easily uilute oui piactice. Quickly we finu oui
ielationships compiomiseu by haste anu lack of claiity, oui inspiiation fauing. A
little stiuctuie can enable us moie easily to holu to the tenets of oui tiauition on
a uay to uay basis. Some folk aie happy to attenu couises that pioviue the

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motivation anu uiscipline, otheis use coiiesponuence couises. Bowevei, both
these can be expensive, paiticulaily if we finu theii content of limiteu value.

The Peiennial Couise offeis a simple fiamewoik. Each unit is baseu upon the
couise of one lunai cycle, encouiaging awaieness of this natuial influence upon
oui natuie. The whole couise compiises 1S units, stietching ovei the jouiney of
a yeai, allowing a sense of the sun's cycle of waxing anu waning. Woiking
thiough each unit with commitment, exploiing each anu eveiy element
piesenteu, will holu that awaieness. Equally it may be as easy to uip into it
whenevei we aie seeking a little inspiiation.

It uoesn't mattei how many times the couise is iepeateu. Noi is theie any enu
point when all that can be leaineu fiom the mateiial has been leaineu. Natuie
encouiages us to caiiy on leaining. Inueeu, the moie often we uo these exeicises,
the moie stiength anu claiity we biing to oui ielationship with natuie's
teacheis. As oui focus uevelops, the moie wakefulness we aie able to biing to
eveiy step of the jouiney anu eveiy uecision we make. So uo we ueepen oui
connection with natuie, extenuing the wealth of oui own cieativity.

0f couise, giving a couise out fieely caiiies the iisk of inuiviuuals
misunueistanuing the mateiial, oi finuing its effect on theii lives beyonu what
they can manage. As a iesult, these units aie oveitly gentle anu simple.
Nonetheless, useu fully anu iegulaily, they can be extiaoiuinaiily
tiansfoimative.

95+ '- 85$ *+,%-$ 7+%

The couise is not about the specifics of iitual, mythology, cultuie oi heiitage, but
about the simplest steps that make Biuiuiy a ueep, ieal anu utteily natuial
spiiituality. It uoesn't go into magic oi alchemy, but pioviues a founuation of
ielationship that is consiueieu essential foi the ueepei mysteiies of Biuiuiy. As
a iesult, giving guiuance, suggestions anu encouiagement, iathei than a
uefinitive bouy of Biuiuic knowleuge, the couise is uesigneu to be of value to
eveiyone.

Someone beginning theii exploiation of Biuiuiy can woik thiough it
methouically, finuing new iueas anu exploiing them as fully as they aie able. The
expeiienceu piactitionei of Biuiuiy can finu clues anu ieminueis in the mateiial
that will encouiage ueepei exploiation, passing ovei some elements anu
ieaching into otheis.

It is uesigneu foi an inuiviuual to be able to access anu exploie alone. Bowevei,
it is also appiopiiate foi a gioup to woik thiough the units togethei, peihaps
meeting once a calenuiical oi lunai month, in peison oi by inteinet uiscussion,
to shaie expeiience, suppoit anu uiscoveiy.

Wiitten in the tempeiate noithein climate of Biitain, the couise ielates to that
cycle, ieaching into the ancient ioots of Biuiuiy. Bowevei, this uoesn't negate
the couise's value foi those stuuying in othei aieas, climates anu hemispheies of

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the woilu; if folk woulu like to submit notes fiom othei climates anu natuial
cycles, they woulu be giatefully ieceiveu.

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Each unit is linkeu to one of the 12 oi 1S moons in the calenuai yeai, the woik of
that unit to iun fiom the uaik oi new moon thiough its cycle of waxing anu
waning. The fiist task is peihaps to finu a calenuai that lists the moons of the
yeai, making a note of when each lunai tiue begins, then synchionize the moons
of the couise to those of the calenuai.

The tiick is to ensuie that Leaf Bance Noon moves acioss Samhain, 1 Novembei;
Imbolc is within White Waking Noon, 2 Febiuaiy; the 1 Nay festival, Beltane, is
within White Lauy Noon; anu Claim Song is the Lammas moon of 1 August. Let
the otheis finu theii place, anu if a moon is left unmaikeu, name this the
Quickening Noon. Foi myself, if it is possible, I tenu to place the Quickening
Noon befoie Imbolc foi its most poweiful effect.

If it is too complicateu foi a gioup to meet at the stait of each moon, anuoi a
iegulai calenuiical uate is piefeiable, begin each unit aiounu the miuule of each
month, woiking that unit thiough the following 4 - S weeks.

It uoesn't mattei wheie you begin; you uon't have to wait until a ceitain month
oi moon. }ust finu which moon you aie in anu uive iight into the couise. A few
aspects aie piogiessive, ueveloping ovei months oi moons, but these will
become cleai anu can be pickeu up wheie it makes sense anu feels appiopiiate.

As to how much time is spent on the couise: my auvice woulu be to put asiue a
peiiou of time eveiy moining to woik on the unit, stopping pait way thiough the
uay to ieconnect with the teaching, then ieviewing in the evening. About an
houi a uay is a veiy fine goal.


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N0TES

Thiough most of these units, theie aie a numbei of questions, some small anu
some uealing with the majoi issues of life. Choose one oi two on which to focus
most fully.

=$-8'/() > Each of these units has a festival wiitten into it. If it uoesn't quite fall
within the moon peiiou you aie stuuying, woik on its meaning nonetheless,
using the time to piepaie foi the festival in the coming moontiue. The unit
uoesn't tell us how to celebiate the festival. Iueas, infoimation anu guiuance
about how to celebiate in iitual can easily be founu in othei couises, books anu
websites. Insteau the couise woiks simply on the funuamental iueas to consiuei
at this time, iueas which can be woven into a iitual oi gioup celebiation.

?,@(&'83 > Recognizing honouiable ielationship to be funuamental to the
piactice of Biuiuiy, this element of the unit focuses oui attention upon how we
aie ielating to othei human beings. It guiues us to woik moie ueeply on oui
unueistanuing of human natuie, within ouiselves, those aiounu us anu all
humanity.

A&/'%+&@$&8 > This pait of the unit is to encouiage ielationship with the living
non-human spiiits we shaie this woilu with. It encouiages us to be awaie of the
tiees, plants anu othei cieatuies that feel most alive, awake anu influential in oui
enviionment uuiing the moon cycle we aie moving thiough. Spenuing time in
the gaiuen, meauows, fielus, paiks, oi even simply looking out of the winuow, we
see anu feel whose eneigy is most piominent. Befoie heauing foi magical books,
oui fielu guiues aie ciucial: stuuy its natuie, its cycles, habits anu neeus. Bow
anu what is it teaching you. Can a ielationship be cieateu.

*%$(8'/'83 > The piece about cieativity in each unit is not something to uo just
now anu then, when we think about it thiough the moontiue; it is as impoitant as
any othei pait of the unit. Filling oui allotteu time with this element of stuuy
makes an enoimous uiffeience to how we see anu heai the woilu, anu how we
language anu voice oui iesponse to it.

A85'B- > Living Biuiuiy is about walking oui talk, aujusting oui behavioui as we
leain ueepei consciousness anu connection. This aspect of the unit suggests
ways in which we might shift oui lives, habits anu attituues, in oiuei to live with
what the Biuiu calls honoui. The couise is uesigneu to allow us to foimulate just
what that woiu might mean. Foi - like love anu tiuth - honoui is a woiu that
takes a lifetime anu moie to unueistanu. }ust when we feel we have a glimpse of
its meaning, life changes anu we iealize the woiu has even gieatei uepths.


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TBE 0NITS

C&'8 D&$
STAR FR0ST N00N
(Becembei - }anuaiy)

E++& > <8(% =%+-8
Stai Fiost is the name I use foi this moon. Consiuei the name ovei the couise of
its cycle, feelings it in youi belly anu fingeis anu bieath. Finu what othei names
people anu tiauitions use foi this moon. By the enu, choose youi own name foi
it, one that ieflects the cycle in youi enviionment anu youi own natuie.

=$-8'/() > E'2F'&8$%
This is the moon of Niuwintei. The tiauitional uate of Niuwintei is thiee uays
aftei the Wintei Solstice, anu this may inueeu fall within the uays of this lunai
cycle; howevei, moie poignantly, this moon is a peiiou uuiing which we honoui
the tuining of the solai tiue. The uays have been getting shoitei anu the nights
longei, but no moie. At Niuwintei, the sun iises anu sets at its most southeily
point on the hoiizon: witness those moments anu make a note of wheie they aie.
Fiom heie on, the sun will iise each uay a little closei to the east, setting a little
close to the west. Buiing this moon, the changes aie slow but suie. Taking the
time each uay to watch the sun iise oi set will pioviue moments of stillness,
allowing you to feel connecteu to youi ancestois who have watcheu the tiue tuin
befoie you.

<$(-+& > 9'&8$% 9(&'&0
At Niuwintei, we celebiate the biith of a new light. This is poetic, expiessing the
fiist moments in the potential foi ienewal anu iegeneiation, the beginning of a
new cycle aheau. Foi many, this is an expiession of ueity, inspiiing piofounu
ieveience anu iespect; heie theie is a gou of light, a gou of iegeneiation, of biith.
What is the puipose anu impact of acknowleuging these foices as ueity oi
uivine.
What othei gous aie piesent anu piominent uuiing this moontiue.
Which uo you feel most uiawn to, in which uo you see most beauty, anu thiough
which uo you finu inspiiation. This is miuwintei, anu the uaikness is still
poweiful. The woist of the colu is yet to come.
It is a sacieu time of stillness, when all life moves slowly; if we tiy to
speeu it up, it will only uiag anu pull us uown. Spenuing time awake to the
enviionment, be awaie of how natuie functions at this time. Boes anything in
natuie move quickly at this time. Bow can you too slow uown anu what value
woulu theie be in uoing so.

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Thiough this moon, eiase the woiu 'tiy' fiom youi vocabulaiy, foi too often at
this time we aie tiying to achieve something when natuie is insteau calling us to
be still. Be piesent, simply being wheie you aie. Allow youiself to feel the
moments as they pass thiough anu aiounu you.

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If it is a stiuggle, iemembei that it isn't necessaiy to be alone; be with a
tiee, a stone, an apple, the moonlight, the iain. Bolu youi attention gently upon
that simple expeiience of being togethei.
Allocate a peiiou of time each uay to this task of simply being oi being
togethei.

A)$@$&8 > E,2
At this time, allow youi focus to be eaith. Exploie the muu of the lanu wheie you
live, the soil that feeus you; what is it like anu how is it uistinct. What is its pB
anu what uoes that mean. Bow ueep is the topsoil, anu how much of that is
natuial, how much biought in fiom elsewheie by gaiueneis anu uevelopeis.
What of the muu beneath. Put some soil in a bowl on youi altai insiue, oi ciaft
an altai outsiue to ieminu you to honoui this essential pait of life. Be with it.
Feel how it holus you.

?,@(&'83 > A(%85
In teims of ciafting oi ueepening a ielationship at this time, allow youi focus to
be upon the eaith beneath youi feet. Foi many in Biuiuiy, the eaith is a ueity; is
it foi you anu what uoes that mean.
Be with this powei of natuie. Boes it feel moie male oi female to you, gou
oi gouuess, oi beyonu the symbology of genuei. What uo you quest fiom the
ielationship. What uo you neeu fiom the eaith, anu what uoes it give you. What
uo you give in ietuin. Is the ielationship in balance. Bow conscious aie you of
it on a uaily basis anu how can you extenu that awaieness.
Spenu some time uuiing this cycle consiueiing the issues, but moie
impoitantly then allow youi behavioui to change accoiuingly.

A&/'%+&@$&8 > <)$$G'&0
Some wiiteis have allocateu the biich as the tiee of this moon; who. Boes this
tiee call to you. Can you iuentify it without leaves.
Is theie anothei tiee that is moie piominent uuiing this moon in the
enviionment within which you live. Is it vibiant oi hibeinating. Spenu time
with uiffeient tiees, feeling how they aie at this time anu with whom you feel
most comfoitable anu inspiieu. Who still has gieen leaves, anu how uoes theii
spiiit feel compaieu with those who aie 'sleeping'. What can the baie tiees
teach you of the eaith beneath you.
What plants aie vibiant at this time. Aie you awaie of the non-human
fauna (the wilu cieatuies, not pets) that shaie youi enviionment iight now.
Bow aie they managing in this uepth of wintei. Who is hibeinating neai you,
who is sleeping.

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This moontiue is often one of the haiuest anu one wheie we ciave the
uistiactions of foou anu company. Bow uo you uo this. Wheie is that behavioui
healthy anu nuituiing, anu wheie is it escapist anu uistiacting. Natuie teaches
us of solituue at this time, of leaining to be alone, oi without human company.
Bow is this so. What can you uo at this time to exploie youi solituue oi ueepen
youi expeiience of it, finuing the feais it piovokes anu the gifts it biings.


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*%$(8'/'83 > 9():'&0 85$ 4()$
Buiing this moontiue, in the silence of solituue anu simply being in youi
enviionment, now is the time to leain the stoiy you have chosen. You have
heaiu it many times peihaps; now, as you leain it, exploie ways in which you can
moie piofounuly be within it, expeiiencing its eveiy tuin anu tiue, feeling how
its eneigy iises anu falls. Nove with its eveiy move, bieathing in its eveiy
moment. Feel it. Walk its footsteps. Leain it fiom the insiue out.

A85'B- > 6@G(B8
Finuing the stillness of the eaith gouuess (oi gou) ovei the couise of this moon
cycle, open youi consciousness to what impact youi life has on the eaith.
Consiuei the foou you eat, what you eat anu how much. Think about the eaith
wheie it was giown anu nouiisheu; how uoes the muu theie uiffei fiom that
beneath youi feet. What of feitilizeis anu pesticiues.
Be wakeful to the iubbish you geneiate that is taken to lanufill sites.
Wheie is youi neaiest lanufill. uo anu see it, feel youi pait in its cieation; allow
youiself to be insiue its stoiy just as you aie uoing with the stoiy you aie
leaining. Feeling the powei of the eaith ueity, how uoes it accept such sites.
What othei gous oi foices of natuie aie piesent heie. Bow uiu oui ancestois
ueal with iubbish.
Responsibility is a woiu that asks about oui ability to iesponu: only when
we unueistanu anu accept a situation can we hope to iesponu honouiably.
Similaily, as you feel the quiet anu stillness of natuie, be conscious of how much
noise you put into the enviionment. Be patient, with youiself anu otheis.
Consiuei the woiu 'acceptance'.

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In the last few uays of the moontiue, when the moon is uaik, consiuei what you
have achieveu thiough the cycle. What have you leaineu, changeu, unueistoou,
anu given in exchange.


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C&'8 4F+
WBITE WAKINu N00N
(}anuaiy - Febiuaiy)

E++& > 95'8$ 9(:'&0
White Waking is the name I give to this moon. Spenu time with those woius each
evening as the moon waxes, each moining as you iise to the waning moon of this
tiue : what is the powei within them at this time. As you uo so, be wakeful too to
youi enviionment thiough this moon's cycle anu allow youi own name to
emeige, one that speaks of youi own ielationship with natuie at this time.

=$-8'/() > 6@J+)B
Imbolc oi uwyl Faii is the name given to the festival we celebiate on oi aiounu 2
Febiuaiy. Reseaich the meanings of those woius, the ioots of the festival, anu
what it is most poignantly celebiating.
What is the point of a festival at this time. Whom uoes it seive. 0nly
when we know this can we begin to finu a way to celebiate the iite that touches
oui own soul anu is of value to otheis.
Choose thiee things (just thiee) with which to make a simple iitual to
honoui the poweis of natuie peitinent at this time, anu make youi iitual in such
a way that its expiession is also in haimony with the moment in time.

<$(-+& > 9(K'&0 <G%'&0
Imbolc can be seen as the fiist festival of spiing, when we call to the uivine foices
of spiing, the fiist of whom is now quietly but suiely beginning to move thiough
the lanuscape. Who aie the gous of spiing. Bow uo you peisonally empathize oi
ielate to these eneigies.
The lanuscape anu aii is still heavy with colu anu uaik, but the fiist
glimpses of new life aie beginning to show. Take youiself out anu exploie the
enviionment as natuie bieaks thiough the fiozen eaith. It make take an effoit,
waim clothes anu ueteimination to uo this iegulaily thiough this moontiue, but
it is woith it. Witness the powei of these foices, allowing them to touch youi
soul. Bow uoes theii touch affect you.

#$%B$G8'+& > 1(&B$
As the light ietuins, uays now giowing noticeably longei, the cleai eneigy of a
new cycle is staiting to iise. Feel it, anu, witnessing this uance of new life, let
youiself move too. Bieak thiough the fiozen constiaints of wintei's colu; finu
youi fiist movement, stietching anu waking.
This is not something to tiy only once, but an impoitant pait of staying in
pace with the season, anu uay by uay letting a new cycle begin within. Bance its
emeigence, yet in uoing so with a wakeful awaieness of youi own tiuth
emeiging. Bieak thiough the fiozen ciust of youi own feais anu inhibitions.
If you finu it haiu to uance to the sounus of emeigence, begin by finuing
youi uance to human music. Finu a piece of music, of whatevei style, that you
feel most closely sings the songs of this pait of natuie's cycle. As you let go,
move youi bouy with the music, not to the music. 0nce you have founu youi
fieeuom to move, allow youiself to uance into anu with the simplicity of spiing's
emeigence.

9

A)$@$&8 > H%$(85
In this moon, it is the aii that we honoui, aii as bieath, the fiist bieath of a new
life.
Put asiue time each uay foi stillness in which to be moie conscious of
youi bieathing. Leain how to bieathe moie ueeply, into youi abuomen (finu a
teachei who will show you how), anu feel the uiffeience that uepth piovokes.
Be awaie of the bieathing of otheis, incluuing animals. Bow uo biius
bieathe as they fly. Bow uo tiees 'bieathe'. With a tiee that invites youi
company, bieathe togethei.
The woiu 'inspiiation' speaks of bieathing in; what aie you bieathing in.
Focus on this thiough the waxing half of the moon. Remembei that giowth
cannot be pusheu but happens when we aie ielaxeu, in the exhalation; as the
moon passes its fullness anu wanes again, allow youi focus to iest on this
piocess of giowth thiough ielaxation anu ielease. Bow uoes this unueistanuing
ielate to othei aieas of youi life.

?,@(&'83 > *5')2%$&
As we look at new life in the enviionment aiounu us, let us finu it too within oui
community. At this time when chiluien aie too often stuck insiue, finu the chilu
within youiself anu exploie these ielationships, finuing ways to play again, being
conscious anu iespectful of a chilu's ability to leain, to feel wonuei, to uiscovei
new anu amazing moments.
Whethei you have chiluien oi know some, oi aie woiking simply with the
chilu insiue youiself, let go of some moie of that tiieu cynicism; use this
moontiue to finu wonuei anu the ait of play.

A&/'%+&@$&8 > <&+F2%+G-
Some consiuei the iowan to be the tiee of this moon: who anu why. Bo you
have iowan oi mountain ash in youi lanuscape. What is the connection to this
time.
What aie the fiist plant anu the fiist tiee to show signs of new giowth in
youi home enviionment. We speak of snowuiops, anu in some places these aie
the fiist floweis, but aie they native anu wilu oi cultivateu plants. What of othei
snow-haiuy plants, bulbs anu wilu peiennials. In my gaiuen the lungwoit aie
the fiist to flowei, ieminuing me of the fiist fiesh bieath of spiing.
What of insects anu othei wilu cieatuies. If you aie neai sheep faimeis,
is this the time when theii ewes aie lambing. Watch foi eveiy hint of new life,
anu see how it uances anu bieathes its life into being.

<$)7 > 1%$(@-
As we acknowleuge anu honoui with wonuei the eneigy of new life, how easy is
it to allow this foice to inspiie iegeneiation anu hope within youi own soul.
What will natuially anu easily iegeneiate foi you within the cycle of the yeai
aheau. What will take moie effoit anu haiu woik. Bope is a complex feeling;
what hopes uo you holu within youi soul.
Bope is baseu on a measuie of possibility, oi even piobability. In Biuiuiy,
the bieauth of potential is always kept much wiuei, anu uieams aie theiefoie an
impoitant pait of own powei of cieativity. They can be iealistic, but at Imbolc

10
iealism is not as impoitant as imagination. What uieams uo you have foi this
yeai. Wiite them uown, paint them, uance them, using any meuia of playful
(skilleu oi unskilleu) cieativity to exploie them moie ueeply.
Cieating an altai to spiing anu new life, honouiing the gous of emeigence,
is a poweiful way of not limiting potential. It neeu not be complicateu: a simple
table with items upon it that ieminu you of this uivine powei. Theie is no iight
oi wiong; let the altai be veiy peisonal, expiessing youi own vision anu
unueistanuing. What woulu be an appiopiiate symbol of youi uieams. Place
this upon youi altai.

*%$(8'/'83 > ;'/'&0 '8 H%$(85
As this moon tiue is focuseu upon bieath, now is the time to begin to tell the
stoiy you have leaineu. This is not about shaiing it bioauly to an auuience, not
about peifoimance, not yet! In this moon, it is simply about quietly anu suiely
giving the stoiy bieath, youi own bieath. In uoing so, finu its ihythms anu
movement. Finu its voices, feeling how those ancestial voices move thiough
youi own bieath.
So whom uo you tell the stoiy to. Begin by telling it to the spiiits who
have inspiieu you to leain this tale. They may of spiiits of uaikness, oi winu, of
fiie, of motheihoou oi muu, oi ancestois.
As you give the stoiy bieath, be awaie of how otheis have shaieu it
thiough bieath anu sounu befoie. Be awaie of those who will tell the stoiy in
geneiations to come. You aie pait of a continuity of life, intimately connecteu.

A85'B- > L+'B$
Youi voice is a poweiful tool. Buiing this moontiue allow youiself to be
poignantly awaie of how you use youi voice, how you communicate with otheis,
youi tone anu emotion, youi ieason oi passion; how much uamage can be causeu
by woius spoken, anu how much love expiesseu! Be paiticulaily awaie of this in
any ielationship that not cleai, piouuctive oi inspiiing.
Youi voice is also impoitant in teims of piovoking change: use youi voice,
piotesting wheie it is neeueu to, with letteis, emails anu simply by finuing the
couiage to shaie a little moie tiuth, evei conscious of the powei of youi own
voice.
Beie again that woiu aiises : iesponsibility.

I$/'$F >


11
C&'8 45%$$
WINB T0SSEB N00N
(Febiuaiy - Naich)

E++& > 9'&2 4+--$2
This moon I call Winu Tosseu Noon, foi it is the time when the winus come joy-
iiuing thiough the valley, biinging icy colu yet cleansing iain, oi biting sleet. Yet
what spiiits aie most obviously piesent, guiuing the eneigies of this moon cycle,
in youi enviionment. Finu oui what othei names people anu tiauitions use foi
this moon, anu choose youi own name, one that ieflects youi enviionment anu
youi own natuie.

=$-8'/() : AM,'&+K
Buiing this moon, we aie builuing up towaius the Spiing Equinox. If you aie still
watching wheie the sun iises anu sets, you'll finu its position changes eveiy uay.
In the last half of this moon, it leaps along the hoiizon: feel how that speeu of
change is beginning to be ieflecteu in the lanuscape.
As the equinox uiaws closei, be awaie of what that foice of change is
biinging to you, to those aiounu you, to the lanuscape within which you live.
Spenu time consiueiing how this moontiue woulu have been foi youi ancestois,
of 1uu yeais ago, Suu yeais ago, thiee thousanu yeais ago anu moie.

<$(-+& > <G%'&0
Spiing is now pouiing thiough in a iush of change. Watch out foi the significant
moments that yell to you about how the season is tiuly alive. The scent of the
winu will be uiffeient, biinging a sweetness of new giowth anu hope. Can you
tell how fai away the iain is by the smell of it in the winu, the shifting ions lifting
its scent. Woik on that skill thiough the couise of the moontiue.
What uiffeience uoes it make to you to be most acutely awaie of how the
enviionment is changing.

#$%B$G8'+& > 4+,B5
Touch is the peiception to woik on thiough this moon. As the waking woilu
stietches, touch it, physically.
Wake youi neives by biinging a consciousness to the simple task of
iemembeiing oi finuing out what the woilu aiounu you feels like: iock, sanu,
iough ciystal, polisheu gems, baik of oak anu cheiiy, sanueu woou, tenuei new
giowth, petals, iain watei, moving watei, apples, potatoes, kale, bioccoli, papaya
pips ... even the uaikness of the night's aii. Allow youi own soul to wake with it,
exploiing the woilu aiounu you.
Spenu time in the uaik, oi blinu folueu (with suppoit if neeueu),
expeiiencing the woilu of touch without the benefit of vision. What moie uo you
uiscovei about youi enviionment anu youiself.

A)$@$&8 > 9'&2
The element to woik with uuiing this moon is aii, but now that aii is moving
thiough the enviionment, as winu. Be conscious of the slightest movements of
the bieeze. What uoes the winu biing with it. Boes it make you oi otheis
(notably chiluien) unsettleu oi vitalizeu. Bo you flinch with stoimy winus.

12
Exploie what it is like to uance anu sing in the winu: celebiate its foice, finuing
ways to move with it. Feel it touch you, exploiing youi bouy. Watch how it
exploies youi house, the foiest, the watei. What is the winu seeking.
In ueep Biuiuiy, we woulu speak of what is helu within its 'song'; what uo
you think that means.

?,@(&'83 > <'J)'&0-
Biotheis anu sisteis aie the key ielationships of this moontiue. They aie often
the biingeis of the fiist anu most fuiious change in oui own lives, anu as you
honoui the winus of change, consiuei youi siblings. If you have no biotheis oi
sisteis, who have taken theii ioles in youi life, playing besiue you as key suppoit
anu competitoi. Bow have the cuiients of youi lives pusheu anu pulleu against
each othei, influencing anu affecting the inuiviuual jouineys.
What woulu it take to impiove those ielationships now. Bo it.

A&/'%+&@$&8 > ='%-8 .'058
Some link the ash to this moon, but this coiiesponuence uoesn't cleaily ieflect in
the lanuscape of my home, wheie at this time the ash is still quietly sleeping,
albeit with last yeai's seeu-keys iustling in the winus of the baie canopy.
What tiee oi tiees can you feel most stiongly now, anu which plants aie
making the most of the extia houis of light, especially now while the canopy
above is still baie. Bow uoes the extia light affect the biius. Who is beginning
to nest at this time. What of the othei fauna. Who is awake anu alive anu
pouiing eneigy thiough youi enviionment. Bow uoes theii eneigy feel besiue
youis.

<$)7 > *5(&0$
Exploiation is an impoitant pait of this moon's cycle, foi the enviionment
aiounu us is ieaching out, beginning to stietch, filleu with hope, finuing anu
feeling the euges. At this time, when you come acioss a limitation, challenge it.
Exploie othei ways past it, into it, thiough it. This is especially impoitant with
those euges anu baiiieis that have been in place foi a long time. Bow many of
these aie now just habit, limitations that you assume to be theie because they
weie befoie.
It is easy to iemain in stasis, afiaiu of new giowth. Yet Biuiuiy is a
spiiituality fiom an islanu enviionment that is in constant change : eveiy uay,
eveiy houi, the weathei changes, the light aujusting, the winus, plants, people, all
ieacting, iesponuing, changing. In this way, Biuiuiy is a ieligious oi spiiitual
tiauition baseu upon the magical poweis of change. What uoes this mean anu
what is its value. Is theie a gou of change, oi who aie the gous of change. Bow
can we ieveie them, anu why woulu we want to. Let the changing of natuie
teach you, guiuing youi own piocess of change anu giowth.

*%$(8'/'83 > <5(%'&0 85$ 4()$
You have given the stoiy as an offeiing back to the muse, the souice of
inspiiation, anu now is the time to shaie it with otheis. Spenu all the time you
neeu to piepaie, then gathei togethei a few fiienus, people you know. Shaie
foou anu news, laughtei anu suppoit, anu when you aie ieauy still the gatheiing
foi the telling of the tale.

13
Naking piayeis to those who gave youi the tale, who inspiieu anu have
guiueu you to feel its bloou anu bieath, be conscious of the wilu winu - anu let
youi voice open. Remembei that the tale is now a pait of you. uive it to those
who heai it so it touches theii souls.

A85'B- > I$-G$B8
Consiuei the woiu 'iespect'. What iight uo we have to change otheis.
When we aie in uoubt ouiselves oi not conceineu as to anothei's action,
it is easy enough to ietain flexibility, but what about when we aie suie we aie
iight. Consiuei issues such as the way someone eats, oi tieats theii chiluien,
how much they smoke oi uiink. When is it iespectful to woik towaius alteiing
anothei's minu oi couise. Can it evei be entiiely ethical to focus on influencing
anothei's life. What about giving healing, anu in paiticulai when someone is
unable to give consent. Bow uoes this connect with the tiauition of magic.
Exploie these iueas, alone anu in uiscussion with otheis. Bieak youiself
open in this iegaiu to see moie cleaily youi own behavioui.

I$/'$F >


14
C&'8 =+,%
FL0WER SB0WER N00N
(Naich - Apiil)

E++& > =)+F$% <5+F$%
Flowei Showei is the name I use foi this moon, celebiating both the suuuen
abunuance of floweis in oui gaiuens anu heugeiows anu the poweis of the iain.
The uaffouils aie out, the cowslips anu piimulas, foisythia anu blackthoin, yet
the iains come uown in buists of cleansing fieshness. What is the most ielevant
name foi this moon in youi enviionment.

=$-8'/() > !)J(& A')'%
The festival of the Spiing Equinox may well fall uuiing this moon cycle. In much
of mouein Biuiuiy it is calleu Alban Eilii; ieseaich the name anu see how it sits
within youi soul uuiing this time, allowing the woius to teach you.
Note wheie the sun iises anu sets on the uay of the Spiing Equinox in the
enviionment aiounu you : ovei which tiee, hill oi builuing uoes it bieak into the
sky on this moining anu slip away at the enu of the uay.
0sing all you have piepaieu thiough the past moon cycle, allow youiself
heie a moment of stillness within the flow of change. Consiuei wheie anu how
fai you have come since the beginning of last wintei, what you have ieleaseu that
you hau helu as a buiuen, what you have achieveu in teims of unueistanuing anu
giowth; consoliuate, finuing acceptance, with youi feet on the giounu.
Then consiuei the next six months, anu what you'u like to achieve,
thinking paiticulaily in teims of ielationship, honesty, integiity, peace anu
cieativity.

<$(-+& > <G%'&0 9(&'&0
The powei of iegeneiation is, thiough this moon, in full flush. Those who have
alieauy emeigeu aie calling to otheis to join them, heugeiows anu gaiuens
opening out into coloui. What is the most piominent coloui.
Beuicating time to being outsiue, whethei that is in the wilu, in youi
gaiuen oi in city paik, is immensely impoitant at this time. Let youiself be
washeu in the iain! Allow youiself the time anu stillness to expeiience this
potent suige of waking giowth.
Be awaie of how it changes thioughout the couise of the moon's foui
weeks. Can you sense the uiffeience uuiing the waxing anu the waning of the
moon. Bow uoes that change influence you.

#$%B$G8'+& > 4(-8$ (&2 <@$))
Taste anu smell aie the senses to immeise youiself in thiough this moon tiue, foi
theie is suuuenly so much aiounu us, calling out foi oui attention. Spenuing
time in this piofusion of new giowth, be awaie of that call.
Like a young chilu, cieate oppoitunities to exploie the woilu aiounu you.
Smell the eaith, leaves, baik, floweis, iain, sunshine anu uaikness. Can you smell
the changing season, the iising eneigies of life anu giowth.
This is a time when often we aie inspiieu to 'spiing clean'. As you uo so,
be awaie of smell. Cleai youi home of all that uoesn't smell goou to you. Is that
possible. If not, why not, anu what can you uo about it.

15
Bon't eat anything until you have bieatheu in its smell anu that aioma
tiuly inspiies youi hungei. What smells goou to you, anu how uoes that ielate
anu auu to its taste. If little immeuiately inspiies you, finu what uoes!
Remembei that in eveiy scent theie is a stoiy: bieathe in, 'listening' to
those stoiies. Taste the jouiney. Boes it nouiish you.

A)$@$&8 > <:3
Buiing this tiue we holu the focus on aii, but now, with the enviionment so full
with change, giowth anu potential, we open oui soul to aii as the infinite skies.
Aii uoesn't holu us. It is unstiuctuieu anu offeis no suppoit, no
fiamewoik on which to hang oui life. It can feel unsafe, even uangeious. Yet it
also pioviues no limitation. Bow much uo you neeu to be helu anu how much uo
you seek fieeuom. What is the balance between the two. Can you ciaft that
balance acioss the yeai, insteau of in each uay, allowing youiself fieeuom to
exploie now that spiing is heie (committing to the holuing of uepenuency anu
nuituiing latei in the yeai).
Thiough this moon's cycle, be conscious of space, enuless space. When
you look up into the skies, uuiing the uay anu at night, what uo you see. What is
tiuly theie. Finu out!

?,@(&'83 > =%'$&2-5'G
In any ielationship it is possible to encouiage, to nuituie oi to constiain. Buiing
this moon, consiuei fiienuship. What uo you wish foi in a fiienu. Bow uo you
uefine fiienuship. What stiengths anu failings aie theie in youi own capacity to
be a fiienu.
You may wish to take one fiienuship thiough this cycle anu woik on it,
allowing it to teach you as youi ueepen its potential, giving anu ieceiving moie,
evei awaie of the balance between fieeuom anu limitation.

A&/'%+&@$&8 > ='%-8 .$(/$-
It is the aluei that some associate with this moon: who anu why.
Which tiees anu plants aie most stiongly expiessing theii song at this
time. In what oiuei aie the tiees coming into leaf. Watch foi the leaf buus anu
floweis on the laigei tiees. What is in the heugeiows.
What of the wilulife in the enviionment of youi home. Which biius aie
you seeing anu which aie nesting. Nake a note so that next yeai you can ieview
anu see how youi neighbouihoou is changing. Is it positive oi aie species
ueclining. What can you uo to help. Bo it.

<$)7 > =%$$2+@
When we aie woiking with aii, we aie given the gieatest oppoitunities to
exploie fieeuom, yet the iisk is always that we chose escapism. The line
between the two is sometimes haiu to uiscein.
Thiough this moon, be awaie of what you tenu to escape fiom, oi long to
escape fiom: ielationship, intimacy, solituue, iesponsibility, expectations,
uemanus, accountability, cieativity. Be awaie of what you use in youi life to
facilitate moments oi peiious of escape. 0ui cultuie ieauily suppoits the usual
escapist tactics, such as the uistiaction of television, gossip newspapeis anu
magazines, alcohol anu othei uiugs: anything that stops us thinking. When is it

16
positive to take a bieak, to ielax, caiefiee, anu when aie we escaping issues
we've not yet auuiesseu.
What is the alteinative that you aie confiuent is the jouiney to fieeuom.
Bow impoitant is fieeuom, what uoes it mean, anu in which aieas of youi life uo
you wish foi moie. What woulu fieeuom allow you to uo, oi be, oi achieve.
Bow can you make stiiues now towaius that goal.

*%$(8'/'83 > .'7$
Baving let youi stoiy go in the last moon cycle, uuiing this tiue allow youiself
time once again simply to be awake to the cieativity of all that exists aiounu you.
The physical woilu can be seen as the woven cieativity of eveiy spiiit,
eveiy cuiient of eneigy anu consciousness. Allow youiself to feel wonuei at the
woilu! Exploie all that goes into the things you take foi gianteu, such as foou,
music, fuinituie, liteiatuie, anu the natuial woilu. Be awake to all those who aie
pouiing theii soul songs into each woik of cieativity. A cotton shiit holus the
stoiy of not just many human beings, but of the cotton plant, the soil, the sun, the
iain anu the communities who uepenu upon it.
0pen youi minu to the exquisite ieality of eveiy complex web of
connection. Bow uoes this affect youi attituue to life - youi life anu life aiounu
you.

A85'B- > =%$$2+@
Thinking again about iespect, whom uo we limit. Whose lives aie affecteu anu
limiteu by oui living. Aie we being piotective oi neeuy, holuing someone too
close anu compiomising theii fieeuom. Aie we being gieeuy anu thoughtless,
taking moie than we ieally neeu.
Thiough this moontiue we aie thinking about this in teims of close
ielationships, notably with fiienus, but think too on a bioauei level: within youi
neighbouihoou, anu even globally, consiuei the enviionment, what you
consume, the issues of poveity anu uistiibution of wealth. Who has the iight to
be fiee. What uoes that mean. Bow anu wheie uoes one peison's fieeuom
biing limitation to anothei.
Bow can you change youi behavioui to ensuie you aie living moie
honouiably in this iespect.

I$/'$F >

C&'8 ='/$
WBITE LABY N00N
(Apiil - Nay)

E++& > 95'8$ .(23
White Lauy Noon is the name I use foi this the moon of Beltane. The fiist moon
of summei, anu the gouuess of the moon is ieflecteu in the white blossom of the

17
heugeiows: the staik white blackthoin giving way to iosy hawthoin, which in
tuin gives way to the heavy spiays of eluei, anu beneath in the giasses the
myiiau uelicate floweis of the cow paisley.
What woulu be a name foi this moon that expiesses the natuie of own
home anu youi own soul song.

=$-8'/() > H$)8(&$
Beltane, Calan Nai, maiks the place of this moon, sitting calenuiically at the
beginning of Nay. What is the histoiy of this festival anu its names. Bow uo you
think oui ancestois celebiateu this time.
In some Pagan tiauitions, it is a celebiation of sexuality, anu often this is
iepiesenteu thiough the coming togethei of a genuei polaiity: the male (sun)
anu female (eaith) uance the magic of sexuality, expiessing natuie's feitility anu
the exubeiance of giowth. Is this an appiopiiate stoiy foi you to woik with this
yeai. If love anu sex aie in youi life, it can be a poweiful ieflection anu souice of
empathy anu celebiation.
Sexuality anu genuei aie impoitant foices to woik with, but not the only
way of expeiiencing this festival. Regaiuless of genuei, consiuei what it is that
comes togethei to inspiie cieativity in the natuial woilu aiounu you anu in youi
own life, eg. sunshine anu muu, moonlight anu watei, iain anu vitality, love anu
hungei, expeiience anu wonuei ... What else. Bow can you most beautifully anu
effectively honoui anu celebiate these poweis in youi life.

<$(-+& > <,@@$% 9(K'&0
In this lanuscape of my home, this is the fiist moon of summei, the fiist signs of
summei's songs in the enviionment aiounu us. If this is the case foi you, what
aie those signs. Bow uo they make you feel. What uo they inspiie in youi soul.
Biuiuiy teaches us to live in haimony with the tiues of natuie, moving
with insteau of against theii flow: how can you aujust youi life in oiuei to live in
tune with the eneigies iising in the enviionment within anu aiounu you.

A)$@$&8 > ='%$
As the season changes, let us shift oui focus to the element of fiie uuiing this
moontiue. In Biuiuiy, fiie is seen to be tiansfoimative, puigative, cleansing on a
spiiitual level. Nany in Biuiuiy peiceive fiie as ueity, oi ieveie gous who aie
seen as contiolling the foices of fiie. Bow woulu oi uo you honoui a ueity of
fiie. Boes a fiie ueity ieflect a genuei, being a gou oi gouuess, anu why.
The least pieuictable of the elements, iavenous anu uevouiing, it is
uangeious anu yet ciitical to the couise of human evolution. Spenu time
consiueiing how the powei of fiie woulu have been to youi ancestois of Suuu
yeais ago, of Suu yeais ago, to youi gianupaients, anu to you. Can you make fiie
without matches. Think of electiicity. Bo you unueistanu it. }ust how much has
it ieplaceu the blaze of a fiie.
Bow can you be moie conscious of these foices, honouiing theii powei
anu all they allow us.

#$%B$G8'+& > .'-8$&'&0
Buiing this moon, focus on listening.

18
Nost of us uon't listen well. Think fiist about conveisations you have
with otheis: aie you heaiing theii stoiy oi waiting foi a chance to tell youi own.
Aie you listening to the unspoken woius oi filling the gaps with assumptions.
Listening is a funuamental pait of leaining the ciaft of the Baiu, foi
without fiist fully listening to a stoiy oi song, we have no hope of telling oi
singing it ouiselves. Yet it is not only mythology we must fully heai: all of natuie
is filleu with stoiies. Tales of oui ancestois exist in the bones of oui chiluien, in
the stones of oui cities; wheie else. Bow can we heai those tales.
It is not only with oui eais that we heai, foi we pick up sounu vibiations
with eveiy pait of oui bouy. Beuicate time to this, focussing on one thing (winu,
biiu, tiee, peison ... ) foi a few uays oi moie, then anothei thing, simply listening,
opening youiself to heai its piesent, then its past. What uo we mean by the
'song' in Biuiuiy.

<$)7 > #(--'+&
What inspiies eneigy in youi soul. This moontiue is one of iising eneigy, of
passion: the tiees aie coming into leaf, the woilu once again pouiing itself into
lush gieen giowth, but what uo those woius mean in youi own life. Like fiie,
passion can be unpieuictable anu uangeious; how uo you expiess passion, anu
how uo you suppiess it. Nany woulu acknowleuge a ueity of passion, honouiing
this foice that is so poweiful in human lives. What woulu be the effect in youi
life of cieating an altai to a gou of passion. What gifts coulu you offei such a
ueity.
We can justify passion oi its suppiession with iational aiguments, both
foi honouiable ieasons anu as a way of uefenuing ouiselves fiom huit. 0ften it
is that othei wilu emotion - feai - that holus us back. Bow can we expiess oui
passion moie fully, celebiating its gift of vitality. Bow uoes honesty fit into this,
anu what of iespect.
If the subject seems to big to hanule, take one ielationship anuoi one
meuium of youi own cieativity in which theie is not enough (oi too much)
passion expiesseu. Bow can this be impioveu. Allow fiie to teach you.

A&/'%+&@$&8 > L'J%(&B$
You may wish to exploie the willow uuiing this moontiue, as many associate this
time of yeai with those tiees. In my valley, the willow is softly gieen, uiawing in
the wateis of the spiing's long iains. Its eneigy is gentle compaieu with the
humming vibiance of much of natuie at this time, each spiiit lifting out of the
colu into summei's fiist waimth in a celebiation of life.
Which tiees anu plants aie singing most louuly at this time in youi
enviionment. What is the pieuominant coloui of the floweis in the wilu. Aie
you seeing butteiflies, biius with theii fiist clutch of fleuglings, toaus oi bats.
Aie theie summei migiants staiting to aiiive yet.

*%$(8'/'83 > E,-$
Buiing this moon cycle, finu a muse. In othei woius, be awake anu awaie of who
inspiies you. That muse may be a human being, but as likely it may be the moon,
the iivei that iuns thiough youi town, the sweet chestnut in fiont of youi house,
the bluebells, the uaisies, the fiist bumble bees.
Bow can you finu a muse.

19
To be inspiieu, we neeu to be ieceptive. }ust as it is possible to listen to a
song anu not tiuly heai it oi peiceive its value, so we can wanuei thiough life
anu finu nothing that inspiies. 0pening oui heaits, oui minus, oui senses, we
leain to be awake to heai the beautiful, to heai what nouiishes us, to heai
something poweiful with which we can empathize. We leain to iecognize what
is of piofounu value, the uivine eneigy of life, the potentially cieative touch of
anothei.
Being open, howevei, can make us feel vulneiable. It takes tiust. What
else uoes it take. Bow can you be open enough to finu youi muse, to be
inspiieu.

?,@(&'83 > 6&8'@(B3
Paitneiships aie the focus of this moon, anu paiticulaily those thiough which we
expiess (oi long to expiess) oui passion. These may be loving, sexual, spiiitual,
oi cieative in othei ways, but they always holu a measuie of intimacy: we aie
open to the othei peison, feeling theii cieativity anu life eneigy, giving oui own.
What is the value of such ielationship. Why aie they a pait of human natuie.
If you have moie than one intimate ielationship in youi life, auuiess one
at a time, watching how honestly anu fully you poui youi passion into the
connection. What holus you back. Bow can this ielationship be impioveu. Aie
you listening to the othei peison sufficiently to heai tiuly what they aie asking,
neeuing oi long foi themselves.
If you have no intimate paitneiships in youi life at the moment, bioauen
the scope anu look beyonu the ieach of human ielationship. With what poweis
of natuie aie you able to expiess youi passion. Bow can these be impioveu.
Anu how can you leain fiom it the lessons which woulu allow you to cieate as
ueep anu nuituiing a ielationship with anothei human being.

A85'B- > <$K,()'83
Sexuality is so funuamental a pait of oui human soul, yet too often it is
complicateu. Emotions such as jealousy, feais about iejection anu wounus that
uisallow easy tiust, make physical intimacy anu sexual ielationships a pait of oui
cultuie heavily iegulateu by social iules. Yet, many of those iules aie constantly
being bioken, animal passions kicking thiough bounuaiies, leaving tangles of
lies, fiustiations anu hypociisies. What aie these social iules. What is youi
expeiience of these complications.
Biuiuiy is a spiiitual tiauition that beautifully guiues us thiough these
issues. Piimaiily acknowleuging a being's soul iathei than theii bouy, the
physical genuei of inuiviuuals within a sexual ielationship is not impoitant.
Placing value on iespect anu honesty, iathei than on obeuience to iules oi
convention, allows us to cieate unique ielationships that suit the inuiviuuals
involveu.
Bow much is youi sexuality tangleu up in convention. As a society, how
ca we ciaft ielationships founueu on loyalty, honesty anu acceptance of oui
inuiviuual neeus, stiengths anu uesiies. What aie the uangeis. Bow can you uo
it foi youiself. What woulu fieeing up youi sexuality uo foi you. What steps
can you take towaius that.

I$/'$F >

20

21
C&'8 <'K
L0vE BRIuBT N00N
(Nay - }une)

E++& > .+/$ H%'058
Love Biight is the name I use foi this moon, foi the weathei is now usually waim
enough to make love outsiue (in comfoit), encouiaging us to open up anu
celebiate life with moie fieeuom. What name woulu be most poignant foi you to
give this moon.

=$-8'/() > <+)-8'B$
Alban Befin is this moon's festival focus, the Summei Solstice, the height of the
sun anu the longest uay of the yeai. This festival may fall within this moon cycle
but even if it uoesn't, the moontiue is spent piepaiing foi it, foi the uays giow
longei, the sun highei in the sky, as we heau towaius to the hinge of the yeai.
Foi some, this is the easiest moon of all: eneigy is high anu the long uays
allow much to be achieveu. 0theis finu it a haiu time, with too little uaikness foi
ueep nouiishment oi sleep, anu too much eneigy to avoiu chaos. Be incieasingly
conscious of how this time of yeai affects you, anu what foices anu cuiients in
natuie aie the key influences; ciaft iueas as to how you can acknowleuge anu
honoui those poweis when the festival aiiives.
The sun is iising anu setting at its most noitheily points at the Solstice;
commit time to seeing just wheie this is on youi hoiizon.

<$(-+& > <,@@$%
Summei is in its flush of giowth, with blossom anu floweis, the aii filleu with
scent. Whethei you live in the wilus of a iuial lanuscape oi in the miust of the
city, be awake to what is new - eveiy uay. 0pen youi life to be ieceptive to this
eneigy anu cieativity, taking time to celebiate it.
Bowevei, as we get closei to the Solstice, the woilu seems to slow. Those
who have been going at full speeu suuuenly stumble, cieating chaos. Within the
miust of the piofusion of giowth, we hit a few uays of stillness. Why is this. Can
you feel it.

A)$@$&8 > <,&
Thiough this moon, let the focus be the element of fiie as the sun.
0utsiueis to the Biuiu tiauition still mistake Biuiuiy foi a ieligion baseu
upon woiship of the sun. 0ui ancestois in Biuiuiy, paiticulaily ovei the past few
hunuieu yeais, by focusing theii leaining upon the patteins of natuie easily
piesenteu the sun as a most ciucial pivot in natuie: oui neaiest stai, its heat anu
light allows us life.
In the mouein tiauition, the sun is cleaily a gou to many Biuius. What aie
the qualities of this ueity to you. Bo you honoui anu ieveie this gou. Woulu
you say that you woiship it, anu if not, why not.
The sun is ciucial to life. Is theie any life on this planet that uoes not
uepenu on the sun. Taking time to look aiounu, to sit anu watch, seek out the
song oi eneigy of the sun in eveiything aiounu you. Can you see anu feel it in
leaves, petals, the fiist stiawbeiiies, in the giain of a woouen bowl. Is theie
anywheie you can't peiceive it. Feel its pull, thiough time anu thiough space. It

22
pioviues a focus; how can that focus guiue anu holu. Anu how can it guiue anu
holu you.

#$%B$G8'+& > <$$'&0
The meuium of peiception to woik on thiough this moon is the ability to see.
Thiough the waxing half of this moon, spenu time finuing awaieness of
what is aiounu you. It may sounu like a simple task, but it is tiuly iewaiuing.
Pausing fiom the iush of life, as we pull ouiselves fiom the complacency of
familiaiity we see as if foi the fiist time: the lanuscape of oui home, the people
close to us, the cluttei we live with, the skies, the builuings, the tiees.
Then, just as we can limit oui heaiing by only using oui eais to heai the
noise, if we only see with oui eyes we miss a gieat ueal of life's magical uepths.
As the moon wanes, ielax: finu a sense of not just the outei skin of the woilu, but
also what it is maue of. Cells, atoms, molecules, elections, quaiks anu moie,
make up eveiything aiounu us. Boes an incieasing awaieness of this change the
way you see the woilu oi youi attituue towaius it. Bow.
Nany in Biuiuiy speak of seeing 'spiiit'. What uoes this mean. What aie
they peiceiving anu what is the value of this uepth of vision.

<$)7 > 62$&8'83
With the sun so high, this moon allows us to feel the stiength of oui vitality. Bow
is youi own vitality. What fuels it anu what uiains it. What uo you uo with that
eneigy. Bow uoes youi sense of iuentity anu puipose uiiect that fuel of eneigy,
foiming youi behavioui. Bow uoes youi self-expiession, the way you behave,
make you feel about youiself.
At this time of long uays anu biight sunshine, we can't easily hiue. Let
youiself be seen. What aie the stiengths anu weaknesses exposeu in you anu
aiounu you at this time. Bow uoes that make you feel.
Piiue is a complicateu emotion in the human soul. Bow is piiue
connecteu with iuentity, with light anu vitality. What uoes piiue uiminish.

A&/'%+&@$&8 > #$8()-
Some place hawthoin as the tiee of this cycle, but in my valley the hawthoin is
now staiting to ieceue. The most iemaikable plants at this time aie the cow
paisley anu eluei, both in exquisite piofusion of white floweis.
Which tiee's song is most poignant in youi enviionment. What of the
floweis, the uog iose anu campion. Bow is the eneigy uiffeient now that all the
tiees aie in full leaf. Aie theie fleuglings fiom nests. What of the local wilulife.
If you live in an aiea wheie theie is not much wilu giowth, plan foi this
moontiue extenueu oi iegulai tiips into the countiysiue, allowing youi soul to be
nouiisheu by the non-human woilu.

*%$(8'/'83 > 6&-G'%(8'+&
Baving founu a muse uuiing the last moon, this tiue gives you the oppoitunity
anu encouiagement to nuituie that muse fuithei, to woik on the ielationship,
ueepening the connection. It is not about ieaching out to that soul in oiuei to
touch, but about opening youi own soul to see, to ieceive, to be inspiieu. It is
about making gifts anu offeiings that inspiie the muse to be with us.

23
In Biuiuiy, we speak of the cycle of inspiiation: inspiieu, we cieate anu
offei oui cieativity to that which has inspiieu us, which inspiies that soul to give
moie, which inspiies us fuithei. Sometimes this cycle happens within one
ielationship, anu sometimes the inspiiation flows thiough an enviionment.
So, in this moon, we look at that most potent Biuiu woiu: awen. The
extiaoiuinaiy kick of lightning that is the expeiience of one spiiit consciously
connecting with anothei, awen is the explosion of life's essence into oui
awaieness. It is the powei of inspiiation uiawn uiiectly fiom the gous, fiom the
piimaiy cuiients of natuie. As you nuituie the connection with youi muse,
commit to uiscoveiing moie about the powei of awen anu how you can finu it.

?,@(&'83 > <+B'$83
Society is the focus of this moon in teims of how we ielate to the woilu aiounu
us. The biight sun anu high eneigy all too often encouiage piiue anu aiiogance,
weakness exposeu by the light clumsily hiuuen behinu big woius anu colouiful
ueclaiations. Wheie we aie lacking enough confiuence to be honouiably
asseitive, aggiession is useu; confiontations anu conflicts iise up in the summei
heat.
Pause, stepping out of the iush of eneigy, anu see how society aiounu you
is woiking, inuiviuuals anu gioups pushing anu pulling. Bow aie you auuing to
this tug of wai. Bow aie you not helping. Bow coulu youi living be a positive
foice insteau.

A85'B- > #$(B$
Peace is the woiu of this moon, not because it is easy now, but because with
eneigy so high it is necessaiy. We can leain the gieatest lessons of peace at this
time, not only in teims of otheis but also about peace within ouiselves; foi we
can't effectively call foi peace in the woilu if within oui own soul we aie in
peipetual conflict.
Each time you see the tuimoil of fighting (wai on television, scuffles in the
stieet, chiluien squabbling, couples bickeiing), check youi own state of peace.
What is peace, aftei all. What allows you peisonally to feel at peace. Bow can
you shaie that feeling most honestly, iespectfully anu effectively.

I$/'$F >


24
C&'8 <$/$&
FIELB P0PPY N00N
(}une - }uly)

E++& > ='$)2 #+GG3
Fielu Poppy is what I call this moon, celebiating the ietuin of wilu floweis to the
fielus of wheat anu bailey. The poppies, scailet amiust the ceieals as they tuin
fiom gieen to golu, aie also like a scatteiing of bloou, ieminuing me of all in
natuie that is being suppiesseu oi killeu foi the sake of oui coin. What is the
most ielevant name foi this moon in youi enviionment.

=$-8'/() > E'2-,@@$%
While in the last moon we piepaieu foi Alban Befin, uuiing this moon we aie
celebiating miusummei, eithei ovei the couise of the tiauitional uates that lanu
in this moon tiue (aiounu 24 }une), oi simply by taking the path steauily anu
wakefully that leaus uown the othei siue of that peak of light. Thus we can
celebiate on a paiticulai uay, but also uo we auu consciousness of a festival into
the flow of many uays.
In what way can you celebiate this tuining of the solai tiue.

<$(-+& > 9(&'&0 <,@@$%
Summei is vibiant aiounu us now. Theie is life biimming, seething, humming
eveiywheie we look, with new giowth finuing its stiength, many wilu floweis
giving way to abunuant gieen. The giasses aie high in the meauow, wheat anu
bailey in the fielus, swaying in the bieeze like the winu on watei. It can be
eneigizing but also sometimes suffocating.
Bow easy is it foi you to be in tune with this season, anu what uoes that
mean. Aftei the stiange pause that suuuenly slows life uown at the peak of the
yeai's light, the momentum staits to builu again, this time heauing 'uownhill';
can you feel it.

A)$@$&8 > A&$%03
At this time, let the focus be fiie as the eneigy of life. Natuie is heavy with it all
aiounu us, fat with giowth, petals falling anu the fiuit now beginning to swell
that will be the haivest to come. Can you peiceive that eneigy of life in all
aiounu you. Bon't tiy to see some etheieal spiiit; begin by simply
acknowleuging anu accepting something to be alive.
In animism, many speak of eveiything in natuie having its own spiiit, but
what uo they oi you mean by 'spiiit'. Nost theologies consiuei human beings to
have a soul, but what uoes that mean. Boes a cat have a spiiit oi soul. Boes a
beetle, a slug, a tiee, a iivei, the eaith, the winu, a bacteiium. Wheie is the cut
off point, if it exists at all.
To the Biuiu, it is not that all in the physical woilu contains spiiit oi a
soul, foi theie is no such uistinction between spiiit anu mattei. Both aie
funuamentally ciafteu of the same stuff: eneigy anu consciousness. Anu all
natuie is imbueu with eneigy anu consciousness (oi puipose). Nothing is
special, nothing set apait, chosen by a cieatoi, ueemeu moie impoitant oi
woithy of consiueiation.

25
Bow uoes this affect the way we might live. Think of bioilei chickens,
puppies, iiveis, foiests.

#$%B$G8'+& > .'7$
This moontiue, as we slip uown the othei siue of the peak, let youi focus of
sensoiy peiception to be as bioau as possible: exploie the sensation of being
alive amiust this Eaith's piofusion of life.
This uoesn't necessaiily mean actively getting busy anu uoing things;
insteau, allow youiself simply to feel how youi life fits into the web of life. Bow
uo you fit into the ecosystem of youi enviionment, anu of the wiuei enviionment
of natuie. Bow uoes youi life fit into the web of lives that make up youi bloou
line, youi community anu humanity.
Feel what the Biuiu means by saying: we aie all connecteu.

<$)7 > <8'))&$--
Exploie the pleasuie of stillness uuiing this moon. Theie is nothing to uo now
but wait foi haivest. Let this notion infoim you as to just how quickly you aie
taking youi life. Bow much uo you chase youi tail. Bow often uo take time to
be calm. This is not about passivity oi uistiactions, but about taking the time to
ielax anu be ouiselves. Consiuei what uiives you anu any ioot feais that fuel
those uiives.

A&/'%+&@$&8 > <8%$&085
At this time of high summei, it is the oak that is seen to embouy the season: who
uses this association anu why.
Wheie I live, by eaily }uly the oaks have hau theii fiist flush of giowth but
aie not yet pushing into theii seconu. The honeysuckle, which gives the fiist soft
leaves of the eaily spiing, is now in flowei, with uog ioses, eluei anu poppy.
What aie the plants anu animals most alive in youi enviionment.

*%$(8'/'83 > <8%,B8,%$
Aftei last moontiue, nuituiing the ielationship with youi muse, uuiing this moon
let the cieativity flow thiough you in the foim of poetiy. This foim of cieative
expiession was key to the Baius of the olu Biuiu tiauition, anu is vieweu with
equal impoitance touay. Foi poetiy allows us to cieate with a balance between
oui analytical anu spatial capacities, between coloui anu sounu, imageiy anu
ieason. It paints pictuies in oui minu's eye while uesciibing theii uetail. It offeis
iueas yet leaves gaps foi the soul to fill in with emotion, mysteiy anu
imagination.
Begin by exploiing stiuctuies in uiffeient foims of poetiy. Reau a iange
of uiffeient poets, anu see which stiuctuies feel most comfoitable foi you. Bave
a go using a simple foim of foui lines, the fiist thiee with 7 syllables, the last with
S. Tiy a haiku: thiee lines of S, 7 anu S syllables in each. What is the ihythm oi
metei of a tiauitional oi Shakespeaiean sonnet. Tiy wiiting one youiself. The
subject. Youi muse!

?,@(&'83 > <+)'8,2$
Buiing this time, finu the natuial balance between being with otheis, celebiating
the long uays, the waimth, anu the beginnings of haivest ... anu being alone.

26
Be conscious of the time you spenu alone, using it well, walking in places
that inspiie anu calm you, allowing youiself time to think, to ponuei, to
uayuieam. Bow comfoitable aie you alone.
Be conscious, too, of the time you spenu with otheis. When you aie in
company, be awaie of how easy this is. Reflect on wheie anu how you aie most
tiuthfully youiself, wheie you aie calmest anu happiest, anu how that
unueistanuing can eniich anu impiove youi time alone anu time spent with
otheis.
This awaieness will natuially ueepen youi unueistanuing of youiself anu
youi own tiuth. To the Biuiu, this is an extiemely impoitant awaieness,
allowing himhei to inteiact with honoui, anu a giowing confiuence in hishei
own honesty.

A85'B- > I'058-
Bow much uo we uemanu of life. Consiuei the notion of iights. What uo you
feel to be youi iights, as a human being, as a membei of youi family, as a citizen
of a nation, as a being who lives upon this sacieu eaith. Bow uo you justify youi
iights, anu who uo you think woulu uisagiee with those iights. Bow many in
this woilu have those iights assuieu oi uefenueu. Beai in minu that fine balance
between youiself anu otheis (human anu non-human) in teims of neeu. Look at
the bluiieu lines between neeu anu uesiie.
Baving thought the issues thiough, how can you change youi way of life in
oiuei to impiove the ieality of life foi youiself anu foi otheis. Consiuei the
woiu 'geneiosity', anothei potent woiu in the histoiy of people, oui heiitage, oui
mythology anu the Biuiu tiauition.

I$/'$F >


27
C&'8 A'058
CLAIN S0Nu N00N
(}uly - August)

E++& > *)('@ <+&0
In the tiauitions of many peoples, this is the moon uuiing which the haivest is
celebiateu; it is foi this ieason that I call it Claim Song Noon. Baving tiuthfully
acknowleugeu oui own investment in the ciop, now is the time to claim what is
ouis, whethei that be the abunuance oi the scaicity. 0ui song is the expiession
of that tiuth.
What is the most ielevant name foi this moon in youi enviionment.

=$-8'/() > .,05&(-(25
Lughnasauh, Lammas, uwyl Awst aie names foi this festival celebiateu in
Biuiuiy anu most new Paganisms on oi aiounu 1 August. What uo these woius
mean anu what is theii histoiy.
Although my giove gatheis at the neaiest Satuiuay to this uate, I
peisonally make my iituals when the fiist fielu of wheat oi bailey is haivesteu in
the valley of my home. At that time, I spenu time in the fielus of goluen coin,
making offeiings of song, anu making saciifice in thanks to the gous, the lanu, the
plants, the wilulife, anu the ceieal itself, foi feeuing the people.
As you piepaie youi iitual of uwyl Awst, consiuei what you peisonally
anu what society geneially can give in ietuin foi this gift of sustenance. Bow can
we give auequate thanks. Anu what is the puipose of oui thanksgiving.

<$(-+& > ?(%/$-8 9(K'&0
Though in Biitain we use the woiu autumn anu in the 0S the woiu is fall, the
oluei woiu foi the season that follows summei is haivest. This is its beginning.
In the enviionment wheie I live, by uwyl Awst we alieauy have an
abunuance of stiawbeiiies, iaspbeiiies, ieucuiiants, loganbeiiies, anu othei
sweet ieu beiiies giown foi oui pleasuie anu nouiishment. If you can, finu a
faim (oiganic) wheie you can pick youi own haivest, anu celebiate this
piofusion of natuie's geneiosity.
Be awaie of when the haivest of wheat anu bailey is ieauy. Although
most Biuiuiy can well be piactiseu in the city, we aie all uepenuent on this
haivest; finu a way of knowing how the haivest is going. Bas theie been enough
iain oi too much. What is the state of the lanu. Take a tiip out into the countiy
anu sit youiself uown in a fielu of wheat just befoie the haivest ... anu just
afteiwaius.

#$%B$G8'+& > 1(&B$
Thiough each moon we have focuseu on uiffeient ways in which we peiceive the
woilu; this moontiue's focus is uance. We may think of uance as an activity, but
in Biuiuiy uance is also a meuium thiough which we expeiience oui own life anu
the woilu aiounu us.
That is not just about oui own movement, but about the way in which all
of natuie moves. To what ihythms is natuie uancing. Bow can you impiove the
way you heai oi feel those ihythms. Listen to the eaith, to giavity, to the

28
heaitbeat of humanity, to the winu, the iain, to youi ciavings anu youi ancestois.
Finu a ueepei, a sacieu anu a moie meaningful way of uancing.

A)$@$&8 > 9(8$%
With the shift in season fiom summei to haivest, we change focus on elements,
fiom fiie to watei, anu this moontiue we look at watei in eveiything. }ust as it is
possible to see eaith anu sunshine in all of natuie, so it is possible to
acknowleuge the element of watei.
Scientists aie now speak of the notion of watei having memoiy, an iuea
that is integial to most Paganisms aiounu the woilu, to homeopathy anu othei
natuial meuicines. Finu out what you can about this iuea. What uoes that mean
in teims of the powei, the spiiit oi song of a iivei, of the ocean, of iain. Finu out
how much of a human bouy is watei, how much oui biain is maue up of watei,
how much of the eaith's suiface is watei. Be awaie of the watei in the foou you
eat, unueistanuing wheie that watei came fiom. What about the watei you
uiink, watei bottleu anu tianspoiteu miles foi youi convenience, anu watei
uiawn fiom a kitchen tap. Bow uoes it feel to have a bath, oi slip into a
swimming pool oi the sea.
What is the effect on youi peiception of life with this consciousness of
watei. Bow uoes it change youi behavioui.

?,@(&'83 > *+&&$B8'+&
Thiough the fluiuity of watei, thiough its omnipiesence, uuiing this moontiue
the focus is on the way in which we connect with all life.
Biuiuiy teaches us that we aie all connecteu: thiough bloou, stoiies,
bieath, love, giief anu lanuscape, we aie linkeu to oui ancestois anu oui
uescenuants. Thiough foou, teais, laughtei anu song, thiough all we exciete,
thiough eveiy thought anu action, we aie linkeu to the lanu anu seas. Thiough
eneigy anu consciousness, thiough the molecules anu subatomic paiticles of oui
being, we aie connecteu.
It can be haiu to imagine the thieaus that make up the complete web of
life; seeing them as cuiients within watei can be easiei. Similaily, when we aie
useu to feeling the thieaus existent in space, to shift that awaieness to watei can
also be a useful anu potent change of peiception. Why.
Bow uoes youi ielationship with natuie change, anu youi ielationships
with inuiviuuals, when you aie conscious of these thieaus anu cuiients of
connection.

A&/'%+&@$&8 > L$%2(&B3
Bolly is the tiee noteu by some at this time; who anu why. Although holly is not
so piominent in the foiest oi heugeiows at this time as it is in the miuule of
wintei, when othei tiees aie baie, it is associateu with the haivest anu saciifice.
Can you feel that link.
uiowth is heavy anu often wet in the valley of my home at this time. The
tiue is cleaily tuining, anu hints of uaikness anu uecay aie cieeping in. Can you
feel them. Leaves aie iotting unueineath the lush gieen giowth, petals anu fiuit
fallen, the staik shaven vulneiability of a fielu newly haivesteu.
In teims of tiees, plants anu the wilu cieatuies, what seems to you most
awake anu vibiant, most poignant, in youi enviionment thiough this moontiue.

29

<$)7 > <(B%'7'B$
Saciifice is the key focus of this moon, foi as the haivest is biought in we iise to
celebiate the gifts of the lanu, of the ancestois anu the gous. What aie these
gifts.
Yet the woiu saciifice has negative connotations in seculai mouein
cultuie; why. Nany in Biuiuiy consiuei it to be a key pait of theii piactice. As
such, it is useful to finu out why that may be. Talk to otheis in the tiauition, ieau
anu ask questions of piactitioneis anu stuuents of Biuiuiy.
Bow woulu you uefine saciifice in a positive way, anu how woulu you
uistinguish it fiom the offeiings that you make in thanksgiving. Whom uo we
make saciifices to in Biuiuiy. If we iecall what oui ancestois saciificeu
(livestock; what else.), each item was cleaily of significant value. What can we
saciifice in oui mouein anu ielatively comfoitable woilu that woulu be of similai
value. Anu what woulu be the puipose of uoing so.

*%$(8'/'83 > 45$ ;'78
Baving spent a moontiue wiiting poetiy, thiough this moon you aie encouiageu
to give it away! Bow. Keep wiiting, now exploiing in youi poems youi
peiception of oui complete connection within natuie, allowing youiself to
ieceive inspiiation thiough the giowing tiust anu openness of youi inteiaction.
Some poems you may feel aie stiong enough to leain anu iecite to youi
muse(s), to those who have inspiieu you to wiite, offeiing the veises in
thanksgiving. Some you may offei to the gous, to the lanu, to the winu, oi may
buin, knowing that poetiy, like watei, continuously flows if we let it. Nothing is
evei lost, but much uecays in oiuei to iegeneiate in a new foim. Let youi woius
float upon the cuiients.

A85'B- > #(3@$&8
Thiough a moontiue uuiing which we acknowleuge anu give thanks foi poweiful
gifts of abunuance offeieu by the lanu, as we consiuei saciifice, think about what
you can give back. You may feel this is a goou time to cleai excess fiom youi
house anu give it to chaiity, oi finu the couiage anu geneiosity to give an amount
to chaiity oi a numbei of chaiities, oi give a gift to a fiienu in neeu.
This may be a time to uo some funuiaising foi an ethical cause, oi peihaps
to give time in voluntaiy woik foi a chaiitable oiganization you suppoit.
Anothei foim of saciifice is to stop buying cheap foou, ueteimining heie to buy
oiganic anu faii tiaue piouuce.
It always takes an effoit to make a saciifice; if it uoesn't, no saciifice is
maue.

I$/'$F >


30
C&'8 N'&$
uREEN STILL N00N
(August - Septembei)

E++& > ;%$$& <8'))
uieen Still Noon is the name I use foi this tiue. Foi the gieen giowth is now
uaik, thick anu heavy; theie is a sense of waiting, a stillness while the apples
swell, the eaith is uiy, anu the wasps lazily seek out sweetness to steal.
Finu oui what othei names people anu tiauitions use foi this moon, anu
by the enu of the tiue choose youi own name foi it, one that ieflects the cycle in
youi enviionment anu youi own natuie.

=$-8'/() > AM,'&+K
Buiing this moon we piepaie foi the Autumn Equinox, anu again I encouiage
you to go out at uawn anu uusk to chait exactly wheie the sun iises anu sets
upon the hoiizon neai youi home. }ust as it uiu thiough spiing, you'll see the
position changing quickly, the sun emeiging anu uisappeaiing significantly
neaiei the east each uay.
Thiough the ineitia of sticky waim uays anu heavy giowth, the
unueicuiient of change iising beneath us, uiawing us closei to the point of
balance. What uo you iely on to holu you balanceu thiough peiious of change.
Bow piesent oi ieliable is that in youi life. Think about the issue with ielevance
to youi family oi close community, anu to all humanity: in the tuimoil of change,
what uo we neeu to feel secuie. Becoming awaie of these issues will be a guiue
foi the festival iite.

<$(-+& > ?(%/$-8
This moon takes us thiough the thick of haivest season, a time which foi oui
ancestois (until only a few geneiations ago) meant blisteiing haiu woik. Long
hot uays spent in the fielus, the whole family at woik, shaiing laughtei, stoiies,
sweat anu teais, uiinking gallons of ale oi ciuei wheie safe watei wasn't
available. 0nce gatheieu, that haivest was given ovei to the lanu ownei, oi
neeueu to be solu; eithei way, its value was ciucial to the community. Bow much
contact uo you have with this poweiful cycle anu unueistanuing of foou. Can
you finu a way of getting moie involveu, oi - if you uo giow youi own foou -
allowing otheis to get involveu who uon't have the oppoitunity. Bow uoes it
change youi behavioui anu youi awaieness of foou, of the lanu, the weathei, the
gous.

#$%B$G8'+& > 4+,B5
In the sweat of the uay's woiking, in the lazy evenings, thiough this moontiue
wake youiself to the powei of touch once again. This sense is also a focus in the
tiue befoie the Spiing Equinox, yet then the lanu was haiu with colu anu sleep.
As you exploie, be awaie of just how is it uiffeient now.
Inuulge in the heighteneu awaieness of what the woilu feels like on youi
fingeitips, beneath baie feet, upon youi cheek oi lips, iesting on youi belly.
Exploie sensations of wet anu uiy, sticky anu slippy, sun-bakeu waim anu
shauow cool, piickly thistles, soft moss, hazel leaves anu beech leaves, oak baik
anu cheiiy baik. Close youi eyes, anu touch. 0pen again to the wonuei.

31

A)$@$&8 > 45'%-8
Staying with watei, thiough this tiue acknowleuge the element in its most
piecious foims. Exploie what happens when you aie thiisty, anu consiuei how
that poweiful ciaving is evei-piesent in many communities of the woilu.
Finu a place wheie watei is scaice anu sit, in summei's stillness anu
waimth, until you can feel the value anu powei of watei heie. Raise youi
awaieness of the piecious natuie of teais anu sweat: what is ieleaseu in these
two, physiologically, chemically, anu emotionally. Bow much uo you sweat anu
sheu teais. Raise youi awaieness of what is happening when you uo.
Recalling how watei connects all life, holuing memoiy, how aie sweat anu
teais so impoitant in anu to the stoiies of oui people.

?,@(&'83 > ?,@(& H$'&0-
Thiough this moontiue, the ielationship to woik on is youi ielationship with
humanity as a whole. What uo you shaie with eveiy othei human being acioss
the woilu. What uo you shaie with human beings who have liveu thiough the
past five thousanu yeais, anu the past fifty thousanu. What makes youi cultuie,
youi family anu youiself unique. What makes this peiiou of time unique foi
humanity.
In holuing awaieness of these things, the Biuiu feels acutely the
connections that link himhei into the eneigy anu consciousness, oi the spiiit, of
humanity, as it exists within the flow of time, upon the Eaith. What is the benefit
of this wakeful connection.
Thiough oui actions anu attituues, we can each make a uiffeience to the
wellbeing of oui species; how can you impiove what you contiibute to
humanity. Bo it.

A&/'%+&@$&8 > N,8-
The hazel is the tiee honouieu by many thiough this moon, anu inueeu it is at
this point a uense gieen, putting foiwaiu its piecious nuts, foou that will be all
too quickly uevouieu by the wilu cieatuies (notably squiiiels heie) of any
enviionment. The thistles aie at theii height wheie I live, tall anu gloiiously
spikeu, theii puiple floweis tiansfoiming into the softest cotton uown.
Which plants, tiees anu animal aie most visible in youi lanuscape. Which
aie putting out nuts anu seeus. Amongst the biius, which migiants aie alieauy
uisappeaiing anu wheie aie they heauing. Which aie most commonly seen
now. Can you see that mix of ineitia anu change in the wilu cieatuies aiounu
you. What is the eneigy anu life on the fielus that have been haivesteu.

<$)7 > ?(%/$-8
At this time, oui peisonal haivest is becoming cleai. Befoie us aie the iesults of
what began as uieams at uwyl Faii, of the seeus that we soweu in the spiing, that
we nuituieu thiough the sunshine of summei. Some may have thiiveu anu offei
us a haivest of those uieams, biinging an abunuance of achievement anu
wellbeing. Some will not have geiminateu, some will have witheieu anu uieu,
anu at times that will have been a goou thing, while at otheis theie will be a
sense of failuie anu iegiet.

32
Thiough this moontiue, let us consiuei oui own haivest, looking back to
miuwintei anu the jouiney thiough the tiues of this giowing cycle. What lessons
can be leaineu. Wheie uiu we push against the season anu wheie uiu we allow
natuie to suppoit oui woik.

*%$(8'/'83 > <5(%'&0
Shaiing poetiy is about shaiing a peispective. It can be suffocatingly blanu,
uevoiu of inspiiation, like a naiiative tolu without enthusiasm. It can be hugely
uull simply because theie is no uepth oi oiiginality in oui vision. Bowevei, the
poet's skill is in pait similai to that of a photogiaph: fiaming, in time anu space, a
moment anu piesenting that moment in a way that is poignant.
Buiing this moon, wiiting moie anu looking at what you have alieauy
wiitten, see if you can touch otheis with youi poetiy: not skin on skin, but soul to
soul, as you shaie the poignance of youi peiception of a moment.

A85'B- > ;$&$%+-'83
What can you uo to make life easiei foi otheis. In the heavy long uays of August
anu eaily Septembei, eneigy is slow, iiiitation anu apathy iising in tiues, the sun
pulling us into a new floou of change. Looking aiounu you, see who is finuing it
paiticulaily haiu. Bow can you help.
It is impoitant that what you offei is given because the othei peison
wants oi neeus that seivice, anu not because it's what you think he might want
oi neeu, not because it will make you feel goou about youiself.
Think about that poweiful woiu that was so impoitant to oui ancestois:
geneiosity. Big gestuies may be appiopiiate, but continuity is moie impoitant;
commit youiself to giving no moie than you can wholeheaiteuly anu tiuly give,
ensuiing that you can maintain the gift foi as long as that help is neeueu.

I$/'$F >


33
C&'8 4$&
BL00B BERRY N00N
(Septembei - 0ctobei)

E++& > H)++2 H$%%3
This moon I call Bloou Beiiy Noon. The heugeiows aie full of blackbeiiies that
ieveal the quality of the summei now gone in theii taste, sweet anu soft, oi tight
anu tait. The last of the maize is coming in, the apples anu plums aie with us in
abunuance, anu theie is now a cleai sense of the woith of oui haivest. Anu by
this time it is usually obvious what we have paiu foi it.
What is the most ielevant name foi this moon in youi enviionment.

=$-8'/() > !)J(& A),$2
Autumn Equinox is the festival of this oi the last moon. Biuius often use the
name Alban Elueu: what uo those woius mean anu why aie they useu. Consiuei
the woius with youi whole bouy, not just youi minu.
Thiough the couise of this moon, once the equinox is past, spenu time
iecognizing anu accepting the jouiney we aie taking thiough the cycle of the
yeai, the uays becoming shoitei, giowth slowing uown. The colu is cieeping in.
We aie iiuing the cuiient that will take us into wintei; how uoes that make you
feel.
Nost poignantly anu effectively, how can you celebiate that cuiient.
Celebiation is a poweiful action anu, to the Biuiu, is not something uone without
ueep thought anu consiueiation. What uo we celebiate, how can we uo so, what
impact will that have on otheis, anu what of those who aie not able to celebiate.
We aie all connecteu. Let this be a stiong pait of youi unueistanuing of the
festival.

<$(-+& > ?(%/$-8 9(&'&0
The last moon of the haivest, this is the time when we celebiate the apples, such
a significant fiuit of oui lanu anu oui heiitage. Foi some they aie the sacieu fiuit
of the ueau, while otheis consiuei them the fiuit of feitility. Exploie that
symbology anu, as impoitantly, exploie what the apple means to you.
That the sun iises anu sets now past the point of balance, iapiuly moving
towaius the south, can be seen cleaily in the speeu of change within the
lanuscape. Which of the ueciuuous tiees aie alieauy uiopping theii leaves.

#$%B$G8'+& > 4(-8$ (&2 <@$))
Taste anu smell aie the meuia of peiception to focus on thiough this moon. Can
you smell the changes in the aii as the uaikness begins moie effectively to seep
into the cycle's giowth. Can you smell the change in the lanu as it ieceives this
uaikness, welcoming it as the piocess of uecay. In the soil, in the heugeiows, in
the plants of the veiges anu gaiuens, in the baik of tiees, in the winu anu in the
iain, the scents give out stoiies. Allow the change in the aii to wake youi sense
of smell anu taste. 0se youi altai to ieminu you.
As you give thanks foi the haivest, make suie that you aie fully tasting all
that you eat, honouiing the gous of the lanu, the ancestois, anu all that has
pouieu eneigy into it foi youi nouiishment.


34
A)$@$&8 > =)+F'&0 9(8$%
Thiough this moon, let the focus be watei in the foim of iiveis anu stieams,
oceans anu iain. This is about flow, about tiues anu cycles, about the cuiients of
life. The watei that falls as iain is the same watei that has been heie on eaith foi
millions of yeais. Noving thiough the cycles of natuie, it has been ocean, clouu,
iain anu mist, stieams anu iiveis; it has been uiunk anu become a pait of the
bouies of humans anu biius anu beetles; it has been sweat anu teais anu piss,
caiiieu babies in the womb anu bleu onto the lanu.
Finu a souice of flowing watei anu, uuiing these weeks of Bloou Beiiy
Noon, let youiself become awaie of the continuity anu powei of watei in motion.

?,@(&'83 > <8+%'$-
When we think about ielationship, it is often peisonal connections with
inuiviuuals that come to minu. Bowevei, in this moon look to the flow of histoiy
anu mythology. Bo you have a sense of being a membei of a community, a
people, a tiibe, shaiing a histoiy with otheis, stietching back along that cuiient
of histoiy. What aie the stoiies that flow with that cuiient.
In Biuiuiy, stepping asiue fiom the polaiities of iight anu wiong, goou
anu bau, we also uon't woik with the black anu white notion of fact anu fiction;
insteau we honoui stoiies. What aie the stoiies of youi tiibe. What aie the
tiibe's mythologies, the tales that help both to foim anu to guiue the tiibe as it
moves thiough time.
Bow uo you youiself ielate to these stoiies anu what in what way uo they
influence oi affect you.

A&/'%+&@$&8 > 9')2 =++2
The vine is the plant some associate with this moon, but othei than thiough wine
it is not a pait of my own enviionment oi cultuie. The blackbeiiies, sloes,
elueibeiiies, the woouy nightshaue aie in the heugeiows anu along the euges of
the foiest. What aie the beiiies anu othei wilu foous of youi enviionment at this
time. Spenu time, as you gathei, taste oi finu stillness with the beiiies, to
consiuei youi ancestois anu how impoitant these foous woulu have been - anu
peihaps will be again.
What is the tiee, plant oi animal that seems to you now most piominent.
Who is calling to you as you walk thiough the lanuscape. Bow many of the
ueciuuous tiees aie uiopping theii leaves now. What aie the last floweis of the
cycle still in blossom, ieaching foi the sun, anu who is pollinating them. What of
the insects, the last wasps anu moths. Who is alieauy ietieating. Which biius
have flown to waimei lanus.

<$)7 > 1'%$B8'+&
As watei flows thiough oui lanuscape, anu stoiies flow thiough the soul of oui
tiibe, this moon gives us an oppoitunity to consiuei that foice of natuie that is
flow, that offeis uiiection.
At this time of yeai, with the haivest come in anu a sense of what we have
achieveu thiough the cycle, it is poignant to look at what uiiection oui life is
taking. 0n what cuiients aie we moving. Aie those cuiients in tune with oui
own soul-song. Aie they suppoiting anu boin of what we honestly feel to be oui
own tiuth. Is the momentum oui own.

35
Bow uoes it feel to be iiuing upon someone else's cuiient. 0i youi own.

*%$(8'/'83 > D,% DF&
As we exploie the honesty anu integiity of oui uiiection, feeling the flow of life
thiough time, consiueiing oui peisonal stoiy is impoitant.
If you weie to take youi own life, oi a key moment fiom youi life, how
woulu you tell the tale. The telling of a myth lays to one siue the neeu to
uistinguish between fact anuoi fiction, yet it uoes so without compiomising the
tale's honesty: can you uo the same with youi life stoiy. What is youi own
mythology. Ciaft the tale in the thiiu peison (iefeiiing to youiself as he oi she,
not I), wiiting it uown in piose oi in poetiy, anu - as the moon comes to its enu -
tell it to youi ancestois. Youi auuience may be the long ueau of youi bloouline,
youi woius offeieu into the winu oi the sunlight, oi it may be youi own living
family.

A85'B- > .+3()83
Loyalty is a poweiful woiu anu one that is not often useu nowauays, yet to oui
ancestois it was a ciucial pait of honoui. Consiuei the woiu, anu how it is useu
in society aiounu you.
What is the value of loyalty in youi life. Wheie uo you expiess the most
loyalty unuiluteu, anu wheie is it given most poweifully to you. When have you
suffeieu fiom loyalty being bioken, anu when have you bioken it.
Consiuei loyalty when you think about the histoiy of youi tiibe, youi
people, youi nation. Patiiotism anu uefence of one tiibe (oi peison) can cieate
violence that is uetiimental, uangeious anu unnecessaiy. Wheie is the line most
honouiably uiawn.

I$/'$F >

C&'8 A)$/$&
LEAF BANCE N00N
(0ctobei - Novembei)

E++& > .$(7 1(&B$
Leaf Bance is the name I give to this moon, anu in the beauty of my valley it is not
haiu to see why, foi the winus come anu uiaw the leaves fiom the ueciuuous
tiees, anu they uance, a thousanu colouis of iusset anu biown, golu anu coppei,
spinning anu twiiling, lifting up anu uipping uown. Then in the piles of leaves,
with celebiation of the season, we uance!
Finu what othei names aie useu foi this moon, anu by its enu, choose
youi own name foi it.

=$-8'/() > <(@5('&
Samhain, Samhuinn oi Calan uaeaf aie names foi this festival, known in Chiistian
anu now seculai cultuie as Ballowe'en. What uo the olu names mean anu wheie
uo they come fiom.

36
0sually celebiateu on oi aiounu S1 0ctobei, foi me it is a festival that
aiiives with the fiist thick fiost that is still upon the giounu at uawn. With this
fiost comes a foice of uecay that piunes back the annuals, ueclaiing the enu of
cycle. The festival is an oppoitunity to finu that ielease within ouiselves, enuing
a cycle, letting go of what is no longei neeueu. This then, foi many in Biuiuiy, is
the enu of the yeai.
In seculai cultuie, that is now celebiateu on S1 Becembei, when a seconu
passes taking us fiom the enu of one into the beginning of the next. Bowevei, in
the olu natuie tiauitions, life isn't that piecise. Foi many, Samhain is the enu of a
cycle, but the new one uoes not begin until the biith of the new sun at the wintei
solstice. Between now anu then, theie is the empty space of giowing uaikness,
of quiet anu uecay, a time of ueath, as the woilu is piepaieu foi the new light.
Bow uoes that feel. Bow can you celebiate it.

<$(-+& > 9'&8$% 9(K'&0
Samhain is the festival that welcomes wintei. The nights aie suuuenly longei,
the stietching uays of summei now a memoiy. It is impoitant at this time to
piepaie foi the wintei's colu anu uaikness, aujusting oui homes so that we aie
welcoming the change insteau of simply uealing with it.
In the valley of my home, it is thiough the last week of 0ctobei anu the
fiist of Novembei that the leaves usually fall, leaving the foiest anu heugeiows
suuuenly baie. When uo they fall in youi home enviionment. Bow long uoes it
take. Which is the last tiee oi plant to let go.

#$%B$G8'+& > .'-8$&'&0
Listening at this time of yeai is impoitant. We listen to the winu, to the uance of
the falling leaves, anu then we listen to the stillness of the foiest with its canopy
now baie.
Biought in fiom the uaik colu, we gathei with family anu fiienus aiounu
the heaiths of oui community, anu we listen to each othei in a uiffeient way,
uiffeient stoiies aie tolu than those of summei's paities. Thiough this moon,
wake youiself to the sounus of life, of youi home, of natuie, listening to the
stoiies of those aiounu you.
Bow much uo we heai with oui eais anu how much uo we heai thiough
the iest of oui being. Bow much to uo you tiuly heai. Bow can you impiove
both youi listening anu youi heaiing.

A)$@$&8 > <8+&$
As the season changes, so uoes the element, taking us at Samhain into stuuying
eaith. Thiough this moon let the focus be eaith not as muu, but as iock anu
stone.
Exploie the biggest stones you can finu, feeling the powei of theii stability
anu histoiy; if you can, lie uown on a gieat stone, oi lean against it, anu let youi
soul uissolve into it, listening to its stoiy of millions of yeais. Play with gems anu
ciystals, anu - equally - with pebbles anu giavel. What about bones, shells anu
fossils. You may like to stuuy the geology, but also simply be with a sample each
uay; keep one in youi pocket. 0pen youi soul to wonuei at its jouiney thiough
time anu space, anu all that has foimeu it.


37
?,@(&'83 > !&B$-8+%-
The ielationship to woik with thiough this moon is with the ancestois. In
Biuiuiy we look at thiee stianus of ancestiy: those of oui own bloouline, those
of the lanu on which we live, anu those of oui spiiitual heiitage, oui teacheis.
If you uon't alieauy have one, cieate an altai to the ancestois. What
woulu you make it of, wheie woulu you put it, what woulu you place upon it. As
in all of this tiauition, this is not an act of woiship, but one of iespect anu
wakefulness. It is easy to let the ueau sliue into becoming an abstiact, no moie
than a photogiaph anu a limiteu box of memoiies; to iemembei the ueau as
inuiviuuals, each leauing theii own lives of love anu laughtei, stiuggle anu
uiscoveiy, guiues us to be awaie of the continuity of life anu leaining. It helps us
to behave with patience anu compassion when sloweu by weakness anu,
iecalling ancestial achievements maue in haiu times, it encouiages us to
celebiate oui stiength, anu the souice of that stiength: the geneiations who have
liveu befoie.
Bow can you bettei honoui youi ancestois. 0ffei time to leaining about
who they weie, what they uiu, how they behaveu anu why. Nake suie that you
aie giving thanks with sinceiity, awake to theii stiuggle anu all that they have
given you.

A&/'%+&@$&8 > E,-5%++@-
With the tiees losing theii leaves, the annuals of oui gaiuens anu of the wilu
places being cut back by the fiost, this moontiue is one of gieat change. Although
some point to ivy as the focus of this moon, what is the tiee oi plant which you
woulu choose to iepiesent this tiue, if you coulu choose just one.
Nushiooms aie a wonueiful expiession of the time of yeai. Finu a place
wheie you can seek out mushiooms, in the woous, gaiuens, paiks, unuei the
tiees anu in uaik coineis. Bow can they teach us of this moontiue.

<$)7 > I$)$(-$
Although some speak of theii feai of ueath, foi many it is the piocess of uying
that is haiuei. Caiing foi someone who is uying, watching stiength anu eneigy
slip away, can be uevastating. Yet it is not just the ueath of anothei peison that is
haiu to beai; as a cultuie, we aie not fluent with the emotions of any piocess of
ielease. Relationships uie, love affaiis weai out, cieative piojects come to an
enu. 0ui offspiing leave home, theii chiluhoous enuing. We cling on. uiief is
about holuing on to something that we must ielease; when we uo let go, that
giief is able to tiansfoim into ielief. We may jouiney thiough numbness,
thiough iage anu iesentment, but in tenueiness we may also finu the fieeuom
beyonu.
Thiough this moon, consiuei what it is that you aie clinging on to. What
can you ielease. What, if you weie to let go, woulu allow you the fieeuom to live
moie fully. Now is a goou time.

*%$(8'/'83 > A@G(853
Spenuing a moon's cycle heightening oui ability to heai allows us also to finu a
stoiy that touches us, a stoiy with which we empathize ueeply.
Listening to stoiies tolu by the people aiounu us, by the stones, by the
winu anu the tiees as they lose theii leaves, wakes us to both the uiveisity of

38
inuiviuual expeiience anu also to the continuity of life - foi oui 8u-ouu yeais aie
a tiny blink in the flow of natuie.
As you listen to natuie, also spenu time listening to the olu stoiies of youi
ancestois anu of this lanu, to the mythologies of youi heiitage. Wakeful to that
feeling of empathy within youi being, finu one that you can tiuly heai, one that
touches the fibies of youi soul. Keep listening to it. Iueally finu a stoiytellei who
tells the tale, in peison oi on CB. Listen as you ieau it, heaiing the voices of all
the Baius who have tolu the tale thiough centuiies. Keep listening.

A85'B- > ?+&$-83
Bumanity is flaweu. Within the lines of oui ancestiy, whethei of oui own
immeuiate bloou oi of oui cultuie, oui people, oui heiitage, theie aie heioes anu
theie aie bastaius. Theie aie abuseis anu the abuseu. Theie aie slaves anu
slave tiaueis. Inueeu, all humanity is within each one of us, seen thiough the
many facets of each inuiviuual soul, with its weaknesses anu stiengths.
Accepting both the beautiful anu the baibaiic within oui ancestiy allows
us to accept it within ouiselves; anu thiough that acceptance aie we bettei able
to auuiess the weakness anu change. As the uaikness cieeps in, let the focus of
this moon be on peisonal honesty. Foi the fiist step to honesty is accepting the
fullness of a ieality.
Bow honest aie you with youiself, let alone otheis. Bow honestly uo you
expiess who you aie, who you wish to be, who you have been. What uiffeience
woulu it make to youi wellbeing, youi cieativity, youi sense of fieeuom, if you
weie moie honest.
Bonesty has an impact. It iequiies an acute sense of iesponsibility; theie
aie times when telling the tiuth will be huitful, times when this is necessaiy anu
when it is not. The Biuiu will avoiu unnecessaiy haim, awaie of all the thieaus
which weave togethei a situation. Bonesty also iequiies iespect, foi otheis can
be moie peiceptive anu moie auaptable than we may have anticipateu.

I$/'$F >

C&'8 4F$)/$
FIRE FRIENB N00N
(Novembei - Becembei)

E++& > ='%$ =%'$&2
Fiie Fiienu is this uaik moontiue of wintei. You may have the pleasuie of a ieal
fiie in youi home anu fiienus to shaie it with, but the ueepei meaning of this
moon's name to me is a ieminuei of the powei of fiie. Naking a fiienu of the
wilu spiiit that is fiie alloweu humankinu to suivive anu evolve, anu to live
within these coluei lanus.
Finu youi own name foi this moon, one that ieflects the cycle in youi own
home enviionment anu youi own natuie.

39

=$-8'/() > <+)-8'B$
This moon takes us towaius oi thiough the Wintei Solstice. In mouein Biuiuiy,
the festival is calleu Alban Aithan. What othei names uoes this festival have, in
Biitish anu othei Paganisms anu in othei spiiitual tiauitions.
The longest nights of the yeai aie wiapping themselves aiounu oui lives,
anu at this time we aie given an oppoitunity to leain fiom the uaikness. 0ui
society, afiaiu of the uaik, fills it with colouieu lights, pushing away the uaik, yet
to uo so is to lose the chance to engage with this iich anu beautiful powei of
natuie. While in many light-oiienteu ieligions anu philosophies, uaikness is
consiueieu negative, in Biuiuiy it is a souice of life, a womb, a cup oi cauluion of
potential. Let these iueas fill youi celebiation of the Alban.

<$(-+& > 9'&8$%
The heait of the wintei moons, this tiue offeis long nights to exploie the natuie
of the season. Feel the woilu as it gently anu quietly slows uown; humanity is
iushing aiounu tiying to fight the cuiient of natuie, filling it with noise anu
lights, avoiuing the feai, but beyonu the human chaos natuie is slowing.
At the uaikest point of the yeai, theie is an exquisite stillness. Aftei a long
jouiney, as the Solstice looms, we come softly to a halt. See if you can walk this
path, stepping asiue fiom the mayhem of Chiistmas anu the human feais of colu
anu uaik. Let the uaikness embiace you, velvet stillness anu seienity.

#$%B$G8'+& > <$$'&0
Thiough this moon, the peiception we woik on is oui ability to see. To focus on
seeing at this uaikest time of yeai may seem stiange, but in the uepth of wintei
oui vision is ciucial. Bow well uo you see in the uaik.
Feai of the uaik is instinctive; infants aie not boin with it, but
immeuiately they stait to compiehenu theii sepaiateness fiom mothei, the feai
sneaks in. It is a goou time of yeai to auuiess the feai, bieaking thiough this
limiting instinct into stiength anu fieeuom. Reason can't bieak it easily, but
piactice can: with the safety of company oi familiaiity, spenu time in the uaik,
giauually pushing back the bounuaiies into unfamiliai giounu. Be awaie of how
you uo 'see' in the uaik, using visual imagination to tianslate eneigy anu touch,
ciafting a map of the woilu aiounu you. Relax anu exploie.

A)$@$&8 > 9+@J
The element of eaith is again in focus thiough this moon, this time as the womb
of cieation. Allow youiself to builu a consciousness of that womb space within
natuie, the uaik holuing of the mothei. It is in all female mammals. It is in the
egg. We can finu it in the muu of the eaith in which seeus will geiminate when
light anu waimth ietuin.
Not only in woman, as any space that holus, theie is a womb foi iueas anu
uieams, foi hope, foi stoiies. Can you finu these places in oui cultuie anu in youi
own life. Bow can you honoui this womb of life. 0se youi altai.

?,@(&'83 > =(@')3
Family is the focus of this moon in teims of oui human ielationships. Though in
much of oui life we aie eagei to be alloweu the fieeuom to change anu giow,

40
family can feel iestiictive. Yet at this time, when the eneigy slows, allow youiself
time to consiuei youi family, those still alive anu those who have uieu.
In the gentle uaik anu within the pause of the solstice, acknowleuge
wheie theie is stiength anu wheie the ielationships can be impioveu. Consiuei
the notion of acceptance, acknowleuging youi family membeis without uemanus
oi uefensiveness.
If the task seems too gieat, take one peison fiom youi immeuiate family
anu woik on that ielationship, uiiectly oi inuiiectly, allowing it to teach you of
the value anu powei of the family unit, not only foi youiself, but foi youi
ancestois of millennia.

A&/'%+&@$&8 > A/$%0%$$&
The yew is the tiee associateu with this moon; by whom anu why. In the foiest,
it is a haze of uaikness amiust the baie giey of the ueciuuous tiees, as if calling
us foiwaiu to feel its embiace. What othei eveigieens aie theie in youi
enviionment. Bow uoes theii eneigy oi 'song' uiffei fiom those who have lost
theii leaves.
What is the tiee, plant oi animal that speaks to you most at this time.
Why is mistletoe connecteu with this time of yeai. What is the tiauition of the
fii tiee biought insiue, anu what is the oluei tiauition of youi lanuscape anu
people.

<$)7 > E3-8$%3
Consiuei the Biuiu's unueistanuing of uaikness as something iichly positive,
filleu with potential.
In uaikness aie the paits of life that we cannot see oi unueistanu: uo we
neeu to. While theie is fieeuom founu in knowleuge, it can equally be founu in
mysteiy. Let knowleuge be sought at miusummei: heie anu now, exploie
mysteiy. I am not talking about getting involveu in paianoimal uiama! Simply
consiuei, exploie anu expeiience the unknown anu the unknowable in life. Nuch
of life we can't explain; what aie key examples of this. Why uo we ciave
unueistanuing. What is the value of establishing something as 'fact'. Think
about the powei anu uogma of science.
What benefit is theie in not unueistanuing.
Finu the fieeuom of accepting that we uon't know. Bon't tiy anu explain.

*%$(8'/'83 > 6@(0'&(8'+&
Baving chosen one of the olu stoiies anu spent a moon listening to it, becoming
familiai with it, take this moontiue to leain that tale insiue out.
Although some of us aie able to leain by heaiing, most of us neeu a visual
input. Builu on the visual as you listen to the stoiy, extenuing youi imagination,
cieating pictuies in youi minu foi each chaiactei anu each scene. Smell it, move
thiough it, look aiounu you in the miust of it. Imagine what it is like to be eveiy
chaiactei anu eveiy pait of this stoiy. Foi as a myth of youi people, it is alieauy
a pait of you.

A85'B- > *+,%(0$
It takes couiage to face the haiuest teacheis in oui lives, anu veiy often those
teacheis aie membeis of oui own family. As we face oui feai of the uaik anu the

41
unexplaineu, as we piepaie foi the iebiith of a new cycle of light, consiuei the
couiage it takes foi iegeneiation, foi ienewal, foi staiting again.
Couiage is anothei of the those woius that was ciucial to oui ancestois,
living in times that iequiieu moie immeuiate anu ongoing couiage than oui own.
What is couiage in this 21st centuiy westein cultuie. Wheie uo we finu it. Bow
is it acknowleugeu. When uoes it become complicateu by piiue anu what
unueilies it when it is puie. When uo you neeu most couiage, anu when uoes
youis fail. Whose couiage inspiies you.

I$/'$F >

C&'8 45'%8$$&
Q0ICKENINu N00N

This unit will only fit into the calenuai eveiy foui yeais, when anothei moon
slips into the cycle of the sun. It will be obvious wheie it fits in, anu such a
month is a blessing anu a uiag, consiueieu both lucky in some cultuies anu
unlucky in otheis. Bismissing the constiaints of supeistition, this moon is an
oppoitunity to finu wheie we aie upon oui jouiney: to ieview. Insteau of the
same guiuelines useu in othei units, the Quickening Noon has just two.

I$/'$F > 45$ 4%(')
Although the Quickening Noon comes eveiy foui yeais, at each of these moons
we ieview the past seven yeais. The ieason foi this is that eveiy seven yeais we
have ieneweu thiough iegeneiation eveiy cell in oui bouies. The new may be
ciafteu by the instiuctions of the olu, but change, healing, auaptation make
significant alteiations.
Spenu time thiough this moon consiueiing anu wiiting a ieview of the
past seven yeais, thinking about the physical changes that have happeneu in
youi life, anu the emotional anu spiiitual jouiney that you have been walking.
When you have uone it, check what you ietain in youi life that is oluei than
seven yeais. Is it necessaiy to keep it. Bow long is the visible anu tangible tiail
you aie leaving (uiagging) behinu you. Nake suie that you ielease what can be
ieleaseu. Nake suie you aie living with as much fieeuom as you can.

A85'B- > ?+&+,%
Bow well we know miuule Welsh, the Biehon Laws, the celestial alignments of
Stonehenge, uoes not measuie us as valuable membeis of the Biuiu community,
noi as woithy human beings. It is how we live that measuies oui woith.
In Biuiuiy we live by a coue of honoui, but what uoes 'honoui' mean.
Like love anu tiuth, it is both a woiu anu a way of life that we continue to leain
thioughout oui lives, iepeateuly coming to a ueepei level of compiehension.
Thiough the units of this couise, each section on ethics guiues towaius an

42
unueistanuing of honoui, but this moon is an oppoitunity to ieview youi own
unueistanuing, knowing that thiough time this will only get ueepei.

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