Neil Young - Harvest Moon
I live in one of the most beautiful areas for Fall to flutter her most beautiful veils by being painted by The Great Hand. We have had incredibly rainy weather: 25 days of rain in 27 days. On our drive over to New Hampshire, the hint of fall is beginning to show. A few low-lying bushes have blushed. We have had the eclipses. We have just gone through a period of moon’s influence on friendships. We now move into the next moon, where there is enlightenment, sudden ecstasies, and new beginnings.
This will be a time of deep introspection, a craving for solitude, empathy rules, you will come closer to loving Self, and ancients’ voices will be heard. We sever ourselves from our spring and summer childhood and begin to forge a sense of authority over our old sense of helplessness, vulnerability, apathy, loneliness, fear and solitude. This is a time of color. The chokecherries are ripe, the leaves become saturated with bright paints, and the moon grins wide and yellow from the horizon.
The power animal for this moon is the Bear. This will be a time of creative curiosity, for you. The colors around you will spark your intuition to create. You will be asked to help, and to give service as you will have a more generous heart. You will be more level-headed and making decisions are more easily accomplished. Be patient with others. Find someone to mentor. Be aware not to be critical of others, or fall into bitterness and become cynical. If you do not curb yourself and work for the positive, you can become skeptical, slothful, small-minded and reclusive. This is a time the bear dances in celebration of harvest. Sometimes he can become very single-minded. Take care to notice all around you and where you might be of service to the world in some small way.
The mineral is the Amethyst. I have placed an amethyst ¾ of the way up the fourth quadrant. This reminds us to have good judgment and to be just in all our dealings with others and ourselves. It is a good healing stone for transitions. It aids us on our journey and eases difficulties. You will find your heart yearning for higher levels of spirituality during this time. Holding amethyst while you meditate raises vibrational energy and transforms energy to a deeper level of consciousness. It also helps awaken physical, intellectual, emotional, and physical consciousness. If you are grieving, it can help you accept that passage of a lost one and helps you to understand death is but another rebirth. Amethyst can also be worn in your medicine pouch to ward off negativity and manipulation. If you have trouble sleeping, placing an amethyst under your pillow will enable deeper more restful sleep. It will also calm disrupted energy. Amethyst, as a stone of peace, encourages purity and unification. It is a carrier of peaceful serenity and allows for calmness of outside things so one might be spiritually awake rather than conscious of worldly angst.
The color of this moon, then, is purple. It is associated with nobility and spirituality. It is not often that we consider these two things together: Our nobility is what we have done to develop our spirituality. The color has everything to do with wise gratitude and the healing that comes from being grateful. Consider the lavender, orchid, lilac and violets flowers. They are delicate and precious. You may find yourself sink into moodiness during this time. Using lavender oil, a well-place violet plant, lilac incense, etc, will help to alleviate this angsty sense you may have. The color is reminiscent of sky at dusk and the passage of one reality into another.
Following the color scheme, of course, the plant is the violet. It represents the secret, sacred, regions of one’s heart. Violet is good for suppressing appetite, and is good for migraine suffers to have in the house and to waft the scent throughout the house. It provides a peaceful environment. There is more the plant can do for you. It will remind you to be modest, to be faithful, to be virtuous, affectionate, in all areas of your life. I have scattered silk violet blossoms around the outer stones on the medicine wheel out in the Medicine garden. I have put them in the bowl that holds the amethyst stones, for this moon, on the altar in the house. I need all the help I can get.
The clan of this month is the Turtle Clan. The turtle symbolizes longevity and is the keeper of the doors that we pass through during times of transition. The turtle reminds us to pace ourselves. Don’t rush so. There is much to know during this moon. Turtles remind us that the way to heaven is through earth and what we have gathered as memories here will go with us. Be conscious of the memories you are collecting. Live in the present moment and know it for all it is worth. Just as the turtle cannot separate itself from its shell and live, we cannot separate ourselves from what we will know in heaven and we have done here on earth. Walk lightly and know what it is you walk upon.
The element of this moon is Earth. Honor and respect women. Men are to be involved in rituals, to go to ceremonies and to encourage dreaming during this time. Women do not have to do more than sustain each other and the earth as that is the way of them. They promise generations. The harvest of these generations is how she has raised and treated the younger generations. Women should gather roots and herbs and harvest gardens and flowers. It is god to work the soil later in the moon so that it will ensure a good crop next year. Care for it as you would bed down a precious child. There are certain foods that are healing for body, mind and soul, during this time. Be sure to partake and honor the three sisters (squash and beans and corn) as these three sisters remind us of our communal necessities. If you can get venison, this is a good time to partake of the gifts of innocence and gentleness. Turkey is the symbol of sacrifice for the good of others, it is important to share (Kentucky Fried Chicken for Thanksgiving dinner does not count. Smile.) Eat apples and know the healing of this fruit. Use cornmeal in your ceremonies and a mornings’ breakfast of cornmeal muffins, bread, porridge, is healthiest for you during this moon. Pumpkin is an important medicine as well. It is symbolic of personal power. Grains and wheat will balance your health as well.
Remember, Earth is womb. She is all we need; protects us, nurtures us, sustains us, and we must do the same for her. You are encouraged to slow down and heighten your senses. See the connections of all things. Earth work and duty will weigh heavily on you this moon. Use good sense, confidence and analysis…as I said earlier, pace yourself, do not rush. Above all, remember to be grateful and thankful for everything you see, smell, hear, feel, touch and do.
Tags: Journal Blog, Native Culture by Shewolf
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