Cooking with the Sun and Moon

Cooking with the Sun and Moon

From the eternal dance of the seasons
Through each waxing and waning moon,
To follow the Goddess is to walk
The path of the sensual
As well as the spiritual...
For the body and the soul are one
And both must be considered when
Thinking about nourishment.
 
~ Karri Ann Allrich
 

Excerpt from Cooking by Moonlight by Karri Ann Allrich, (c) Llewellyn Worldwide.

Although any time is the right time for magick if your attitude is good, consider making certain foods during specific times to help the energy along.  This is a very old custom.  Even a hundred years ago people might bake bread or make beer when the moon was full so it would rise or ferment properly, for example.

It won't always be possible to make a meal at the time specified for the results desired, but you can prepare a dish ahead at the "right" time and then freeze, can, preserve, or refrigerate it until you need it.  Remember to label these foods with their intended magickal use before storing them safely away.  Then when you open or defrost that item later, its associated energy is released to bless you just as surely as something made fresh.

Excerpt from Bubble, Bubble, Toil & Trouble by Patricia Telesco, (c) HarperSanFrancisco Worldwide.


  Cooking By Sunlight

Cook at dawn to manifest hope and ensure a positive beginning for projects or jobs.

Cook at noon to stimulate the conscious mind, leadership abilities, courage, and physical strength.

Cook at dusk for positive endings that generate emotional closure.

Cook at midnight to generate magick (it is, after all, the witching hour).

Excerpt from Bubble, Bubble, Toil & Trouble by Patricia Telesco, (c) HarperSanFrancisco Worldwide.



  Cooking By Moonlight

Phases of the Moon

Cook during the waxing moon when you wish to inspire slow, steady progress and positive changes.

Cook during the full moon when you wish to encourage prosperity, fertility, insight, and psychism.

Cook during the waning moon to turn away anger or decrease unwanted attention or interest.

Cook during the new (dark) moon when you wish to banish negativity, weed out troublemakers, or encourage a restful night's sleep.

Excerpt from Bubble, Bubble, Toil & Trouble by Patricia Telesco, (c) HarperSanFrancisco Worldwide.



 The Waxing Moon

The lesson of the crescent moon reflects the Goddess in her maiden aspect, full of promise and potential.  This moon phase brings growth and renewal.  It is a time for strengthening, energizing, and supporting creativity.  As goddesses in the kitchen, this is the perfect time to try new recipes, experiment, stock our pantries, and expand our cooking skills.

When planning meals during the waxing moon, choose foods that build up strength, invigorate the mind, and revitalize body and soul.  In working with magickal intentions, set goals and visualize dreams coming true.  Let your cooking conjure abundance, creativity, healing, and true love.  Stir sauces and soups deosil (clockwise) with purpose, using appropriate herbs and spices to enhance your intention.

Kitchen Blessing for the Waxing Moon

Brigid, goddess of the hearth and fire,
Ignite our hearts with your poetic spirit,
Bright as flame--courageous, bountiful and true.
Keep abundant our pantry, our friends and our generosity.
Bless our table always with gentle nourishment and a welcoming chair.
Sanctify this home with peace and safety.
Watch over this kitchen so that it may always be rich in love and laughter.
Blessed be!
During the waxing phase of the moon, select natural tonics that stimulate the body and foods that build up strength.

Recipes calling for fish, chicken, meat, beans, grains, or yogurt are all strengthening.  Build a meal around a pasta smothered with roasted vegetables, olive oil, and freshly shaved Parmesan cheese.  Experiment with new flavours and try a new recipe that feature spices you don't ordinarily use.

Vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, corn, and sweet potatoes are chock-full of immune-boosting vitamins.  Choose a variety of vegetables in every colour, and use them in soups and stews, roasted dinners and stir-fries.

Sweets such as puddings, ice creams, and yogurt smoothies are calorie and calcium rich.  In warm weather try a new sorbet and serve it with your favourite cookie.  In colder moons bake warm fruit crisps and cobblers with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Garlic and onion add the fire element to your cooking.  Herbs like basil, fennel, and thyme energize the system and awaken the taste buds.  Spices such as ginger, turmeric, and curry act as tonics and stimulate digestion.  Make a spicy tea with slices of fresh ginger and a dab of local honey.


Excerpt from Cooking by Moonlight by Karri Ann Allrich, (c) Llewellyn Worldwide.

 The Full Moon

The luminous round moon in all its fullness inspires lovers and poets, and, some say, the wild and crazy (hence the name "lunatic").  For those following the path of the Goddess, however, it is a sacred time, full of energy and magick, worship and celebration.  Foods at this phase of the Goddess in her Mother aspect--weighty, and at her full potential--should be rich, abundant, and celebratory.  This is the perfect time for culinary alchemy, as magickal energies are intoxicating and expansive.  Gather herbs from your garden in the early light of dawn, and visualize your dream, it will be.  Trust in the Mother to honour your desires.

Kitchen Blessing for the Full Moon

Goddess, Mother, the end and the beginning,
the dusk and the dawn, we celebrate you!
Bless us tonight as we gather in love,
watch over us with compassion,
and fill us with your grace.
Accept our thanksgiving as we lift up
our hearts in joy!
Blessed be!
During the full moon, celebrate!

A roasted turkey, baked salmon, egg dishes, and bowls of steaming pasta topped with garlicky shrimp or roasted vegetables and pine nuts are all perfect choices to revel in the full moon's energy.  Choose foods for love that are sumptuous and seductive, and spices that are warm and sensuous.

Moon vegetables such as mushrooms, potatoes, cabbage, and snowy cauliflower should be prepared with creamy sauces spiked with caraway, or tarragon, or paired with basil and juicy tomatoes, the fruit of love.

Herbs and spices should be lively and uplifting, including mints, thyme, basil, and oregano.  Use lots of freshly cracked peppercorns to add passion or protective energies.  Spices should be fiery, like chili peppers and garlic, or sweet and alluring, like cinnamon and vanilla.

For a full moon dessert, celebrate sensuality goddess-style: eat from plates brimming over with ripened fruits in season, assorted nuts and cheese, sweet wine...and anything chocolate!


Excerpt from Cooking by Moonlight by Karri Ann Allrich, (c) Llewellyn Worldwide.



 The Waning Moon

The waning moon brings a turn toward introspection, finalizing details, and clearing out that which we have outgrown or no longer need.  It is a time to garner wisdom in the quiet, a time to let go.  As the Goddess in her crone aspect, this phase of the moon teaches patience and the development of inner wisdom--paying attention to intuition.

In the kitchen we are clearing out, paring down, and finishing up leftovers.  Take time to contemplate letting go of what no longer nourishes you in your life.  Rid the refrigerator of stale and moldy foods with clear intention.  As you discard the old, focus your thoughts on visualizing those aspects in your life that need to be cast off.  Consider that if there is no room in your cluttered refrigerator, or your life, there is no space for the new and marvelous to enter.

Kitchen Blessing for the Waning Moon

Cerridwen, goddess of transformation,
inspire us with your bittersweet beauty
to be fierce in our clarity.
Help us to discard that which no longer nourishes us,
body and soul.  Keep our hearth free of clutter and lingering bones of contention.
Help us to stir our ancient dreams into reality.
Teach us to trust our instincts and honour our intuition.
Bless our witch's path as we dedicate our home to the service of truth.
Blessed be!
During the waning moon, choose foods that cleanse the system and fortify protection.

Waning moon foods that help clear the body and cleanse accumulated energy include lemon and grapefruit, cabbage, celery, broccoli, cranberries, barley, parsley, sage, and bitter greens.  Take the time during this waning moon to tune in with what your body is craving, and contemplate why you have these cravings.  Pay close attention to your body's symptoms.  Our bodies are a physical map of our unconscious, or unknown self.

Choose lighter proteins as the centre of your meal, such as tofu, light fish, or yogurt.  Beans are astringent, and served with brown rice they provide the perfect protein at this time of retreat.  Experiment with simple meals based around beans, rice, and pungent spices.

Broth-based soups full of simmering vegetables, and light pastas such as angel hair tossed in olive oil, lemon, and garlic make a good choice for entrees during the waning phase.  For another appropriate light meal, try some balsamic roasted vegetables served on slices of toasted French bread and spread with fresh chevre (goat cheese), and a fresh salad of herbal greens.  Think light and fresh, clear and uncomplicated.

Cleansing and purifying herbs such as cilantro and parsley may be added to soups and salads, and sprinkled on vegetables.  Try a cucumber salad with a yogurt-dill dressing.  Naturally sweet desserts such as apples, strawberries, or chilled watermelon are all astringent and cleansing choices.

Herbal teas are especially useful during the waning moon.  Sage tea, the perfect Crone's tea, is antibiotic, and preservative as well as protective.  Peppermint calms and soothes the tummy.  Hot water with lemon helps cleanse the liver of excess energy.  A tonic of warm water with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and local honey will boost your immune system and clear away impurities.


Excerpt from Cooking by Moonlight by Karri Ann Allrich, (c) Llewellyn Worldwide.



 The New Moon

Also known as the dark moon, this three-day period brings us in touch with the depth of night and summons us to face the Dark Goddess energies.  It is a powerful time of intention setting and soul searching.  Many practitioners advise some form of fasting during the dark moon phase to aid in clearing the mind and body.

If you choose to, do so wisely and drink plenty of fluids, particularly supportive herb teas and freshly squeezed juices.  As you begin eating again, choose simple nourishing foods to break your fast, such as yogurt with a piece of fruit.  Savour each bite.  You will feel as if your inner fire has been reset, and your body will welcome the coming waxing energy of the moon goddess with anticipation and delight.  It's a wonderful way to break old habits and unconscious eating patterns.  Tune in to making food choices consciously.  This honours your body and, in turn, the goddess within.

Kitchen Blessing for the New Moon

Hecate, goddess of the dark moon crossroads,
stay with us tonight.  Be our silent witness.
Confirm our sorrow, loss and pain
with your unwavering strength and steady gaze.
Bless us with your hard won wisdom.
Guide us in new directions
as we let go of the past and embrace
our future.
Blessed be!

Excerpt from Cooking by Moonlight by Karri Ann Allrich, (c) Llewellyn Worldwide.

Cooking By Moon Signs

 Moon In Aries

Don't be surprised if you find yourself wanting to bake up a storm today, as this fire-ruled sign will inspire you to spark up the oven. As the Moon moves through Aries, zesty, robust, and flavorful baked goods will serve. So if the spirit moves you, go ahead and bake up rich poppy seed cakes, zingy gingerbread cookies, and any spicy goodies you can think of.

 Moon In Taurus

Pass up any store-bought baked goods; in this Venus-ruled sign you will feel an appreciation for the finer things in life, including a day spent in baking bliss. Taurus is a resourceful and practical sign, with a good dash of determination mixed in, so as the Moon moves through this sign you are primed for some productive baking. Comfort foods such as apple and cherry pie, oatmeal cookies, and banana bread, will be perfect for this placid, domestic Moon sign.

 Moon In Gemini

As the Moon moves through Gemini, your day is most often spent in quick conversation and frantic errand-running, so it's more likely that you will talk about baking rather than actually doing it. If you actually do find the time to bake during a Gemini Moon, you will be lucky indeed. Your best bet will be quick-baking recipes that require little preparation - almond cookies, date muffins, and packaged cake mixes.

 Moon In Cancer

The Cancer Moon is tailor-made for the proverbially happy homemaker. As the Moon travels through this sign, you will want to provide for everyone. Comfort foods that make your loved ones smile are best to bake now -blueberry muffins, pumpkin cookies, coconut cream and lemon meringue pies. Your entire family will be very receptive and will thank you wholeheartedly. They may be so happy, in fact, that they clean out the garage or attic.

 Moon In Leo

You can show off your baking expertise during the Leo Moon. Your creativity and ability to shine are at their height now, and you will find your efforts most highly appreciated. Showy, complex baked goods are best now; the aromas of pineapple upside-down cake, chocolate chip cookies, and cinnamon-raisin bread will produce many a winning smile.

 Moon In Virgo

The practical and health-conscious sign is the best time for using your more detailed and wholesome recipes. Since perfection is Virgo's middle name, you can easily keep up with the highest of standards. A sensible choice for this day would be an earthy whole grain bread. Miller, oat, or barley are good grains to work with. And if you feel the need to spoil yourself, some peanut butter cookies or pecan pie would work nicely.

 Moon In Libra

With so many options, making a decision can prove impossible during the vacillating Libra Moon. But if it is any help, remember that Libra governs sweet foods. So you may choose to indulge at this time with any and all types of cookies, cakes, pies, cobblers, sweet breads, or pastries, though your thighs won't enjoy the extra calories. Of course making up your mind which treat to eat first could also prove quite a feat.

 Moon In Scorpio

As the Moon moves through Scorpio, it is not at all unusual to feel drawn to the kitchen today. The intense nature of the Scorpio Moon may cause an obsessive and overwhelming need for a sweet fix. So you well be satisfied by treats such as snappy ginger cookies, savory onion bread, and hearty blackberry pie. These items will fit your mood quite well too.

 Moon In Sagittarius

During the Sag Moon, you will feel optimistic and an adventurous, so you may very well find yourself exploring new baking horizons. Plenty of fresh ideas will fill your head, and your ordinary recipes will scarcely seem enough. Look to bake expansive, filling foods, such as macadamia nut cookies or carrot cake, or specialty foods from other countries, such as lebkuchen. But be wary of the tendency to overdo it - during Sagittarius it is difficult to say "enough is enough."

 Moon In Capricorn

Hard work and responsibility fuel the Capricorn Moon, so you may feel a little dizzy from your achievements today. In fact, you'll be so efficient you might find yourself planning your baking needs for the next few months. So while you have the bug to organize, you should take advantage of it to conquer your most difficult baking endeavors. Preparing corn or cheese bread will leave you with a feeling of success. You may even choose to enter your rhubarb pie or cranberry muffins in the country fair.

 Moon In Aquarius

Don't be shocked if the notion to bake hits you like a bolt from the blue during the Aquarius Moon. This Uranus-ruled sign thrives on doing the most original, unexpected, and unconventional things. So go ahead and experiment with that unusual recipe, and share your efforts with your many friends and neighbors. Remember, the sky is the limit, so tingle your taste buds with some caraway muffins or mulberry pie. Or you can invent your own recipes for pistachio nut or hazel nut cookies.

 Moon In Pisces

What a wondrous day to trust your intuition and use your imagination. Ruled by dreamy Neptune, Pisces will help you conjure up new recipes, or will help you go with the flow and surrender to your innermost desires. During a Pisces Moon, you will find yourself baking water-ruled foods such as peach cobbler, apricot coffee cake, or sweet potato pie. So bake on to your heart's content!

Heyde Class-Garney, "Baking By the Moon" in Llewellyn's 2000 Moon Sign Book,

(c) Llewellyn Worldwide.

 January: Month of the Snow Moon

During the long dark of a January night, the Aquarius new moon brings questions that quietly stir within our unknown self.  As the darkness deepens we may feel impassive, observant, and watchful.  It is a time to rest and surrender to the white goddess of the icy north.  Her presence embodies silence.  Her spirit is deep, rooted in the solid earth despite her aura of aloof detachment.  We may feel a sense of isolation at this time.  The rebirth of spring seems so far away.  The truth of our purpose may seem hidden underground.  Our connection to life and all living things may feel buried...but it is there.

The Aquarius new moon reminds us that it is our sacred duty to unearth our highest intentions, discover our inborn gifts, and open our eyes to the needs of the community, while defining our own individuality.

As you ponder your deep-rooted purpose, pay close attention to your intuition.  Let your dreams inform your waking life.  Take time to simply be in the silence of winter.  Nurture your body with plenty of rest and restore your energy with grounding foods.   Celebrate the emerging crescent moon as she waxes to fullness.  The Goddess as Maiden informs our newly found hopes and dreams.  Perhaps your own idealistic dreams will begin to glimmer awake in the light of this snow moon.

 February: Month of the Quickening Moon

Our veiled Goddess emerges now as the tender bride this month of Imbolc, sparkling in her innocence and renewal.  She is radiant, lovely, and perfect in her slender, deftly defined crescent.  Our own energy begins to stir in anticipation of the promised spring.  Snowdrops have pushed through the frosted crust of winter to offer hope that new life is immanent.

The new moon in Pisces inspires the inner mystic and invites us to let go of control and give in to our deeper tidal energies.  Rather than setting goals and intentions with conscious effort and focus, this new moon teaches us another path: the way of the mystic--fluid, receptive, and empathic.  It is a time to honour our intuition and open ourselves to possibility, to yield to the Great Mystery, to loosen our collective grip on the external world and our functioning, striving, competing self.  The distractions of our achievements can deafen our ears to the simple truths that the Goddess teaches us: that we are all an aspect of each other, interconnected, moving in opposites and creating the whole.  The joy of Imbolc tickles our desire to an awareness of our counterpart.  In anticipation, celebrate the quickening moon with foods befitting a bride in eternal white.

 March: Month of the Sap Moon

The Goddess is now a Maiden, brightening with every lengthening day, as we approach the Spring Equinox, the moment of equal light and dark.  Her crescent rises in the east, fuller now and beginning to ripen.  The Green Man of the forest is rousing awake.  His time is coming.  Ostara marks the celebration of his coming rebirth, when daylight begins to increase and the green returns.  For those of us who follow a path dedicated to the Goddess, this is a time of renewal and regeneration, a time of clearing away the lingering lessons of winter's long introspection and making way for new growth.  We stir from the surrender of our Piscean dreams, turning now to our awakening bodies.  Our energy begins to flow outward, extroverted in the stimulation of spring.

The new moon in Aries challenges us to look ahead with anticipation, asserting the power of "I am."  Our centre of attention shifts from our intuitive nature to our solar plexus, aptly named.  This new moon provides us with an opportunity to create a focus for our goals, to honour spontaneity and take risks.  This is the moment to be direct, leap into a new venture, risk a new project, or dare to make the first move.  In the meantime, stir up some magick in the kitchen and wake up those taste buds.

 April: Month of the Budding Trees Moon

The Goddess calls us to dance this month.  Make movement a part of this month's moon rituals.  The body needs to stretch and reawaken this time of year.  Play music that inspires you to move--ancient rhythms that resonate within your solar plexus.  Be present in your body as you breathe and sway, opening yourself to rebirth and renewal.  Embody the Goddess in this season of awakenings.  Dance and revel in the mysteries of sensuality, the take and give of the feminine uniting with the masculine, of life generating new life.

Pleasure and desire are holy pursuits.  Eve's apple was never a temptation to sin, it was an invitation to consciousness.  In spring, the Goddess teaches us that the body and soul are one, each an integral part of the other.  The soul expresses itself through the body, and the body breathes the very life of the soul.  Both are sacred.

A Taurus new moon invites us to become children of nature, to live in the moment, secure in our place on earth.  It is a time to be generous and gather loved ones close.  Create comfort in your surroundings.  Let the earthy nature of Taurus emerge and ground yourself with new roots that promise a harvest ahead.  In this bright season of renewal, celebrate the awakening earth, welcome the Green Man, and honour the divine within you.  Rekindle your passion, body and soul.

 May: Month of the Flower Moon

A favourite time for lovers of the Goddess, May 1st marks the birth of summer for many.  Known as Beltane in Celtic lore, this cherished fire festival celebrates the power of the sun warming the earth into her season of fertility, evoking the union of the Goddess and the God.

Our Goddess is truly astonishing as she approaches her full moon eminence.  Hawthorne trees flower and violets bloom purple amidst lily of the valley.  It is an exhilarating time filled with the fragrant enchantments of the season, a time for packing picnics and drinking wine beneath the stars.  The lessons now are gentle ones.  The urge to partner and find one's soul mate stirs even the most apathetic heart.

This month's new moon in Gemini brings a light touch to our lunar lessons.  It is a time for communication, lively and sparkling, a time for opening one's self to possibility and allowing change to gust its breath of fresh air and clear away impeding doubts.  Invite your hidden shadow self to come out and play in the moonlight.  Awaken the child in you as you allow a sense of new wakefulness to rekindle your energy.  Invite friends in for a party and celebrate.

 June: Month of the Strawberry Moon

The Oak King has leafed out his stately grandeur, and our Goddess is lush, ripe, and full.  Mirrored as the moon, she is brilliant in her totality, round and immaculate.  We have moved from the youthful Maiden aspect into the nurturing Mother, warmed by the southern sun.  Midsummer night, also known as Litha, brings us the longest day of the year, warm and heady with evocative dreams and erotic whispers.  This is the final moment of the sun's maximum power; for the remaining year he will slowly diminish, as the Wheel turns round in its ever-enduring cycle.

Celebrate your own full potential now.  Realize that your dreams are awaiting the power of your focus and intention.  The Goddess is fully abundant as Gaia, great Mother; she is generous and bountiful.

The new moon in Cancer brings us lessons of water, the symbol of our emotional being.  Now is a good time to make room for contemplation and turn attention to your emotional life.  Do you feel nurtured and cared for?  Are your loved ones sensitive to the give and take of mutual support and receptivity?  Take time to create the home life you desire.  Fill your space with flowers and beauty.  Revel in high season's abundance and let go of old outworn patterns.  Remember that in order for you to truly receive, your hands must be open and empty.

 July: Month of the Blessing Moon

By July the Goddess's moon has edged beyond completeness and begun to wane in her solar mirror.  She is the mature Mother, the accomplished earthy woman with her roots deep in the land and a laugh hearty and welcoming.  As Earth Mother, her agricultural abundance is given freely now, and we are in the thick of the first harvest.  As we relax into the hot and sultry days of summer, we turn towards simple pleasures: walking barefoot, tending our herbs, swimming in moonlight, or drifting in the hammock.  Our dreams are of gardening or of fishing at the edge of deep, still water.  There is no urgency that nudges us.  Life feels complete.

The new moon lessons of fiery Leo are sun-filled and extroverted.  It is a time to cultivate a centre core of self-worth and entitlement, a time to nurture our inner fire, a time to deepen our courage and commitment to leadership, to take a stand and voice our creativity.  Recognize your gifts and express them freely.  Trust in the process of your intuition and behave generously.  Look to the year's lessons and contemplate how you are reaping the outcome of seeds sown earlier in the year's Wheel.  Is your harvest bearing fruit?  Are your dreams well tended?  Take time to share the summer's bounty and gather together friends for a backyard picnic.  Fire up the grill in honour of the sun.

 August: Month of the Corn Moon

By August our Goddess is spinning gold.  The fields of corn have ripened to harvest, wheat is the colour of amber, and chilies are being gathered for roasting.  As the days shorten more noticeably and the evening's cool holds the hint of coming fall, our beautiful Goddess is deepening in her wisdom and inner beauty.  Her waning crescent is more sharply defined, yet hangs without apology in the western sky.  Her consort's power is lessening, but she bathes in his slanted light with joy.  The harvest brings the time of sacrifice, when legendary John Barleycorn is cut down to offer his nourishment for the greater good of all,  In Native American lore, the Corn Mother feeds her children with sacred food, the Three Sisters: corn, beans, and squash.

The new moon in Virgo brings lessons of duty, attention to detail, and sharpened instincts.  It is a time to concentrate keenly on your goals and determine what is productive and what is wasteful.  Is your energy and time invested wisely?  Do you need to reexamine your priorities with an unerring eye and reset your intentions?  This is the perfect time for symbolically separating the wheat from the chaff.  And when you have clarified your vision, gather loved ones close to celebrate with southwestern-inspired flavours.

 September: Month of the Harvest Moon

As the second harvest arrives, our maturing Goddess reveals her first silver strands of wisdom.  We gather the fruits of our labours and celebrate Mabon, the Autumnal Equinox, a bittersweet moment of balance in the year's Wheel, when day briefly equals night before darkness steadies its gain.

This month' s moon hangs its sharpened dignity over burnished fields, her luminous shape lessening now as she wanes into the Crone's crescent.  It is a time to scan the horizon and prepare for the coming cold.  The Sun King is dying and the Goddess turns her mourning into shimmering beauty, deep and exquisite.  As saddened as we are to let go of summer's abundance, there is a vitality that infuses us this cherished time of year, an urgency to savour each day and every last golden slant of warmth.

The new moon in Libra teaches us balance.  Echoing the lessons of Mabon, she imparts her philosophy of fairness, equilibrium, and the aesthetics of poise.  Take the time now to examine your life with an impartial eye, and readjust goals and efforts to reflect more balance in your life.  In caring for others are you also fair to yourself?  Are your priorities truly indicative of the whole of you?  Think holistically about your choices and assess your inner and outer needs with a sense of self-reliance and impartiality.  A willingness to share your garden's harvest is deepened when your own needs are met.

 October: Month of the Moon of the Falling Leaves

Our Goddess is now the wholly silvered Crone, the Wise One, the archetypal witch, able to step back from her role as a nurturing Mother and allow winter's deft hand to strike the killer frost.  The days are shortening, the nights are filling with shadow and whispers.  It is a  deliciously spooky time of year that thrills the child in all of us.  As the Goddess's mirror, the western moon is at its last fingernail, a mere slip of an edge, disappearing fast.  It is time to take the year's lessons to heart and face our inner world alone.  The coming winter season brings a turn inward.  With Persephone as our guide we descend into the underworld to confront our fears and hollow out our wisdom.

The new moon in Scorpio proves a perfect escort.  Her energies feed our intuition and deepen our secrecy.  Emotions may intensify and reveal powerful truths.  Take this opportunity to develop your instinctive nature.  Give in to your true passions and explore the mysteries that call to you.  Honour your complexity and value your inner Shadow.  Our Shadow has much to teach us if we learn from it and embrace it.  Mark the Celtic New Year with favourite Halloween foods and celebrate Samhain by honouring your ancestors and remembering those who have passed on to the Summerland before you.  For ideas see the Ancestor Feasts page of A Kitchen Witch's Book of Shadows.

 November: Month of the Dark Moon

The Goddess has gone underground, mourning her loss of the Sun King.  The early evening sky deepens to blue-violet as the stars glitter their promise through darkened barren branches.  Sunlight pales and fades earlier with each passing day.  It is a time for taking stock and settling in for the long winter months ahead.  Some of us with gypsy souls feel the urge to travel.  The wanderer within looks to the horizon for friendlier climes.  Geese pierce the air with their song of the dark moon, heading south in their geometric precision.  It is a time for thanksgiving and for acknowledging the Mother's gifts.

The new moon in Sagittarius fuels our inner fire, as well as our restlessness with the status quo.  It is a time for expression, giving voice to your philosophical self.  Summon your enthusiasm for delving into your chosen path.  Honour the seeker within you with exposure to new ideas, and feed your gypsy spirit with new philosophies to ponder.  Books can be new roads to travel.  Share yourself freely and honour the Goddess with your generosity.  Gather together loved ones and rekindle friendship and affiliations, sharing the bounty of the recent harvest.

 December: Month of the Long Night's Moon

As we approach the darkest night of the year, we are filled with both the certainty of winter's cold and the anticipation of the coming solstice.  Our abundant Goddess has all but disappeared from us.  Her evergreens remain to remind us that her life is eternal.  As the days quickly shorten to the briefest day of the year, we prepare for the coming gladness, the Winter Solstice--the Wheel's turning point for the Sun King's return.  We look forward to the rebirth of the Goddess as Mare, Star of the Sea, giving birth to the archetypal Divine Child, our hope embodied in her infant son.  At the moment when we are at our darkest place in the year's Wheel, we collectively rejoice in the return of light.

The new moon in Capricorn gives us the tenacity to continue our winter journey.  Her lessons impart those of discipline, determination, and a steadfast heart.  This is the perfect time to focus on your hopes and dreams, setting goals for the future and constructing the foundation upon which to build your intentions into reality.  Take advantage of the practicality of this moon and problem-solve.  Know that you already possess all that you need to obtain what you seek.  Find strength in the sun's gentle return, and celebrate the Goddess's guise as the eternal Divine Mother, whose love gives birth to light itself.

 Blue Moon or Thirteenth Moon

Popular folklore about the concept of a blue moon has often shifted with the tides.  After much research and debate the current thinking runs along two lines, the first being that a blue moon is the second full moon that occurs within one month.  This association was popularized by an amateur astronomer in the 1940s.  More recently, moon gazers have begun to wonder about a correlation based on the old Maine Farmer's Almanac that listed a blue moon as the third full moon occurring within a season of four moons.  (Seasons usually contain only three.)  While the true origin of blue moons remains a mystery, we can choose to celebrate a thirteenth moon for our own magickal reasons.  It's simply fun!

If a blue moon happens to occur, and they are rare, why not stir up some extra magick for the month and try something new?  Take a risk with your creativity, step out of your usual mode of thinking, or break away from ingrained habits.  Gather together friends and loved ones to celebrate the blue moon and create an innovative menu with foods you do not ordinarily cook.  Light blue candles, play cool jazz, and wear something seductive...and blue, of course.


Excerpt from Cooking by Moonlight by Karri Ann Allrich, (c) Llewellyn Worldwide.

Sources

Karri Ann Allrich, Cooking By Moonlight: A Witch's Guide to Culinary Magick

Heyde Class-Garney, "Baking By the Moon" in Llewellyn's 2000 Moon Sign Book

Patricia Telesco, Bubble, Bubble, Toil & Trouble