March Birthstone: Not just Aquamarine you have another choice!

Good Witches Homestead

Aquamarine, the March birthstone, is a bluish-green stone that gets its name from aqua marinus, the Latin for “seawater”.

This is in reference to the tranquil blue color of the gemstone, which has made it a favorite gem among celebrities, royalty and everyone in between.

The natural deep blue-tinted aquamarines are the rarest and most highly prized.

Chemically, aquamarine is a type of beryl, the same mineral group as morganite and emerald, and is characterized by expansive six-sided crystals that can grow to be as long as a foot. This makes aquamarine an ideal gemstone for producing large carat pieces that, when faceted or polished, make exceptional statements.

Another significant aspect of aquamarine that makes it so valuable is that it is often eye clean (visually flawless), given that there are rarely inclusions that can be seen with the naked eye, and it has fewer fractures than emerald. Moreover…

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The AODA’s Seven Element System: Above, Below, Within, Earth, Air, Fire, Water

The Druid's Garden

The AODA’s Sphere of Protection in a Tree demonstrating the seven-element framework

Perhaps the first thing to think about in any system of spiritual or magical practice is the way in which a practice offers a framework to understand reality. These frameworks vary widely based on the spiritual tradition: some use a complex system of deities to map concepts to reality. Deities often have domains and represent certain aspects of reality (e.g the Horned God Cernunnos of Celtic Mythology can represent fertility, abundance, the land itself, and so forth). Other systems may have songs, stories, and dances to help explain the world. Other systems may recognize different kinds of energies and map them (such as the Jewish Kabbalah or Yggdrasil, the world tree, in Norse tradition, In AODA, our primary framework is a seven-element framework. The seven-element system is a highly adaptable and non-dogmatic framework that you can use…

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Gatekeeper, the God Portunus

Land Healing: Ritual for Putting the Land to Sleep

The Druid's Garden

As I shared a few weeks ago in my land healing framework post, the forest that I grew up in is having a big chunk cut out of it to make way for a septic line, a 40-60′ cut that will go for acres and acres. It’s coming directly through the refugia garden that my parents and I have worked for years to tend and cultivate, where the ramps, wild ginseng, bloodroot, hardwood nut trees, and so many others grow. My very favorite hawthorn tree, a tree that grew up with me and now stands tall will likely be removed by the line. The situation is extremely heartbreaking to me and my family–we have done everything we can to fight and try to get them to use the roadways or non-wooded areas to put in the line, but the condemnation papers have arrived, even the lawyers says it can’t be…

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New Moon in Aquarius Lunar Report Entering the Seed Moon Cycle

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This New Moon is in Pisces and Aquarius depending on your location, and has the potential to activate your heart center and illuminate your imagination!

All new moons represent new beginnings and the opportunity to begin a new chapter. This one will help you tune in to what you truly desire so that you can manifest your dreams and goals.

This Seed Moon cycle represents the time of planting. Before we are able to plant seeds, we must first visualize the garden we are wanting to create and plan ahead. You will feel your creative juices flowing throughout this month in a few different ways. The Pisces and Aquarius energy will begin in your third eye and crown chakra, and slowly move through you helping you see the steps needed to reach your goals.

Mercury is retrograde this month until March 9th which will make it seem hard to complete tasks. Don’t be afraid to use this time to observe and visualize until it goes direct! You will feel another burst of energy on the 20th as we enter into the new season of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

The Seed Moon cycle is a month of movement! Each new moon, using our Tune to the Moon planners and decks as our guide, we write up the Lunar Report to help us all navigate the new cycle ahead.

Read original article at: Spirit de la Lune ~ New Moon In Aquarius Lunar Report Entering The Seed Moon Cycle

The Wishing Moon, Dark Moon Energies

Good Witches Homestead

Starting today we are under a beautiful Dark Balsamic Moon in Aquarius. When the Moon is in Aquarius she can bring up complicated emotions as Aquarius is a Moon that has a strong need for emotional freedom. And when we are under a Void of Course Moon the energies of discipline, submission, subordination, and spontaneity fit nicely into rituals exploring the shadow sides of emotion.

The Balsamic Moon is rightfully called the wishing Moon as she holds the beautiful energy to lift our wishes into the winds of the coming New Moon. Some even say that wishes made under the balsamic Moon are more likely to come true because our needs are felt more deeply under her. She teaches us to be more aware of our fears, self-doubts and difficult emotions at the close of the moon cycle. Can you feel the old emotional cycle breaking down? Remember my dear Moon…

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Full Moon in Leo Fire of Creativity

Good Witches Homestead

Tonight at 11:33 pm PST and tomorrow, February 9th at 2:33 am EST we have our Full Moon in Leo. This Moon is known as the Snow Moon as it is the time of year that we can get our biggest snowfalls. Leo is also the Moon of children and creation and this is a time where you may experience the unexpected.

The Full Moon teaches us to work in cycles to allow old growth to be moved out of the way so that we can make space for the new ~ a releasing. Maybe you don’t need to make anything happen right now.

Leo Full Moons present us with a powerful time to see our relationships, our world, and ourselves more in light of how they actually are than how we would like them to be. Take time to return inward to gather your fire and creativity. It will give you the…

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Sage Moon in Leo Energy Reset Ceremony

The Sage moon is a full moon all about cleansing and purifying as we approach a new season. While we are transitioning into a new season this is always a great time to reset your energy. The best way to do this is to realign and cleanse your chakras the energy centers along your spine that the create the rainbow of frequencies and colors and auras within your field.

This ceremony is a two-step process and can take 2-3 days to complete but the Full Moon energy can be felt within a 3 day period- The day before the Full moon and the day after the Full moon, so we got you covered!

View original article at: Spirit de la Lune Sage Moon in Leo Energy Reset

Full Moon Shizzle — The Witch & Walnut

Happy Friday and a warm welcome to the weekend! I hope everyone has had a great week thus far. We’ve got a full moon coming up on Sunday. Full moon energy, a magnificent feeling and even when you cannot see her in the sky you can feel her. Of all the lunar phases, the full…Continue…

via Full Moon Shizzle — The Witch & Walnut

Imbolc Symbolism for the North Eastern US: Reflections on the Landscape

The Druid's Garden

Imbolc was traditionally a Gaelic holiday celebrated in the holiday celebrating the first signs of spring. When I first started down the path of Druidry, I never felt very connected to Imbolc as a holiday because there seemed to be this huge disconnection between the holiday’s traditional roots and what I was seeing on my own landscape. Part of this is that the weather in the UK is much milder than where I’ve lived and I’m more likely to see at the Spring Equinox–or later–what might be first signs of spring at Imbolc. I thought it was funny when I’d see rituals where I should decorate my altar with snowdrops when they were still another 1-2 months away from coming forth!

Reflections on Imbolc