Natural Witchery (7 page)

Also, did you know there are four different types of lunar eclipses? Ever wonder what they are? Well, you'll find them right here in the following list of terms. Read over these terms and add some new information to your magickal studies. I've yet to meet a Witch or magickal practitioner who wasn't always on the lookout for something new to learn!

Terms
&
Types of Lunar Eclipses

Apogee—
When the moon is at its farthest point from Earth: 252,700 miles away.

Blue Moon—
The second full moon that occurs within one calendar month.

Earthshine—
The dark, smoky portion of the moon that you can see shining alongside a brilliant crescent. Described as seeing “the old moon within the new moon's arms.”

Harvest Moon—
The full moon closest to the Autumn Equinox. Typically these occur in September; however, one out of three harvest moons do fall in the month of October.

Lunation—
One lunar cycle phase.

Occultation—
An astronomical event that happens when one celestial body passes in front of another, making an object partially or fully hidden in the sky, such as a solar “eclipse.”

Partial Lunar Eclipse—
When only part of the moon enters the umbra (the umbra being the darker inner section of Earth's shadow).

Penumbra—
The outer part of Earth's shadow where sunlight is not completely blocked during an eclipse. It only dims the moon slightly.

Penumbral Lunar Eclipse—
This occurs when the moon only passes through Earth's outer section of the shadow, the penumbra.

Perigee—
When the moon is the closest distance to Earth, at 221,550 miles. If the perigee falls on a full moon phase, the moon will look slightly larger than normal.

Total Lunar Eclipse—
This occurs when the moon goes entirely into Earth's darkest, most inner part of the shadow, the umbra.

Total Penumbral Eclipse—
A rare type of lunar eclipse where the eclipse stays only within the penumbra section of Earth's shadow, but the sections of the moon closest to the umbra will look a bit darker than the rest of the moon.

Totality—
The phase of an eclipse when it is total.

Umbra—
This is the region of the complete, darkest shadow created by Earth in an eclipse. In lunar eclipses it has a reddish hue.

Zenith—
The point in the sky directly above the viewer. Also the highest point of the moon's—or the sun's—arc across the sky.

With hue like that when some great painter dips
His pencil in the gloom of earthquake and eclipse.

Percy Bysshe Shelley

The Colors and Magicks
of a Lunar Eclipse

While the moon doesn't completely disappear during a lunar eclipse, it does change color—sometimes dramatically. As the moon passes through the umbra, the color effect will depend on the amount of refracted light and the number of clouds in the atmosphere blocking that light. This causes the moon to have a reddish hue that can vary widely from one eclipse to another. And there is a way to rate the color of a lunar eclipse.

This scale was devised by a celebrated French astronomer named André-Louis Danjon (1890–1967). He recorded the brightness measurements using this method, which came to be called the “Danjon Scale,” for over twenty-five years. In 1958, he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society. Here is the color rating scale:

0 Very dark eclipse: The moon looks almost invisible

1 Dark eclipse: grey or brownish color, difficult to see

2 Deep red, burgundy, or rust-colored eclipse, with a very dark central part in the umbra and the outer rim of the umbra relatively bright

3 Brick-red eclipse, typically with a bright or yellow rim to the umbra

4 Very bright copper or orange-colored eclipse, with a bluish, very bright
umbral rim

Magickal Correspondences for the
Colors of a Lunar Eclipse

I thought it would be interesting to add the traditional color magick correspondences to this color scale to see what I came up with, and the results were fascinating, to say the least. Keep in mind that it's going to be tough to predict the color of the lunar eclipse. You are going to have to live on the edge and be spontaneous once you see what sort of color you are going to experience. I suggest waiting until the eclipse hits its peak or totality, then you can go from there.

0 During a deep and dark-toned lunar eclipse, work spells and charms for protections, banishings, and bindings.

1 For this rating, with that dark grey or brown color, try working glamouries or spells for neutrality or invisibility, or to make your actions go unnoticed.

2 The dark red hue corresponds with the Mother aspect of the Goddess, as well as healing, love, and protection magick.

3 An eclipse that rates a 3 on the scale, with a red moon and bright yellow rim, may be a perfect complement to transformation spells or magick that increases your psychic knowledge and reception.

4 Finally, an orange-looking eclipse could be worked for magick that
increases your personal power and for success.

Also, don't forget to experiment with this color list and see what you come up with. Use your intuition and work with the color associations of your own tradition. The most powerful magick is individual and custom-made to suit your needs.

Lunar Eclipse Ritual to
Increase Psychic Talents

On average, there are two lunar eclipses during the year, so you will have a few chances during the year to experiment with this ritual. How do you find out exactly when and in what location viewing will be the best? Hit the Internet. Some of the better sites I have found for eclipse information are listed in this book's bibliography. While this spell is to increase your psychic abilities, you have other options for magick during a lunar eclipse as well. Eclipse magick may also be utilized for transformation, protection, prosperity, or healing, but don't stop there. Use your imagination and decide for yourself. Personally, I like to save eclipse magick for important or “big guns” type of work. And personal transformation seems to fall into that category, as far as I'm concerned.

Note: As the lunar eclipse will take a few hours to work its way through its cycle, keep in mind that this ritual will take a few hours of your time. Plan ahead and make yourself comfortable during this ritual. Remember the ritual will last as long as the eclipse does, so you're going to be there a while.

Consider dragging a sleeping bag to the backyard or sitting in a lawn chair on your porch—whatever works. In a pinch, during a very cold winter eclipse I once stayed inside and lay across my bed watching the moon change through the bedroom windows. My children were very young at the time, so I let them stay up for a while and watch the eclipse with me. Yup, you guessed it, the Witch and her young brood all attired in their flannel pajamas. It was very cosmopolitan and chic. Once the kids all dropped off to sleep, I bundled them back to bed and then took notes on my experiences during the rest of the event and meditated.

To work the following lunar eclipse ritual, set up your supplies an hour or so ahead of the event, and then while the moon is covered with that dusky-looking shadow, you can work the following ritual for personal transformation and to increase your psychic abilities. You will notice a difference in your perception levels during this ritual, so be prepared to note your experiences in your journal. (Oh—and flannel PJs are strictly
optional!)

Supplies

• One white taper candle (for the full moon)
  
• One burgundy taper candle (to represent the shadow falling across the moon)
  
• Two candlestick holders
  
• Matches or a lighter
  
• A safe, flat surface to set up on
  
• Your Book of Shadows or journal to take notes in
  
• Pencil or pen
  

Directions

Light the two tapers—first the white, then the burgundy. Sit and meditate for a moment or two on the changes you'd like to bring about. Repeat the following charm just as the eclipse begins. Then once the spell is spoken, go and find yourself a good, comfortable spot to watch one of nature's finest shows.

As the Goddess pulls her soft cloak across the face of the moon,

I light a dark and white candle to bring transformation soon.

As the eclipse shows all the lunar phases so bright,

May my psychic talents be seen in a whole new light.

As the eclipse finishes, close up your spell with this line:

By the powers of the moon, earth, and sun,

So mote it be, and let it harm none.

Allow the eclipse spell candles to burn in a safe place until they go out on their own.

Let the air strike our tune,
Whilst we show reverence to yond peeping moon.

Thomas Middleton

Bewitching Blue Moons

In modern folklore, a blue moon is defined as the second full moon to fall within one calendar month. Why is it called a blue moon, you may wonder? This popular title started in the early 1900s and appears to have originated from the phrase “once in a blue moon”—meaning the event was rare. So has the moon ever actually appeared blue? Yes, after a major volcanic eruption. When the volcanic ash rose up into the atmosphere, the ash clouds made the moon appear a blueish color.

Blue moons occur once every thirty-two to thirty-three months, on average. And in 1999 there were double blue moons. Since that year's February had only 28 days and the lunar cycles were favorable, both January and March had two full moons each. If you missed out on this event, you can catch the double blue moons again; they happen approximately every nineteen solar years. Look for double blue moons to make their appearance in the year 2018 and in 2037; again, these events will occur in January and March.

For Witches today, the blue moon is a time of incredible magick and mystery. On the night of a blue moon, the magickal energy is powerful and extremely long-lasting, as spells cast on the night of a blue moon are said to hold until the
next
blue moon.

How's that for an enduring spell? I can just imagine you rubbing your hands together and gleefully plotting! The night of a blue moon is a fantastic time to work for love, protection, wisdom, or to try your hand at divination. A classic lunar goddess to work with is Selene. This Greco-Roman full moon goddess is one of my favorite deities. Selene is especially generous to Witches and is known and well loved for her speedy and practical magickal solutions. One of my favorite lunar spells I wrote years ago is to increase intuition and to gain the wisdom to use this new information intelligently. It works out beautifully when you call on Selene and combine it with the energies of a blue moon. Try it out for yourself.

A Blue Moon Spell for Wisdom and Intuition

Supplies

• One blue candle (your choice as to the size or style: taper or votive)
  
• One white candle (again, your choice as to the style and size)
  
• Two coordinating candleholders
  
• A small representation of each of the four elements; try a crystal for earth, a seashell for water, a feather for air, a lava rock for fire (or the flames from the spell candles will work nicely too)
  
• A fresh white flower in a bud vase (for Selene—try a white rose, lily, or carnation, or try bluebells, which are one of Selene's favorites)
  
• A lighter or matches
  
• A safe, flat surface to set up on
  

Directions

Arrange the items as you prefer. Light the blue candle to represent the blue moon and then the white candle for the moon goddess Selene. Make sure to keep the flower back from the candle flames. Ground and center yourself, and then draw down the moon. Afterwards, tip up your face to the light of the blue moon and make your request for wisdom and protection:

On this night of Selene's magickal blue moon,

Lady, hear my request and grant me a boon.

Bless me with intuition and wisdom both day and night.