Second Moon

“You know the best thing about having a house?

You get to plant whatever you want in the yard and watch it grow.”

~Clarissa Pinkola Estes

If it is your preference, you may listen to an audio version of this Second Moon, located at the bottom of

this page. You will find a downloadable pdf as well, should you wish to print this material to read offline.

Please be aware that not everything can be translated, so be sure to refer back to the web version for

additional video and audio content.

Welcome, wild ones, to our second moon.

How is the house of your spirit? The temple of your body?

Foundations cannot be built without first surveying the landscape. Beyond the surface level of what is

easily seen, there may be deeper aspects to consider. What’s underground? What needs to be navigated

to move forward with full integrity to the project at hand? We shouldn’t lay down a cement block over

an active well. And what about the sacred responsibility to the Spirit of that place? If we do not tend to

the Spirits of the place, it is likely we’ll experience creaking floorboards and harsh weather conditions.

Just sayin’.

And so my loves, what have you discovered about your personal landscape?

Though we are early in this journey where things may feel fresh and exciting, they may also feel tender,

vulnerable and even frustrating at times. There is always the possibility that you breezed through this

past month and that one thing flowed seamlessly into another. But I imagine that for many of us this

first moon brought up difficulty, resistance and perhaps even some anger or sadness. My hope is that

you utilized your journal to hash these things out a bit, or at least named them with an awareness of, “I

see you”.

If you did not~ name them, that is~ then I urge you to try. As I said in the first moon, I can offer

inspiration and guidance. I can offer practices and inquiries to spark your own innate knowing, but I

cannot make the magic of this Companionship happen for you. This 13 moons holds great potentiality

for each of us. But we must be willing to do the work. Most times we have no idea what the “work” is

until it presents itself in the moment. Remarkable opportunities occur when we’re paying attention.

Part of the magic of stepping into S L O W witchcraft and allowing this Companionship to unfold in its

own unique way for each of us, is that it offers us time to sit with and process what is coming up. This

doesn’t mean that we want to sit with it. Shadow work can be hard, even the seemingly minuscule bits;

that’s why most of us don’t do it. We keep pushing that shit down or straight up ignoring it, but

eventually it will get persistently loud. Oftentimes, we don’t even notice it. We’re so used to our

patterns and conditioning that we don’t even recognize the signs from our subconscious bubbling up

from the underworld. That’s why a lot of shit stays buried in the dark keeping us from accessing our full

power. No big deal. Our lives are still full and amazing and fulfilled. We cannot miss what we don’t

know. Or can we? You decide.

In the space of this 13 Moons, we are gifted with time. It might not seem like it yet, but to be sure, when

we establish our grounding work and our foundational practices, we actually create more time in our

lives. Because the time and space we do have is wrought with INTENTION.

One of the biggest lies we tell ourselves is that we don’t have time.

If something was triggered within you by that statement, ask yourself why and then hash it out.

Obviously, some of us have more time than others, relatively speaking. We absolutely must take into

account our individual lives. A single, working mother for example will have much less personal space

and time than someone without children in the home. If we work 12 hours a day because we’re starting

a business from scratch and we can’t yet afford to hire help, etc., we’ll likely be exhausted by days end

and climbing into bed is the extent of our leftover energy. I’m not suggesting that we all have access to

the same amount of time. I am however, offering up to the Altar that the way we utilize the time

we do have, when entered into with intention, creates more space for what matters most.

Let’s apply this to shadow work. When we take time (even extra time) to sit with an issue that is arising

within us, something that every time it rears its complicated little head we spend extraordinary amounts

of energy “dealing” with its presence, that it effects us emotionally and physically, leaving us in a thick,

heavy cloud of sadness or irritability that not only effects us but has an impact on those around us as

well… that same thing, when sat with and processed out~ frees up all this space. The matter can be

healed and cleared. Remnants may linger every now and then but you’ve done the hard part. If it shows

up again, you know the way through without expending enormous amounts of your precious and sacred

time or energy.

And what about our Sadhana? Isn’t adding something extra to the table taking up more time and

creating less space? Well, while I suppose we could look at it that way, my take on it is a definite NO. In

the beginning, when effort (read: will) is involved as you create and establish a new pattern and

supporting rhythm, it can feel like the energy it’s taking isn’t worth it. This is because all of the

resistance that is bubbling up from our ruling patterns is used to getting its own way. Totally normal,

right? Expected, even. When we decide to change anything, there is often a certain amount of

resistance involved. If we can walk the edges of our resistance, utilizing our journals to hash things out,

releasing the rush to push past the shitstorm and just sit with it for a bit, magic will come through.

Yes, Sisters. Magic. If we allow ourselves the space, and also initially~ the illusion of extra time it takes

to find what works for us (and yes, we do have to allow) in developing our foundational and supporting

practices, we will create space for more magic. We will find that “time”~ that elusive character that

always seemed just beyond our reach~ is now beckoning us playfully from the pure essence of our heart

matter.

I urge you, Sisters, do not push past or disregard the importance of discovering your foundational

practices. It is work and yes, it takes effort, but it is not hard, so do not let your brain make it so. (We

need to re-define and decide what “hard” and “work” really mean to us.) I can say this with complete

confidence because I am not telling you to do what I do. I am asking you to do some work to reveal what

your body and soul already knows will nourish you. Your Sadhana will absolutely, without any doubt

support you. It is the most important element in your toolbox. It creates the safe and strong container

for what is coming through. And Witches, there is a LOT that is coming through. Prepare yourself

thoughtfully and with intention. You are here for a reason, and you are capable of handling ALL the

magic. So let’s do this already.

“You too can be carved anew by the details of your devotions.”

~Mary Oliver

Perhaps in these last weeks you have uncovered a nourishing Sadhana practice. If you have found a

practice that is yours and stepped into it with devotion, it is likely that you are already feeling the

benefits in your daily life. Yes, there is work involved, especially in the beginning. Establishing new

patterns isn’t always easy and requires a fair amount of discipline. As I said in our First Moon, if you tend

to shy away from that term, break it down into parts and re-define it for yourself: discipline at its root

is disciple~ to be a disciple of. What does that mean to you? Where does the resonance live? If you are

still working towards claiming yours, continue to go easy and find softness in the discovery

process. Allow the time it takes. Give yourself permission to listen for your truth. Do not give up on

something because it feels hard or pushes your edges, but also, recognize where your resistance lives

and dance with it finding your way through with compassion. Go forward gently. Try new things and

think outside the box (there is no box.) Remember that we are working towards sustainability and

practicing slow witchcraft. What works for you now may or may not work 6 months from now. But the

beauty there lies in building this relationship to Self and your own knowing, so that if and when that

happens, you are ready to meet it with ease and grace.

This month as you continue (or begin) your sun and moon pages and your journal tracking, you may

start to uncover patterns or find insight showing up in unexpected places. Continue this practice without

looking too hard at the breakdown. Anything that is ready to be revealed to you will show up in right

timing. For those of you using The Moon Is My Calendar Journal (TMIMC), this is the first (official) month

to begin in the physical copy. Many of our sister Witches in the Companionship use TMIMC. There is so

much inspiration to be had by reaching out to each other for creative insight in The Moon House. For

those not using TMIMC, your journal tracking keys in your Sun and Moon pages offer similar practices

and you can add April’s pages if you so desire by subscribing to her newsletter, as suggested in the First

Moon.

Let me stop here a moment and offer an invitation. If you are still swimming in the gathering stages of

the First Moon, you have the option of staying there, taking your time and moving on as you feel

inspired. You may also choose to carry on with the work of the Second Moon, incorporating small bits at

a time. There is no “behind” and no hurry. The work is here for you to move through at your own pace.

That being said, if you are in it I recommend BEING IN IT. No matter where you are, rather than stepping

away from it and coming back over space and time, take small steps and incorporate what you can in

simple ways.

This moon we have the option to officially start our book practice as we step more deeply into our basic

witchcraft. We will utilize our book as a teaching companion and guide to hold space for us for this 13

moons and beyond. Depending on your time and energy, your Book holds the potential of becoming a

beautiful and heartfelt piece of your work here. It can also serve as a structure to hold you accountable

for the practices you wish to undertake. In addition, when all is said and done, you have a gorgeous and

tangible memory of how you came to the altar of your life during this journey.

Through the exploration of our chosen medicines and tapping into our inner wisdom through the

different mediums of creation and investigation into heArt and soul work, we enter in with loving

intention and gently begin to flesh out our bones. By devoting an entire moon to investigating the ways

in which your own chosen medicine is speaking to you, you have an opportunity to develop an intimate

connection and deep relationship beyond what may have been before just a surface conversation.

We also begin our work with the moon and with Archetype. Working with these themes from moon to

moon will provide anchors to support what comes up, as well as offer us an opportunity to embody

them in a love language known only to our unique and wild hearts.

The Wheel is constantly turning and when it comes to the archetypal wheel there is no exception.

Though we may not be able to jump around the circle of seasons in the physical plane of time, we

certainly embody the seasons in our body and spirit in a multitude of ways such as age, menstrual cycle

or mood. Living the seasons or phases of the moon in this microcosmic way is archetypal embodiment,

and as such, we also jump around the archetypal wheel when it comes to the “seasons” of woman.

Though I encounter and describe these archetypes in the language of woman~ that is, from my own

perspective as one that identifies as such, they are so much more than that. They are energies that we

can all tap, embody and lean into for guidance, beyond any constraints of gender.

Most of us are familiar with Maiden, Mother and Crone, or at least have a vague sense of hearing or

reading about them at one time or another. I have been a student of midwives and activists Elizabeth

Davis and Carol Leonard for over ten years now, and our archetypal work in this Companionship is

deeply inspired and guided by their co-created work together. Inspired by their book, “The Circle of

Life”, we lean into 9 extra archetypes; 12 experiences of woman that invite us into deeper conversation

with ourselves and Source. Though not required, this book is a valuable addition to your home library

and will expound upon the archetypal work we do in the Companionship if you are called to further

study. Furthermore, our work with the elemental energies and archetype as it relates to seasonal

changes through the zodiac and how we might embody them in our every day magic is guided by my

studies with the magical Cait Johnson. Her book, “Earth, Water, Fire and Air” is a beautiful asset to any

witch’s book shelf. That being said, I will reiterate from our First Moon~ you are not required to

purchase anything extra to move through this Companionship. These titles are simply to offer further

exploration should you wish to dive deeper into what is presented here in our archetypal study.

Rowena Kryder describes archetype as “primary pattern” or “first type”. She says archetypes are

primordial images imprinted on our psyches and embedded in the revolutionary unfoldment of the

cosmos; the signatures of nature and spirit that enable us to find our way back to the numinous sources.

By traveling the ever turning wheel of Archetypes, which are infinite, really and we only cover 12~ we

are able to meet and re-member ourselves as well as the microcosm of our fellow humans at a primal

level of being. By taking the opportunity to converse with and understand these archetypes on a soul

level we might just follow the breadcrumbs back to the true embodiment of our wholeness (holiness).

Along with these archetypes of woman, we also live into the energies of the moon. Simplified, there are

8 phases of the moon: new, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous,

third (last) quarter and waning crescent. If you connect with the Celtic wheel of 8 points of the year, this

is a convenient map for relating to said cycles.

Even simpler are sticking to the 4 main phases: new, first quarter/waxing half, full, and last

quarter/waning half, which coincides with the 4 seasons, the equinoxes and solstices, the 4 directions

and/or the 4 elements.

In this Companionship we explore the moon in relation to archetype and the spaces of the in-between

and thus uncover 12 phases, or even 13, if you consider the ending also being the beginning again.

However, we could, in all actuality unfold into layer upon layer of her entire 28ish day cycle. But to keep

to the rhythm of our Companionship we’ll stick with 12. We will call these: dark, new/sickle crescent,

waxing/emerging crescent, first quarter, waxing/swelling gibbous, crowning gibbous, full, waning

gibbous, disseminating gibbous, last quarter, balsamic crescent and finally, old crescent.

Mind you, Witches~ this is open to translation. I offer a blueprint to support this Companionship.

Change it as it pleases you and release yourself of any overwhelm that might be occurring. All will unfold

in its own perfect timing. Slow is the way. We begin with the step right in front of us and smile gently on

the pressureless path ahead.

From here forward, we will build on the following rituals throughout each moon:

•Continue to nurture your Sadhana (and allow it to nourish you)

•Continue your sun and moon pages, and noticing the little magics

•Visit your Sit Spot, notice the moon in the sky and tend to your altar as often as you can

•Work with TMIMC or create moon work building a rhythm through your sun and moon pages with the

phases from dark moon to dark moon

•Explore the months themes through art, journal practice, ceremony and more

•Work and build relationship with your chosen tools and basic witchcraft through active exploration and

book practice

•Share in The Moon House when inspired and ask questions when needed

•Circle Live with us for calls whenever possible to share and inspire

In addition to easing into our shared rituals, I will also begin to offer simple yet fundamental practices to

nourish and build your own personal medicine bag, offering you a resource of tools that you can tap into

and access at anytime. Each month I may offer new ways to explore the same work or present

something entirely different. These practices, if they call to you, ideally will be practiced at least once a

week. The more you move through them, the more they develop and the easier they get.

And the more you move through them, the more your own inner magic is activated.

Fire

In this beginning of our elemental journey, we step into Fire with this new moon in the masculine and

mutable sign of Sagittarius. The dualities of masculine and feminine are energetics and are not confined

to gender. You might also think of them as carrying the energies of day and night, respectively.

Masculine signs in the zodiac are direct and strong in their action. In astrology, the fire signs are

masculine and shine forth enthusiasm through this active nature.

A signs quadruplicity denotes its quality and signifies its interaction with the outside world. Mutable

signs are flexible and adaptable and able to adjust fairly easily. On the wheel, the mutable signs are the

transitions~ they shift one season to the next. For Sagittarius, we leave Autumn and enter into Winter.

Astrology is a beautiful and complex science and though we will only just touch on its surface in this

Companionship, we will use it as a guide to move us through the elements throughout the next 12

moons. If astrology does not call to you, feel free to skip these intros and move on. As always~ take

what serves you in this Companionship and leave the rest.

In the Zodiac, Sagittarius represents the quest for wisdom. It is the sign of the philosopher and the

explorer and with their fiery enthusiasm and restless mutability they produce an expansive personality

who is not likely to be confined. Sagittarius thrives with freedom and possibility and encourages us to

look at life as we want it to be. When the moon is in Sagittarius it helps us connect to our inner wisdom

and the truths of our own Knowing. It invites spontaneity and encourages us to seek adventurous

solutions.

How can you utilize this Sagittarius season to tap into your inner wisdom and express your vision

through action?

• • •

Fire is the nourishing hearth that warms our homes and cooks our meals. It is the alchemy that changes

one thing into another. In the Northern Hemisphere we are transitioning from Autumn to Winter. Unlike

our Southern Hemisphere sisters, who are experiencing the climbing days and rising heat towards

Summer Solstice, those of us in the North are lighting our hearths to warm our homes and carrying

around the fires in our bellies, holding that spark of sacred flame and tending to it; sometimes gently,

other times fiercely, depending on what we need to move and get us through the cold wintry months.

Fire is power and we have access to that power. It can be both terrible and wonderful, invoking joy and

demanding respect.

The element of fire has inspired us and left us in awe from the moment of its birth. Human lives (and

those we come into contact with) have been utterly transformed since the discovery of our ability

to make fire, and not always for the better. It is certainly the great illuminator, yet it is also the great

destroyer. In these last few years we have seen our world literally being consumed by Fire. It is a very

real, primal force~ an ancient ancestor, stirring up a cauldron of molten change.

Journal Inquiry & Inspiration

•What is your relationship to the physical element of fire as nurturer or life giver? What is your

relationship to fire as destroyer?

•We have many ways we refer to the feelings and qualities of how we embody fire: as I already

mentioned above, we have the fire in the belly. We also have sparks of inspiration and the flame of

hope.

What other poetic expressions come to mind when you think of the qualities of fire and how they are

embodied in your being? How can these expressions expand your relationship to fire as an energy, as

well as a physical and tangible force (and heat source) in your daily life?

•With this introduction into fire, consider journaling about the physical, mental and emotional aspects

that it brings up for you. How does it show up in your life, in ways both obvious and subtle? In what

ways can you honor fire this moon as we move forward through the Solstice Season?

During this moon we will work with Fire:

·to burn away and clear out

·to activate and invoke

·to purify and protect

We spoke to Sacred Space in our first moon. Creating sacred space can be as simple as shifting the

energy and setting intention. Consider these simple, everyday acts of magic:

When you run a bath…

Set the table for dinner…

Sit for Sadhana…

Make your bed…

When you look at the intention behind such simple actions, can you see how you are creating sacred

space for magic to happen? Stress release, nourishing bellies, grounding and centering, deep rest…

This month we shall intentionally create sacred space with one of the simplest and most precious relics

of our time, while continuing to build relationship with the element of fire:

~ a candle:

A simple tea light will do. At least once a week, make a practice of lighting a candle at dinner, beginning

your Sadhana or anytime that calls you to create a shift in energy. Before you light your candle, consider

closing your eyes if you are comfortable doing so and exhale any lingering breath. Then, breathe in

deeply drawing the air from your belly into your heart and exhale slowly allowing the air to gently

release. Open your eyes and light the candle. What do you notice? When you are finished with your

meal, meditation, etc., repeat the breath, open your eyes if you’ve closed them and blow out the

candle. Can you feel the subtle shift that occurs during this process?

If you feel inspired, write some words calling in the Spirit of Fire as a prayer or blessing and say these

before you light your candle. At the end, offer a prayer of gratitude or a simple ‘Thank you’ before you

blow or snuff it out. Write about your experience with this exercise in your journal pages, or record it in

your Book. Feel free to share with us in The Moon House.

Let’s talk about why we might want to create energetic boundaries around ourselves. There are many

situations that may arise where we feel that we might need an extra support system, whether this be

during an act of intense magic or simply going to check the mail. We do not live in bubbles, and

oftentimes, for the super sensitive among us, we can feel assaulted by the energies that seem to come

at us from all directions. Likewise, when we feel particularly under attack by a person or situation,

creating a protective boundary around ourselves can be an extra measure that we will return whole,

with our integrity intact.

In rites of magic, creating energetic boundaries around your space~ a Circle for example, can not only

offer you the peace of mind that you are sealing out any unwanted energies, but also, that you are

creating a sacred container for your work to unfold in a held space. This can allow you to be present in

your rites and rituals (or even the grocery store check out line) without question or concern that you are

opening up to negative energy or emotion, leaving yourself vulnerable when you do not wish to be.

There are a myriad of ways that this can be accomplished. We’ll go over just a few. This is a visualization

exercise and will get clearer and stronger the more you practice it. Continuing our work with the

sensuous, I’d like you to tap into the elements that you presently feel most connected with and

contemplate the way you feel most touched by them in the physical world. For example, if Air is your

element of choice, in which ways does Air affect you the most (in an uplifting or calming way)? A cool

breeze perhaps? The way the leaves dance and whisper when a gust of wind blows through them? Or

maybe you prefer the fierce gale of a strong storm?

When we are guided to ground and center ourselves, it is usually though the element of Earth, and for

good reason of course, as she is the ground upon which we rest and the central Mother that supports

us. When we ground, we can push down our roots into the Mother. But what if we feel more grounded

when that wind touches our face, because it calls attention to our breath or our heart space. What if it’s

the great womb of water in which we feel most protected, and so our grounding practice is to visualize

being held in the salty ocean or to imagine rain falling down upon us. Maybe, in working with fire this

moon, it is through the visioning of your own inner fire that centers you in a way that nothing else could

in that moment. Perhaps you’ll even be called to combine elements or work with all at once.

This is yet another opportunity to tap into your own knowing, the inner wisdom of you, or to experiment

and play with different ways of moving into these exercises from a place of curiosity and exploration,

rather than a rigid dictation of should’s and supposed to’s. Certainly they have their place, but you get to

decide when and where the rules apply in your own life.

Before we set about establishing boundaries, it’s good to get grounded.

Taking the ideas above into consideration, come up with a 15 second to one minute exercise that

grounds you in to your strength and to Source. Why such a short amount of time? Well, of course you

can have a longer centering practice and there are times that call for such thing. But I think it’s

important to tap in and call upon a tool that you can utilize in any moment. 15 seconds is doable when

you have to get your shit together in an intense or overwhelming situation in the shortest amount of

time. Again, once you have your practice in place, practice it often. Soon you will be able to call upon it

in a moments notice, clear and sure.

If your time and energy allows space this moon, offer yourself the additional exercise of creating a

longer grounding practice, anywhere from 2-5 minutes. Consider recording yourself on a recording app

if it helps the process at all. Eventually it will be second nature and will be an invaluable addition to your

toolbox.

Journal Inquiry & Inspiration:

Write about times when this practice could have served you. Write about the times ahead when you

know it will.

When you’ve practiced this exercise and feel it settling in, use the same element or work with another

to establish an energetic, safe container of protective boundaries around yourself.

This is basically a sealing out (them/it) and sealing in (you). The example I will provide will be with the

element of Fire, to continue to build on this Moon’s qualities.

To perform this exercise we will imagine ourselves on fire. This is not a raging wild fire but a sacred

glowing inner fire of your own activation that originates in your heart center and grows deeper and

wider, outward from the heart of you. ** When you have built it up, “push” it out of you~ above, below

and all around, purifying, clearing and freeing your container of any unwanted energies. Allow the

flickering flames to rest around you in a circle size of your choosing. You can visualize them staying

above ground, or watch them sink into the earth around you knowing their protective boundaries

remain and that your energy is safely contained within.

If you are uncomfortable visualizing yourself on fire, imagine instead sunlight or starlight emanating

from your being. It will have the same effect, and still call upon the element at hand.

How can you transform this practice to utilize your element(s) of choice?

The first few times you do this, journal about how you feel before, during and after. Noticing these

feelings will help to activate the energies on subtler levels by drawing on the actual embodied feeling as

well as visualization or imagination.

**If you are not used to visualizing this can take time and much practice. Allow yourself both with

compassion and grace. Oftentimes visualization by inner sight just does not work for us personally, and

instead we might be more inclined towards purely feeling the visualization. Only practice will reveal

what works best for you. My only advice is to not get discouraged and think that it’s not your thing

because it’s too hard or because you don’t have it after the third time or the thirteenth time. If it

resonates and you wish to master it, and you’re willing to put in the work to practice it, you will.

A Practice:

Begin by sitting in front of a live candle flame. Stare at the flame for one minute (if the light is too

strong, allow your eyes to be unfocused, or look beyond the flame while still holding the flame in your

vision), then close your eyes and attempt to draw up the image of the flame in your mind for another

minute. Repeat at least 3 more times in the first session. If time allows, perhaps practice this exercise a

couple times a day, or even a few times a week. Once you have the hang of holding that flame in

your mind, you can then utilize your breath to aid the imagination. Focus on your heart and imagine a

candle flame. When you inhale, imagine the flame growing larger. As you exhale, imagine it returning to

its original size.

Can you find 5 to 15 minutes a day a few times a week this Moon (ideally in a quiet setting) to practice

one or more of the exercises above?

• • •

Casting circle can be seen as a combination of the above exercises of creating a sacred and protective

space. Casting circle is not a required tool of magic and is a personal choice on whether or not to do so.

When we take time out before any intentional magic, ritual or ceremony, casting circle can serve not

only to set protective boundaries around our magic and a safe container for invoking energies, but also

designate a threshold for stepping out of the space of the ordinary and mundane into the

{non}ordinary~ the liminal~ the in-between; a time that is no time in a space that is no space.

Magic not enacted in a circle is no less effective. Like I said before, it is purely based on the preference

of the Witch. It can simply offer an additional focus for those of us that are served by such. I will say

however, that if working magic or holding ceremony as a group, casting circle can be an effective way to

draw on and focus the intentions of the group dynamic and to create a safe container for the energies of

the whole~ which can offer a sense of ease and greater confidence, amplifying the magic at hand.

Suggested elements for casting circle:

•Decide on the space you will create your circle and the circumference of size. This can all depend on

the act you are creating and if you are alone or sharing space.

•Physically sweep out the area with a broom or a vacuum. This is profane magic. Visualize your broom

as a sacred tool, clearing and purifying your space. You may choose to further clear out and purify with

incense or smudge, drumming or bells, or even *blue fire. Adding in specific elements that resonate

with you makes all the difference.

•Decide if you want something tangible to mark your space: ribbon, a rope, crystals, beads, christmas

lights, candles, etc. Leave an opening or mark one energetically for where you will enter. Make sure

everything you need is inside the circle.

•Call up your inner heart flame from the exercise above and visualize it directing from your finger (or

wand, knife, gaze, etc.) outlining or “drawing” your circle around you. Step through the opening and seal

it closed. Call your fire back in to rest at the heart of you. You may wish to call upon some words of

power to say aloud while you draw your circle, such as: “Sacred flame which lives at the heart of me and

arises from Spirit, I call you up and send you forth to create this circle that sets this space apart and

protects this place from harm. This rite is holy and true. And so it is.”

•At this point you may wish to call in the elements of Earth, Fire, Water, and Air, your guides and/or

ancestors, and other energies to be with you in circle to support and witness your rites.

•To release your circle: if you’ve called in certain elements and energies, be sure to thank them for their

presence and invite them to depart, and either erase your circle visualizing the fire coming back through

your finger recombining with your glowing energy or allow your circle to dissipate, settling down into

the earth fertilizing her with your sacred magic.

Note: You can also simply cast circle for the experience and the practice of working with the energetic

qualities of what the act feels like, even just to surround your Sadhana. Consider writing about the

experience in your journal each time you do this.

Click here to view a video in two parts utilizing movement for circle casting.

https://www.brandiwoolf.com/circle-casting-w-movement/

There is potency in fire; of that there can be no doubt. When we do not have access to a fire pit or

outdoor area for our magic, and are seeking more than just what a simple (but, oh so sacred) candle

flame can offer, here are a couple of other (indoor) options to work with the substantial nature of fire, in

a tangible way:

(Be a wise witch. Fire is still fire and deserves our full presence and respect. Use utmost safety and

consideration of your surroundings when working with fire. Be mindful of where little hands and paws

might enter the area. Proceed with caution in all cases.)

•Blue Fire: There are many ways besides the ones I present here to utilize this sacred flame, and I will

leave that to your wild and wise knowing. What I offer here is an additional way to purify your space,

cast your circle, or perform banishing or releasing magic. As we spoke to in our First Moon, when our

senses are engaged it can lend support to the magic at hand.

It is extremely important to recognize the power of fire and to move into this rite with caution and

respect. Fire burns. Again, FIRE BURNS, and this is a chemical reaction, alchemist. So, if you choose to

work with Blue Fire, proceed at your own risk.

I recommend using cast iron for your Blue Fire, preferably with a handle, as seen in the video below. If it

has a lid, even better. If not, please keep some sand nearby to extinguish your fire should the need arise.

I have used a tin pie pan and some extra aluminum foil in a pinch, but cast iron is your best friend. If it’s

accessible, perhaps consider keeping a small cast iron pot purely for your magical practice. You

absolutely do not want to use anything with a flimsy bottom or anything breakable, like glass or ceramic.

And make sure you keep your flames away from flammable materials. I know this is common sense and

I’m repeating myself, but it doesn’t hurt to take precautions.

If you are using your blue fire to purify your space or cast your circle, you will want to have a container

with a handle so you can safely walk around with it. If you are using it in spells or to burn paper in,

where it won’t be moved and is setting on a fireproof surface, a small fireproof dish without handles will

do.

You will need:

*epson salts or sea salt (feel free to safely experiment with other pure salts. For example, I would love

to try black salt for specific spells in this rite.)

*high proof alcohol~ vodka or even rubbing alcohol will do. Remember the higher proof the hotter the

fire. Move forward with awareness.

*your fire proof container

*long handled match

*a lid or sand (for smothering)

*measuring cups to measure relatively equal amounts salt/alcohol. If you only have dry measuring cups,

you may need slightly less liquid than your salt. Add the alcohol to the salts, not the other way around.

When it starts to slightly pool on the top, you have enough.

Optional:

*herbs or resins specific to your magic at hand

*small slips of paper to burn (or *flash paper~ SO good.)

*a fire extinguisher (for the extra cautious among us)

•Flash Paper: Flash paper is nitrocellulose, or tissue treated with nitric and sulfuric acid. It

burns really quickly and has no ash or smoke. Flash paper is a wonderful thing to have on hand for

that sensuous experience of magic, formal ceremony or even as a practice of burning off or wish making

in our daily rituals or Sadhana, among many other things. You can purchase flash paper or “magicians”

paper on the web, or if you’re chemically minded, you can even make your own. Flash paper should kept

dry and stored safely, as obviously, it is extremely flammable.

The Crone and the Dark Moon

The Crone’s medicine is wisdom medicine, rightfully earned and freely given; not by lesson or lecture

but by the truth of her living. The Crone teaches by example. She has passed through the many

thresholds and phases of woman and now takes her place as holy grandmother~ caretaker of society.

She is no longer seeking anything outside of her because she walks with awareness that it lives within

every cell of her body.

Physiologically, the Crone is menopause complete; the point in which the balance returns. She has

surrendered and survived through yet another mystery of woman. She no longer offers her life giving

blood to the earth, but holds it within, and thus retains the wisdom that is her right and her Rite. She is

at peace with the ending of things and yet knows she has work to do; work that she has earned the right

to step into by the sheer walk of what she has endured. In certain land based and mother-centric

cultures the Crone is valued for her passage through menopause. Once on the other side of this blood

mystery, the retention of their blood wisdom with all its magical qualities releases barriers to her

healing and visionary abilities and opens space for full authenticity as she dances with wild abandon into

unbounded integrity.

The Crone recognizes that she is slowing down and letting go. She moves deeper into the core of her

being to live from a place of what is essential. She has lost her capacity for bullshit and is the ultimate

truth teller. However, in her embodied wisdom when she speaks her truth she passes it through with

the raw compassion of a life fully lived.

It is part of our work to re-crown our Crones. These basic and natural roles for women do not come easy

in this culture. Instead of being sought out for their deep love and knowledge they are more often

passed over as guilty of getting old. Likely this is carried over from the Inquisition and Burning Times

when elderly women were often the first to be called out as “witch” because they were the medicine

women, the midwives and the healers. Where once they were honored for their wisdom, they became

instead tortured and killed for it. This was convenient as a way to rid the village of the old, to claim their

land and their property especially for the old women living alone (serving no husband) and therefore, in

the eyes of the accusers, useless.

The Crone’s moon is the Dark Moon and her time is Winter Solstice~ the darkest times before the light

returns. Hers is the cauldron of equal parts surrender and alchemy and she clearly understands the

power in the dark and weaves the magic that will transition her through death.

The Crone is bold and bawdy, complex and variegated, repugnant and weak, and strong and beautiful.

Hers is the work of going deep inside. She is indomitable. She is healer. She trusts and becomes one with

the Great Mother of all.

Hecate is a classic Crone~ the wise, protective, prophetic shapeshifter, as are Baba Yaga, Spider Woman

and the Cailleach, just to name a few. These mythic representatives of the Sage, Hag and Wise Witch

have power, dignity, wisdom and demand respect.

In this Season of Hecate, enjoy this ritual and spell work if it calls to you.

https://www.brandiwoolf.com/hecate/

Journal Inquiry & Inspiration:

•How does the Crone show up in your life and how can you show up for her?

•In what ways have you embodied Crone energy or lived out the archetype of Crone? In what ways do

they show up in your life?

•Do you have any Crones present in your life? How can you honor them?

•Who embodies Crone for you? What public figures and/or fictional characters come up when you think

of Crone? These associations help us to know the archetype by offering ourselves an embodied

reference.

•How can you see that the Crones of our day are not respected?

•How can you see that our Crones do not recognize their own power, wisdom and worthiness?

•What do you believe your own role looks like in deconstructing this conditioning?

•How can you honor the Crone within yourself?

•Consider writing/creating your own cro(w)ning ceremony/ritual. What would it look like? Where would

it take place? Who would you invite, or would you prefer to be alone? What words would be spoken?

Live into the imaginal story of this sacred rite to celebrate the passage into (or the present honoring of)

Crone.

If you find yourself with an extra ten minutes to spare, watch this video of Anna Halprin as she embodies

that Crone wisdom through her living and her dance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWxpn8wOj70

And my most beloved Wisdom Crone~ my Teacher Angela Farmer, speaks here to Yoga.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQWieQ2s2eM

Create art around our archetypal exploration this moon. This can show up as

story/poem/ritual/ceremony/altar/collage/paintings/dance/yoga flow/etc. Share with our sisters in The

Moon House if you feel called.

The Dark Moon is often marked on calendars as the new moon and it is here that I would like to offer

my personal inner reflection to the altar for your consideration. The dark moon time is when the moon

is not visible in the sky. Thus, obviously~ Dark. The new moon is when the slightest sliver of light first

appears. Such a simple distinction yet when working with the energetics and/or archetype of the moon,

the qualities that each bring can present variables with how their particular energies resonate for us

personally. Past waning and not yet waxing, the dark moon is liminal. She is in conjunction with the

earth and sun; lying in between (much as the energy of the Crone), and is cast into shadow.

So while from a calendar view, the dark and new moon are interchangeable~ from a magical or spiritual

perspective they can hold different connotations. When relying on energetic correspondences in your

magical workings you might feel called to take these energies into consideration.

The Dark Moon represents an apex point in the lunar cycle. How you choose to honor this phase is

personal. Some might see it as a time of stillness or rest and others might celebrate the dark phase with

outward action. Being that the dark moon is a liminal space, it can be useful for balancing work and

ritual. We can also look to her darkness in aspects of banishing and binding magic. It is in this darkness

that we can go within, exploring the cavernous aspects of self or even that of our guides. It is in darkness

where we may more easily speak to our ancestors and journey to the underworld for shadow work,

healing and deep transformation. And still, we may choose to not enter into any work at all, allowing

this period of darkness to nourish us in the most intentional of ways; to go dark, to be quiet, to get still.

Meditate and reflect on what this darkness can bring up for you. Perhaps see it as a clean slate where

there are no expectations but to simply be. Allow yourself to be guided by instinct or need in the

moment.

Moon practice:

Create art around the moon. Name her. Feel into this season and the intentions around this second

moon. Not just the Dark Moon but the entire cycle in its wholeness. Where would you like to

devote/dedicate your energy? Look to your wheel if you created one (from the First Moon). What is

present for you this cycle? What associations and elements come forward to inspire your celebrations.

Use what comes up to inspire your moon work. Work with your Calendar journal if you have one but

also consider dedicating space in your Book for this cycle of the moon. Choose a place to start and draw

her. Add in sketches, images or colors that come to mind when you think of the essence of this season

you’re in. Consider this practice a part of your monthly rituals, devoting time and space for each moon

as we pass through our time together.

The Tools of your Craft

Here we begin to expand upon your chosen tools of witchcraft that you spent time noticing and/or

gathering in the First Moon. If you have 12 of each you may choose to separate them now into their

individual months (perhaps around your wheel) or just pick and choose as you go. Likewise, if you’ve

chosen less, 4 perhaps, maybe you’d like to separate them into seasons. If you are still feeling into your

tools, all is well. Claim what you have and as we embark on this second moon together and ease into our

book practice we will choose what we’ll journey on for this cycle, whether that be one of each or simply

one. If you’ve not chosen anything additional, you are welcome to follow along with me in this second

moon time and simply work with the material as it is given.

To begin this practice, journal about what you already know about these tools and/or guides (the ones

you’ve chosen to work with this Moon, specifically)~ both academically and intuitively and how they

make you feel. Carry them into meditation or journey to see if they have any messages for you.

Notes on journeying:

A Journey is a pathway to communicate with Spirit. When we enter into a journey we are most likely

looking for messages or guidance and therefore have a specific intention set. Journeying can take

practice and having familiarity around meditation can certainly support your efforts. We can journey to

meet our guides, connect with our ancestors, receive healing and so much more.

I have offered a simple guided journey below to introduce you to certain elements that you may wish to

include in future experiments with journeying. This journey will guide you from your personal point of

power on the earth plane to the lower world where we’ll simply take a walk about. In the future, you

may find it helpful to play or listen to drumbeats or rattling to guide you more easily into journeying.

If you are new to this experience, allow yourself to just BE in the journey without expectation of

something happening. Perhaps listen to the guided journey a few times a week and notice what is

different each time. Make notes in your journal. Notice the weather and the landscape, the particular

flora and fauna. Be present with all of your senses activated to see if something comes forward in one

form over another.

When you travel into journey to seek messages from/about your tools or guides it is helpful to have a

familiarity with the practice. Utilize the guided journey as often as you feel called and feel free to reach

out to me with any questions or insight.

Meditating and Journeying offer a form of spirit research so to speak. Next, begin to do some book

and/or internet research about your tool/guide~ perhaps the magical and medicinal properties? Any

folklore associated with it? Poems written about it? If you’ve chosen to work with plants, learn about

where they grow, their life cycle and when their medicine is at its most potent. When is the best time to

plant and harvest and what parts of the plant are used? When? How? Can it be wild-crafted? Is it over

harvested? Will it grow in your area? What are its ideal conditions? Are there any astrological

correspondences with this plant or related folklore that speaks to you. Is it safe for consumption?

Certain parts? All parts? Any contraindications in its use?

How can you incorporate it into your life? Continuing with herbs/plants as an example: An infusion? A

tincture, oil or healing salve? Is it culinary? Would it add flavor to your favorite dish? Perhaps it lends

itself toward incense or smudge? What about a yoni steam or a dream pillow? What magical

associations can be gleaned from these more mundane knowings?

These are just a few ideas to get you started and no matter what tools/guides you’ve chosen, hopefully

it will create sparks of inspiration. If you need any guidance or help with how to work in your book with

particular items, feel free to reach out to me or in our community of witches.

If you’ve chosen something that you don’t have on hand, you are not required to go out and purchase

anything. Just begin by investigating its properties and qualities and write down what you learn in your

journal or scribbler.

Book practice:

Take what you’ve learned and choose the pieces that resonate the most. Tap into your inner artist and

creatrix. Devote some time to sketching some images of your tool/guide. For plants, perhaps in various

stages of development. Make notes along side, related to interesting things you’ve learned and that

you’d like to remember. If there are recipes you’d like to add for food, teas, medicine, magic~ create

space for it or offer yourself the freedom to return to it later, perhaps somewhere else in your book.

This can present another reason to save space at the beginning for a table of contents. Include any

folklore around the item that speaks to you. Tap into your inner bard/poet and use your scribbler to

come up with some words or rhymes that can be used as an incantation in spell work or ritual.

You might choose also~ if drawing/painting/etc. isn’t your thing~ to find a medium that is. Maybe you’ll

discover some images online or in magazines that relate to your tool/guide. Clip them and paste or tape

them into your book creating a unique piece of art that speaks to you.

Use this same flexible structure to work with any and all of your chosen tools or basic witchcraft. With

crystals, learn about their origin. Where is it found? Is it over mined? How is it formed? Is it a

combination of many crystals? What are its properties and qualities? Is it safe to ingest? How is it best

worked with? What parts of the body? Does it hold energy or need to be cleansed often? Is it safe to be

left in water? Should it be worn, carried, slept with under your pillow, made into an elixir? What are its

associations through color? Shape? Size? What words come to you to help you remember its energies or

qualities? How can it best support you? In what ways does it call to you to utilize its medicine and magic.

The same ideas and inquiries can be applied to many things. If you have chosen a Goddess, animal,

divination tool or guide, take time to inquire into their stories, their origins, homelands, associations,

etc. and be open to the medicine that wants to show up for you. If you have chosen one of something to

serve as a guide for your entire journey, devote time to investigate the why of their presence for you.

Perhaps dedicate space on your Altar to them/it or create an Altar just for them.

Allow your inner creatrix to play. Create art around any and all of this, whether it’s a palate of color that

reminds you of your stone or an image of the animal/goddess itself. Perhaps the spirit of the stone

speaks to you and offers a way it’s asking to be expressed. Journey with it if you feel called. Make notes

on particulars that speak to you and ways you have used it or intend to use it.

Remember to choose just ONE or one of each: herb, crystal, animal, astrology sign, etc. This is a FULL

month with a lot of work and inquiry. Take your time and tap into your devotional practices. Choose

what resonates the most and leave the rest~ either permanently aside or until another time or another

moon feels right to work on them. Be content with where you are.

Embodied Practice:

If working with an herb and it is safe to consume, create a ritual of starting an infusion each night to be

consumed throughout the next day (a rich infusion is 1 part herb to 4 parts water). If your crystal is safe

to infuse with it, consider doing so. (BE SURE! Some crystals are toxic and are NOT SAFE for

consumption.) Another option is to place the crystal on top of the lid or next to the glass and allow its

vibrating essence to infuse into the tea. You can do this with pure water as well. If you’ve created an

incantation perhaps say or sing it as prayer magic, adding the additional piece of your voice to the ritual.

If you are working with elements not presented here and need inspiration of how to bring them into

your daily life practice, reach out to me or the community and I/we will assist to the best we are able.

Notes on acknowledging your sources (even oral): I would like to suggest that you consider making

space in your work to acknowledge your sources. This is important for many reasons. 1. It gives credit to

the original author/artist and you are honoring them as the wellspring that inspired you. 2. It allows you

to remember where you received the information so that you can come back to the particular source for

further inquiry at a later time. 3. It presents full transparency to future readers of your work, and shows

that you hold in respect the hard work and wisdom of others before you.

Practice, Inquiry, and Journal Inspiration for the Second Moon (recap):

•What is your relationship to the physical element of fire as nurturer or life giver? What is your

relationship to fire as destroyer?

In our work with Fire, what poetic expressions come to mind when you think of the qualities of fire and

how they are embodied in your being? How can these expressions expand your relationship to fire as an

energy, as well as a physical and tangible force (and heat source) in your daily life?

With this introduction into fire, consider journaling about the physical, mental and emotional aspects

that it brings up for you. How does it show up in your life, in ways both obvious and subtle? How can

you bring deeper noticing to how fire is present in your daily life? In what ways can you honor fire this

moon as we move towards the Solstice Season?

•Create ceremony and sacred space with the simple and humble, yet utterly magical tea light. Practice

the visualization, grounding and boundaries exercises. Create a short and long variation of a simple

grounding practice that you can turn to in times of need. Work with(in) Circles if you feel called and tap

into the power and excitement of Blue Fire and/or Flash Paper.

•Enjoy the additional resources of Hecate and Winter Solstice.

•Work with the Journeying audio as much as you feel inspired.

Continuing Exploration and Practices for the 13 Moons:

*You have choice here. You may follow along with the outline provided or you may choose to take these

ideas as inspiration and change them to better suit your personal style. Though we may follow a similar

structure, what comes through for each of us will likely be different. If you were called to create a

wheel~ look to it for inspiration on what may want to show up for you during this time. If much of this is

new for you and nothing specific has “come up” regarding tools, elements, deity, etc. I invite you to feel

at ease in following the work exactly as I present it without adding in bits of “extras”, i.e. goddesses,

animals, crystals, etc. It is my belief that the simple act of creating, including writing~ even in a

structured format, frees up space for your own intuitive wisdom to be activated.

•Write a short story, create a piece of art, or design a ceremony or ritual around any or all of the

elements of your work this moon, separate or combined. By bringing this work from our minds to our

hearts and then through our hands, it allows us to integrate it in a way that is personal and deep.

Imagine yourself sitting around the fire and tap into the storyteller of you and see what comes up.

•Begin your practice with The Moon is My Calendar Journal if you’ve chosen to work with it, or

experiment with similar practices in your Book or journal. Enter delightfully and with curiosity into your

Moon Work. Continue your Sun and Moon pages.

•Continue to nourish and build your Sadhana, utilizing playful investigation and experimentation to find

what is sustainable and serves you best. Continue to visit your Sit Spot, reflect on intention with

attention, and vice versa, and tend to your altars, both within and without.

•Explore your chosen tools of basic witchcraft through active exploration and book practice using the

ideas above to guide and inspire you.

•Practice working with Fire (or your chosen element) at least once a week through the rituals of creating

sacred space, forming protective boundaries and/or casting circle. Spend time meditating or free writing

on Fire. Tap into sensuous exploration and feel into how Fire shows up in your life. Note your

experiences in your journal.

•Sit with the Archetype and the Moon phase presented this month. Allow their energies to be present in

your daily rituals and meditations, no matter what phase the moon is in. Journal on the inquiries

presented with the Archetype and allow free writing around these archetypes to be present in your Sun

and Moon pages if they come up.

•Work with your journal and your Book as much as time is available to you. Journal about whatever

experiences you choose this month and be sure to record any stories, spells or rituals and all aspects

that you want to remember in your Book. Be sure to credit your sources.

•Continue to visit the Witch’s House through the guided meditation in our First Moon.

•Join us on Live calls and participate in our community space as often as you feel called!

Other questions to ponder and journal on:

•What does the darkness bring up for you?

•Consider your relationship with time.

•What are your dreams? Big and small?

•What do you want to do before you die?

•What is selfish? How do you feel around this word? Consider that acts of serving yourself also serve

others.

•Investigate where “hard” and “work” live within you and your stories around them. Are their

associations positive or less than? Can you re-define your relationship to these words? How?

•How do you feel about the “reality” of imagination?

•What is your lineage? What is your blood? Begin to feel into this without worrying about doing any

heavy duty research right now. Just sit with what you know and bring what comes up to your journal.

If it is accessible to you, I would highly recommend downloading and/or printing out the material. It will

allow you to experience the Companionship on a more intimate level, removing the screen time and

having access to the written words in a more tangible way. There are certain aspects that won’t come

through in the pdf’s, audio and video for example, so perhaps skim through online first and print out a

copy to refer back to later.

All images are property of Ashley Hallmark and Copyright Gathered and Found. Please do not share or

reproduce any of this material, other than for your personal use in this Companionship.