Goddess Speak Sanctuary of Solace Newsletter - August 2022

"The first week of August hangs at the very top of summer, the top of the live-long year, like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel when it pauses in its turning. The weeks that come before are only a climb from balmy spring, and those that follow a drop to the chill of autumn, but the first week of August is motionless, and hot. It is curiously silent, too, with blank white dawns and glaring noons, and sunsets smeared with too much color. Often at night there is lightning, but it quivers all alone." - Natalie Babbitt

August Dates of Interest:

• American Artist Appreciation Month /Black Business Month
• August 1 Lammas/Lughnasadh
• August 3: National Watermelon Day
• August 7: Sea Serpent Day, National Lighthouse Day
• August 11: Full Sturgeon Moon @ 6:35pm / Full Moon Drum Circle
• August 12: Stargazing with the S.o.S.!
• August 15: Chant at the Moon Day / Sanskrit Day
• August 17: National Black Cat Appreciation Day
• August 20: World Honey Bee Day
• August 21: Poet's Day
• August 26: National Women's Equality Day
• August 27: New Moon in Virgo @ 1:17 am

Musings from the desk of, Priestess Laurelinn...

Happy August my friends! Time for Lammas, monsoons (at least in the desert), end of the Dog Days of Summer, stargazing in the mountains and enjoying the last weeks of hot sunny days. I'd like to take a moment to correct myself - in my post last month I stated I was initiated 1st and 2nd degree in a local Gardnerian coven. The coven I was initiated through is very traditional, but it is not Gardnerian. They are specifically listed as "An eclectic, traditionalist Oath-Bound, initiatory Wiccan coven, and I wanted to be sure and eliminate any confusion.

So, I've decided to bring you all the Celtic Tree Calendar information. Usually, one would start with the first month of the year, but since the Celtic Tree Calendar has 13 'months' I figure I can just start in the next one coming up and go from there!

Celtic Tree Month of Hazel

9th Moon of the Celtic Year - (Aug 5 - Sept 1)

• Celtic name: Coll (pronounced: Cull). Coll means "life force within you".
• Folk or Common names: tree of Wisdom, Lamb's Tails Tree, Collo or Coslo (Gailic), The tree's name shares a common root with the walnut tree and its nut, or cnu and hnot in Europe and Nux in latin.
• Parts Used: Nut, leaves, branches, wood.
• Magical History & Associations: The bird associated with this month is the crane, the color is brown, and the gemstone is band-red agate. The Hazel, a masculine herb, is associated with the element of air, the planet of Mercury, the day of Wednesday, and is sacred to Mercury, Thor, Artemis, Fionn, Diana and Lazdona (the Lithuanian Hazelnut Tree Goddess). Hazel wood is one of the nine traditional firewoods that is part of the Belfire that the Druid's burned at Beltane - it was added to the fire to gain wisdom. In fact, in ancient times the Hazel was known as The Tree of Wisdom. It is often associated with sacred springs and wells and salmon. Celtic legend tell of a grove of Hazel trees below which was a well, a pool, where salmon swam. These trees contained all knowledge, and their fruit contained that knowledge and wisdom in a nutshell. As the hazelnuts ripened, they would fall into the well where they were eaten by the salmon. With each nut eaten, the salmon would gain another spot. In order to gain the wisdom of the Hazel, the Druids caught and prepared the salmon. But Fionn, the young man stirring the pot in which the salmon were cooking, accidentally burned his thumb with the boiling stew. By reflex, he put his thumb into his mouth and thus ingested the essence of the sacred feast; he instantly gained the wisdom of the universe.
• Magickal usage: The Hazel has applications in magick done for manifestation, spirit contact, protection, prosperity, wisdom, divination-dowsing, dreams, wisdom-knowledge, marriage, reconciliation, fertility., intelligence, inspiration, and wrath. Hazel is a good herb to use to do magick associated with asking for wisdom and poetic inspiration since the Hazel is known as the Tree of Immortal Wisdom. In England, all the knowledge of the arts and sciences was thought to be bound to the eating of Hazel nuts.
• The Hazel is a tree that is sacred to the fey Folk. A wand of hazel can be used to call the Fey. If you sleep under a Hazel bush you will have vivid dreams. Hazel can be used for all types of divination and dowsing. Until the seventeenth century, a forked Hazel stick was used to divine the guilt of persons in cases of murder and theft. Druids often made wands from Hazel wood and used the wands for finding ley lines. Hazel twigs or a forked branch can be used to divine for water or to find buried treasure. The wood of the Hazel can help to divine the pure source of poetry and wisdom. Hazelnuts can be used for love divination.
• Hazels are often found at the border between the worlds where magickal things happen, and therefore Hazel wood is excellent to use to make all-purpose wands. Any Hazel twigs, wood or nuts should be gathered after sundown on Samhain since it will be at the peak of its magickal energy. Hazel must not be cut with a knife, but with a flint.

Excerpts from an article by Sarah Nunn, aka Sarah the Swamp Witch

Summer declines and roses have grown rare, But cottage crofts are gay with hollyhocks, And in old garden walks you breathe an air Fragrant of pinks and August-smelling stocks. —John Todhunter

"August is that last flicker of fun and heat before everything fades and dies. The final moments of fun before the freeze. In the winter, everything changes." - Rasmenia Massoud

~August Spotlight ~

Perseid Meteor Shower 2022

Excerpt from: Date and Time

A great August astronomy highlight to keep an eye out for is the annual Perseid meteor shower. The Perseids are one of the brighter meteor showers of the year. They occur every year between July 17 and August 24 and tend to peak around August 9-13.

Made of tiny space debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle, the Perseids are named after the constellation Perseus. This is because the direction, or radiant, from which the shower seems to come in the sky lies in the same direction as Perseus. The Perseids are widely sought after by astronomers and stargazers because most years at its peak, one can see 60 to 100 meteors in an hour from a dark place.

In 2022, the Perseids will peak on the night between Aug 12–13! If you are in the Las Vegas area, consider joining us this month for our Meteor Shower Watch Party! Click on the link for more information:

You don't need any special equipment or a lot of skills to view a meteor shower. Even though all you really need is a clear sky, lots of patience, and our handy Interactive Meteor Shower Sky Map with a visibility conditions meter to see a meteor shower, the following tips can help maximize your shooting star viewing experience:

• Find a secluded viewing spot, away from the city lights. Once at the venue, your eyes may take 15 to 20 minutes to get used to the dark. (Cold Creek is a perfect location!)
• Dress for the weather, and make sure you are comfortable, especially if you plan to stay out long. Bring a blanket or a comfortable chair with you—meteor watching can be a waiting game. (Temps on the mountain can drop after dark - bring a jacket!)
• Once you have found your viewing spot, lie down on the ground and look at the sky. You can use this Interactive Meteor Shower Sky Map to find the direction of the radiant; the higher the radiant is above the horizon, the more meteors you are likely to see.
• Meteor showers appear to originate from the radiant, but meteors can appear in any part of the sky.

"August rain: the best of the summer gone, and the new fall not yet born. The odd uneven time." - Sylvia Plath

August Full Sturgeon Moon

Adapted From: The Farmer's Almanac

When to see the Full Moon in August 2022:

August’s full Moon will appear on the night of Thursday, August 11, reaching peak illumination at 6:35 P.M. Pacific Time. Look toward the southeast after sunset to catch a glimpse of the Sturgeon Moon rising.

Summer’s Last Supermoon

The Sturgeon Moon rounds out this year’s parade of four supermoons, which started in May! Supermoons are commonly defined as full Moons that occur while the Moon is at its nearest point to Earth. (Because its orbit is not a perfect circle, the Moon’s distance from Earth changes throughout the month.) Supermoons are ever-so-slightly closer to Earth than the average full Moon, which technically makes them extra large and bright from Earth’s perspective.

Why is it called the Sturgeon Moon?

The full Moon names used by The Old Farmer’s Almanac come from a number of places, including Native American, Colonial American, and European sources. Traditionally, each full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred, not solely to the full Moon.

August’s full Moon was traditionally called the Sturgeon Moon because the giant sturgeon of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain were most readily caught during this part of summer.

ALTERNATIVE AUGUST MOON NAMES:

• Flying Up Moon is a Cree term describing the time when young birds are finally ready to take the leap and learn to fly.
• Corn Moon (Algonquin, Ojibwe)
• Harvest Moon (Dakota)
• Ricing Moon (Anishinaabe) signify that this is the time to gather maturing crops.
• Along the same vein, the Assiniboine people named this period Black Cherries Moon, referring to when chokecherries become ripe.
• The Tlingit people of the Pacific Northwest traditionally called this time of the season the Mountain Shadows Moon.

MOON FOLKLORE:

• Clothes washed for the first time in the full Moon will not last long.
• If you glimpse the new Moon over your right shoulder, you will have good luck.
• To have a project prosper, start it during the new Moon.
• Babies born a day after the full Moon enjoy success and endurance.

MOON PHASES FOR AUGUST 2022 (dates and times are for Las Vegas, NV )

• First Quarter: August 5, 4:06 A.M.
• Full Moon: August 11, 6:35 P.M. (Last supermoon of 2022)
• Last Quarter: August 18, 9:36 P.M.
• New Moon: August 27, 1:17 A.M.

"August is ripening grain in the fields blowing hot and sunny, the scent of tree-ripened peaches, of hot buttered sweet corn on the cob. Vivid dahlias fling huge tousled blossoms through gardens and joe-pye-weed dusts the meadow purple." - Jean Hersey

August Full Moon Magic

Adapted From: The Boss Witch School

Tonight, step outside and gaze upward. You'll see the Full Sturgeon Moon in Aquarius, waiting for you to soak up its feminine healing energy. Get ready to moon bathe, make moon water, charge your crystals, and write in your book of shadows. ~Krysta Voskowsky

Moon Bathing:

• Go outside.
• Lay down on the earth, a blanket, and lounge chair, the bed of a truck--wherever.
• Look up at the full moon and visualize her light cleansing your entire being.
• Let her energy bring you balance. Are any psychic messages or intuitive pings coming through?
• Breathe, meditate, think, read Tarot, cast runes, or chat if you're with a friend.
• Stay in the moonlight as long as your desire. This time of year, mosquito repellant will probably be helpful.

Replenish Your Moon Water:

• Before you step outside to moon bathe, fill a clear glass jar with clean water. Rainwater or water from a natural source of moving water (like a river or ocean) is ideal, but distilled or tap water will do in a pinch. (If you're using distilled or tap water, add a pinch of sea salt or black lava salt and a small quartz crystal for cleansing.)
• Write a personalized incantation and speak it over your jar of water.
• Bring the water with you while moon bathing, or leave it on a windowsill or porch in full view of the moon. Allow the water to fully charge in the moonlight.

Charge & Cleanse your Crystals, Jewelry, and Magical Tools:

Place crystals outside or on your window sill for the night, and let them charge by the moonlight. Any jewelry you wear on a regular basis should also be cleansed by the full moon to get rid of any residual foreign energy picked up along your travels. I like to cleanse my Tarot Deck by moonlight, too.

Writing Prompts:

• Tonight's full moon in Aquarius asks for something to be acknowledged. What could it be?
• Write about your accomplishments so far in 2022. How have you evolved?
• Write about autonomy and freedom. What does that look like for you?
• What does balance feel like?
• What does authenticity mean to you? How could you be expressing yourself more authentically?
• Write about how far you've come.

"The line of the horizon was clear and hard against the sky,and in one particular quarter it showed black against a silvery climbing phosphorescence that grew and grew. At last, over the rim of the waiting earth the moon lifted with slow majesty till it swung clear of the horizon and rode off, free of moorings..." ~ Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows

New Moon in Virgo

From: Dark Pixie Astrology

Virgo new moons are times of super productivity, and we want to get done as much as we can. We can get organized, make lists, create new routines, stick to schedule, and the more we get done, the more we want to do. We can push ourselves to be productive, but do need to make sure we're not pushing too far so we don't break down.

This can be a time to start new projects, smaller projects that can be finished quickly. All of this productive energy can be helpful for setting ourselves up since Mercury, the natural ruler of Virgo, will retrograde soon, and partially in this sign. Set things up now, and make it easier on yourself later.

This new moon is also challenged though, as it squares Mars in Gemini. This can mean we have extra energy, and we can put that to good use by being extra productive and hard-working. Try to channel it in a positive way like that. Otherwise, it can mean we have extra frustrations, are easily irritated, and can lash out. There may be more violence, so be cautious. And think about the words you use, with Mercury ruling both Virgo and Gemini.

~ Crafty Corner ~

This month's Crafty Corner is dedicated to my mentor/teacher/HPS, Lady Atheona. She crafts the most beautiful journals I have ever seen; she is an extremely talented scribe/calligraphist/artist. When I found this article, I immediately thought of her work. ~Priestess Laurelinn

The Crafting of Magical Inks

Article by: Elizabeth Autumnalis, 2018

There are few things that I love more than stationary and journals. When I was little I used to go crazy for journaling supplies, notebooks, pens, etc. My mother owned a small bookstore on Essex Street in Salem Mass and I would watch the people coming through and make up wild stories about them. When you are a child surrounded by books, your creativity can only be satiated by other people’s word for so long. Soon enough I found myself cutting up paper backs and using yarn to bind together makeshift journals, which I would then use to teach myself how to write.

My mother sold simple feather quills in the shop and I would play with them by making different colored liquids, dipping the feather in them, and writing my own spells. I think it is in most children’s nature to mix things together just to see what they can make, the difference for me was that I had access to herbs. Mainly the powdery bits left over in the bags of herbs once we had packaged them for sale. It was these powders that I would mix with water and other substances to make my many colored inks. Though I had very limited means for making my own magical inks as a child, I found that I had gravitated toward making them naturally. Now, as an adult I find myself crafting and making these inks for a wide-array of uses.

Why Would You Craft Your Own Inks?

Why wouldn’t you? Magical practitioners use herbal correspondences every day, so why not work those correspondences into the very core of your practice? I will be quite honest that I very rarely keep a log of my spellwork anymore, however I do journal regularly and I also write out most of my petitions, sigils and contracts. I have found that using specific inks for these purposes allows me to tie myself more to the work, but it can also act as a catalyst of its own.

What Do I Need to Make My Own Ink?

It really depends on what you want to do with it. You can honestly make inks from all kind of things, ranging from berries and bark, to the lampblack crapped off of lanterns (or metal spoons held over a fire). Recipes range in complexity and can have as few as three ingredients. Here are a few simple recipes that I have used, but I highly recommend experimenting with different herbs, bases and resins in order to create your own unique set of recipes.

Berry/Bark Inks:

Most berries and barks make great inks and dyes and they are some of the easiest recipes to work with. Typically I will boil the berries or bark in filtered water until I get a dark enough color (keep in mind that most inks become lighter as they dry, so it is better to go darker). I then add a little alcohol in order to preserve the ink, and a little gum arabic powder in order to allow the ink to stick to the paper rather than running.

Some good berries and barks include; hawthorn berries, nightshade berries (use caution), cinnamon bark, walnut shells, and so many more.

Resin Inks:

Resins can be a bit trickier to work with as your don’t want to make your inks too thick (especially if you are using them in a fountain pen). For these kinds of inks I like to begin with my “ink base” of filtered water, alcohol and gum arabic. Grind your resins into a fine powder before adding them to the ink base and add them slowly until you get to your desired color. Make sure that the resins are dissolved fully before using them.

Dragon’s Blood is a traditional resin used in inks a lot, but feel free to experiment with frankincense, myrrh, opoponax, and other resins in conjunction with different herbs. Just a side note, I tend to walk on the side of caution with these inks and I don’t use them with my fillable fountain pens. I prefer to use them with dipping pens instead in order to prevent the resin from sticking to the inside of the inkwell in my pen.

Lampblack Ink:

Lampblack refers to the soot that naturally collects on oil lamps. Traditionally this would be scrapped off of the lamp and mixed with water and alcohol to create a deep black ink. If you don’t have access to oil lamps, you can also create lampblack by holding a metal spoon over a candle flame and scraping off the black soot that collects on the metal. This can be extremely time consuming as you only get a small amount of lampblack and I find that I usually have to sit and collect the soot for over an hour. If you want to save time or make a large batch of lampblack ink you can find watercolors made purely of lampblack and gum arabic, which you will need anyway. Both are viable options.

Ultimately there are endless ways of crafting your own personal magical inks, these are just a few ways to get started.

~The Kitchen Witch's Cauldron~

~ Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers ~

A tasty and healthy way to use Mother Earth's bountiful First Harvest peppers! These are delicious, you can also just make the filling into wraps :)

"Every year, August lashes out in volcanic fury, rising with the din of morning traffic, its great metallic wings smashing against the ground, heating the air with ever-increasing intensity." - Henry Rollins

“Books are a uniquely portable magic.” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Good Book or Bad Book?

The monthly Book Review section!

Never judge a book by its cover - except in this case! I have often found that amazing cover art does not equal an amazing read, however Slewfoot is the exception to the rule. The first time I saw the cover was on Facebook (thank you FB-Bots), and I was immediately intrigued; but I have a strong mistrust of all things retail on FB. I went to the library to see if they had it available in the audiobooks format, and hurray - they did! I think I listened to maybe the first two chapters before I went to my Amazon account and purchased it! I knew I would want to listen more than once, and it did not disappoint in the slightest. In my research o the book I came across the following review by WildWood Reads, and figured I couldn't have said it better...

by: readinginthewildwood, January 7, 2022

Connecticutt 1666. A spirit awakens that is known by many names. The Wildfolk call him slayer, protector, and father. The colonists think he is the devil. But Abitha calls him friend. As rumors start to fly, Abitha’s safety is threatened. Igniting a battle between Puritan and spirit that leaves ruin in its wake.

MY THOUGHTS ON SLEWFOOT

I’m obsessed with Slewfoot. I love folklore and this gave me everything I asked from it. Even before Samson was introduced, I was hooked. I loved Creek, Sky, and Forest. They were mischievous, sometimes devious, creatures that just wanted to protect their forest and magic.

Samson on the other hand was a bit more confusing, which I think was the author’s purpose. He couldn’t remember who he was, or his purpose on Earth, so we got to discover that with him. He’s the perfect example of a morally grey character. He is good at times and bad at times, but I grew to love him.

Next, we have our main character, Abitha. She was such a defined character. I understood her thoughts and motives perfectly. I loved her wit and determination. But life kept knocking her down, and that’s all I’ll say about that. I don’t want to spoil anything.

Slewfoot was such a good time. If you love folk horror this one is for you. And I forgot to mention, but there are gorgeous paintings throughout the book that really brought the characters to life. It’s a piece of art.

This reviewer (and myself) give Slewfoot a 5/5! As she mentions, if at all possible, purchase the hardback edition as it includes the color illustrations from Brom. I bought the audiobook and it is fantastic - I have listened to it twice, however I am getting the hardback asap! For anyone who is interested I was inspired to research portions of the book and have posted the information to our website blog. Follow the link below to read my notes. The Slewfoot Book/Audiobook/Ebook are available at the LVCC Library, on Amazon or your favorite bookseller.

August Laughs:

Write for Goddess Speak!

Goddess Speak accepts submissions for articles, stories, poetry, recipes, guided meditations, creative fiction, chants, artwork, photography and more. Please send submissions to Laurelinn, in care of  goddessspeakeditor@gmail.com. If your submission is selected you will be notified by email.