Book

Of
Celtic Tree Zodiac & Sabbats
 Beth (Birch) December 24 to January 20

THE SUN

ROCK CRYSTAL

DAISY

TALIESIN, Bardic God

“I am a stag of seven tines”

Ruling Deity: The Warrior God Lugh, inventor of all arts and crafts.
Tree: Birch - To the druids, the Birch represented renewal and rebirth as it was
the first tree in leaf after winter. Birch people are determined, resilient and
ambitious. Good organizers, leaders and strategists, they are not deterred by
setbacks, believing hard work, patience and persistence will triumph. They are loyal
but reserved in showing affection. Birch people need a goal in life or they become
depressed and pessimistic.
Druic Animal: The white stag symbolizes high ideals and aspirations
Planetary Ruler: Sun
Birthstone: Crystal
Gaelic Name: Damh
Ogham Word: Beithe
Attributes: Independence, Majesty, Integrity, Pride
Gift, Quality or Ability: Sensitivity to other worlds, shape shifting, initiation,
journeying

Moon: Feminine. Moon of inception, beginning. Protection of children, purification,

creativity.

The Birch Moon prepares us for the journey through the year ahead. Purification
and protection rituals are common practices as the year again begins its waxing
phase.

Prepare yourself for things to come by making a birch broom. For the shaft choose
any branch or dowel two to four feet in length. Attach birch twigs to one end using
twine. Light thirteen candles, one for each of the thirteen Celtic Tree Months.

Rhythmically tap the broom over your body to purify your spirit and to garner a
protective force around you. Think of losing the uneasy and unsettled elements of
the past year while gaining those needed to make this year better. Do this to a
chant.

Broom and birch my spirit free,

Preparing me for what may be;

The past is done, the future unformed,

With purity and protection my path is adorned

 Luis (Rowan) January 21 to February 17

URANUS

Peridot

Snowdrop

Brigantia

“I am a wide flood on a plain”

The Ruling Deity: Brigid, the Goddess of fertility and poetry.

Tree: Rowan - Rowans were planted near doors and gates to ward off evil and were
thought to guard the gateway to the spirit world. Rowan people are idealistic,
progressive thinkers with strong humanitarian and spiritual principles. They thrive
on change, becoming impatient with convention or restriction, artistic and original,
they can appear detached and aloof. Rowans need an outlet for their powerful
imagination or they can become restless and quarrelsome.
Druic Animal: The Dragon symbolizes inspiration and imagination
Ruling Planet: Uranus
Birthstone: Peridot
Gaelic Name: Corr
Ogham Word:Luis
Attributes: Secret Knowledge, Eccentric, Patient
Gift, Quality or Ability: Unusually clever with specialized skills and talents, and a
progressive outlook on life. Sense of the evolving spirit. Sensitivity to the other
world, journeying, magick.
Moon: Masculine; Moon of vision, astral travel, healing, personal empowerment and
divination.

As our spirits wax with the new year, the Rowan Moon compels us to achieve the
inner strength that allows us to triumph over enemies and danger. The rowan has
been used for protecting dwellings, barns, and graveyards; to enhance healing and
divination rituals; and to increase our own sense of inner power so that we can flow
with - never against - the spiral forces of the universe.

Close your eyes and spread your arms, reaching high. Visualize them as the
branches of the rowan. Imagine that your feet are projecting anchoring roots deep
into the center of the earth. Your body is the rowan's trunk. Feel it grow stronger,
holding firm against whatever onslaught the elements can produce. Know that with
each passing year your trunk grows stronger. A bulwark against anything the
universe can hurl at you. Each year it is easier to cope with adversity, easier to turn
back ill-will and deflect danger. Know that you are the rowan, sturdy and confident,
rooted in Mother Earth while reaching for Father Sky
LUGHNASAAD – February 2nd Though the God is often considered as
Alternate Names dying at Samhain, there is a sacrificial
aspect to Lughnassadh, with the Corn
Lammas, Lunasa, Celtic 'Grain Festival' King being cut down to be transformed
into the life-giving fruits of the harvest
Druidic Name and resurrected as the new crop the
following year. Deities and symbols
Lughnasadh associated with agriculture and harvest
are all appropriate for Lughnassadh, and
Christian Equivalent a symbolic eating of bread is often an
important part of celebrations at this
Lammas time of year.

Place in the Natural Cycle Lughnasadh is a time to take stock and

be thankful for what we have and what
Lughnassadh is the cross-quarter festival we have achieved. It is a time for
that heralds the start of the autumn sharing and appreciation, a time to
quarter of the year and the end of the consider our situation and learn the
summer quarter. Even though Lughnassadh lessons of the ways in which we have
occurs at the warmest time of the year, it reaped what we have sown, for good or
marks the time at which days become for ill. It is also an auspicious time for
noticeably shorter. deciding how to get the most from
ongoing situations or projects, and how
to bring more negative influences to an
end.
The autumn season contains three
harvests, and Lughnassadh is the first of
these, the time when the first corn
harvest is cut. Lughnassadh is named after
Lugh (pronounced 'loo'), a Celtic deity of
light and wisdom. At Lughnassadh, bread
from the first harvest was eaten in thanks,
and this tradition was continued in the
Christian church's Lammas ('loaf-mass')
.
service, where the first loaf would be
blessed at mass.

In terms of the Goddess cycle,

Lughnassadh is sometimes considered as
the time of transformation of the Goddess
into her aspect as pregnant Earth Mother.
The God is getting weaker as the days
grow shorter, but his rebirth is assured as
he is also present as the Goddess's unborn
child.
 Nion (Ash) February 18 to March 17

Neptune

Coral

Wood Anemone

Lir, Sea God

“I am a wind on deep waters”

Ruling Deity: The Magician, storyteller, and trickster, Gwydion.

Tree: Ash - The Ash was a sacred chieftain tree, said to "court the flash" as it
was prone to lightning strike. Its wood was thought to be enchanted and was used
for Druidic wands and spears. Ash people are quick witted, spontaneous and
gregarious. They have a lively curiosity and are intelligent, persuasive speakers,
enthusiastic, inquisitive and communicative. They love discussing new ideas and
projects. Ash people need to focus their mental abilities or they can become
nervous and irritable.
Druic Animal: The Adder symbolizes wisdom and spiritual energy.
Ruling Planet: Neptune
Birthstone: Coral
Gaelic Name: Ron
Ogham Word: Nion
Attributes: Spiritual, Loving, Super-sensitive
Gift, Quality or Ability: Tend to have great compassion and highly adaptable. Also
the romantics and dreamers of life. Artistic and emotional. Sensitivity to the other
world. Shape changing and connection with the faerie folk.
Moon: Feminine. Moon of Waters, prosperity, protection and healing.
The Ash Moon is the balancing force that connects all of us with all worlds, seen
and unseen. It offers potent energy for healing spells, phychic work, protection in
or on water, dream magic, and curse-breaking.

For this ritual you will need an ash limb, or you may wish to decorate and empower a
dowel as an ash substitute. Face each direction in turn - moving clockwise and
starting in the west - while holding the ash wand before you. Visualize it beating
down any curse energy or ill-will being sent your way.

By the ash to all worlds my will does go,

To those who would curse, I say them, "No!"
The ash protects and absorbs the bane,
Breaking the curse so I'm whole again.

End the ritual by taking the wand outside and placing it on the ground so the
negativity will be grounded
 Fearn (Alder) March 18 to April 14

Mars

Ruby

Broom

Bran or Arthur

“I am the shining tear of the Sun”

Ruling Deity: The God of the spirit world, Bran the Blessed.
Tree: Alder - Alder resist rot in water and was used to make bridges, boats, clogs
and milk jugs. It was a crime to fell an alder, as the angry tree spirit would burn
down houses. Alder people are courageous, energetic, impetuous and determinded to
make their own way in the world. Self-reliant and adventurous, they love taking
risks and are tenacious workers. Affectionate and charming, they inspire great
loyalty in others. Alders must learn the art of diplomacy or they waste energy in
fruitless disputes.
Druic Animal: The Fox - symbolizes skill in diplomacy
Ruling Planet: Mars
Birthstone: Ruby
Gaelic Name: Art
Ogham Word: Fern
Attributes: Achieving, Primal Power, Instinct
Gift, Quality or Ability: Very connected to the ancestral roots. Filled with
courage and a sense of adventure. Extremely physical, extroverts. Protection,
journeying, and sensitivity to the other world.
Moon: Masculine. Moon of Utility, Efficacy, Self Guidance. Spirituality, teaching,
weather magick, duty and mental prowess.
The Alder Moon brings out our inner psychic. European folklore tells us an alder's
energy is eternal, and it should never be cut down. Alder has been used to assist in
divination rituals, and wind instruments made of the wood have aided in summoning
spirits and working with weather magic. In Celtic mythology the alder is sacred to
the God Bran, Whose severed head became an oracle.

Open your psychic channels by lying flat on your back. Place a sprig of alder at the
top of your head to bridge the path to Bran. Place alder leaves or bark chips on your
forehead and near your mouth, and another on your belly to help you have the right
"gut reactions" to psychic images.

Ask Bran's assistance, relax completely, and focus on receiving impressions from
the Otherworld. Wait to interpret what you see or hear until later. Sleep with some
of the alder from your ritual under your pillow to dream prophetically and perhaps,
to clarify your psychic visions.
MABON – 21st MARCH Mabon is a time to consider which
Alternate Names aspects of your life you wish to
preserve and which you would prefer
Celtic 'Festival of the Vine' to discard. It marks a time of
thankfulness, equality and balance
Druidic Name when you should try to appreciate and
enjoy the fruits of your labors. The
Alban Elfed or Alban Elued (Light of the dark half of the year brings a greater
Water) emphasis on reflection, rest and
planning, and Mabon is the point at
Christian Equivalent which these influences begin to be
felt.
Saint Matthew's Day

Place in the Natural Cycle The enchanting time of the year that
Mabon celebrates is perhaps most
Mabon is the solar festival that marks the beautifully evoked by To Autumn, by
transition from the light to the dark half of the English poet, John Keats.
the year: day and night are of equal length. Appropriately for this time of
On this day, the sun rises due east and sets benevolence, the poem first appeared
due west. The autumn quarter of the year in a lively letter to a friend, and even
runs from Lughnassadh to Samhain, so more appositely, this letter was
Mabon marks the mid-point of autumn. By written on the autumnal equinox of
Mabon, the land is showing clear signs of 1819. It was published in 1820 in the
the journey towards winter - leaves are volume that would make Keats'
beginning to turn and birds are gathering reputation after his death: Lamia,
for migration. Isabella, The Eve of St. Agnes and
other poems .
Mabon is the time of the second harvest,
when fruits are ready for collection. In
Celtic mythology, Mabon was the Young God, .
abducted and imprisoned, only to return at a
later date. This is thus an appropriate title
for the day on which darkness gains the
upper hand over light until the following
equinox, Ostara. Mabon is the point at
which, conceptually at least, the Sun enters
the sign of Libra, the Scales or Balance -
the most appropriate sign for this day of
perfect balance between darkness and light.
 Saille (Willow) April 15 to May 12

The Moon

Moonstone

Primrose

Morgan le Fay

“I am a hawk on a cliff”

Ruling Deity: The Celtic Moon Goddess Ceridwen.

Tree: Willow - The Willow was sacred to the Moon and in Celtic myth the universe
was hatched from two eggs hidden among the boughs of the Willow. Willow people
have good memories and are articulate, strong willed and resourceful, emotional and
enigmatic. They have quick responses and are prone to sudden mood changes.
Willows must trust their inner voice ot they can become moody and chronically
indecisive.
Druic Animal: The Hare symbolizes adaptation and intuition.
Ruling Planet: Moon
Birth Stone: Moonstone
Gaelic Name: Nathair
Ogham Word: Sail
Attributes: Transformation, Healing, Life Energy
Gift, Quality or Ability: The virtue of resourcefulness is one of the greatest
strengths. Strong interest in Family. Excellent memory. Drawn to natural methods
of healing. Healing, magick, shape shifting and initiation.
Moon: Feminine. Witches Moon, balance. Romantic love, healing, protection,
fertility and magick for women.
Like the willow that bends but doesn't break, The Willow Moon helps us do
whatever we have to do, it teaches us that we are able to push ourselves to levels
we once thought impossible. Once we attain things hard won, the willow offers
itself as a glue to bind them to us forever.

Binding must be entered into with care. Because we are all linked on wheel of life,
the energies we put in motion will eventually make a full circle and come back to us.

With willow branches, you can bind to yourself any object or idea, or you can bind
the actions of someone doing harm. Soak the branches overnight in water containing
a few drops of patchouli oil. Take a symbol of the thing to be bound, and wrap it
snugly in the branches. Tie it closed until the branches dry. Present the object to
the four elements to garner their assistance. When you are finished, keep the
object hidden.
SAMHAIN – APRIL 30th
Alternate Names
Samhna, Halloween, Hallowe'en, Celtic
'Feast of the Dead'
Druidic Name
Samhuin
Christian Equivalent
All Saints' Day, Allhallows, Hallowmas,
Allhallowmas
Place in the Natural Cycle
Samhain (pronounced 'Sow-en') is the
cross-quarter festival that marks the
start of the winter quarter of the year
and the end of the autumn quarter. By
Samhain, threadbare trees and colder
nights make it clear that winter is near.
Samhain is the time of the third and final
harvest when, in earlier days, cattle were
brought in from summer pastures. Excess
livestock was slaughtered and the meat
smoked or salted for winter. Samhain is a
time for divination and honoring the dead,
for the veil that divides the mundane and
subtle realms is considered to be
particularly insubstantial on this day.
To the Celts, this was the Feast of the
Dead and the Night of the Wild Hunt.
Samhain marked the Celtic New Year and
was the most important of the festivals.
As with other festivals, Samhain is not
constrained by the artificial midnight to
midnight divisions of
modern conception, and it is usually
considered as starting at sundown on
October 31st and ending at sundown on
November 1st.
Thus much of the celebration of
Samhain does occur at the most
appropriate time: Halloween.
The Christian tradition treats Samhain
as a Festival of the Dead too, with the
souls of departed saints remembered
on 1st November (All Saints' Day), and
those of the non-canonized dead the
following day (All Souls' Day). The
Church established All Saints' Day in
the seventh century when the Pantheon
in Rome was consecrated as the Church
of the Blessed Virgin and All Martyrs,
recasting both the Festival of the Dead
and the Temple to All Gods in terms of
Christian theology.
Samhain is a time to look back to the
past and forward to the future. It is
beneficial to reflect on those you have
known and the experiences you have
shared, as well as to take the time to
view the possibilities ahead of you.
Samhain is a profound time of the year,
offering the opportunity of
understanding.
.
 Uath (Hawthorn) May 13 to June 9

Vulcan

Topaz

Wood Sorrel

Govannan, smith-god

“I am fair among flowers”

Ruling Deity: The summer flower maiden Olwen.

Tree: Hawthorn - Hawthorn, or May, was a symbol of psychic protection due to its
sharp thorns. Faery spirits were thought to live in Hawthorn hedges, which were
planted as protective shields around fields, houses and churchyards. Hawthorn
people are mercurial, innovative, creative and confident. Easily bored, they crave
mental stimulation and challenge. They are eloquent and gifted performers, exuding
natural charm. Hawthorns must develop patience or hasty action can sabotage their
best efforts.
Druic Animal: The Owl symbolizes wisdom and patience
Ruling Planet: Vulcan
Birth Stone: Topaz
Gaelic Name: Beach
Ogham Word: Uath
Attributes: Organization, Community, Analytical
Gift, Quality or Ability: Very charismatic and full of new ideas. Lively spontaneity
and the ability to communicate on every level. Influential and very social. Fertility
and creativity.
Moon: Masculine. Moon of restraint, hindrance, fertility, peace, prosperity, binding.

Hawthorn is sacred to the old gods and goddesses of Ireland known as the Tuatha
de Danaan. Long ago driven below the ground by foreign invaders, today the Tuatha
de Danaan are the fairy folk of Ireland.

You can open yourself to fairy contact through a simple ritual. You will need two
hawthorn blooms, a basket, and a chalice of water.

Go outside to a natural setting or garden and place the basket on the ground.
Meditate on the setting's symbolism as a place of unity for two polarized forces;
God-Goddess, male-female, fairy-human.

Fairies of old, I welcome your trust,

I long to rekindle the bonds between us.

Place the two hawthorn blooms in the basket, pour water over them and walk away,
leaving your offering of friendship to the fairies.
 Duir (Oak) June 10 to July 7

Jupiter

Diamond

Coltsfoot

Dagda

“I am a god who sets the head afire with smoke”

Ruling Deity: The Father of all Gods, The Dagda.

Tree: Oak - The Oak was the sacred tree of the Druids, symbolizing truth and
steadfast knowledge. Doors made of Oak were thought to keep out evil. Oak people
are determined, self-motivated, enthusiastic and responsible. Natural leaders, they
remain calm in a crisis and are not easily swayed by opposition. Although serious
minded, they are cheerful and optimistic and do not give up easily. Oaks must
temper pride with humor or they become pompous and overbearing.
Druic Animal: The Wren, the Celtic king of the birds, symbolizes wit and subtlety.
Ruling Planet: Jupiter
Birth Stone: Diamond
Gaelic Name: Dobhran
Ogham Word: Duir
Attributes: Family, Helpfulness, Intuitive
Gift, Quality or Ability: Enterprising with a wide breadth of vision. Very
optimistic with a personal magnetism. Protection, shape shifting, and journeying.
Moon: Masculine. Moon of strength, security. Bear moon. Magick for men, positive
purposes, fidelity.

The mighty Oak Moon occurs at the time of the Summer Solstice, when the sun god
is at his peak of strength and vitality. The Oak Moon offers us this same security,
vigor, courage, and healing energy. The old Irish word for oak has been often been
translated as "door," giving us a glimpse into its power as a portal between all
worlds.

To attain strength or healing during the Oak Moon, you will need two oak twigs and
two acorns. Hold a twig in each hand. Close your eyes and feel yourself being pulled
to the center of all places as each twig leads you to a different world. When you
feel you are at the oak's doorway, take an acorn in each hand; visualize one giving
you strength, and the other taking away your weakness or illness. Bury the acorn
you feel is taking away your weakness - preferably at the base of an oak tree - and
carry the other as a talisman of strength and well-being.
YULE – JUNE 22nd
Alternate Names
Midwinter, Celtic 'Rebirth of the
Sun'
Druidic Name
Alban Arthuan (Light of Arthur)
Christian Equivalent
Saint Thomas' Day, Christmas Day
(25th December)
Place in the Natural Cycle
Yule is the solar festival that marks
the shortest day of the year, with
the sun rising and setting at its most
southerly points. The winter quarter
of the year runs from Samhain to
Imbolc, so Yule stands at the
midpoint of winter.
Yule may mean 'Yoke of the Year',
derived from the Anglo-Saxon Geola,
though some suggest a derivation
from the Norse Jul, meaning 'wheel'.
Although it marks the sun's weakest
point in the year, Yule is also the
point at which the sun is reborn, as
days begin to grow longer again. This
link with the rebirth of the sun means
that Yule was chosen as the birthday
of the main deity in many religions..
Dionysus, Mithras, Helios, Horus and Jesus
(despite the Bible's indication of a spring
birth) were all reputedly born on 25th
December, the date on which the Winter
Solstice used to fall before calendar
changes The Druidic name for Yule, 'Light of
Arthur', identifies the legendary British
King Arthur with the sun god.
Saturnalia, the Romans' seven-day festival in
honour of Saturn, took place from 17-23
December each year and was a time of great
merriment and gift-giving. The Roman name
of the Yule festival was Sol Invictus - the
Undefeated Sun, and this was designated as
the birthday of Christ in 336 by Pope Julius
I in order to appropriate the most important
of the pagan festivals. The 'Twelve Days of
Christmas' are the days after Christmas Day
until the Epiphany (the day designated for
the manifestation of Christ to the Magi) on
6th January.
The Winter Solstice sees the crowning of
the Holly King, God of the waning year,
and his fall to his lighter aspect, the Oak
King, God of the waxing year, who is
reborn on this day (days grow longer after
Yule). This aspect of the festival is seen in
the Christmas carol 'The Holly and The
Ivy', whose refrain concerns 'the rising of
the sun', and which begins and ends:
The Holly and the Ivy,
When they are both full grown, Of all the
trees that are in the wood, The Holly bears
the crown.
.
 Tinne (Holly) July 8 to August 4

Earth

Red carnelian

Meadowsweet

Danu

“I am a battle-waging spear”

Ruling Deity: The Smith God Govannon.

Tree: Holly - When Celtic Chieftains chose a successor, he was crowned with a
Holly wreath. The ever-green Holly was thought to repel enemies, and warriors
carried Holy wood cudgels. Holly people are practical, capable and steadfast in
adversity, cautious, logical and efficient. They have good business sense but prefer
to assist rather than lead. In relationships they are sup ortive, protective and
possessive. Hollies must be less perfectionistic or they may suffer loss of
confidence and direction.
Druic Animal: The Unicorn symbolizes purity and strength.
Ruling Planet: Earth
Birth Stone: Red Carnelian
Gaelic Name: Kati
Ogham Word: Tinne
Attributes: Creative, Sensual, Nobility
Gift, Quality or Ability: A strong sense of personal integrity and a firm set of
values. Loyal and trustworthy. Deep devotion to family. Affectionate. Protection,
shape shifting and sensitivity to the other world.
Moon: Feminine. Moon of encirclement, polarity. Protection, prophecy, magick for
animals, sex magick.

The Celts saw Holly as having a masculine energy, projective and fiery. It provided
the user with a direct link to the energy of the gods.

Make sure your magical desire is clear in your mind, seen by only you and unseen by
all others. With your goal clearly in mind, take twelve holly sprigs and separate
them into bunches of three. Wrap three of these bunches in cloths of colors
representing your goal. You may choose one color, or two, or three. As you wrap
each bunch, say:

Holly red and holly white,

Caring for my wish tonight;
Holly strong and holly green,
Bright to sight the now unseen.

Garnish the bundles with the remaining holly sprigs and keep them covered and
close to your sleeping place.
IMBOLG – AUGUST 2nd
Alternate Names
Oimelc, Brigantia, Imbolg, Brigid, Feast of
Lights, Celtic 'Candle Festival'
Druidic Name
Imbolc
Christian Equivalent
Saint Bridget's (Bride's) Day, Candlemas:
the Festival of the Purification of the
Virgin (2nd February)
Place in the Natural Cycle
Imbolc (pronounced 'im-molc') is the cross-
quarter festival that heralds the start of
the spring quarter of the year and the end
of the winter quarter. Even though Imbolc
occurs at the coldest time of the year, it
marks the time at which days become
noticeably longer. Oimelc, an alternative
name for this festival, means "sheep milk",
as this is the lambing season.
Imbolc is a festival of waxing light and
purification, heralding the potential of
spring. It is associated with the Celtic
goddess Brid (pronounced 'breed') (also
called Bride, Bridhe, Brigid or Bridget). In
terms of the Goddess cycle, Imbolc is the
point at which the old, winter aspect of the
Goddess, the Crone, is transformed into
the Maiden (the Virgin Goddess, Brid).
In its Christian form, Imbolc is the
Feast of the Purification of the Virgin,
in which candles are lit at midnight as a
symbol of purification (hence the
common name for this day, Candlemas).
It celebrates the presentation of the
infant Jesus at the temple and the
purification of the Virgin Mary. Jewish
law dictated that the mother of a male
child had to be purified by ritual 40 days
after the birth. The Christian Church
also appropriated the day more directly,
by designating the Goddess Brid as Saint
Bridget of Kildare, and recasting her
festival day as Saint Bridget's Day. Just
as Brid was the Goddess of poetry,
healing (particularly midwifery) and
smithcraft, so Saint Bridget became the
patron saint of these areas.
Imbolc traditions centre around light
and purification. Candles may be lit in
each room of a house to honour the
returning sun, or in each window from
sundown on Candlemas Eve (February
1st) until dawn. This is an appropriate
time to cleanse or bless your house, to
seek inspiration, and to purify yourself
of limiting thoughts and negative
attitudes. Dairy foods are particular
appropriate to eat on this festival of
calving and lambing.
.
 Coll (Hazel) August 5 to September 1

Mercury

Amethyst

Vervain

Ogma

“I am a salmon in the pool”

Ruling Deity: The Sea God Manannan Mac Lir, a master of disguise.
Tree: Hazel - The Hazel was the tree of wisdom and it was a crime punishable by
death to fell one. It was thought magical skills and knowledge could be gained from
eating Hazel nuts. Hazel people are artistic. They have lively, analytical minds and
make inspiring teachers. Imaginative, they are radical and idealistic thinkers.
Hazels need to express their creativity or they can become morbid and
introspective.
Druic Animal: Salmon, the oldest and wisest animal, symbolizing inspiration.
Ruling Planet: Mercury
Birth Stone: Amethyst
Gaelic Name: Bradan
Ogham Word: Coll
Attributes: Wisdom, Inspiration, Rejuvenation
Gift, Quality or Ability: Knowledge of the arts and science as well as good
reasoning powers. Perceptive and clever. Keen observers. Initiation, shape shifting,
connection with faerie.
Moon: Feminine. Moon of the Wise, crone moon. Manifestation, spirit contact,
protection and fertility.

The energy of the Hazel Moon is good for contacting spirits and for enhancing
shapeshifting or astral projection rituals. It has a solid reputation of protective
energy, especially useful for protection of travelers. Hazel wood also makes an
excellent shield for deflecting negative intent when made with this goal in mind.

To craft a simplified version of a hazel shield to protect yourself, your home or

office, your car, or your barn, you will need at least nine hazel nuts as emblems of
protection. Hammer a hole through them large enough for the cord, then string
them together, making a binding knot between each. Hang these in your home and
say,

Hazel, raise the shield so high,

So tall and wide that none slips by;
Protect, deflect, and quell all bane,

Make all around me safe again.

 Muin (Vine) September 2 to September 29

Venus

Emerald

Branwen or Guinevere

“I am a hill of poetry”

Ruling Deity: The Tuatha De Danaan Gods of Light.

Tree: Vine - The Grapevine requires care to bear fruit in the cool Celtic climate
and became a symbol of sacred knowledge and spiritual initiation. Vine people are
discriminating, authoritative and set high personal standards. They appear cool and
detached but are secret romantics and can be sensitive, vulnerable and self critical.
Keenly perceptive, they have an eye for detail and refined aesthetic taste. Vines
must overcome a tendency to procrastinate or they can become lost in worry and
negativity.
Druic Animal: The Swan symbolizes grace and beauty.
Ruling Planet: Venus
Birth Stone: Emerald
Gaelic Name: Eala
Ogham Word: Muin
Attributes: Beauty, Love and Soul
Gift, Quality or Ability: Kind and gentle, adept in love and the social arts. Calm
and serene with a strong domestic sense. Connection with faerie, shape shifting,
and creativity.
Moon: Androgynous. Moon of celebration. Dream Magick, inspiration, courage,
strength.

The Vine Moon coincides with the Autumnal Equinox, when the bounty of the
harvest is celebrates. Fruits and wines are central to the holiday feast, and a
portion is always sacrificed to the God and Goddess, whose union produced the
harvest. The Vine Moon's energies are also used for seeking the blessing of
inspiration from the deities.

You will need wine or fruit juice, an apple (symbolic of wisdom and sacred to the
Crone Goddess who rules in Autumn), a sharp knife, and a long pin or nail. Make a
wine toast to the God and Goddess, offering a gift to them. Visualize the God and
Goddess filling the wine with the essence of unity. Take the knife and slice the
apple crosswise to reveal the five-pointed pentagram inside. Pour some of the win
into the center of the apple, and reseal the apple with the pin. Keep it through
autumn as a talisman to draw to you both wisdom and divine inspiration.
OSTARA – SEPTEMBER 23rd
Alternate Names
Eostre's Day, Celtic 'Bird Festival'
Druidic Name
Alban Eilir or Alban Eiler (Light of the
Earth)
Christian Equivalent
Lady Day or the Annunciation (25th
March), Easter (moveable date)
Place in the Natural Cycle
Ostara is the solar festival that marks the
transition from the dark to the light half
of the year: day and night are of equal
length. On this day, the sun rises due east
and sets due west. The spring quarter of
the year runs from Imbolc to Beltane, so
Ostara marks the mid-point of spring. By
Ostara, life is returning to the land in
noticeable ways, and thus nature
demonstrates the festival's associations
with revival and the ascendancy of light.
Ostara is a celebration of conception,
regeneration and the triumph of light over
darkness. In terms of the Goddess cycle, it
is the time when the Maiden of Imbolc
conceives the child that will be born at
Yule. The Christian Church celebrates both
aspects of Ostara as the day of the
Annunciation (when Mary conceives Christ)
and the day of the
Resurrection (when Christ returns
triumphant from the darkness of
death). The latter, Easter, is
celebrated in the Western Christian
Church on the first Sunday after the
Paschal ('Passover') moon.
Ostara is a Germanic goddess of
spring and fertility, and the name of
her Anglo-Saxon equivalent, Eostre,
was used to derive the term Easter by
the Venerable Bede in the 8th century.
Eostre is a lunar goddess, and her
symbols include the egg and the rabbit,
both of which are obvious fertility
symbols. In addition, the egg
represents the Cosmic Egg of Creation
and the rabbit is symbolic of the moon
(it used to be thought that an image of
a hare could be seen in the full moon).
Eostre's festival was held on the first
full moon on or next after the vernal
equinox, so this fertility goddess lends
her festival, her symbols and her name
to the Christian celebration of the
Resurrection.
Just as Ostara is a time to sow the
seed that will be harvested later in the
year, it is also a time to act on new
ideas and begin new ventures that will
grow as the year proceeds. It is the
point when, conceptually at least, the
Sun enters the sign of Aries and the
astrological cycle begins again. Ostara
is a time for renewal, when we should
reaffirm our commitment to those
things that are important to us and
revitalize our journey towards our
goals.
 Gort (Ivy) September 30 to October 27

Moon veiling Persephone

Opal

Woody nightshade

Arianrhod

“I am a ruthless boar”

Ruling Deity: The faery bride Guinevere.

Tree: Ivy - The power of the Ivy to cling and bind made it a potent symbol of
determination and strength. Ivy can strange trees and was a portent of death and
spiritual growth. Ivy people are restless, sociable and good natured. Cheerful,
expansive and magnetic, they win friends easily and dislike offending others.
Although often indecisive, they are not weak willed and tackle difficult tasks with
infectious optimism. Ivy people must not get too caught up in others problems or
they can suffer disappointment and betrayal.
Druic Animal: The Butterfly symbolizes faery faith
Ruling Planet: Persephone
Birth Stone: Opal
Gaelic Name: Geadh
Ogham Word: Gort
Attributes: Veiling, Direction, Vigilance, Stamina
Gift, Quality or Ability: Generous providers but also thrifty savers and investors
regarding their future security. A sharp intellect as well as a wit. Artistic,
Protection, fertility, and creativity.
Moon: Masculine. Moon of resilience, healing, co-operation, exorcism.

Ivy is as feminine as holly is masculine - their roles as emblems of the universal

creator are preserved for us in the medieval Christmas hymn, "The Holly and the
Ivy." The Ivy Moon strengthens our inner resilience.

Begin your ritual of exorcism inside a protective circle into which you have invited
all elemental spirits and the wise crone Goddess. On a small piece of paper, write
down that which you wish to banish. Lightly dab patchouli oil around the edge to
help ground its negative influence. Dab rosemary oil on your breastbone to help you
bounce back from the challenge.

Burn the paper in a heat resistant bowl and say:

Banished be (insert name of problem), the blight;

Burned to ash and buried this night.

Bury the ashes from the bowl outside under a strong tree, and cover the spot with
ivy leave
 Ngetal (Reed) October 28 to November 24

Pluto

Jasper

Watermint

Pwyll

“I am a threatening noise of the sea”

Ruling Deity: The Celtic God the Underworld, Pwyll.

Tree: Reed - The Druids believed the Reed was a tree because of its dense root
system. Cut Reeds were used as pens and symbolized wisdom and scholarship. Reed
people are complex, tenacious and fearless. Proud and independent, they have great
strength of character and rarely compromise. They thrive on challenge and have an
innate belief in their own destiny. Reeds must unite a sense of purpose with their
strong will or they can become self destructive.
Druic Animal: Hound or Dog was a title of honour for Celtic Chieftains as the Dog
symbolized enduring loyalty.
Ruling Planet: Pluto
Birth Stone: Jasper
Gaelic Name: Cailleach-oidhche
Ogham Word: Ngetal
Attributes: Wisdom, Change, Detachment
Gift, Quality or Ability: A powerful presence and personal magnetism that can
both attract and overpower sensitive people. Highly imaginative and passionate.
Initiation, sensitivity to the other world, magick.
Moon: Feminine. Moon of the Home and hearth. Winter moon. Manifestation of
truth. Family concerns.

The Reed Moon is connected to the solar festival of Samhain, the time when we are
open to contact with ancestor spirits, strengthen our family ties, and gather in
supplies for the winter ahead.

First, take time to collect items you feel link you to your ancestors and place these
objects on an altar. Light a candle for each spirit whose name you call aloud, then
light one more for friendly wandering spirits. Once you sense their presence, offer
them food and drink.

Thank the spirits for making the sacrifices that made your world a better place,
and for giving you stamina to cope with adversity. Think of all the positive aspects
of yourself and honor them with blessings. For example:

Blessed be they who made me tall and redheaded.

Blessed be they who made me smart and patient.
Blessed be they who gave me artistic talent.

Blessed be they who gave me a sense of humor. . . .

BELTANE – OCTOBER 31st
Alternate Names
Beltain, Bealtaine, Beltine, May Day,
Cetsamhain ('first Samhain'), Walpurgis
Night (Beltane Eve), Celtic 'Flower
Festival'
Druidic Name
Beltane
Christian Equivalent
Roodmas, Rood Day, Feast of Saint Philip
and Saint James, Feast of Saint Walpurga
Place in the Natural Cycle
Beltane is the cross-quarter festival that
marks the start of the summer quarter of
the year and the end of the spring quarter.
This is a time when nature blossoms and
felicity and fertility return to the land. In
times past, the livestock stockaded at
Samhain was returned to summer pastures
at Beltane.
Beltane is a joyful festival of growth and
fecundity that heralds the arrival of
summer. It is the festival of the 'Good
Fire' or 'Bel-fire', named after the solar
deity Bel. Bel was also known as Beli or Bile
in Ireland, with Bile meaning 'tree', so
Beltane may also mean 'Tree-fire'. Beltane
is the counterpart of Samhain (and is
sometimes referred to as Cetsamhain, the
'first Samhain'), and these two important
festivals divide the year into summer and
winter halves, just as the two equinoctial
celebrations, Ostara and Mabon, divide the
year into light and dark halves.
Lighting fires was customary at
Beltane, and traditionally a Beltane fire
was composed of the nine sacred woods
of the Celts. All hearth fires were
extinguished on Beltane Eve and then
kindled again from the sacred "need
fires" lit on Beltane. People would leap
through the smoke and flames of
Beltane fires and cattle were driven
through them for purification,
fertility, prosperity and protection.
In terms of the God and Goddess cycle,
Beltane marks the union of the two
deities, bringing new life to the earth.
It is a traditional time for
Handfastings (marriages), and was a
time for couples to make love outside
to bless the crops and the earth.
Maypoles were often danced around at
Beltane to bring fertility and good
fortune. The later addition of ribbons,
which were wrapped around the pole by
the dancers, brought a further sense
of the integration of male and female
archetypes, mirroring the union
between the God and the Goddess.
Beltane lore also includes washing in
Mayday dew for beauty and health, and
scrying in sacred waters, such as ponds
or springs.
The festival is sometimes referred to
as Roodmas, a name coined by the
medieval Christian Church in an
attempt to associate Beltane with the
Cross (the Rood) rather than the life-
giving symbol of the Maypole. Beltane
is a time to devote energy to growth
and integration. It is a time of
celebration, exuberance and hope, when
we should enjoy and appreciate the
gifts of nature.
.
 Ruis (Elder) November 25 to December 22

Saturn

Jet

Dandelion

Pryderi

“I am a wave of the sea”

Ruling Deity: The crown Goddess and celtic tribal mother Cailleach Beara
Tree: Elder - The Elder tree was sacred to the faeries and branches were hung
above stables to protect horses from evil spirits. It was unlucky to burn Elder and
an omen of death to bring it indoors. Elder people are self sufficient, lively,
impetuous and outspoken. They dislike routine and refuse to be pressured by
others. Restless and highly energetic, they thrive on change and need constant
mental and physical challenge. Elders must learn to use change as a positive force
in their lives or they can become reckless and confused.
Druic Animal: The Raven symbolizes healing and protection.
Ruling Planet: Saturn
Birth Stone: Lapis Lazuli
Gaelic Name: Bran
Ogham Word: Ruis
Attributes: Strength, Perseverance
Gift, Quality or Ability: Raven people have a constructive approach to life. They
will continue a struggle that would defeat most people. They are very self-
disciplined and patient. Shape shifting, sensitivity to the other world, connection to
the faerie.
Moon: Masculine. Moon of Completeness. Banishing and healing.

The Elder Moon is both the end of the Celtic lunar year and a time to prepare for
the next. The day after the Elder Moon resides in no month, but is solemn spiritual
day known as the Secret of the Unhewn Stone or the Feast of Potential.

During this Moon, plan to meet with your shadow self or cowalker - the part of you
residing in the otherworld who is the key to your completeness. It reflects the true
self of the year gone by, so that you may prepare to fulfill the potential of the year
to come.

Turn your altar to the west and light one black candle and one white candle. Gaze
between them into a portal to the otherworld. Call out to your other self to appear
to you between the candles. When the image is visible, commune with it in whatever
method seems appropriate. Learn from this self all you can about your true earthly
nature.

Offer your shadow self food and drink before bidding it farewell.
MIDSUMMER – DECEMBER 22nd
LITHA
Alternate Names
Midsummer, Celtic 'Oak Festival'
Druidic Name
Alban Hefin or Alban Heruin (Light of the
Shore)
Christian Equivalent
Saint John the Baptist's Day (24th June)
Place in the Natural Cycle
Litha is the solar festival that marks the
longest day of the year, with the sun rising
and setting at its most northerly points.
The summer quarter of the year runs from
Beltane to Lughnassadh, so Litha stands at
the midpoint of summer.
Litha celebrates the height of the sun's
power and the abundance of summer.
Nature is alive, and fields and fruits are
growing towards harvest, but the blessing
is mixed, for once light reaches its apogee
it can only decline. Litha is a fairly modern
term for the summer solstice, and it may
be derived from an Anglo-Saxon word for
'moon' that referred to the sixth and
seventh months of the year. The Druidic
name for the festival, Alban Heruin
or 'Light of the Shore', is very
appropriate for this turning point of the
year, lying at the midpoint between 'Light
of the Earth' and 'Light of the Water'
(the Druidic terms for the equinoctial
celebrations)
In the past, midsummer fires were lit
for purification, protection and in the
hope that the sun could be kept
powerful for long enough to ensure a
good harvest. People would leap over
these fires in the belief that the crops
would grow as high as they could jump.
Drumming, dancing and singing were
common, making this festival a noisy
and social time.
Litha honors the apex of Light,
sometimes symbolized in the crowning
of the Oak King, God of the waxing
year. At his crowning, the Oak King
falls to his darker aspect, the Holly
King, God of the waning year (days
grow shorter after Litha). In terms of
the God and Goddess cycle, the God is
made King through his marriage to the
Queen at Litha.
Just as the winter solstice festival was
appropriated by the Christian church
to celebrate Christ's birth, so the
popular summer solstice festival was
taken to mark the birth of one of the
church's most important saints: the
cousin and baptizer of Jesus, John the
Baptist. Other saints' days correspond
to the supposed dates of their deaths,
but John's is unusual in marking his
birth. Saint John's Wort is a flower of
traditional importance to midsummer
celebrations.
Litha is a time to consolidate your
strengths and clear away negative
thoughts and energies. It is a time to
be joyful and full of life, while at the
same time mindful of the waning of the
light from now until Yule.
December 23 is not ruled by any tree for it is the traditional day of the
proverbial "Year and a Day" in the earliest courts of law.

Black Pearl

Mistletoe

“Who but I know the secrets of the unhewn dolmen?”