“The Rowan Moon carries with it the energies and magic of the rowan tree: protection, strength, and success in new ventures. This Moon has deep ties with the goddess Brigid, as she is closely tied to the magic of the rowan…One of the folk names of the rowan is the ‘quicken tree’, as it was said to bring forth success.” Blake Octavian Blair, Llewellyn’s Witches’ Datebook

Quickening moon, when the potentiality of the Wheel of the Year before us activates. I call this whole lunation Dreaming Moon, when the numinous touch of Other, of what is yearning in you to be called forth, in Us, stirs and motivates…Here is a lovely poem by one of our Women’s Mysteries members, Liz. It captures the movement, all the wanes and waxes and all the in-betweens of the Wheel of the Year, that this lunation so truly holds.

Five ways to look at the bend of my road…

One. Dry. Stabbing. Pointed branches claw at the gray sky. Only the evergreens throw contrast on the browns and ash of winter, winding around the bend.

Two. Faithful. Budding. Springing forward from the earth and climbing toward the closeting sun, life is returning to our wee curve of landscape.

Three. Lush. Green. Open to the full summer sun. Wide-faced leaves with light breaking through the branches show the way out of town and to the beach.

Four. Lusher. Greener. Brighter. Cleaner. Dripping wet and reflected in pools that gather in every yard, and every drainage ditch that follows the bend.

Five. Brilliant. Bold. Brave. Brazen hues of yellow, red, orange, purple, and still the green that ever resist, and the last of the green but still persists, autumn comes to town and brings with it reminders to treasure those lush, green, and faithful days as the gray is waiting…just around the bend.

Happy Rowan or Dreaming Moon, dear friends.Be mindful of the start of the Merc Retro in 2 days. I have learned to approach these as soul reviews, an opportunity to slow down and look back over the last season. In this case, the one from Samhain, or mid-Autumn, to now, Imbolc time, mid-winter. Slow down and look over, take time to not react but observe your experiences. Keep going! Don’t let them tame you i

mages, two different views of Lizzie’s Bend in the Road