The Goddess Eostre

A very happy and splendid day to each of you. Spring is a trickster having many different days where she officially begins, whether we call it the Spring Equinox, Eostre or Easter or we don't name the yearly occurrence and instead observe a shift in the weather, plants or behaviors of animals, such as the ground hog.

Whatever name we choose for the Season, we welcome her with open arms as we transition from a cold dreary winter to a landscape filled with vivid colors, scent of flowers and birdsong. The transformation takes place on both an exterior and interior level as we defrost and emerge from a dark cocoon of reflection. Renewed by a period of deep reflection, we birth ourselves anew to the brightness and warmth of the extended sunlight.

"Eostre is generally said to be an Anglo-Saxon Goddess associated with the renewal of life: Spring (season), fertility and the hare (for its quick and numerous reproduction). Eostre has been made to be a "goddess of Dawn" by modern writers, improvising on the theme of Eos; there is no sanction for this aspect in any historical document or ancient tradition. Though it has been said that she was sometimes depicted with a hares head, no authentic animal-headed deities appear in Germanic or Celtic cult objects. And, perhaps for good reason, there is no Celtic depiction of an Eostre whatsoever. Most likely the name of the Spring Goddess was lost and the name "Eastre" was substituted in the transcriptions of the 8th century. Other names given to her include Ostare, Ostara, Ostern, Estre, Eostre, Eoster, Eostra, Eostur, Eastra, Eastur, Austron, and Ausos."
- edited from Wikipedia

I tend to like to explore words and associated mythologies that humans have chosen to attribute to different days, festivals, etc. Any of you who are regular readers of this journal or my work have most likely already sensed my exploratory nature in those realms. And, again, you may have already noticed, I have an affinity with the roots of things and more ancestral & pagan traditions when humans lived in harmony with nature.

A re-occurring theme that author Leonard Schlain writes about in his book The Alphabet and the Goddess is the patriarchal trend on usurping a female deity with a masculine one. For example the attributes of the ancient Goddess Eostra have clearly influenced traditions, such as Christianity who adopted the Springtime symbols to denote the Easter Resurrection of Christ.

Symbols, the Pink Moon and the Tree Ogham of Willow

Attributes associated with this Eostre, Spring, and Easter are:

Colors: White, green, pastels
Symbols: Rabbit, egg
Suitable offerings: hard-boiled eggs, honey cakes, first fruits of the season
Associated Planet: Moon

Along with Eostre we had a glorious full moon a few nights prior in the astrological sign of Libra, called The Pink Moon. The name is in reference to the herb moss pink, or wild ground phlox, which is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring season.

Beginning April 15th we entered the Tree Ogham phase of the Willow, botanical family is the Salix. According to the modern neopagan Ogham calendar, it is the fifth month of the cycle falling between April 15th through May 12th. The Willow, termed Saille in this system of Tree Lore, is associated with flexibility and patience with an emphasis on femininity.

Like me, you may find yourself interested in ceremony and ritual, if so then I suggest venturing off to find a grove of Willow in your area and ask for a wish to be granted. We begin this little ritual by tuning into the imprint and hive mind of the willow spirit and the individual tree, asking for permission and sharing your desire.

If permission is granted, select a pliable shoot and tie a loose knot in it while holding the desired outcome in your mind and heart. When your wish has been granted, return to the site and untie the knot while remaining in a state of gratitude and love. In some traditions a gift is left for the Willow, such as tobacco. I suggest asking the willow what gift it would like from the start, as I have noticed the trees are more interested in an intentional gift like LOVE rather than a physical endowment.

Here in New Mexico we have the red willow, Salix laevigata, also called the polished willow, which grows in abundance near sources of water. The plant is currently threatened by invasives such as Tamarisk trees, which are equally thirsty and difficult to eradicate. The ancestral roots of this tree are related to basket weaving by the native people. In Santa Fe we find a plethora of red willows in Dale Ball Trails in Upper Canyon. The photo below is in Fall when the red willows turn red.

"The Tiwa (or Tano) are a linguistic group of Pueblo American Indians who speak the Tiwa language and share the Pueblo culture. Tiwa (also known as Tano) is one of five Tanoan languages spoken by the Pueblo people of New Mexico. The name Taos is derived from the Tiwa word for “place of red willows.” The red willow is a variety known for its reddish or purple twigs and bark rich in tannin. It is also known as the basket willow, having pliable twigs used in basketry and furniture."
- NMHistoricPreservation.org

SPRING "Illuminated" Perfumes

Floral perfumes are the most aligned with the energetics of Eostre, Spring, and Easter but fragrances in the green family also work nicely. From our illuminated line I suggest either Vera (fresh, herbal, fougere), Hedera helix (Deep, rich forest green) or one of the many fresher florals such as Lyra, Fleurish and Aurora, find them all in their varied formats as well as sample sets here.

The EGG

Of all the different symbols associated with Spring, the one that has me most inspired today is the egg. The origins of the word Easter are found in the ancient Saxon Lunar Goddess known as Eostre and Norse Goddess Ostara. In both these traditions, as well as those of the Greeks and Egyptians we find the symbolic use of the egg and a theory of the Cosmic Egg as the source of all creation.

In contemplating the symbol of  the “egg” as a popular thematic image in our modern Spring rituals and archetypes there is the world egg in Vedic mythology related to an egg shaped Universe, but most interesting to me is the Upanishads where the universe divides into two halves, which alludes to the duality principal in Alchemy as well as the Ouroboros, symbolizing the unity of all things through the eternal process of change.

In August of 2003 when Greg and I attended the Visionary Art workshop titled Old Masters, New Visions in Austria, I learned a deeper meaning to the symbolism of the egg, specifically in reference to the Mishe technique where we use the whole egg for this painting procedure that has its roots with the Flemish brother painters Jan and Hubert van Eyck.

By utilizing a whole egg in combination with a specific layering of different colored glazes light is able to pass through the painting to produce a glass like appearance, resulting in fantastical depth to a two dimensional painted image. Go to a museum which has a Van Eyck painting in their collection and you will experience what I am typing about. Assuming of course, that the painting is the original, and not a reproduction.

Opening photograph: Mia from Alice of the WonderLand, Dale Ball Trail, Hedera helix collage and Eggs in Next photos ©RoxanaVilla, The Orphic Egg on parchment, original by Jacob Bryant, 1774
References: Desert Wild Flower
Copy ©RoxanaVilla

New Year, New Moon, New Opportunities

Santa Fe often feels like a place that exists out of time with a very vibrant conscious community. As mentioned previously, I pay attention to patterns, one of the names that keeps being shared with me is Sandra Ingerman. This evening I took a moment to explore her world and came across the Transmutation News of January 2018. In it she shares insights from Katharine stating "We start the
18th year of the 21st century with a Super Full Moon on the 1st day of January, the 2nd in a set of 3 Super Moons.  And we end the month with a Super Blue Moon and lunar eclipse on January 31.”

She also shares that this lunar cycle presents us with a test supervised by the "guardians of deeper mysteries”, hence the opening painting The Valkyrie's Vigil by Edward Robert Hughes.

For all of you interested in greater clarity and aligning with higher frequencies I highly recommend reading her newsletter, other writings, following her wisdom and meditations.

I'll share about the the inner journey I've been on here in Santa Fe with some of the insights into some of the archetypes that have been presenting themselves. It's been quite an adventure that just keeps getting more and more interesting! Have any of you read any of Carlos Castaneda's books or Medicine Woman by Lynn V. Andrews, well then get yourself Sandra's book Soul Retrieval.

Sol and Luna

The silvery light of Luna is now bathing our woodland. Her fullness on the same day of the blessed Summer Solstice has not occurred in nearly 70 years. The energetics of Sol and Luna in balance is a powerful metaphor for the union of opposites.

Perfume for this powerful time is Vespertina! Her combination of rose, frankincense and precious woods is fitting for activating greater awareness and balance. Vespertina conjures images of a golden Byzantine crown with rubies, emeralds and opals accompanied with precious essences from Arabian deserts and lush ancient forests. This is a concept perfume, weaving in the different elements surrounding her story and character arc. Since the epic tale has a backstory of her romance with the young knight Dante, I added co-distilled essences and attars—representing a marriage of two separate parts. Sol and Luna.

Ebb and Flow

I'm focusing on the positives of ebb and flow today, although, I much prefer flow. Flow being more aligned with water element where as ebb is part of elemental earth. Both have their benefits, its just a matter of where one is standing and perceiving. After all, perception is an act of creation. Oh...and how auspicious, my favorite fragrance lately has been Chiaroscuro, which is all about the dark and the light. Gee, Spirit must be telling me something.

I normally shoot my photos in the early morning and/or late afternoon next to the big window in the living room. During the holidays that spot was taken for the Christmas tree so I had to look for other options, like the studio where the top and two bottom images were taken.

The other day on a whim I did some shots on the other side of the living room next to the big sliding glass doors, on one of the big "fulfillment" tables that were brought into the space in October. So, this is my new favorite spot, which is fabulous because there is lots of space and the northern light is pretty good all day long.

The palette of essences I work is constantly in danger and thus the fragrances will shift depending mostly on what I can get a hold of at any given time. Sometimes essences disappear off the market completely, while at other times its just a matter of hunting them down and having the resources to purchase large amounts.

A huge box of aromatics I recently ordered arrived at the door today. It's filled to the brim with a plethora of essential oils, absolutes and C02 extracts from all parts of the planet. Many of them are to make existing perfumes, some of which have been out of stock, like Aurora liquid and Gracing the Dawn. Others are for upcoming deliciousness yet to be unveiled.

Last night I ordered yet another huge batch of essences. I've been a little in terror at the amount of money that I've been spending on raw materials lately. It's great to get things in larger amounts because they are less expensive and then you have them, without having to re-order all the time. However, I'm no bank. This living on the edge, ebb phase of the year, like winter wears thin, I can't seem to get use to it.

Now that the sun is out, I'm warm and have had lots of good news today I'm feeling much better about everything. Although the ebb phase might be part of the reality at least I can shift my mind into a different gear.

Flower Moon

The moon is currently illuminated in the floral splendor of Spring. Orbiting counter clockwise around the Earth the current full moon phase is ideal for sweeping away all those influences that no longer serve. It is also an ideal time to visualize yourself protected and tuning into your intuition.

Naming the full moons is a tradition seen in various cultures throughout the world, although the most popular stems from the Farmers Almanac of 1792. The "Full Flower Moon" refers to the bounty of flowers currently trending in the Springtime of the Northern Hemisphere.


I've chosen to formerly launch and encode the new Page47 liquid with the imprint of this illuminated Moon, although the perfume is associated with a sunshine and the beach. I'll be putting the glass jar with this first edition out this evening so that it is infused with this evenings silvery lunar luminescence.

"Page 47 is a playful amber laced with candied orange blossoms and honeyed jasmine.
How lovely to have a fresh amber option for the summertime! "
Trish, ScentHive

Master Gregorio is still finishing up the image which will ultimately illuminate Page 47, stay tuned for that little visual treat which will eventually be included with all order of the new fume.

Of all the perfumes I've created I find I reach for Page 47 more often than any other, with Chaparral solid a close second. I put a small drop of the new liquid on yesterday and found it to open very sweet with a burst of citrus which mellowed in about five minutes moving into the rich floral and amber notes.

"Oh! How I love Page 47 solid and just when I thought it could not get better Roxana has released the liquid version. Page 47 liquid opens up with a bright citrus scent of oranges warmed in the sun. After a few moments the incandescent jasmine sambac and ylang ylang poke their heads out to shine in the sun and while playing in the warmth of the labdanum and the vintage mysore sandalwood. As the drydown continues the beauty of the seaweed luminates giving Page 47 the depth of the ocean. Page 47 is one of the most stunning perfumes: luminous, feminine and refreshing. Perfect for summer or anytime of the year."
~ Angie

Page 47 is one of the most popular perfumes with customers but not the fragrance bloggers. I believe this is because the bloggers tend to be more interested in fragrances that are ground breaking and unusual. Thus I have included two impressions above, one from Trish of Scent Hive and one from Angie, a loyal customer. If you have impressions to share please include them in the comments.


The synergy for both the solid and the liquid is completely botanical, although there is some sea shell and seaweed. There are nineteen individual notes derived from resins, flowers, rinds, seeds and woods along with my Faux Ambergris accord which is composed of eight essences. The Faux Ambergris accord is featured in many other illuminated perfumes as well. I also used a handmade tincture of vanilla orchid beans from Tahiti.


Where GreenWitch is of the Sea, Page47 is of the sandy beach at the waters edge. The aroma reminds me of days long ago when I was a junior lifeguard during the summer at Zuma beach in Malibu. There is a particular aroma that my skin would take on from the salt water drying on my skin from the sun, that is the aroma of Page 47.


Intending a radiant full moon with the scent of long Summer days spent on the sandy shores of the Pacific. Many thanks to both Angie and Trish for providing a quote. More posts about Page 47 here at the journal: Page by Page, Sweet Serenity, Page 47, and Turn the Page.

Images: Greg Spalenka, Radiant Moon by Edward Robert Hughes, Page47 liquid flacon and vanilla bean photos by Roxana Villa, The Piper and the Nymphs by John Reinhard Weguelin

Lunarium

The Moon is full this evening, casting her soft silvery light upon all us here on planet Earth. I caught a glimpse of her in between the trees as the sky was finally draped in its dark cloak for the evening.

Luna, the patroness of femininity, rules over many things including: water, dreams and psychic awareness. This current full moon is referred to as the "Worm Moon" due to the thawing ground when worm activity begins to be visible.


Each of us is born under a specific Moon sign as well as influenced by her changing moods each month, like the ebb and flow of the ocean tides. The full moon is a time of creativity and psychic awareness. It's a good time to use ones ears in proportion to ones mouth, meaning listen more. Be open and receptive.

Today I hosted a gathering of womban at my home. The group calls themselves Artemis and meets once a month. I opened the circle with an offering of Artemisia from my garden to each guest. We then tuned into the plant deities and drank Motia attar hydrosol in goblets of water, synchronizing our energies.

I spent about three hours sharing details of my artistic path as an illustrator, into aromatherapy and now botanical perfume. It was a very sweet, aromatic lunar day.

Cultivate "a sense of time as experienced, and not merely measured,
by living in tune with our own felt rhythms… to expand our notion of clock time with an appreciation for cosmic time. Where am I in my own daily, monthly, and yearly cycles?
Is this the time to make endings or to dare beginnings? If we live our lives according to a mechanical clock, then our lives necessarily have a mechanical tone."
~ Thomas Moore, The Re-Enchantment of Everyday Life

Want to know more about aromatics and the moon? Follow this link to a post here at the journal titled Lunatics.

Images: The opening image accompanying this post I took the circle of natural perfume pots and placed it over a very old miniature painting of Luna from 15th century Italy. Image above old engraving on parchment.

Luminessence

Art thou pale for weariness
Of climbing heaven, and gazing on the earth,
Wandering companionless
Among the stars that have a different birth,--
And ever-changing, like a joyless eye
That finds no object worth its constancy?

"To The Moon" by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Full with the expectation of the Spring the Moon shines her light brightly upon the new edition of Gracing the Dawn. Long before our calendar was invented humans paid close attention to the cycles of the season and thus gave each full moon a name specific to what was transpiring at the time. The current lunar lantern was referred to as the Snow Moon by the native people and the Worm Moon according to the Farmers Almanac.


In reading about the February Moon I've discovered that Violets are one of the symbols for this month. Out from drifts of snow these little purple blossoms poke their heads out to remind us all of the shift that soon will take place.


Although not technically a violet perfume by note, Gracing the Dawn does contain violet leaf, orris root and a tincture of violets. Her fragrance is very much in tune with the color purple. Read about her construction and impressions at this link here at the journal.

Finally ready, after recreating all her chords and patiently waiting for the alchemy to take place Gracing the Dawn is ready. Like her sister, GreenWitch, she shares the same chords and is very complex to construct. The new edition has shifted slightly as I felt she needed a bit more grounding and permanence without suffocating the rich floral heart.

Here in the wooded hills of the Santa Monica Mountains we don't get a profound seasonal shift or snow. However, the trees are now all blooming including the native oaks and the fruit trees. Soon the honey bees will be feasting as the pollen levels rise after this new rainfall.

Thus under the luminessence of this lunar spectacle the apparition of the three winged graces has returned for a limited time.


Images:
1. Heart of Snow by Edward Robert Hughes
2. Queen of the Night by Henri Fantin-Latour
3. Violets by Henry Meynell Rheam
4. Gracing the Dawn Natural Perfume

The Cimbalom Moon

Cimbalom liquid will be formally released on the full moon transpiring Friday, October 22nd. This lunar event is often referred to as the Harvest or Blood Moon. In the northern hemisphere it is a time of the last harvest and honoring the fruits of our labors.


The fragrance features a limited edition tincture of jasmine sambac blossoms from my woodland garden paired with three different jasmine absolutes. Generally associated with the planet Venus, jasmine also has a magical affinity with the Moon due to her watery, heavy, sweet fragrance combined with the aromatherapeutic properties of balance. Nothing compares to pure jasmine absolute, even perfume artists who work with synthetic counterparts augment their accords with the pure plant essence. The aroma is available as a Certified Organic extract, a concrete which is then distilled to produce an absolute, a C02 extract and an enfluerage.

According to a wide variety of aromatherapy books on my shelves real jasmine essence is attributed to having a sedative quality on the nervous system. The aroma of jasmine may assist with menstrual cramps, insomnia, depression and is a powerful aphrodisiac. Famed aromatherapist Marcel Lavabre writes that jasmine "..has the power to transcend physical love."


Throughout many different countries this season is filled with celebrations of light as we transition to the cold winter months that lie ahead. Cimbalom is a vibrant warm floriental that provides nourishment for the soul and illuminates the spirit during times of darkness. Like my other formulations this is an organic vital plant perfume made by my own hands in my studio.

The liquid aspect contains the same melodic notes of jasmine with percussive beats of amber and resin, the main difference is that the citrus top notes are much more vibrant.
Fragrance family: FLORAL, ORIENTAL = FLORIENTAL
Labdanum, Indonesian Patchouli, Indian Jasmine, Ginger and Orange.
The base is plant tinctures and Certified Organic grape and grain alcohol.
The vibrant colored crochet pouch, pictured above, is made by the hands of my very skillful mother, Martha.

Images: Cimbalom photos ©Roxana Villa, Harvest Moon photo by Tracey of Raceytay on Etsy.

Magick Monday

Moonday greetings to you on this auspicious day related to the silvery round lantern in the sky that gravitates toward the forces of the Earth. I have a new project to announce that will be be showcased here on each Magick Monday as it evolves.

The household in and out of our little woodland house has fallen into the rhythmic, abundant flow of this Harvest season. Acorns are more and more abundant and thus the local squirrel population is quite busy. Each day, around 6am we are awoken by running little feet on our roof top as the acorn fairies jump of the limbs of the oaks onto the roof and dash about protecting their territory.

Though the quality of light has begun to shift the weather is still warm, sometimes hot during the day. This time of the year signifies The Moon, called Luna by the Romans and Selene or Artemis by the Greeks embodies the divine feminine aspect and is associated with clairvoyance, divination, maidenhood, cycles, fertility.



The project I am working on wonders into the magical sector of my interests with a multi-faceted alignments in art, books, potion making, spells, herbalism, shamanism and of course perfume. Ideas our still unsettled and whirling about with the creation of a Book of Shadows, a Grimoire. In Wicca this book is a place to store information about my magickal tradition. In a way I have already begun this, but it is spread out among many different binders and folders within the studio.

I found some really gorgeous handmade Grimoires online. I might create one, having been an avid book binder in college I feel crafty enough where I can put something together, especially with the assistance of online tutorials. I am curious why we didn't make one of these in the Shamanism class I was an apprentice in for three years? Oh well, now is the time, perhaps because Greg will be involved and he wasn't part of my life back then.

Opening image and book photograph ©RoxanaVilla

Perfume Illuminated: The Mead Moon

The full moon tomorrow is called the "Mead" moon in reference to the time of year when bee hives are full of honey, which in turn is used to create mead. When I hear the word mead I think of the Renaissance fair and times of old.


Mead is a wine beverage made with a combination of honey, water and yeast. The yeast is the alchemical component which transforms the the trio of ingredients into wine. Find a series of links here for Mead Making Tutorials.

FRAGRANCE

There is no "Mead" essential oil, however there is honey and beeswax absolute, as well as our own creativity.

Honey absolute, Apies millifera or Apis melliferra, is an extremely, viscous material with a delectable aroma. The raw material, in general comes from France and India, it resembles honey both visually and aromatically. Some honey absolute is only soluble in alcohol while others are soluble in both alcohol and an oil base.

Beeswax absolute, Apies millifera, also termed Absolue Cire d'Abeille in most cases comes from France. The material is either a waxy, paste-like mass or a viscous liquid. The aroma resembles pure beeswax with a stronger animalic and hay-like quality.

A few years ago there was a Wheat absolute on the market that would work nicely here as the "yeast" element of the mead. Another alternative is to make a Yeast accord including Hops. Since varieties include herbs, spice and fruits consider creating accords of each and adding them to create different versions of Mead perfumes.

FLAVOR

The flavor of mead is dependent on the honey as well as the addition of fruit, herbs and spices. Spices most often added to mead are cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, herbs tend to include hops, thyme, oregano, lavender and/or chamomile. These types of mead are called metheglin. Fruit meads, termed melomel, contain a berry such as blackberry, strawberry and raspberry. The spices, herbs and fruits included depend of the variety of local materials available.

For more mead flavor goodness visit Beth at the Windesphere Witch blog.

Reference: Wikipedia, Mead
Images: Old engravings digitally enhanced ©RoxanaVilla

The Mead Moon

Garrison Keillor on The Writers Almanac has this to share with us...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tonight is Midsummer Night's Eve, also called St. John's Eve. St. John is the patron saint of beekeepers. It's a time when the hives are full of honey. The full moon that occurs this month was called the Mead Moon, because honey was fermented to make mead. That's where the word "honeymoon" comes from, because it's also a time for lovers. An old Swedish proverb says, "Midsummer Night is not long but it sets many cradles rocking." Midsummer dew was said to have special healing powers. In Mexico, people decorate wells and fountains with flowers, candles, and paper garlands. They go out at midnight and bathe in the lakes and streams. Midsummer Eve is also known as Herb Evening. Legend says that this is the best night for gathering magical herbs. Supposedly, a special plant flowers only on this night, and the person who picks it can understand the language of the trees. Flowers were placed under a pillow with the hope of important dreams about future lovers.
Shakespeare set his play "A Midsummer Night's Dream" on this night. It tells the story of two young couples who wander into a magical forest outside Athens. In the play, Shakespeare wrote, "The course of true love never did run smooth."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Thanks to Peggy for sending this over. Now...which is the special plant that blooms this eve so that we may pick it and converse with the trees?

Images: Oberon, Titania with Fairies Dancing by William Blake, Midsummer Night's Dream, Titania Sleeping by Arthur Rackham, second image

Lunatics

"When I admire the wonder of a sunset or the beauty of the moon,

my soul expands in worship of the Creator"
~ Mahatma Gandhi

Lunatic tidings of the Aquarian kind are now upon us with this new moon phase. Aquarius, the astrological sign of the humanitarian, beckons you to step into your power as an individual to facilitate the dawn of a new Era. This is most aptly illustrated in the Trilogy Lord of the Rings when Galadrial, the High Priestess of the Elves says to Frodo:

"Even the smallest person can change the course of the future."

This current full moon goes by the name "The Corn Moon" and coincides today with the Celtic Tree Month of the Hazel.

The Moon, called Luna by the Romans and Selene or Artemis by the Greeks embodies the divine feminine aspect and is associated with clairvoyance, divination, maidenhood, cycles, fertility. Other deities linked with the moon include: Aine of Knockaine, Al-Lat, Al-Uzza, Alcyone, Alphito, Anahita, Anat, Andraste, Anu, Aradia, Arianrhod, Asherah, Atargatis, Callisto, Cerridwen, Ch'ang O, Chons, Circe, Coatlicue, Coyolxuahqi, Diana, Don, El, Hathor, Hekate, Hera, Inanna, Ixchup, Jana, Juno, Kali, Khensu, Kuu, Rhiannon, Siva Somantha and Tlazolteotl

Some of the symbols that have been utilized in creating mythologies associated with the Moon include the fact that it is like a lantern in the evening heavens that provides us with silvery light and has an affect on our ocean. The waning and waxing of the moon is also in harmony with a womans monthly cycle and is similar to the ten moons of pregnancy.

What symbolic aspects do you associate with the Moon? In botanical perfume, as mentioned in previous journal entries, consider creating an infusion of lunar plant material. Plants ruled by the Moon are often used for potions relating to all things lunar, such as: compassion, dreams, family, fertility, gardening, healing, love, peace, prophecy, prophetic (or psychic) dreams, psychic awareness, sleep, and spirituality. How to spot a Moon plant? Begin by noting the color of the plant, moon plants are usually white, silver or blue: Jasmine, Tibetan Blue Poppy, Blue Hibiscus and Morning Glory. Many times you will note that Moon plants have a watery aspect to them or association with the Ocean: Cucumber, Oyster and Seaweed. Moon plants sometimes are shaped like the moon: Banana and Melon.

Moon related essential oils, absolutes and C02 extracts of the following material includes:

• Clary Sage
  
• Chamomile
• Cepes (Mushroom)
  
• Juniper
• Jasmine
  
• Lotus
• Mugwort
• Seaweed
• Orris

A lunar perfume would contain a "watery" aspect with sweet notes, the affect upon inhaling would be calming, impart psychic awareness and promote sweet dreams.

Image: Circe Invidiosa by John Waterhouse

Scent of the Day: AIRES

Here we are once again being lit by the silvery light of a new moon. The specifics of this lunar phase are associated with the ram, Aires. To be precise, we entered the new moon yesterday and now find ourself with both the Sun and Moon aligned in the first sign of the zodiac.

I found a rather nice little piece on the new moon here. I like how they are focusing on getting us on track with our essential purpose, what I have referred to on this journal as our heart virtue. The scent to assist with this planetary line up to connect with our SELF is the one YOU feel most connected with!

For me, I'm going with Chaparral Solid again. Not sure whether it's the woods or the frankincense, either way it's the one that is really does it for me in this sacred moment.

Other activities for this new moon phase including tincturing and infusing. I've been patiently waiting for this new moon and have quite a lot of work before me. Promise to report back here with pictures...and at my flickr account as well.

Scent of the Day: Lunation

Mornings now begin in the pitch black, which I rather dislike. Who thought of this weird tradition of moving back and forward time anyway!?! Bah humbug. Thus scent becomes even more crucial on such mornings. I find the aroma of rosemary, eucalyptus and juniper in my salt scrub invigorating in the morning shower. An excellent start to the day.

The full Moon in Virgo beckons change and thus I begin the day with the grounding aspects of Patchouli followed by a small dab of Chaparral solid. This will shift around mid morning when we depart for a journey behind the orange curtain. Greg is doing a multi media presentation at an art college. Thus I will embody feminine and floral as I take on the role of an adornment at his side.

Not sure what the feminine and floral will be...most likely Lyra liquid and solid layered together. The Ylang Ylang and Jasmine equation in Lyra is romantic, feminine and sensual, complimented by the citrus top notes the fragrance also branches into euphoric.

According to the Claudia Thompson of Moonsurfing: "The trick the Full Moon teaches about is how to keep inspiration alive while also keeping your eye on practical mundane matters." This sounds like my astrological chart.

Wow, I just got massively distracted by my treasury going to the Etsy front page. It's so thrilling when this occurs with one of my items or a treasury I've constructed. Yesterday Greg and I were both featured on a treasury together that hit the front page about this time on the morning.

Alright...back to balancing the mundane with inspiration.

The illustration above is ©Greg Spalenka and is currently for sale at his shop on Etsy. It was originally created for Sports Illustrated, read more here. I cropped the image a bit so that it would suit this post.

Love will steer the stars

In the mid sixties a rock musical was birthed inspired by a painting by artist Jim Dine. The musical initially went by a different name and had many transformations before it became the iconic hippie counter culture Love-Rock musical we now know as Hair.

The songs from this ground breaking production became top 40 hits and left an indelible mark within the popular psyche. Even I, who was quite young when the musical hit Broadway, know many of these songs well. Most notably, Aquarius, which begins with:

When the moon is in the Seventh House
and Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars

Astrologers tell us that on February 14th, the day we celebrate love, this alignment will indeed be upon us. The Moon in Libra will enter the seventh house and both Jupiter and Mars will be aligned in the twelfth house.

This auspicious alignment begins at 7:25 am on February 14th and will last 18 minutes.

A link to the songs & lyrics of Hair
Hair, the musical website

Roxana Illuminated Perfume™

The Wolf Moon

“The night walked down the sky with the moon in her hand.”
~ Frederic Lawrence Knowles quotes

Up in the starry heavens the moon is full this evening, lighting up the night with her silvery luminosity. This moon goes by many names including: Old Moon, Moon after Yule, Old Winter Moon, Storm Moon, Cold Moon and my favorite Wolf Moon.

On this Full Moon Helg over at Perfume Shrine has posted her favorite things of 2008 as part of a group blogging project. I am happy to share that our Sierra Solid Gold perfume is on her list under Favorite Portable Obsession. You'll find Sierra Solid Gold perfume at my etsy site as a mini or in an antiqued compact, link below. This perfume has become a favorite in our line.

Getting back to this evenings lunacy, my 2009 Llewelyn's Datebook references the Wolf Moon to the wild winter wind which is akin to a wolfs howl. Auspiciously air element whipped through here with tremendous force last night, and continues a bit tonight.

This first full moon of 2009 is in it's home sign of intuitive and emotional Cancer during the coldest portion of the season.

The image above is by Maestro Gregorio, he created it for a young adult book called By These Ten Bones. I've always had a fondness for the piece and am thrilled to use it to illustrate this post.

Using the metaphor in the illustration consider doing some journey work this evening by the silver light of this exceptionally powerful moon invoking a cloak of protection for you and your family. Call upon your guides and power animal to help you.

Image ©Greg Spalenka: www.spalenka.com

Perfume Shrine: 2008 Favorites List
Roxana Illuminated Perfume™
Roxana Illuminated Perfume at Etsy