July Wort Moon

In this section...

July Full Moon

The Wort Moon, The Blessing Moon, The Honey Moon

Named for the Anglo-Saxon word "wort", which means herb, the rise of this Moon hearalds the time of the first harvest. Flowering and fruitful, herbs have reached their full growing potential now. And as their heady aromas waft through the air, they simply beg to be cut and gathered and included in all of our magickal and mundane projects.

The Wort Moon signals the beginning of our personal harvests, too. It's a time when we're called upon to put everything we've learned over the past year to good use, and a time when we're not only expected to apply it to spiritual lives, but to our magick, as well. Fortunately, this isn't as difficult as it sounds. Spiritual matters seem to make more sense now. Prophetic dreams come to the forefront, and psychic abilities seem to develop almost by themselves. Even divination comes more easily. Just go with the spiritual flow and give yourself over to the harvest. The benefits that you reap will far outweigh any sacrifice.

Because the energy of this Moon speaks of completion and application, all magickal efforts meet quickly with success now. Since the emphasis is on the spiritual, though, efforts involving personal psychism, prophetic dreamwork, divination, and reincarnative path-working make especially good candidates.

Magickal Housekeeping is especially good for this month's moon. Please see the Magickal Housekeeping article and the Magickal House Cleaning Ritual below) An excellent goddess to honor for Magickal Housekeeping is Hestia / Vesta

Below are some celebration and ritual ideas. We would love to hear from you (and see pics of your altars!) if you are inclined to share. As we build these pages, we hope to be able to add lots of input from our fellow Witches!.

Celebration and Ritual Ideas:

Colors: Orange, Green, and Yellow to commemorate the herb harvest
Herbs: Lavender, Chamomile, Lemon Balm, Mint, Rosemary, Sage
Altar decorations: dried or flowering herbs or herbal sprigs tied with colored ribbons,
Libations: Herbal teas and Herbal cookies (to make herbal cookies just add 1 tablespoon of Lavender, Lemon Balm or Mint to your favorite sugar dookie recipe --- OR --- coat a roll of pre-made sugar cookie dough with your herbs!

Activities:
Blend Full Moon Incense (see recipes below)
Make herbal sachets - (Great for a party! Just have everyone bring some herbs from their garden or magickal cupboard. Provide tulle netting and ribbons.)


Full Moon incense
To make incense, simply grind the ingredients and mix them together.
As you are grinding and mixing, charge the herbs and sense their energies.
If you like, you may recite a chant like:

I charge these herbs by Full Moon light
Freeing magickal energy to take flight
Bring the things I ask of thee
An it harms none, so mote it be

Burn the incense on charcoal blocks or tablets during ritual.

Full Moon Incense #1

2 parts Sandalwood
2 parts Frankincense
1/2 part Gardenia petals
1/4 part Rose petals
a few drops of Ambergris oil

Full Moon Incense #2

1 part Lavender
1 part Rosemary
1/8 part Anise

RITUAL IDEAS:

Magickal House Cleansing

This month's Full Moon falls upon the birthday of the Egyptian goddess Nephthys, mistress of the house, making this an excellent time for some Magickal Housekeeping. Spend some time on the 18th focused on your home's energy. Slowly go through the rooms, spending some time in each one and 'seeing' it with the eyes of a first time visitor. Think about changes you would make to refresh the rooms and create a better flow of energy. As you go through the house, gather up twenty-five items that have not been used for some time and are simply taking up space. Box up these items for donation to a charity, focusing on the idea of them bringing joy into someone else's life. By doing this, you have released blockage from clutter in your home and freed up the energy once more.

Burn your favorite Full Moon Incense and waft the incense smoke through the house.

Say your own blessing or you may use the one below:

Smoke of earth
And fire and air,
Clear my home
And make it fair
Drive away
All harm and fear,
Only good
May dwell in here.

Lady Nephthys,
Bless my hours,
Keep it free from
Bug or mouse.
Be welcome here,
Creatures of light,
While those unwelcome
Will feel thy might.
Protect me and mine
As we dwell within,
And keep us safe
As when we journey again.

Have a magickal July Esbat and Blessed Be!