On the Thirteenth Day of Winter Solstice…
… witch named brandee gave to me
13 Lunar Cycles
Many cultures have preferred tracking time and nature’s cycles with the moon, rather than the sun. As we finish off this series celebrating the return of the sun, we’ll take a moment to sit with the other side of things.
Like many of these traditions we’ve covered, the lunar calendar can be found in ancient cultures all across the globe. It seems that since humans have existed, we have looked to the heavens for some sense of why or how. The earliest of us revered the patterns of the world and our place in the universe.
Lunar calendars were especially prominent among Indigenous peoples, who often used the imagery of a turtle’s back as a symbol for this cycle. Not only are there 28 small pieces around the shell that mirror the 28-day cycle, but 13 larger sections represent the 13 lunar months. Since the moon’s movements match things like the turtle shell, the tidal waves, and the 28 hormonal cycles people with periods go through, many see the lunar calendar as more connected to nature. These months are often named according to the other things happening in nature at that time of the year, though different nations, of course, have different names.
Celtic peoples also used lunar months in their Ogham Calendar, or the Celtic Tree Calendar. In this tradition, each tree or plant corresponds with a letter of the Ogham alphabet. This system could be used for agricultural reasons, when to plant and harvest, and also for divination, somewhat like the zodiac astrology.
Many Modern Pagans, through the eight sabbats, celebrate both solar and lunar movements. Since such a big part of witchcraft is accepting the duality and ambiguity of life, rather than choosing one calendar over the other, many honor the dance between the Sun and Moon. Full moon celebrations are common among modern witches and the moon’s cycles are often used to aid manifestation rituals. The moon is also associated with divine femininity among pagans. The moon is associated with the Triple Goddess, her three phases (virgin, mother, crone) are reflected in the birth, death, and renewal phases of the moon.
Happy New Year!
Thank you for joining me!
These thirteen aspects of mysticism make up a big part of my practice as a witch. My original inspiration for this list came from a pagan poem, but sometime in my research I lost access to it and wasn’t able to find it again (if you happen to know potential sources that would match leave it in the comments). Many of the topics I plan on exploring in this coming year begin with these things. The whole point of my exploration of these topics is to give education on the true roots of many of our modern traditions. All religions have something they share with ancient peoples and I enjoy digging past the layers of generations to see how things have changed through time. To me, this series is a door to learning more about one’s roots. I hope to next year diversify these topics even further and find a way to represent most cultures. I would love to have guests join me so we can delve deeper into the origins of our traditions. I’ve linked all of this year’s 13 articles below!
I think it’s through those connective moments we find our greatest truths.
Happy New Year!
-brandee