Feng Shui & Moon Magic

The Reed Moon of Metamorphosis

The Reed Moon is the twelfth moon of the Celtic year and it resonates with the energies of Heart(h) and Home, Family and Roots. The Wheel of the Year turns again, this time towards honoring our roots, which are found below ground.

Now we return to our roots for the holidays. We shape shift back to who we are inside, returning to our familial connections as a child in our hearts. This is the time to accept where we come from, our heritage, and trust that our destiny will unfold as we desire.

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Sheri Anderson's Monthly Treats:Apple Cranberry Sage Bites and Walnut Spice Kisses

The Elder Moon of Completion & New Beginnings

Elder Moon shines as our calendar year begins, near the Winter Solstice. We experience a sort of free fall into the darkness. This can be scary until you realize you're just as safe as a baby within its mother's womb. Lots of liquid/emotion/darkness, but you are loved, you are secure, and you are…CHANGING!!

Oh boy! Pure potential energy at your service. Now all you need to do is decide what you'd like to order from the limitless and infinitely abundant Universe. This moon brings the Green Man to life, allowing Mother Nature to rest.

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The Birch Moon of New Beginnings & Infinite Possibilities

The Birch Moon is the first lunation following the return of the Sun with the Winter Solstice. This silvery bark of the Birch reflects the light, mirroring the reflective light of the Moon. This is a deeply feminine, receptive time of year, and one that is excellent for planting seeds which will grow and bear fruit later in the year. A fertile time for both the land's recovery and your mind's creativity, now is when you want to plan your pattern for weaving your story in the coming year. Who will you take with you as you travel your path of life? Who will you choose to leave behind? Where will you work? Where will you not waste your time any more? What will you do to learn and grow? How will you use what you learn?

Consider your health and well-being in all ways and project images of what you want to have in your life. ALL things in existence began as a thought. You must be able to think it before you can do, be, or have it. Use the lunation of the Birch Moon for quiet contemplation and you'll thrive in the days to come.

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Sheri Anderson's Monthly Treats:
Milk Chocolate Chip Rose Water Cookies and Rose and Pistachio Cookie Bars

The Rowan Moon of Vision & Astral Travel

The Rowan Moon is the second moon of the Celtic year, and comes during the deepest part of Winter. The name "Rowan" means "to whisper" or "a secret". This is the time of year to dive into your subconscious with meditation and mediumship. Create your own runes to cast during these dark nights and seek insights into the unfoldment of the year to come. Use index cards, small wooden tiles (especially Rowan wood!), or other crafting materials. Inscribe the runes provided in Feng Shui & Moon Magic, pages 157-170, and read their meanings there.

Record your dreams and trust your intuition. Seek visions that will take you into your future so you can see what is coming. Ask your Spirit to guide your steps and have faith that your prayers are already answered. The fruit of the Rowan Tree has a 5-pointed star on it, indicating it provides protection. Legend tells the Rowan protects from lightening strikes, evil, and ill-will. The berries are full of vitamin C and will help keep you healthy during the frozen days of February.

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Sheri Anderson's Monthly Treat: Savory Sweet Potato, Apple, Thyme and Cheddar Tart

The Ash Moon is the third moon of the Celtic year, and aligns with the onset of Spring. The Ash Tree is honored as the World Tree, Yggdrasil, and is considered to the The Tree of Life. At this time of the year, the water energy rises up from the depths of the Earth and begins flowing into the plants, just as the sap begins to rise in the trees and the buds begin to form.

Now is when your seeds begin to strengthen as they breech into birth and start growing in the sunlight. The spiral buds of teh ash are linked to the spiral of life, as seen in the microcosmic realm of your DNA and the macrocosmic realm of the Milky Way Galaxy. All life and all time unfold in a spiral.

Through your deep understanding and appreciation of yourself, you now give birth to the seeds of ideas planted during the dark days of Winter. It is now time to align your ideas with your actions, integrating your Spiritual lessons into manifestation. You will experience growing pains but have the strength and wisdom to stand firm in your beliefs and lean into your future as you created it. Stay true to yourself and your vision, walk your talk, and you can only grow into what you dreamed, just as the planting of corn can only lead to a harvest of corn, never a harvest of plums.

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Sheri Anderson's Monthly Treat: Rose and Cinnamon Mini Bundt Cakes

The Alder Moon of Utility and Self-Governance

The Alder Moon is the fourth moon of the Celtic year. This lunation brings the warmth and light of the Sun to support and protect you as you step out into life to manifest your intentions. There is a time to challenge the status quo, and this IS that time. You cannot stop your growth any more than you can stop the Spring from coming.

Now is the time to forgive others as well as yourself. In their and your defense, everyone does the best they can, given what they know, at any particular point in time. We mess up and we learn. Just as quickly as you'll get up when you fall, turn your focus towards your career or personal goals and know that if you're making mistakes, you are really trying to move beyond what was into a new you. Now is the time to sow the seeds of success in any business and academic efforts and water them with words of certain sureness.

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Sheri Anderson's Monthly Treat:
Lemon Rosemary Shortbread Cookies and Lemon Basil Shortbread Cookies

The Wanton Willow Moon of Passionate Romance

If you have Energy Vampires in your life, you also have a problem saying the word no. These icky creatures know you have this problem and they take full advantage of your weakness. Sometimes the icky creatures are pets, sometimes they are people (even family members!). Sometimes they are thoughts you have that pop up and knock you flat, just as you were getting to the good part. Sometimes they are bad habits that prevent you from moving forward.

The Hawthorne Moon (May 13-June 9) is known as the Moon of Disenchantment. In this lunar cycle, Nature is all set to help you weed the garden of your mind and your life. As you learn to prioritize yourself first, and then what is most important to you, if becomes much easier to deflect the Energy Vampires out there. Learn what your priorities are and are not. Learn to say no and set yourself free!

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Sheri Anderson's Monthly Treat: Rosemary Lemon Feta Spread

You spent last month "weeding your garden" - the garden in your yard, the garden in your mind, and even the garden of your life. All the extraneous drains on your energy - or at least as many as you were able to get to - have been yanked out by the roots and released. You have more strength now to focus on yourself and your goals. Now you send your pure personal presence and power forth towards your visions and objectives with no distractions.

The Oak Moon (June 10 - July 7) is known as the Moon of Power and Security. In this lunar cycle, Nature aligns with your attention and intention. Pay attention to what you think about and how you feel. Whether you "attend" or "intend" something, you apply your energies to it. Where attention goes, energy flows. Keep your eyes, mind, and heart on your prize this month. The harvest season is coming! As you become adept at identifying what you don't want, you get better at identifying what you do. If it feels yucky, it is. Find something that feels yummy.

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Sheri Anderson's Monthly Treats: Baby Strawberry & Honey Pies
Orange Shortbread Cookies dipped in Chocolate and Strawberry and Orange Blossom Honey Tartlets

The Holly Moon Dances With You in and the Delightful Duality of Life

Everything that is has an opposite. Everything that is is always on its way to becoming its opposite. The younger want to be older and the older want to be younger ("I'm 4 and a half years old" vs. "I'm holding at 39 forever.") The blossom gives way to the fruit which gives way to the seed which recreates the blossom. The tide goes in, the tide goes out.

The Holly Moon (July 8–August 4) comes just after the Summer Solstice. The Wheel of the Year is turning towards its downward cycle. Peaks have been reached and energy shifts have begun to turn towards the coming Autumnal Equinox. We are at Midsummer. The seed of Winter was planted on the Summer Solstice and it grows. You see this as the days grow shorter, minute by minute.

Likewise, these shifting energies can be used to assist you to bring about a turnaround in your own life. As you consider where you are along your path through this year, remember the intentions you set with your New Year's Resolutions. Get them out and see if you are where you intended to be or if you need to adjust your activities to ensure achieving that goal. Are there resolutions you have abandoned but not consciously released? Consider too where you would like to be for the coming Winter holidays–including what you'll have to do to get there.

As you learn to focus on what you have done to bring yourself here, the lessons along your path, you will discover there are many accomplishments you forgot to celebrate. Not a day has passed that you have not taken a baby step in some direction. To ensure this year ends as you intend, get clear now and implement any changes with ease to alter your course for success!

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Sheri Anderson's Monthly Treats:
Coriander Spiced Pound Cake with Strawberries and Arugula Feta & Cilantro Squares

The Wheel of the Year has turned again with the completion of the growing season. The crops are being harvested. You have, no doubt, seen the corn and pumpkins at your grocery store. Thus, the work in the fields draws to a close. The ground will be enriched as the farmers till under the foliage and allow it to lie fallow until it is time to plant again. Now, as the days grow noticably shorter, we turn our attention to the garden we grow in our minds. It is Back to School season!

The Hazel Moon (August 5 - September 1) aligns with the Hazel tree, known for its superior conductivity. This tree is so respected for its ability to enhance your ability to manifest your visions, protect your space, prosper, and inspire, it is known as the Tree of Immortal Wisdom. Your greatest wisdom comes from aligning with your own intuition and allowing it to guide you through your life. Letting go of logic isn't easy, but trusting your self and your Spirit to guide you empowers you at levels that must be experienced to be appreciated.

Turn now to studies that enhance your wisdom. Pay attention to your dreams. Take a class. Try something new - especially a new way of expressing your inner spirit, such as painting, dance, or even meditation. Learning must be integrated and repeatedly experienced in order to achieve wisdom. This month's lunation energies completely support you for these goals.

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Sheri Anderson's Monthly Treats:
Roasted Hazel Nuts with Thyme and Meyer Lemon Cornmeal Cookies with Lavender or Rosemary
and Frangelico and Toasted Hazel Nut Meringues

The Wheel of the Year turns now to the time of the Harvest Moon, which comes late in September. This is the full moon closest to the Autumnal Equinox which brings us back to the balance between our days and nights, as well as in our "accounts" - bank accounts, personal debts, and even our need to forgive and release.

The Vine Moon (September 2-29) aligns with the vine which climbs the trees. Vines crawling along the ground can never climb in their growth unless they find support. Once they begin to wrap themselves around their support - be it trellis, wall, or tree - the vine will both blossom and bear fruit. Likewise, humans run through their days of sameness until challenged to reach higher. The climb brings out their best. The challenge to seek higher levels forces us to find new ways to make things happen, then pours the bounty of blessings from our efforts back into our lives. We are better for having grown.

Seek to celebrate your own achievements during this time of year. Pats on the back, certificates, rewards, and even a gold star or two are perfectly in place in this season of acknowledgement. We are often harder on ourselves than anyone else. Seek to keep track of all that you do and appreciate yourself. Look in the mirror and wink and smile at YOU. Say, "Good job! Way to go. I'm proud of YOU for all you did today!" after you brush your teeth at night and before you turn off the light and head for bed. Say the same things to others. Encourage them to celebrate their accomplishments too. We all need cheerleaders in our corner. Be one for others and find that they then become your cheerleader too.

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Sheri Anderson's Monthly Treats: Raspberry Buttermilk Muffins (or Cake) and Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Palmiers
Blackberry Swirl Almond Cookies and Pumpkin Pesto