Chapter 4

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The Lunar Keys

Some have said that herbs are to Avalon what trees are to Druidry, and in today’s Avalonian Tradition we have found this system of herbal immersion to be a powerful tool of connection with the energies of the Holy Isle, the lessons of her goddesses, and the corresponding energies within ourselves. This system of herbal moons or Lunar Keys that make up the Avalonian Cycle of Revealing is both a complement to, and a deepening of, the work of the Avalonian Cycle of Healing. Using both cycles concurrently will provide an empowering focus for our journeys into the realms of Avalon and along the pathways of the spirit.

Each herb in this system is connected to a specific month and corresponds energetically with an episode from the myths of the Welsh goddesses honored in the Avalonian Tradition. When we work with the energies of these herbs, they can open us to insights about the goddesses and the lessons presented in their stories. We can also receive assistance in reflecting these energies and insights within. Looking at ourselves and our personal journeys through the filter of these Lunar Keys can provide us with an understanding of where we have come from, a clear view of where we are now, and can help us to form a Sovereignty-centered vision of where it is we would like to go. In short, these thirteen moons can be used as mirrors of our soul which permit us to look at ourselves with new eyes and to bring aspects of ourselves into consciousness that we may never have seen before. Each of these Lunar Keys, therefore, can help the seeker open the door to understanding through three levels of engagement: goddess myth, lunar time, and herbal action.

The Mythic Map for Personal Transformation

An examination of the entire yearly cycle of moons taken as a whole reveals a step-by-step template for growth and transformation, one Lunar Key at a time:

1—The Moon of Initiation

Each new cycle begins with the quest for wisdom. It is here that we set the intention to seek out the treasure that can only be found in the shadowlands of the unconscious Self.

2—The Moon of Distillation

To accomplish this work, we are set to the task of personal contemplation and the development of inner discipline in order to receive the bounty of wisdom which emerges from the self-distillation catalyzed in the cauldron of the soul.

3—The Moon of Transformation

In order to fully integrate the lessons of these new-found wisdoms, we must engage in thorough self-exploration. This allows us to know ourselves well enough to see, with clarity, the ways in which our shadow tendencies manifest through all aspects of our being, and affect all parts of our life:

Earth: Our physical health, environment, and material abundance.

Water: Our emotional state, our spiritual lives, and our relationship to the past.

Air: Our perspectives, assumptions, and our relationship with the future.

Fire: Our creative resources, how and where we use our energy, and our ability to change.

4—The Moon of Gestation

Having reached the depths of our inner cauldron, the root of the shadow that dwells deep in the unconscious Self, we must surrender ourselves to the cycle of changes. This permits our outmoded ways of being to fall away and makes space for the wisdom we have earned to take root in our soul.

5—The Moon of Evocation

We must bring forth the wisdom we have found into the waxing light. Much like Gwydion and Math were able to call forth the essence of a goddess into physical manifestation, we must also learn how to incorporate the wisdom of the dark time into our lives and how to manifest the physical plane reflection of our higher self-potential.

6—The Moon of Activation

With these insights in place, we must commit ourselves to following a new course, one which is in greater alignment with our vision of personal authenticity. Like the movement of a flower that tracks the path of the sun across the sky, we must fix our sight upon the inner light of sovereignty—allowing nothing to deter us from our purpose.

7—The Moon of Revelation

The greater part of wisdom is coming to know how to live our truth. Once we have found who we are meant to be, it is up to us to make the choices that will allow us to actualize this potential. Sometimes the obstacles in our paths may seem insurmountable, but when we ask to know the way, it will be revealed to us.

8—The Moon of Liberation

Fully embracing one’s truth is not without challenge. We may find ourselves taken to task for not conforming to others’ expectations, or for daring to pursue our dreams when so many others have resigned themselves to never accomplishing their own. We cannot allow this lack of external support to dissuade us. Instead, we must heed the bardic call of Y Gwir Yn Erbyn Y Byd—the Truth Against the World—and commit to living from our center of truth, regardless of the opinions and actions of others. When we do so, our vision is expanded, our sight is sharpened, our actions are empowered, and we gain the wisdom we need in order to fly free.

9—The Moon of Dedication

Once we have claimed the truth of ourselves for ourselves, we are then faced with the trials that often accompany the choice to walking with integrity through our lives. There are many obstacles and distractions that we must navigate to ensure that we are not pulled off course on the journey to self-actualization. We must learn to maintain our focus on who we are, continue to make steady progress toward what we are striving to accomplish, and work to answer the call of the spirit. When we ask for what we need as we travel the path of sovereignty, Source responds in kind.

10—The Moon of Consummation

Remember too that the path within must be reflected in that which is without. The spiritual journey is not meant to take place on the subtler realms alone—it should find its partner in the physical plane as well. It is a powerful thing to be in active co-creation of a life we love, and there is much bounty to celebrate. We must learn to have patience with ourselves as well, should we falter; we must forgive ourselves, learn from our mistakes, and honor our responsibilities.

11—The Moon of Purification

As the cycle turns downward again, our commitment to our growth is challenged; difficulties arise to push our limitations and stretch our understanding. Painful lessons can yield great harvest if they are shouldered with patience, peace, and understanding. It is easy to give in to what is not true—but perseverance and dedication to right action in the face of adversity gives us the strength to see it through.

12—The Moon of Reconciliation

All of our strivings will be rewarded with our hearts desire, but only if we are able to see past our own shortcomings as well as the failings of others. Forgiveness is a powerful healing tool, not because it grants absolution to those who may have harmed us, but because it permits us to set down the emotional burdens that remove us from the sovereign order of our lives. Thus freed from anxiety, we reconnect with the truth of our wholeness, and are ready to enter the Cauldron of Wisdom anew. There’s no end, but more room to grow.

13—The Moon of Reflection

The map of the spiritual journey is revealed: The soul becomes manifest on the physical plane. Experiencing wounding will cause our inner Sovereignty to become imprisoned and isolated. The way back to a place of personal empowerment comes when all parts of the self are in clear communication with each other. When we can allow the inner/unconscious Self to clearly communicate with the outer/conscious self, we can set external change into motion based on internal need. Changes result in transformation, permitting the heart to open so that it may return to a state of conscious connection with Source. This is the work of a lifetime … or we can choose it in the now.

14—The Moon of Cycle

No matter where we are in our work, or how successful we have been in actualizing particular aspects of our Sovereignty, there is always more to be learned about ourselves and always more growing to be done. We will be presented with challenges to our personal power that will facilitate this growth and transformation, bringing us closer to the truth of who and what we are.

Identifying the Lunar Keys

The first thing that is necessary for undertaking this personal discipline, is to work out the dates of each of the Lunar Keys of the Avalonian Cycle of Revealing for the current year. This may at first feel like a daunting process, requiring specialized tables of planetary movements, moon phase calendars, and something that feels suspiciously like math, but it truly is easier than it may sound on the first go round. Being able to determine the dates of the Holy Days, the goddess times, and each of the moons is a powerful and empowering experience, and is outlined here:

1. Using a lunar calendar or ephemeris table for the present year, make a list of the full moon dates and times for the entire year. Be sure that the calendar or table you are using is specific for your time zone; if you cannot find one, seek out a list that uses GMT and make the necessary conversions for where you live. For example, New York is –5 GMT, and so to get the local time, five hours must be subtracted to the list of times from the GMT list.

2. Be sure to make note of any total lunar eclipses which may be occurring in the year you are working on; this information is included on most lunar calendars. Note that because of the interplay of angles between the sun, the moon, and the Earth, every type of lunar eclipse (total, partial, and penumbral) occurs when the moon is full, while all types of solar eclipses occur (total, par-tial, annular, and hybrid) when the moon is dark. This is because when there is a dark moon, the moon is conjunct to the sun, which means that both celestial bodies are in the same area of the sky at the same time; they rise and set together, and are therefore in the same sign at the same time. It is this relationship that can result in a solar eclipse when the moon moves between the Earth and the sun, and appears to occlude the solar disk.

Conversely, when the moon is full, the sun and moon are in opposite sections of the sky, making an 180˚ angle to each other from the perspective of the Earth. On the night of the full moon, the moon rises as the sun sets, and both celestial bodies are in opposition to each other—that is, they are polar opposites or complementary pairings when it comes to their signs. This arrangement is also what leads to a lunar eclipse because the Earth moves between the opposing sun and moon, blocking the light of the sun and causing the planet to cast its shadow upon the surface of its satellite. (For more on lunar eclipses, see Chapter 9).

3. The moon moves much more quickly than does the sun, and will pass through the entirety of the zodiacal round once every month, spending about 2.5 days in each sign, whereas it takes the sun an entire year to do the same; it is for this reason that we talk about the Moons of the Cycle of Revealing in terms of sun sign and not moon sign. It is easier to find out the date of when the moon is going to be full during the time period the sun is in a particular sign than it is to determine which of the times the moon is in a particular house it is also a full moon. Remember, too, that the Blue Moon occurs when there are two full moons taking place during the period that the Sun is in a particular sign; when this phenomenon happens (once every 2.5 to 3 years), it is the second full moon that is the Blue Moon, and is Moon Thirteen, the Moon of Reflection.

Time Period

The Sun is in:

The Dark Moon is in:

The Full Moon is in:

Mar 21–Apr 19*

Aries

Aries

Libra

Apr 20–May 20

Taurus

Taurus

Scorpio

May 21–Jun 20

Gemini

Gemini

Sagittarius

Jun 21–Jul 22

Cancer

Cancer

Capricorn

Jul 23–Aug 22

Leo

Leo

Aquarius

Aug 23–Sep 22

Virgo

Virgo

Pisces

Sep 23–Oct 22

Libra

Libra

Aries

Oct 23–Nov 21

Scorpio

Scorpio

Taurus

Nov 22–Dec 21

Sagittarius

Sagittarius

Gemini

Dec 22–Jan 19

Capricorn

Capricorn

Cancer

Jan 20–Feb 18

Aquarius

Aquarius

Leo

Feb 19–Mar 20

Pisces

Pisces

Virgo

* The beginning and end dates of the signs vary somewhat each year; this is because the run of the signs starts at the moment of the Vernal Equinox—which usually falls on March 20 or 21—and all other dates shift accordingly. To be certain of the dates, it is best to look them up annually in an ephemeris or a reliable online source.

4. Once you have your list of full moons for the year, have noted any total eclipses or Blue Moons, and determined what house the sun is in for each full moon, you can match up each date on your list with its associated Lunar Key in the Avalonian Cycle of Revealing. I recommend that you begin with Moon One, identifying the date of Calan Gaeaf, and numbering the rest of the months from there. Once you have done so, double check that you have correctly determined the presence or absence of a Blue Moon or a total lunar eclipse, and indicate the location of Moon Thirteen and/or the Moon of Cycle on your list. Keep in mind that with this process we are overlapping several different calendar systems, so the beginnings of each system’s cycle will not line up perfectly: the Gregorian year begins in January, the Celtic year begins at Calan Gaeaf or Samhain, and the astrological year begins at Spring Equinox with Aries.

Calendar Dates

Sun Sign

Lunar Key

Cycle of Revealing Names

Holy Days

Dec 22–Jan 19

Capricorn

Moon 3

Moon of Transformation

Jan 20–Feb 18

Aquarius

Moon 4

Moon of Germination

Gwyl Mair

Feb 19–Mar 20

Pisces

Moon 5

Moon of Evocation

Mar 21–Apr 19

Aries

Moon 6

Moon of Activation

Apr 20–May 20

Taurus

Moon 7

Moon of Revelation

Calan Haf

May 21–Jun 20

Gemini

Moon 8

Moon of Liberation

Jun 21–July 22

Cancer

Moon 9

Moon of Dedication

Jul 23–Aug 22

Leo

Moon 10

Moon of Consummation

Gwyl Awst

Aug 23–Sep 22

Libra

Moon 11

Moon of Purification

Sep 23–Oct 22

Virgo

Moon 12

Moon of Reconciliation

Oct 23–Nov 21

Scorpio

Moon 1

Moon of Initiation

Calan Gaeaf

Nov 22–Dec 21

Sagittarius

Moon 2

Moon of Distillation

Blue Moon/2nd FM in a Sun Sign

Moon 13

Moon of Reflection

Total Lunar Eclipse

Moon of Cycle

You should now have a reference detailing the specific dates and times of the forthcoming herbal moons. You can begin to work the Cycle of Revealing at any point; there is no need for you to wait until Moon One rolls around again, although there is a progression of energy that moves through each of the Lunar Keys of this system, carrying the seeker from one area of growth and exploration to the next. Aim to begin this discipline at the next full moon, and use the time between now and then to gather all of your materials and familiarize yourself with this process so that you are ready to start when the moon waxes full once more.

The Herbal Connection

Plants and the moon are inextricably bound together; planting and harvesting crops according to moon phase is an ancient practice reflecting an understanding of the cyclic tides of life. Deeply entrenched in folk practice even to the present day, it is easy to imagine that even the earliest agriculturalists planted and harvested their crops in accordance with the phases of the moon. Modern science has studied the effect that the moon has on plants and has discovered that in much the same way it influences the tides of the ocean, the lunar cycle affects both the moisture in the soil as well as the amount of water that seeds and plants absorb; there is a measurable increase of each during the full moon. Leaf growth accelerates during the waxing moon, and slows down when the moon is waning, while the growth of roots exhibits the opposite pattern. Therefore, the time between the dark moon and the full moon is considered best for planting herbs whose aerial parts will be used for medicine making, while those planted during the waning period between the full and the dark moon should be herbs whose roots hold their medicinal qualities.

The harvesting of plants follows a similar pattern. Roots should be harvested on the dark moon in the autumn, once the plant has had the opportunity to go to seed in order to replenish itself; it is at this time that the life-force energy of the plant drops into the roots, so it will be more potent medicinally. The bark from woody plants and trees are best gathered at the third quarter moon; some feel this should happen in the early spring, while others feel that the late fall will cause less weeping of sap from the tree while still obtaining the same medicinal benefit. The aerial parts of a plant should be harvested on or near the full moon, preferably in the morning after the dew has evaporated off, but before the heat of the day causes the plants to wilt, in which case, it is best to wait until early evening to harvest. Generally, it is ideal to harvest leaves for medicine before the plant goes into flower, while flowers should be harvested before they have fully developed and become pollinated. If the whole plant is going to be used for medicine making, it will have the best potency when the flowers have just begun to bloom; but if the flower is not going to be used, harvest before the flower buds begin to appear, but after the leaves have come in.7

In much the same way, we can reflect these energies within; we can attend to our outward growth and the manifestation of personal Sovereignty during the light half of the cycle, while attending to our inner needs and seeking the root of our shadow during the cycle’s dark half. There is, indeed, a time to sow and a time to reap—and the ancestral wisdoms which guided our agricultural pursuits for millennia can also be applied to personal growth and the soul’s process. This is not to say that we need to feel constricted by lunar influences or fall into rote practices which could devolve into superstition. Rather, we seek instead to enter into conscious partnership with these cyclic natural forces, aligning ourselves with the greater pattern in order to harness the shifting turns of the great cycle in order to assist us in moving through our own changes, and to empower us in our own growth.

Working With Plant Allies

Working in concert with plant allies on this quest makes sense in multiple ways. Seeking to be in balance with the green world can assist us in coming into positive relationship with the living land around us. Similarly, using the energetic and healing qualities of these plants can help us come to a place of inner balance. A sense of wholeness arises when we seek healing of body and spirit, both through an alignment with the rhythms of nature around us, as well as through the vibrational properties held by the plants which can help stimulate and support soul growth.

In this present work, we will explore the medicinal and energetic qualities of the herbs the comprise this Avalonian materia medica, but intrinsic to these tools for healing is a vitalistic consciousness that is deeply connected to planetary wisdom. Where others might consider plants and trees to simply be resources for us to collect and use as we will, opening ourselves up to work in concert with these beings is a richly satisfying experience that allows us to obtain a deeper connection to the world around us than we might ever have thought possible.

The idea that plants possess consciousness is not a new one, although in recent years science has made some exciting new discoveries about the Green World—including the process through which trees communicate with each other through fungi and underground networks—which validates this long-standing notion. Instead of thinking that there is something supernatural about the belief that humans have had all along based on their experiences of plants and their energies, there is a sense that these are natural and inherent phenomena which we are only just beginning to be able to observe and measure. Whether we call them devas, or nature spirits, or if we simply begin to see plants as living beings having as much right to a place here as we do in this planetary and energetic ecosystem of Earth, learning to enter into relationship with these beings can have an impact on our lives and in our work.

Finding ways to actively engage with plant allies in our daily lives is a powerful way to foster or deepen a relationship with the Green World. Planting gardens, practicing ethical harvesting, learning medicine making, and committing to the study of herbalism are ways that we can raise our consciousness of these beings, and integrate their wisdoms into our spiritual practices and the ways in which we walk upon this Earth.

Working: Communing with Plant Spirits

Plants are more than just tools we use on our journeys to physical wellness and spiritual wholeness; they are living entities with whom we can enter into conscious partnership. Whether we are growing herbs in a garden, caring for plants on our window sill, or seeking out nature spirits in their natural environments, fostering relationships with these Green Allies can yield a bountiful harvest of wisdom. Whether a mighty redwood tree or a sweetly scented lavender bush, what follows is a simple but effective process for establishing and building these relationships.

1. Prepare yourself for the connection by focusing on your breath and using it to bring yourself into a place of clarity and centeredness. As you inhale, gather up any energies that keep you from being clear and present in body, mind, or spirit. As you exhale, release these energies down through your feet and into the Earth below you, where they are received and absorbed. Engage in several cycles of this breath until you have released the energies which no longer serve you. Then, with your breath assisting you, visualize a pool of vibrant and revitalizing earth energy deep within the planet. As you inhale, breathe some of that energy up through the layers of the Earth, up through your feet, up along your spine, and through all of your energy centers to the crown of your head. As you exhale, allow that energy to fountain out from the top of your head, to cascade through and around you, and to fill in all of the places from which you released energy. Engage in several cycles of this breath until you find yourself in a place of centered clarity and openness. You are now ready to begin.

2. As with any other energetic contact you may seek to make, approach the sacred life force essence of the plant (or the tree, or the fungus) with respect and openness.

3. In this place of openness, stand before or sit beside the plant, and take some time to experience the energy of the plant, just as it is.

4. Introduce yourself as a seeker and ask the plant if they are willing to connect with you. The response may come to you in many ways: you may “hear” a reply, see or feel a shift of energy around the plant, be filled with a sense of welcoming or experience what feels like a wall going up between you. Whatever the response, be sure to wait for it and to honor it.

5. When you are ready, and if you feel welcomed to do so, gently expand your energy field until it makes contact with that of the plant. With your breath, take in several cycles of the plant’s energetic essence until you feel like your energy has shifted to match the vibration or energetic signature of the plant.

6. When you feel at one with the plant, take a moment to note how this energetic merger makes you feel: Is there an energy center within you that becomes more activated? Has your emotional state changed? Do you feel more energized or relaxed? Is there somewhere in your physical body that has somehow been affected by this connection?

7. Once you have observed your own changes, you can begin to ask your questions of the plant. Perhaps you’d like to learn something about its vibrational or medicinal qualities; in what ways does it affect physical or emotional healing? Or, you might ask something about its natural habitat: why does the plant grow where it does? What information can it share about the specific location where it grows? Is there anything you can do to assist the plant or the area where it lives? This might be an especially interesting line of questioning if it grows on your own property or in a natural setting where you’d like to develop an ongoing working relationship with the area. And, finally, you can ask for insights about personal issues of a like energy. Just as the Hermetic Principle of Correspondence teaches us that like energies attract, so can the energies of the Green World act as bridges to obtain understanding of our own inner process. So, if while building a relationship with the spirit of a plant you begin to make connections about a shadow issue you are exploring, or start remembering long forgotten events from your childhood, then there is a good chance that the essence of the plant is aligned with the energies of these connections, and so can be used to help you process through and heal them.

8. Whatever your line of inquiry, when you are done communing with the plant, be sure to express your thanks, discharge and return the energy you’ve taken in, and leave an offering; charging up some water with energies of gratitude and then pouring it out as a libation is a powerful and welcome way to honor the plant and the spirits of place.

9. As always, journal your insights and experiences.

The Study and Practice of Herbalism

Reclaiming herbs as medicine is a powerful part of women’s wisdom, and is a cornerstone of the Avalonian Tradition. There are few things that are more empowering than becoming an active partner in the maintenance and restoration of your health. Engaging in conscious eating, assessing your system’s strengths and weaknesses, and choosing to commit to a healing protocol designed to balance your body’s systems and bring you to a place of physical wholeness are all key elements to embracing a healthy lifestyle. Medicinal herbs are powerful allies in this process, and have been used to support and encourage the body’s ability to heal since the dawn of time. How powerful is it when we recognize the benevolence of the land that provides us with what we need to maintain and regain our health—body, mind, and spirit!

We must, however, be mindful that harnessing the power of plants in this way requires research and respect. Herbalism as a healing modality requires depth of study; it must take into account a person’s entire health history, requires an understanding of physiology and metabolic processes, and must consider contraindications with other medicines. If you are interested in working with herbs as a patient, always consult a trained herbalist with credentials you are comfortable with before undertaking any herbal regime, especially for long-standing health issues and those of a potentially serious nature.

The herbal information presented in this book is not meant to be used to address any health concerns. This is very basic information intended to catalyze further study of the medicinal, folkloric, and energetic traditions around each herb. If you are interested in using these or any other herbs as part of a healing procedure, it is important to consult with a well-trained herbalist or naturopath, as there are very many things to take into consideration when it comes to creating herbal protocols.

Certain herbs work synergistically with others to address particular aliments and situations in different parts of the body, so understanding both how herbs work alone (an herbal simple) and as part of a formula is required. Just as every plant is different, so must our approaches to them also differ. Depending on our healing goals, and the vital constituents of the plant in question, how we process an herb for use as medicine varies from plant to plant, and from part to part. Creating salves, ointments, oils, poultices, and washes are some ways to use herbs externally for healing. Tinctures, infusions, decoctions, capsules, boluses, and essences bring the herbal medicines into our bodies in different ways based upon how they can best affect change in the body’s systems.

The ability to set dosage is critical, and the importance of this cannot be stressed enough. On the one hand, people erroneously believe that just because something is natural that it is safe; nothing could be further from the truth. Herbs are powerful medicine. Indeed, many of our modern pharmaceuticals are derived from plant sources, which underscores the need for herbal remedies to be treated with proper respect; taking the wrong part of a plant in too great of an amount can prove deadly.

On the other extreme, people who are accustomed to Western medicine’s preference for standardized and concentrated dosages sometimes lose their patience with the comparatively gentle effect of herbal remedies, particularly where it concerns long-term, chronic conditions. A general yardstick for gauging the amount of time needed to affect a cure using herbs is that for every year a condition has been present, a month of herbal treatment will be necessary to address it. Patience and compliance are key when it comes to herbal medicines; it is important to follow herbal protocols consistently, and to allow sufficient time for them to take effect before deciding that they aren’t working and giving up on the modality altogether.

All of this said, undertaking the study of herbalism is a powerful and empowering pursuit. There are many well-regarded herbal schools where one can engage in training, both in person and from a distance. Established local herbalists may teach classes, run training courses, and even offer apprenticeships which are an especially effective hands-on and traditional teaching model. Certainly, one need not become a practicing herbalist to acquire some herbal skills. Assembling an herbal first-aid kit, and learning how to make teas, tinctures, and salves to help fight colds, heal burns, and induce restful sleep naturally are incredible ways to reclaim some agency around the restoration and maintenance of our personal health.

Again, it is important to stress that a lay herbalist can be comfortable making fire cider to boost immunity, elderberry syrup to help fight the flu, and comfrey salves to treat bee stings. However, one should either consult a professional or else undertake a rigorous course of guided and evaluated study before attempting to treat things like heart conditions, diabetes, and cancer. Herbalism, like its related modalities of aromatherapy and homeopathy, is an excellent adjunct therapy for those working through intense health challenges. Be wary of supposed miracle cures or the well-meaning advice of your friends, and be sure to educate yourself as best as you can before considering switching away from allopathic medicine entirely when addressing potentially life-threatening health concerns—especially without the support of a credentialed alternative healthcare practitioner.

Energetic Healing

There is a model of the manifestation of illness in the physical body which believes that disease has its origin in energetic dis-ease; that is, an imbalance first exists in the subtle body of a person (for example, in their energetic or auric field), and when it is left unattended, it will eventually become manifest in the physical body. This physical expression of imbalanced energy is opportunistic; it will find the weakest point in a person’s biological system and use that as the gateway through which it will express itself.

Energetic healing is an effective modality because it can identify areas of weakness, clear energetic blockages, and address imbalances before they manifest in the physical body. Many of the blocks and imbalances we carry with us are unexpressed energies generated by trauma; we can experience trauma mentally, emotionally, physically, environmentally, and even spiritually. Similarly, we can experience healing on all of those levels as well. Some energetic healing practices include: acupuncture and acupressure, reiki, crystal healing, sound therapy, reflexology, Polarity Therapy, Healing Touch, craniosacral therapy, vibrational essences, and so on. Other healing modalities can also have an effect on the energy body, among them are chiropractic, massage, psychotherapy, and medicinal herbalism.

Honoring an active disease process can be empowering when we ask ourselves what it is this situation has to teach us. Chronic issues and ongoing health challenges can illuminate life lessons for us when we see them as opportunities for learning, and indeed can facilitate needed healing on multiple levels. This is different from the kind of spiritual bypassing and toxic perspectives often found in new age and alternative spirituality teachings which engage in subtextual victim blaming by claiming that we call illnesses and challenging life situations to ourselves. No one asks to have cancer; no one invites sexual assault into their lives. The perspective I am championing here is centered on looking at the challenges that we experience in life as opportunities for learning, rather than as punishments for a failure to learn something.

Over the course of this thirteen moon immersion, we will be guided to engage with the herbal healing allies associated with each Lunar Key by creating and using lunar elixirs (vibrational essences potentiated by moonlight) for each of them, in addition to experiencing the energetics of the herbs directly. We are focusing on the vibrational qualities of these herbs because they are safe to work with for the vast majority of people, and we have found their use to be profoundly effective in supporting us through the challenges and triumphs we encounter as we engage in the inner alchemy of the Avalonian Cycle of Revealing.

Once we have completed the work of creating the elixirs associated with each of the Lunar Keys, we will spend time exploring their psychospiritual properties and identifying how their energies interact with our own. When we have worked through a complete turn of the cycle, and have created a full complement of lunar elixirs, we will have gifted ourselves with a set of tools that can be used in support of our spiritual work for years to come, each of which is a personal reflection of our own energetic relationship with cycle.

Exploring Herbal Energetics

There are few things more revelatory than connecting with the energies of the living essence of the planet and the energies of the great mother matrix than through partnering with our plant allies. Working with each herb directly is an effective way to connect with their energies from a physical, emotional, and spiritual perspective.

The following practices give us first-hand experience of how these herbs feel in our energy field, allow us to observe their vibrational actions, and teach us to recognize the connections they help us make between ourselves, our personal process, and the sovereign self we seek to birth. While building relationships with these herbal allies will result in our having excellent tools to support our inner work, the process outlined throughout this book has another benefit as well: it helps us to build discernment as we develop our intuitive abilities, a skill which ultimately teaches us to trust our inner wisdom—a key component in embracing our personal Sovereignty.

Because there are different ways of learning and different forms of knowing, to obtain the most broad-spectrum perspective of these Lunar Keys it is recommended that the exploration progress in this way every month:

1st: Intuitive exploration—Obtain direct personal experience of each herb by working it energetically. Ideally, this would occur several times over a period of days in order to establish a solid connection to the energetics of each herb in order to come to an intuitive understanding of its relationship to the lessons of the goddess with which it is associated, and as well as its relevance to our own personal process.

2nd: Scholastic research—Obtain solid information about the medicinal, energetic, and folkloric uses of each herb from reliable and well-researched sources. Part Three of this book includes an Avalonian materia medica which discusses each of the fourteen Lunar Keys in some depth in order to get you started on this herbal immersion.

There are several reasons why it is always best to start off our explorations with intuitive work. First, it allows us a clear slate for journeying, so that we can follow the energetic thread of the herb without potentially being influenced by something we may have read beforehand. Second, and most importantly, once we have done the inner work, looking for the scholastic information afterwards can serve to validate our first hand experiences of the herbs as well as any information we may have received, which in turn helps us to build confidence in our abilities as well as our discernment skills.

The more we are able to trust our experiences and the messages we receive, the stronger the voice of the sovereign self becomes. This discernment is critical because as we go deeper into the work, we will begin to touch core shadow issues and the ways they manifest in our lives. When we are processing through these issues, it is vitally important that we are able to differentiate between the voices of our illusions—our fears, our hurts, and our anger—and those of our higher self, our guides, and our goddesses.

When we have lived for too long believing in the lies we have accepted about ourselves—that we are hopelessly flawed, unworthy of love, deserving of suffering, and that we will never be good enough—these self-deprecating voices become the loudest. Learning to be able to hear these voices for what they are, turning down their volume and rejecting their message, helps the often-stilled or much quieter voice of our connected and whole inner wisdom rise to the surface. This is the voice we must learn to hear and to trust. This is the voice of our sovereign self.

Experiencing Herbal Energies

A detailed guide for working with the Lunar Keys accompanies each of the moons of the Cycle of Revealing in Part Two of this book. It provides a week-by-week timeline for engaging in this energetic immersion using the specific herb for that month. What follows are detailed directions on how to prepare and engage with two approaches for experiencing these herbal energies: direct experience of the herbs, and the creation and use of lunar elixirs.

Working Directly with the Lunar Keys

This exercise illustrates many important principals central to the Avalonian Tradition:

1. It provides us with a model for coming to trust our own perceptions, allowing us to become independent of external sources of information.

2. It helps us to build vibrational associations by experiencing the herbal energies in our bodies and to recognize how we personally perceive these energies within our own energy fields, in accordance with the Hermetic Principles of Vibration and Correspondence.

3. It helps us to identify any elemental or energetic blockages we might have, a key piece of information in our quest to understand the self.

4. It teaches us to engage in the practice of merging, an effective tool for coming to know and understand something.

5. It is a method through which the inner “muscles” of discernment can be flexed and our ability to discriminate between different kinds of energies can be exercised.

The following supplies are necessary for this exercise:

Once you have gathered these items, begin the process of connecting with the herbs, one a month, on an intuitive level; do not yet research their energetic properties, folkloric associations, or medicinal uses—that will come later. Instead, focus on the plant or plant matter directly and take the time to get to know the herb physically: what does it look like, smell like, feel like, taste like? (Don’t eat it, just place a small amount on the tongue, unless otherwise cautioned.)

If you have access to a living example of the month’s plant ally, sit in its presence and introduce yourself to its essence, asking to learn more about it and how to build a relationship with it; detailed guidance for this process appears earlier in this chapter on page 91. If you are working with dried herbs, once you have made these connections, place a pinch of the solitary herb on a lit charcoal disk burning in a cast iron cauldron or other vessel (if ceramic, fill with sand first). Stand over the smoke and breathe it up into your energy field, from the base of your spine through to the top of your head and fountaining out again.

Take note of where the energies of the herb seem to concentrate in your body, how it makes you feel, and how it may have affected your energy level. Keep in mind the five energy centers from Western tradition that we sometimes work with in the Avalonian Tradition (Root, aligned with Earth, at base of spine and seat; Womb, aligned with Water, in lower abdomen and back; Heart, aligned with Fire, through the center of the chest; Throat, aligned with Air, centered around your vocal chords; and Third Eye, aligned with Spirit, which is through and above your head, focused at the center of your forehead) and see if the herbal energies have an affinity for any one area. What does this tell you about the herb? What might this tell you about yourself and where you are at this moment on the path to Sovereignty?

Once you feel that you have completely filled yourself with the energy of the herb, take notice of how your energy may have shifted. What differences can you note between how you felt before breathing in the energy and after having done so? While taking in the energy, did you “see” any colors or symbols or scenes behind your closed eyes? What thoughts, feelings, or memories came up for you when you brought this energy into your auric space? Be sure to record any and all of these observations in your journal.

As always, when you have completed this exploration, be sure to discharge all of the energies you have brought into your energy field. Breathing them out, and directing them down, and feeling them sink into the Earth as an energetic offering. Do this until you feel clear, and have returned to a place of center and clarity. Be sure to journal your experiences and insights each time.

Lunar Vibrational Elixirs

Another effective way to work with the energies of these Lunar Keys is to create a set of lunar elixirs. These are vibrational essences which are made by utilizing the activating power of the full moon to imbue pure spring water with the energies of the herb that corresponds to that specific full moon. Unlike herbal tinctures, there are no chemical constituents actually present in the elixir; it is only the energy of the plants that become fixed in the spring water. Traditionally, vibrational essences are created from the flowering portion of the plant or tree, however it is possible to create essences with leaves, seeds, fruits, berries, roots and bark. Ideally, each essence is created in concert with living plants, potent in their vitality and in partnership with the intention of the elixir. However, should this not be not possible, essences can be made from other substances as well; several options are offered to insure that everyone has access to the use of vibrational essences as an energetic support of the work

One of the key methods for coming to understand something is through the process of merging with it—to match our energies with its own. Becoming one with something is a very potent tool of the feminine energetic; seeking power with something rather than power over it. The Lunar Keys presented in this book are effective ways of connecting to the Avalonian Cycle of Revealing. Further, because the elixirs help us to match our personal vibration to that of the work and lessons of each Lunar Key, the corresponding energy within us rises to the surface of our psyche and allows us to explore and work on understanding this aspect of ourselves. The more our vibrational state matches the frequency of something we seek to understand, the easier it will be to connect with it and see it clearly. This principle applies to the outer work of understanding Avalon and aspects of her mysteries and tradition, as well as the inner work of personal growth and spiritual transformation—that process by which the inner landscape is cleared, allowing an increased range of sight—both within and without.

The practice of making and using a lunar elixir for each of the Lunar Keys of the Avalonian Cycle of Revealing is presented here as a tool to augment personal growth, to facilitate our understanding of the disparate energies of the Thirteen Moons, and to assist in the integration of the lessons contained in the myths of the goddesses of Avalon. To create a full set of fourteen (the thirteen moons plus the Moon of Cycle) will take a little more than a year, but it is well worth the time and energy to do so; indeed, it is a beautiful devotional practice to take the time to create these elixirs each month, and the experience that working with these vibrational essences can bring is priceless and is helpful on several levels:

These elixirs can last for many years, and once you understand through personal experience of working with these elixirs what each of their energies stimulates within you, you will have at your disposal an energetic toolkit that you can use to support your work whenever you have the need. For example, if you have found from your time working with the vervain elixir you created during the Moon of Germination that this vibrational essence helps you to move past the illusions generated by your fear to see the heart of the matter at hand, you can then take some whenever you find yourself paralyzed by fear to help shift your energy to bring you to a more centered place.

Creating the Elixirs

Supplies:

Step 1

Before the night of the full moon, find a safe outdoor space where you can create your elixir without it being disturbed. If you do not have a yard where you can put your bowl in direct moonlight, you can put it on your windowsill to good effect instead. In either case, keep your intention focused on the devotional work at hand as you put the components together.

*Please note: for the Moon of Cycle, you will want to create two separate elixirs—one using Queen Anne’s lace, the herb of the Moon of Cycle, and the other using the herb for the moon that is being overlain by the Moon of Cycle. As like calls to like, the dual energies of the moon will separate out and each will be drawn to empower the herb with which it holds correspondence.

Step 2

On the night of the full moon, fill your glass or silver bowl with spring water and place a small amount of the month’s herb in the water. Do this with clear intention, perhaps chanting the name of the Moon as you do so. Fresh cut flowers are traditionally used in the creation of a vibrational essence, but you may use about a teaspoon of dried herbs in lieu of these, knowing that your intention will empower your work. Should an herb not be available to you, you can create an elixir using a clear glass bowl without any etching or ornaments, and below it put a picture of the herb and the name of the Moon, so that these can be seen through the bottom of the bowl.

Step 3

Leave your prepared bowl in direct moonlight for at least three hours. If it is a cloudy night, you can still create the elixir because the energies of the full moon are still present, even when she is not seen.

Step 4

After the allotted time has passed, keep a clear focus, and strain your moon-empowered water into one of your larger storage bottles or jars, making sure to remove the plant material. Do your best to not touch the liquid.

Step 5

Into the same storage bottle or jar, pour enough brandy or apple cider vinegar to double the contents of the liquid. Cap the bottle tightly and, keeping your focus on the work at hand—again, perhaps chanting the name of the Moon over and over again in your head—set the elixir by shaking and swirling the contents of bottle ninety-nine times, in a counterclockwise motion. This is now the Mother Elixir from which you will make your individual working elixirs. Be sure to label and date your elixir, and store it in a cool, dark place. If you used apple cider vinegar, you should keep it in your refrigerator. Depending upon how much you made, this Mother Elixir should last you for years.

Step 6

To create your individual working elixir, or Daughter Elixir, fill a glass dropper bottle half way with spring water and half way with brandy or apple cider vinegar, leaving some room at the top so that the contents do not overflow when you put the dropper back in. To this water/brandy mixture, add nine drops of the Mother Elixir. Cap and shake as directed above. Label your dropper bottle with the name of the Herb and the name of the Moon. It is now ready to use both for your exploration of the energetics of this Avalonian Herbal Moon as well as for future use in bringing the vibrational influence of this energy into your life whenever you need it.

As an optional aside, should you have access to Red and White Spring water from Glastonbury, a town in England strongly associated with the real world location of Avalon, you may consider adding three or nine drops of Red Spring water to the Mother Elixirs created during the dark half of the year, and three or nine drops of White Spring water to the Mother Elixirs created during the light half of the year. Add both to the Mother Elixirs for the Blue Moon and for the Herb of Cycle.

Working with the Elixirs

Once you have created a Daughter Elixir, begin engagement with the energetics of the herb in the following way:

Week One

Week Two

Week Three

Week Four

As the month draws to a close, begin to integrate the information gathered through these streams of wisdom and consider whatever parallels you may find between the mythic portion, the medicinal and folkloric uses of the herb, and your perceptions and insights about the energy of the herb as you have experienced them. In what way do these commonalities connect with your life’s story? How does this Lunar Key relate to your personal process?

Further, under what circumstance or circumstances could you see yourself reaching to use this moon’s elixir in support of your work and personal process? If you had to describe the actions of this lunar elixir using one word, what would it be? What about using one sentence? What about using a whole paragraph? Again, be sure to journal everything.

Beginning the Immersion

Part One of this book has presented foundational information and key tools for doing the work of the Avalonian Cycle of Revealing as a monthly immersion and spiritual discipline. Part Two details the application of these tools, and presents a step-by-step process of engagement to support this immersion and assist in the exploration of each of the fourteen Lunar Keys. For every moon of the year, we will be presented with opportunities to interact with the energies of its Lunar Key in several ways:

1.Through direct exploration of the herb associated with that Key, which includes the creation of, and experiential engagement with, the lunar elixir of that month’s herb.

2. Through the study of, and reflection on, the mythic portion of the goddess story associated with that moon.

3. Through immram journeys to the sacred landscape of the goddess associated with that Lunar Key.

4. Through undertaking a practice guided by the interwoven Cycle of Healing and Cycle of Revealing.

Following this process will aid us in making connections, deepening relationships, and furthering our understanding both of Self and Source through the lessons each of these goddesses, their stories, and the energetics of their Lunar Keys can bring.

Please keep in mind that this system of practice is intended to be cyclic and ongoing. We need not feel like we must always engage with every aspect of the work at any given time. The different elements of practice are presented as portals of entry into the inner work of the Avalonian Tradition. They are intended to catalyze shifts of energy, facilitate changes in perspective, and magnify the growing relationship between the Self and the Divine. We can choose to engage only with the goddesses and their stories, or to work solely with the herbal energetics, or to focus on our personal work as we weave around the Wheels of the Sun and Moon—or we may integrate some or all of these things, as they each support and reinforce the work of the others.

To assist you in this process, each Moon of the Avalonian Cycle of Revealing explored in Part Two of this book is accompanied by an immersion guide entitled “Seeking Sovereignty Within—Journaling Prompts and Self-Reflective Questions.” This guide presents a weekly focus for the suggested work of each Moon, both as it concerns connecting with the goddesses around our personal work at each moon phase, as well as keeping us on track with the various suggested methods for exploring the energetics of the month’s herbal correspondence.

Finally, it is important to keep in mind that we can start to do the work of the Avalonian Cycle of Revealing at any time; we need not wait until Calan Gaeaf or Moon One to come around again in order to begin. It is also critical that we enter into this immersion with the intention to embrace it as a spiritual discipline, but to also give ourselves permission to take some time away if we need to, and to give ourselves room to make a sovereign choice to pause our work and to take it up again when we are ready to do so. While we should always explore our motivations, and seek out the reasons that we engage in self-sabotage, especially as it concerns our personal growth, spending time in cycles of guilt and punishing ourselves with self-recrimination is not a constructive use of our energy.

Perhaps instead, we could strive to acknowledge the challenges that prevented us from continuing with our discipline, resolve to work through whatever roadblocks that got in our way, and turn the page on what was by committing to take up the work once more. No one is perfect, and even the smallest steps toward our goal of increased self-knowledge and connection with goddess will help us to manifest that intention. Give yourself permission to ebb and flow with the work; if it is the nature of Nature to wax and wane like the moon, why should we expect anything different from ourselves? What is important is that we do the work as we can, when we can, to the degree we can.

And so, with these things in mind, let us begin our immersion into the Avalonian Cycle of Revealing.

[contents]

7. James Green, The Herbal Medicine-Maker’s Handbook: A Home Manual (Berkeley: Crossing Press, 2000) 54–56.