Wahya Circle
Moon Day
Magick & Medicine

Selenology 101
Central American Moon Watching Knowledge

Brujeria

Brujería (feminine article) is the Spanish language word for “witchcraft,” and is typically used to refer to various spiritual practices that have been used by Indigenous Central American, African, and Caribbean populations for centuries. The West-African Yoruba religion, for instance, is estimated by some anthropologists to have been practiced for thousands of years in Africa, and has now been practiced here due to the blending of cultures through the slave trade. Santería (also known as Lucumi) is an Afro-Cuban religion that took shape alongside the rise of Spanish colonization —and the arrival of Roman Catholicism—into Latin America indigenous culture in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Today, brujería—and its accompanying bruja (Spanish for witch) title—are being taken up by a growing community of primarily Latinx cis gendered females, women and femmes who want to tap into and take back the power and the mysticism of their heritage. These Practitioners are often seen sharing images of their personal practice through social media or incorporating bruja culture into their every day life or creative pursuits. But, this is not who we are speaking of today. We are not looking at the colonized practices, but the Indigenous.

To the Indigenous of Central America, the moon represents much more.

To the Indigenous the world over, most of the beliefs are held and often provable by observing the Magick of Mother Nature all around us.

The recent New Moon reminds us of how important our orbiting neighbor is to us as an Earth based people. It is a relationship described by many cultures across the globe, particularly with its links to phenomena like tides and weather. Every aspect of our natural satellite - from its phase, position, appearance, and brightness - has special significance and meaning. (Remember your Moon Watch?)

Moon Weaver

A traditional story explains how one can see a lady in the Full Moon weaving mats. Or, a man can be seen smiling. Or, a spilling cup. No matter the culture, they watched the moon.  Lunar phases link to the changing tides, a relationship that is well established in Indigenous knowledge systems, especially when they live close to water as many Central Americans do.

One practical application, which many still use today, links to fishing. Elders teach that the best time to fish is during a neap (lower amplitude) tide during the First or Last Quarter Moon, rather than a spring (higher amplitude) tide during the Full Moon phase.

The spring tides are much bigger, meaning the tidal waters rush in and out more significantly, stirring up silt and sediment on the sea floor.

This in turn clouds the water, making it harder for fish to see the bait and fishers to see the fish. The waters of spring tides also pull fish out to sea. During the smaller neap tides, the water is clearer and fish do not move as far, making them easier to see and catch.

As we have also previously discussed, gardeners plant their gardens by the phases of the Moon. Agriculture was a crucial component of early civilization for tribes such as the Olmec. Looking at the moon, you will see the cusps (tips) of the crescent moon point in different directions throughout the year, as we move from Summer Solstice to Winter Solstice and back again. (Hemisphere dependent)

When the Moon cusps point upwards the Moon looks like a bowl collecting Water. The water is choppy and you will see cumulus clouds in the sky.

This occurs during the dry season, a period of fine weather. When the Moon tilts on its side, thin cirrus clouds are visible and a fuzzy ring may form around the Moon. The seas look calm and mirror-flat and you will see thin cirrus clouds, but this is when the water pours out of the bowl, falling as the rains of the wet season, or Rain Spirit.

It is also suggested that sowing seeds for crops that yield an above ground harvest be planted when the moon is increasing (going from new moon to full moon).

However, root crops, as the Olmec would have had, are best planted during the waning moon (going from full moon to new moon.) This is universal moon knowledge.

Weather Effects

We can see that moon halos can be used to forecast weather.

In some Indigenous, the ring around the Moon is seen to be a hut built by the Moon Man to shield himself from coming rain.

Halos form around the Moon when moonlight passes through ice crystals high in the atmosphere. Why? These form in low fronts, which often bring the rain.

An eclipse of the Moon is a meaning liken to “the ghost has taken the spirit of the Moon”. It is an omen of war in some cultures. Many Indigenous perform ceremonies at this time to attempt determination of an incoming attack or to cast peace. The same name is used for a solar eclipse, which is seen as the superposition of the two celestial bodies.

Selenology 101
Psychic Moon Magick
Purple Candle

So far, these are the crucial Selenology and Beginning Psychic Energy practices we have covered at Three Circles Medicine & Magick™. We are preparing to take a turn for the deeper part of the forest as we explore together.

Before we do that, Wahya Circle, you are going to need a purple candle on the psychic altar, or cosmic altar —we were advised to build during our Guided Star Meditation - and it needs to belit. The act of lighting the altar candle will need to be visualized before moving forward.

Don’t recall it? Did not do it?

That is okay. The moon rises again today. Give Her time to rise above the treeline and you should be able to spot Her. You can even wait until She transits overhead to re-attempt that exercise.

Either way, work through that exercise from earlier this month (Guided Star Meditation - Altar Build). Prepare your psychic altar. Wahya Circle is about to do some work in Magick and Medicine that requires “tokens” such as these purple candles to exist for all of you as a way to unify the Circle. And, because “purple” can correspond to psychic and energy work. ;-)

Just as you will be given Knowledge to “bejewel” that which frightens or has ill intent towards you, or how to make a “Banishing Butterfly – Token of Dark” may be shared … you will also need this purple candle lit.

If you do not want a purple candle lit on your psychic altar, make it a color you wish, just know this is the one we will speak of for future Energy Work. “The Purple Candle”

If you want a lamp instead, make it. In your Mind’s Eye, YOU are the embodiment of the Creatrix. See it. Envision it.

Bottom line, you need a “Token of Light” and this is what this candle, or lantern, or other “glowing” item of your Intent and Focus will become — our Key as we work.

Please review the Magick and Medicine exercises listed below before we move on. There are several others that were shared, but these are the Keys.

Be comfortable with the working of these exercises as future ones may become frustrating and more difficult to you as we move on if time is not made to practice this energetic Work and Magick NOW.

All of the Moon Magick to date is a prerequisite, or building block, for what’s to come:

Moon Magick Exercises

Please note:
These exercises found in these Lessons may be utilized at any time, but are MOST effective as stated.

APRIL
Jumatano WA2 - New Moon
Attunement to Higher Self

Selenology 101 - Waning Gibbous

Selenology 101 - Full Moon

MAY
Last Quarter/Third Quarter
Triangulation of (Psychic) Space

Waning Crescent
Moon (Bio)Cycles & Banishment

*28 day Moon Watch for all phases

JUNE
Grounding Spirit (w/w.out moon)
Reflection Spell: Earthing


There are others, but as stated, these are the Keys.

Selenology 101
Moon Triangulation
Focused Energy

To intensify or maximize Luna’s influence on your Moon Craft, sometimes it helps knowing where She is above you. We looked at this first hand during our moon watch.

Essential to the energy garnered for your Work, knowing where, when, how long, what phase, and much more about Luna is important for many. Yes, for thousands of years we have been studying our celestial neighbors, but “THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT”.

Have you downloaded one yet?

Please let us know if you have and which one so we may tailor future Submissions around what you have access to.

Think About It

We hope that none of you are NOT bothered by going into deeper woods where there is seemingly “less” light. We hope you have done enough Shadow Work to this point in your personal practices to NOT be triggered inadvertently by something we do in Spirit with Magick or Medicine..

At Three Circles Medicine & Magick, we stand firmly on Free Will and Unconditional Love for all. We do not cast judgment on any Path.

With that, understand you will not be asked to “harm” anything or anyone, but you are going to be asked to hold Knowledge that is shared from a darker part of the Esoteric woods than most who walk these Paths hold.

Moon Day WQ3

General - Journal - Book of Shadows

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