The nighttime luminary holds great significance in the Chinese calendar system. Nowadays, Luna’s passage through the sky is pretty much used to determine cultural and religious Festivals. Tonight’s Frost Moon on 27 November in Gemini (2023) is especially significant to Taoist devotees, with this Full Moon called the Xia Yuan Festival. There are five Full Moon centric festivals of note in the Chinese calendar, two more familiar than the others. The Lunar Lantern festival which falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month of the year which signals the end of Chinese New Year festivities (Spring Festival). And the second is the on the 15th day of the eight lunar month, known also as ‘Zhong Yuan’ but more commonly called Mid Autumn or Mooncake Festival. All five Moon festivals occur on the 15th day of a Chinese lunar month.
Read moreFEAST OF APPLES - SAMHAIN
Apple orchard Image credit © by Äpfel-Obstgarten
I’ve no doubt candy filled bags of loot and masks of the ghoulish variety are all that’s on the minds of kids. If Halloween fancy dress isn’t your jam, then here’s the download on the true meaning of Samhain. With some very on point cross cultural synergies with Humble apple.
SO WHAT IS SAMHAIN?
Halloween or 'Samhain' (pronounced SOW-win) as Celts called it, was first and foremost a celebration of the end of harvest time and the beginning of a dark half of the calendar year. Naive Irish speakers will know that the calendar months of May and November are called Beltaine and Samhain respectively (oh and August is called Lunasa). These are three of the four Cross Quarter days on the Wheel of the Year, Imbolc in spring completes the quartet. Witches know these markers as Great Sabbats. These power points are Midpoints or Culminating points of a given season - Samhain occurs between the Fall Equinox and Yule (Winter Solstice).
Read moreAugust Blue Moon + Ghost Festival
Kawanabe Kyosai (Japanese, 1831-1889)
This month’s Full moon lunation goes by many names*, depending on your domicile and cultural preference. Named the Sturgeon Moon by Indigenous Americans due to sturgeon (a type of fish, famous for Beluga caviar) which is more readily caught in August and early September. Most moon ‘names’ have seasonal references. Chinese and English folk refer to this lunation as Harvest Moon, as it’s the beginning of harvest season in Northern Hemisphere. This year you’ll also hear of a Super Blue moon; the adage ‘once in a blue moon’ offers a clue, simply put it’s two full moons in a Georgian calendar month and the Super bit, occurs when Moon’s orbit is closest (perigee) to Earth and it’s slightly brighter and larger than a typical full moon. This lunation is in Pisces (times below).
Read moreDouble Sixth Festival
An image of veneration at a harvest altar with a dragon depicted on an altar cloth, which is symbolic of the Emperor - image sourced via wikipedia.
Are you a bookworm or aficionado of ancient scholarly tomes ? Well the DOUBLE SIXTH FESTIVAL might bait your bookish curiosity.
Read moreNovember Full Moon
Asian art often depicts lunar months with animal and flower pairings. Typically the tenth lunar month is illustrated by way of ducks and Chrysanthemums. But since the season of Winter reigns, from a solar terms perspective, other flowers can feature, like the plum blossom as seen above. Luna is exalted in Taurus and six months prior we had the New moon at the exact degree of Exaltation. Something seeded back then may come into fruition now - see 7th solar term to jog your memory.
Read moreOctober Full Moon
The first full moon* (times below) since the Equinox is upon us. It's the mid-point of the ninth lunar month or Chrysanthemum month as its known to the Ancient Chinese. Asian art often depicts the lunar month with a Chrysanthemum, accompanied by a dragonfly. Find out what the Oct moon has in store no matter your domicile.
Read moreFENG SHUI MYTHS AND MISNOMERS
Image credit #unknown
Fuelled by the quest to speak truth to the true power of Feng Shui and correct a plethora of inaccuracy’s that every practicing consultant encounters, I’ve decided to right a few wrongs and demystify some Feng Shui misnomers.
So if you’re confused on how to incorporate Feng Shui principles into your life, home or place of business. Read on you might be surprised to learn how easy it is to incorporate Feng Shui into your life.
Read moreApril Decorating Month & Feng Shui
April is a both National Gardening and National decorating month. So there’s no excuse to get stuck into some physical grafting this month. Whether it’s repainting, wallpaper, replacing the furniture or introducing some new soft furnishings, they are sure to influence the energy in a given space. Working in some Feng Shui principles into the process can greatly improve the results. But what is the link between Feng Shui and decorating?
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