First Autumn Moon
“The first autumn moon swayed on up from the ocean, luscious and wrapped in rainbows.” ~ Sarah Elwell, Knitting the Wind
The first moon of autumn in my part of the world rose gracefully against the dark sky. I sat outside quietly for a long time, just watching. No ceremony and no candles, just the peace of the night sky hanging above and the moon silently looking down as if she was listening to the unspoken dreams in my heart. And that was enough.
It’s little wonder that the ancient Japanese created such beautiful words to describe things like this. In Japanese culture, the word tsukimi refers to the art of ‘moon-viewing’, or more specifically observing and celebrating the autumn moon (although I think this only happens in mid-autumn).
Before going to bed, I decided to pick some Evening primrose flowers to make an elixir. What better time to harvest these moonlight soaked blossoms than on the evening of a full moon? It felt sacred somehow. I put them in a small jar of water together with some moonstone crystals and then left it on the window sill overnight.
I slept deeply last night. I must have needed the rest. When I woke up this morning, I found myself wrapped cotton-soft cosy thoughts of Goddess pouring moonlight, love and healing vibes into the elixir waters. Who knows for sure what magic happens when we sleep? Regardless, my heart is comforted by this beautiful thought.