The moon's cycles

[alexa]

Originally Posted by Erynn

Early Paganism had as many expressions as there were cultures to express it in. There were far more than three "main" forms of Paganism, believe me.

Hi Erynn,

I have realised my post was not clear enough, so I have added the other pagan religions in my post no.12.

Though there is a good deal of misinformation out there, witchcraft/Wicca are not actually shamanic religions at all. Witchcraft wasn't universal, nor is Wicca extremely ancient -- though its newness does not make it an invalid path in any way. All religions were new once, and go through phases of development.

You are right. They are not the same.

The Coligny Calendar of Gaul was a calendar that followed the metonic cycle following the movement of sun and moon through an approximately 19 year phase until they returned to the same place in the sky relative to each other. The year was divided into lucky (mat) and unlucky (an-mat) halves, and each month was divided into lucky and unlucky days.

I suppose that's why we say sometime : "This is not my lucky day !"

Generally speaking, in modern Paganism, the waxing moon is seen as a good time for doing work with bringing things to fruition, the waning for diminishing and binding work. The full moon tends to be celebratory, with an emphasis on fullness and fertility, while the new moon is more introspective and focused on mystery and the unknown.

If I undestood suanni well, the question was : who has determined what is the best to do in a certain period of the month ?

Do you think each pagan religion has its own interpretation on the matter ?

Alexa

[Erynn]

Originally Posted by alexa

If I undestood suanni well, the question was : who has determined what is the best to do in a certain period of the month ?

Do you think each pagan religion has its own interpretation on the matter ?

I think that they probably all have their own individual take on the matter. In truth, I think that a good deal of the planting lore was preserved from European folklore and brought over when folks came here. I doubt that the good Christian folk who were carrying these traditions though of such things as "Pagan." It was probably just viewed as traditional common sense -- new moon for dealing with root crops, waxing moon for planting, full for harvest, waning for pruning, culling the fields, and such.

I also think that a lot of modern Pagans create some of their own associations as well, following the calling of their spirit and the voice of the earth where they live. Modern traditions, when based on observation as well as intuition and found to work in a practical sense, are just as valid as ancient tradition. In some ways, they may be even more so, as they work in that particular place under the conditions of the land and waters found there, rather than being brought from places thousands of miles across the ocean to a new land.

[alexa]

Originally Posted by Erynn

I think that they probably all have their own individual take on the matter. In truth, I think that a good deal of the planting lore was preserved from European folklore and brought over when folks came here. I doubt that the good Christian folk who were carrying these traditions though of such things as "Pagan." It was probably just viewed as traditional common sense -- new moon for dealing with root crops, waxing moon for planting, full for harvest, waning for pruning, culling the fields, and such.

I remember my grandfather looking at the sky and saying what he was going to do for the next day. He didn't knew to write or to read, but he had kept in his memory what his father had told to him. There was no way to convince him on the contrary.

Thanks Erynn !