The Witch's Herbal Apothecary by Marysia Miernowska

Author:Marysia Miernowska
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: Fair Winds Press
Published: 2020-02-09T16:00:00+00:00

ENTERING THE PORTALS OF THE SOUTH

The portal of the South is a current of climactic energy that we ride in the middle part of the day, at the full moon, in the summertime, and in the prime of our lives.

In the night sky, the full moon is the peak of the lunar cycle in full expression. We celebrate under the light of the moon, giving gratitude for the prayers we cast with the new moon. We acknowledge what we have received and what has come to fruition with grateful hearts. The full moon is an ideal time for gatherings, prayer circles, rituals, moon bathing, meditation, manifesting, and relaxing in awe and wonder. At times, the energy of the full moon is ecstatic—perfect for being naked outside in the moonlight, for spells, lovemaking, and riding waves of wildness. Other times, the full moon can make us feel like “lunatics”—and then balancing the energy with yin practices that belong to the portal of the dark moon help us harmonize and stay centered. On those occasions, solitude, reflection, journaling, ritual baths, meditation, sound baths (see here), rest, intuitive art making, and being more still outside can be very healing.

In the menstrual cycle, ovulation corresponds with the full moon. Herbs, foods, and practices that encourage circulation in the womb help us have a healthy cycle. It is a wonderful time to practice vaginal steaming, as it encourages circulation and movement of chi in the womb—unless you wish to conceive or already have, in which case vaginal steaming is not advisable.

On our Wheel of the Year, the season of Summer spans the months of June, July, and August in the Northern Hemisphere, with the Summer Solstice (June 19–23) marking the official start of Summer, the longest day of the year, the peak of solar expression. After this, the energy of the year will slowly wane, the heat continuing but the nights growing in length. Midway between the Summer Solstice and the Fall Equinox, we celebrate the cross-quarter holiday of Lughnasadh, or Lammas, on August 1. It is the first harvest festival, honoring the mature aspect of the Sun God. It is the time when the grains are harvested. By celebrating each of the three harvest festivals, humans weave their gratitude and strengthen the life-force energy that continues to feed and bring abundance.

In the wheel of our lives, Summer corresponds to the archetype of the Mother and our “adulthood,” roughly ages twenty-one to forty-two. This transformative time is when we truly grow up—becoming wiser and more resilient through the trials of life. We become more expansive and capable, stretching ourselves, throwing ourselves passionately into projects, creations, community, or family. Many times, we burn out and thus learn how to mother ourselves and sustain our energy. We often refine our purpose, deepen our relationships with community, create a career, and perhaps start a family. The expansiveness, curiosity, exploration, and experiments of our youth—the time of the Maiden archetype—may now be channeled in productive ways, though part of

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