New Moon, New Month: Samonios (et al.)



One of the things I've discovered in doing this, is that many ancient calendars don't really line up. This isn't really something I didn't know before, but it's challenging my assumptions of time keeping by the natural world. For example, the Anglo-Saxon Blōtmonath, the month of blood sacrifices, follows Winterfylleth (see previous post about this stuff). But, Ærra Geola means "the Month before Yule."  If I keep using my "months start at new moon" structure (which I fully admit is my mostly-made-up thing) it will only be Ærra Geola for 2 days before Yule begins on 12/20.  I am super interested to see where this goes for the rest of the year.

Anyway, here we are now.  This new moon begins the Gaulish month of Samonios, which means "cold month" and it is not hard to see why it has that name.  Even before the month began we were treated to a nice blast of freezing temperatures and snow flurries down here.  The northern part of the state had significant snow falls.   It's also the name of the month from the Almanac, which borrows from Potawatomi and other related nations.  I am always in awe of how the land of my ancestors and the land of my home are in sync. (Having similar climates helps.)

Kondratiev calls this the "Moon of the Tide" from the line "I am an ocean wave."  In his lunar cycle, whereas we made preparation on the clifftop last month, this month we "take the plunge" into the (presumably icy) waters, below the waves and enter the house of Tethra, where the Fomhoire retreated to after the Second Battle of Moytura. It is a place of peril, but also the "source of all fertility, the first link in the great chain of life."  Other than that, there's not much I can find about Tethra, although this blogpost makes me think that he could be a Fomhoire king, and god of the sea or the underworld, or both.  (I need to think about how he fits with his brother kings).

Going back to Blōtmonath, while this might be better lined up with Samhain, it continues the focus on death being necessary for and defining the sacredness of life.  Thinning the herd is another way to leave behind things not needed.

We are still under the energies of Beach. Even as we turn inward, even in isolation, the comforting presence of community endures.

Astrologically, I have to be a little creative as things aren't lining up on the day I would like them too!

So we will be pretending that the sun and moon are conjunct in Sagittarius at the new moon on November 23 (it actually gets there the next day).  It's a good time to begin new projects, especially if you know the house in which this happens.  Sagittarius is about freedom, growth and finding the meaning of life.  Good contemplations for longer nights!  The first quarter on November 30 brings the moon in Pisces square the Sagittarius sun: watch out for being drawn into super dreamy and imaginative ideas!  Feel the strength of the wave carrying you into those uncharted reasons, but don't get lost.  The moon is full on December 7, and will be in Gemini opposite the sun.  The tension between being analytical and logical (Gemini) and intuitive, taking leaps of faith. At the House of Tethra (from above), listen for that deep wisdom.  The last quarter is on December 16, with moon in Virgo. Just as we could be too drawn into the dream in Pisces, we can get bogged down into the details, not seeing the forest for the trees... or even not seeing the trees for the leaves! The Moon of the Tide reverses as we flow out of the House of Tethra, leaving our regrets and fears behind.

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