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Celtic Tree Months

The Beth-Luis-Nion Celtic Lunar Tree Calendar/alphabet consists of 13 lunar trees and five solar trees. The calendar is based on a lunar year as opposed to a solar one, and begins after the Winter Solstice. There are roughly 13 lunar months, which begin and end with the new moon; each lunar month is represented by a tree. The five solar trees represent the 4 seasons of the year, plus the Winter Solstice. The five solar trees are like 'umbrella' trees; they cover a larger portion of the year than the lunar trees do; usually about 2-3 months each.

The system is also used as an alphabet; using the Gaelic names for the trees, the first letters of the lunar trees are the consonants, and the five solar trees are the vowels. This alphabet, when written, is put down in marks, usually on a twig or branch, called ogham. This is an ancient system of writing, and there are almost as many ogham alphabets as there are rune systems.

This entire system; the lunar months, the solar seasons, the trees in both their English and Gaelic names, and the ogham, is the Celtic Lunar Tree Calendar. There seem to be two major Celtic Tree systems; the one that we, the Faerie Faith, use, is called the Beth-Luis-Nion system. Its calendar begins on the Winter Solstice, the months run from new moon to new moon, and the trees are Birch, Rowan, Ash, etc., as listed in the table below. The other system is called the Beth-Luis-Fearn. Its calendar begins at Samhain, November 1, the months go from full moon to fill moon, and the order of its trees is slightly different: Birch, Rowan, Alder, Willow, Ash, Hawthorn, Oak, etc.

Lunar Trees (Consonants):

Tree #	English Name	Gaelic Name	Letter	Glyph
1	Birch	Beth	B	I am a stag of seven tines, or I am an ox of seven fights
2	Rowan	Luis	L	I am a wide flood on a plain
3	Ash	Nion	N	I am a wind on the deep waters
4	Alder	Fearn	F	I am a shining tear of the sun
5	Willow	Saille	S	I am a hawk on a cliff
6	Hawthorn	Huath	H	I am fair among flowers
7	Oak	Duir	D	I am a god who sets the head afire with smoke
8	Holly	Tinne	T	I am a battle-waging spear
9	Hazel	Coll	C	I am a salmon in the pool
10	Vine	Muir	M	I am a hill of poetry
11	Ivy	Gort	G	I am a ruthless boar
12	Reed	Ngetal	Ng	I am a threatening noise of the sea
13	Elder	Ruis	R	I am a wave of the sea
	Winter Solstice			Who but I knows the secrets of the unhewn dolmen?

Solar Trees (Vowels):

Tree #	English Name	Gaelic Name	Letter	Glyph
1	Silver Fir	Ailim	A
2	Gorse	Ohn	O
3	Heather	Ur	U
4	Aspen	Eadha	E
5	Yew	Ioho	I

Each of the 13 lunar months and 5 solar seasons also has its own particular 'glyph,' or line, from the Song of Amergin, an ancient poem said to have been chanted by the chief bard of the Milesian invaders of Ireland as he first set foot to the island in 1268 BC. This poem was reconstructed by Robert Graves in The White Goddess and related to the Beth-Luis-Nion alphabet, as shown in the table above.

Each of these lines speak of a particular essence of the lunar energies, and when studied in-depth, can help lead to a greater understanding of the tree month.

Using The Lunar Calendar With The Gregorian Calendar

Some may feel that the moon names, Birch, Rowan, Ash, Alder, etc., are just alternative names for the secular months of our modern-day Gregorian calendar. This is no more accurate than saying it doesn't make any difference whether someone was born under the sign of Scorpio or Libra, as they're both just names for that particular time of year, and don't have any bearing on the person involved.

The Lunar Tree Calendar, as practiced by the Faerie Faith, is more than simply a system of alternative names for the 12-13 cycles of the moon that occur in a solar year of 364 days. Each of the 13 moons in the calendar is named after a tree. The Birch moon is always the first, and they proceed in the order as shown in the table, with Elder always falling last. The calendar begins within a few days after the Winter Solstice, and always ends on the Winter Solstice, never going past that date. This is a fixed solar date: by fixed, I mean that this is the day when the night is longest and day is shortest. After this day, usually on December 21 or 22, the days will begin getting longer, and we enter a new solar cycle. This fact is recognized by our Gregorian calendar, which begins on January 1, 8-9 days after the Winter Solstice. Part of the reason for this brief delay in the Gregorian calendar lies in the 10 days lost when we converted over to the Gregorian calendar from the Julian calendar, in 1582 in parts of Europe, in 1700 by the Protestant German states, and in 1750 in America and Great Britain.

The date of the Winter Solstice is just about the only fixed point in the Celtic Lunar Tree Calendar, but we can approximate several other dates along the calendar. Let's talk about the length of the lunations: folklore tell us that a lunar cycle is 28 days, the same as a woman's monthly cycle. If you multiply 28 days x 13 lunations, and add in one extra day, you would conveniently get a 365 day year, which is a standard year in the Gregorian calendar (the true length of the solar year is 365.2422 days). But nature doesn't work in accordance with a set 365- day year. In actuality, a lunar cycle can range anywhere from 28 days to 30 days. If you have 13 moons of 29 days each, not even including any of the renegade 30-day moons, you'll have a year of 377 days (actually there are 12.368 lunar months in a solar year. Obviously, if you're trying to fit this lunar calendar system into the confines of the solar year as marked by the Winter Solstice, it just is not going to work.

So what do we do? Instead of trying to begin with Birch after the Winter Solstice and continue faithfully through to the end of Elder before ending the year, and thus having an Elder moon that continues into the next January, and having all sorts of problems with the calendar the next year, we end the year at the Winter Solstice, regardless of where in the lunar cycle we happen to be. No, it doesn't make for a nice neat calendar with exactly 13 moons of 28 days each, but we are trying to work with the natural system of things, rather than a man-made contrivance. Even the Gregorian calendar allows for the fluctuation of days over a period of time with its Leap Day.

That's the easy part. Now the hard part -- when do we begin the next lunar year? Well, obviously it's going to be shortly after the Winter Solstice. I'll give you a hint that pretty much takes care of the guess work. February 2, or Imbolc, always falls with Rowan moon, the 2nd lunation. So find February 2, and follow the lunar cycle back to the new moon. That is the beginning of Rowan moon. It then follows that the day before that new moon was the last day of Birch. Now, follow that lunation backwards. If you get to the new moon before you get to December 21, then you have an entire lunation for Birch, and the days between Winter Solstice and that new moon are the Days Apart. If you get to December 21 before you get to the new moon (working backwards, remember), then you've just got a short lunation for Birch, which starts the day after the Winter Solstice. You'll probably have to find a calendar that lists the moon phases for this to really make sense, which is a great reason to buy the Lunar Calendar: Dedicated to the Goddess in Her Many Guises!

To fully understand the tree calendar, and make it relevant to your life, you should consider yourself a student of the calendar. Study it, research it, learn about it. Most of all, make it an active part of your life. You won't understand the trees by just reading this article, or by any one thing. Look into the mysteries and myths attached to each tree. Read Robert Graves' The White Goddess and Celtic myths and fairy tales. Read all the "Lunar Energies and Esoterica," "Bach Flowers," and "Folklore and Practical Uses" columns in The Hazel Nut. Look at the rituals in Pattalee Glass-Koentop's Year of Moons, Season of Trees, (see review in #14) and write and perform a lunar ritual for yourself based on her rituals and what you've learned from Robert Graves. Make contact with a tree; meet it, talk to it, and especially, listen to it.

Each lunation, each tree, when taken separately, can teach us about ourselves, and help us get more in tune with nature's cycles. Taken as a whole, a study of the tree system can help us integrate our personalities, broaden our intellectual horizons, and open ourselves spiritually to the cosmos, going beyond the physical world. That is, after all, the point of being on the path in the first place, isn't it?

Blessed be, and happy searching!

Retrograde planets

Many people relate the Mercury Retrograde to a breakdown in communications. While, at times this may be true, it is not always the case. Before I explain that, let me explain a little more about the appearance of the Retrograde planet.

The term "Retrograde" of a celestial body means "(1)having a direction contrary to that of the general motion of similar bodies; (2) having or being a direction of rotation or revolution that is clockwise as viewed from the north pole of the sky or a planet." (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 1998) In essence, the term applies to an appearance of moving backwards rather than the actual motion of backward transits. The appearance of the phenomenon is caused by our being on this planet and the perspective that we have of other planets out on the horizon as they are moving around the Sun at different rates of speed in relation to the Earth, which is also revolving around the Sun. Suffice it to say, it is merely an optical illusion based on our perceptions of the planets in relation to the Sun. The term was coined in the 14th Century, when man did not yet know that the Sun was not revolving around the Earth! The term grew out of the Latin term retrogradus, meaning "from" or moving from.

This deceptive phenomenon has been related to complications in the routines of the celestial mechanics. In the case of Mercury, it appears to affect all areas ruled by Mercury. This is mostly noticed in the Communication Sector, but also carries over into Transportation, Education, Health and Co-worker Departments. During a Mercury Retrograde, all types of Mercury Ruled areas in our lives seem to become confounded, stymied and misinterpreted. For example, contracts tend to be missing important pieces of information, car repairs may not be thorough, appointments may be missed, mail seems to get lost quicker, medical tests may not be accurate, prescriptions may not be written or filled correctly, and computers tend to crash quickly if upgraded or repaired during the Retrograde Motion of Mercury. It is not understood why and does appear to depend more on the Sign that Mercury is in when it begins its Retrograde Motion. The basic terms that seem to apply best to Mercury Retrograde are Repeat, Reverse, Re-do, Re-think, Restrict and Regret.

Check out some of the differences frequently noted when Mercury is Retrograde in the various signs.

Sign	Traits of Mercury Retrograde
Aries	Impulsive thinking is slowed down and tends to be forced to rethink the activities in order to move beyond obstacles or restrictions. Not as likely to try to assert opinions onto others and less likely to feel "cooped up" when in a restrictive environment.
Taurus	Tends to get wrapped up in the idea of re-doing in an attempt to find perfection. Impulsive and possibly excessive spending in an effort to find the best deal. Learning is likely to be slowed although we are more likely to talk more than when Mercury is direct in Taurus.
Gemini	The normally talkative Gemini Mercury quiets down and may not listen too well, either. May feel the need to visit relatives or long lost relatives and former friends may reappear. Vehicles intended for transportation are more likely to break down as well as all types of communication tools.
Cancer	Old family issues may be revisited and those issues will typically involve one's parents. Home repairs may not last or need to be redone. Moving at this time will likely involve moving again before the year is out. Childhood enemies may reappear in our lives.
Leo	Hobbies and creative talents are likely to be impacted. Also, one's children are likely to require extra attention during this time. Adult children sometimes need to move back home on a temporary basis. Risk-taking ventures are less likely to succeed at this time.
Virgo	Work environments are more likely to feel restrictive. Previously resolved health issues likely to require review and recheck. Opportunities are likely to be missed due to procrastination. Organizational skills may become enmeshed in confusion.
Libra	Marriages and partnerships formed during Retrograde in Libra are likely to be of short duration, if not postponed for a later date. Legal matters are likely to be delayed. The normally wishy-washy nature of Mercury in Libra is likely to come across as impatient if others take their time making decisions.
Scorpio	The normally quiet Scorpio Mercury nature is likely to turn into a regular chatter box, but the logic may be missing.  Joint business matters are less likely to succeed.  Sexual matters may feel confusing and unresolved sexual sufferings may be revisited.
Sagittarius	Religious beliefs may be challenged.  Credit card debts tend to jump dramatically at this time.  Higher education may be disrupted, forcing the individual to retake courses or delay their graduation date.  Court rulings and legal matters may need to be revisited.
Capricorn	Career and reputation is likely to feel impacted at this time.  New jobs obtained during this time tend to be short-term or job duties get quickly revised.  Traditional family values may feel threatened and may require some level of revamping.
Aquarius	Solitude and meditation feels more important than seeking out communication at this time.  Friendships formed at this time generally do not last long and friendships in general tend to feel strained or forced.  Tends to be a period of unrequited love.
Pisces	More talkative than usual and conversations feel more spontaneous than is normal with Pisces Mercury. Introspection tends to be dampened at this time.  Mental health issues are likely to be revisited.  Issues involving institutions and medical situations are also likely to reappear.

One, often over looked, facet of the Mercury Retrograde is the fact that the retrogrades will cycle through one particular element within a one to two year period. For example, in 2001, Mercury's Retrograde occurred predominately in Air; Aquarius, Gemini and Libra. During 2002, there was a shift from Air to Earth; Aquarius and Capricorn, Gemini, Libra and Virgo. Then 2003, all retrogrades will be in Earth elements; Capricorn, Taurus and Virgo. As the years progress, the Mercury Retrograde transit shifts from Earth into Fire element and then into Water until, over a period of approximately seven to eight years, all four of the elemental groups are covered.

This annual theme by element can also help us to plan for the year since each element has it's own style. See the chart below for a quick description of each element.

Element	Signs	Regroup, rethink, reflect in the areas of:
Fire Signs:	Aries Leo Sagittarius	Enthusiasm, courage, passion and impulsiveness.
Earth Signs:	Taurus Virgo Capricorn	Practicality, materialism, conservation, and inhibition.
Air Signs:	Gemini Libra Aquarius	Intellect, adaptation, logic, and superficiality.
Water Signs:	Cancer Scorpio Pisces	Emotional, sensitivity, placidness, and impression.

Mercury Retrograde dates can be found easiest on a Retrograde Calendar.

In any given year, there are, usually, three Mercury Retrogrades. The Retrogrades generally last about three weeks. Depending on the sign that it is transiting at the time that it appears to go Retrograde, life circumstances may feel out of our control, especially if our natal chart is being adversely aspected by the Retrograde planet. Remember that it is merely a good time to review rather than to force matters through to completion.

Mercury Retrograde can actually be a great time to plan for the future; to map out our plans so that we can review them at a later date when we are actually ready to move forward again. It is a little like taking a much needed nap in the middle of our busy schedule. We need to take time to regroup, at least once in awhile, and this is an excellent time to Regroup and Re-organize our life rather than to implement new changes or activities.