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Buck Moon - July 3, 2023

Put on your flower crowns and your dancing shoes, it's time for the Buck Moon!

Buck Moon

The Buck Moon is the name given to the full moon in the month of July and is called this because at this time of year, the antlers on male deer are at the height of growth and impressiveness. This month also marks the first supermoon of the year!

Other European names for the July moon include Hay Moon and Wort Moon. North American Indigenous names for this moon include Salmon Moon (Tlingit), Berry Moon (Anishinaabe), Month of the Ripe Corn Moon (Cherokee), and Raspberry Moon (Algonquin, Ojibwe).

The West Abenaki also call this the Thunder Moon in reference to the often-stormy summer weather. (This one is my personal favorite and the name appears in lunar calendars just as often as the Buck Moon.)

What Does It Mean For Witches?

The July full moon continues June's template of planning for the future, this time with a focus on your passions and ambitions. Reflect on what you've accomplished so far this year and plan your next step.

Dream big and plan big, but don't give in to reckless urgency. Summer (and capitalist grind culture) gives us the urge to Go Go Go. Despite all this, it's important to take time to rest and recharge, lest we find ourselves burning out and losing our motivation.

What Witchy Things Can We Do?

Celebrate your victories and revel in the abundance of the summer season. If you're inclined to do so, take a page from the deer and do a bit of prancing around a bonfire or your favorite flower arbor with some festive flowery headgear.

Go exploring! Find a local park or garden and take a stroll among the greenery, or use TV and the internet to explore and learn about faraway places. This is another opportune time to go and check out pick-your-own farms and farmers markets as well. Sharpen your foraging and plant identification skills while you're out and about!

If you're tending a garden, harvest some herbs and investigate what you can make with them. Whether it's seasoning for meals, homemade botanical products, or just helpful spell ingredients, many herbs and flowers have a plethora of uses. As an exercise, select three plants growing in your garden, research their magical correspondences and botanical properties, and try to think of as many ways as possible to use each one for witchcraft and for practical purposes.

(Safety Note: Always clean and prepare home-harvested herbs properly before using them for kitchen, bath, or medical preparations. Always consult a doctor before trying an herbal treatment and take all allergies, medications, and pre-existing conditions into account. Please also note that while herbal treatments can be helpful, it can have negative interactions and side effects just like any other medication, and it is not meant to be a replacement for modern medical care.)

Apart from the usual full-moon festivities, I've always found this is an excellent time for weather-witching. Summer weather is notoriously fickle, but it is also highly malleable - one recalls that old American Southern epithet of, "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes."

If you're hoping to bring some rain to water your garden or break the back of a heat wave, this may be the time to do it. My personal favorite folk magic ritual for rain-calling involves going outside with a broom and a bucket of water, using the broom to scatter drops of water over your yard, and shouting up to the clouds, "SEE? IT'S NOT HARD!"

Make sure you take local weather patterns into account and try to draw on existing fronts and nearby precipitation to get the desired result. And keep in mind that with weather magic, less is more and one casting is enough. Asking for too much or asking too often can produce undesirable results. And if you manage to make it rain, be sure to collect some for moon water!

If you're interested in weather-witching, I highly recommend checking out this masterpost by @stormbornwitch for a number of excellent articles and suggestions.

Happy Buck Moon, witches! 🌕🦌

Further Reading:

Buck Moon: Full Moon in July 2023, The Old Farmer's Almanac

Buck Moon 2023: The Awesome Spiritual Meaning of July's Full Moon, Amanda Brethauer, The Peculiar Brunette

The Hearth Witch's Garden Herbal, Anna Franklin, Llewellyn Publications, 2023.

Everyday Moon Magic: Spells & Rituals for Abundant Living, Dorothy Morrison

(If you're enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊)

I'm back with some #monthlymotivation!

From Gabrielle Bernstein's The Universe Has Your Back deck.

For my fellow #tarotnerds. A self-love spread for July

Affirmations for each of the four elements

Fire (Associated with passion, energy, and transformation):

I am a powerful creator, and my passion fuels my success.

I embrace change and transform challenges into opportunities.

I radiate confidence and inspire those around me.

My inner fire burns brightly, igniting my purpose and motivation.

I am courageous and take bold action to achieve my goals.

Earth (Associated with stability, grounding, and abundance):

I am deeply rooted like a strong tree, grounded in the present moment.

Abundance flows effortlessly into my life, and I am grateful for all that I have.

I trust in the process of life and have unwavering faith in my journey.

I am resilient and adaptable, finding strength in the face of challenges.

I create a solid foundation for my dreams and manifest them with ease.

Air (Associated with intellect, communication, and mental clarity):

My thoughts are clear, and my mind is focused on my highest good.

I express myself confidently and communicate my ideas with clarity.

I embrace curiosity and open myself to new perspectives and knowledge.

I breathe in fresh inspiration and release any mental clutter.

I am in tune with my intuition, and it guides me in making wise decisions.

Water (Associated with emotions, intuition, and healing):

I flow with the rhythm of life, embracing the ever-changing tides of emotions.

My intuition is a guiding force, leading me to make choices aligned with my soul.

I am connected to the healing power of water, cleansing and renewing my spirit.

Love and compassion flow through me, nurturing myself and others.

I release any emotional baggage and allow forgiveness and healing to take place.

Feel free to personalize these affirmations or create your own based on your relationship with each element and your specific intentions. Repeat them regularly with belief and conviction to strengthen your connection with the elemental energies.

☽ Closet Witch Tips ☾

Hi, everyone! I spent years living as a closet witch and wishing I had more freedom to practice. Nowadays my living situation is different which allows me to do things I couldn’t before, but I know that there are many witches out there who are still struggling with this so I decided to share some tips on how to practice in the broom closet

Keep in mind these are all suggestions, you don’t need to have an altar, a book of shadows, practice divination, etc if you don’t want to

Altars

(Disclaimer: you don’t need an altar to practice, but in case you still desire to have one)

Inside a jewelry box

Shoe box

Tin can

Matchbox

In a video game such as animal crossing, the sims, minecraft, etc

The #SelfCare app has a little altar in which you can decorate with crystals, herbs and tarot cards

Notebook (then add the items by drawing them or maybe making collages)

Make/buy a little terrarium (artificial or real)

I’ve heard of people using plant vases as altars as well

Divination

(In case you can’t buy tarot decks/runes/etc)

Make your own tarot cards/oracle cards (it can be a little tiring but it’s what I did when I couldn’t buy my own)

Use playing cards as minor arcanas to read tarot

Pendulums (doesn’t have to be an actual crystal pendulum as you see on witchy stores, anything on a string will do)

Make runes out of seashells, rocks, clay, etc

Flip a coin for yes and no questions

Give dice divination a try

Deity Worship/Work

Wear jewelry that reminds you of them (ex: sun necklace for apollo, moon ring for artemis, etc)

Wear their associated colors

Practice devotional acts such as reading about them, praying, drawing something for them, writing them a letter, something related to your deity’s domains

Keep a notebook in which you can write their myths/domains/associations/etc or write prayers/poems, make drawings of things they like, etc

Keep a small altar

Watch movies that remind you of them

Play video games associated with their domains

Study something they have domain over

Make them a playlist

Make them a pinterest board

Make a devotional blog

Light a candle in their honor (it’s ok if you can only use LED candles)

Keep something associated with them on your desk/shelf

Keep a crystal associated with them near you

Get a small statuette/toy of one of their sacred animals to represent them (on your shelf/desk, on a small altar if you have one, etc)

Make a little deity jar and keep it near you

Have a devotional plant for them

Spend time in nature in their honor

Take care of yourself

Book of Shadows

Notebook

Notes app

Google docs or google keep

Tumblr blog (either private or public, up to you)

Somewhere on your phone/computer

Simple Practices

Enchant your jewelry with intention

Use color correspondence in your clothes/makeup

Meditating

Open your windows to cleanse your room

Keep crystals around you

Physically clean your space

Take showers/baths with the intention of cleansing yourself

Try practicing some kitchen magic if you cook

Enchant your food/drink

Make sigils

Keep plants in your space associated with your intention (ex: protection, creativity, etc)

Keep in mind that you’re not any less of a witch for not being able to do certain things, your practice is still valid

☽ Feel free to reblog with more tips! ☾