Welcome back to White Rose of Avalon my Darlings. Today I have decided to take an overview of the 13 Moons of Avalon (well technically there are fourteen, as not every year has a total lunar eclipse and not every year has a blue moon) as celebrated by the Sisterhood of Avalon.
~Time of Ceridwen~
~The time of Ceridwen is the four moons when the story of Cerridwen and her brewing of the potion of Awen and the chase of Gwyon Bach is examined in depth.~
Moon 1: MOON OF INITIATION ~Mugwort: Artemisia vulgaris~
Season of this Moon: Late Autumn, First Full Moon when the Sun is in Scorpio, Full Moon in Taurus. Keywords according to The Avalonian Oracle: starting a new cycle, gathering resources, assessing situations, seeking solutions, acknowledging personal power, honoring our inner wisdom. This is the moon where we explore the part of Cerridiwen’s story where she begins to gather the herbs needed to brew her potion of Awen.
Moon 2: MOON OF DISTILLATION ~Yarrow: Achillea millefolium~
Season of this Moon: Early Winter, First Full Moon when the Sun is in Sagittarius, Full Moon in Gemini. Keywords according to The Avalonian Oracle: Alchemy, creativity, catabolism, breakthrough, refinement, hidden gifts, communion, self-awareness. This is the moon where we explore the part of Cerridwen’s story where the brew of Awen is ruined after it is ingested by Gwyon Bach.
Moon 3: MOON OF TRANSFORMATION ~Wormwood: Artemisia absinthium~
Season of this Moon: Mid-Winter, First Full Moon when the Sun is in Capricorn, Full Moon in Cancer. Keywords according to The Avalonian Oracle: change, transformation, wisdom earned, elemental balance, meeting challenges, applied wisdom. This is the moon where we explore the part of Cerridwen’s story where we experience Ceridwen’s Chase.
Moon 4: MOON OF GERMINATION ~Vervain: Verbena officinalis~
Season of this Moon: Late Winter, First Full Moon when the Sun is in Aquarius, Full Moon in Leo. Keywords according to The Avalonian Oracle: enlightenment, rebirth, potential, renewal, shifted perspective, deep wisdom, creativity. This is the moon where we explore the part of Cerridwen’s story where she gives birth to Gwyon as Taliesin and cannot kill him, so she sets him adrift on the sea in a coracle.
~Time of Blodeuwedd~
~The time of Blodeuwedd is four moons where we explore the story of Blodeuwedd, her creation, her marriage to Lleu Llaw Gyffes, and her eventual downfall due to her romance with Gronw Pebyr is examined in depth.~
Moon 5: MOON OF EVOCATION ~Broom: Cytisus scoparius~
Season of this Moon: Early Spring, First Full Moon when the Sun is in Pisces, Full Moon in Virgo. Keywords according to The Avalonian Oracle: new beginnings, creativity, manifestation, fresh perspective, finding solutions. This is the moon where we explore the part of Blodeuwedd’s story when she is first formed of the flowers, created by Math and Gwydion to be the wife of Lleu Llaw Gyffes.
Moon 6: MOON OF ACTIVATION ~Meadowsweet: Spiraea ulmaria~
Season of this Moon: Mid-Spring, First Full Moon when the Sun is in Aries, Full Moon in Libra. Keywords according to The Avalonian Oracle: order, victory, responsibility, outward growth, Conscious mind balance, relationship, clarity. This is the moon where we explore the part of Blodeuwedd’s story where she is married, seemingly happily, to Lleu Llaw Gyffes when Gronw Pebyr comes hunting on their lands when Lleu is traveling.
Moon 7: MOON OF REVELATION ~Nettle: Urtica dioica~
Season of this Moon: Late Spring, First Full Moon when the Sun is in Taurus, Full Moon in Scorpio. Keywords according to The Avalonian Oracle: rejecting expectations, attaining goals, inward growth, acknowledging the shadow, freeing the Unconscious, bucking tradition, living one’s truth, transformation, liminality. This is the moon where we explore the part of Blodeuwedd’s story where she invited Gronw Pebyr to a feast at her castle, as is aligned with the Celtic custom of hospitality, and the two are infused with love for one another. Over the next three nights, they spend the night together, married in every way according to medieval Welsh law, which leads to the plot to kill Lleu!
Moon 8: MOON OF LIBERATION ~Red Clover: Trifolium pratense~
Season of this Moon: Early Summer, First Full Moon when the Sun is in Gemini, Full Moon in Sagittarius. Keywords according to The Avalonian Oracle: transformation, evolution, personal fulfillment, wisdom, freedom, clear sight, unity of opposites, personal Sovereignty. This is the moon where we explore the part of Blodeuwedd’s story where she is punished for attempting to kill her husband by having her lover killed and being turned into an owl.
~Time of Rhiannon~
~The time of Rhiannon is the four moons where we explore the story of Rhiannon, her marriage to Pwyll, her birth of her son, loss of her son, and regaining her son in depth.~
Moon 9: MOON OF DEDICATION ~Burdock: Arctium lappa~
Season of this Moon: Mid-Summer, First Full Moon when the Sun is in Cancer, Full Moon in Capricorn. Keywords according to The Avalonian Oracle: perseverance, courage, straightforwardness, focus, poise, asking for what you need, relinquishing control. This is the moon where we explore the part of Rhiannon’s story where she is first seen by Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed.
Moon 10: MOON OF CONSUMMATION ~Dandelion: Taraxacum officinale~
Season of this Moon: Late Summer, First Full Moon when the Sun is in Leo, Full Moon in Aquarius. Keywords according to The Avalonian Oracle: love, balance, unity, acceptance, honor, law, tradition. This is the moon where we explore the part of Rhiannon’s story where she is married to Pwyll.
Moon 11: MOON OF PURIFICATION ~Wild Thyme: Thymus serpyllum~
Season of this Moon: Early Autumn, First Full Moon when the Sun is in Virgo, Full Moon in Pisces. Keywords according to The Avalonian Oracle: patience with self and others, inner strength, weathering injustice, accepting what cannot be changed, courage to meet any challenge, endurance in the face of suffering, grace under pressure, transitions. This is the moon where we explore the part of Rhiannon’s story where she gives birth to her son, has him stolen, and accepts unfair punishment.
Moon 12: MOON OF RECONCILIATION ~Motherwort: Leonurus cardiaca~
Season of this Moon: Mid-Autumn, First Full Moon when the Sun is in Libra, Full Moon in Aries. Keywords according to The Avalonian Oracle: unity, forgiveness, balance restored, joy, culmination, abundance, Sovereignty realized. This is the moon where we explore the part of Rhiannon’s story where she regains her son and is planted firmly as Queen once again, ending her punishment.
~Time of Branwen~
~The time of Branwen is the Blue Moon when we explore the tragic tale of Branwen in depth.~
Moon 13: MOON OF REFLECTION: ~Woad: Isatis tinctoria~
Season of this Moon: Timeless, Blue Moon, Second Full Moon in any Sun Sign. Keywords according to The Avalonian Oracle: balance, contemplation, transformation, resolving oppositions, recognizing patterns, seeing the big picture, messages from the Otherworld.
~Time of Arianrhod~
~The time of Arianrhod is the Total Lunar Eclipse when we explore the tale of Arianrhod in depth.~
Moon 14: MOON OF CYCLE ~Queen Anne’s Lace: Daucus carota~
Season of this Moon: Total Lunar Eclipse. Keywords according to The Avalonian Oracle: cycles, Bound and Rebound, growth, change, cosmology, patterns, time.
~As I am sure you noticed, each moon has an herbal ally aligned with it. This is because, in the Sisterhood of Avalon tradition, a different herb is focused on during each moon cycle to learn the lessons associated with that moon! There are specific reasons why each herb was chosen for each moon, for more information, I suggest reading the books in the further reading section below! I hope you have enjoyed this overview of the Avalonian Moon Cycle. What is your favorite moon? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is the Moon of Evocation card from The Avalonian Oracle. I found the image on https://www.ebay.com/itm/144036233409.
Tarot Note: I have a page offering tarot and oracle readings for those interested in these services! I am very happy to be offering these readings to my treasured readers at White Rose of Avalon! Link to page: https://whiteroseofavalon.life/tarot-and-oracle-readings/
Further Reading
- The Avalonian Oracle by Jhenah Telyndru
- The Mythic Moons of Avalon by Jhenah Telyndru