There are many traces of moon beliefs and moon homage still current and alive today. Our Scottish ancestors have been known not to kill farm animals at the wane of the moon, as they believed the animal would be without taste. Neither would they cut hazel, willow or pine to make creels, baskets and boats, in the waning of moon, as they believed the wood would become crumbly. Instead our ancestors did all of these tasks at the waxing or at the full moon. This reserved the new moon for tasks such as cutting peat, shearing sheep and reaping corn. Our ancestors were observant of the facts of nature and took great guidance from the land and the skies.
“ Glory to thee for ever,
Thou bright moon, this night;
Thyself art ever,
The glorious lamp of the poor”
Skip forward a few hundred years and recent press reports suggest that, mainstream agriculture is on its way out, due to fossil fuel scarcity and sustainability issues. Biodynamic farming goes beyond traditional organic methods. Animals are encouraged to roam freely and are given homeopathic remedies, not pharmaceutical medicine. The quality and sustainability of crops is said to be enhanced by choosing cosmically correct days to sow seeds or harvest.
So next time you are out moon gazing, take a few moments to give thanks to the moon’s guiding light and to our intuitive and preceptive ancestors.
