map candle moonday

This time of year, many of us in the Northern Hemisphere have to use most herbs in forms other than fresh. Dried, infused, tinctured, frozen, pickled, or distilled into essential oil. One easy, but energetically powerful, way to experience essential oils is to scent candles. This morning I lit a few candles until little pools of wax appeared. Then I blew them out and dribbled about 5-15 drops of cassia bark (cinnamon) essential oil onto the pools, avoiding the wicks. After the wax hardened, the candles were ready to be lit again.

I've discovered that Ikea 2" tealight candles (the big ones) release the fragrance better than a more expensive pillar candle. I don't know why exactly. I've also discovered that any candle burns more beautifully when wrapped with old Atlas map paper.

Today is a waxing moonday in Aries. Until the moon grows into total fullness on Thursday, this is a great time for us to make progress and grow things, too -- to take things further once again. Adding touches to nearly-finished projects, reading (or writing) a few more pages, knitting another section, outline stitching one more little cloth moon...

Fiery Aries feeds the flame and energizes all aspects of life -- most useful for taking things further. Aries rules the top of the head to the nose including the eyes, the sinuses, and the adenoids. This means that conditions of those parts are more easily healed or harmed. Water seems to always be key on fiery days -- drinking more water can ward off headaches, salt water in a neti pot helps clear sinus and nasal congestion, and warm compresses soothe some eye conditions.

A school friend's parents used to answer back soak it for nearly every physical problem there was -- my leg hurts, soak it -- I stubbed my toe, soak it -- I have a headache, soak it. I thought that was hilarious. Maybe they were right on Aries days.



Two-sided map paper wrapped around a tall glass cylinder holding a little tea light.