Reeds are associated with the dead and the Underworld
The Reed Moon was called #Negetal, pronounced “nyettle” by the Celts, and is sometimes referred to as the Elm Moon by modern Pagans.
Sunset on #Samhain (pronounced "sow-en"), 31st October, is the beginning of the Celtic New Year…
· The old year has passed,
· the harvest has been gathered,
· cattle and sheep have been brought in from the fields, and
· the leaves are falling from the trees.
The earth slowly begins to die around us.
This is a good time for us to look at wrapping up the old and preparing for the new in our lives.
If you read my earlier posts, you’ll be aware that to #Druids and the #Celts, all things in the natural world represented the connection with…
· life,
· the gods and
· the earth.
Reeds, and wheat straw are wonderful insulators and were specially revered during the long cold, wet months of the year or 'The Darkside' as they came to be known.
The Reed in particular - as it can grow up to 2 metres tall, symbolised protection.
People living within agricultural land they would have chosen Wheat over Reeds but, if as hunter-gatherers living amongst woodlands, dykes and ponds and streams, then what they knew best was the Reed.
Ngetal, whether reed, rush or wheat, is the only Ogham plant which does not grow as a wood (even the ivy, bramble and gorse have hard woody stems).
Corn dollies were and still are used in pagan ceremonies. It’s now a decorative art form which reflect superstitious beliefs.
They are used to thank Mother Earth for the Harvest and also as a symbol of good luck and fertility.
#Reeds however, as I’m sure you are aware, are typically used to make wind instruments at this time of year; their haunting sounds are sometimes heard when the souls of the dead are being summoned to the Underworld.
Both reed and wheat are highly revered for their everyday usefulness rather than their magic - both are…
· wild grasses,
· still cut for the thatched roofing of cottages and
…both were once used as bedding for humans.
(Reeds in Pennington Flash Country Park, Leigh WN7 3UG and Lunt Meadows Nature Reserve, Sefton, Merseyside)
This is also the time of year for #Scrying.
Scrying is one of the best-known forms of divination and can be done in a variety of ways.
Basically, it's the practice of looking into some sort of reflective surface—such as…
· water,
· fire,
· glass,
· dark stones, etc.
—to see what
· messages,
· symbols, or
· visions
…may appear.
