Perennial Druidry: Waves through Grasses Moon

As readers will know this year I decided to start working with the Perennial Druid course materials hosted on the Druid Network website. Unit Seven in the Perennial Druidry course is called Field Poppy Moon by Bobcat.  Poppies though are not very evident in this area at all so this name does not seem to fit here.  What is most noticeable to me is the grasses. In our local park many of the grasses are now almost as tall as me, some taller, with spots of delicate white and yellow wildflowers and the darker greens and purples of tall, vibrant thistles.  As the breeze blows the grasses gently wave, the sounds and sights remind me of the sea.  To me therefore this is Waves through Grasses Moon.

I have found that this moon I have had little time to devote to the course.  Partly that’s due to the demands of home and family and partly other reading leading to inspiration for new prayers for both Brigantia and Maponus.

This unit talks about midsummer as a festival time and a season of waning summer.  I don’t do anything separate to the summer solstice in terms of ritual for midsummer although I do note its passing and I don’t really feel the pause that Bobcat talks about, my perception of this time of year is different.  This moon started on 27 June and ended on 26 July so I’m a touch late writing up my reflections but that’s life.  For me this period is a very busy one.  Here in Glasgow the children break up for summer around midsummer so this moon marked the first weeks of the summer holidays.  For me juggling part time work with family time, organising cover for when I’m at work, getting school uniforms ready for the next school year and looking after two children with different needs is both hectic and often tiring.  Luckily I do have great family support but it’s still tough.  My energies have often been drained with day to day life this moon with little left over.

As I have been going about though, my eyes have been drawn often to long wild grasses along road verges, in our local park and in fields left fallow.  I’ve also been enchanted by dancing damselflies and summer birds like swifts sweeping over the grasses. I have had moments of wonderful inspiration leading to new prayers.  I’ve been able to take moments where I could pause and connect with the life in our local park and in my garden.  My garden in particular has taken on a deeper role as a place of grounding and re-energising for me. A few minutes wandering around doing a spot of weeding or dead-heading roses of an evening has taken on an increasing importance at this busy time.  These things link into the themes of this unit of energy, life, stillness and strength in the course.

Yesterday I honoured my ancestors as is my practice at the dark moon.  Today I prepare to move forward into the next moon.