Holly
8th Moon of the Celtic Year – (July 8 – Aug 4) (The Ruler) – Noble, high ideals, academic, confident, leader. The Holly was seen as the helper for bringing about a successful harvest. The Holly has associations with protection, prophesy, healing, magic for animals, sex magic, invulnerability, watchfulness, good luck, death, rebirth.
Holly reminds us of the need to calm our emotions, if we are to reach wise decisions about our situation. The often painful consequences of our actions are brought to the surface for examination, and calm acceptance of our responsibility is required. We are reminded of the need to view ourselves, as well as others, in the light of compassion and unconditional love. Like the Hanged Man of the Tarot, holly represents personal sacrifice in order to gain something of greater value.
Like the Evergreen, Holly tree, or “holy tree” you have divine talents at the root and heart of your being. Your whole world can grow “evergreen” from it. Like the berries or the smooth or prickly leaves on a male of female tree, your life will take shape around its essential nature. The thorny leaves and red berries represent suffering. When the fruits are discovered by patience, what is possibly a test now will prove a credit to you. This is a fresh start, a second chance, or time of renewal and permanence, promising a fortified heart and a happier life.
Holly represents the time of Lammas, the first harvest of the season.
Although the Oak ruled in the previous month, its counterpart, the Holly, takes over in July. This evergreen plant reminds us all year long about the immortality of nature. The Holly moon was called Tinne, pronounced chihnn-uh, by the Celts, who knew the potent Holly was a symbol of masculine energy and firmness. The ancients used the wood of the Holly in the construction of weapons, but also in protective magic. Hang a sprig of Holly in your house to ensure good luck and safety to your family. Wear as a charm, or make Holly Water by soaking leaves overnight in spring water under a full moon — then use the water as a blessing to sprinkle on people or around the house for protection and cleansing.
Ogham Alphabet: Tinne
Meaning: Ruler
Animal: Horse
Crystal: Carnelian, Bloodstone
Planet: Mars and Saturn
Element: Fire
Symbolism: The Sword of Truth, Unconditional love, sacrifice, reincarnation
Powers: Protection, Anti-Lightning, Luck, Dream Magick
Birds: Cardinal, Starling
Color: Red
Deity: Lugh, Tannus, Thor
Sabbat: Lammas
Tree of: Death of the God of the Waxing year (Oak King)
Birth of the God of the Waning year (Holly King)
Folk Names: Aquifolius, Bat’s Wings, Christ’s Thorn, Holy Tree, Holm Chaste, Hulm, Hulver Bush
references: 1. rober graves, the white goddess, 2. https://www.thoughtco.com, 3. Celtic Oghms
8th Moon of the Celtic Year – (July 8 – Aug 4) (The Ruler)
The Holly Moon represents high ideals, academics, confidence, and leadership. The Holly was seen as the helper for bringing about a successful harvest. The Holly has associations with protection, prophesy, and healing. This reputation comes for the Celtic history of the Holly. Holly was brought into the house to protect the home from malevolent faeries or to allow faeries to shelter in the home without friction between them and the human occupants.
There were taboos against cutting down an entire Holly tree. These Sacred trees were frequently left unattended to along the hedges or they were simply trimmed and nurtured, especially because it was believed these trees would obstruct witches who were known to run along the tops of the hedges. Farmers used their distinctive evergreen shapes to establish lines of sight during winter plowing.
The Holly King was said to rule over the half of the year from the summer to the winter solstice, at which time the Oak King defeated the Holly King to rule for the time until the summer solstice again. These two aspects of the Nature god were later incorporated into Mummers’ plays traditionally performed around Yuletide
The Holly King was depicted as a powerful giant of a man covered in holly leaves and branches, and wielding a holly bush as a club. He may well have been the same archetype on which the Green Knight of Arthurian legend was based, and to whose challenge Gawain rose during the Round Table’s Christmas celebrations.
Holly represents good luck, invulnerability, watchfulness, death, and rebirth. ‘The Holly and the Ivy’. referred to a Celtic celebration, where a boy would be dressed in a suit of holly leaves and a girl similarly in ivy. They would parade around the village, during Samhain and Yule to ensure the town another year’s fertility would emerge through the darkest part of the year.
Holly reminds us of the need to calm our emotions, if we are to reach wise decisions about our situation. The often painful consequences of our actions are brought to the surface for examination, and calm acceptance of our responsibility is required. We are reminded of the need to view ourselves, as well as others, in the light of compassion and unconditional love.
Irish Blessings Candle Set
Our Candle Gift Set Collection is one of our top selling products. Each collection comes with four square candles uniquely designed with complementary colors and scents, and wrapped with a beautiful illustrative band. They make great gifts for any occasion. Irish Blessing is a set of 4 candles created to bless and honor you with luck, money, spirit and encouragement! Enjoy the luck of the Irish. This set includes candles for Money, Abundance, Peppermint, Spirit scents along with a traditional Irish blessing.
Celtic Moon Set
The 13 Celtic Moons are a reference to the calendar having 13 months of 28 days and an extra day posited as the “year and a day”. It begins with the winter solstice, in contrast to the tradition of Samhain as the Celtic New Year. This set takes you on a magical journey and meditation using crystals associated with each moon, birth month, and Sacred tree. You can use the crystals in many ways and the set comes with complete instructions. It includes 13 crystals associated with each moon. The set is complete with a Celtic Zodiac and organza bag for storage.
Celtic Universe Moon Candles
Candles of empowerment! These beautiful candles are a three in one gift! It is the celestial power of intention from these scented candles accompanied by a pewter symbol necklace! These colorful candles have wonderful labeling, symbolic information and a burn time of about 40 – 60 hours! A 3-in-1 gift: you get the candle, a necklace and the lunar guidance!These aromatherapy pillar candles measure 6″ inches tall x 1.5″ inches wide. They are palm wax, lead free, hand poured and made in the USA. Ideal for use in meditation, color therapy healing, empowering dreams, or understanding your sacred energies.