Calendar of the Moon 13 Muin/Boedromion Day of the Aspen
Colour: Scarlet Element: Earth Altar: Upon a scarlet cloth set a vase of aspen twigs, a single red candle, a pot of soil, seeds of some rare medicinal herb, a bowl of water, and a bell. Offerings: Plant seeds. Deal with a situation that cannot be solved by black-and-white thinking. Daily Meal: Vegan Invocation to the Green Man of the Aspen Hail, Green Man of the Autumn! Aspen tree, shield-maker's joy, Poplar wood that breaks and snaps, You come in black and white, As if to remind us that there are Two sides to everything, And yet you are one, and there is Very little difference. You made the rod used to Measure corpses, showing that to Measure something out is to make it dead. You make the shield for protection, Which saves us from the hard blows, And is laid on the breast of the fallen warrior. You are the tree of loss of hope, Teaching us that even when hope is dead, We must do without it and go on, Finding some grimmer emotion To sustain us in our battle. Whistling Swan with your mourning cries, You expect no mercy, and give none. We hail you, sacred aspen tree, Green Man of the Autumn, At this the time of your decline. Chant: When hope falls then honour calls When passion yields honour be your shield (Each comes forward and plants a seed in the pot of soil, saying, "Hail Green Man of the Earth!" Water is poured onto the pot, and then the rest is poured out as a libation. Ring bell and dismiss.)
[source:paganbookofhours.org]