The August Lightning Moon is similar to July’s Thunder Moon with electrical storms illuminating up the celestial skies, painting the heavens in flashes of luminous, fiery light. It is symbolic of sudden illumination and the destruction of ignorance. Lightning ignites our deeper selves and churns our primal emotions. Lightning has been considered sacred by our ancestors as the herald of the Divine reaching down with a blessing. It is a symbol of intuition and spiritual enlightenment by union of water and fire. The union of fire and water is witnessed through baptism as well when the fire of Spirit enters and communes with you once the water has cleansed your heart. This month is all about sacrifice and introspection of oneself to ascertain what is providing growth for your ascension and what is detracting from your personal journey. August Lightning moon also foreshadows the three harvests of the Wheel of the Year to come. August’s Lightning Moon heralds Mary Magdalene, Goddess of Revelation.
Mary Magdalene is a Christian Goddess, consort of Jesus. Magdala in Hebrew means tower or great. She was one of Jesus’ greatest apostles and witnessed his death, burial, and resurrection. When she is met by the Jesus in the garden after his resurrection, lightning is present signifying the same attributes of Shala. Shala is a Mesopotamic Goddess in the Old Babylonian period. She is a weather goddess represented by lightning as well as an agricultural goddess represented by corn. Being a grain Goddess, she receives the waters of the storms to cultivate and irrigate the crops of the land. She is associated to the star spica in the Virgo constellation, which means ear of grain, and represented the Furrow of Mesopotamia. Offerings to Shala are of grain. Corn dollies are traditional this month to be used later for Imbolc. The garden spoken of where Jesus’s tomb lies is an agricultural garden signifying not only Jesus as an agricultural deity, but Mary Magdalene as well. She goes on to spread the revelations of Jesus.
Correspondences:
Goddess: Mary Magdalene
Colors: Yellow, Gold
Element: Fire
Herbs: Chamomile, Basil, Rue, Bay, Corn Silk
Oils: Frankincense
Trees: Hazel
Flowers/Plants: Marigold, Sunflower, Corn
Stone: Tiger’s Eye, Fire Agate, Carnelian
Psalm to Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene, Goddess of Revelation and Sacrifice Chariot of Fire that burns across the sky Lightning of thunder and rain of storm She who waters the grain The daughter of enlightenment The sower of the reaping of inner gnosis Mary Magdalene, Goddess of Spark As the summer skies illuminate From the heat of your fertile Roots stretch throughout the land And your sustenance expands You shower your glory As the weaver of the stars In constellations reaching across the sky Upon those that offer unto you Gracious Mary Magdalene Lady Divine Goddess of the vein to a heart's passion The dynamic trust between two loved ones Beautiful Bride of sensuality The sexual essence in every relationship The missing chakra in every man Harborer of tantric sex The lightning and electric shock of lovers entangled The Goddess of Handfasting and courting couples Your lustrous light enters my souls And illuminates is from the inside out As I radiate you through great pride You bless me with your undying love And I am eternally handfasted to you