August, An Esoteric Guide

August, the eighth month of the current Gregorian calendar and the third month of Summer's rule, derives its name from Augustus Caesar.  August was originally named Sextilis, which means the sixth month, but Augustus Caesar saw July was named after Julius Caesar, and so decided to have month named after him.  A little known fact, is that August used to have 30 days in it, but out of jealousy, Augustus changed it to 31 days so his month would have more days in it than Julius Caesar's month had.  What a guy.

 

The Traditional birthstone amulets of August are the peridot and the sardonyx and the gladioulus and the poppy are the month's traditional flowers.

 

August is shared by the astrological signs of Leo the Lion and Virgo the Virgin, and is sacred to the following Pagan deities:

Ceres, Demeter, John Barleycorn, Lugh and all goddesses who preside over agriculture.

 

During the month of August, the Great Solar Wheel of the Year is turned to Lammas, one of the four Grand Sabbats celebrated each year by Wiccans and modern Witches throughout the world. 

 

August 1st, is known for the Lammas (loaf-mass) festival.  This is the celebration of bread loaves baked from the first grain of harvest.  Pagans of old celebrated Lammas by weaving corn dollies and offering the first loaves to their goddess and god.

The Celtic holly month Tinne ends on August 4th, to be followed by Coll, the hazel month.  This is a time of gathering fruitfulness and joy in one's life.  Its sacred color is brown, and its ruling being is the Irish demigod, Fionn MacCumhaill (often anglicized as Finn McCool).  

 

The goddess-calendar month of Kerea runs until August 8, to be followed by the month of Hesperis.  

 

According to Nigel Pennick's book, "The Pagan Book of Days," the birthstone of August is the sardonyx, whose adage goes:

 

Wear a Sardonyx or for thee

No conjugal felicity.

Those August born without this stone

'Tis said must live unloved, alone.

 

August is also a wonderful month for stargazing! It’s the month of the Perseid meteor shower, which is one of the most prolific showers and reaches its peak viewing around August 11 through the 13.  You can still see the Perseids even if they’re not at their peak. The shower lasts from about July 23 to August 22, so be sure to keep an eye out, especially during the August new moon.

 

In many cultures, August is known as the month of the Honey Moon. This is because it is the time of year when honey is harvested from beehives. And if you are the superstitious type, plan your honeymoon to fall on this month as well.  Or maybe not, other traditions think it might be a curse, hmmm, my first marriage was on an August 4 and lasted, five weeks.

 

During the Mid-Autumn Festival which, according to lunar calendar, is celebrated in August, Chinese worship the Moon Goddess named Chang'e.  The legend goes that Chang'e was a beautiful woman, when out of nowhere, ten suns had risen together into the skies and scorched the Earth, thus causing hardship for the people. Chang'e husband, Hou Yi, was  a legendary archer and so he shot down nine of the suns, leaving only the one.  For his success, he was rewarded with two portions of the elixir of immortality, which he planned to take with Chang'e after an important hunt.  And so Chang'e was left alone while he was hunting when a man broke into the house and tried to force her to give him the elixir.  Chang'e took both portions herself rather than giving them up to the intruder.  Then, Chang'e flew upward past the heavens, choosing the Moon to be her immortal residence as she loved her husband and wished to live near him. When Hou Yi discovered what had happened, he felt responsible for Chang'e, so he displayed the fruits and cakes that his wife had enjoyed, then killed himself.  In other version, Chang'e is a Bodhisattva, like me, I like that one best. 

 

Finally, no matter which gods and goddesses are at your alter when you pray, August is a name that's often associated with strength, wisdom, and leadership.  As such, it's a name that carries a great deal of spiritual importance for those of us with eyes to see; in other words, August is connected to the concept of spiritual growth and development.

 

And finally, on this day in 1942, the Jewish diarist, Anne Frank, made her last entry.  In which she said:

 

"I keep trying to find a way to become what I'd like to be and what I could be if...if only there were no other people in the world."

 

 

~~ Eso Terry