Cosmic Journal #028
slaying dragons
I FEEL the budding of a distant power
that in pouring existence into me
is even so evolving hour by hour
a kernel ripened comes to be
as imagination weaves a light-filled bower
I await a glimpse of selfhood’s power.
Liturgy of the Year, Week 21, translation by Max Leyf
Hello again friends,
In some small ways it already feels like the Summer season is starting to come to a close even though I can consciously remind myself that there is still a solid month of outdoor growing in most regions before the first frosts arrive. The plants that we dreamt about months ago are now reaching adulthood this year, many of which have already been harvested and transformed Spiritually and materially once again into meals at our table or stashed away for later nourishment and enjoyment. As we approach September, which our journal will take us into today, we as active participants continue to prepare our gardens for the Fall, planting cover crops, annuals that withstand overwintering and new perennials that will join us in our lives next year. While we work in the upcoming month, we will also dry, sort and save seeds for next year’s plantings, plants that have freely adapted to our farms, under the guidance of the stars above and in union with the Love we have put into caring for them.
I hope that the next two weeks of celestial movement interpretations serve as a guide as we each, individually, apply our own Will forces to the care of the land we live on, the animals we tend to and the plants we incorporate into our lives. As always, these notes are based on the Sidereal Zodiac and the current Lunar and Planetary positions for those living in the Northern Hemisphere - times are given in EST. Please experiment on your own, take notes and adjust these recommendations based on the needs of your unique farm and climate conditions - and then let us know what happens!!
Using a Biodynamic calendar to tune into the astral world, we see that the Moon is currently ascending relative to our Southern horizon. This upward lift helps to pull sap, water and other Life forces up into aerial plant parts, making now through Tuesday the 27th a great time to harvest fruits, flowers and seeds. This period of levity also stimulates seed germination helping us to prepare for the late part of the growing season that still lies ahead, often called the ‘shoulder season’ which is economically essential for many small farmers.
Looking at the cosmic conditions for today, Monday, August 19th the Moon is in the Earth sign of Capricorn, encouraging us this morning to seed out root vegetables, cultivate beds and check in on compost piles.
At 2pm the Moon transitions into the Air sign of Aquarius shifting our focus and care to the Summer flowers that may be exploding out of every corner of the garden. An extra blessing of Cosmic Light shines upon us today as the Moon reaches its Full position, further casting positive energy upon our crops while providing each of us with a chance to illuminate aspects of our own life needing attention.
Taking a closer look at our Biodynamic calendars as we move into Tuesday, August 20th, the Moon will remain in Aquarius although we can see that the later part of the day is Grayed out. Similar to what happened last month, the Moon reaches Perigee during the night tonight/tomorrow morning. Because of the close proximity of the Moon to Earth and its strong influence on plants, we can refrain from work in our gardens in the afternoon to avoid unneeded stress on our crops.
On Wednesday, August 21st the effects of Perigee diminish through the morning and at 6am the Moon moves into the Water sign of Pisces. Throughout the day today, as well as tomorrow, Thursday, August 22nd and Friday, August 23rd, tend to leafy vegetables and irrigation systems feeling into the elemental influence of Water and the ether of Tone. Allow yourself to be the connection between Heaven and Earth as you work with each plant in the garden today, acknowledging the fluidity of evolution while giving thanks for being able to witness and participate in the current beauty of this world.
At 8pm on Friday, the Moon transitions from Pisces into the constellation of Aries where it will remain until midday on Sunday.
With the Moon in the Fire sign of Aries on Saturday, August 24th, we care for our fruiting plants, taking time to harvest ripe Summer berries, stone fruits and early ripening apples. Soak up moments of sunlight, taking moments away from work to enjoy the fullness of the season. What do you hear, smell and sense? Letting your mind chatter quiet down, how do you feel in your Heart space? Let this all radiate within yourself and carry this with you as you move through the weekend.
Continue to focus on fruiting plants in the morning on Sunday, August 25th while the Moon remains in Aries. After lunch, the Moon transitions into the constellation of Taurus at 1pm and our Biodynamic planting cycle returns back to the Earth and its soil.
On Sunday, Monday or Tuesday stir and spray BD 500 Horn Manure, the Pfeiffer Field Spray or Barrel Compost in the early evening, especially before land cultivation, giving thanks to the Mineral Kingdom for the Life support they give us here on Earth.
Cultivate garden beds, transplant all types of crops, direct seed root plants and continue to build relations with the soil Life on Monday, August 26th and Tuesday, August 27th while the Moon remains in Taurus.
As the sky begins to glow on Wednesday, August 28th the Moon moves into the constellation of Gemini, bringing forth the impulses of Light and Air to our day. In recognition of this, we offer a mix of Horn Silica BD 501 and BD 508 Equisetum tea in the early morning before Sunrise to help plants with photosynthesis and disease resistance while asking for Spiritual ripeness to mature in all of our foods. Our article When Should I Spray Biodynamic Preparations is a great resource to check out for more information and all of our Biodynamic preparations are available online at JPIBiodynamics.org
After our spray on Wednesday, the Moon reaches its highest point along its path, beginning to then descend at 7am. This morning as the Transplanting Time begins, we can reflect back on the last two weeks and the upward pull that has occurred, beginning to rhythmically shift again as we work through the second half of the Zodiac as the Moon descends.
The power of Gemini continues through Thursday, August 29th influencing us to work alongside flowering plants, harvesting aerial parts for medicine and collecting summer bouquets for dry hanging. In the morning we are further blessed by a Root Trine, making today a great opportunity to transplant seedlings and tend to the soil as well.
On Friday, August 30th the Moon moves from Gemini into Cancer at 9am where it will remain through Saturday, August 31st. This mercurial Water sign presents us with the invitation to tune into the symphony of the garden itself, allowing a borderless relationship within and without of yourself to bloom. Transplant leafy greens, harvest low growing vegetables and enjoy the Summer monsoons that gift the land with natural rain, nitrogen, electricity and so much more.
As we enter into September on Sunday the 1st, the Moon also transitions into Leo at 2am. Over the next three days, tend to fruit trees and berry trellises, cleaning up and tending to fallen fruits and overgrown areas. Above you, some fruits remain hanging, continuing to become ever more Spiritually ripe, reminding us of the varied processes of plant development and the seasonal cycles we too experience.
Over the next month as Fall begins to visit us again, we can continue to celebrate the success of Summer growing while transitioning gardens for cooler weather. Each day we can tune in and apply the Wisdom given to us by the stars and astral world, taking the time we can to build deeper relationships with ourselves and those that share space with us.
THANK YOU for joining us here at the Josephine Porter Institute for Applied Biodynamics as we explore ongoing cosmic conditions and celestial rhythms, and their direct impacts on our farming decisions.
The Maria Thun 2024 Biodynamic Almanac and the Stella Natura Biodynamic Calendar are currently in stock online at JPIBiodynamics.org and may serve as helpful tools in developing a relationship with the astral world.
Blessings to You - Russell
What’s Happening
Perennial Roots Farm (PRF) in Accomac, Virginia, will be hosting a fall workshop during JPI’s transitional stage. PRF has hosted many workshops in collaboration with FHCASA (Future Harvest Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture), the Chesapeake Biodynamic Network, Virginia State University (VSU), University of Eastern Shore Maryland (UMES), as well as in conjunction with JPI, among others. PRF has been making biodynamic preparations and burying hundreds of horns on their farm for well over a decade now. They keep their own horned cattle and supply their own manure. PRF will be donating all their manure, time, and energy to this event to produce preparations for JPI to sell.
of Perennial Roots Farm writes her own Substack, where she shares photos from the farm, writes about nature, animals, and life out in the elements. She also shares her favorite authors, poets, and reflections — as well as sumptuous seasonal recipes made from fresh ingredients that she grows on the farm. Those of you attending our workshop will appreciate getting to know Natalie a bit more, if you don’t already follow her writing. of Perennial Roots Farm is Natalie’s other side. He writes on esoteric themes, biodynamics (obviously) and is a seemingly endless stream of inspiration. Those who do not yet follow his other personal musings, might consider them as well.
Perennial Roots Farm (PRF) is a small operation, so ticket availability is limited. Sign up early to guarantee your spot. As PRF will not be making a profit off this event, for those who cannot attend but nonetheless wish to support the biodynamic work, we welcome contributions as tickets. These help significantly towards scholarships and reducing overhead costs. Tickets are sold on a sliding scale.
Sponsors of PRF:
 | A guest post by
|
 | A guest post by
|
 | A guest post by
|
Thank you, as always! ✨🙏✨