What Touches My Heart?

Hi, I’m Judith Ashley, author of The Sacred Women’s Circle series, romantic women’s fiction that honors pagan spiritual practices that nourish the soul. My stories show you what life could be like if you had a place like The Circle where you are unconditionally accepted, supported and loved. And where you do overcome obstacles and find your happily-ever-after.

What touches my heart? Many things.

The beloved faces of friends and family.

The exited greetings from my great grandchildren.

The characters in my books who show up in dreams and visions until I write their stories down.

The unconditional support I receive within my circle of writer friends, especially my #FTB, Windtree Press writing buddies and the Genre-istas.

A smile automatically pops up and my heart lightens when I see babies, dogs and kittens. There is something about their exuberance, their joy as they interact with the world that resonates in my heart.

In addition to the above list, the wonders, the glories I see around me in the natural world gladden my heart, bring a sense of wonder even after more than seven decades of bearing witness.

As I write this second draft of this blog post which you will be reading in less than 24 hours, I have a light on as it is still dark outside. However, as I shuffled into my office, hot cup of tea in hand, I caught a glimpse of Grandmother Moon…just a sliver. I put my tea down and turned off the light.

Standing and watching that sliver of light, the world, my world anyway, righted itself. Tension I was holding in my body eased. Scrambling thoughts running through my brain stopped. In that quiet time of only a few minutes, peace settled over me.

Even though I’ll go through my day with only five hours of sleep, I’ll manage better because of the moments I shared with Grandmother Moon.

Where in the natural world do you find peace?

Learn more about Judith's The Sacred Women’s Circle series at JudithAshleyRomance.com

Follow Judith on Twitter: JudithAshley19

Check out Judith’s Windtree Press author page.

You can also find Judith on FB! 

© 2019 Judith Ashley

Grandmother Moon

    By Diana McCollum

      I’ve always had a fascination for the Moon. On a full moon, I like to sit on the deck and bathe in the moonlight. Surely the energy from the moon is good for us.  It changes the tides so it is a strong energy. Cavemen drew pictures of the moon on cave walls.  Native Americans have ceremonies only performed during the full moon.  The moon is embedded in their culture. Farmers know to plant and that crops grow faster during a full moon.  women have honored the moon through out the ages.

National Geographic picture

     The moon touches all our lives.

     When I lived in Michigan on a clear winter’s night when the moon was full I’d don my snow boots, mittens and parka, and go for a walk in the moonlight.  It was like fairy light. I could see deep into the woods with no flashlight at all. My kids enjoyed a walk in the snow at night, but most times the Michigan winter was too cold for them and I’d walk by myself. Alone, but not alone because the moon was hanging in the night sky and watched over me.

     Lakes, Oceans and rivers look magical with the moon reflecting  and dancing on the waters. That is why we chose a moon for on the cover of Love & Magick.

     I read Judith Ashley’s story “Grandmother Moon”, published in the anthology “Love & Magick” and I could relate to the excitement Emaline felt waiting for the rise of Grandmother Moon. While I have paid homage to the moon by admiring and enjoying the night filled with moonlight,  Emaline or Em pays homage by drumming.

     This excerpt is part way through the story. Em has bought and moved to a ranch in Fairbault, OR. This is the first full moon since she has moved in.

     For your enjoyment here is a passage from Judith’s story, “Grandmother Moon”.

# # #

                Em shrugged off the blanket and stretched.  Rising, she crossed the room, picked up her horsehide drum, and waited for the moment the moon came into view. Curbing her eagerness to see the full moon for the first time from this house, she radiated expectancy in her stillness. In the city Grandmother Moon’s light is dimmed. Here I can feel the strength of her light.

There She was! Full, bright, shimmering pale yellow ringed with a silvery circle. She started a slow beat mesmerized as the orb crossed the pane. As the moon slipped out of sight, Em increased the beat and moved outside to her deck where she stood, head up and shoulders back. The thrumming of the drum beat reverberated down her spine, through her legs, into her feet and on downward—through the wood of the decking and into the ground. I am so blessed to live in this house, on this land, in this country; so blessed to have the space to drum outside without bothering my neighbors; so blessed to release my feelings in this primal way.

Em held her drum high so it covered the moon and continued to strike the hide, seeing the light of the moon seep around the edges. Standing tall, she continued to drum. The light from Grandmother Moon flowed around her, encasing her in its muted glow as the round orb traced an ancient path across the starlit sky.

# # #

 Thanks for writing this beautiful passage, Judith. 

Do you enjoy going out on a full moon?  Do you howl at the moon? Have you ever Mooned over someone or something? Do you have any Moon memories, myths or anything else to share?