The Quiet Moon: Pathways to an Ancient Way of Being

Product Information

Coleridge invites us to listen and to think, and think again, about the music of quiet, and the words we use to describe it. Peaceful. Calm. Still. Hush. Dim. Secret. That word “secret” in the very first line of the poem would have suggested quiet to Coleridge’s first readers, since “secret” carried the sense, no longer current, of reticence, of quiet and closeness (keeping something close, keeping it secret). A secret is unsounded. Silent. The frost “performs a secret ministry”. We do not hear the icy patterns forming on the windowpane. Nor do we hear the poem’s first rhyme, between “ministry” and “cry”, it is an eye rhyme, silent. Halloween is an example of a festival occurring around this pivotal time, reflecting the interconnectedness between the Celtic people’s agricultural practices, spiritual beliefs, and communal celebrations. The ancient Celts referred to the September full moon as the Singing Moon, Harvest Moon, or Wine Moon. Singing moon may refer to celtic rituals that included singing, along with other celebrations of the autumn equinox. It is a time to celebrate Mabon and the balance of light and dark. As the Wheel of the Year comes to an end it is also a good time to give thanks for all the blessings in your life. The ancient Celts had a rich tradition of associating the cycles of the moon with specific names and meanings. The Celts also wrote about the moon and stars in their mythology and folklore, as many Celtic stories and legends featured characters who had a close connection with the celestial bodies.

Oswald creates dynamic shifts of scale in other ways too, moving between linguistic registers, from the close domestic familiarity of the candle and its faint whisper, to the exotic names of faraway stars, those stars that rise “and give themselves airs”: Reflecting on listening in her essay ‘The Universe in time of rain makes the world alive with noise’ (2000), Oswald describes it as Nature approaches her peak during a summer of short nights and bright days – a time when the ancient Celts claimed their wives and celebrated Lughnasadh. With the descent into winter comes the sadness of December’s Cold Moon. Trees stand bare and creatures shiver their way to shelter as the Dark Days creep in once more and the cycle restarts. Each chapter title is a traditional Celtic full moon name like the Quiet Moon for January and the Harvest Moon for October. The author delves deep into the etymological origins of the lunar months introducing the reader to the Coligny calendar- the oldest lunisolar calendar made in Roman Gaul perhaps in the second century CE. Physically, the Coligny is a fragmented bronze plaque written in Latin inscriptional capitals and numerals, but the terms are in the Gaulish language. There are twelve lunar months and an intercalary month is inserted before every 2.5 years- titled the Blue Moon in this book’s epilogue.The Celtic Full Moon Names refer to specific names and meanings associated with the full moon in the Celtic tradition, which vary across different Celtic regions and tribes. While modern, digital life is often at odds with nature - rubbing against it rather than working in harmony with it - is there something to be said for embracing this ancient way of being and reconnecting to the moon's natural calendar?*January's Quiet Moon reflects an air of melancholy, illuminating a midwinter of quiet menace; it was the time of the Dark Days for the ancient Celts, when the natural world balanced on a knife edge. The size of the font increases again, and now swans (white) appear, and then a gap in the poem, a pause, white space, creating a sense of quiet suspense as we listen again in anticipation, before the poem shifts into another time. Hadfield plays with white space, indenting lines and adding space between lines instead of conventional punctuation to suggest pauses as well as shifts in sound:

In January, the full moon is known as the Quiet Moon, Wolf Moon, or Cold Moon, depending on the Celtic tribe. This in some ways is incredibly difficult to review. I can’t really put my finger on the exact reason why, but I really liked this book. But, I think it is because he is forging his own philosophy in his local landscape. There are things he writes about that I haven’t contemplated yet and need time to go away and think about them.The sunset in the south-west is impressive, yet the moonrise has brought layers of lavender, rose and saffron that are soft like watercolour and yet dazzle like acrylic. And near the top sits the moon, a neat circle of clotted cream topping a slice of rainbow sponge.

January’s Quiet Moon reflects an air of melancholy, illuminating a midwinter of quiet menace; it was the time of the Dark Days for the ancient Celts, when the natural world balanced on a knife edge. By May, the Bright Moon brings happiness as time slows, mayflies cloud and elderflowers cascade. Nature approaches her peak during a summer of short nights and bright days – this was when the ancient Celts claimed their wives and celebrated Lugnasad. With the descent into winter comes the sadness of December’s Cold Moon. Trees stand bare and creatures shiver their way to shelter as the Dark Days creep in once more and the cycle restarts. In each chapter, we join Parr on his walks in his part of West Dorset. It is partly a history book and partly a natural history book and interwoven with these two main threads is a dusting of folklore, travel, memoir and musings on modern life. At times it feels like a confessional as he opens up about personal matters and other things that have been troubling his mind. As he immerses himself in research about the Celts way of life he realises that there is no clear definition of them and he fills in the gaps in a way that makes sense to him.The Celtic people used the cycles of the moon to guide various aspects of daily life, from planting crops to marking religious ceremonies. For example, January’s full moon is called the Quiet Moon, Wolf Moon, or Cold Moon, while September’s full moon is named the Singing Moon, Harvest Moon, or Wine Moon. Each month’s full moon has names corresponding to particular themes, rituals, or natural events significant to that time of the year. The ancient Celts lived by and worshipped the moon, but modern, digital life is often at odds with nature, rubbing against it rather than working in harmony with it. Is there something to be said for embracing this ancient way of being and reconnecting to the moon’s natural calendar? It is a strange coincidence that I finished reading Kevin Parr’s The Quiet Moon on a New Moon. It made me think of several conversations in recent weeks about the calendar year, alternative calendars, and the concept of time. Austin Kleon wrote about the difference between experiencing time as linear vs. circular. How almanacs and lunar cycles observe the passage of time as the birth and rebirth of seasons, crops, and life itself. Humankind has needed a linear time structure to record and plan events. It is how the world runs. But simultaneously, the pandemic showed us that experience of time is subjective. It waxes and wanes just like the moon despite what the calendar says. I love how Parr describes ‘time’ in the prologue of this book: Celtic Full Moons – FAQ’s What are the Celtic Full Moon Names, and how do they vary across different tribes?

Nature approaches her peak during a summer of short nights and bright days - this was when the ancient Celts claimed their wives and celebrated Lugnasad. On Thursday 13th April we are happy to host an in-store event with author Kevin Parr, who will present his latest book THE QUIET MOON: Pathways to an Ancient Way of Being. The naming of the full moons often corresponded to specific events and celebrations, such as harvest season. The August full moon was known to the ancient Celts as the Grain Moon or the Dispute Moon. August was the time of the first harvest of the year, the Celtic and to celebrate the occasion with feasts and festivals. It was also a time to resolve disputes between neighbors. This tradition of summertime legalese continued well into the 19th Century in different parts of Britain, where August 1st (aka Lughnasadh & Lammas) was a traditional time to collect rent and pay workers. Today the August Full Moon is a time to celebrate all your work and progress during the year, knowing that you are also prepared for the months ahead. J une’s full moon is the Mead Moon or Horse Moon, a time of celebration and abundance. The newlywed couple was believed to drink mead for one full moon cycle to promote health, prosperity, and fertility.September’s full moon is the Singing Moon, Harvest Moon, or Wine Moon. It’s a time to celebrate Mabon and the balance of light and dark and give thanks for all blessings in life.