Michaelmas and the Ace of Wands
Running a day late…
Yesterday, Friday 29 September, the date of the Aries- in- Libra Harvest Moon, was Michaelmas; The Feast of Michael and All Angels. This is a quarter year date in the Church calendar, signifying the end of the harvest.
Harvest Moon, painting by Samuel Palmer, oil on paper 1833. See the field hands gathering by moonlight. This is a community effort. Time is against them now, and they must gather in the harvest while the weather holds fine, or the crops could be ruined.
Michael is the angel of heat and light; a protecting angel, and became associated with harvest time because of the timing of harvest around the autumn/fall equinox, signifying the returning of the darkness of the approaching winter.
The protector needs strength. Love makes us stronger, braver, more resourceful, but love alone is not enough. Whoever is a protector of others must be a warrior; capable of utter determination.
Michael binding Lucifer. Coventry Cathedral: Wiki Commons
It was believed that Michael had his battle royal with Lucifer this time of year, when he flung Lucifer down into the bramble patch. Lucifer was not amused at landing in the brambles- well, scratched to pieces, who would be- and spat all over the blackberries, says the tradition, and this is why blackberries are past their best after Michaelmas, and now it is bad luck to pick them.
In the language of the tarot Michael is the Archangel of the south. His element is fire but, perhaps surprisingly, his colours are blue, especially cobalt blue. Red and gold are associated with Uriel, the angel governing the North and the element of Earth.
His cards are the Ace of Wands, the 8, 9, 10 of Wands and- arguably- he is the angel depicted in the Temperance card, which although watery in its imagery, represents the mutable fire of Sagittarius.
Nothing is mightier than the virtue of Temperance, meaning the power of right timing and self control. The ability to watch and wait, to tolerate fear, discomfort, deprivation or even simple boredom. The ability to defer…to refrain…and to persist.
The power of Moderation is the power of both the Healer AND the Hunter. It is not to be confused with meekness, though often it is.
Michael is- arguably- either or also the angel represented in the Judgement card, but there are other angel candidates for this card including Israfil, traditionally regarded as the angel who blows the trumpet on the Day of Resurrection.
The asterism of Sagittarius, depicted below as “The Teapot” is almost part of the Milky Way as seen from Earth, and for this reason was seen by the NeoPlatonists as the bridge of the souls of the dying as they ascended back to the source of their beginnings through the stars of the constellation next door, Capricorn, the gate of the winter solstice, and the “Gate of the Gods.”
Source of image not identified via Google Search. Please advise and I will happy to attribute.
Sagittarius is a psychopomp, meaning one who can go between the underworld and other worlds. Michael, together with Uriel, the archangel of the North, offers safe escort to the souls of the dead as they make their journey back to their first and last home in the stars.
"Lord, give me the courage to face and conquer my fears. Give me strength of body to protect others and strength of spirit to lead them."
There is a reason so many police uniforms are blue. Warrior angel Michael, the enforcer of God’s Law, is the patron saint of police forces and soldiers the world over.
Thank you for reading.
Back again soon with more stories from the Tarot, astrology and mythology at work in the real world.