The Moon's Flowerbed

A very important  component of the Arval Garden is surely the Moon's Flowerbed about which it's interesting to provide some detail even in consideration of the current period of the year.

The importance of the Moon's flowerbed results from many factors (very difficult to describe here in detail): one of these is the strict relation between this flowerbed and Diana in her deeper, arcane, iniziation and hermetic meaning. Moreover this flowerbed expresses, in "green terms", all the power of the Feminine Force. The Moon's flowerbed describes the sacred generating and reproductive force: in this flowerbed the generating force of the seeds, the Force of the Nature, giving life and shape to all the being and fruits, are simbolically and directly represented.

The general knowledge of herbs, plants and trees, and their properties, is directly connected to the Moon and to Diana: since the very ancient times, a real "Green Religion", a kind of superior Magic, strictly linked to the cult of Diana and the Moon, was developed.  The main focus of this peculiar religion is the possibility to develop an arcane capability to manage the feminine energy inherent to the green world, plants, herbs, trees which are always feminine beings (like the Ninphae or the Elfs). Therefore, women, but not exclusively, have played a preminent role within this Sacred Feminine Knowledge. The Arval Sisters are thus directly involved in this Science (which in the past was connected to the idea of the witch with the related tragic consequences). The Arval Brothers must give great evidence to their inner feminine force in order to fully enter this Great Sacred Knwoledge.

In this flowerbed the main Lunar Plants, sacred to Diana are placed. These herbs, like the Force of Diana, provide on the one hand  relief, being soporific, relaxing, sedative. On the other hnad they can increase ncontrolled divination capabilities driving one to madness ("lunacy") also provoking nervous umbalances with hallucinations and nightmares (consider also the origin of this term...).

As on the case of the Solar Herbs, the use of the Lunar and night herbs  implies a deep arval knowledge. I recommend the profane people not to try to make experiments with these herbs.

The Lunar Herbs are:

• poppy
• mallow
• althaea
• nimphaea
• jasmine
• lunaria
• iris
• lilium
• fern
• myrrh
• peony
• hyssopus
• melissa

In particular I evidence:

• the nymphaea - it can provoke dreams, visions, nightmares, hallucinations
• the myrrh - it is used to produce sacred oils and fragrances beloved to Gods, Goddesses, Lares, Penates and Manes.
• the Lunaria - it is "the lenitive" by definition, used to regulate menstruation
• the Hyssopus - a purification plant