Day: August 1, 2015
Prayer to Lugh
Prayer to Lugh
Great Lugh!
Master of artisans,
leader of craftsmen,
patron of smiths,
I call upon you and honor you this day.
You of the many skills and talents,
I ask you to shine upon me and
bless me with your gifts.
Give me strength in skill,
make my hands and mind deft,
shine light upon my talents.
O mighty Lugh,
I thank you for your blessings.
So Mote It Be
Lammas’ Extras
Lammas’ Extras
Lughnasadh Incense
Recipe by Scott Cunningham
2 parts Frankincense
1 part Heather
1 part Apple blossoms
1 pinch Blackberry leaves
a few drops Ambergris oil
Burn Lughnasadh Incense during Wiccan rituals on August 1st or 2nd, or at that time to attune with the coming harvest.
(The above recipe for “Lughnasadh Incense” is quoted directly from Scott Cunningham’s book “The Complete Book of Incenses, Oils & Brews”, page 76, Llewellyn Publications, 1989/1992)
Lughnassadh Oil
Put in soap or annoint candles
5 drops frankincense
5 drops rose
5 drops yarrow
Add a piece of wheat and a blackberry leaf with a cat’s-eye, citrine, and moss agate crystals. Very soothing.
Lammas Ritual Potpourri
Recipe by Gerina Dunwich
20 drops clove bud oil
25 drops sandalwood oil
1 cup oak moss
2 cups dried pink rosebuds
2 cups dried red peony petals
1 cup dried amaranth flowers
1 cup dried heather flowers
Mix the clove bud and sandalwood oils with the oak moss and then add the remaining ingredients. Stir the potpourri well and store in a tightly covered ceramic or glass container.
(The above recipe for “Lammas Ritual Potpourri” is quoted directly from Gerina Dunwich’s book “The Wicca Spellbook: A Witch’s Collection of Wiccan Spells, Potions and Recipes”, page 163, A Citadel Press Book, Carol Publishing Group, 1994/1995)
Lammas Potpourri
20 drops clove bud oil
23 drops sandalwood oil
1 cup oak moss
2 cups dried pink rosebuds
2 cups dried red peony petals
1 cup dried amaranth flowers
1 cup dried heather flowers
½ cup dried cornflowers.
Mix the clove bud and sandalwood oils with the oak moss and then add the remaining
ingredients. Stir the potpourri well and store in a tightly covered ceramic or glass container.
The Legend of John Barleycorn
The Legend of John Barleycorn
John Barleycorn is a character who symbolizes not only the harvest, but the products made from it as well.
In English folklore, John Barleycorn is a character who represents the crop of barley harvested each autumn. Equally as important, he symbolizes the wonderful drinks which can be made from barley — beer and whiskey — and their effects. In the traditional folksong, John Barleycorn, the character of John Barleycorn endures all kinds of indignities, most of which correspond to the cyclic nature of planting, growing, harvesting, and then death.
Although written versions of the song date back to the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, there is evidence that it was sung for years before that. There are a number of different versions, but the most well-known one is the Robert Burns version, in which John Barleycorn is portrayed as an almost Christ-like figure, suffering greatly before finally dying so that others may live.
In The Golden Bough, Sir James Frazer cites John Barleycorn as proof that there was once a Pagan cult in England that worshipped a god of vegetation, who was sacrificed in order to bring fertility to the fields. This ties into the related story of the Wicker Man, who is burned in effigy. Ultimately, the character of John Barleycorn is a metaphor for the spirit of grain, grown healthy and hale during the summer, chopped down and slaughtered in his prime, and then processed into beer and whiskey so he can live once more.
The lyrics to the Robert Burns version of the song are as follows:
There was three kings into the east,
three kings both great and high,
and they hae sworn a solemn oath
John Barleycorn must die.
They took a plough and plough’d him down,
put clods upon his head,
and they hae sworn a solemn oath
John Barleycorn was dead.
But the cheerful Spring came kindly on’
and show’rs began to fall.
John Barleycorn got up again,
and sore surprised them all.
The sultry suns of Summer came,
and he grew thick and strong;
his head well arm’d wi’ pointed spears,
that no one should him wrong.
The sober Autumn enter’d mild,
when he grew wan and pale;
his bendin’ joints and drooping head
show’d he began to fail.
His colour sicken’d more and more,
and he faded into age;
and then his enemies began
to show their deadly rage.
They took a weapon, long and sharp,
and cut him by the knee;
they ty’d him fast upon a cart,
like a rogue for forgerie.
They laid him down upon his back,
and cudgell’d him full sore.
they hung him up before the storm,
and turn’d him o’er and o’er.
They filled up a darksome pit
with water to the brim,
they heav’d in John Barleycorn.
There, let him sink or swim!
They laid him upon the floor,
to work him farther woe;
and still, as signs of life appear’d,
they toss’d him to and fro.
They wasted o’er a scorching flame
the marrow of his bones;
but a miller us’d him worst of all,
for he crush’d him between two stones.
And they hae taen his very hero blood
and drank it round and round;
and still the more and more they drank,
their joy did more abound.
John Barleycorn was a hero bold,
of noble enterprise;
for if you do but taste his blood,
’twill make your courage rise.
‘Twill make a man forget his woe;
’twill heighten all his joy;
’twill make the widow’s heart to sing,
tho the tear were in her eye.
Then let us toast John Barleycorn,
each man a glass in hand;
and may his great posterity
ne’er fail in old Scotland!
Source:
By Patti Wigington
Article found on & owned by About.com
Lughnasadh
Lughnasadh
The Celtic harvest festival on August 1st takes its name from the Irish god Lugh, one of the chief gods of the Tuatha De Danann, giving us Lughnasadh in Ireland, Lunasdál in Scotland, and Laa Luanys in the Isle of Man. (In Wales, this time is known simply as Gwl Awst, the August Feast.)
Lugh dedicated this festival to his foster-mother, Tailtiu, the last queen of the Fir Bolg, who died from exhaustion after clearing a great forest so that the land could be cultivated. When the men of Ireland gathered at her death-bed, she told them to hold funeral games in her honor. As long as they were held, she prophesied Ireland would not be without song. Tailtiu’s name is from Old Celtic Talantiu, “The Great One of the Earth,” suggesting she may originally have been a personification of the land itself, like so many Irish goddesses. In fact, Lughnasadh has an older name, Brón Trogain, which refers to the painful labor of childbirth. For at this time of year, the earth gives birth to her first fruits so that her children might live.
Tailtiu gives her name to Teltown in County Meath, where the festival was traditionally held in early Ireland. It evolved into a great tribal assembly, attended by the High King, where legal agreements were made, political problems discussed, and huge sporting contests were held on the scale of an early Olympic Games. Artists and entertainers displayed their talents, traders came from far and wide to sell food, farm animals, fine crafts and clothing, and there was much storytelling, music, and high-spirited revelry, according to a medieval eye-witness account:
“Trumpets, harps, hollow-throated horns, pipers, timpanists, unwearied…fiddlers, gleemen, bone-players and bag-pipers, a rude crowd, noisy, profane, roaring and shouting.”
This was also an occasion for handfasting, or trial marriages. Young men and women lined up on either side of a wooden gate in a high wall, in which a hole was carved, large enough for a hand. One by one, girl and boy would grasp a hand in the hole, without being able to see who was on the other side. They were now married, and could live together for year and day to see if it worked out. If not, the couple returned to next year’s gathering and officially separated by standing back to back and walking away from each other.
Throughout the centuries, the grandeur of Teltown dwindled away, but all over Ireland, right up to the middle of this century, country-people have celebrated the harvest at revels, wakes, and fairs – and some still continue today in the liveliest manner. It was usually celebrated on the nearest Sunday to August 1st, so that a whole day could be set aside from work. In later times, the festival of Lughnasadh was christianized as Lammas, from the Anglo-Saxon, hlaf-mas, “Loaf-Mass,” but in rural areas, it was often remembered as “Bilberry Sunday,” for this was the day to climb the nearest “Lughnasadh Hill” and gather the earth’s freely-given gifts of the little black berries, which they might wear as special garlands or gather in baskets to take home for jam.
As of old, people sang and danced jigs and reels to the music of melodeons, fiddles and flutes, and held uproarious sporting contests and races. In some places, a woman-or an effigy of one-was crowned with summer flowers and seated on a throne, with garlands strewn at her feet. Dancers whirled around her, touching her garlands or pulling off a ribbon for good luck. In this way, perhaps, the ancient goddess of the harvest was still remembered with honor.
History of Lammas
History of Lammas
| Colors: Gray, green, gold, yellow Symbols: All grains, breads, threshing tools, athame Date: Occurs 1/4 of a year after Beltaine. True astrological point is 15 degrees Leo, but tradition has set August 1st as the day it is typically celebrated. Since the Ancients Celts passed their days from sundown to sundown, the celebration would usually begin the night before on July 31st.The turning of the wheel now brings us to Lughnasadh (LOO-nus-uh), also known by its medieval Christian name of Lammas, named in honor of the Celtic god Lugh, a name which means “light” or “shining.” Although somewhat confusing, we are not celebrating the death of Lugh (the God of light does not mythically die until the autumn equinox), but rather the funeral games that Lugh hosted to commemorate the death of his foster mother, Taillte. In Ireland, Lugnasadh is often called the “Tailltean Games”. A common feature of the games were the “Tailltean marriages”, rather informal and lasting only a year and a day or until next Lammas, at which time the couple would decide to continue the arrangement or stand back to back and walk away, thereby dissolving the marriage. The parish priest was not bothered to perform these trial marriages, they were usually performed by a poet, bard, priest or priestess of the Old Religion, or shanachie, and were very common into the 1500’s. It is from this custom that our present-day Handfastings must come. According to one of his many legends, Lugh was the last great leader of the Tuatha de Dannan. In one of the Tuatha’s victories, Lugh spared the life of Bres, a defeated enemy captain, in exchange for advice on ploughing, sowing, and reaping. He was seen as a multi-talented deity, being capable and quite good at all he undertook. The myths of Lugh include the prevalence of his many skills and the wedding of these skills to the potential or unrealized abundance of the land. According to the writing of Caesar, he was also regarded as the patron of all the arts, traveling, and influence in money and commerce. To the Romans, Lugh was seen as a counterpart to Mercury. Lugh is the son of Arianrhod, who is associated with sacred kingship and Three-fold Death. His wife’s name is Blodeuwedd, also known as the Flower Maiden. Lughnasadh is the first of the three harvest Sabbats, Mabon and Samhain being the other two, which celebrates the ripening grains and corn. With the harvest so prevalent, Pagans see the theme of the sacrificed god motif emerge. His death is necessary for rebirth of the land to take place. Called by many names, “Green Man,” “Wicker Man,” “Corn Man” or just the “Spirit of Vegetation,” his essence begins to merge with the harvested crops, a sacrifice that will be realized with the new growth in the spring. In old times, it was the duty of the King to sacrifice himself for the land, an idea that has been seen in the many legends of cultures both new and old, throughout recorded history. The gathering of the first crops of the year is also used to symbolize the success and extent of the power raised from the Beltane rites when the Sacred Marriage of the Lord and Lady took place. The theme of sexuality and reproduction is carried over into Lughnasadh as well to ensure the remainder of a good harvest. This sabbat is also known as the celebration of bread. As bread was one of the main staples of our ancestors, the ripening of the grain was the cause for great celebration. The reaping, threshing and preparation of these breads spawned great ritual and ceremony to ensure bounty for the following year. This time of the year finds us with fields to harvest, the first of a bountiful crop that will hold us through the winter months. Even though the hottest days of summer are upon us, we have but to observe to see that fall is just around the corner. Shadows are growing longer as the days slowly become shorter. Squirrels are busily gathering food for the coming winter. It is a time to begin canning produce from the garden, a time to save and preserve. Some ideas for celebration include:
And so the wheel turns….. |
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Coming of Lammas
Coming of Lammas
Hear the call of the rooster in the early morning haze, another day of heat and humidity. The corn silently ripens in the field as the crows gather to claim their share. The scent of fresh ripe tomatoes fills the air in the kitchen. The clean mason jars, brought from storage, washed and ready to receive the bounty of field and garden glisten in rays of the morning Sun that pierces the veil of mist.
In the cool of the cellar are the crockery jars, ready for the pickling of cucumbers and cabbages the bins have been cleaned to receive their full compliment of the first harvest of potatoes, onions, cabbages and carrots. As July passes, we remember the flag, thirteen pentagrams in a circle, one for each English Colony that made up a young nation; or one for each lunar month in a year and now, of course, it could be one for each witch in a coven. The red and white stripes are like the streamers on a May Pole.
Americans, American witchcraft and American Wicca are totally unique, nothing quite like either has ever been seen before, even in this great, new land of ours.
The American nation, founded for the purpose of religious freedom is the home of the greatest revival of ancient practices in the world. The Neo-Pagan religions are growing by leaps and bounds and as American Witches we have the best the two worlds, both old and new have to offer.
A very few are born into the tiny pockets of hereditary witchcraft that seem to be still scattered about the world, the rest of us, we the chosen children, must make our own new traditions, claiming as our own, gathering bits and pieces from around the world. Who is brave enough to deny us this right, remembering the God and Goddess themselves have called us to the fold and made us their own?
We are a people, we are the children of the Gods, they have made it so. Our task is to reclaim the good, the useful, the ancient ways from the wreckage of the past.
Lammas or first harvest is a bountiful and wondrously full time of year, what traditions are each of you celebrating during this time? If you have a tradition that is too secret to share, keep it to yourself, this is an echo for caring and sharing. Those of us who are the Goddess’s chosen children, those of us who answered the call of Herne the Hunter in whatever form, here we can learn and develop our own new and uniquely American Traditions based upon the Ancient Ways; with a flavoring of the new for sauce….
Celebrating the first harvest with American Corn Dollys, pumpkin pie and jack-o-lanterns, bobbing for Washington apples, hard and soft cider, homemade bread, hand shucked popcorn, ice-cream, made at home like our grandmother’s did….
Rites and rituals, burning of last winter’s candles….
Ritually washing with handmade soap made from the finest tallow…
Cologne and rosewater, made from the bounty of our gardens or from the corner farmers market…
Reclaiming the ancient ways… in our hearts and minds, in our homes, in our rituals, looking to the Gods themselves for guidance…
Lughnassadh or Lammas
Lughnassadh or Lammas
Lughnassadh (pronounced “LOO-nahs-ah”) or Lammas, is one of the Greater Wiccan Sabbats and is usually celebrated on August 1st or 2nd, although occasionally on July 31st. The Celtic festival held in honor of the Sun God Lugh (pronounced “Loo”) is traditionally held on August 7th. Some Pagans celebrate this holiday on the first Full Moon in Leo. Other names for this sabbath include the First Harvest Festival, the sabbath of First Fruits, August Eve, Lammastide, Harvest Home, Ceresalia (Ancient Roman in honor of the Grain Goddess Ceres), Feast of Bread, sabbath of First Fruits, Festival of Green Corn (Native American), Feast of Cardenas, Cornucopia (Strega), Thingtide and Elembiuos. Lughnassadh is named for the Irish Sun God Lugh (pronounced Loo), and variant spellings for the holiday are Lughnasadh, Lughnasad, Lughnassad, Lughnasa or Lunasa. The most commonly used name for this sabbath is Lammas, an Anglo-Saxon word meaning “loaf-mass”.
The Lughnassadh sabbath is a time to celebrate the first of three harvest celebrations in the Craft. It marks the middle of Summer represents the start of the harvest cycle and relies on the early crops of ripening grain, and also any fruits and vegetables that are ready to be harvested. It is therefore greatly associated with bread as grain is one of the first crops to be harvested. Wiccans give thanks and honor to all Gods and Goddesses of the Harvest, as well as those who represent Death and Resurrection.
This is a time when the God mysteriously begins to weaken as the Sun rises farther in the South, each day grows shorter and the nights grow longer. The Goddess watches in sorrow as She realizes that the God is dying, and yet lives on inside Her as Her child. It is in the Celtic tradition that the Goddess, in her guise as the Queen of Abundance, is honored as the new mother who has given birth to the bounty; and the God is honored as the God of Prosperity.
“Lammas Night”
Author Unknown
I stood before my altar at Lammastide, and asked the Lord and Lady to be my guides…
“Please show to me a vision that I may see… what sacrifice is worthy to give to Thee.”
They showed to me an apple without a core… They showed to me a dwelling without a door… They showed to me a palace where They may be, and unlock it without a key…
How can there be an apple without a core? How can there be a dwelling without a door? How can there be a palace where They may be, and They may unlock it without a key?
…My spirit is an apple without a core… …My mind is a dwelling without a door… My heart is a palace where They may be, and unlock it without a key…
I stood before my altar on Lammas night… and gave my Lord and Lady bright… the sacrifice They asked for – with spirit free… Upon that Lammas evening, I gave Them me…
Blessed Be…
Now Is The Time of the First Harvest
“Now is the time of the First Harvest,
when bounties of nature give of themselves
so that we may survive.
O God of the ripening fields, Lord of the Grain,
grant me the understanding of sacrifice as you
prepare to deliver yourself under the sickle of the
goddess and journey to the lands of eternal summer.
O Goddess of the Dark Moon,
teach me the secrets of rebirth
as the Sun loses its strength and the nights grow cold.
I partake of the first harvest, mixing its energies
with mine that I may continue my quest for the starry
wisdom of perfection.
O Lady of the Moon and Lord of the Sun,
gracious ones before Whom the stars halt their courses,
I offer my thanks for the continuing fertility of the Earth.
May the nodding grain loose its seeds to be buried in
the Mothers breast, ensuring rebirth in the warmth
of the coming Spring.”
– Scott Cunningham, Lammas Ritual
Your Daily Witches Rune for August 1 is The Eye
Today’s Witches Rune
The Eye
Meaning: The eye has always been a powerful symbol for different cultures. Some believe that the soul resides in them, while others think it’s possible to curse a person merely by looking at them. Through our eyes we connect and express emotions and thoughts. Thus, this is one of the most powerful runes in the set, emphasizing the importance of any rune close to it. The Eye symbol is also related to “vision” is all senses, including the physical. This rune can represent our eyes and optic nerves. It can also represent activities such as research, analysis, photography and creative visualization. When it appears, there’s an urge to observe, to explore, to understand deeply what is before you. This rune is usually related to sudden realizations. Not necessarily a ‘shock’ (unless some violent rune is close it, like the Scythe and the Man), but more related to the lifting of veils. Your eyes are suddenly open, and you see things that were unknown to you before. A change of perception and focus in life is to be expected when this rune appears… whatever the situation is, the way you see it will be transformed. The Eye rune also says that now it’s time for you to go after what you want. Your focus is powerful right now, and everything you concentrate on can become successful.
This rune often represents a lonely journey towards a goal… it suggests a calling and a connection to something bigger, a sense of purpose. Your path is clear to you now; you know which way to go, even if you don’t know where exactly it’ll take you. In a spiritual level, This rune can represent a development of one’s psychic skills, or an advancement in one’s spiritual path. As you connect yourself to a deeper source, and learn to trust, you gain wisdom and your eyes see far. A higher power seems to be guiding you in times when the Eye appears. Like the Sun rune, this rune can mean that right now all eyes are on you. But unlike the former symbol, when the Eye appears there’s some discomfort related to such attention. It may be excessive and even unwelcome. In fact, this is one of this rune’s most negative facets: it may show an invasion of privacy, when someone (or even you) pry into another’s life and scrutinize their every move. Beware of flatterers and stalkers. The Eye cautions against obsession and the tendency to spy on other people’s affairs. In a relationship reading, the Eye can symbolize a predestined bond to another person.
Note that this does not promise a happy ending, but simply says that this connection is powerful and will be very important in your life. In fact, because the Eye rune is a solitary one, it is possible that the people in the relationship cannot be together due to difficult circumstances. Still, your bond that person will transform you. In a negative way, this rune can cautions against invading your partner’s personal space or stalking them.
Additional information about Today’s Witches Rune courtesy of Your Spiritual Journey Australia
Your Daily I Ching Hexagram for August 1 is 43: Determination
Hexagram of the Day
43: Determination
August 1, 2015
Personal resolution points to a breakthrough, but decisive action is required. As long as you diligently hold your ground and ward off negative tendencies and influences, the good will prevail.
The persistence of negativity, which is that which opposes the good, is a constant in human affairs. Just when it is thought to have been eradicated, up it will pop again, sprouting through some crack in the pavement of civilized society. Evil need not take dramatic or extravagant forms, such as those exhibited in Nazi Germany. Garden-variety lies and deceit are much more common and persistent, but should be rooted out just as diligently. One must be determined to not accidentally feed negativity — either in one’s social or professional life, or in one’s own soul. In either case, definite rules must be followed for the struggle to succeed.
The first rule: do not compromise with evil. Destructive or exploitive actions must be identified openly for what they are, and discredited. The second: one cannot successfully resist negativity on its own terms. New, positive alternatives that lead away from the source of the problem are generally more successful, and appropriate than trying to counter negativity with raw power. The third rule: the means used to counter negativity must be consistent with the end to be achieved. One cannot stop the spreading of lies by spreading more of them.
@Tarot.com is A Daily Insight Group Site
Your Daily Rune for August 1st is Mannaz
Your Rune for Today
August 1, 2015
Mannaz
Additional information about today’s rune, Mannaz….
mannaz : man, humankind
Phonetic equivalent: m
- DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
- significator, self, family, community, relationships, social concerns
- MAGICAL USES:
- to represent a specific person or group of people; to establish social relationships
- ASSOCIATED MYTHS & DEITIES:
- Ask and Embla, Midgard
- ANALYSIS:
- In its broadest sense, mannaz represents all of humanity, and therefore the entire realm of Midgard. In more practical terms, though, it is those with whom we have personal connections, from our immediate circle of family and friends to the wider community around us, reminding us of our nature as social animals. It also represents our connection with the Gods and with nature, through the two Norse myths of the creation of humans; the first where they sprang from Ymir’s body, and the second in which they were created from two logs by a river. It takes the raw energy of ehwaz and controls it through our social conscience, reminding us of those we affect with our deeds both magical and mundane.
The rune itself resembles gebo with its joining of masculine and feminine elements, but is much more complete. It is the entire web of human relationships, with the self at the centre, which mirrors the web of fate explored through rai̡o. But while that web was more or less fixed, this one is mutable and alive. Past and present, male and female, self and other Рall opposites are joined here and made whole. Mannaz is our home, and speaks for all those whose lives we touch when we use the gifts we have been given through the runes
Your Daily Tarot Card for Aug. 1, Lammas is The Hierophant
Your Personal Daily Tarot Card
The Hierophant
The Hierophant represents the protector of a culture’s heritage and traditions. His purpose is to defend and teach the established ways and beliefs a group embraces. He is inherently conventional and a true believer in the power of the group. He loves the structure of the group and its values. It is the task of The Hierophant to bring new members into the group—to prepare the uninitiated to take their rightful place in his culture. In this sense he is very much like a teacher or a priest. He also acts as the repository of his group’s history. The Hierophant is certainly not one to buck proper authority. However, he is a staunch and worthy defender of the tried and true. He represents the positive aspects of tradition and conformity.
Celebrating the Seasons of Life
“The grain to harvest’s cutting falls
to make the bread for banquet halls.
We’ll save some seeds where life’s waiting,
and plant a new field come next Spring.
We shared the work we needed to do,
and now we’ll share the eating too!
Thank you, fruit, and thank you bread,
for making sure that we are fed.”
– Asleen O’Gaea, Celebrating the Seasons of Life
A Quick Overview Of Your Love Horoscopes for August 2015
August 2015 Love Horoscope
Romance in retrograde
By Maria DeSimone
Matters of the heart will be top priority for just about everyone this month. That’s because love planet Venus will continue to travel retrograde in Leo (until September 6). As a result, you can expect to continue the process of revising what you need in relationship in order to feel special and maximize your joy. This will also be a month to start making changes in order to achieve exactly what will bring you the most pleasure.
Although Venus will be retrograde and you might not be able to get everything you want in love, Mars will enter Leo (the same sign as Venus) on August 8. He’ll remain there until September 24, allowing you to move towards what makes you happiest in life and love. A bright New Moon on August 14 in Leo, will add even more potential to the mix. During the second half of August, you’ll want to plant seeds in your garden of love and water them diligently. With all of this incredible energy at work for you, next month something magical is sure to bloom.
@Tarot.com is a Daily Insight Group Site
An Overview of August’s Monthly Forecast
An Overview of August’s Monthly Forecast
By Maria DeSimone
August 2015 Horoscope
Look within
Venus in Leo continues to travel retrograde all month long, prompting you to focus within and figure out whether or not your love life, finances or creative drive needs some rewiring. Expect revelations followed up with solutions from August 4 – 6, as well as August 15 and 19, when Venus backs into Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, the Sun and Uranus respectively.
A New Moon in Leo on August 14 will also open up an opportunity for a fresh start in a situation connected to romance, creativity, a child or even some good old fashioned fun. As August progresses, you’ll surely feel the itch for pleasure. After the 8th when Mars enters Leo, that itch will become overwhelming and your first priority will be to do whatever you must to scratch it! Despite Venus Retrograde, Mars will motivate you to DO what brings you joy. This trend continues until September 24.
The headline news this month however, belongs to Jupiter. On August 11 he’ll leave Leo and move onto Virgo where he’ll remain until September 2016. During this time you’ll have an opportunity to put a magnifying glass around matters connected to health, work and your daily routine. You’ll experience a greater amount of support and blessings in these areas. Be sure to circle August 26, when the Sun leans into a conjunction with Jupiter — this will be a lucky day for all!
On August 27, Mercury will enter Libra allowing communication in all matters connected to partnership and collaboration to go extra smoothly. Then on August 29, a Full Moon in Pisces will be best spent taking a long weekend near the beach, lake or other vacation spot where you can just dream and relax.
@Tarot.com is a Daily Insight Group Site
Get A Jump On Tomorrow, Your Horoscopes for Sunday, August 2nd
Get A Jump On Tomorrow…….
Your Horoscopes for Sunday, August 2nd
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General Horoscope
We’re tempted to disappear into our dreams without explaining our absence to anyone. The intuitive Pisces Moon merges with surreal Neptune, inviting us to soar on flights of fancy. Love is in the air as Venus retrogrades back toward joyous Jupiter. Nevertheless, we’re busy spinning tapestries of radical thoughts while perceptive Mercury trines wild Uranus. Self-restraint is unnecessary; unfettered imagination leads to creative magic.
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Aries Horoscope
(Mar 21 – Apr 19)
Let your freak flag fly and flirt like there’s no tomorrow as mischievous Mercury trines uninhibited Uranus in your sign. Although social obligations and professional responsibilities continue to demand a significant portion of your attention, you have a sweet opportunity to reconnect with the innocence of romance today. A dream may be a wish your heart makes, but if you don’t take a leap of faith and act on a fantasy, it won’t stand a chance of coming true.
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Taurus Horoscope
(Apr 20 – May 20)
Dreams of the distant future pull you out of your comfortable past. As intrigued as you might be about all the possibilities that stretch out before you, it’s less threatening to think about them than to take concrete action. It’s as if you want to shine your light while remaining safely under the covers. Fortunately, you can count on your friends and family to listen to your hopes and concerns. Visit the outer limits in your imagination but remember that home is where your heart is.
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Gemini Horoscope
(May 21 – Jun 20)
You have a spiritual message to share with others today, but it may be challenging to find the right social context in which you can feel safe enough to let down your guard. There are plenty of thoughts running through your head now, including unorthodox political ideas and radical opinions about love. Hang out with a trusted friend who will walk on the wild side with you for a while. All topics are fair game; there’s no need to withhold your personal expression as you explore new territory. Go forth and conquer.
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Cancer Horoscope
(Jun 21 – Jul 22)
You can’t be faulted now for making a dramatic gesture that lets everyone know exactly where you stand on an important issue. Reality is giving you the green light to move forward and share things you may normally keep to yourself. As long as you’re not trying to enlist anyone to join your cause, it’s healthy to state your beliefs clearly, regardless of what others may think. Although your closest friends might not agree with everything you say, they will likely stand by your current decisions, nonetheless. Step out of the shadows and into the light of day.
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Leo Horoscope
(Jul 23 – Aug 22)
Although the universe is probably encouraging you nearly everywhere you look, too much of a good thing is not as wonderful as it sounds. If nothing else, at least examine your true motives if you’re being generous to a fault when interacting with those you love. There’s nothing wrong with telling a story so captivating that your audience is mesmerized, but you could take it too far. Less is more; exaggerating isn’t necessary to get your message across. Stretching the envelope could seem like a brilliant idea in the moment, but you’ll have a hard time finding your way back to the truth if you do.
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Virgo Horoscope
(Aug 23 – Sep 22)
You may be quite distracted by your vivid fantasies now even if they don’t seamlessly fit into a conversation in your current social context. Although your imagination is working on overdrive today, you don’t have to talk about your metaphysical beliefs to have a memorable experience. Thankfully, you can derive profound meaning from a spiritual awakening without anyone else knowing about it. Pursuing enlightenment is the natural thing to do while the magic follows you around wherever you go.
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Libra Horoscope
(Sep 23 – Oct 22)
You’re striving for absolute transparency in communication today, but the truth is hard to find. You want to know exactly where your friends stand, yet the more you uncover, the less you know. It’s even more confusing when the ones you love are sending so many mixed messages. You may eventually realize that everyone’s conflicting advice is muddying the water, not clarifying it. You might have to withdraw from the group to reestablish your bearings. You can always ask questions again after you reevaluate your unrealistic expectations and whittle them down to size.
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Scorpio Horoscope
(Oct 23 – Nov 21)
You could surprise everyone today, even yourself, when you decide to buckle down and commit to a project. Although you are optimistic about your ambitious timetable, remember that Saturn the Tester is looming in the background now. No matter how much you plan, things could take longer than you think. Fortunately, your relentless nature works in your favor and will see you through to the other side. There’s no reason to doubt your capabilities; just remain open to readjust your schedule as often as reality demands.
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Sagittarius Horoscope
(Nov 22 – Dec 21)
Although you Archers are the zodiac’s champions of optimism, there are so many opportunities knocking at your door now that even you can’t keep up with all of them. Adventures seem to be lurking around every corner; worlds are waiting to be explored beneath every rock. It’s as if you’re standing on top of a mountain and believe you can see forever and a day. Nevertheless, even the best of news comes with a price. If you lose all sense of boundaries, you could also lose your balance. However, maintaining a healthy and humble perspective enables you to go as far as you can imagine.
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Capricorn Horoscope
(Dec 22 – Jan 19)
You may be uncomfortable with someone’s effusive display of unbridled joy today. It’s not that you want to restrain anyone’s natural expression, it’s just that you’re uneasy with such intense emotional displays. Nevertheless, you might be surprised by the lessons you learn from this opportunity. Take a page from their book and see what it feels like to relax the rules. Revealing your true colors now won’t necessarily further your personal aspirations, but it certainly could bring a smile to your face that you will remember for a long time to come.
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Aquarius Horoscope
(Jan 20 – Feb 18)
You’re more than willing to go along for the ride with an unconventional companion today. Ironically, you’re eccentric in your own right, but may be suppressing your non-conformist tendencies because of current constraints. If others rattle your cage now, it awakens that part of your personality you have tried to bury for the sake of acceptance. Nevertheless, you’re okay with your denial because it seems safer to express your weirdness through another person. Enjoy the unexpected buzz while it lasts, since responsibilities will demand your attention soon enough.
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Pisces Horoscope
(Feb 19 – Mar 20)
You could be lost in space today but you’re able to camouflage your confusion by coming through with flying colors. Unfortunately, you can feel the pressure because others are expecting a lot from you. Luckily, your command performances may be so technically perfect that no one even has a clue that more is going on than meets their eyes. While they are mesmerized by the magic of the details of your actions, you’re busy communing with nature, angels and aliens. Your clever trick of making everything seem normal gives you a wider latitude to explore all the other realms to your heart’s delight.
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Lammas Footnote
“The god Lugh was worshipped in Ireland as a deity of the sun. This connection with the sun may explain his name (it means “shining one”), and it also may account for the attributes that he displayed: he was handsome, perpetually youthful, and had a tremendous energy and vitality. This energy manifests itself especially in the number of skills he had, according to legend, mastered. In fact, there was a tale that related Lugh’s myriad abilities at arts and crafts. As told in the Battle of Magh Tuiredh, the god travelled to Tara, and arrived during a tremendous feast for the royal court. Lugh was greeted at the door by the keeper of the gate, and was immediately asked what talent he had – for it was a tradition there that only those who had a special or unique ability could enter the palace. The god offered his reply: “I am a wright”. In response, the gate keeper said: “We already have a wright. Your services are not needed here”. Still, Lugh, not to be so easily dismissed, continued: “I am a smith”. Again, the guard retorted that the court had a smith that was quite adequate; but the god was not to be dissuaded. In short order, he noted that he was also a champion, a harper, a hero, a poet, an historian, a sorcerer, and a craftsman. To this list, the gate keeper merely nodded his head, and stated matter of factly that all of these various trades were represented in the court by other members of the Tuatha de Danaan. “Ah, but you do have an individual who possesses all of these skills simultaneously?”, was Lugh’s clever and inspired reply. The guard was forced to admit his defeat, and so Lugh was allowed to enter and join the festivities. According to Celtic mythology, Lugh was the son of Cian and Ethlinn. After the god Nuada was killed in the Second Battle of Magh Tuiredh, Lugh became the leader of the Tuatha De Danaan (the term for the gods and goddesses who descended from the goddess Danu).”
If You Were Born Today, August 1
If You Were Born Today, August 1
You are a natural leader and others quite readily look up to you. You love variety and can be quite indecisive at times, but you are tough and determined when you need to be. While most consider you calm and centered, you do have a tendency to worry, particularly about money and security. Even so, you are generous and you enjoy some of the finer things in life. You can be quite successful in marketing and research, amongst other things. You quite easily see through falseness, and you much prefer to surround yourself with people who are authentic and honest. Sometimes sarcastic, you can be slightly intimidating, but mostly understood and appreciated for your sense of humor. Famous people born today: Yves Saint-Laurent, Dom DeLuise, Jerry Garcia, Sam Mendes, Demián Bichir, Scarlett Bruns, Jason Momoa, Max Carver.
Courtesy of Cafe Astrology
Witches Of The Craft® 
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