Your Daily Influences
December 25, 2015

The Devil Reversed
The reversed Devil signifies a spiritual rebirth, freedom from the preoccupation with the secular and the overcoming of pride and selfishness.

Berkano
Berkano reversed may foretell family problems and dissatisfaction. Your life path my not be clear to you at this time. Be careful to protect that which is yours.

The Tortoise
The tortoise represents the dome of the sky, the universe. It tells you to take slow, deliberate steps and you can achieve everything you desire.

Your Daily Influences represent events and challenges the current day will present for you. They may represent opportunities you should be ready to seize. Or they may forewarn you of problems you may be able to avoid or lessen. Generally it is best to use them as tips to help you manage your day and nothing more.

Your Ancient Symbol Card for Today

The Crow

The Crow is the trusted messenger that alerts its allies to both danger and opportunity. Although they may appear playful and too opportunistic to be trusted, Crows are in fact powerful and trustworthy. The Crow sees and hears all. When The Crow reports it is best to listen as their news is always important and presented accurately.

Today’s Witches Rune

The Rings

Keywords: Love, relationships.

Meanings: The Rings is the rune of love and when it is the leading stone, it is a positive answer to your question. It is very much a rune of relationship and can indicate engagement, marriage or a new/renewed relationship. It can also indicate the need for a fresh approach to an existing relationship.

Your Rune For Today
Uruz

Uruz is the Rune of harmony, order and inner strength. Often it marks endings and beginnings of periods in our lives. Uruz also symbolizes your ability to tackle new challenges by confronting them with the powers that lie within you. Opportunities probably abound for you right now.

Additional information about Today’s Rune, Uruz

uruz : aurochs

Phonetic equivalent: u

DIVINATORY MEANINGS: passion, vitality, instinct, wildness, sexuality, fertility, the unconscious, primitive mind, irrationality, shamanic experience, rite of passage

MAGICAL USES: to strengthen the will, increase sexual potency and energy; for hunting

ASSOCIATED MYTHS & DEITIES: Ullr, Loki, Odin (as shaman)

ANALYSIS: The aurochs was a species of wild ox, similar to a bison, that was once found all over Europe, but which became extinct sometime in the 17th century. They were said to be slightly smaller than elephants, and had horns as long as six feet, which believed were highly prized by the Germanii as drinking horns. Paintings of aurochs have been found in Neolithic caves, and it believed that the aurochs hunt had some significance as a rite of passage for a boy entering manhood. The aurochs is the epitome of the wild animal, as opposed to the domesticated cattle represented by fehu.

Uruz is the rune of the God of the sacred hunt and his shaman/priest. Following the kind of mundane, day-to-day survival represented by fehu, it is the first recognition by mankind of the divine in nature, and his first attempt to control it through the use of sympathetic magic. It also represents an awareness of death and our own mortality, which may well be the only thing that truly distinguishes us from other animals. The energy of this rune is raw, powerful, and distinctly masculine, in the sense that it is first pure, elemental fire. The boy who has killed the aurochs has just entered manhood, and has therefore been initiated into the first level of the mysteries – the awareness that the source of life is death.

Source:
The Runic Journey (PDF)

By Jennifer Smith

If You Were Born Today, December 25

You are a highly intuitive yet grounded and earthy person. You hear the unspoken and see the unseen with your very strong powers of perception, yet you tend to prefer to remain quiet much of the time. You do have a knowing look that can intimidate some and appeal to most. You are fair-minded and essentially a peacemaker, although you have tremendous backbone that you can call upon when needed.

Famous people born today: Humphrey Bogart, Sissy Spacek, Annie Lennox, Anwar Sadat, Jimmy Buffett, Barbara Mandrell, Clara Barton.

Courtesy of Cafe Astrology

Your Daily Horoscopes for Friday, December 25th

Aries

A Full Moon occurs in your family and home sector this morning, dear Aries, and can stimulate deep feelings, new awareness, and appreciation for your personal life, loved ones, and home life. It might also bring a problem area to light so that you can handle it. There can be an epiphany about security, family, and how to manage your personal life now. Today is strong for practical thinking, even though emotions are highlighted. There can be exciting plans or a more positive attitude towards a work or health matter. Making plans for finances, business deals, and problem solving are all favored now.

Taurus

The Full Moon occurring this morning illuminates your communications sector, dear Taurus. While this might prompt a rush of activity, it can also be a time of important news or recognition of a need surrounding educational, legal, or travel matters. Whatever does emerge now, it’s meant to push you forward, even if at first it slows you down! Watch out for processing too much information or for sensory overload now – be discriminating with what you take in. Today is strong for presenting your sharing ideas, expressing yourself, and having a good sense of future trends, such that making long-term plans can be successful and enjoyable now.

Gemini

A Full Moon happens this morning, dear Gemini, illuminating your sector of values, resources, and finances. A financial matter may come to light, or an issue revolving around sharing, support, values, or possessions can figure strongly now. Full Moons sometimes bring on a little bit of chaos or heightened feelings, but in the long run, this one is about bringing more predictability to key areas of your life. A favorable Mercury-Jupiter connection points to a nice flow of thoughts and ideas. You might also find it especially easy to agree and cooperate with a partner or friend, and they with you. Support tends to be there.

Cancer

The Moon enters your sign early into the day, dear Cancer, and then a Full Moon occurs in Cancer this morning. This can bring a personal matter to a head, perhaps in the form of an epiphany or other form of revelation, perhaps surrounding a relationship. There has been more attention to your relationships recently, and if this has been to a point of imbalance, circumstances are such that you’re reminded to take care of your own emotional needs. Today is very strong for conversations about a relationship or with a partner. There is willingness to entertain new ideas and others’ perspectives. You are not caught up in petty matters now, and more interested in cooperating and sharing common goals.

Leo

The Moon reaches Full this morning, dear Leo, marking a culmination, possibly of a work, service, or health matter. A reminder to attend to your spiritual, emotional, and mental health needs can arrive now, or an epiphany that propels you forward. You might discover that you have support available from behind the scenes or an unexpected source, and even if you don’t take it, it’s good to know you have some backup. There can be the opportunity to share a bit of your private self, or to help guide others towards better living. Today’s energies are good for sharing ideas and problem solving. You might thoroughly benefit from, and enjoy, making plans related to money, work, and health.

Virgo

The Full Moon this morning lights up your sector of aspirations, ideals, community, and friendships, dear Virgo. There can be a sudden need for your help or support, or a culmination of a friendship matter, group project, or romantic relationship. Whatever comes to light now provides you with important insight into a brewing problem, and you are likely to feel purged and empowered as a result. A partner could be supportive, or the matter can strongly relate to close relationships. Good energy is with you for feeling valuable and valued as Mercury and Jupiter connect to one another, and in good relation to your sign. It’s a fine day for personal influence and creative self-expression. It’s also a time for rising above small problems and seeing life for its positive points.

Libra

A Full Moon occurs in your sector of career, reputation, and public standing this morning, dear Libra, bringing a project to a culmination, new light to a matter, and emotions to the surface. You may be in the position to show off your professional and responsible side, and possibly even thrust into the spotlight or into a leadership role. There can be revelations about your career and responsibilities. Watch for displays or outbursts, as they can be more impactful now than usual. There is good energy for discussions about personal or family matters, as people are especially reasonable, fair, and thinking in positive ways. An attitude that any problem can be resolved with willingness and effort can boost your spirits and relationships.

Scorpio

A Full Moon occurs this morning and illuminates a matter of spirit, adventure, or learning, dear Scorpio. For some of you, a project turns a corner or you are ready to publish or announce an endeavor. An idea that you’ve been working on might blossom now. Wise counsel figures strongly today, even if emotions are running high. There can be breakthrough, positive thinking, particularly with or about friends and groups, as well as long-term plans that put a spring in your step. This is an excellent time for writing, particularly about your feelings toward someone or for professional aims, such as promotion or publicity work.

Sagittarius

A Full Moon occurs this morning, dear Sagittarius, and this can bring a revelation or illumination of a matter surrounding intimate or financial matters. This is a good time for rediscovering your roots and for getting in touch with your innermost wants and needs. With Mercury and your ruler, Jupiter, in positive aspect, problem solving is enhanced, particularly with regards to work, financial, and other practical or mechanical matters. Your vision of an issue is large, and with a broader perspective, the details of any plan seem to fall into place. With more faith in your abilities and in your worth now, it could be a good time to attract positive experiences.

Capricorn

A Full Moon occurs this morning, dear Capricorn, bringing a relationship matter to light or a personal epiphany. Something that’s been brewing inside of you, perhaps left unacknowledged, reaches a head. Some of you could be moved to make an announcement, and in fact, you have quite a bit of impact now. If your close relationships have been lacking your attention lately, this is a time when you’ll be called upon to balance things out. It’s another day for being generous and forthcoming. This is a strong day for communicating, sharing, and expressing your ideas and beliefs. Learning, publishing, and transportation are favorable. There can be a new look at an old problem.

Aquarius

There is a Full Moon occurring this morning, dear Aquarius, and it can stimulate or bring to light a service-related or spiritual matter. Information surfacing or feelings stimulated now help to push your life forward, towards making important improvements and adjustments. This can be a time when you feel motivated to change your lifestyle for the better or to improve your work and daily life. This is also a good idea day in general, particularly related to matters of the past and how to learn from and move past them. You may be turned to for advice. While private time is desired and beneficial today, you can also feel some need to connect with others, so that you may end up playing a supportive, helpful role.

Pisces

There is a Full Moon this morning, dear Pisces, and this lunation can act to pull out personal revelations or new awareness of an old matter, likely revolving around romance, personal goals, friendships, or creative matters. You might become aware of your feelings for or about someone. There can be a strong urge to create, share, and express yourself now. It’s a strong time for celebrating, creating, and sharing your feelings. There can be quite a focus on the exchange of ideas.  A rewarding conversation can happen now, and you may be mapping out a long-term plan that is motivating and exciting.

The Balance of the Elements & The Signs for Friday, December 25th

CANCER STRONG
Nurturing, protective, tenacious, emotional sensitive, watery, strong roots. Can be overly protective, unwilling to let go, timid, reclusive.
CAPRICORN STRONG
Disciplined, responsible, reliable, industrious, conscientious, practical, achieving. Can be pessimistic, overly conventional, rigid, materialistic, callous.

BALANCE OF ELEMENTS

FIRE WEAK
We are not very goal-oriented right now, or motivation to pursue our goals may be waning/lacking. Changes feel overwhelming. Enthusiasm may be low, we argue less, and we think more than we take action.
EARTH STRONG
We are especially in touch with the physical world. We consider what we’ve learned and experienced in the past in order to make the most of the present. We can be cautious, practical, and possibly unimaginative. We are deliberate and can pace ourselves well. We need hands-on experience and are not impressed with theory as much as we are with results. Routines are tolerable and comforting.
AIR WEAK
We may have a difficult time being objective or detached. We may not be especially communicative.

BALANCE OF MODES

CARDINAL STRONG
We are ready to take action and to take on challenges, and can become frustrated with stagnant conditions.
FIXED WEAK
We may be open to change but may not have much follow-through.

Astrology of Today – December 25, 2015

Summary:

• The Moon is in Gemini until 12:26 AM.
• The Moon is void until 12:26 AM (since 3:03 PM yesterday).
• The Moon is in Cancer from 12:26 AM forward (until Sunday, December 27th, at 5:30 AM)
• The Moon is waxing and in its Waxing Gibbous phase until 6:11 AM / the Moon is waning and in its Full Moon phase from 6:11 AM forward.
• A Full Moon will occurs today at 6:11 AM.
• Mercury is in its shadow phase (Mercury will be retrograde from January 5-25, 2016).
• Uranus is stationary direct today.

December 25

Christmas Eve, Christmas, Yule

It is generally accepted that the birth of Christ on December 24th is the invention of some overzealous authors who were trying to create some sort of symmetry between Paganism and Christianity. According to the late fourth-century Scriptor Syrus, it was the custom of the Pagans to celebrate the birthday of the sun on December 25, at which time they kindled lights in token of festivity. The Christians also participated in these solemnities and revelries. Accordingly, when the administrants of the church observed that the Christians had a preference for the festival, they took counsel and resolved that the true Nativity should be solemnized on that day.

The Pagan feast that was replaced by Christmas was of far older origins and may have been built upon the cult of Mithras, who, for the Persians, was the creator of the universe and manifestation of the Creative Logos, or Word. His birth on December 25 was witnessed by shepherds. After many deeds, he held a last supper with his disciples and then returned to heaven. Some believe that, had Christianity not taken hold when it did, Mithraism very well might have become the world religion.

For more that three centuries Christ Mass was a moveable feast, celebrated on the Epiphany (January 6), the day that, according to biblical account, Jesus manifested himself to the Magi. The Western date of December 25 was fixed to coincide with the Roman midwinter festival of the Kalends, which was preceded by seven days of tribute to their God of agriculture, Saturn.

Many of the Yuletide customs we observe today were common to various thanksgiving days and new year’s rites. For example, the hanging of greenery comes from an old ivy-worshiping worshiping cult dating back to the Dionysian revels in ancient Greece; mistletoe was valued-almost worshiped-by the Druids; ids; and gift exchange most likely generated with the Saturnalia. The Christmas tree was introduced by the Prince Albert of Saxony in 1844 and was an adaption of the Paradeisbaum(decorated tree of life) from the medieval drama of the Tannenbaum.