The More You Know Wednesdays…..

 

The name Wednesday continues Middle English Wednesdei. Old English still had wōdnesdæg, which would be continued as *Wodnesday (but Old Frisian has an attested wednesdei). By the early 13th century, the i-mutated form was introduced unetymologically.

The name is a calque of the Latin dies Mercurii “day of Mercury”, reflecting the fact that the Germanic god Woden (Wodanaz or Odin) during the Roman era was interpreted as “Germanic Mercury”.

The Latin name dates to the late 2nd or early 3rd century. It is a calque of Greek ἡμέρα Ἕρμου heméra Hérmou, a term first attested, together with the system of naming the seven weekdays after the seven classical planets, in the Anthologiarum by Vettius Valens (ca. AD 170).

The Latin name is reflected directly in the weekday name in Romance languages: Mércuris (Sardinian), mercredi (French), mercoledì (Italian), miércoles (Spanish), miercuri (Romanian), dimecres (Catalan), Marcuri or Mercuri (Corsican), dies Mercurii (Latin). The German name for the day, Mittwoch (literally: “mid-week”), replaced the former name Wodenstag (“Wodan’s day”) in the tenth century. The Dutch name for the day, woensdag has the same etymology as English Wednesday, it comes from Middle Dutch wodenesdag, woedensdag (“Wodan’s day”).

Most Slavic languages follow this pattern and use derivations of “the middle” (Bulgarian сряда sryada, Croatian srijeda, Czech středa, Macedonian среда sreda, Polish środa, Russian среда sredá, Serbian среда/sreda or cриједа/srijeda, Slovak streda, Slovene sreda, Ukrainian середа sereda). The Finnish name is Keskiviikko (“middle of the week”), as is the Icelandic name: Miðvikudagur, and the Faroese name: Mikudagur (“Mid-week day”). Some dialects of Faroese have Ónsdagur, though, which shares etymology with Wednesday. Danish, Norwegian, Swedish Onsdag, (“Ons-dag” = Oden’s/Odin’s dag/day). In Welsh it is Dydd Mercher, meaning Mercury’s Day.

In Japanese, the word Wednesday is 水曜日(sui youbi), meaning ‘water day’ and is associated with 水星 (suisei): Mercury (the planet), literally meaning “water star”. Similarly, in Korean the word Wednesday is 수요일 (su yo il), also meaning water day.

In most of the languages of India, the word for Wednesday is Budhavãra—vãra meaning day and Budh being the planet Mercury.

From Armenian (Չորեքշաբթի—chorekshabti), Georgian (ოთხშაბათი—otkhshabati), and Tajik (Chorshanbiyev) languages the word literally means as “four (days) from Saturday”.

Portuguese uses the word quarta-feira, meaning “fourth day”, while in Greek the word is Tetarti (Τετάρτη) meaning simply “fourth”. Similarly, Arabic أربعاء means “fourth”, Hebrew רביעי means “fourth”, and Persian چهارشنبه means “fourth day”. Yet the name for the day in Estonian kolmapäev, Lithuanian trečiadienis, and Latvian trešdiena means “third day” while in Mandarin Chinese 星期三 (xīngqīsān), means “day three”, as Sunday is unnumbered.
 

Source

Wikipedia

 

Magickal Days of the Week – Wednesday

 

Wednesday is named for Woden himself, although the Romans called it dies Mercurii. This is a day associated with the color purple, the planet Mercury, and the metal quicksilver – which is also called mercury. See a pattern here?

When it comes to deities… yes, Mercury! However, there are a few other gods associated with Wednesday, including Odin and Hermes, Athena, and Lugh. Gemstones like adventurine and agate come in handy as well, as do plants such as aspen trees, lilies, lavender and even ferns.

Business and job-related issues, communication, loss and debt, traveling, and journeys are all tied in to Wednesday. This is a good day to do a working to open up lines of communication – especially if your own actions are preventing you from being an effective speaker or listener. Go someplace new or return to an old favorite stomping ground, step up your game, and settle up your accounts.
 

Author

Patti Wigington, Paganism/Wicca Expert
Article published on & owned by About.com

Wednesday’s Witchery

Be bold and daring today! Expand your knowledge of the Craft by working with the planetary energies of Mercury on this multifaceted day of the week. Consider the Greco-Roman gods Mercury and Hermes and all of the many lessons they have for you. Embrace change and movement, and work on your communication techniques. Conjure up a little good luck for yourself with that Mercury dime spell. Call on Athena to inspire you to try magickal arts and crafts and to be more creative in your own spellwork and witchery.

Meditate on Odin and see what you can discover about him. I wonder what sort of fabulous and fascinating magickal wisdom you will uncover? Odin is a shaman, after all; he may appear in many guises and faces. I guarantee that he will make you laugh at yourself before he is through with you, but you will learn. It’s up to you what you do with that knowledge. Will you let it shapeshift into wisdom?

Wednesday is the wild and wily day of the week, so try to go with the flow; don’t fight the quirky energies of the day. Most importantly, follow your heart, and always keep a good sense of humor, because of Wednesdays you will really need it.

Source

Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week
Ellen Dugan

Wednesday’s Conjuring

Wednesday – is associated with Mercury

Candle colors – Purple

Magickal Conjuring for the Day: Mastery, Domination Work, Wisdom, Healing, Dealing with Legal problems.

—Starr Casas, Old Style Conjure Wisdoms, Workings and Remedies

Daily Incantations & Enchantments for Every Day of the Month

DAY 2

A blessing for your shoes, to take you on a positive path every day.

Single shoe, pair of shoes, heels or flats,
Choose the path of happiness whever I’m at.
Walk me through difficulties, never lead me astray,
All things negative will be kept at bay.

Bless your shoes as you put them on, repeating once for each shoe. And for extra measure once again after you have both of them on.
 

Source

The Power of Positive Witchcraft: Daily Incantations & Enchantments: A Spell a Day for 30 Days
Garden Summerland

The Pagan Book of Days for Wednesday, May 11

Lemuria/St. Mamertius

The days of the Eisheilige (ice saints), May 11 – 15, are noted in southern Germany as the time when the presence of these “Strong Lords” brings unseasonably cold and/or wet weather. These are the saints Mamertius, Pancratius (Pancras), Servantius, Bonifatius, and Cold Sophie. The name of these saints are Christianized versions of the Swabian presiding spirits of the days.

 

Source

The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick

Wednesday, May 11

Wednesday is the day of the Teutonic deity known as Wodin or Odin, an aspect of the Allfather, god of knowledge, wisdom, enlightenment and combat, the parallel of Hermes, the planet Mercury.

Deity: Woden

Zodiac Sign: Gemini & Virgo

Planet: Mercury

Tree: Ash

Herb: Cinquefoil

Stone: Emerald & Sardonyx

Animal: Raven & Cat

Element: Air

Color: Red & Blue

Number: 6

Rune: Odal(O)

Celtic Tree Month of Saille (Willow) – April 15th thru May 12. The Willow tree is associated with healing and growth. During this phase, work on rituals, involving healing, growth of knowledge, nurturing, and women’s mysteries.

Runic Half Month of Lagu (April 29 – May 13)

Goddess of the Month of Maia April 18 thru May 15
 

Source

The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick

The Sky This Week: May 11 – May 15

A New Moon rises, Comet PANSTARRS makes an appearance, and Mercury crosses in front of the Sun.

Wednesday, May 11
Another comet in the growing throng of such objects discovered by the Pan-STARRS telescope in Hawaii makes its appearance it May’s morning sky. Comet PANSTARRS (C/2013 X1) currently glows between 7th and 8th magnitude in northeastern Aquarius. (This morning, it lies 2° northeast of 4th-magnitude Phi [f] Aquarii.) From most of the United States, you’ll need a clear, flat eastern horizon to spot the comet through a telescope just before dawn breaks.

Thursday, May 12
Brilliant Jupiter appears high in the south as darkness falls and remains on display until 3 a.m. local daylight time. The giant planet shines at magnitude –2.2 — brighter than any other point of light in the night sky — against the backdrop of southern Leo the Lion. Jupiter appears equally dazzling through a telescope, which reveals a wealth of atmospheric detail on a disk that spans 40″. Look carefully tonight and you should see a black dot crossing the cloud tops. This is the shadow of Ganymede, Jupiter’s (and the solar system’s) largest moon. This shadow transit takes place from 11:40 p.m. to 2:51 a.m. EDT.

Friday, May 13
First Quarter Moon occurs at 1:02 p.m. EDT. The half-lit orb rises just after noon local daylight time, appears highest in the south shortly before sunset, and sets around 2 a.m. The Moon spends this evening among the background stars of southwestern Leo the Lion, less than 5° from that constellation’s brightest star, Regulus.

Saturday, May 14
The Moon moves approximately 13° eastward relative to the starry background every 24 hours, and its motion carries it near Jupiter this evening. From North America, the two appear within 5° of each other all night. They will be in conjunction at 6 a.m. EDT tomorrow morning, when our satellite passes 2° due south of the planet.

Sunday, May 15
About 45 minutes after Mars rises, Saturn pokes above the southeastern horizon. Although the ringed planet pales in comparison to its neighbor, its yellow color contrasts nicely with the Red Planet’s hue. Throw in the ruddy glow of nearby Antares, the 1st-magnitude luminary of Scorpius, and you have a colorful trio of bright objects to follow throughout the late evening and morning hours. As you might guess, Saturn’s proximity to Mars means it also will reach opposition and peak visibility soon — in fact, it reaches this orbital highlight June 3. The view of Saturn through a telescope never fails to impress. This week, the world appears 18″ across and sports a beautiful ring system that spans 42″ and tilts 26° to our line of sight.
 

Source

Astronomy Magazine

 

Your Daily Sun & Moon Data for Wednesday, May 11

Sun
Sun Direction: ↑ 102.15° ESE
Sun Altitude: 45.31°
Sun Distance: 93.902 million mi
Next Solstice: Jun 20, 2016 5:34 PM (Summer)
Sunrise Today: 5:49 AM↑ 66° East
Sunset Today: 7:53 PM↑ 294° Northwest
Length of Daylight: 14 hours, 3 minutes

 

Moon
Moon Direction: ↑ 61.56° ENE
Moon Altitude: -9.12°
Moon Distance: 236253 mi
Next Full Moon: May 21, 20164:14 PM
Next New Moon: Jun 4, 20169:59 PM
Next Moonrise: Today10:35 AM
Current Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent
Illumination: 28.9%

 

Source

timeanddate.com