Thursday’s Witchery

 

Today is the day for prosperity work of all kinds. It can also be used for healing work, whether that is a physical healing of an illness or an emotional healing. Also remember that you have to follow up your healing work and prosperity magick and physical action.

I can’t tell you the number of times I have met new witches who complain to me that their prosperity spell or “I need a better job” spell did not work as they expected. They’ll ramble on and on about how much time and money they spent working their magick….but, alas, they had no glorious manifestion of wealth or fabulous job that suddenly dropped out of the sky and landed in their laps.

Then, when I gently ask them, “Did you enchant your resume or application when you filled it out? Did you do a little confidence-boosting spellwork when you went to apply for the job or went to the interview?” typically they give me a blank, confused stare.

Nine times out of ten, their response is, “You mean I have to go out and actually look for the job too?” Um, yes, my dear, you certainly do. Magick follows the path of least resistance, which means it’s going to manifest along the simplest, quickest route. Get out there and hit the pavement. See what you can find. Times are tough and competition for good jobs is fierce, so you need whatever edge you can get. For folks like us, we’re going to get the edge by using our magick and our spellcraft.

Thursdays have such a rich source of magick for us to draw upon that, honestly, the sky is the limit. This is the day associated with the gods of the sky and heavens, after all. Get to know these deities and add their wisdom and magick into your days

 

Source

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

The Pagan’s Calendar for Witches on Thursday, August 25th

 

Thursday is the fifth day of the week in the Judeo-Christian calendar, falling between Wednesday and Friday. In countries that adopt the Sunday-first convention, it is considered the fifth day of the week. However, in ISO 8601 it is the fourth day of the week. In Slavic languages and in Chinese, this day’s name is “fourth” (Polish czwartek, Russian четверг, pronounced CHET-vierg). Portuguese, too, uses a number for this day: quinta-feira, “fifth day”, (see Days of the week for more on the different conventions).

The contemporary name comes from the Old English Þunresdæg (with loss of -n-, first in northern dialects, from influence of Old Norse Þorsdagr), meaning “Day of Thunor”, this being a rough Germanic equivalent to the Latin Iovis Dies, “Jupiter’s Day”. Most Germanic and Romance-speaking countries use their languages’ equivalents: German Donnerstag, torsdag in Scandinavia, Italian giovedì, Spanish jueves, French jeudi, Catalan dijous, and Romanian joi. The Hindi word for Thursday is Guruvar, with Guru being the Sanskrit name for the planet Jupiter.

In Thailand, the color associated with Thursday is orange, see Thai solar calendar.
Thursday in religion

In the Hindu religion, Thursday is Guruvaar, from Guru, the Sanskrit name for Jupiter, the largest of planets. Guruvaar fasting is very common in the various parts of north India.

Quakers traditionally refer to Thursday as “Fifth Day” eschewing the pagan origin of the name “Thursday”. The name of the day is also called by words meaning “fifth day” in Icelandic, Modern Greek, Portuguese, and modern Semitic languages.

In the Christian tradition, Maundy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter — the day on which the Last Supper occurred. Ascension Thursday is the day 40 days after Easter, when Christ ascended into Heaven.
In the United States, Thanksgiving Day is an annual festival celebrated on a Thursday in November, currently the fourth Thursday.

A religion (which is a joke version of omphalism) known as Last Thursdayism teaches that the world was created last Thursday, but with the appearance of age: people’s memories, history books, fossils, light already on the way from distant stars, and so forth.

Astrological and Astronomical sign
The astrological and astronomical sign of the planet Jupiter (Jupiter) represents Thursday with similar names in Latin-derived languages, such as the French Jeudi. In English, this became “Thor’s Day,” since the Roman god Jupiter was identified with Thor in northern Europe.

In The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, the character Arthur Dent says “This must be Thursday. I could never get the hang of Thursdays”. A few minutes later the planet Earth is destroyed. Thor, for whom the day was named, also appears later in the Hitchhiker’s series and in other Adams books. Appropriately, in The Long Dark Tea-time of the Soul, one of the characters says to Thor: “I’m not used to spending the evening with someone who’s got a whole day named after them”.

Source

Pagan Calendar

 

Pagan’s Guide to Thursday

The name Thursday is derived from Old English punresdaeg, which means “Thor’s day.” In Norse mythology, Thor is associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, the protection of mankind, and also hallowing, healing and fertility. The Romans associated him with Jupiter, who was the god of sky and thunder. In India, Thursday is called Guruvar, name after the Guru to the Gods.

The Pagan Calendar for Thursday, August 25th

Opiconsivia

Summary: Opiconsivia

Calendar: Roman

Date: Aug 25 Every year

Description: On August 25, the Opiconsivia (or Opeconsiva or Opalia) Roman festival was held in honor of Ops. Opiconsivia was also a surname of Ops herself. And this name was also given to December 19, on which day the Opalia were celebrated, also in her honor (some mention also August 10 and December 9). The Latin word consivia (or consiva) derives from conserere (“to sow”). Hence, the word Opiconsivia may be interpreted as meaning “the sowing of crops”, since Ops ultimately means “crops” in the sense of “riches, goods”. This word is also related to Consus, the male counterpart of Ops as “the seeder”.

Both Ops and Consus were deemed chthonic (underworld) deities which made the vegetation grow. Since her abode was inside the earth, Ops was invoked by her worshippers while sitting, with their hands touching the ground, according to Macrobius (Saturnalia, I:10). Consus seems to be an alias of Saturn in the chthonic aspect, since he is also held to be the husband of Ops. Ops, the Earth Mother, was also considered the Great Mother of the Gods. As such, Ops is an alias of Rhea, Cybele, Demeter, and so on, impersonating the earth as the giver of riches.

The festival of Consus, the Consualia, was celebrated twice a year: once on August 21, after the harvest, and once on December 15, after the sowing of crops was finished. The Consualia was instituted by Romulus, and commemorated the rape (and insemination) of the Sabine women by the Romans. The festival was superintended by the Flamines of Quirinus (Mars), helped by the Vestals. The main priestess at the regia wore a white veil. A chariot race was performed in the Circus Maximus, under the direction of the pontifices. Horses and mules, their heads crowned with chaplets made of flowers, also partook in the celebration. Consus was eventually identified with Neptunus Equester, the alias and counterpart of Poseidon Hippios. Poseidon (Neptune) had been associated with the animal since archaic times.

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opiconsivia
The Pagan Calendar

On Thursday, August 25th, We Celebrate…

Opiconsivia (Rome)
OPS

Themes: Opportunity; Wealth; Fertility; Growth

Symbols: Bread; Seeds; Soil

About Ops: This Italic goddess of fertile earth provides us with numerous “opportunities” to make every day more productive. In stories, Ops motivates fruit bearing, not just in plants but also in our spirits. She also controls the wealth of the gods, making her a goddess of opulence! Works of art depict Ops with a loaf of bread in one hand, and the other outstretched, offering aid.

To Do Today: On this day, Ops was evoked by sitting on the earth itself, where she lives in body and spirit. So, weather permitting, take yourself on a picnic lunch today. Sit with Ops and enjoy any sesame or poppy breadstuff (bagel, roll, etc.)—both types of seeds are magically aligned with Ops’s money-bringing power. If possible, keep a few of the seeds from the bread in your pocket or shoe so that after lunch, Ops’s opportunities for financial improvements or personal growth can be with you no matter where you go. And don’t forget to leave a few crumbs for the birds so they can take your magical wishes to the four corners of creation!

If the weather doesn’t cooperate, invoke Ops by getting as close to the earth as you can (sit on your floor, go into the cellar). Alternatively, eat earthy foods like potatoes, root crops, or any fruit that comes from Ops’s abundant storehouse.

Source

365 Goddess: A Daily Guide To the Magic and Inspiration of the goddess
Patricia Telesco

The Goddess Book of Days for August 25th

In Rome, the day of the Opseconsiva, harvest festival of the Italian Goddess Ops. (Ge, Gaia, Ceres, Demeter, Tellus Mater, Rhea.) Also, in New York State Native America, Canadanaigua, Festival of lights, ritual of harvest and Thanksgiving. (Vesta, Brigid, Oya, Perchta; and Harvest Goddesses Ceres, Demeter, Spider Woman, Ge, Gaia, Rhea, Chicomecoatl, Ops, Igaehindvo, and the Com Mothers.)

Source

The Goddess Book of Days
Diane Stein

The Pagan Book of Days for August 25th

Ops/Odin’s Ordeal(9)/Discovery of the Runes

The Italian Earth Goddess of sowing and reaping, Ops, is remembered in the Opiconsivia, a ceremony at which only vestal virgins were presence. Her worshipers always sat on the Earth.

Source

The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick

Thursday, August 25th

Thursday is the day of the planet Jupiter, dedicated to Thunor(Thor), God of thunder and agricultural work. His parallels in various European traditions are Zeus, Taranis, Perun, Perkunas and St. Olaf. The faith of the Northern Tradition holds Thursday sacred, just as Islam reveres Friday, Judaism the Sabbath(calculated from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday), and Christianity, Sunday. This is why almost all adages about Thursday are positive, such as “Thursday’s child has far to go,” “Sneeze on Thursday, something better,” or “Cut nails on Thursday for wealth.” Thursday rules controlled optimism, energetic growth, physical well-being and material success.

Deity: Thor

Zodiac Sign: Capricorn/Pisces/Sagittarius

Planet: Mercury

Tree: Oak

Herb: Henbane

Stone: Turquoise/Bloodstone/Topaz

Animal: Fish/Goat/Aurochs

Element: Fire

Color: Brown/White/Orange

Number: 3

Rune: Thorn

Celtic Tree Month of Coll (Hazel) – August 4 – September 1

The Runic Half Month of As (August 13 – August 28)

Goddess of the Month of Hesperis – August 9 – September 5

 

Source

The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick

 

Thursday’s Magickal Correspondences

Wealth
Male Fertility
Ambition
Expansion
Luck
Happiness
Honor
Family
Harvests
Planet: Jupiter
Colors: Dark Blue, Green
Crystals: Turquoise, Amethyst, Lapis

The Sky This Week for August 25 to August 28

Planets, Pallas, and the Big Dipper will all make wonderful viewing this week

By Richard Talcott

 

Thursday, August 25

• Mars passes 4° due south of Saturn today. The Red Planet shines twice as bright as its ringed companion, and the two make a stunning pair with the naked eye and through binoculars. Both are worth examining through a telescope as well. Mars’ sports an orange-red disk that spans 11″ and shows several subtle dark markings. Saturn measures 17″ across while its dramatic ring system stretches 38″ and tilts 26° to our line of sight.
Friday, August 26

• Distant Neptune reaches opposition and peak visibility one week from today, but the view now is essentially the same. The ice giant planet rises during evening twilight and climbs nearly halfway to the zenith in the southern sky by 1:30 a.m. local daylight time. The magnitude 7.8 planet lies in Aquarius, 1.1° southwest of 4th-magnitude Lambda (l) Aquarii. You’ll need binoculars to spy Neptune and a telescope to see its blue-gray disk, which spans 2.4″.

Saturday, August 27

• Venus and Jupiter lie closer to each other today than at any time since May 2000. At their tightest, just 4.2′ separate them. Unfortunately, this happens in late afternoon from North America. By twilight, the two worlds have pulled slightly apart — 5.5′ from the East Coast and 12.1′ from the West Coast. Still, that’s close enough that many people will see the two merge into one. Binoculars will provide spectacular views, clearly splitting the pair and revealing Mercury 5° to their lower left and just above the horizon. Most telescope-eyepiece combinations will show Venus and Jupiter in the same field, with Jupiter spanning 31″ and Venus 11″.

Sunday, August 28

• Evenings this week are great times to explore the constellation Sagittarius the Archer. This star group lies due south and at peak altitude around 9 p.m. local daylight time, just as the last vestiges of twilight fade away. The brightest stars within the constellation form the shape of a teapot — a distinctive asterism once you’ve found it. The central regions of the Milky Way pass through Sagittarius, so it’s always worth exploring the area through binoculars or a telescope.

Source

Astronomy Magazine