Good Advice

Sometimes humor is not direct. Here is a list of serious, non-humorous advice. The humor comes if you don’t follow it, with yourself as the butt of the joke.

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1. Before turning to prayer or magick, use the strengths and abilities within yourself. It’s simpler that way.
2. Ask for what you want. Say how you are feeling. The results are very often postive.
3. Always know the deities you are working with.  Don’t ask Eris or Odin for peace.  Get a good mythology reference and use it.
4. Don’t invoke two or more dieties from different pantheons, especially not when they have different ideas on how to answer your prayer. Remember, Pax doesn’t wish to meet or work with Morrigan.
5. Be nice to your spirit guides. They will help you if they are pleased with you, hinder you when not.
6. Never leave anything up to the whims of the gods.  Take the time and effort to be very precise in what you ask for.
7. Say nice things about your foes in public.
8. Simple is better.
9. Believe in magick.  It really does work.
10. Everything that happens is an answered prayer.  Nothing is random.
11. Don’t give the gods undeserved credit or blame.
12. Wash your feet before and after you go barefoot.
13. When asking for strength, do it standing up, not sitting or lying down.
14. Always tell the truth, even when it is not pleasant.
15. When you deliver unwelcome news, do not expect to be welcomed or appreciated.
16. Read the latest books on spiritual matters.  Some may be nonsense, but it always helps to know the current New Age buzzwords.
17. Running on Pagan Standard Time is an insult to those who depend on you.
18. Draw pictures rather then write words.  There is a reason that ancient people used pictures.
19. Proofread.  This is especially important in Spellcraft.
20. Always be prepared to provide constructive criticism, but don’t offer it unless asked.
21. If you gossip about someone, assume they will find out.
22. Never confuse e-mail with reality.
23. Find another coven and make friends with its members.
24. When you leave a group, don’t take parting shots — even if justified.
25. If you tell a sexist or racist joke, expect to be criticized.
26. Don’t read from a book aloud to anyone unless they ask.
27. If you are a leader, groom at least one successor.
28. Never go anywhere without something to write on and a pen.
29. Do the hard stuff first.
30. Build and maintain an address list.  Make sure you have a mundane name, postal address, phone number and e-mail address for each person.
31. Saying “I told you so,” even if you were right, is never appreciated.
32. Back-up your computer’s disk often.
33. Do not expect sympathy when you have a hangover.
34. Don’t comment or point out someone else’s mistakes until you’ve corrected your own.
35. A hearty belly-laugh is excellent stress relief.

 

 

More great Pagan humor, visit Turok’s Cabana

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2016 June 8

The Horsehead Nebula in Infrared from Hubble
Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)

 

Explanation: While drifting through the cosmos, a magnificent interstellar dust cloud became sculpted by stellar winds and radiation to assume a recognizable shape. Fittingly named the Horsehead Nebula, it is embedded in the vast and complex Orion Nebula (M42). A potentially rewarding but difficult object to view personally with a small telescope, the above gorgeously detailed image was taken in 2013 in infrared light by the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope in honor of the 23rd anniversary of Hubble’s launch. The dark molecular cloud, roughly 1,500 light years distant, is cataloged as Barnard 33 and is seen above primarily because it is backlit by the nearby massive star Sigma Orionis. The Horsehead Nebula will slowly shift its apparent shape over the next few million years and will eventually be destroyed by the high energy starlight.

Moon in Cancer on evening of June 8

 

Tonight – June 8, 2016 – the waxing crescent moon beams in front of the constellation Cancer, the faintest constellation of the zodiac. We draw in the stick figure of Cancer for you on the star chart above. In the sky, you might not pick out any stars in the moon’s vicinity, unless your sky is very dark. But Cancer’s stars will be there, behind the moon’s glare, all the same.

Zodiacal constellations like Cancer distinguish themselves from other constellations in that the sun, moon and planets travel within their borders over the centuries and millennia.

The sun travels in front of the constellation Cancer from about July 21 to August 10 annually. That may seem to be at odds with the horoscope page in the newspaper, which probably gives the sun’s passage through Cancer for around June 21 to July 21.

Why the discrepancy? It’s because a zodiac sign is different from a zodiac constellation, though people often confuse the two.

Here’s the definition of a zodiac sign. By definition, the sun is always at the first point of the sign Cancer on the June solstice, irrespective of which group of stars backdrops the sun at this time. Look at the globe to note the Tropic of Cancer, which marks the northernmost extent of the sun’s travels on the June solstice.

The red line shows the Tropic of Cancer, where the noontime sun is at zenith (straight overhead) on the day of the June solstice.

Here’s the definition of a zodiac constellation. Any constellation can be thought of as a section of the starry sky, seen and wondered about for millennia by stargazers. In our time, constellations have official borders, which were agreed upon by the International Astronomical Union in the 1930s.

Over two thousand years ago, the sun actually shone in front of the constellation Cancer on the June solstice. Today, the June solstice sun shines in front of the constellation Taurus. Therefore, the first point of the sign Cancer presently resides in the constellation Taurus.

Because the Earth’s axis continually changes its tilt relative to the backdrop stars, the June solstice sun swings westward through all the constellations of the zodiac in a period of about 26,000 years. All the while, the June solstice sun always marks the first point of the sign Cancer.

 

Bottom line: If your sky is extremely dark, you might be able to see for yourself that the waxing crescent moon is in front of Cancer the Crab on June 8, 2016.

 

Author

PLANET TRACKER

Moon in Leo

Jun 7, 2016 to Jun 10, 2016

 

The lions are out today. Stand in the Sun and shake loose your mane. Leo is exuberant, courageous, playful and full of heart. It’s a Moontime that inspires heroic feats. What makes a hero? A crazy willingness to do what only you can do. I like how Bob Dylan sang it, “If I’d paid attention to what others were thinking, the heart in me would have died. But I was much too stubborn to ever be governed by enforced insanity. Someone had to reach for the rising star, I guess it was up to me.” More often we’re like that proverbial cartoon figure, momentarily gliding on air, ten stories high, then plummeting the minute we realize what we’re doing-self-consciousness and pride spoil the show. Avoid those egos squaring off around you. Lose yourself in the spontaneity of the moment. Be innocent and happy as a child. Play will nourish your heart

 

Part of the Daily Insight Group

The Wisdom of Buddha

Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.

Your Daily Influences
June 8th, 2016

 

 

The Empress Reversed
This card represents infertility, instability and the loss of material possessions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jera
Jera denotes positive, recurring cycles, fertility and a time to harvest rewards from your hard work.

 

 

 

 

The Menat
You will find focusing on this aspect difficult, because truths will be obscured by dreaminess and illusion. You will not accomplish much here in the next several weeks, and therefore should focus your attention elsewhere

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 Charm for Today

Today’s Meaning:
This aspect of your life will be strongly influenced by a person who is adaptable, versatile, communicative, witty, intellectual, eloquent, youthful and lively. This could be a sibling, a child or a very close friend.

General Description:
Third sign of the Zodiac, May 22nd to June 21st. Ruling planet Mercury; correct metal, Silver. Those born under the influence of Gemini were believed to be endowed with strong intellectual powers, high aspirations, to be shrewd, ingenious and vivacious, but restless and fond of change. The Gemini stones are Agates and Emeralds. Agate talismans were worn by the orientals for eloquence, and adverting ill health, also to bring fortune and good luck. The Greeks and Romans had great faith in AGate amulets, wearing them for health, wealth, and long life. Queen Elizabeth possessed a large engraved Agate, which was supposed to be endowed with magical powers.

Your Ancient Symbol Card for Today

Creation

The Creation card suggest that your creative powers are at or near their peak and that the raw material from which you can craft new and lasting creations is all around you. The question is can you free your mind from your everyday routines to take advantage of this powerful moment in your life? As Eric Fromm said, “Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties.” The full force of Creation can only be realized by those who are prepared to sacrifice the comfort concomitant with sticking to the tried and true.

As a daily card, Creation indicates your are currently bursting with creativity. Where others see chaos and waste, you see the stuff from which great things arise. If you have the courage to look beyond the comfort of your day to day life, you have the command to soar creatively at this time.

Your Daily Witches Rune

The Scythe

Sudden changes and endings. Making a final decision. Completing something. Walking away from something or someone. Danger.

Additional information about Today’s Witches Rune, The Scythe….

The Scythe

This symbol is very familiar to most of people, often associated with harvest and death. In the runes, it is no different. The Scythe is related to endings, sudden separations, final decisions, important changes and danger.

The appearance of this symbol show that there’s something in you life you need to bring to end now, before it snowballs into something worse. Usually, the decision that the Scythe forces you to make is one you’d rather escape from… it’s a painful and difficult choice. Even though you know (or feel) it’s for the best, you’ll mourn the fact that it has to happen.

Also, the Scythe is connected to sudden, swift changes that force you to alter completely your plans, strategies and sometimes the very way you see the world. The situation is no longer what it was, your modus operandi no longer works here. Your ideas no longer correspond to the reality. The information you have is no longer accurate, or useful. You need to strain those adaptation muscles and find a way to keep standing while the rug is pulled from under your feet.

Although this rune can represent physical danger, such as accidents or surgeries, many time it refers to sense of foreboding. Something just isn’t right… the fear of loss looms large. Trust these feeling and proceed with caution. This rune can also relate to actual death and all related to it: burials, graveyards, inheritances, heirlooms, legacies and things connected to your ancestry.

In relationship readings, the Scythe suggest caution too. It can represent sudden and irresistible attractions, the kind that inspire people to do crazy things. . Obviously, this rune also represent separations, divorce and conflicts, always leaving a sour aftertaste. The strong passion can quickly transform into strong resentment. In its most positive note, this rune can symbolize relationship that completely transform the people involved.

Your Daily Pyramid Reading for Today

 

Today’s Theme

Amore

Amore draws forces together. Love may be in the air. A balance between the sacred and the secular will be found. Strength will be gained by joining forces. Accord between your inner and worldly self will be found.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Challenge

Justice Reversed

The reversed Justice represents injustice, inequality and a lack of mercy or understanding. Ethics may be crumbling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Ally

The Eight of Wands Reversed

Delay seems probable. Jealousy may become a problem