The Goddess Book of Days for Thursday, January 5thEve of the Epiphany of Kore and Aeon (Byzantium), also for Demeter/persephone, Ceres/Proserpina, Isis/ Osiris, Inanna/Tammuz, Venus/Adonis, Erzulie/ Damballah, the return of light and life to the Earth. In Italy, La Befana, the good witch who brings gifts to children, forerunner of Santa Claus.
The Goddess Book of Days
Diane Stein
Thursday, January 5Thursday 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 Beth (Birch) – December 24 – January 20
The Runic Half Month of Eoh (yew tree) – December 28 – January 12
Goddess of the Month of Hestia – December 26 – January 22nd
The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick
Today is Thursday, January 5th, We Celebrate…..Befana Fair (Italy)
BEFANA
Themes: Overcoming Evil; Wisdom
Symbols: Broom; Horns; Hag Poppets
About Befana: Befana is the Italian crone goddess. Call on her for wisdom and guidance through the other eleven months of the year. Because she has lived a long life, her astute insight will serve you well. Today is her festival day in Italy, celebrated with horns, noise makers, songs, and music. These loud sounds drive out evil and mark the passage of winter’s darkness out of the region.
To Do Today: Have any children in your life follow the Italian tradition of leaving Befana a broom to fly on and a gift basket. According to legend, Befana rewards this kindness with little gifts in stockings, much like Santa Claus.
Find a “kitchen witch” at a gift shop and hang it up near the hearth to welcome Befana’s wisdom into your home. Or, take a broom clockwise around your house, sweeping inward toward a central spot to gather her beneficent energies.
To protect your home for the rest of the year, use a kazoo or other noise maker (pots with wooden spoons work well). Go into each room and make a loud racket, saying,
Allevil, fear! Befana is here!
Away, away, only goodness may stay.
If your schedule allows, make a poppet that looks like an old woman. Fill it with dried garlic, pearl onions, and any other herbs you associate with safety. Keep this near the stove or hearth to invoke Befana’s ongoing protection.
365 Goddess: A Daily Guide To the Magic and Inspiration of the goddess
Patricia Telesco
The Magick of ThursdayPlanet Ruled: Jupiter
Colors: Blue, purple, green
Deities: Jupiter, Juno
Magickal Intent: Abundance, protection, prosperity, strength, wealth, healing.
The Sky This Week for January 5 to January 8By Richard Talcott
Thursday, January 5
First Quarter Moon arrives at 2:47 p.m. EST. Our satellite rises in the east around noon local time but doesn’t become prominent until the Sun sets around 5 p.m. By 6 p.m., it appears due south and nearly two-thirds of the way to the zenith. The Moon’s half-lit orb then lies among the background stars of southern Pisces.
Friday, January 6
Jupiter dominates the morning sky in early January. The giant planet rises before 1 a.m. local time and climbs nearly halfway to the zenith in the southern sky by the time twilight begins. Jupiter shines brilliantly at magnitude –2.0 and shows a disk that spans 36″ when viewed through a telescope. A small scope also reveals the planet’s four bright moons, though you may have to hunt for one of them this morning. The shadow of volcanically active Io starts to transit Jupiter at 5:24 a.m. EST, and the moon itself begins to cross the planet’s disk at 6:37 a.m.
Saturday, January 7
The variable star Algol in Perseus appears faintest at 12:30 a.m. EST tomorrow morning, when it shines at magnitude 3.4. If you start watching it immediately after darkness falls, you can see it dim from its peak brightness (magnitude 2.1) to minimum and then rise back to maximum all in a single night. This eclipsing binary star runs through a cycle from minimum to maximum and back every 2.87 days, but the drop from peak brightness and subsequent rise lasts only about 10 hours. Algol appears in the eastern sky after sunset and passes nearly overhead around 8 p.m. local time.
The dwarf planet Pluto is in conjunction with the Sun at 2 a.m. EST. The distant world then lies on the far side of the Sun from our perspective and can’t be seen.
Sunday, January 8
Although Mercury passed between the Sun and Earth in late December, it already has returned to view before dawn. This morning, you can find the inner planet 9° above the southeastern horizon 30 minutes before sunrise. Shining at magnitude 0.2, it should show up through the twilight glow. If you don’t see it right away, binoculars will bring it into view. A telescope reveals Mercury’s 8″-diameter disk, which appears one-third illuminated.
Your Sun & Moon Data for Thursday, January 5thThe Sun
Sun Direction: ↑ 106.47° ESE
Sun Altitude: -16.00°
Sun Distance: 91.405 million mi
Next Equinox: Mar 20, 2017 5:28 am (Vernal)
Sunrise Today: 7:08 am↑ 118° Southeast
Sunset Today: 4:52 pm↑ 242° Southwest
Length of Daylight: 9 hours, 43 minutes
The Moon
Moon Direction: ↑ 3.53° N
Moon Altitude: -51.90°
Moon Distance: 232891 mi
Next Full Moon: Jan 12, 20175:33 am
Next New Moon: Jan 27, 20176:07 pm
Next Moonrise: Today11:44 am
Current Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent
Illumination: 46.5%
Amazing GraceAmazing grace, how sweet the Earth
that bore a witch like me!
I once was burned, now I survive,
was hung and now I sing.
T’was grace that drew down the moon
and grace that raised the seas.
The magic in the people’s will
will set our Mother free.
We face the East and breathe the winds
that move across this earth.
From gentle breeze to hurricane
our breath will bring forth the change.
Turn towards the South and feel the fire
that burns in you and me.
The spirit’s flame will rise again
and burn eternally.
We greet the West, our souls awash
in tides of primal birth.
Our tears and blood, our pain and love
will cleanse and heal the earth.
Reach into the North and know your roots
down deep ancestral caves.
We find the wisdom of the Crone,
Of circles we are made.
Amazing earth, enduring life,
from death into rebirth.
T’is earth I am and earth I love
and earth I’ll always be.
Amazing grace, how sweet the Earth
that bore witches like we.
We once were burned, now we survive,
were hung and now we sing.
Goddess bless, so mote it be,
Our magic spirals on.
Merry meet and merry part
and merry meet again.
—-Verna Knapp
Originally published on Pagan Library
Witches Of The Craft® 