First day back, I ‘m not going to over do it. I hope you understand. I have got to get my rump up and move, doctor’s orders.
See you tomorrow,
Love ya,
Lady A
Day: April 24, 2018
If You Were Born Today, April 24
If You Were Born Today, April 24
You are a determined person and you intuitively know that with patience, you can accomplish anything you set out to do. You easily earn respect from others around you, due in part to your regal manner. Your family is extremely important to you, and many of your values are quite traditional, which keeps you grounded and responsible. However, you are unafraid of embracing the new, even if you do so slowly. Famous people born today: Shirley MacLaine, Barbara Streisand, Kelly Clarkson.
Your Birthday Year Forecast
With the Sun and Moon in harmony in your Solar Return chart, the year ahead should be satisfying and balanced overall. You are in comfortable demand and personally popular, and you are able to achieve a decent balance between work and play; personal and professional life. For the most part, you are on top of your game this year, and positive connections with others can be made fairly easily. With the ability to handle your emotions successfully, there is less stress on both your mind and body. Your self-confidence and positive attitude will reward you!
Until November, you continue to have a strong, protective, and stabilizing influence with you. It helps you stay on track and meet your responsibilities. Your popularity tends to be strong, and your leadership skills are valued. Work you have done in the past begins to pay off this year–not necessarily in dramatic ways, but in small, measurable ways. You may be recognized or rewarded in some manner for the efforts you put forth. Because you project a more responsible and credible “you”, people in authority are more inclined to appreciate you and recognize your work. This is a year in which you put your life in order in some significant manner. Improved concentration, a more realistic outlook, and a practical awareness of the limits of time all help you to make steady progress, particularly in your career. Your concern for your future this year is stronger than usual, and you may find that projects you start, or investments you make, this year will benefit you for years to come.
Something big is in the works regarding your love or social life. You’ll have a chance to heal old wounds with regards to love this year. You’re also bound to find new ways of making money.
Your ambition is stimulated now, and you are determined to meet or exceed your goals. You can bring great discipline and meaning to your life this year. You might totally revise an important project or area of your life, or you could be bent on getting rid of something in your life so that you can move forward. The tendency to be too willful this year should probably be avoided. You should also watch for overdoing to the point of exhaustion. This can be a compulsive time when power struggles are more likely. On the other hand, it can be a time when you enjoy a strong sense of purposefulness, focus, and determination.
The year ahead can be an ambitious time and a supportive period for reaching your goals. You might solve a long-standing problem, or capitalize upon a resource that was previously hidden.
You might experience some difficulties and delays in communications in the period ahead. It’s a strong year for recognizing flaws and errors. As long as you don’t forget the “big picture”, you could find you are motivated to channel your mental energy into tasks that require structured and organized thought, tackling projects that you may have found too mundane or downright boring in other years. It’s a strong year for polishing your skills and formal learning.
You are determined and focused in the year ahead, and you can move mountains in important areas of your life. As well, this can be a wonderful year for meeting new people or more thoroughly enjoying your current friendships. It’s a powerful year for relationships and excellent for making lifestyle changes.
2018 is a Number Three year for you. Ruled by Jupiter. This is a year of sociability. It is a friendly time when you find it natural and easy to enjoy life and other people. The focus is on personal freedom, reaching out to others, making new friends, and exploration. You are more enthusiastic and ready for adventure than you are in other years. It’s likely to be a rather lighthearted year when opportunities for “play” time are greater than usual. It’s also a favorable year for expressing your creativity. Advice – reach out and connect but avoid scattering your energies.
2019 will be a Number Four year for you. Ruled by Uranus. This is a year of work and development. It’s “nose to the grindstone” time. It’s a time to pay special attention to practical matters, and it’s not a time to be lazy or especially gregarious. Sometimes, it can be a year that feels hard, monotonous and routine, and/or lonely. Positive new relationships are often not formed in a Four personal year. However, it can be a wonderful year for building, development, and laying a solid foundation for future successes. Advice – get yourself organized, work to build your resources, keep busy.
Your Weekly Karmic Forecast for April 22 to 28
Weekly Forecast: April 22 – 28, 2018
To view more of Kelly’s insight, please visit her website, www. KarmicTools.com
The Karmic Tools Weekly Forecast covers the current planetary transits which affect people in different ways and to various degrees of intensity. Take notice when it is a Personal planet (Sun / Moon / Mercury / Venus / Mars) interacting with a Social (Jupiter/Saturn) or Collective planet (Uranus / Neptune/Pluto). And pay extremely close attention when it is a Social planet interacting with a Collective planet because that means something *big* is brewing that will move large groups of people along their evolutionary paths. Tuning in to the energy and rhythm of the planets can serve as a useful *guide* as you move along your Individual Path. It also helps to understand your place within the context of the larger Social & Collective Story. Below, you will find out how these energies tend to manifest, as well as guidance and direction.
*NOTE* There are some days when there are NO CONTACTS (besides the Moon), please note that there are no missing entries, we just list the actual Activations of each week + the day they happen.
Weekly Forecast: April 22 – 28, 2018
4/22 ~ Pluto Retrograde @21* CAPRICORN:
Pluto is in a long process (2008-2024) and retrogrades annually, facilitating transformation on a more subtle level, although if your chart is activated, it may not *feel* subtle. On a personal level, Pluto helps you dig up any destructive unconscious patterns, strips you raw and confronts you with who you are and how you will survive when nothing and no one else is available to help or support you. I like to think of Pluto as our ‘buried treasures’ and like diamonds, it requires a very special task to release from within and bring into the Light. Often, because Pluto rules death, rebirth & transformation, something is sacrificed for your own greater good. Although it is sometimes painful and debilitating, it doesn’t have to be, but is almost always (a) necessary and (b) ultimately *liberating*!!
Pluto is traveling through the Capricorn sector of your chart, digging deep and activating any other planets you may have in Capricorn (and Cancer/Aries & Libra by default). So, it’s good to look at this as an on-going purification & transformation of this department in life (and, subsequently the other three areas too). Pluto moves generations and great numbers of people along their evolutionary path, however, every year when it retrogrades, it turns that energy inward, giving us unique access to our own depths, where our SoulSelf resides. When it goes forward, it is a very gradual awakening process that develops from there. Transformation happens behind the scenes and often out of the prying eyes of others, as well as your own conscious mind, this is deep Soul Work that only you can do. What have you really purified & transformed this year? or what would you like to?
Use this time to set intentions for purification in the sense that you are supported to strip away the non-essential and reconnect with your purest, original intent. Change is greatly supported at this time, so anything that you are really ready, truly willing & finally able to change, can be transformed forever. Capricorn gets everyone focused on choices & responsibilities, as well as the structure of your life that supports & protects you and the overall stability of whatever House it rules.
4/24 ~ Mars (your desire) ~sextile~ Jupiter (your Truth):
This energy will help you figure out what your deepest desires and authentic Truth really are for you. If you are not sure, this expansion will illuminate the possibilities for you. This is a potent opportunity to take things to the next level. Mars often lends a boost of energy, so definitely be active, work in some physical activity (but don’t over-do it), make any presentations you need to make, negotiate any contracts or deals you need to because all is supported for you knowing who you are and what you want in a way that conveys without much effort on your part. The effort required to activate this easy energy is to actively pursue your desires, to expand your horizons by learning something new, by being around other like-minded souls and putting that extra energy behind some worthy project … YOU!
4/25 ~ Mercury (communication/expression) ~square~ Saturn (limits/reality):
(3 of 3: 3/11 ~ 4/5 ~ 4/25)
This energy is good for deep thinking rather than negotiating with others as it is more of a solitary energy making communications with others a little harder than usual. You may feel like people don’t understand what you’re trying to convey or that you’re coming across more negative than positive. This is not a good energy for business negotiations unless every detail is very clear to all involved. This energy makes you most critical of your Self, but it could trickle over onto others as well. Beware of a tendency toward apathy, pessimism and/or depression, that’s Saturn & Mercury, which makes it more mental than literal. Try to stay focused on all the blessings that you do have and all that you have accomplished instead of what’s still on the list of things to do (in life). This energy is not intended to make you feel bad about all the things left yet to do, but encourage you to begin the necessary steps and be okay with small measures of progress for now. This energy just makes you focus on the practical side of manifesting. Clear the mental & emotional debris, and begin to lay a new, clean, solid foundation beneath your goals and strategize about the details of bringing it to fruition.
4/26 ~ Mars (desires) ~conjunct~ Pluto (transformation):
This is an extremely powerful combination of energy. If it is properly channeled, magical results are possible. If your ego is engaged, tragic results are possible. This is ‘lower will’ versus ‘higher will’ together, increases each other’s strength and potency. So if you know who you are and what you want, then this energy can catapult you to the next level, giving you endless energy, power and drive to accomplish your goals. Restriction of any kind will make you angry & frustrated, so anticipate as much as you can and get creative. You may have to work within certain limitations, but don’t let your ego (or wanting your way) block the blessing of this transit. Any time Pluto is involved, complete transformation is at work, so go with it. Be clear about your desires, commit to release any/all blockages and own your power in a positive way, no victim consciousness lest you attract a victim circumstance.
Study of Pagan Gods & Goddesses: Tawaret
Tawaret
Tawaret is the Egyptian goddess of fertility, maternity and childbirth as well as the patron of women and children. She is traditionally believed to be the wife of the demon god Apep. She is often seen as represented by some of the most ferocious yet respected animals in Egypt – she has the head and body of a pregnant hippopotamus, the back of the crocodile and the arms and legs of a lioness. She is seen as a hippopotamus with one arm resting (a symbol of protection) and the other carrying the ankh (the symbol of life) or the ivory knife used to drive away evil spirits. Her name, may also be spelled as Tuat, Taueret, Taurt, Ta-weret, Tawaret, Tuart, and Taueret, and in Greek, Thoeris and Toeri, translates into “she who is great”.
Originally, she was viewed as a maleficent and dangerous deity. Like Bes, she was a considered as a ferocious demon with nurturing and protective qualities. She resides in the northern sky abode of her husband, Apep, thus she is known as the Nebetakhet or the “Mistress of the Horizon” – a group of stars of Ursa Minor and Draco that serves as guardians of the northern sky. In some legend, Apep could only come out during the night, so Tawaret was considered the evil that dwelt during the day.
However, during the Old Kingdom, her role significantly changed from an aggressive force into a protective deity. Like the hippopotamus that represent her, she is protective of her young thus becoming the patron of childbirth. She became the mother goddess who becomes the wet nurse of the pharaoh. Eventually, her nurturing role extended to all households as she helps both the rich and the poor alike.
During childbirth, she is believed to be the deity who wards off evil spirits who intends to harm the baby and the mother. She also became of assistance in matters of pregnancy and sexuality thus forming a link between her and Hathor. In this aspect, she may be seen as a woman wearing her headdress bearing the Sa for protection. Expectant mother often brought with them amulets depicting the goddess to protect them. Her depiction are often motifs to birth beds. She was also associated with magic wands and knives, often made of hippopotamus ivory, which were used to fend off evil especially during labor. Facience vases likened to her shape are used to serve milk in order to add extra potency to the drink.
Her fertility duties focused on the inundation in the area of Gebel el-Silsila. In the Book of the Dead, she is mentioned as the guardian of the mountain paths in the West that led to the Underworld. She also assisted souls into passing safely into the dangerous and frightening land of Osiris especially to the recently deceased.
Her area in the northern sky and her hippopotamus appearance linked her to Set. She is believed to be a concubine of Set who is loyal to Horus. In one of the myths, she helped Isis protect her young child from the attacks of Set by trapping him in the northern sky.
She was also related to Sobek probably because of her crocodile features. In this form, she has a small crocodile on her back. Sometimes, she is the wife of another demon god, Bes, who is linked to childbirth.
She was also known by two other names: Ipet meaning harem and Reret meaning the sow. Her cult achieved significant importance until the Ptolemaic era and Late Period especially in the area of Karnak.
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Taweret
Goddess Demoness of Birth
Rebirth and the Northern Sky
Taweret (Taueret, Taurt, Toeris, Ipy, Ipet, Apet, Opet, Reret) – The Great Female – was the ancient Egyptian goddess of maternity and childbirth, protector of women and children. Like Bes, she was both a fierce demonic fighter as well as a popular deity who guarded the mother and her newborn child.
She was depicted as a combination of a crocodile, a pregnant hippopotamus standing on her hind legs with large breasts and a lion. Unlike the composite demoness Ammut, her head and body were that of the hippo, her paws were that of the lion, and her back was the back of a crocodile. All of these animals were man killers, and as such she was a demoness.
All three animals were regarded as fierce creatures who would kill to protect their young.
It was in her role of a protector that she was seen as a goddess. As the mother hippo is protective of her young, Taweret was believed to be protective of Egyptian children. She was often shown holding the sa hieroglyph of protection or the ankh hieroglyph of life. She was thought to assist women in labour and scare off demons that might harm the mother or child.
… because hippos are denizens of the fertile Nile mud, Egyptians also saw them as symbols of rebirth and rejuvenation. The birth-related aspect of the hippo’s powers also appears in the complicated shape of the goddess Taweret, who protects women in childbirth.
She was also a goddess relating to fertility. She was goddess of harvests as well as a goddess who helped with female sexuality and pregnancy. In this capacity, she was linked with the goddess Hathor. As a fertility goddess, she was closely associated with the inundation of the Nile especially at Jabal al-Silsila.
Amulets of Taweret were popular, used by the expectant mother because of Taweret’s protective powers. These were even found at Akhetaten – Akenaten had no power to stop his people from needing the protection of this goddess (or of Bes), despite his attempts to replace the gods and goddesses of Egypt with the Aten. Her picture was also found on women’s cosmetic tools, headrests, jewelry. There were even vessels in the shape of the goddess, with a hole in one of her nipples for pouring. It was thought that she would assign magical protection, when accompanied with a spell, to the milk poured through these vessels.
Another way that Taweret was thought to scare away evil that could hurt a mother and child was through the use of magic. She was associated with the magic ‘wand’ or ‘knife’ that the Egyptians used because she was a hippopotamus goddess:
Childbirth and early infancy were felt to be particularly threatening to both mother and baby. Magic played the primary role in countering these threats; various evil spirits needed to be warned off, and deities invoked to protect the vulnerable. These magic knives, also known as apotropaic (that is, acting to ward off evil) wands, were one of the devices used. They are usually made of hippopotamus ivory, thus enlisting the support of that fearsome beast against evil.
The depictions on this knife encompass a range of protective images. They include a grotesque dwarf, probably known as Aha at this date, but later the more famous Bes, and Taweret … both of whom are associated with childbirth.
Taweret was a household deity, rather than a specific deity of the pharaoh, and she enjoyed huge popularity with the every day Egyptian. She wore a low, cylindrical headdress surmounted by two plumes or sometimes she wore the horns and solar disk of Hathor. Although her popularity was strongest in later periods, she first appeared in the Old Kingdom as the mother of the pharaoh, offering to suckle him with her divine milk. In later times, the pharaoh Hatshepsut depicted the goddess attending to her birth along side other deities of childbirth. During Egyptian history, she was called by three names – Ipet (‘harem’), Taweret (‘great one’) and Reret (‘the sow’). Of the three, the cult of Taweret assimilated the other two versions of this goddess, despite the Temple of Ipet (often translated to be ‘Harem’ rather than the name of the goddess) at Karnak.
In Egyptian astronomy, Taweret was linked to the northern sky. In this role she was known as Nebetakhet, the Mistress of the Horizon – the ceiling painting of the constellations in the tomb of Seti I showed her in this capacity. She was thought to keep the northern sky – a place of darkness, cold, mist, and rain to the Egyptians – free of evil. She was shown to represent the never-setting circumpolar stars of Ursa Minor and Draco. The seven stars lined down her back are the stars of the Little Dipper. She was believed to be a guardian of the north, stopping all who were unworthy before they could pass her by.
In all of the ancient Egyptian astronomical diagrams there is one figure which is always larger than all the rest, and most frequently found at the center of what appears to be a horizontal parade of figures. This figure is Taweret “The Great One”, a goddess depicted as a pregnant hippopotamus standing upright. It is no mystery that this figure represents a northern constellation associated, at least in part, with our modern constellation of Draco the dragon.
In the Book of the Dead Taweret, the ‘Lady of Magical Protection’, was seen as a goddess who guided the dead into the afterlife. As with her double nature of protector and guardian, she was also a guard to the mountains of the west where the deceased entered the land of the dead. Many of the deities relating to birth also appear in the underworld to help with the rebirth of the souls into their life after death.
She was thought to be the wife of a few gods, mostly because of her physical characteristics. She was linked to the god Sobek, because of his crocodile form. Occasionally Taweret was depicted with a crocodile on her back, and this was seen as Taweret with her consort Sobek. Bes, because the Egyptians thought they worked together when birthing of a child, was thought to be her husband in earlier times.
At Thebes, she was also thought to be the mother of Osiris, and so linked to the sky goddess Nut. Another part of this theology was that it was Amen, who became the supreme god rather than Ra, who was the father of Osiris. It was believed that Amen came to Taweret (called Ipet at this particular time) and joined with her to ensure the renewal of the cycle of life. Ipet herself had become linked with the original wife of Amen, Amaunet (invisibility). It was at Karnak that she was believed to have given birth to Osiris. In later times, Ipet was assimilated by Mut who took her place as the wife of Amen and mother goddess.
Plutarch described Taweret as a concubine of Set who had changed her ways to become a follower of Horus. In this form, she was linked to the goddess Isis. It was thought that the goddess kept Set’s powers of evil fettered by a chain. This is probably because she was a hippo goddess while Set was sometimes seen as a male hippo. The male hippopotamus was seen by the Egyptians as a very destructive creature, yet the female hippopotamus came to symbolise protection. This is probably why Set was, in later times, regarded as evil while Taweret was thought to be a helpful goddess, deity of motherhood and protector of women and children.
Reference
Egyptian Gods & Goddesses
Caroline Seawright, Published on Tour Egypt
Don’t take off your crown
Different Paths of Witchcraft: Stregheria
Stregheria
Stregheria is a branch of modern Paganism that celebrates early Italian witchcraft. Its adherents say that their tradition has pre-Christian roots, and refer to it as La Vecchia Religione, the Old Religion. There are a number of different traditions of Stregheria, each with its own history and set of guidelines.
Today, there are many Pagans of Italian descent who follow Stregheria. The website Stregheria.com, which bills itself as “the home of Stregheria on the web,” says,
“Catholicism served as a veneer that was fitted over the Old Religion in order to survive during the period of violent persecution at the hands of the Inquisition and secular authorities. To many modern Italian Witches, most Catholic saints are simply ancient pagan gods dressed in Christian garb.”
Charles Leland and Aradia
Stregheria appears to be based primarily upon the writings of Charles Leland, who published Aradia: Gospel of the Witches in the late 1800s. Although there’s some question about the validity of Leland’s scholarship, Aradia continues to be the basis of most Stregheria traditions. The work purports to be a scripture of an ancient pre-Christian witch cult, passed along to Leland by a woman named Maddalena.
According to Maddalena, by way of Leland, this tradition honors Diana, the moon goddess, and her consort, Lucifer (not to be confused with the Christian devil, who is also named Lucifer).
Together, they had a daughter, Aradia, and she comes to earth to teach people the ways of magic. To some degree, this teaching is focused on enlightening peasants as to how to overthrow their tyrannical masters, and find freedom is escaping from societal and economic constraints.
Leland’s material gained in popularity among Italian Americans during the 1960s, but his work was not the only influence on what is today practiced as Stregheria.
During the 1970s, author Leo Louis Martello, who was open about his practice of Italian witchcraft, wrote numerous titles detailing his family’s practice of magic originating in Sicily. According to Sabina Magliocco, in her essay Italian American Stregheria and Wicca: Ethnic Ambivalence in American Neopaganism,
“While the secret nature of his family magical practice made it impossible for him to reveal all its characteristics, he described it as a remnant of Sicily’s cult of Demeter and Persephone, preserved under the guise of Marian worship in the Catholic Church. In fact, he claimed that Sicilian families concealed their pagan religion under the guise of devotion to the Virgin Mary, whom they interpreted as simply another version of the goddess Demeter.”
There has been some skepticism towards Leland’s claims. Author and scholar Ronald Hutton has theorized that if Maddalena did exist, the document she gave Leland may have contained her own family’s hereditary tradition, but that it was not necessarily a widespread practice of “Italian witchcraft.” Hutton also suggests that Leland had enough knowledge of local folklore that he could, conceivably, have made the whole thing up in its entirety.
Regardless of the source, Aradia has had a significant impact on modern Pagan practice, particularly among those who follow Stregheria.
Stregheria Today
As with many other Neopagan religions, Stregheria honors both male and female deities, typically personified as the moon goddess and the horned god. Author Raven Grimassi, in his book Ways of the Strega says Stregheria is a blend of ancient Etruscan religion blended with Italian folk magic and early rural Catholicism.
Grimassi says of his tradition of Stregheria,
“The Arician Tradition strives to maintain the ancient mystery teachings while at the same time working to adapt to modern times. Therefore we do embrace new material and teachings, but we do not discard older material.”
Interestingly, there are some practitioners of Italian witchcraft who have tried to distance their version of Stregheria from Grimassi’s and the other Neopagan forms of the religion.
Some, in fact, have complained that it’s become “too blended” with Wicca and other non-Italian traditions. Maria Fontaine, a third-generation Stregha from Pittsburgh, says,
“A lot of what’s traditionally sold as Stregheria by Neopagan authors is an offshoot of Wicca with Italian names and customs mixed in. Although there are some similarities, it’s very different from traditional Italian folk magic. It’s like the difference between eating real Italian food in a village in Tuscany, and going to your local Olive Garden restaurant for dinner. There’s nothing wrong with either, they’re just very different.”
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Stregheria
We believe that the Great Spirit, or source of All things is both masculine and femanine in nature.
We believe that all humans have a spark of divine within themselves, the soul.
We also believe that we are actually spiritual beings who are temporarily encased in physical body.
We believe in reincarnation and view it as a process for spiritual liberation from the physical dimension.
We believe in psychic abilities and the supernatural as normal conditions which have been suppressed by the Judaic/Christian culture, but may be restored through the practice of the Old Ways.
We believe in magick as a manifestation of energy that is directed by the mind through various ancient techniques.
We believe in spiritual worlds and spiritual beings.
We believe in the Law of Action and Reaction, and that what we do affects others, and what others do affects us. Therefore we always strive to live in peace with everyone.
We believe in Karma, we believe in responsiblity and consequences.
We believe in love, life and harmony as the spiritual foundation of our ways.
We believe in the expression of religious beliefs through rituals and festivals.
We believe in Earth Energy, we acknowledge places and objects of natural power existing upon our planet.
We believe in a positive afterlife and a successful spiritual evolution.
We believe that everything in Nature is of equal importance. Everything is linked and entwinded beyond seperation.
The Triad Traditions
Most every religion has different “sects” within it. This braching off allows each group to specialize in a particular area, as well as creating a healthy diversity within the tradition. Stregheria or Strega also has branches or sects. Making up the Old Religion are three groups, known as the Triad Traditions. They are known seperately as the Janarra, the Tanarra, and the Fanara. When Aradia first brought the Old Religion to the people of Italy, she taught her followers the secrets of the Earth, the Moon, and the Stars. With the beginning of the persecution of witches in Italy, the Religion split. Each group was entrusted with one section of the mysteries.
They seperated. The Fanara, who are the Keepers of the Earth Mysteries, centered in northern Italy. They kept the secrets of ley lines, and other forces of the Earth. The Janarra and Tanarra both occupy central Italy. The Janarra are the Keepers of the Lunar Mysteries. They are entrusted with the mysteries of the lunar energy, and other powers of the Moon. The Tanarra are the keepers of the Stellar Mysteries. They hold the mysteries of stellar forces.
Common to all three traditions are the arts of herbalism, divination, magic, ritual,and other aspects associated with the Old Religion.
Each tradition has one person who is responsible for maintaining the purity of the Tradition, as well as ensuring its continued survival. This leader is called the Grimas. The Grimas allows only new aspects to be added to the Tradition that do not deviate from the original teachings. Each Grimas has a working knowledge of the other traditions. They work together in making decisions which will effect the Old Religion. Basically, it is their job to make sure the Strega religion stays true to its followers.
A fourth tradition now also exists, developed by Raven Grimassi Originally a branch of Tanarra, it is known as the Aridian Tradition. It is a blending of the Triad Traditions, and is an attempt to restore the original Religion Aradia brought back to the people long ago.
Stregha Ritual
The Watchers called Grigori, are called to guard the ritual circle and to witness the ritual. Strega also recognizes a third person, Aradia. She came to be known as the Holy Strega, a spiritual teacher and wise woman. The message of Aradia, called the Covenant, offered her followers the path to freedom and personal empowerment. Aradia also taught that the traditional powers of a witch would belong to any who adhered to the way of the Old Religion. Aradia called these Gifts and Beliefs. The Charge of Aradia is the message she left her followers.
The Covenant of Aradia
Observe the times of the Treguenda, for therein is the foundation of the powers of Stregheria.
When good is done to you, then do good to another. If someone wishes to repay you for a kindness, then bind them to go out of their way to help three others, then this shall clear the debt.
Do not use the arts of Stregheria to appear powerful among others. Do not lower the standards of the Art and thereby bring contempt upon the Old ways.
Do not take the life of anything unless it is to preserve life, yours or another’s.
Do not give your word of honour lightly, for you are bound by your words and by your oaths.
Do not accept any authority over you unless it is of the Gods. Instead, cooperate with others but do not be a slave and always preserve your honour. Give respect to others and expect respect in return.
Teach all who appear worthy and aid the continuance of the Old Religion.
Do not belittle another’s religious beliefs, but simply state your own truths. Strive to be at peace with those who differ.
Do not purposely cause harm to another, unless it is to prevent true harm to yourself or another.
Strive to be compassionate to others, and to be aware of the hearts and minds of those around you.
Be true to your own understanding and turn away from those things which oppose the good in you, or are harmful to you. Hold reverence to all within Nature. Destroy nothing, scar nothing, waste nothing, live in harmony with Nature, for the ways of Nature are our own ways.
Remain open in your heart and in your mind to the Great Ones who created all that is, and to your brothers and sisters alike.
Charge of Aradia
Whenever you have need of anything, once in the month when the Moon is full, then shall you come together at some deserted place, or where there are woods, and give worship to She who is Queen of all Witches. Come all together inside a circle, and secrets that are as yet unknown shall be revealed.
And your mind must be free and also your spirit and as a sign that you are truly free, you shall be naked in your rites. And you shall rejoice, and sing; making music and love. For this is the essence of spirit, and the knowledge of joy.
Be true to your own beliefs, and keep to the Ways, beyond all obstacles. For ours is the key to the mysteries and the cycle of rebirth, which opens the way to the Womb of Enlightenment.
I am the spirit of witches all, and this is joy and peace and harmony. In life does the Queen of all witches reveal the knowledge of Spirit. And from death does the Queen deliver you to peace and renewal.
When I shall have departed from this world, in memory of me make cakes of grain, wine, and honey. These shall you shape like the Moon, and then partake of wine and cakes, all in my memory. For I have been sent to you by the Spirits of Old, and I have come that you might be delivered from all slavery. I am the daughter of the Sun and the Moon, and even though I have been born into this world, my Race is of the Stars.
Give offerings all to She who is our Mother. For She is the beauty of the GreenWood, and the light of the Moon among the Stars, and the mystery which gives life, and always calls us to come together in Her name. Let Her worship be the ways within your heart, for all acts of love and pleasure gain favor with the Goddess.
But to all who seek her, know that your seeking and desire will reward you not, until you realize the secret. Because if that which you seek is not found within your inner self, you will never find it from without. For she has been with you since you entered into the ways, and she is that which awaits at your journey’s end.
Gifts of Aradia
In the fourteenth century, Aradia taught that the traditional powers of a witch would belong to any who followed in the ways of the Old Religion. Aradia called these powers “Gifts”, she also stressed the point that these powers were the benefits of adhering to the Old Ways, and not the reason for becoming a witch.
These are the powers:
To bring success in love
To bless and consecrate
To speak with spirits
To know of hidden things
To call forth spirits
To know the Voice of the Wind
To possess the knowledge of transformation
To possess the knowledge of divination
To know and understand secret signs
To cure disease
To bring forth beauty
To have influence over whild beasts
To know the secrets of the hands
The Strega Wheel of the Year
“The Treguendas”
The Strega Wheel of the Year turns as the Wiccan does, It is written; “Aradia teaches us that Nature is the Great Teacher, and that by participating in the seasonal festivals, we come to know the higher ways of the Spirit.” The celebrations are similar to the Wiccan Sabbats. These celebrations are called Treguendas. There are eight Treguendas which make up the year. Four major rites occur in October, February, May and August. These are the Spiritual Festivals. Four minor festivals occur on the Spring and Autumnal Equinoxes, and the Summer and Winter Solstices. These are agricultural festivals.
ShadowFest — La Festa Dell’ Ombra — October 31
ShadowFest marks both the beginning and ending of our year. On November Eve, we mark the time when our Lady descends into the Underworld seeking to understand the Mystery of Death. She meets Dis, the Lord of the Underworld. She is angry with him, for he has taken away those things that she loved. He tells her it is not he who does this, but age and fate which robs her of these things. He simply tries to make the time until they are reborn more pleasant. Eventually, he wins her heart. They come together in Holy Union, and share their mysteries with each other.
Winter Solstice — La Festa dell’ Inverno — December 21/22
Goddess gives birth to the new Sun God, the child of the Holy Union of ShadowFest. The Watchers, known to the Streghe as the Grigori, come to see this new child, but are suprised to see Janus there presenting his new-born child. It is here that we see Dis and Janus are the two faces of the Great God. The Grigori then proceed to the world of man, bringing the new Lord of the Sun. Lupercus, the Sun, once again begins his growth.
Lupercus — Festa di Lupercus — February 2
The Festival of Lupercus marks the puberty of our Lord, Lupercus. The Grigori have set “twelve labours” before the young Wolf God that he must master to prove his worth as the new Sun God. Lupercus proves his worth by completing the tasks. Lupercus is invoked at this time of year to scatter the wolves of the dark winter night. Assisting us in releasing the atavistic power within us all. Through him, we are free of the constraints of our bodies, and of the winter season.
Spring Equinox — Equinozio della Primavera — March 21/22
The Vernal Equinox celebrates the beginning of the Goddess’ ascent from the “Realm of Shadows”. Longing for her children and the light of the Sun, She emerges. As She returns, the Earth awakens, and her children rejoice. This is a time of great fertility. It is also the time that the God Lupercus is slain in a hunting accident. Yet he rises the next day as the new Sun God, taking on the persona of Janus. His brother, Cern, takes rule of the Waxing Year on Earth and will, with the regenerative growth of his antlers, become the Horned God of summer.
Tana’s Day — La Giornata di Tana — May Eve/May 1
Celebration for the full return of the Goddess from the Realm of Shadows. She has returned to her hidden children, bringing with her the Mysteries she has learned. We also celebrate God and Goddess, and their delight in each other. They court, and the world is made merry. Goddess becomes the dominant force, and the Goddess months begin.
Summer Solstice — La Festa dell’ Estate — June 21/22
Summer Solstice marks the marriage of God and Goddess. From this union comes the bounty of the Harvest Tide. This is a time of growth and life. At this time we do works to heal the Earth. This is also a time when the Elemental forces are abound in great number. We honour the fata, the elementals, and other spirits of Nature. (For the witch and the fata are of a similar nature…)
Cornucopia — La Festa Di Cornucopia — August Eve
The celebration of anticipation of plenty. This is the time of the First Harvest. God is preparing to sacrifice himself so that the world can continue. Even as we begin our harvest, we plant the seeds of rebirth. For those seeds which are planted now and nurtured over the cold winter will become the strong plants of spring.
Autumn Equinox — Equinozo di Autunno — September 21/22
Time of the full harvest. The bounty of the harvest is due to God’s sacrifice of himself. Janus now dies and departs to the Underworld. The Lord of Light has now become the Lord of Shadows. He now becomes the Hooded One, and after this Treguenda, we too become hooded in our rites until the Goddess begins her Ascent again at Primavera. Our God Cern is killed in another hunting accident, and Lupercus again takes rule of the Waning Year. Grieving for her lost lover, Goddess descends into the Realm of Shadows, seeking him. In celebratation, we feast upon the bounty of the harvest. We count our blessings and prepare for the upcoming Winter.
Reference
Article by Patti Wigington, Published on ThoughtCo
Grimassi, Raven: Italian Witchcraft, Llewellyn Publications (previously titled Ways of the Strega).
Leland, Charles Godfrey: Aradia, the Gospel of the Witches, Witches Almanac Publishing
Martello, Leo Louis: Witchcraft, the Old Religion, Kensington Press
Aymen Fares, Published on Spiritual
Blessed Are We
The Witches Digest for Tuesday, April 24
The Witches Digest for Tuesday, April 24
a Witch’s garden
a Witch’s garden
grows with the sun, flows with the rain
a flowering of air and earth
ancient is the knowledge of herbs
their properties and powers
a thing for Grandmothers, Midwives, Witches
flowers speak their own language
all but a few phrases forgotten
but Witches know more than roses mean love
how now? the drought comes
but the Witch’s garden still grows green
though elsewhere even the weeds are wilting
through magic and the hard work of her hands
a Witch brings the rich earth to bloom
making the world a more beautiful place
the only secret is this
many a woman talks to her plants
but a Witch also listens
by Elizabeth Barrette
This poem was originally published in Crystal Sands catazine 1997
Tuesday’s Spellcrafting
Strength
Anger
Independence
Motivation
Conquest
Action
Education
Force
Handling conflict
A Spell Crafter’s Compendium
Terri Paajanen
Magickal Days of the Week – Tuesday
Named for the Norse god Tyr, who was a deity of heroism and combat, Tuesday is a very martial sort of day – color associations include bright red and oranges, as well as warrior-like metals such as iron and steel.
The ancient Romans called this day Martis, after the warrior god Mars – other deities associated with Tuesday include Ares, the Morrighan, and other gods of battle and glory. Red gemstones like rubies and garnets come into play on Tuesdays, as do herbs and plants such as thistles, holly, coneflowers and cacti – you’ll notice these are all sharp, prickly plants!
One of the interesting – and more than a little amusing – aspects of Tuesday magic is that in addition to war and conflict against your enemies, this is a day also associated with marriage. You can also use this day of the week for magical workings connected to protection and initiation. Use Tuesday to assert yourself, make a mark and stake your claims.
Author
Patti Wigington, Paganism/Wicca Expert
Article published on & owned by ThoughtCo.com
Today Is Tuesday, April 24th
Tuesday is dedicated to the powers of the planet Mars, personified in Ares, Tiwaz, Tiw, Tuisco and Tyr. Tuesday rules controlled power, energy and endurance.
Deity: Tiwaz
Zodiac Sign: Aries
Planet: Mars
Tree: Holly
Herb: Plantain
Stone: Agate
Animal: Crab
Element: Fire
Color: White
Number: 2
Rune: Tyr (T)
Celtic Tree Month of Saille (Willow) (April 14 – May 12)
The Runic Half Month of Man (April 14 – April 28)
Goddess of the Month of Maia (April 18 – May15)
Source
The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick
The Pagan Book of Days for Tuesday, April 24th
St. Mark’s Eve
The eve of St. Mark’s Day is one of the traditional nights for divining the future. Any young woman wishing to see her future love should fast from sunset and then during the night make and bake a cake containing an eggshell full of salt, wheat meal and barley meal. Then she should open the door of her dwelling place. Her future lover should come in and turn the cake.
Source
The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick
The Wicca Book of Days for Tuesday, April 24th
Vennsian Vervain
The herb vervain shares it planetary governor with this day. Indeed, the Romans named it Veneris herba. Its oil is said to be an aphrodisiac(even when worn as an amulet in a miniature container), which is why vervain was carried by Roman brides and was once a vital ingredient in love philters. It is most often used today to banish feelings of anxiety, to stimulate the liver, and to increase breastfeeding mothers’ milk flow(note that it should be avoided in pregnancy, however).
Crystallize Violets
Crystallize violets, Venus’s flowers, by cooking 1 lb of sugar with 3 1/2 fl. oz. water until the mixture starts to harden. Add 5 oz freshly picked violets and stir gently over a high heat until the syrup dries around the flowers. Transfer to an airtight container and store until required for decoration.
Source
The Wicca Book of Days
Selena Eilidh Ash
Tuesday: Shake the only hand of Tyr
Tyr (referred to as Tiw, Tiu or Tew in Old English) was the god of combat. He had just one hand and the story behind it is as follows.
The prophecy of the sybil that three siblings would bring troubles to gods alarmed the pantheon and Odin (see also the section for Wednesday) decided to get rid of them. One of them was Fenrir, a huge mythological wolf. They tried to bound him, but he was too strong and tore any chain they used.
Finally they asked dwarves to make a special, untearable binding called Gleipnir. It consisted of six wondrous ingredients which do not exist any longer because the gods took them from the world for good. These were the sound of a cat’s footfall, the beard of a woman, the breath of a fish, the roots of a mountain, the sinews of a bear (meaning rather sensibilities in this case) and the spittle of a bird.
Fenrir did not believe them that they would set him free again after having tried the binding on him. Tyr had to put his arm in his mouth as the guarantee. That is why one of his arms is missing. And again, when Ragnarok begins, the wolf will free himself from Gleipnir and avenge this deception by devouring Odin.
In Romance languages, this day belongs to Mars, the Roman god of war (martes in Spanish, mardi in French).
Tuesday–The Day of Tiu
Tuesday is the first day of the week which is named after a god of the Angles and Saxons–Tiu, the God of War. The Angles and Saxons, like the Greeks and Romans, worshiped many gods, and though these gods were in a great number of ways similar to those of the Greeks and Romans, we also find very great differences. These differences are due to the fact that the Angles and Saxons lived in a very different kind of country, led a very different kind of life, and consequently had different ideas. Their chief enemies were frost and cold, and they imagined the freezing winds to be caused by frost-giants who lived in a land of ice and waged continual warfare with the gods who befriended man and protected him as far as they could against the frost-giants and all the suffering which they caused. The chief of these gods was Woden or Odin, the All-father, of whom we read in the following chapter, and next to him in importance came Thor, the God of Thunder, the bitterest enemy of the giants. The god after whom Tuesday is named was known as Tiu among the Angles and Saxons, and as Tyr among the Norsemen. He was the God of War, and corresponds to Mars among the Romans, whose name for this day was Dies Martis, the day of Mars. The French have kept the Roman name in the form mardi.
Tiu was a great fighter and knew no fear, and was naturally always called upon in time of battle. He was usually represented as having no right hand, owing to a misfortune which befell him in the following way. From his lofty throne Odin, the chief of the gods, one day saw in the land of the giants three terrible monsters, which grew so rapidly that he was filled with fear lest they should invade the home of the gods. Accordingly he determined to get rid of them before they became any stronger. One Hel, an enormous giantess, he flung into the Underworld, where, as the Goddess of Death, she ruled over the kingdom of the dead. Another, Iormungandr, a serpent, he cast into the sea, where it grew so huge that it encircled the whole earth. The third was Fenrir, a wolf, whom Odin brought to Asgard, the home of the gods, hoping that he might eventually tame him. Fenrir, however, grew stronger and fiercer each day, until the gods, of whom Tiu alone was brave enough to go near him, decided at last to bind him in such a way that he could do no harm. A very strong chain was obtained, and the gods suggested to Fenrir, who often boasted of his great strength, that he should allow himself to be bound with it in order to prove whether he was really as strong as he claimed to be. Fenrir agreed, and then by merely stretching himself easily brohe his bonds. Again the gods put him to the test with a still stronger chain, but as before he succeeded in breaking it. Seeing that no ordinary chain would be strong enough to bind Fenrir, the gods sent one of their servants to the home of the dwarfs, a race of little people who lived underground, and who were very clever workers in metal. They also possessed great powers of magic, as we shall see in a later story. At the bidding of the gods, the dwarfs made a silken rope out of the voice of fishes, a woman’s beard, the roots of a mountain, and the footsteps of a cat, which was so strong that no power could break it! A third time the gods challenged Fenrir to show his strength by allowing himself to be bound with this new cord, but Fenrir became suspicious, and at last consented only on condition that one of the gods should put his hand in his mouth, and hold it there as a pledge that the gods were not deceiving him. This condition greatly alarmed the gods, who began to fear that their trick was not going to succeed, but the bold war-god Tiu stepped forward and, without any hesitation, placed his right hand in the wolf’s mouth. The gods at once bound Fenrir with the magic cord made by the dwarfs, and, in spite of all his struggles, the wolf was unable to free himself. Great was the delight of the gods at their success, a delight shared by all but Tiu, who had little cause to be pleased with the result of the trick, for Fenrir, finding he was trapped, immediately bit off the hand of the god. Thus Tiu was deprived of his sword hand, but so clever was he that he wielded his sword equally well with his left hand, and still remained invincible in battle.
On one occasion Tiu and Thor, the God of Thunder, set out for the land of the giants to obtain an enormous kettle, which the gods required for a feast. They came at last to the home of a giant, Hymir, who possessed a kettle a mile deep and a mile wide, and were hospitably received by the giant’s wife. When she learned the errand on which they had come, she warned them that her husband was very fierce and hot-tempered, and advised them to hide themselves when Hymir returned, lest he should kill them with a glance. No sooner had the gods taken refuge behind some kettles, which were kept on a beam at the end of the hall, than Hymir came in. When he heard that visitors had called, he flashed his eyes round the hall so fiercely that, as his glance lighted on the gods’ hiding-place, the beam split in two, the kettles came crashing to the ground, and Tiu and Thor were discovered. Hymir, however, was persuaded by his wife to receive the gods kindly; he prepared a meal of three oxen in their honour, but was astonished and dismayed to see Thor eat two of them himself. The next day the gods gave the giant many proofs of their great strength and skill, and Hymir consented to give them the kettle they were seeking. Tiu at once tried to lift it but failed; then Thor, after a mighty struggle, raised it from the ground, and, as he gave the final pull, his feet broke through the floor of the giant’s house. As soon as the gods had departed, Thor carrying the kettle on his head, Hymir called his brothers together, and pursued after them. Thor, however, attacked them with his famous hammer, and killed them one by one. Tiu and Thor then continued their journey, and brought the huge kettle safely to their own land.
There are few stories told of Tiu, yet he held a high place among the gods, as the name Tuesday shows. He is most famous for his share in the binding of Fenrir, whereby was put off the dreaded Ragnarok, the day of the final battle between the gods and the giants.
Tuesday’s Witchery
Tuesday is the day to work any magick that falls in the category of increasing strength, courage, bravery, and passion. All of these intense emotions are linked to this day’s energies, and spells designed around these themes will have extra punch when performed on this magickal day.
So, let’s add a little passion and conviction into your life! Break out the daring red pieces of your wardrobe, and put a little pizzazz into your day. Work with Lilith, and see what she has to teach you about personal power and sexuality. Meditate onTiw/Tyr and Mars, and see what those ancient warrior gods will show you about new tactics, strategies, and claiming personal victories in your life. Practice conjuring up that astral weapon from the meditation and use it wisely for protection and for courage.
Create a philter for courage and protection or handcraft your own Witch’s jar to remove negativity from your home. See what other Witch crafts you can conjure up with Tuesday’s magick. Create some kitchen magick on this Tuesday by whipping up a spicy stew-add in a few Mars-associated ingredients such as carrots, peppers, and garlic. Empower the stew for success, and then treat yourself and your family to a good, hearty meal. Try working with a little aromatherapy and burn some spicy or coffee-scented candles to increase your energy level.
Check the sky at night, and see if you can find the reddish planet Mars up in the heavens. Not sure where to look? Check an astronomy magazine or search the Web for more information. Become a magickal warrior and move forward in your life with strength, courage, and compassion. Embrace the side of yourself that loves a good challenge and that is passionate and daring! Banish fear, and face your future with strength and conviction. Believe in yourself and in your dreams, work hard, and you will win every time.
Source
Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week
Ellen Dugan
The Witches Almanac for Tuesday, April 24
St. Mark’s Eve
Waxing Moon
Moon phase: Second Quarter
Moon Sign: Leo
Moon enters Virgo 4: 40 pm
Incense: Cedar
Color: Red
Moon in Leo
The Moon is traveling through Leo today. Shine and be proud! You rule right now!
The Moon in Leo speaks to our “inner child”. It’s a warm, generous, whole-heartedly loving position. Pride keeps us from pettiness, but it can also prevent us from opening up and revealing how we are truly feeling. We are on stage, our feelings are grand, and we appreciate some drama in our lives. We are easily threatened by anything that seems to be impersonal. This is a time when we seek attention–when we want to stand out for our special qualities. It’s a strong time for romance and any creative activity as well.
The Moon in Leo generally favors the following activities: Creative activities, activities involving children, generous undertakings, undertakings in which personal recognition is desired, and risk-taking.
The Witches Correspondences for Tuesday, April 24
Dedicated to the powers of the planet Mars, personified as Ares, Tiwaz, Tiw, and Tyr.
Element : Water
Planet : Mars
Zodiac Sign : Aries / Scorpio
Angel : Samuel
Metal : Iron, Steel
Incense / Perfumes : Dragon’s Blood, Patchouli
Oil : Basil, Coriander, Ginger
Color : Red, Orange
Stones : Bloodstone, Garnet, Carnelian,
Plants/Herbs : Allspice, Blessed Thistle, Cayenne, Daisy, Garlic, Ginger, Pepper, Pine, Red Rose, Thyme, Tobacco, Wormwood
Magick to work: self-assertion, energy, and courage, victory, endurance, passion, masculine goals in general, sex, aggression, protection, controlled power, ambition, arguments, competition, conflict, destruction, lust, male sexuality, sports, strife, struggle, surgery, medical issues, upheaval, war
The Energy of Mars
Weekday ruled by Mars: Tuesday
Stones:
Bloodstone
Garnet
Carnelian
Pink Tourmaline
Herbs and Plants:
Red Rose
Cock’ comb
Mugwort
Mullien
Nettle
Thistle
Wormwood
Magickal Intention: Courage, physical strength, revenge, military honors, surgery, breaking negative cycles, war, vitality, Assertiveness.
Daily Magickal Applications for Tuesday, April 24
The Latin term for Sunday, our first day of the week, is Dies Solis (“sun’s day”). In ancient Greek, it was called Hemera Heliou. In the Old English language, it was known as Sunnandaeg; in Middle English, Sonenday. All of these titles mean the same thing: the day of the sun.
What do you think of when you feel the sun shine down on you? What sorts of enchantments and energies do you think would be complementary to a day named after our closest star? Sunday brings those bright solar energies into your life and has the magickal correspondences of success, promotion, leadership, pride, light, generosity, warmth, fitness, and personal growth. Astrologically, the sun symbolizes the conscious self and rules the zodiac sign of Leo.
The charms and spells that would complement this magickal day of the sun are ones for personal achievements of any kind-such as if you are seeking fame and wealth, working for that much-deserved promotion at work, or being acknowledged for a job well done. Health issues, increasing personal power, or simply sticking to your diet and being proud of what you have accomplished all fall under the sun’s golden influence
—Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week
Ellen Dugan
Protection Oil
To make a personal protection oil blend together the oils of rosemary, rose geranium, and
cypress. This oil is also used to anoint candles and is added to protective cleansing baths.
Magickal Protection Charm
At Dawn, set out and seek for three dried Twigs, with lengths of the same sizes, small enough to be kept as a charm, and bind them with a Vine. Carry them home and on a table, place the bundles of twigs in the midst of a lighted White Candle, anointed with Oils for Protection. In addition, you will need to burn Incense with appropriate scent for Protection.
As the smoke starts to arise from the Incense,pick the Twigs up and pass them over the smoke of the Incense, several times, as you incant:
Smoke of Incense Bless these Twigs for Protection
That it may protect me from all harm
Hold me, Shield me, Defend me So mote it be!
The twigs must be placed on a bag and kept always near you, or rather, it can be hung on the threshold of the house, to prevent any Evil from entering.
Spell for Long Term Protection
This form of summoning is closer to permanent as we would perceive it. Yet in this for you must still work with a time frame in mind, however distant it may be.
Guardian Dragons may be summoned in this fashion for protection of people places and things needing or deserving long term care (such as children, houses, spouses, etc). Multiple objects can be protected with but a change in grammar, but they must be together for a single dragon to protect
(the objects become a mini-horde).
“Dragon brave and Dragon wise, let nothing escape your eyes.
I summon your from your hidden lair, (name object here) is entrusted to your care.
Permit no harm to come to (named object) within your sight, in your presence let all evils take flight.
No baneful creature born of flesh or spirit, may touch (name object) nor even come near it.
Let those that would bring harm, be filled with fright and alarm.
So Mote It Be
Celebrating Legends, Folklore & Spirituality 365 Days A Year for April 24th
April 24
St. George’s Day
St. George is the patron saint of England—as well as Greece, Portugal, and Aragon—as of soldiers and boy scouts. As are most of the saints, George was a mysterious character. He was reputed to have rescued the daughter of the king of Silene-the end of the third century A.D. The princess was a sacrificial victim being offered to a dragon that was devouring the people. Saint George arrived on his white horse and beheaded the dragon with one swift blow of his mighty sword.
During the late medieval period this date was widely celebrated throughout London, Norwich, Chester, Leicester, and York. The festivities began on the evening of the 23rd and proceeded throughout the following day. There were civic presentations, parades, and horse races. It was believed that if you dreamed of a man on this night, he would become your love.
Home & Hearth Magick for Tuesday, April 24th
On Sunday, work for success, healing and blessings.
Planetary Influence: The Sun
Household Symbols: A rooster, a sun, gold jewelry
Colors: Yellow and gold
Kitchen Spices: Cinnamon and orange peels
Source:
Cottage Witchery Natural Magick for Hearth and Home
Author: Ellen Dugan
True Magick
Good Tuesday Morning, my Luvs! I will give you three guesses whose back, lol!
Ok, forget the guessing, it’s me Lady A! I could shout it to the top of the world. I missed you guys and gals. Somewhere along the line I sort of got attached to ya.’ First off, I want to thank you for the money you raised to save our property. I think the stress of thinking about losing it all is what did me in. You will never, ever know how much that meant to me and means to me. I was to the point were I was feeling all alone in the world and everything was hopeless. Quote a bible verse (don’t worry, I ain’t turned, I am still 100% witch), “Ye of little faith!” It would have killed me if we had lost everything we had worked so hard for, especially where my home use to be. But you all came through for us and me. I want to tear up now and cry, I can never say “THANK YOU” enough. You have always pulled our rump out of cracks before and I don’t give a damn what anyone says, we are family. You are the only family I have. That means something to me, something very special. I want you to know I truly do love you, not just for what you do for me and the WOTC, but just being there. I can feel your presence, I can feel your caring and your love. I hope, in return, you can feel mine. When I say I love you, I am not saying it just to be saying it, I mean. Don’t ever forget that. Thank you so very much, my dear sweet brothers & sisters.
As far as my health goes, I went to the doctor and got good news and bad news. Well not really bad news, I have developed a hernia but my heart and steins are super! I probably shouldn’t tell this but I am because it is about half way funny (you might as well laugh about it as cry). Kade, by the way he did fine with his surgery also. It is pretty bad when you and your dog both has to have surgery, huh? Anyway that’s not the funny part, Kade hates for me to take a shower, he has to see me at all times. So I take a bath. The last couple of times, when I was raising up out of the water, I noticed this thing in the middle of my stomach. It looked like one of those creatures from Aliens the movie. You know right before they break through your skin. That’s what this thing looks like. I got to thinking, “one of these days, I am going to get the water to hot and he is going to pop out.” So when I went to the doctor yesterday, I had him look at it and come to find out it is a hernia. Darn there goes my little alien! Now I have to go to another doctor and get the hernia taken care of. Don’t panic, I asked it is done as an out patient surgery and I should’t be off any time at all. But it has to be fixed, so might as well get it fixed.
I know Eleanor probably told you, my leg is out of the cast and I can actually walk on it. Funny the doctors said I probably wouldn’t be able too. I do go to therapy three times a week for it. So maybe after I get this last thing fixed, I can quit playing with the doctors for a while, I hope. Really I am looking for a rich one with lots of land. That way all of you can come and visit and we can celebrate one of our Sabbats together. I guess I better make sure he is a Pagan or out of town for the weekend. But that is something I have always wanted to do is to meet all of you. You have been so good and kind to me, I would love to meet each of you and give you a great big hug and say thank you in person. Oh, well, maybe one day.
I have had way too much time on my hands, if you can’t tell. Now let’s get this show on the road……
Remember my precious family,
I love you,
Lady A
Witches Of The Craft® 
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