Day: April 25, 2018
Born on a Wednesday
If You Were Born Today, April 25
If You Were Born Today, April 25
You are a sensual, intuitive, and emotional person who is sometimes misunderstood, generally because you don’t easily let others in on your deepest thoughts and feelings! However, you are very much respected. You tend to think before you speak or write. A calm exterior can hide some nervousness and worry, as well as an intensely emotional nature. In your work, you are a perfectionist. Famous people born today: Ella Fitzgerald, Renee Zellweger, Al Pacino, Jason Lee.
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 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.
2019 will be a Number Five year for you. Ruled by Mercury. This is a year of discovery and freedom. It’s a time when exploration and reaching out to others brings opportunities. It’s a good time to advertise, promote, and sell. Surprises are in store, and the routine is broken for the better. This is a year when exciting relationships can be formed; or, if you are already in a partnership, new life is breathed into the relationship. Advice – explore, look for adventure, keep your eyes open for opportunities, diversify, mingle.
Courtesy of Cafe Astrology
Classic Zodiac Chat-up Lines
Classic Zodiac Chat-up Lines
From The Astrology Room
Ever wondered how to spot a star sign from what they say? Here’s your rough guide to the zodiac chat-up lines based on daily horoscopes .
Here are the chat-up lines each star-sign is most likely to use on you based on their daily horoscopes
ARIES
Shall we go on?
TAURUS
I think you’re great. Let’s go eat.
GEMINI
Why don’t we dump these losers and you and me take off?
CANCER
Let’s go somewhere private.
LEO
I’d love to take you out, do you have anything smart to wear?
Or: Do you want to do your makeup before we leave?
VIRGO
I think I could really improve your life.
LIBRA
I love you for your mind as well as your body.
SCORPIO
Let’s change the world!
SAGITTARIUS
Fancy a bonk?
CAPRICORN
I think we’d work well together. I have a window on Thursday if you’d like to go for dinner.
AQUARIUS
Talk to me.
PISCES
Tell me everything about yourself.
May You
The Various Paths of Witchcraft: Kitchen Witchcraft
Kitchen Witchcraft
Kitchen witchcraft is witchcraft based in the kitchen, often incorporating much in the way of cooking and herb work. There are large overlaps with hearth witchcraft. Kitchen witches are, if anything, more come-as-you-are and tend to use kitchen items as tools when required.
There’s a growing movement within modern Paganism known as kitchen witchery. The kitchen is, after all, the heart and hearth of many modern households. When you have a gathering in your home, where do most of your guests hang out? Why, the kitchen, of course! Also, thanks to a declining economy, many more people are making meals from scratch and the kitchen has once again become a place where people spend hours, rather than minutes.
So it’s no surprise that kitchen witchery has seen a rise in popularity.
Meal Prep as Magic
When you take the time to put meals together from the basic ingredients, you have a magical opportunity at hand. You can infuse every dish with intent and will. A meal can stop being something you dump out of a can, and start being a ritual in and of itself. When you take the time to prepare something with your own hands, it lends sacredness to the meal, and will make you want to spend time savoring it with your family rather than just snarfing it down on your way out the door to soccer practice. By changing the way you view food, its preparation, and its consumption, you can craft some practical magic at its simplest level.
How To Bring Magic Into the Kitchen
As you become more aware of what it’s like to live magically, and more in tune with your own actions and activities, you may at some point realize that your own kitchen is a magical one.
There are a number of things you can do to enhance the magical atmosphere in your kitchen. Try some or all of these to get started.
First of all, consider having a kitchen altar. The stovetop is today’s equivalent of the hearth fires of old, and it’s where most food preparation is done. Create a small altar with items that can be moved as needed—add a statue of a home or hearth goddess, a cauldron, or a candle.
If you like, paint a trivet with symbols of your tradition.
Make sure your herbs are readily accessible in your kitchen. If you cook with them, display them in decorative jars. Make sure that they’re not sitting in direct sunlight, though, or they’ll lose their potency. If possible, have live plants in pots to use during the year. Keep fresh vegetables on hand as well.
Read up on practices like Feng Shui so you can optimize your work space for maximum efficiency, both spiritual and practical.
Keep the space clean. Much like any other sacred space, physical cleanliness maintains spiritual cleanliness. It’s hard to find balance in a place that is cluttered and chaotic. Make sure countertops are wiped down after each meal, keep the sink free of dirty dishes, and organize cupboards and shelves so they are easy to use.
Want to feel joyful every time you walk into your kitchen? Paint the walls in colors that are comforting and happy! If your house still has the 1970’s metallic flecked wallpaper in the kitchen, it’s time to get it out of there. Choose a color that makes you and your family feel good — earth tones are soothing, yellows are happy and bright, and greens bring prosperity and abundance.
Keep cookbooks and recipes organized where you can find them. You might even want to have a special book of magical recipes that you keep separate from your regular Book of Shadows.
You can also incorporate magical practices into your cooking. When you’re stirring a recipe, consider stirring in a deosil or widdershins direction, depending on the goal you wish to achieve. If you’re making a sandwich, spread condiments like mustard in a sigil for your purpose. When you bake bread, add herbs or spices that correspond to your magical needs.
Get your kitchen clean and organized, and you’ll be well on your way to a successful path as a kitchen witch!
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Kitchen Witchcraft
As with all the diverse paths of witchcraft there is no one single definition of what it is to be a kitchen witch. There are practises many kitchen witches have in common but any individual will make the path of the kitchen witch her own. That said there are some common traits that help make up the definition of those practising kitchen witchery.
The kitchen and specifically the hearth or the kitchen fire is traditionally seen as being the heart of the home and the family. For the kitchen witch the kitchen and the hearth are the central focus of her path. The hearth itself – or for those witches who have homes without a hearth – the kitchen fire or stove will play an intrinsic part in the magic she works. Kitchen witches are likely to undertake a lot of workings with fire, be it fire to create (cooking) or fire to destroy (burning to banish).
The kitchen witch may choose to keep an altar in the kitchen – devoted to deity, ancestors, elements or spirits depending on the personal nature of her beliefs. This may be incorporated into the magic she works, it may have a protective function (items for protection may not necessarily be in the form of a formal altar, a kitchen witch may prefer to hang charms about her work space) or it may simply be a focal point for worship. Some kitchen witches choose to honour the Gods/Goddesses associated with the home – perhaps most popularly Hestia the Greek Goddess of the hearth.
A kitchen witch’s path is often about improvisation and the use of ordinary common place objects to work magic. Unlike some (usually Wiccan) witches a kitchen witch may choose not to differentiate between ceremonial and everyday tools. Kitchen witches may use the same knife for sacrifice or ritual as they do for chopping the vegetables. The usefulness of items is emphasised above their sanctity and it is the view of some witches that it is the utility of the object that lends it the power.
A kitchen witch is likely to be interested in every stage of food production and this begins with growing her own herbs and vegetables and raising her own livestock. Of course this is not practical for every kitchen witch but it is likely there will be a nod to the food production process in the home of every kitchen witch. This may vary from running a full size farm to growing a pot of basil on the windowsill but the idea is the same – the witch is working with ingredients she has grown herself.
There is sometimes a misconception that the path of the kitchen witch focuses exclusively around food and the preparation of meals. This is not true although cooking does play a big part in this particular craft. Stirring intent into meals, cooking with specially selected magical herb and using organic and homegrown produce are solid trademarks of kitchen witchery. The crafting and creating however is not limited to the production of food and many kitchen witches will incorporate more diverse crafting such as soap making, weaving, knitting, using natural ingredients to create home made medicines and other traditional crafts into their practise. Magic can be as effectively achieved by sewing intent into a shirt as it can be by stirring intent into the dinner and it is important not to pigeon hole the kitchen witch as working in a single limited capacity. If anything the focus on improvisation and use of everyday tools for workings make the kitchen witch an unusually diverse practitioner. Those who think she is just good for baking cakes underestimate her greatly.
Kitchen Witchery – although a relatively modern term – is perhaps one of the most traditional paths a witch can walk. The kitchen witch looks for meaning in the mundane and usefulness in the easily accessible. She hides in plain sight better than most and incorporates her mundane routine with her magical life in a harmonious manner. There is perhaps no modern witch treading a more similar path to her ancestors than the kitchen witch who works her magic in the heart of her home and her family.
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Reference
Now I Lay Me Down
The Study of Pagan Gods and Goddesses: Eris
Eris
(Greek)
A goddess of chaos, Eris is often present in times of discord and strife. She loves to start trouble, just for her own sense of amusement, and perhaps one of the best known examples of this was a little dustup called the Trojan War.
It all started with the wedding of Thetis and Pelias, who would eventually have a son named Achilles. All of the gods of Olympus were invited, including Hera, Aphrodite and Athena – but Eris’ name got left off the guest list, because everyone knew how much she enjoyed causing a ruckus. Eris, the original wedding crasher, showed up anyway, and decided to have a little fun. She tossed a golden apple – the Apple of Discord – into the crowd, and said it was for the most beautiful of the goddesses. Naturally, Athena, Aphrodite and Hera had to bicker over who was the rightful owner of the apple.
Zeus, trying to be helpful, chose a young man named Paris, a prince of the city of Troy, to select a winner. Aphrodite offered Paris a bribe he couldn’t resist – Helen, the lovely young wife of King Menelaus of Sparta. Paris selected Aphrodite to receive the apple, and thus guaranteed that his hometown would be demolished by the end of the war.
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Eris
Eris is the Greek goddess of strife and discord. Her name is the equivalent of Latin Discordia, which means “discord”. Eris’ Greek opposite is Harmonia, whose Latin counterpart is Concordia. Homer equated her with the war-goddess Enyo, whose Roman counterpart is Bellona. The dwarf planet Eris is named after the goddess
Eris is of uncertain etymology; connections with the verb ὀρίνειν orinein, “to raise, stir, excite,” and the proper name Ἐρινύες Erinyes have been suggested. R. S. P. Beekes rejects these derivations and suggested a Pre-Greek origin.
Characteristics in Greek mythology
El Juicio de Paris by Enrique Simonet, 1904
Golden apple of discord by Jakob Jordaens, 1633
Das Urteil des Paris by Anton Raphael Mengs, c. 1757
In Hesiod’s Works and Days 11–24, two different goddesses named Eris are distinguished:
So, after all, there was not one kind of Strife alone, but all over the earth there are two. As for the one, a man would praise her when he came to understand her; but the other is blameworthy: and they are wholly different in nature. For one fosters evil war and battle, being cruel: her no man loves; but perforce, through the will of the deathless gods, men pay harsh Strife her honour due.
But the other is the elder daughter of dark Night (Nyx), and the son of Cronus who sits above and dwells in the aether, set her in the roots of the earth: and she is far kinder to men. She stirs up even the shiftless to toil; for a man grows eager to work when he considers his neighbour, a rich man who hastens to plough and plant and put his house in good order; and neighbour vies with his neighbour as he hurries after wealth. This Strife is wholesome for men. And potter is angry with potter, and craftsman with craftsman and beggar is jealous of beggar, and minstrel of minstrel.
In Hesiod’s Theogony (226–232), Strife, the daughter of Night, is less kindly spoken of as she brings forth other personifications as her children:
And hateful Eris bore painful Ponos (“Hardship”),
Lethe (“Forgetfulness”) and Limos (“Starvation”) and the tearful Algea (“Pains”),
Hysminai (“Battles”), Makhai (“Wars”), Phonoi (“Murders”), and Androktasiai (“Manslaughters”);
Neikea (“Quarrels”), Pseudea (“Lies”), Logoi (“Stories”), Amphillogiai (“Disputes”)
Dysnomia (“Anarchy”) and Ate (“Ruin”), near one another,
and Horkos (“Oath”), who most afflicts men on earth,
Then willing swears a false oath.
The other Strife is presumably she who appears in Homer’s Iliad Book IV; equated with Enyo as sister of Ares and so presumably daughter of Zeus and Hera:
Strife whose wrath is relentless, she is the sister and companion of murderous Ares, she who is only a little thing at the first, but thereafter grows until she strides on the earth with her head striking heaven. She then hurled down bitterness equally between both sides as she walked through the onslaught making men’s pain heavier. She also has a son whom she named Strife.
Enyo is mentioned in Book 5, and Zeus sends Strife to rouse the Achaeans in Book 11, of the same work.
The most famous tale of Eris recounts her initiating the Trojan War by causing the Judgement of Paris. The goddesses Hera, Athena and Aphrodite had been invited along with the rest of Olympus to the forced wedding of Peleus and Thetis, who would become the parents of Achilles, but Eris had been snubbed because of her troublemaking inclinations.
She therefore (as mentioned at the Kypria according to Proclus as part of a plan hatched by Zeus and Themis) tossed into the party the Apple of Discord, a golden apple inscribed Ancient Greek: τῇ καλλίστῃ, translit. tē(i) kallistē(i) – “For the most beautiful one”, or “To the Fairest One” – provoking the goddesses to begin quarreling about the appropriate recipient. The hapless Paris, Prince of Troy, was appointed to select the fairest by Zeus. The goddesses stripped naked to try to win Paris’ decision, and also attempted to bribe him. Hera offered political power; Athena promised infinite wisdom; and Aphrodite tempted him with the most beautiful woman in the world: Helen, wife of Menelaus of Sparta. While Greek culture placed a greater emphasis on prowess and power, Paris chose to award the apple to Aphrodite, thereby dooming his city, which was destroyed in the war that ensued.
In Nonnus’ Dionysiaca, 2.356, when Typhon prepares to battle with Zeus:
Eris (“Strife”) was Typhon’s escort in the melée, Nike (“Victory”) led Zeus to battle.
Another story of Eris includes Hera, and the love of Polytekhnos and Aedon. They claimed to love each other more than Hera and Zeus were in love. This angered Hera, so she sent Eris to rack discord upon them. Polytekhnos was finishing off a chariot board, and Aedon a web she had been weaving. Eris said to them, “Whosoever finishes thine task last shall have to present the other with a female servant!” Aedon won. But Polytekhnos was not happy by his defeat, so he came to Khelidon, Aedon’s sister, and raped her. He then disguised her as a slave, presenting her to Aedon. When Aedon discovered this was indeed her sister, she chopped up Polytekhnos’ son and fed him to Polytekhnos. The gods were not pleased, so they turned them all into birds.
Cultural influences
Discordianism
Eris has been adopted as the patron deity of the modern Discordian religion, which was begun in the late 1950s by Gregory Hill and Kerry Wendell Thornley under the pen names of “Malaclypse the Younger” and “Omar Khayyam Ravenhurst”. The Discordian version of Eris is considerably lighter in comparison to the rather malevolent Graeco-Roman original, wherein she is depicted as a positive (albeit mischievous) force of chaotic creation.
A quote from the Principia Discordia, the first holy book of Discordianism, attempts to clear up the matter:
One day Mal-2 consulted his Pineal Gland and asked Eris if She really created all of those terrible things. She told him that She had always liked the Old Greeks, but that they cannot be trusted with historic matters. “They were,” She added, “victims of indigestion, you know.”
Suffice it to say that Eris is not hateful or malicious. But she is mischievous, and does get a little bitchy at times.
The story of Eris being snubbed and indirectly starting the Trojan War is recorded in the Principia, and is referred to as the Original Snub. The Principia Discordia states that her parents may be as described in Greek legend, or that she may be the daughter of Void. She is the Goddess of Disorder and Being, whereas her sister Aneris (called the equivalent of Harmonia by the Mythics of Harmonia) is the goddess of Order and Non-Being. Their brother is Spirituality.
Discordian Eris is looked upon as a foil to the preoccupation of western philosophy in attempting find order in the chaos of reality, in prescribing order to be synonymous with truth. Discordian Eris teaches us that the only truth is chaos, and that order and disorder are simply temporary filters applied to the lenses we view the chaos through. This is known as the Aneristic Illusion.
In this telling, Eris becomes something of a patron saint of chaotic creation:
I am chaos. I am the substance from which your artists and scientists build rhythms. I am the spirit with which your children and clowns laugh in happy anarchy. I am chaos. I am alive, and I tell you that you are free.
The concept of Eris as developed by the Principia Discordia is used and expanded upon in the science fiction work The Illuminatus! Trilogy by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson (in which characters from Principia Discordia appear). In this work, Eris is a major character.
Other
The classic fairy tale Sleeping Beauty is partly inspired by Eris’ role in the wedding of Peleus and Thetis. Like Eris, a malevolent fairy curses a princess after not being invited to the princess’ christening.
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Reference
Patti Wigington, Published on ThoughtCo.com
Wikipedia
Make Me Strong In Spirit
The Witches Magickal Digest for Wednesday, April 25th
The Witches Magickal Digest for Wednesday, April 25th
It is an accurate statement that the followers of Witchcraft do not usually proselytize, which means you aren’t going to find us standing on your local street corner thumping our Books of Shadows. Nor do you have to worry about jumping out of the shower to answer our serene and smiling faces at the door with your clothes stuck to various uncomfortable places on your wet body. But just because we (hopefully) aren’t the forcible type doesn’t mean we don’t exist.
SILVER RAVENWOLF, To Ride a Silver Broomstick: New Generation Witchcraft
Today is Wednesday, April 25th
Wednesday is the day of the Teutonic deity known as Wodin or Odin, an aspect of the Allfather, god of knowledge, wisdom, enlightenment and combat, the parallel of Hermes, the planet Mercury.
Deity: Woden
Zodiac Sign: Gemini & Virgo
Planet: Mercury
Tree: Ash
Herb: Cinquefoil
Stone: Emerald & Sardonyx
Animal: Raven & Cat
Element: Air
Color: Red & Blue
Number: 6
Rune: Odal(O)
The Celtic Tree Month Saille (Willow) (April 14 – May 12)
Runic Half Month of Man(human being) (April 14 – April 28)
Goddess of the Month of Maia (April 18 – May 15th)
Source
The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick
The Pagan Book of Days for April 25th
St. Mark’s Day is the old Roman Festival of the Robigalia, the observance of which was magickally intended to avert the spirit of mildew, which threatens crops around this time. For many years, the Litania Major of the Catholic church for St. Mark’s Day at Rome followed the earlier festival. Its purpose, like the Robigalia, was to gain the blessing of heaven for the growing crops. In traditionally English lore, this is Cuckoo Day. The cuckoo, “St. Mark’s gowk,” heralds the arrival of migratory birds from the south, indicating the return of summer.
Source
The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick
The Goddess Book of Days for Wednesday, April 25
Day of the Robigalia of Rome, for Robigo, Goddess of Com and Harvests. (Demeter, Ceres, the Com Mothers, Tonantzin, Chicomecoatl, Spider Woman, Changing Woman.) Also, Passover, Hebrew spring festival originally dedicated to Baal
Source
The Goddess Book of Days
Diane Stein
Goddesses Associated with Wednesday
For Woden: Isis, Demeter, Ceres, Spider Woman, Bona Dea, Oya, Devi-Kali, Hella, Rhiannon, Coatlique, Maman Brigette
Source
The Goddess Book of Days
Diane Stein
Today is Wednesday, April 25th, We Celebrate….
Sechselauten (Switzerland)
LADA
Themes: Spring Protection; overcoming; kinship; energy; joy
Symbols: Birch, bells
About Lada: Lada bursts forth from her winter hiding place today in full Slavic costume and dances with joy, grateful for spring’s arrival. As Lada moves, her skirts sweep away sickness and usher in the earth’s blossoming beauty. She bears a birch tree and flowers to honor the earth’s fertility and to begin planting anew.
To Do Today: This spring festival is overflowing with Lada’s vibrancy and begins with the demolition of a snowman, symbolic of winter’s complete overthrow. If you live in a region where there’s no snow, take out an ice cube and put a flowering seed atop it. Let it melt, then plant the seed with “winter’s” water to welcome Lada back to the earth.
Bells ring throughout this day in Switzerland to proclaim spring and ring out any remaining winter maladies and shadows. Adapt this by taking a handheld bell (you can get small ones at craft stores) and ringing it in every room of the house, intoning Lada’s revitalizing energy. Or just ring your doorbell, open the door and bring some flowers as a way of offering Lada’s spirit hospitality.
Finally, wear something with a floral print today or enjoy a glass of birch beer. Better still, make a birch beer float so the ice cream(snow) melts amid Lada’s warmth, bringing that transformative power into you as you sip.
Source
365 Goddess: A Daily Guide To the Magic and Inspiration of the goddess
Patricia Telesco
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Ritual Work Associated With Wednesday, The Day of Mercury
Perfumes: Sweetpea, Lavender, Mastic, Frankincense, Cloves
Incense: Cinnamon, Cinquefoil
Color: Yellow or Grey
Influences: Conjurations, Predictions, Knowledge, Writing, Eloquence
Reference:
A Book of Pagan Rituals
Herman Slater
Magickal Days of the Week – Wednesday
Wednesday is named for Woden himself, although the Romans called it dies Mercurii. This is a day associated with the color purple, the planet Mercury, and the metal quicksilver – which is also called mercury. See a pattern here?
When it comes to deities… yes, Mercury! However, there are a few other gods associated with Wednesday, including Odin and Hermes, Athena, and Lugh. Gemstones like adventurine and agate come in handy as well, as do plants such as aspen trees, lilies, lavender and even ferns.
Business and job-related issues, communication, loss and debt, traveling, and journeys are all tied in to Wednesday. This is a good day to do a working to open up lines of communication – especially if your own actions are preventing you from being an effective speaker or listener. Go someplace new or return to an old favorite stomping ground, step up your game, and settle up your accounts.
Reference
Patti Wigington, Paganism/Wicca Expert
Article originally published on & owned by ThoughtCo
Wednesday: On the way to the afterlife
The fourth day of the week is named after Odin (Wodan or Woden). In Anglo-Saxon world, Woden is not necessarily the mirror of the Norse Odin. Up to the seventh century, he was worshipped as the main deity. He was the psychopomp which is a word for someone who helps deliver human souls to the afterlife.
In Romance languages, the name of the day comes from Latin Dies Mercurii (miércoles in Spanish, mercoledi in Italian, mercredi in French), associated with Mercury, the Roman god of trade, profit and commerce.
In German, the word for Wednesday is simply Mittwoch, meaning the middle of the week
Wednesday–The Day of Woden
Woden, or Odin as the Norsemen called him, was the chief of the gods of our ancestors, and corresponds to the Jupiter of the Romans. Also, for reasons which we shall read later, he was similar to Mercury, and his name was given to the Roman Dies Mercurii, day of Mercury, which still survives in the French mercredi.
As in the case of Jupiter and the Titans, Odin led the Northern gods in a gigantic struggle with the giants of ice and frost, and finally overthrew them. With the help of the gods, he then fashioned the world from the body of the chief of the giants. From the flesh he made the earth, known as Midgard (middle garden), and from his blood the sea, while from his bones he made the mountains, from his teeth the cliffs, and from his hair the trees. The giant’s skull was then fixed over the earth to form the vault of the sky, and was held in place at the four corners by four dwarfs, Nordri, Sudri, Austri, and Westri, from whom we have obtained the names North, South, East, and West. Next the gods made the sun and moon, which were placed in golden chariots driven by Sol and Mani, the daughter and son of a giant who had named his children after the newly-created sun and moon. The Northmen thought that they could see on the moon the outline of two children carrying a pail, and the story goes that Mani, while travelling across the sky, one night caught up two children, Hiuki and Bil, who were compelled by their cruel father to carry water all night. Hiuki and Bil are still known to us in the familiar story of Jack and Jill. The sun and moon were said to be pursued continually by two fierce wolves, whose shapes could be seen in the clouds, and who, if they caught them up, would swallow them and plunge the world in darkness. Sometimes they nearly succeeded, and thus caused the eclipses.
Having completed the earth and peopled it with men and women, the gods, led by Odin, built magnificent palaces for themselves in Asgard, their home. The most famous of these was Valhalla, to which the bravest and mightiest of the mortals who fell in battle were summoned at their death. The walls of Valhalla were made of spears, and golden shields formed the roof. In the hall stood long tables, at which the dead heroes feasted.
The Northmen honoured a great fighter above all men, and they even thought it a disgrace for him to die in any other way than sword in hand. The great ambition of every fighting man was to be called to Valhalla after his death, there to spend his time in fighting and feasting. The fortunate ones were chosen from among the slain on the battle-fields by the Valkyries, Odin’s battle-maidens, whose horses carried them through the air and over the sea. They rode among the storm-clouds, and the flash of their spears was seen in the lightning.
Odin was often pictured as sitting on a throne from which he could see the whole world, and wearing a suit of armour, covered with a blue mantle, which represented the sky. In his hand he held a famous spear, Gungnir, which never missed its mark. On his shoulders sat two ravens, Thought and Memory, which he sent out into the world every day to obtain news of all that happened. Like Tiu, the God of War, Odin suffered from a disfigurement, having lost one of his eyes. This loss is explained in the following story.
After the creation of the world, Odin wished to obtain great wisdom which would place him far above the other gods. This he could only procure from Mimir’s spring, in whose clear waters the future was mirrored. Odin, therefore, visited Mimir and begged a draught of the wonderful water, but Mimir would only grant the request in return for one of Odin’s eyes. The god was willing to make even this sacrifice for the great knowledge the water would give him, and accordingly he plucked out one of his eyes and gave it to Mimir, who sank it deep in the spring where it could always be seen shining. Odin then drank deep of the water, and thus gained the wisdom for which he was always famous.
All the life of the world, including even the lives of the gods, was said to depend on an enormous ash tree, Yggdrasil, the Tree of Life. This tree was created by Odin, and had three roots, one in the Underworld, another in Midgard, near Mimir’s spring, and the third in Asgard. It grew to such a height that it overtopped the whole world, and in its topmost branches sat an eagle with a falcon between its eyes. The falcon could see all three kingdoms, and reported all that happened in them to the gods. In the Underworld was a dragon, which continually gnawed the roots of Yggdrasil in order to destroy it and so bring about the downfall of the gods. To prevent this disaster, the tree was daily watered from a fountain in Asgard, whose magic waters kept it continually green.
Joining Asgard and the earth was a bridge made of fire, earth, and water, whose colours were those of the rainbow. This bridge was guarded against the giants by a god named Heimdall, whose sight and hearing were so keen that he could see a hundred leagues by night as well as by day, and could hear the grass growing on the earth and the wool on the sheep’s back! He was armed with a flashing sword, and carried a horn with which he was to give warning when the giants should come against Asgard.
Odin was the inventor of Runes, the first alphabet of the Northmen. The letters consisted almost entirely of straight lines placed in different groups and positions, and were thought at first to have a magical meaning. Each god had a special rune or sign, and the use of the sign was supposed to bring help from the god. Thus all fighters carved the rune of Tiu on their swords in order that they might have his aid in battle. Runes were afterwards used in the ordinary way for writing, and very old runes have been found carved on stones in Scandinavia and in England. As the inventor of runes, Odin is like Mercury, who was supposed to have given the Romans their alphabet.
In addition to being the wisest of the gods, the inventor of runes, and the God of Eloquence, Odin was also the God of Poetry. The gift of poetry was guarded very jealously by the gods, and was only granted to mortals in special cases. Odin obtained the gift for himself and the other gods only with great difficulty. Hidden away in a hollow mountain, and carefully watched over by a giantess, were three vessels containing a magic fluid, which gave to anyone who drank of it the gift of poetry and song. Odin, knowing of this magic drink, determined to obtain it. Accordingly he set out for the land of the giants, dressed as a mortal, and wearing a broad-brimmed hat to hide the fact that he had only one eye. He hired himself as a servant to Baugi, the brother of the giant Suttung, to whom the vessels belonged, and asked as payment for his labour one draught of the magic fluid. As soon as his work was finished, Odin demanded payment, but Baugi was afraid to ask his brother for the drink, and suggested they should win it for themselves by trickery. They came to the mountain where the vessels were hidden, and bored a hole right through to the cave inside. Odin then changed himself into a snake and wriggled through the hole, just in time to escape the giant, who tried to kill him as he entered the hole. Having found his way into the cave, Odin again took on the form of a god, and begged the giantess who watched over the vessels to allow him just a sip of the magic drink. The giantess at last consented, but Odin, instead of taking a sip, quickly emptied all the vessels, and then, making his way out of the cave transformed himself into an eagle and flew swiftly towards Asgard. He soon discovered, however, that the giant Suttung was pursuing him, also in the form of an eagle. As he neared Asgard the gods caught sight of him, and, seeing that the giant was gaining on Odin, they gathered together a great quantity of fuel and piled it on the palace walls. Immediately Odin had passed over the wall the gods set fire to the fuel, and the flames rose so high that the wings of the pursuing giant were scorched, and he fell into the fire and was burnt.
Odin seldom used this precious gift of poetry himself, but imparted it to his son Bragi, who became the minstrel of the gods and sang many songs in honour of the gods and the great heroes in Valhalla. All the singers among men, the bards, or scalds, as they were sometimes called, were thought to have received the gift from Odin, and were greatly honoured for that reason.
The Witches Wednesday
Wednesday is the fourth day of the week, in the Judeo-Christian calendar between Tuesday and Thursday. The name comes from the Middle English Wednes dei, which is from Old English WÄ“dnes dæg, meaning the day of the Germanic god Woden (Wodan) who was a god of the Anglo-Saxons in England until about the 7th century. WÄ“dnes dæg is like the Old Norse Oðinsdagr (“Odin’s day”), which is an early translation of the Latin dies Mercurii (“Mercury’s day”). Although Mercury (the messenger of the gods) and Woden (the king of the Germanic gods) are not equivalent in most regards, both gods guided the souls of the dead to the underworld.
When Sunday is taken as the first of the week, the day in the middle of each week is Wednesday. Arising from this, the German name for Wednesday has been Mittwoch (literally: “mid-week”) since the 10th Century, having displaced the former name: Wodanstag (“Wodan’s day”). The Finnish name is similarly practical: Keskiviikko (literally: “middle of the week”) as is the Icelandic name: Miðvikudagur (“Mid-week day”).
According to the Hebrew Bible, Wednesday is the day when the Sun and Moon were created.
Wednesday is also in the middle of the common Western 5-day working week that starts on Monday and finishes on Friday.
In Romance languages it is derived from the name of the Roman god Mercury: mercredi (French), mercoledì (Italian), miércoles (Spanish), miercuri (Romanian), dimecres (Catalan), dies Mercurii (Latin). Similarly, the Hindi name for Wednesday, Budhvar is derived from the Vedic name for Mercury, Budh. Russian does not use pagan names but instead uses sredá, meaning “middle,” similar to the German Mittwoch. Likewise, Portuguese uses the word quarta-feira, meaning “fourth day.”
An English language idiom for Wednesday is “hump day”, a reference to making it through to the middle of the work week as getting “over the hump”. It is also informally referred to as “the peak of the week”.
Quakers traditionally refer to Wednesday as “Fourth Day”, eschewing the pagan origin of the name “Wednesday”. Most eastern languages also use a name with this meaning, for much the same reason.
Extremely faithful Orthodox Christians observe a vegetarian / fish-only fast on Wednesdays (and Fridays) in some countries such as Greece.
According to the Thai solar calendar, the color associated with Wednesday is green.
Wednesday in Popular Culture
* The nursery rhyme states, “Wednesday’s child is full of woe”. This line was the inspiration for the ‘Wednesday’ character, the daughter, in The Addams Family comic and TV Show.
* In the 19th century children’s rhyme Solomon Grundy, Solomon was ‘Married on Wednesday.’
* A song titled “Wednesday’s Song” is on the 2004 album Shadows Collide with People by John Frusciante
* Mr. Wednesday is a main character in Neil Gaiman’s novel American Gods. He is the employer of the protagonist Shadow, and is a variation on the god Odin.
Astrological Sign
The astrological sign of the planet Mercury represents Wednesday — Dies Mercurii to the Romans, with similar names in Latin-derived languages, such as the French Mercredi and the Spanish Miércoles. In English, this became “Woden’s Day”, since the Roman god Mercury was identified with Woden in northern Europe.
Wednesday’s Witchery
Be bold and daring today! Expand your knowledge of the Craft by working with the planetary energies of Mercury on this multifaceted day of the week. Consider the Greco-Roman gods Mercury and Hermes and all of the many lessons they have for you. Embrace change and movement, and work on your communication techniques. Conjure up a little good luck for yourself with that Mercury dime spell. Call on Athena to inspire you to try magickal arts and crafts and to be more creative in your own spellwork and witchery.
Meditate on Odin and see what you can discover about him. I wonder what sort of fabulous and fascinating magickal wisdom you will uncover? Odin is a shaman, after all; he may appear in many guises and faces. I guarantee that he will make you laugh at yourself before he is through with you, but you will learn. It’s up to you what you do with that knowledge. Will you let it shapeshift into wisdom?
Wednesday is the wild and wily day of the week, so try to go with the flow; don’t fight the quirky energies of the day. Most importantly, follow your heart, and always keep a good sense of humor, because of Wednesdays you will really need it.
Source
Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week
Ellen Dugan
The Witches Almanac for Wednesday, April 25
Robigalia (Roman)
Waxing Moon
Moon phase: Second Quarter
Moon Sign: Virgo
Incense: Lilac
Color: Yellow
The Witches Correspondences for Wednesday, April 25th
Dedicated to the Teutonic god Woden or Odin, an aspect of the “All-Father” god of knowledge wisdom enlightenment and combat, the parallel of Hermes.
Element : Air
Planet: Mercury
Zodiac Sign : Virgo / Gemini
Angel : Raphael
Metal : Mercury
Incense / Perfumes : Jasmine, Lavender, Sweet Pea
Oil: Benzoin, Clary Sage, Eucalytus, Lavender
Color : Red, Orange, Light Blue
Stones : Bloodstone,Garnet, Aventurine, Hematite, Moss Agate and Sodalite
Plants/Herbs : Almond, Anise, Cherry, Clover, Dandelion, Dill, Fern, Hazel, Hyssop, Lavender, Lemongrass, Lilac, Mace, Peppermint, Rosemary, Vervain
Magick to Work: the conscious mind, study, travel, divination, consulting oracles, wisdom, communication ,cleverness, contracts, creativity, information, intellect, memory, erception, science, wisdom, writing
Wednesday Is Ruled By Mercury
Wednesdays are wild and wacky days. They are for communication, change, cunning, and the arts. This is a Mercury day, and just its patron god this day is full of contradictions, change, and excitement. Some suggestions for Wednesday enchantments would include:
Pulling a little Wednesday color magic into your life by wearing purples or orange
Carrying a multipurpose agate with you and tapping into its various charms
Working with magical plants such as the fern for protection. This plant will also boost the power of any other magical plants with which it is arranged.
Incorporating lavender into charms and spells for transformation
Using the charming scent of lily of the valley to improve your memory, or working with the aspen tree for communication
Calling on Athena, patron of arts and crafts, for inspiration for a new project
Fanning out a Tarot spell to increase you creativity
Calling on Hermes on a Wednesday night to bring movement and good luck into your life
Mercury’s Energy
*Notes: perform on a Wednesday and/or during the waxing Moon with the Full Moon being strongest. An orange or violet candle is associated with any magick cast on this day.
Day: Wednesday
Color: Orange, violet, multicolored, pale yellow
Metal: Quicksilver, alloys.
Stones: Carnelian, fire opal, agate
Plants: Anise, caraway , cassia, club mosss, dittany of Crete, lavender, licorice, parsley, sandalwood, storax
Rules: Gemini, Virgo
Oils: Lavender, lemon, lily of valley, nutmeg, sandalwood, styrax, vervain
Rituals Involving: Intellect, memory, science, creativity, business, magickal conjuration, divination, prediction, eloquence, gift of tongues, speed, speech, writing, poetry, inspiration, improvement of mind power, healing of nervous disorders.
Physical Chant for Mercury:
Magick, the Arts, success on my trade,
Business wisdom and divination,
These gifts I would gain for my physical growth
And to help in my conjurations.
Source
Dancing with Dragons, Invoking Their Ageless Wisdom and Power
D. J. Conway, Author
Magickal Applications for Wednesday
To the Romans, this day was called Dies Mercurii, or “Mercury’s day” Mercury was a popular character in the Roman pantheon. A messenger of the gods, he presided over commerce, trade, and anything that required skill or dexterity. The Celts also worshiped Mercury and eventually equated him with the Norse god Odin (some spelling variations on this name include Wotan, Wodin, and Wodan). In Norse mythologies, Odin, like Mercury, is associated with poetry and music. Interestingly enough, both Odin and Mercury were regarded as psychopomps, or the leaders of souls, in their individual mythologies.
Odin, one of the main gods in Norse mythology, was constantly seeking wisdom. He traveled the world in disguise as a one-eyed man with a long gray beard, wearing an old, beat-up hat and carrying a staff or a spear (which brings to my mind images of Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings). In the Old English language, this day of Mercury evolved into Wodnes daeg, “Woden’s day,” or Wednesday.
Wednesday carries all of the planetary and magickal energies and associations of the witty and nimble god Mercury himself. Some of these mercurial traits included good communication skills, cleverness, intelligence, creativity, business sense, writing, artistic talent, trickiness, and thievery. And don’t forget all of those wise and enigmatic qualities associated with the Norse god Odin/Wodin, not to mention the goddess Athena’s contributions of music, the arts, handmade crafts, and writing. Wednesdays afford excellent opportunities for seeking wisdom, changing your circumstances, and improving your skills, be they in trade and commerce, music and art, or in communication and writing.
Source
Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week
Ellen Dugan
Wednesday & The Perfect Corresponding Spell
Wedesday is a good day to focus on getting over any slumps you may have. This day is considered the middle of the work week; and many people find themselves very tired by this point. That is why this day is a great day to do refresh, refrain, return, wake-up, and concentration spells. It is, also, another good day for meditation.
Refrain Spell – Do Not Act Spell
Items you will need:
1 sheet of paper
1 pen or pencil
1 piece of string
On a piece of paper, write down whatever your bad temptation is.
Below that, on the left side write down why you want to do this and on the right side, write down why you should not do it. When you are done, fold the paper in half and then fold it again. Say this chant three times:
“This is not to bind,
But to refrain.
The string I tie
Will help me find
The strength I need.
To keep my desires contained.”
Tie the string around the paper and tie a knot. Place this in a safe place, until the temptation passes and no longer is a threat.
Source
A Witch’s Week of Spells and Activities
Helga C. Loueen
Let’s Talk Witch: Working With the Gods and Goddesses
There are literally thousands of different deities out there in the Universe, and which ones you choose to honor will often depend significantly upon what pantheon your spiritual path follows. However, many modern Pagans and Wiccans describe themselves as eclectic, which means they may honor a god of one tradition beside a goddess of another. In some cases, we may choose to ask a deity for assistance in a magical working or in problem solving.
Regardless, at some point, you’re going to have to sit and sort them all out. If you don’t have a specific, written tradition, then how do you know which gods to call upon?
A good way to look at it is to figure out which deity of your pantheon would be interested in your purpose. In other words, what gods might take the time to look into your situation? This is where the concept of appropriate worship comes in handy — if you can’t take the time to get to know the deities of your path, then you probably shouldn’t be asking them for favors. So first, figure out your goal. Are you doing a working regarding home and domesticity? Then don’t call upon some masculine power deity. What if you’re celebrating the end of the harvest season, and the dying of the earth? Then you shouldn’t be offering milk and flowers to a spring goddess.
Consider your purpose carefully, before you make offerings or prayers to a particular god or goddess.
Although this is certainly not a comprehensive list of all the gods and their domains, it may help you a bit to get an idea of who is out there, and what sorts of things they may be able to help you with:
Artisanship
For assistance relating to skills, crafts, or handiwork, call upon the Celtic smith god, Lugh.
Many other pantheons have forge and craftsmanship gods as well.
Chaos
When it comes to matters of discord and upsetting the balance of things, some people choose to to check in with Loki, the Norse prankster god. However, it’s generally recommended that you don’t do this unless you’re a devotee of Loki in the first place – you may end up getting more than you bargained for.
Destruction
If you’re doing a working related to destruction, the Celtic war goddess the Morrighan may assist you, but don’t trifle with her lightly. A safer bet might be working with Demeter, the Dark Mother of the harvest season.
Fall Harvest
When you celebrate the fall harvest, you may want to take time to honor Herne, the god of the wild hunt, or Osiris, who is often connected with grain and the harvest. Demeter and her daughter, Persephone, are typically connected with the waning part of the year. Pomona is associated with fruit orchards and the bounty of trees in fall. There are also a number of other harvest gods and gods of the vine who may be interested in what you’re doing.
Feminine Energy
For workings related to the moon, lunar energy, or the sacred feminine, consider invoking Artemis or Venus.
Fertility
When it comes to fertility, there are plenty of deities out there to ask for assistance.
Consider Cernunnos, the wild stag of the forest, or Freya, a goddess of sexual power and energy. If you follow a Roman-based path, try honoring Bona Dea. There are a number of other fertility gods out there as well, each with their own specific domain.
Home and Marriage
Brighid is a protector of hearth and home, and Juno and Vesta are both patronesses of marriage.
Love and Lust
Aphrodite has long been associated with love and beauty, and so has her counterpart, Venus. Likewise, Eros and Cupid are considered representative of masculine lust. Priapus is a god of raw sexuality, including sexual violence.
Magic
Isis, the mother goddess of Egypt, is often called upon for magical workings, as is Hecate, a goddess of sorcery.
Masculine Energy
Cernunnos is a strong symbol of masculine energy and power, as is Herne, the god of the hunt.
Odin and Thor, both Norse gods, are known as powerful, masculine gods.
Motherhood
Isis is a mother goddess on a grand scale, and Juno watches over women in labor.
Prophecy and Divination
Brighid is known as a goddess of prophecy, and so is Cerridwen, with her cauldron of knowledge. Janus, the two-faced god, sees both the past and future.
The Underworld
Because of his harvest associations, Osiris is often connected with the underworld. There are a number of other deities of death and dying.
War and Conflict
The Morrighan is not only a goddess of war, but also of sovereignty and loyalty. Athena protects warriors and imparts them with wisdom. Freya and Thor guide fighters in battle.
Wisdom
Thoth was the Egyptian god of wisdom, and Athena and Odin may also be called upon, depending on your purpose.
Seasonal
There are a number of deities associated with the various times of the Wheel of the Year, including the Winter Solstice, Late winter, the Spring Equinox, and the Summer solstice.
Author:
Patti Wigington
Published on ThoughtCo.com
Celebrating Legends, Folklore & Spirituality 365 Days a Year for April 25th
Spring Garden
The Robigalia
“Warding off” was the entire purpose of this festival, celebrated annually on April 25. It focused on the deity Robigus, whose main attribute was the ability to destroy the dreaded rust or red mildew, a scourge that sometimes attacked the corn (the city’s principle food crop). As this deity was associated with the God Mars, all of this day’s activities were overseen by the Flamen Martialis, including the offerings of sheep and a red dog to appease Robigus.
Bless You
The Witches Astronomy Digest for Wednesday, April 25th
The Witches Astronomy Digest for Wednesday, April 25th
Children Of The Earth
We know they feared our Pagan ways,
They tried to wipe us out,
They tortured and they burned us,
If they had the slightest doubt,
They took away our festivals,
Replaced them with their own,
But we stood strong and carried on,
We’ve flourished and we’ve grown.
They said we worshiped Satan,
Stole babies and much worse,
And if by chance someone fell ill,
They said we laid a curse,
They took us in for “questioning”,
Tortured till we confessed,
But anyone would say the words,
Under such duress.
With bodies bruised and broken,
They put us on the stand,
The priests said we’d offended God,
And the devil took our hand,
The villagers believed them,
Our guilt was their desire,
Then everybody turned out to see,
The witch burned in the fire.
They never really understood,
And some to this day still,
Do not understand our craft,
We bear no one ill will,
We live a life of peace and love,
At one with Mother Earth,
So in secrecy the Hedgewitch lives,
Gathering berries, leaves and herbs.
I sometimes think that there are those,
Who live in those dark times still,
They do not wish to understand,
And I guess they never will,
But Pagans all around the world,
Are proud to carry on,
We practice the oldest religion,
In our deeds and in our song.
Be Joyful all ye Pagans,
For the road has been so long,
Remember the innocent martyrs,
That suffered in those days gone,
Give your praise to all the Gods,
And the Goddess of rebirth,
For they can never destroy our faith,
We are the children of the Earth.
—Pagan Ways
Alan Faraway
Your Daily Sun & Moon Data for Wednesday, April 25th
The Sun
Sun Direction: ↑ 76.05° ENE
Sun Altitude: 3.75°
Sun Distance: 93.513 million mi
Next Solstice: Jun 21, 2018 5:07 am (Summer)
Sunrise Today: 6:07 am↑ 73° East
Sunset Today: 7:38 pm↑ 288° West
Length of Daylight: 13 hours, 31 minutes
The Moon
Moon Direction: ↑ 310.65° NW
Moon Altitude: -28.37°
Moon Distance: 233153 mi
Next Full Moon: Apr 29, 20187:58 pm
Next New Moon: May 15, 20186:47 am
Next Moonrise: Today3:16 pm
Current Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous
Moon’s Illumination: 77.6%
Source
Astrology of Today – Wednesday, April 25, 2018
The Moon is in Virgo.
The Moon is waxing and in its First Quarter phase.
The First Quarter Moon occurred on the 22nd, and the Full Moon will occur on April 29th.
Mercury is in its post-retrograde shadow until May 3.
Venus spends its first full day in Gemini (Venus is in Gemini from April 24-May 19).
Moon in Virgo
We instinctively gravitate towards practical activities under the influence of a Virgo Moon. In order to set things right, we might easily find ourselves re-organizing and rethinking plans. Emotional satisfaction comes from solving problems, making order out of confusion, and helping others. Health matters might come into focus. We notice the smaller parts that make up the whole, and instead of letting nagging details bother us, we might work on ironing them out so that we can feel more confident moving ahead.
The Moon in Virgo generally favors the following activities: Mental pursuits, work activities, services, and routines. Activities that would benefit from tending to details.
Daily Overview of Your Stars & Planets for April 25th
Mercury in Aries formed a square Saturn on March 11th before Mercury turned retrograde, and then connected this way again while Mercury was retrograde on April 5th. Now that Mercury is direct, this aspect forms again today. In effect, this aspect has been influencing us in varying degrees since early March, and we may have experienced, more than usual, criticism and pessimism, difficulties getting clear answers, and obstacles to getting our message across. We’re getting over this hump today. Even so, today can be a little tense. Getting from point A to point B can be a challenge. Communications may be blocked or delayed, and negative thinking could dominate. Projects we thought were complete may need revision, and people can be overly critical, insensitive, or sarcastic. It’s difficult to trust our instincts, and we second-guess things automatically under this influence.
The Moon spends the day in the sign of Virgo, and the nervous or picky side of the sign can be more prominent as Virgo’s ruler, Mercury, is challenged. However, once beyond this aspect, we may begin to form a more realistic vision of a project or situation.
The Sky This Week for April 25 to 29
The return of the Lyrid meteor shower, a slew of bright planets, and a full night of the Full Moon, all in the sky this week.
By Richard Talcott
Wednesday, April 25
Jupiter stands out among the background stars of central Libra from the time it rises around 9 p.m. local daylight time until morning twilight is well underway. The giant planet is near its best for the year right now, reaching opposition in two weeks (on May 8). Jupiter shines at magnitude –2.5, which makes it the brightest point of light in the evening sky once Venus sets around 10 p.m. The best time to view the planet through a telescope is when it climbs highest in the south, a position it reaches around 2 a.m. Jupiter’s spectacular disk spans 44″, and its dynamic atmosphere shows at least two parallel dark belts.
Thursday, April 26
Saturn rises before 1 a.m. local daylight time and climbs some 25° high in the south as morning twilight starts to paint the sky. The ringed planet shines at magnitude 0.4 against the backdrop of northern Sagittarius the Archer, some 12° west of Mars. When viewed through a telescope, Saturn shows a 17″-diameter disk surrounded by a stunning ring system that spans 39″ and tilts 25° to our line of sight.
Friday, April 27
It’s about time to grab your final evening views of Orion the Hunter. This bright constellation now hangs low in the west as darkness falls and starts to set around 9:30 p.m. local daylight time. The three 2nd-magnitude stars that form the Hunter’s Belt now appear parallel to the horizon. A line through these stars and extended to the left points directly to the sky’s brightest star, Sirius.
Saturday, April 28
Dwarf planet 1 Ceres is the largest object in the asteroid belt, which lies between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. It currently shines at magnitude 8.4 and is an easy object to spot through binoculars or a telescope. Ceres resides in the northern part of the constellation Cancer the Crab, which appears high in the west-southwest after twilight fades to darkness. This evening, Ceres lies 0.7° north of 67 and 70 Cancri, a pair of stars that shine between 6th and 7th magnitude.
Sunday, April 29
Full Moon occurs at 8:58 p.m. EDT, but our satellite will look completely illuminated all night. You can find it rising in the east as the Sun sets and peaking in the south around 1 a.m. local daylight time. The Moon lies among the background stars of Libra, less than 10° from brilliant Jupiter.
Mercury reaches greatest elongation today, when it lies 27° west of the Sun and appears some 4° above the eastern horizon 30 minutes before sunrise. Unfortunately, this is one of the planet’s worst apparitions of the year for Northern Hemisphere observers. Mercury shines at magnitude 0.4 and appears as an inconspicuous dot even through binoculars.
Source
In the Sky This Month
The constellations of spring begin to dominate the evening sky this month. Leo, the celestial lion, stands in good view at nightfall and leaps high across the south later on. Virgo follows the lion across the sky, with their brightest stars, Regulus and Spica, respectively, separated by more than 50 degrees — more than five times the width of your fist held at arm’s length.
April 25: Corvus
Corvus, the crow, is low in the southeast at nightfall and arcs across the southern sky during the night. Corvus’s brightest stars form a small but distinct box. In mythology, the crow was a servant of the god Apollo.
April 26: Corona Borealis
Look well up in the east as darkness falls for yellow-orange Arcturus, the brightest star in the evening sky at this time of year. Well to its lower left is Corona Borealis, the northern crown, a semicircle of stars that opens to the upper left.
April 27: Moon and Spica
Two big stars with different futures stand below the Moon at nightfall. Their light blurs together into one point: Spica, the brightest star of Virgo. One of the stars will explode as a supernova, while the other faces a fate similar to the Sun’s.
April 28: Venus and Aldebaran
Two bright lights are passing close to each other in the western evening sky. The brighter light is Venus, the brilliant “evening star.” The other one, to the left or upper left of Venus tonight, is Aldebaran, the eye of Taurus, the bull.
April 29: Moon and Jupiter
The mighty planet Jupiter looks like a brilliant star. And tonight, it has a close companion: the full Moon. Jupiter is to the lower left of the Moon at nightfall, and follows the Moon across the sky later on.
April 30: Good Night, Orion
Orion, one of the most beautiful constellations, is putting in its final evening appearance of the season over the next few nights. It soon will disappear in the Sun’s glare. The next time we see it, it will be in the morning sky shortly before sunrise.
May 1: May Day
In Britain, today is known as May Day. In ancient times, it marked the beginning of summer, not the middle of spring. It is one of the year’s four cross-quarter days, which come roughly half way between a solstice and an equinox.
Source
COSMIC CALENDAR
APRIL 25, 2018
Just as a grand triangle in water signs aided your keen perception and higher-learning abilities last Saturday, now it is the earth sign trinity that holds the key to making great leaps forward with business and professional goals.
Last night’s lunar trine to the sun, energizing Virgo and Taurus, is now augmented by another lunar trine to Saturn in Capricorn (5:31am). Play your cards right and doors to financial abundance can open — particularly with any proclivity to working in a dedicated manner to reach long-sought aims.
While a trine between Mercury and Ceres in fire signs (11:03pm) is definitely a resource that can be an ace up your sleeve, Mercury forming a challenging square aspect to Saturn retrograde (2:29pm and a repeat from what occurred on April 5 when Saturn was direct) can represent an impediment in your path to success.
However, knowing the time of any potentially difficult aspect gives you an advantage to rise to the occasion and steer clear of creating any unnecessary problems.
[Note to readers: All times are now calculated for Pacific Daylight Time. Be sure to adjust all times according to your own local time so the alignments noted above will be exact for your location.]
Copyright 2018 Mark Lerner & Great Bear Enterprises
Astrology.com
The Witches Current Moon Phase for April 25
Waxing Gibbous
Illumination: 78%
Tomorow the Moon will be in a Waxing Gibbous phase. This phase is when the moon is more than 50% illuminated but not yet a Full Moon. The phase lasts round 7 days with the moon becoming more illuminated each day until the Full Moon. During a Waxing Gibbous the moon will rise in the east in mid-afternoon and will be high in the eastern sky at sunset. The moon is then visible though most of the night sky setting a few hour before sunrise. The word Gibbous first appeared in the 14th century and has its roots in the Latin word “gibbosus” meaning humpbacked.
PHASE DETAILS FOR – WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018
Phase: Waxing Gibbous
Illumination: 78%
Moon Age: 10.14 days
Moon Angle: 0.54
Moon Distance: 370,283.73 km
Sun Angle: 0.53
Sun Distance: 150,525,422.91 km
Source
Waxing Gibbous Moon
The Moon does not emit its own light, shining instead by reflecting sunlight. Depending on the relative positions of the Earth, Sun and Moon, varying amounts of the lunar surface appear to be illuminated.
A few days after the First Quarter Moon, the Moon’s disk is nearly completely illuminated as seen from the Earth (position D in the diagram below). The waxing (growing) gibbous Moon rises after noon, transits the meridian after sunset and sets after midnight. The waxing gibbous phase repeats every 29.531 days – one synodic month.
Have you ever thought about Planets having a smell? Take a look….
Uranus Smells Exactly How You Think It Does
By Nathaniel Scharping
Scientists confirm that Uranus’ atmosphere contains hydrogen sulfide, a compound long suspected to be swirling about in the planet’s clouds.
Using the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii, researchers from the United Kingdom analyzed Uranus using a technique known as spectroscopy to identify the elements contained within. They relied on the Near-Infrared Integral Field Spectrometer (NIFS) at Gemini for the task, which involves breaking down the light reflected from Uranus by wavelength to determine the composition of the planet.
What’s That Smell?
The data allowed them to determine that hydrogen sulfide was indeed present, and at much greater concentrations than ammonia (composed of nitrogen and hydrogen), which sets the green gas giant apart from its planetary companions Jupiter and Saturn. The two largest planets in the solar system have upper clouds made mostly of ammonia ice, and researchers weren’t previously sure whether Uranus looked similar or not.
The presence of hydrogen sulfide hints at some of the conditions of the early solar system when the gas giants were formed from clouds of gases swirling about the sun. That cloud was far from homogenous, a fact today’s research, published in Nature Astronomy reinforces.
Though the researchers were only able to observe chemical signatures from the uppermost layers of Uranus’ clouds, they were able to extrapolate their findings to the inner regions, where they say similarly elevated ratios of sulfur to nitrogen must exist. The clouds themselves are anywhere from .4 to .8 parts per million hydrogen sulfide, and Uranus has a ratio of sulfur to nitrogen potentially more than 5 times that Jupiter and Saturn, the researchers say.
The new information is interesting to researchers, but it also adds a unique bit of sensory information to our understanding of the solar system. Hydrogen sulfide is, after all, the compound that gives rotten eggs, and some more human out-gassings, their noxious odor. Human visitors to the third-largest planet in our solar system would be in for a smelly, though familiar, surprise if they went outside.
This article originally appeared on Discovermagazine.com.
A Pagan Prayer
Wishing All My Beautiful Brothers & Sisters of the Craft A Very Glorious & Blessed Wednesday Morn’!
Good Morning, my sweets! I will make this quick as possible, I promise. I know most of you know when we find something on the internet that might involve you, we try to inform you about it. I don’t know if you heard this or not, but….everyone knows about how Facebook was stealing everyones’ information and selling it. It has come out today that Google has been doing the same thing but apparently worse. I went and checked out the addy I am getting ready to give you and they had about a thousand pages on me. Pages that not only included my activity online but my activity on my cellphone, when i had ordered my prescriptions from the pharmacy and on and on. It is pitiful. There is a way that you can opt out of them collecting info on you. It is listed in one of those hundred of pages you will find out about yourself.
Personally, I don’t do a thing on the internet I am ashamed of but I don’t want to be watched 24/7 a day either. Is there no way we can protect our privacy anymore? Who am I kidding? We don’t have any privacy anymore! You get a minute today, check it. I am sure you will be a shocked as i was. The addy is:
The funny thing about it the page starts our “Control, protect, and secure your account, all in one place.” Scroll down and look for “My Activity.” Boy, oh boy, if that ain’t something, I don’t know what is. Just don’t let your jaw drop and hit the floor when you see what they have on you.
Now off to work….
Love ya,
Lady A
Witches Of The Craft® 
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