Your Daily Runes for Dec. 27 (N.H.) & Dec. 28 (S.H.)

Your Daily Rune for Dec. 27

 

Raidho

“The journey is the destination.”

Raidho – “Ride-ho” – Literally: “Ride” or “Wagon” – Esoteric: Journey

Key Concepts: the journey of Life, stories, heroism, means of transportation, right action, movement, motion, taking charge, being in control, initiative, adventure, decision-making, direction, counsel, the right path, the inner compass, leadership, kingship, nobility held by merit, moral responsibility, integrity, respect for the rights of others, innate knowledge of right and wrong, celestial procession, rituals

Psi: the story ‘form’ in the psyche, freedom from imprisonment, self-mastery

Energy: cosmic cyclical law, rhythm, presence (active)

Mundane: street-smarts, common sense, travel, movement, taking action

Divinations: Rationality, sound advice, action, justice, ordered growth, journey; or crisis, rigidity, stasis, injustice, irrationality, control freak, hypocrisy, wrongful imprisonment, restlessness.

Governs:
Living in the present
Access to “inner advice” and our inner compass, following the heart
Movement within one’s natural limits
Blending with personal and world rhythms, consciousness of right and natural processes
Mastery of circumstance and control of situations, taking the lead
Establishment of creative rhythm in activities
Protection while traveling
Decision-making followed by immediate action

 

Your Daily Rune for Dec. 28

Othala

“We inherit ourselves.”

Othala – “Oh-thall-ah” – Literally: “Homeland” or “Ancestral Lot” – Esoteric: Inheritance, estate, noble

Rune of anscetral spiritual power, divine inheritance and earthly estate.

Psi: ancestral spiritual power

Energy: ancestral spiritual power, inheritance, heaven on earth, “The gift of Ing”, paradise, utopia

Mundane: household, estate, inheritance

Divinations: A home or estate, group prosperity, group order, freedom, productive interaction; or lack of customary order, totalitarianism, slavery, poverty, homelessness, xenophobia, racism, genocide.

Governs:

Rightful inheritance from ancestral holdings
Collection of numinous power and knowledge from past generations
Acquisitions of wealth and property
Right understanding of global unity
Security, safety, protection, the walls of Asgard
Ascension to King amongst men
Realization of Paradise

 

The Daily Tarot Cards for Dec. 27 (N.H.) & Dec. 28 (S.H.)

The Daily Tarot Card for Dec. 27

Death

Keywords: Transformation, separation, loss, liberation, revolution!

Astrological Correspondence: Scorpio

Initially a nameless card, Death very seldom literally means death. Instead it is the image of profound transformation, the ending of one cycle, and the transition into a new state. It symbolizes sudden and inevitable change, death of the old self so that new consciousness can emerge. The experience can be saddening or painful, and we might be reluctant to accept the inevitability of the ending. Accepting and recognizing the necessity of endings thus liberates and allows for inner change, rebirth, and renewal. The negative interpretation is depression due to neglecting that a cycle has come to an end, b

The Magician

Keywords: work, new beginnings, activity, overwork!

Astrological Correspondence: Mercury

As the archetype of the masculine principle, the Magician represents someone who is able to achieve goals through his creative abilities and his skills in using the tools available to him. The Magician symbolizes the beginning of something new, when everything is possible. It can be a start of a new relationship, the birth of a new idea or creative project, or a financial strategy. The Magician is a confident person realizing his full potential by taking positive action and focusing his attention and energies on the task at hand. This includes employing magic. On the negative side, the Magician represents egotism, treachery, and overconfidence, thereby misleading others into making wrong choices.

reakup of relationships, obsession, and stagnation.

The Daily Tarot Card for Dec. 28

The Magician

Keywords: work, new beginnings, activity, overwork!

Astrological Correspondence: Mercury

As the archetype of the masculine principle, the Magician represents someone who is able to achieve goals through his creative abilities and his skills in using the tools available to him. The Magician symbolizes the beginning of something new, when everything is possible. It can be a start of a new relationship, the birth of a new idea or creative project, or a financial strategy. The Magician is a confident person realizing his full potential by taking positive action and focusing his attention and energies on the task at hand. This includes employing magic. On the negative side, the Magician represents egotism, treachery, and overconfidence, thereby misleading others into making wrong choices.

 

10 Fast Tarot Spreads for Love

10 Fast Tarot Spreads for Love

 

Are you trying to find the answer to a perplexing love situation? Are you concerned your partner doesn’t feel the same as you about your relationship? Do you simply need to get clear in your mind about your feelings toward a certain person? Lunar Café to the rescue with 10 fast tarot spreads for love.

These quick spreads can be adapted to your own situation, so don’t be afraid to mix up the questions and positions if it feels right to do so.

1 You/Them Tarot Spread

The You/them spread can be used for any relationship, not just a romantic one.

This is a five card reading, two cards on the left, two on the right and one in the middle. The left cards represent your perspective and your feelings. The two on the right are their perspective and feelings. The card in the middle is the way forward or general advice.

2 Future Love

What do you need to know about your future love? Try this four-card spread to find out what’s around the corner in your love-life. Lay the cards out vertically, with the first card nearest you. It should be like a road going into the future.

  • What love energy currently surrounds me?
  • How do I bring new love into my life?
  • What will attract me to this person?
  • What will be the future for this relationship?

3 Love Challenges

A simple three-card spread to help you deal with a challenge in your current relationship. Lay the cards out horizontally, from left to right.

  • What is the cause of this challenge?
  • What can I do about it?
  • Where are we headed?

4 Find the Perfect Lover

Use this spread to discover how your subconscious can guide you to the right person. Five cards laid out in a diagonal, bottom to top, left to right.

  • What do I need to know about myself in respect to love?
  • What challenges might I need to face?
  • What qualities do I need in my perfect partner?
  • What will my new lover teach me?
  • In what circumstances will we meet?

5 Get Out of This Relationship Spread

Maybe you are entangled in a relationship that is not good for you? This fast tarot spread will point you in the right direction. Three cards, first two at the base of a triangle, the third forms the point.

  • What’s wrong here?
  • Why is this relationship bad for me?
  • How do I move forward?

6 Are We Meant to Be Together?

This four-card reading is for when you don’t know where you are headed in your relationship. It will help you uncover your soul connection. Four cards laid in a square, one and two on the left; three and four on the right.

  • What is the basis of this relationship?
  • Did we have a past life connection?
  • What is our life lesson together
  • What is our future together?

7 Why Do We Hurt Each Other?

Sometimes we seem locked into a pattern of pain. Use this spread to identify why, and how to change the dynamic of the relationship. Remember that you can’t alter another person’s behavior; you can only change yourself. Making such changes often leads to the other person adjusting too.

Four cards: one and two at the top; three and four underneath to form a square.

  • What do I need to understand about my lover?
  • Why do we keep doing this?
  • What should I change about my attitude?
  • What can I change about my behavior?

8 New Relationship Spread

It’s good to know and understand the positive aspects of any new relationship. Use this spread to discover the strengths and possible challenges up ahead.

A five-card spread. First three cards laid down on the left, then the next two to the right of them, then the last one on the right again to form a right-pointing arrow head.

  • What gifts do I bring to this relationship?
  • What qualities does my lover bring?
  • What is our common ground?
  • What challenges will we face?
  • How will the relationship progress?

9 Love or Friendship?

Often it’s hard to know where we stand in a relationship. Is there a real attraction? Is this potential love or is it friendship? This fast tarot spread might help you gain clarification.

Three cards, left to right.

  • What is the current basis of our attraction?
  • What do I need to know?
  • Will it remain the same or can it evolve into love?

10 Marriage Tarot Spread

This spread is for when only marriage will do. You aren’t looking for a casual fling, you are looking for marriage. You wonder if your current partner would make a good marriage partner. Also, it’s good to know if there are any external factors or people, who can influence the situation.

Six cards in two columns of three. One-two-three on the left; four-five-six on the right.

  • How my partner feels about me.
  • How my partner feels about marriage.
  • What outside influences affect us?
  • How other people could interfere.
  • Will my partner be faithful?
  • Will my partner love, respect, and cherish me?

Bonus Fast Tarot Spread For Summer Love

Here is one extra spread for summer. It’s not about finding romantic love or your next partner; it’s all about you. It’s about finding the love and creativity within your own being. Take the opportunity to let the tarot sing your praises. Why are you holding yourself back? How can you make improvements that benefit you, and the world?

Five cards, laid out in any way you like. Just remember the positions you have allocated. Take a photo of the cards to refer back to later. If they don’t make perfect sense now, they may do after a little time has passed.

  • What qualities should I value in myself?
  • What is holding me back from fulfilling my potential?
  • In what way should I take care of myself better?
  • How does love express itself through me?
  • What can I offer the world?

 

 

LunarCafe

Your Love Horoscopes for Thursday, Dec. 27 & Friday, Dec. 28

Pisces Daily Love Horoscope

Thursday 27th of December 2018

The cosmos appears determined to bring a bit of confusion into your romantic world, and the biggest hurdle you might have to overcome surrounds conveying yourself with crystal clarity to a loved one. Until this confusing energy subsides, don’t instigate any major, deep conversations with a special person. Take this time to get your message straight in your head, so when it does emerge, you’ve covered all the mental bases.

Pisces tomorrow love horoscope:

Friday 28th of December 2018

It can all too easy to focus on the shortfalls or inconsistencies in your love life at this time but stop for a moment and consider why an attitude of gratitude is needed. Even if you believe you’ve been shortchanged in love or your expectations seem to be consistently higher than what your heart experiences, you have a chance to reconnect with what you truly want and set a realistic plan to make it happen. Perhaps, you’ve been too busy wishing and not doing enough ‘doing? That could change in a heartbeat if you want it to.

Capricorn Daily Love Horoscope

Thursday 27th of December 2018

You might feel more inclined to face and resolve certain love life issues if you had the physical energy to do so. Recent stresses in and outside your emotional world might have taken a toll on your mojo, and you’re right to accept that progress relies on you having your it recharged and revived. Whether it’s peace or answers you need, you’ll be better placed to find either or both if you allow your energy levels to return. A bit of patience applied now could save much stress later.

Capricorn tomorrow love horoscope:

Friday 28th of December 2018

Days can easily turn to weeks when you’re preoccupied with work or career matters, and we’re all guilty of allowing our emotional world to be the first to bear the brunt of this. You could be at risk of burning more than one candle at both ends to placate everyone other than a loved one or someone who yearns to be closer to you. Your heart needs and deserves as much care and attention as anyone or anything detracting your focus from affairs of the heart now. See what you can do to redress this imbalance.

Sagittarius Daily Love Horoscope

Thursday 27th of December 2018

Just when you thought something was ticking along nicely or needed no more constant attention or effort, an issue rears its head once again. Being led by exasperation and giving the least amount of effort isn’t the answer, either. Be honest and diligent as you tackle this love life matter and if you’re an attached Archer, then don’t believe it’s yours to resolve alone. This might not be the idea of teamwork you had in mind, but there can be benefits to you and your paramour of putting your heads together to come up with a solution to this little snafu.

Sagittarius tomorrow love horoscope:

Friday 28th of December 2018

Your mind could come up with numerous ways to say the same thing to a loved one or potential partner, but it’s important you adhere to the KISS motto: Keep It Simple Sagittarius! You have superb cosmic support to speak your mind to someone close, but unless you streamline your message of love, it could get lost or diluted within all that’s superfluous or irrelevant. Apply a mental filter to ensure your words are grounded in reality, and all will be fine.

Scorpio Daily Love Horoscope

Thursday 27th of December 2018

Even if you feel intensity escalating in a love relationship, you can make it manageable by having a heart-to-heart conversation with a loved one. You have questions that need answers, and although the current climate might feel tense or electric, it could help to open the lines of communication in ways you and your paramour will find helpful.

Scorpio tomorrow love horoscope:

Friday 28th of December 2018

Emotions could be volatile in so many ways now, and an intense, passionate experience could catch you off guard. However, it’s important to see whatever occurs as a stepping stone to something solid or permanent with affairs of the heart. Whether this involves a new attitude that will serve you well into the future or a sexy encounter that leads to something deeper blossoming between you and someone special, welcome whatever feels intense. Consider it a reward!

Libra Daily Love Horoscope

Thursday 27th of December 2018

You’ll need to be realistic when setting an ambitious plan in your love life. You could decide to go for broke only to discover that you’ve created complications where you didn’t envisage any. Don’t apply too much fervent energy to your idea or plan to the point where your emotional stamina dwindles. Try to embark upon your passionate plan in stages, rather than on one fell swoop!

Libra tomorrow love horoscope:

Friday 28th of December 2018

It could become clear that cooperation is the way to go with making romantic or relationship progress. This will be particularly true if you were determined to pursue something solo and whatever reasons you might have had to exclude a loved one or potential partner could fade into insignificance now. You’re right to sense that collaboration is a far sexier option than trying to take charge on your own. You and someone close have your eye on the same result or destination, and that’s what matters.

Virgo Daily Love Horoscope

Thursday 27th of December 2018

Now is as good a time as any to look inward and take stock of what is and what might no longer be important where affairs of the heart are concerned. If you kid yourself or aren’t completely honest, then you’ll gain very little from this brief period of self-reflection. Consider your romantic and intimate needs and if current circumstances are moving in a direction that holds the promise of future fulfillment. If they don’t, then a new trajectory can be set that can fire your optimism.

Virgo tomorrow love horoscope:

Friday 28th of December 2018

You might be surprised at how a memory triggers a wave of thoughts that could take you into new realms of fantasy. What – or who – you banished to the past could take the form of a recurring thought or dream. Don’t become too focused on trying to understand why your mind is being taken down Memory Lane in this way. Although it will be brief, it’s possible a lesson is contained in your mind’s creations that can be applied to your current love life circumstances.

Leo Daily Love Horoscope

Thursday 27th of December 2018

You may find your efforts to make romantic or relationship progress get cut short before you have a chance to implement your plan properly. You could be dealing with certain circumstances beyond your control and can always return to your love life plan once again when things settle. Don’t convince yourself that any further effort will be pointless. Think positively and optimistically!

Leo tomorrow love horoscope:

Friday 28th of December 2018

What might have appeared straightforward in your emotional world recently might seem unusually and frustratingly complex now. This could require some out-of-the-box thinking and can up the ante in your emotional world or one special connection delightfully. You’re a creative so-and-so in every other way, and your love life can benefit wonderfully from applying your imagination fervently – and confidently!

Cancer Daily Love Horoscope

Thursday 27th of December 2018

You’re not usually one to put work or career obligations above love and romance, but duty could call loudly at this time, leaving you no choice but to do so. However, it’s by distancing yourself briefly from matters of the heart that you could have one or two brainwaves or gain insight into a romantic or relationship situation that has been confusing recently. When your focus returns to your love life circumstances, something could be seen in a new and necessary light.

Cancer tomorrow love horoscope:

Friday 28th of December 2018

As determined as you might feel to have complete control of your love life, you could discover that you can’t account for every eventuality or steer every development. Once you accept what’s beyond your control, you could feel a tremendous weight lifted. You know what you’ve carried alone and where support – both emotional and physical – has been sparse or non-existent. Let the love gods take over. Relax and see where current circumstances take you. It’s your turn to be carried for a change.

Gemini Daily Love Horoscope

Thursday 27th of December 2018

Breaking free from a painfully repetitive pattern in your emotional world or a special relationship could become a priority now. Making the positive change you have in mind can happen if you’re willing to take that one, crucial step to bring it. You might not bring the desired change overnight but being bold is your ticket to bringing an end to something that has become monotonous.

Gemini tomorrow love horoscope:

Friday 28th of December 2018

You might prefer that a secret remained concealed, but could sense the importance of sharing whatever-it-is with a loved one or potential partner. Although honesty will be the best policy, you can manage or control the extent to which you spill your emotional beans. A slow and measured way of speaking up or ‘fessing up will serve you well, so take your time in the knowledge that you’re doing the right thing by revealing what’s on your mind or in your heart but on a level that suits you.

Taurus Daily Love Horoscope

Thursday 27th of December 2018

Coming up with imaginative solutions to romantic or relationship dilemmas or concerns will take the edge off of any tension brewing in the background. It’s also possible you’re discovering or rediscovering passionate feelings that could feel overwhelming at times. However, slow, calculated steps are essential for progress now. Be clever, but also be prepared to give your innovative ideas time to mature gradually.

Taurus tomorrow love horoscope:

Friday 28th of December 2018

Emotions could be prone to fluctuating at this time, but your fervent feelings can be focused in a way that brings much needed, timely clarity where you could use some. A valuable lesson in love is on offer now and managing your emotional responses is the key to finding and applying it. Regardless of what might feel confusing, a positive attitude reinforced with genuine, heartfelt actions is your ticket to something delightfully heartwarming on offer.

Aries Daily Love Horoscope

Thursday 27th of December 2018

You could be tempted to stand your ground with a loved one, but your intentions have less to do with simply wanting to get your way and more to do with sticking up for the best interests of your relationship. You might have a clearer idea of what needs to change in your love connection, and if someone close needs to have this pointed out in no uncertain terms, then you’ll do so. With words like ‘we’ and ‘us’ used frequently, you’ll succeed.

Aries tomorrow love horoscope:

Friday 28th of December 2018

Your efforts to bring peace to a love connection won’t be in vain, so don’t focus intently on any downsides. With the right attitude and plenty of sensitivity, you could succeed in boosting the passionate energy a close relationship. There might be one or two intense exchanges along the way, but if your heart’s in the right place, something can move forward delightfully.

Aquarius Daily Love Horoscope

Thursday 27th of December 2018

You might be dealing with passionate energy you don’t understand, but that’s what might make it feel so exciting. However, your enthusiasm might not be as infectious as you believe it will be if a loved one shows little interest in what excites you. Nonetheless, focusing on something important to you boosts your happiness, and that’s what matters. If a loved one won’t support your idea and or give you the space to pursue it, then there’s your first clue that you’ve got a separate issue to resolve first.

Aquarius tomorrow love horoscope:

Friday 28th of December 2018

Passion could increase and manifest in more than one way, but that gives you a tantalizing array of choices regarding where to channel it! Far be it from you to ‘play it safe’ or choose the safest, most obvious solution and it’s that attitude that can bring a very pleasing love life development now, or shortly. Being a bit bolder about love can bring progress you’ll feel proud to have made.

Your Daily Horoscopes for Friday, December 27, 2018

Your Daily Horoscopes for Friday, December 27, 2018

Claire Petulengro, Astrologer

From The Astrology Room

 

ARIES (March 21st-April 20th)

I know it feels as if time is moving too slowly lately. What you don’t see is that your close ones are doing as much as they can to ensure you get what you want. Try to thank those involved. It will help give them the push and reminder that they need.

 

TAURUS (April 21st-May 21st)

Relationships come under the spotlight and many of your sign will spend their time trying to analyse the very confusing signals you have been given of late. Time spent with those you know well is guaranteed to be the tonic you need.

 

GEMINI (May 22nd-June 21st)

There is a degree of uncertainty to all you are doing at this time. That’s not a worry to a sign such as you Gemini. Any negativity you receive will only serve to make you more determined.

 

CANCER (June 22nd-July 23rd)

Try not to create too much of a competitive air between you and your friends today, or you will sour what should and can be a really memorable week. News from far away gives you several reasons to get excited about the year ahead.

 

LEO (July 24th-August 23rd)

Learn as if you were to live forever. It is how you will turn a possibility into a certain plan. You think you don’t have the respect of those you work for, but today is about to show you otherwise. Work issues from last month can finally be tied up now.

 

VIRGO (August 24th-September 23rd)

The need for fun is strong in your chart which could see you telling white lies to those you no longer wish to associate with. Know how far is too far to go or you could cast yourself as unreliable to those who are only just getting to know you.

 

LIBRA (September 24th-October 23rd)

Friends could become so much more for many of your sign and it would be worth your while trying to slow your pace and enjoy each moment you experience. You weren’t sure current situations had staying power, but they do! Ring now for a better approach to life.

 

SCORPIO (October 24th-November 22nd)

The things you haven’t started are still waiting for you to address them. If you feel you can’t do this alone, then enlist the help of those you love. Your stars tell me they’re more than ready to give you the support you need.

 

SAGITTARIUS (November 23rd-December 21st)

Are you sure you’re taking care of yourself as well as everyone else Sagittarius? If you think you are worthy of attention, then others will too. Changes to the home will soon be on your mind, and they’re good ones!

 

CAPRICORN (December 22nd-January 20th)

The need to tie up old chapters so you can begin a fresh one is prominent in your chart. This is also a really good week to try to kick bad habits, as you’re likely to succeed if you try now.

 

AQUARIUS (January 21st-February 19th)

The chance to do new things is strong in your stars. You are ready to admit that a sign such as you needs constant stimulation as well as the realisation that you cannot do a job you don’t feel passionate about.

 

PISCES (February 20th-March 20th)

Your imagination goes into overdrive and you may even end up accusing your close ones of things they have not and would not do. Know how far is too far to go. Today offers you the chance to find some common ground again. Make sure you take advantage.

 

 

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Had to check this one out: House Cleaning According to Your Zodiac Sign

House Cleaning According to Your Zodiac Sign

by 

 

The holidays are over and we’re all looking forward to spring. As the sun spends more time peeking out at us, it’s also peeking into our homes. Lovely. Until you notice the dust and the smears and the dog hair tumble weeds in the corners. Time for a burst of energetic house cleaning. So, are you full of enthusiasm for the job? Do you look upon it as a massive waste of time? Or perhaps you just can’t see the necessity? A big part of how you approach housework is connected to your personality traits, so how do you tackle house cleaning according to your zodiac sign?

Aries March 21 – April 19

If most Aries can’t persuade someone in their family to do the job, they would rather pay a professional than tackle it themselves. No way do they ever want to deal with all those dirty details. However, there are certain Aries among us who will roll up their sleeves and rush around like a tornado Getting Things Done. It’s rare but it happens. They treat the whole thing as though they are embarking on a great adventure. Don’t ever get in their way.

Taurus April 20 – May 20

Taurus approaches the job methodically. They will spend quite a long time planning their cleaning strategy. It could be organized room-by room, or task-by-task. Once they have their plan, they’ll get to it. It’ll take a while but it will get done, and it will be done well. Having said that, Taurus is so keen on maintaining a clean and tidy home, to the rest of us, it already appears clean enough.

Gemini May 21 – June 20

Most Geminis are a curious mix of everything tidy on the surface, but it’s not so good when you delve down a little. Gemini loves to have a clean house, but they think the cleaning fairies will be along any time now. Eventually it will occur to them that they really need to do something it. They’ll grab a can of furniture spray polish and clean everything with it. Well, that’s what my Gemini used to do when ‘cleaning’ his own apartment.

Cancer June 21 – July 22

Clean and tidy Cancer. Your home is your nest. It is always lovely. Warm, welcoming and shiny as a new pin. We need say nothing more. Unless it isn’t. Enlist help if you need to. Make a list. Get your cleaning supplies and allocate a room to each family member. It doesn’t have to be perfect. While you’re at it, you might think about dealing with those bursting closets and all that collected tat you feel unable to throw out or give away.

Leo July 23 – August 22

Leo, your personal presentation is beautiful. It really is. Your sense of couture is second-to-none. But your home is often a tip. You just can’t see it. Try taking some photos and examining them carefully. Is this really where a gorgeous creature like you should hang out? Here’s an idea: arrange a cleaning party. Know that only your most loyal supporters will turn up. Don’t get distracted, there’s work to be done.

Virgo August 23 – September 22

Cleaning is a way of life for you Virgo. There’s nothing we can tell you except to maybe ease up a little. However, you’d be very welcome to come to our homes and give them a good scrub. We love you, but do you know how inadequate we feel when we look at your beautiful home?

Libra September 23 – October 22

Oh Libra, your room is a mess. I bet you heard that all the time while you were growing up. Nothing changes, does it? What you need is for your friend, Virgo, to come in and give you a hand. No, you can’t stand back and watch. You need some kind of prize or bribe to motivate yourself. It’s not going to work, is it? We will leave you to your clutter. Keep the blinds down.

Scorpio October 23 – November 21

Scorpio starts off sloppy but improves with age. However, when you put your mind to it, there’s no-one who can match you in the spring cleaning department. Once you get going (and the best motivation is for you to be incandescent with rage), there’s no stopping you. You’ll pull an all-night-er in order to get the job done.

Sagittarius November 22 – December 21

Look around. It needs doing, doesn’t it? We know you cleaned the whole place only a month ago, but it’s a big mess again. You aren’t quite in Libra’s league, but still… You need music and a good reason to spring clean, so invite your mother-in-law over for the weekend. There you go.

Capricorn December 22 – January 19

You love your place to look beautiful, yet you have lazy streak when it comes to housework. I know you do, because I am a Capricorn also. You hate things being untidy, yet you are the worst culprit. Self-sabotage. It’s time you worked to that detailed schedule, you spent hours putting together. Look at it, stuck on the side of the fridge. Look how you broke everything down into 10 minute tasks. So why aren’t you/I doing them?

Aquarius January 20 – February 18

Once you’ve got your routines in place, you tend to stick with them. You know it so well, you could do your house cleaning blindfold. Household tip: keep those windows clean and sparkling— your mood will improve a hundred-fold.

Pisces February 19 – March 20

What mess? Pisces, you are living in a complete shambles. It’s time to clean. What is cleaning? Start with a good tidy up. So that you can see the floor. Throw out trash (recycle, please). Then do your best to get rid of things you haven’t used or worn in a year. Your local homeless shelter will love you. Now start in the kitchen, Wash dishes, clean all surfaces. Mop the floor. That’ll do for one day.

 

–The Lunar Cafe

Your Daily Horoscopes for Thursday, December 27 (N.H.)

Your Daily Horoscopes for Thursday, December 27

Claire Petulengro, Astrologer

From The Astrology Room

 

ARIES (March 21st-April 20th)

Life is an experiment Aries, and the more you experiment the better! I see that you have spent far too much time bowing down to others’ needs, but all that is about to change. Wear red for luck in today’s confrontations.

 

TAURUS (April 21st-May 21st)

Stress and anxiety are evident in your chart. Does this not mean that it’s time to make some changes Taurus? Start doing what you have been thinking. What may fail in your mind will be a success if you do things by the book.

 

GEMINI (May 22nd-June 21st)

Work has been taking its toll on you and the last three days have clearly been giving you plenty of time to think about what you want. Speaking from the heart tonight can gain you the respect and loyalty of a close one you thought you had lost.

 

CANCER (June 22nd-July 23rd)

It must feel as if there have not been enough hours in the day for you recently. Stop and take stock. What needs to be done is far simpler than you thought. Tensions between you and a family member slowly but surely begin to thaw.

 

LEO (July 24th-August 23rd)

There are no half measures for a sign such as you are there Leo? You now know that you are not going to let anyone stand in the way of what you need to do. The chances of travel don’t have to cost you a penny. Take advantage.

 

VIRGO (August 24th-September 23rd)

It’s been hard for you to understand what is going on in the life of a close one recently. Just go with the flow today. Be you being open, then others will open up to you. Family prove difficult. Beat this by allowing all parties their own opinion.

 

LIBRA (September 24th-October 23rd)

You seem to be at the centre of some gossip, and how you act over the coming days will dictate how others treat you until the end of this year. Just remember my friend, that if you seem to be happy then others will be happy for you!

 

SCORPIO (October 24th-November 22nd)

Try to go with the flow today as Mercury will be dictating that many of the signs will be changing their plans at the last minute or are vague about what they have committed to. All will fall back into line sooner than you think, so stay focused.

 

SAGITTARIUS (November 23rd-December 21st)

You may find it hard to get hold of the people you want to talk to, but keep trying Sagittarius. The stars are only causing delays so you can dot the i’s and cross the t’s for what are sure to be your most exciting plans yet.

 

CAPRICORN (December 22nd-January 20th)

Capture your dreams and your life becomes full. You can because you think you can Capricorn. Your’s is the sign others will be gravitating towards. Be ready for a very busy end to the year and try not to double book yourself!

 

AQUARIUS (January 21st-February 19th)

Are you busy doing nothing Aquarius? Could it be that you are doing anything in order to avoid dealing with what really needs to be addressed this year. An old face comes to mind due to something you see.

 

PISCES (February 20th-March 20th)

What you thought to be a ‘done deal’ seems to still need more attention from you. Don’t worry Pisces, this is just the stars way of ensuring you get the longevity this situation requires.

 

To book a private tarot, horoscope or clairvoyant reading with Claire over the telephone, click here.
Phone consultations cost UK£55, US$83 for 20mins, UK£90, US$135 for 40mins.

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2019 HOROSCOPE PREDICTIONS — GET READY TO EMBRACE RADICAL CHANGE

2019 HOROSCOPE PREDICTIONS — GET READY TO EMBRACE RADICAL CHANGE

Have you been feeling stuck in a rut? Good news, 2019 is your year to start over. Forget business as usual—this year is all about shaking your life up so that you can do more of what resonates with you deeply and personally. That could mean forsaking an old life, career, reputation, or way of doing things—for something you feel brings your more emotional satisfaction. It could also mean breaking with tradition to create new habits and hobbies that you feel are more heartfelt.

 

As to where doing things that excite and resonate with you may have been difficult the past few years, this year is meant to help catapult you on some new journey that you have been formulating for quite some time. This journey will be very different from anything you have done in your past and may take some time to fully step into and complete, but will be very close to your heart.

This year, task-master Saturn will finally be making its way through the middle degrees of Capricorn, its home sign, for the first time in 29 years. This will require you to dedicate a lot of your time and attention to building something that is important to you with discipline and integrity.

Saturn, however, joining both Pluto and the South Node in Capricorn will require you to build things differently. What you will be building will be based more on emotion, and take more of your feelings and the feelings of others into account. It is no longer about creating something that is important to you at the expense of others, but by incorporating, understanding and being compassionate towards them.

Cosmic rebel Uranus traveling through the sign of Taurus for the first time since 1935 will also ask (or push) you to utilize your full gifts and talents to achieve these deeply heartfelt dreams of yours, and own what makes you entirely unique. This kind of alignment favors those who are bold and confident in their abilities, yet also extremely pragmatic. Hiding in the shadows and keeping all your talents a secret as you wait to be discovered will simply not do. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and show everyone what is special about you as an individual. Then, go all in on your strengths.

The North Node of the moon points the way to our future. With the North Node being in Cancer for the first time in 18 years, honoring your emotions and nurturing yourself throughout some major life changes will be key. Many of us may be moving, adjusting relationships with home and family, or re-discovering old interests and comforts that were once lost.

Wait, the best is yet to come. Expansive Jupiter moving into its home sign of Sagittarius, where it has not been for the past 12 years, will help give you more exuberance to accomplish some of the things you need. Because Jupiter works most freely in the sign of the Archer, doing the things that you enjoy and attracting more abundance should be way easier than in previous years even if your life is going through major shifts.

As it usually does, communication guru Mercury will retrograde three times this year. It will retrograde in Pisces in March, in Leo and Cancer in July, and in Scorpio in November. All retrogrades will occur close to the degrees many major astrological alignments happened in 2018. These retrogrades, especially the ones in water signs, are here to help you adjust emotionally to the new life you will be creating for yourself in 2019.

These Mercury retrograde transits are, indeed, extremely useful, as they will require you to think very differently about your past, about who you really are, and about what you ultimately want out of life. The main goal here is to stop and ask yourself what makes you feel truly happy and fulfilled. The next step is… start aligning your life in that direction!

Use this year as a chance to tear down old structures that aren’t working and build up new ones that you feel are more authentic and meaningful to you. It may take some time and discipline to do so, and it could feel scary to forsake old habits and projects, but what will remain after these outdated structures have been torn down is something that is more enduring and supportive of something bigger—the real you.

 

Brittany is a professional astrologer and the creator of wondergirlastrology.com. 

Published on Astrology,com

Daily Cosmic Calendar for Dec. 27 (N.H.) & Dec. 28 (S.H.)

COSMIC CALENDAR

Nurturing-comforting vibrations are in a delightful groove in the early hours as Venus unites with Ceres at 20 degrees of Scorpio (7:05am). Come from the heart in key discussions with loved ones. A 30-degree rapport between Jupiter in Sagittarius and Saturn in Capricorn (11:19am) should be utilized to make headway with rock-solid business ventures. Tweak a potentially adversarial, 150-degree tie between Pallas and Juno (9:27pm) away from mental fatigue and in the direction of strengthening key relationship bonds. Stop worrying about things you cannot control.

[Note to readers: All times are calculated as Pacific Standard 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, Ltd. 

Astrology.com

 

COSMIC CALENDAR

Get down to brass tacks in accomplishing many small jobs and errands waiting for completion. It’s easy to lose your way by going on a unnecessary detour as Pallas squares Pluto (3:18am) and the moon in Virgo makes its monthly opposition to Mars in Pisces (8:28am) – a challenging polarity that starts a void lunar uncertainty zone that lasts until the arrival of Libra moon at 12:24pm. In addition, Venus in Scorpio opposes Juno in Taurus (11:53am) while moving on to form a supportive, 60-degree alliance with Pluto (1:32pm). Aim to please love ones by being a good listener and reaching out in a compassionate manner. Business interests gain stature as Mercury parallels Saturn (2:01pm). Exercise and the martial arts are highlighted during a conjunction between Mars and Chiron at 29 degrees of Pisces (9:42pm). However, acting brashly in any way is taboo.

[Note to readers: All times are calculated as Pacific Standard 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 2017 Mark Lerner & Great Bear Enterprises, Ltd. 

Astrology.com

Calendar of the Sun for December 28, 2018

Calendar of the Sun

Bruma

Colors: White and brown
Element: Earth
Altar: Upon a bare table lay a large pot shaped like a human figure, reclining, filled with earth. All should enter bearing two white cloths, one on each arm.
Offerings: Silence and meditation.
Daily Meal: Vegetarian

Bruma Invocation

Earth, you lie sleeping in silence,
And we can do nothing but wait.
We have breathed upon your first seeds,
We have sung your first green shoots
Up from the bare brown soil,
We have watered you with tears and sweat
And fed you with the remains of our meals,
We have cut down your bounty and saved it,
Yet this is not the time for seeds, or green,
But simply the long cold wait in the dark
Until the light waxes and the time comes again.
You are silent, and will not speak to us,
No matter how we cry out.
You are dormant, and will not sing to us,
No matter how we raise our voices,
For all things come in their own time,
And this is not the time for movement.
So we will sit with you, Earth,
We will watch over you as you sleep
And take part in your dreams
In silence, and wait for your awakening.

Chant:
Earth dreaming
Silent seeming
Winter’s vigil
We will wait for you.

(After the chant has been sung five times, all come forth to the altar. Each lays one white cloth gently over the pot, saying, “Blessed be the Earth in the time of winter.” Then each sits on the floor and places the other white cloth over their heads, and meditates on all that is sleeping and cannot be awoken. Silence in the House until Akte.)

[Pagan Book of Hours]

Calendar of the Sun for Thursday, December 27

Calendar of the Sun 
27 Yulmonath 

Frey and Freya’s Day 

Colors: Green and Gold
Element: Earth
Altar: Upon cloth of green and gold place gilded sheaves of wheat, gilded and silvered flowers, gilded nuts, sugared fruits, corn dollies and straw Yule ornaments, a chalice of mead and a horn of beer, and figures of Frey and Freya.
Offerings: Love. Ritual sex is appropriate on this day.
Daily Meal: Vegetarian, with sweets, nuts, fruits, and bread.

Invocation to Frey and Freya

Holy sister and brother,
Lady and Lord of the Vanir,
Golden of hair as the fields of wheat
Who bring riches of heart and hearth
To noble and common folk alike
You are the security wealth can buy
And the happiness it cannot.
Lord Frey, Corn God
Warrior without a weapon
Who gave his sword for love,
You who make the grain spring forth,
Show us faith in every harvest.
Bless the bonds of those whose love
Binds them to land, to hearth,
To commitment of permanence,
O God whose wedding was cursed and blessed.
Lady Freya, warrior woman,
Chooser of the slain warriors,
Teacher of magic and mysteries,
Mistress of Seidhr and mother of jewels,
Love Goddess and Lady of Springtime,
Flowers scattered in your footsteps,
Unashamed of love and pleasure,
Help us to remember
That there are many kinds of wealth.
Bless us, Frey and Freya,
Most precious gems of Vanaheim,
With the gold of next year’s grain and sun.

Song: Golden One

(The mead is poured out as a libation for Freya, and the beer for Frey.)

[Pagan Book of Hours]

Witches of the Craft’s Daily Northern & Southern Hemisphere Journal For Dec. 27 & Dec. 28

Viking Prayer

May the Gods of Asgard
Guide your steps towards
Their gates.

In Your journey, may it be
safe and filled with light.
May you find strength
from Thor in your darkest
Hours. May you find
wisdom from Odin in times
of confusion
May you find beauty and
lasting bonds from Freya
and Frey.

May your web be spun
tightly with that which
makes you stronger,
Happy and Wise.

And may the Gods always
look upon you with Good
Grace.

–Author Unknown

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The early Norse people followed a pagan faith, which means they believed in many different gods. Odin, the All father, was the chief god. Odin’s son Thor was the god of thunder and carried a powerful hammer. Loki was a mischievous god who played tricks on the other gods and the people on earth. The stories (called “sagas”) that the Norse told about their gods were full of drama — the gods married, had children, had affairs and sometimes separated and swapped partners. The stories also involved mythical monsters and beasts. The gods would often fight and try to prove their own powers. One example of such a story is when Thor tried to lift a giant cat in an effort to show his strength. He failed, only being able to lift one of the cat’s paws. The gods lived in Asgard, which was connected to the human earth by a rainbow bridge. As the Vikings traveled the world they adopted the Christian religion. They referred to their old beliefs as Forn Sed: The Old Custom.

NORTHERN HEMISPHERE SECTION

 

Current Planetary Positions

December 27, 2018
Tropical Zodiac

Sun: 05 Capricorn 41
Moon: 11 Virgo 08
Mercury: 17 Sagittarius 25
Venus: 19 Scorpio 11
Mars: 26 Pisces 56
Jupiter: 10 Sagittarius 49
Saturn: 10 Capricorn 51
Uranus: 28 Aries 39 Rx
Neptune: 14 Pisces 00
Pluto: 20 Capricorn 27

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Planetary aspects for the Month of December

December 28, 04:30 pm – Venus sextile Pluto
December 29, 04:34 am – 3rd Quarter Moon 07 36

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The Solar Almanac for Thursday, December 27

Sun Direction: 114.08° ESE↑

Sun Altitude: -6.91°

Sun Distance: 91.413 million mi

Next Equinox: Mar 20, 2019 4:58 pm (Vernal)

Sunrise Today: 7:06 am↑ 119° Southeast

Sunset Today: 4:44 pm↑ 241° Southwest

Length of Daylight: 9 hours, 37 minutes

–timeanddate.com

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The Lunar Almanac for Thursday, December 27

Moon Direction: 236.05° SW↑

Moon Altitude: 50.23°

Moon Distance: 228555 mi

Next New Moon: Jan 5, 20197:28 pm

Next Full Moon: Jan 20, 201911:16 pm

Next Moonset: Today11:06 am

Current Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous

Illumination: 70.7%

–timeanddate.com

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Lunar Lore

To Wiccans and Witches, the phases of the moon have special meaning, giving structure to the levels of energy available for magickal workings. The phases are modified by the position of the moon within the lunar and the zodiac years. With all these correspondences it may seem quite confusing as to when you can actually focus on any specific workings. As a general rule the phasing correspondences (Full, Dark, waxing, waning, etc.) are the strongest influences, followed by its placement within the lunar year, and lastly by the astrological month. I tend to think of it like the effects of three magnets upon a metallic pendulum, the Phase being the strongest magnet, followed by the Position within the Lunar Year as a smaller magnet, and the Astrological Correspondence being the weakest one still. All three have their part to play in deciding the position the pendulum will come to rest, but in lessening degrees, though when they all align together then it is portent of very strong energy for the task that is indicated.

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The Sky This Week from December 27 to December 30

Winter nights begin with great views of the brightest star and two fine star clusters, and wrap up with the brilliant planets Venus and Jupiter.

By Richard Talcott

Thursday, December 27
Two of the finest deep-sky objects shine prominently on evenings in late December. The Pleiades and Hyades star clusters climb highest in the south during midevening but remain conspicuous nearly all night. The Pleiades, also known at the Seven Sisters and M45, appears like a small dipper to naked eyes. The larger Hyades forms the V-shaped head of Taurus the Bull. Although both look nice with naked eyes, binoculars show them best.

Friday, December 28
Mars continues to put on a nice show these December evenings. Look for the Red Planet halfway to the zenith in the southern sky as darkness falls. The world shines at magnitude 0.4 against the much dimmer stars of Aquarius the Water-bearer. A telescope reveals a disk that spans 8″ and should show a few subtle surface features during moments of good seeing.

Saturday, December 29
Last Quarter Moon occurs at 4:34 a.m. EST. You will see it poking above the eastern horizon around midnight local time and climbing highest in the south as twilight starts to paint the sky. The half-lit Moon spends the morning hours in the constellation Virgo the Maiden.

Sunday, December 30
Venus appears brilliant from the time it rises a little after 3:30 a.m. local time until close to sunrise more than three hours later. It stands about 25° above the southeastern horizon an hour before the Sun comes up. Gleaming at magnitude –4.6, the planet shines far brighter than all the other objects in the predawn sky except for the waning crescent Moon. When viewed through a telescope, Venus spans 27″ and appears nearly halflit.

–Astronomy Magazine

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Moon Phase Calendar

Thursday – 27th December 2018

Current Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous

Moon is in the sign of Virgo

Moon in Virgo:
Your feeling of safety is now related to order and clarity, even in emotions. You may have the need to organise everything chaotic and disorganized. Try being more tolerant and accept imperfections of life. It is better to trust life and let it run its own way, not everything must be according to our expectations.

Organs influenced by Virgo
Organs: Pancreas, small intestine, cecum, colon, digestive tract, duodenum, rectum, sense organs: eyes and ears.

These organs are now more sensitive so provide them with extra care.

Surgical operations:
Surgical operations are recommended during the Waning Moon.

However, avoid surgeries of organs under the influence of the Moon Sign.

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Today is Thursday, December 27

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

Deity: Thor

Zodiac Sign: Capricorn/Pisces/Sagittarius

Planet: Mercury

Tree: Oak

Herb: Henbane

Stone: Turquoise/Bloodstone/Topaz

Animal: Fish/Goat/Aurochs

Element: Fire

Color: Brown/White/Orange

Number: 3

Rune: Thorn

Celtic Tree Month of Ruis (Elder) (November 25 – December 22)

The Runic Half Month of Jara (December 13 – December 27)

Goddess of the Month of Astraea (November 28 – December 23)

—The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick

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The Goddess Book of Days for December 27th

Arretophoria, nymph festival of Maiden and Amazon Goddesses: Artemis, Diana, Oya, Selene, Luna, Hina, Daphne, the Maenads, Bunzi, Athena, Minerva. Also in Rome, a day of the Lares, the Household Goddesses, Mania, Mana or the Manes who are Maya or Macha, female power.

Goddesses Associated With Thursday, The Day of Thor

Juno, Hera, Kwan Yin, Mary, Cybele, Tara, Mawu, Mbaba Mwana Waresa, Ishtar

–The Goddess Book of Days
Diane Stein

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On Thursday, December 27, We honor…..

Kwanza (African-American)
ODUDUA

Themes: Kinship; Unity; Devotion; Creativity; Community; Love; Fertility

Symbols: Black Items

About Odudua: In the beginning, Odudua created the earth and its people. In Yoruban tradition, she presides over all matters of fertility, love, and community. Her sacred color is black.

To Do Today: This African American festival celebrates family unity and the black culture. It is also a harvest festival whose name means “first fruits.” Every day of the celebration focuses on important themes, including Odudua’s harmony, determination, community responsibility, purpose, creativity, and faith.

One lovely tradition easily adapted is that of candle lighting. Each day of the festival, light one red, green, or black candle (the colors of Africa). Name the candle after one of Odudua’s attributes you wish to develop (try to choose the color that most closely corresponds to your goal). Igniting it gives energy and visual manifestation to that principle. Also try to keep
one black candle lit (in a safe container) to honor the goddess’s presence during this time. To inspire Odudua’s peaceful love in your heart and life today, wear something black. This will absorb the negativity around you and put it to rest.

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

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Thursday: When the hammer is smashing up the skies

And we have just arrived to Thursday, named after Thor, the Norse god of thunder. He travels through the heavens in a charriot, wearing a special belt and iron gloves which give him extra strength to lift his giant hammer.

Romance languages based their fifth day’s name upon the Latin Dies Iovis, meaning the Day of Jupiter (jueves in Spanish, jeudi in French, giovedi in Italian). Jupiter was a chief Roman god, the god of laws and social order. His attribute was a thunderbolt.

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Thursday

Thursday: Is associated with Jupiter and the colors of – Blue and Metallic Colors

Thursday is the best time to deal with such matters as: Broadcasting, Business, Charity, College Education, Correspondence Courses, Doctors, Expansion, Forecasting, Foreign Interests, Gambling, Growth, Guardians, Horses, Logic, Long Distance Travel, Luck, Material Wealth, Merchants, Philosophy, Political Power, Psychologists, Publicity, Publishing, Reading, Religion, Researching, Self-improvement, Social Matters, Sports, Studying, and The Law

–Practical Magick for the Penny Pinching Witch
Carol Moyer

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The Magick of Thursday

Planet Ruled: Jupiter

Colors: Blue, purple, green

Crystals: Turquoise, Amethyst, Lapis

Deities: Jupiter, Juno

Magickal Intent: Abundance, protection, prosperity, strength, wealth, healing, male fertility, ambition, expansion

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Thursday’s Witchery

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Honey-Do List for Thursday

Try wearing some honeysuckle-scented perfume to encourage prosperity. Bewitch someone by wearing deep royal blue or brighten up a dreary day by wearing lucky, prosperity-drawing green. Brew up a pot of mint tea to help increase your cash flow. Try adding a pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon to an unscented candle to encourage some fast cash. Bake up a loaf of wheat bread for the family, and celebrate abundance and be thankful for all that you have.

Conjure up a witchy craft and create a philter or two for your magickal needs. Work with the deities and the magickal plants corresponding with Thursday.

How did the energies of the plants of Jupiter enhance your magick? What did you learn by working with Juno, Jove, or Zeus? The truth is that by adding these new techniques and information into your spellcasting repertoire, you will indeed advance your skills, thereby moving up in the ranks to become a more adept magickal practitioner

Just by believing in yourself and working toward creating abundance, health, and prosperity, you have already begun to transform your outlook on life. Put your game face on; think positively. Work with Thor for perseverance and courage, and apply those qualities to your own prosperity spells and healing witchery. Break out the tarot cards; How could you incorporate that symbolism into other spells of your own design?

Use your imagination, check Thursday’s correspondence list, and see what other bewitching things you can conjure up for prosperity magick all by yourself. Call on the gods and goddess of Thursday and bring some positive change, abundance, health, and prosperity into your life!

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

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The Witches Almanac for Thursday, December 27

St. Stephen’s Day

Waning Moon

Moon phase: Third Quarter

Moon Sign: Virgo

Incense: Myrrh

Color: Purple

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Correspondences for Thursday

Thursday (Thor’s day)

Planet: Jupiter

Colors: Purple, Deep Blue

Crystals: Amethyst, Lepidolite, Sugilite, Tin

Aroma: Melissa, Clove, Oakmoss, Jupiter Oil, Cinnamon, Musk, Nutmeg, and Sage

Herb: Cinquefoil

Ruled by the planet Jupiter and dedicated to Thor, god of thunder and agricultural work. His parallels in various European Traditions include Zeus, Taranis, Perun, and Perkunas.

Magical aspects: controlled optimism, energetic growth, physical well-being, material success, expansion, money/wealth, prosperity, leadership, and generosity.

Thursday is the day of Jupiter, the largest of the planets and said to be the most powerful. Spellcasters would be wise to use this day for attempting wealth, success and prosperity spells.

Thursday is also associated (in Greek mythology) to Thor – Thor’s day – and some even say that Jupiter and Thor are one in the same. Both are strong and powerful, yet wise and just. Try a small prayer to Jupiter before commencing any ritual on Thursday as a sign of respect.

This is the proper day of the week to perform spells and rituals involving luck, happiness, health, legal matters, male fertility, treasure, wealth, honour, riches, clothing, money, desires, business, group pursuits, joy, laughter, and expansion

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Magickal Applications for Thursday

Thursday comes from the Latin Dies Iovis, which means “Jove’s day” Jove, or Jupiter as he was sometimes called, was the supreme god and patron of the ancient Romans. Jove/Jupiter is associated with wealth, leadership, thunder, and lightning. A lord of heaven, Jove/Jupiter was also a god of light, and his sacred color is white. In the Greek mythologies, this deity was known as Zeus. This fifth day of our bewitching week was eventually turned into the Old English Thursdaeg or Thunresdaeg, which translates to “thunder’s day” or, more simply, “Thor’s day.” This day of the week is named after Thor, the popular Norse god of thunder. Thor was the son of Odin. He carried a war hammer called Mjollnir, and it was this that made the thunder and lightning. All of these Thursday gods-Jupiter/Jove, Zeus, and Thor-were wielders of the thunderbolt.

Thursday has the planetary association of Jupiter, and this day of the week is associated with prosperity, abundance, leadership, and good health. Prosperity and abundance are the typical magickal concerns on a Thursday. However, the way people define prosperity can vary greatly between individuals.

Personally, I think prosperity and abundance aren’t about owning the biggest house, fanciest wardrobe, or the newest car. It’s about living within your means and living well. My definition of prosperity is having enough money in the checking account to cover the bills and to pay for the groceries; anything left over is gravy.

But with a family, there is always something. Just about the time you’re feeling confident, something pops up. Somebody has to go to the doctor or the dentist, or someone needs work done on their car. Or my daughter calls from college with the classic “send money” request. It’s enough to drive me bonkers! For instance, just this past month, I got hit up for sorority dues, book fees, dentist bills, a bit of car repair and, lest we forget, living money for my daughter while she is away at school. Ouch!

The aspiration to make your budget stretch and to find ways to cover extra expenses is a real need for just about everybody. So on this bewitching day, let’s look at some practical, magickal ways to increase your prosperity and try out a few enchanting ideas designed to create a little abundance and, last but not least good health.

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

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The Witches Magick for Thursday, December 27 – Psychic Protection Spell

It is best to find a work area that you can leave untouched for 3 days. If you must put away your tools, try to leave the spell candle out in the open.

Prepare your work area by setting up any tools you may be using in addition to your spell candle.

You’ll Need:

Protection Incense (herbs or oils work fine also)
Black 8″ Taper Candle

It is best to find a work area that you can leave untouched for three days. If you must put away your tools, try to at least keep your spell candle out in the open. This spell is used to protect yourself from mental attacks.

Prepare your work area by setting up any tools you may use in addition to your spell candle. Love or protection incense is recommended (herbs or oils can also be used). While setting up your area, CONCENTRATE on the purpose of your work.

Bathe in purification herbs, or with your favorite bath salts. While you are bathing, concentrate again on the purpose of your spell. Do not let negative thoughts enter your mind.

After bathing, go to your work area. Cast a circle and light some incense. Envision a large, white ball of light surrounding you, your work area, and your home. Hold the candle between the palms of your hands and direct all of your positive energy into the candle.

Place the candle in its candle holder. Prior to lighting the candle, say (either aloud, or to yourself):

“This candle represents protection over me in all things”

Light the candle and say (either aloud or to yourself):

“As the light of this flame grows, I can feel the light and positive energy around me. As this candle burns, everything around me is blessed with light and love. I am blessed with light and love. Negative energy is being banished.”

Sit back and watch the candle burn. Keep visualizing the white ball of light and protection around you. Envision your Higher Power blessing you and protecting you from harm. See yourself blessing whoever or whatever it is that brings harm to you. Bless them so that they may be happy and will no longer wish to cause you harm. Feel the peace and love.

When the candle had burned 1/3 of the way, say

“As the flame of the candle is extinguished–evil, negativity, and harm towards me is banished.”

Extinguish the candle- don’t blow it out, though! Just muffle it or pinch the flame out, many believe blowing a candle out diverts the energy and shows disrespect.

Repeat this for two more nights. On the last night, after the candle has burned away and the leftover wax has cooled, discard the wax in the garbage to symbolize throwing away that which causes you harm.

You have been blessed with Light, Love, Peace, and Protection. Whatever was causing you harm will no longer do so.

–Everything Under the Moon

SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE SECTION

Custom Planetary Positions

December 28, 2018
Zodiac: Tropical (Standard Western)

Sun: 06 Capricorn 42
Moon: 25 Virgo 21
Mercury: 18 Sagittarius 50
Venus: 20 Scorpio 08
Mars: 27 Pisces 36
Jupiter: 11 Sagittarius 02
Saturn: 10 Capricorn 58
Uranus: 28 Aries 38 Rx
Neptune: 14 Pisces 01
Pluto: 20 Capricorn 29

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Planetary aspects for the Month of December

December 28, 04:30 pm – Venus sextile Pluto
December 29, 04:34 am – 3rd Quarter Moon 07 36

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The Solar Almanac for Friday, December 28

Sun Direction: 200.04° SSW↑

Sun Altitude: -30.08°

Sun Distance: 91.413 million mi

Next Equinox: Mar 21, 2019 8:58 am (Autumnal)

Sunrise Today: 5:43 am↑ 119° Southeast

Sunset Today: 8:07 pm↑ 241° Southwest

Length of Daylight: 14 hours, 24 minutes

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Solar Lore

According to Maya mythology, before becoming the celestial objects that we see today, the Moon and the Sun were terrestrial creatures. The Moon was a young lady, while the Sun a brave hunter.

They fell in love. After some events, they fled away together.

The young lady’s grandfather got mad at her and he had her killed. The dragonflys collected her body and her blood, and they put them in thirteen hollow stumps.

Meanwhile, the Sun had been looking for his lover for thirteen days. On the thirteenth day, he found the stumps. Twelve of them gave life to harmful insects and snakes. They started filling in the entire world with their offsprings. From the thirteenth one, the Moon came out: she had come back to life.

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The Lunar Almanac for Friday, December 28

Moon Direction: 78.99° E↑

Moon Altitude: -3.67°

Moon Distance: 228567 mi

Next New Moon: Jan 6, 201912:28 pm

Next Full Moon: Jan 21, 20194:16 pm

Next Moonrise: Today11:58 pm

Moon Direction: 78.99° E↑

Moon Altitude: -3.67°

Moon Distance: 228567 mi

timeanddate.com

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The Lunar Almanac for Friday, December 28

Moon Direction: 73.88° ENE↑

Moon Altitude: 3.94°

Moon Distance: 228631 mi

Next New Moon: Jan 6, 201912:28 pm

Next Full Moon: Jan 21, 20194:16 pm

Next Moonrise: Today11:58 pm

Current Moon Phase:Waning Gibbous

Moon’s Illuminationo: 70.5%

timeanddate.com

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Moon Phase Calendar
Friday – 28th December 2018

Current Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous

Moon is in the sign of Virgo

Moon in Virgo:
Your feeling of safety is now related to order and clarity, even in emotions. You may have the need to organise everything chaotic and disorganized. Try being more tolerant and accept imperfections of life. It is better to trust life and let it run its own way, not everything must be according to our expectations.

Organs influenced by Virgo
Organs: Pancreas, small intestine, cecum, colon, digestive tract, duodenum, rectum, sense organs: eyes and ears.

These organs are now more sensitive so provide them with extra care.

Surgical operations:
Surgical operations are recommended during the Waning Moon.

However, avoid surgeries of organs under the influence of the Moon Sign.

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Today is Friday, December 28

Friday is the day of Venus. It takes it name from Frigg, the Goddess of love and transformation. She rules the spiritual side of a person that manifests in the physical. Because of this, Friday is often thought of as dangerously unpredictable. This is expressed in an old East Anglian adage:

Friday’s day will have its trick
The fairest or foulest day of the week.

Deity: Frigg

 

Zodiac Sign: Taurus/Libra

 

Planet: Venus

 

Tree: Apple

 

Herb: Vervain

 

Stone: Sapphire/Chrsolite

 

Animal: Bull/Serpent

 

Element: Earth

 

Color: Yellow/Violet

 

Number: 7

 

Rune: Peorth(P)

 

Celtic Tree Month of Ruis (Elder) (November 25 – December 22)

 

The Runic Half Month of Jara (December 13 – December 27)

 

Goddess of the Month of Astraea (November 28 – December 23)

 

—The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick

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Goddess Book of Days for Friday, December 28

Birthday of Hemera, daughter of Nyx, Night, Greek Goddess. She is the Dawn, and other Dawn Goddesses are: Eos, Aurora, Hesperide, Hekt, Aja, Hebe, Ochumare, Buto, Eileathyia, Changing Woman, Eve. In France, the Festival of the Tarasque, remembering

Goddesses Associated with Friday

Friday For Freya: Astarte, Aphrodite, Erzulie, Aida Wooo, Eve, Venus, Diana, Isis, the Witch of Gaeta, Chalchiuhtlique

The Goddess Book of Days
Diane Stein

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On Friday, December 28th, We Celebrate…..

Feast of Fools (Europe)
THALIA

Themes: Humor; Festivity; Recreation

Symbols: Party Decorations

ABOUT THALIA: Among the Greek muses, Thalia is the goddess of festivity and humor. She inspires today’s celebration with unbridled revelry and joyfulness to round out year on an upbeat, playful note.

To Do Today: During the Middle Ages, around this time of year, a mock religious ritual took place, much like the impious Saturnalia. Normal roles were often reversed, and reverence went by the wayside, replaced by fun and pleasure. I see no reason not to follow the example of our ancestors and give ourselves time to frolic a bit today. Do something that energizes you, inspires you, or makes you laugh out loud. For example, throw yourself a party complete with silly decorations and hats. Watch your favorite comedy flicks with a friend. Or, go out dancing, play video games, socialize with folks who make you feel good, and generally let Thalia live through (and in) your pleasure.

To keep Thalia’s playful, enthusiastic energy with you, bless an amethyst (for joy and luck), saying,

Thalia, inspire my humor and muse;
throughout my life, joy diffuse.

Carry this with you anytime you feel your sense of humor waning.

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

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Friday: The day of beauty

Frigg was the Norse goddess of beauty, love, household, fertility and motherhood. She was Odin’s wife. She wonderfully balances out the dreadfulness of all the masculine gods sitting around our week table.

Derived from Latin Dies Veneris, Friday is viernes in Spanish, vendredi in French and venerdi in Italian. The day belongs to Venus, the Roman goddess of beauty, love and fertility.

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Friday’s Conjuring

Friday – is associated with Venus

Candle colors – Green, Red, Blue, White, Purple

Spellcrafting Associations: Love, Marriage, Money, Attraction, Luck, Healing, Prosperity, Change, Road Opening work, Bring Peace, Relationships.

Old Style Conjure Wisdoms, Workings and Remedies
Starr Casas

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The Magickal Day of Friday

Friday falls at the end of the work week for many of us, and that means we get a chance to relax for a little bit! Mark your Fridays with colors like pink and aqua, and metals such as copper. This is a day ruled by the planet Venus, so it should be no surprise that Venus and Aphrodite – goddesses of love and beauty – are associated with Fridays. This is a day named for the Norse goddess Freyja, so be sure to take a moment to honor her as well.

Gemstones associated with Friday include coral, emerald and rose quartz, and plants like strawberries, apple blossoms and feverfew are also related. This is a good day to do spellwork associated with family life and fertility, sexuality, harmony, friendship, growth. Take advantage of Friday’s correspondences and plant a seed, make something grow, and enjoy your blessings

*Note: There are a lot of disputes as to the origins of the word Friday, because there is still a great deal of discussion as to whether it was named for Freyja or Frigga, and whether they were the same deity or two separate ones. Some scholars believe that while they may have eventually become two distinctly different goddesses, they could have had their origins in a single, common Proto-Germanic deity.

Patti Wigington, Paganism/Wicca Expert
Article published on & owned by ThoughtCo.com

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Friday’s Witchery

Love magick is a perennial popular topic. However, there is more to this topic than meets the eye. There are many enchanting layers here for us to explore on this day of the week. What about creating a loving home, or producing a loving and nurturing family? What about keeping your intimate relationships vital and on track? How about promoting happy, healthy, and enduring friendships? See, there is more to be considered than just the “You shall be mine…” type of fictional love spell.

Don’t forget that many of the deities associated with Fridays are also parents. So, yes, while this is the day to work on romance, sex, and love spells, there is additional magick to be considered here, which makes Fridays a more well-rounded and bigger opportunity for witchery than many folks ever truly realize. The truest, strongest magick always comes from the heart.

Book of Witchery – Spells, Charms & Correspondences For Every Day of the Week
–Ellen Dugan

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The Witches Almanac for Friday, December 28

Feast of the Holy Innocents

Waning Moon

Moon phase: Third Quarter

Moon Sign: Virgo

Moon enters Libra 3: 23 pm

Incense: Rose

Color: Pink

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FRIDAY CORRESPONDENCES

Venus/Water/East/West/South/Dawn/Female/Libra/Taurus

Magickal Intentions: Love, Romance, Marriage, Sexual Matters, Physical Beauty, Friendship and Partnerships, Strangers, Heart

Color: aqua, blue, light blue, brown, green, pale green, magenta, peach, pink, rose, white, all pastels

Number: 5, 6

Metal: copper

Charm: green or white garments, scepter

Stone: alexandrite, amethyst, coral, diamond, emerald, jade, jet, black moonstone, peridot, smoky quartz, tiger’s-eye, pink tourmaline

Animal: camel, dove, elephant, goat, horse, pigeon, sparrow

Plant: apple, birch, cherry, clematis, clove, coriander, heather, hemlock, hibiscus, ivy, lotus, moss, myrtle, oats, pepperwort, peppermint, pinecone, quince, raspberry, rose, pink rose, red rose, rose hips, saffron, sage, savin, stephanotis, strawberry, thyme, vanilla, verbena, violet, water lily, yarrow, and all flowers

Incense: ambergris, camphor, mace, musk, myrrh, rose, saffron, sage, sandalwood, sweetgrass, vanilla, violet, all floral scents

Goddess: Aphrodite, Asherah, Baalith, Brigid, Erzulie, Freya (Passionate Queen), Frigg, Gefion, Harbor (Beautiful One), Hestia, Inanna, Ishtar (Lady of Passion and Desire), Lakshmi, Lilith, Mokosh, Nehalennia, Nerthus, Ostara, Pombagira, Sarasvati, Shakti, Shekinah, Sirtur, Al Uzza, Venus (Queen of Pleasure), Vesta

God: Allah, Bacchus, Bes, Cupid, the Dagda, Dionysus, El, Eros (God of Love), Freyr, Frit Ailek, Shukra

Evocation: Agrat Bat Mahalat, Anael, Hagiel, Mokosba, Rasbid, Sachiel, Uriel, Velas

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Magickal Applications for Friday

Friday is named after the Norse goddesses of love, Freya and Frigga. There seems to be some debate as to whom the day is actually named after, so I thought I would share a little information so you can decide for yourself.

In Latin, this day is known as Dies Veneris, “Venus’s day.” In Greek, it’s Hermera Aphrodites, which translates to the “day of Aphrodite.” In Old English, this day is called Frige- daeg, or “Freya’s day.” This day has the Germanic title of Frije-dagaz, which, once again, could be Freya’s day or Frigga’s day.

Both Freya and Frigga were Norse goddesses of love and were the Teutonic equivalent of the Greco-Roman Venus/Aphrodite. However, Freya was one of the Vanir—the gods of fertility who supervised the land and sea—and she was the leader of the Valkyries. Frigga, Odin’s wife, was the goddess of the heavens and of married love. She was one of the Aesir—the gods associated with battle, magick and the sky. Freya and Frigga could be looked upon as different aspects of the same goddess. They both were called on to assist in childbirth and then in naming of the new baby. Frigga represented the faithful wife and loving mother, while Freya, who really captured the hearts and imagination of the Norse people, was the passionate mistress and lover.

Fridays classically are days for love, fertility, romance, and beauty magick, as well as working for happiness, harmony in the home, and friendship. So let’s take a look at some of the mythology involved with this loving, voluptuous, passionate, and luxurious day of the week, and see where it leads us.

Book of Witchery – Spells, Charms & Correspondences For Every Day of the Week
Ellen Dugan

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The Witches Magick for Friday, December 28 – Banish Black Candle Spell

Items you will need:
1 black candle
1 ceramic or glass plate
1 sheet of aluminum foil
1 sheet of paper
1 pen or pencil
1 lighter or match

On a table, lay out a sheet of aluminum foil and place a plate on-top of it. Then write the name of the person or thing you want to banish. Remember not to wish any person harm. Fold the paper in half twice and place it under the plate. Next, put the candle on top of the plate and light it.

Now, say this chant three times:

“Banish __________ away from me.
I do not wish ____________ to remain in my presence.
Of ___________ I want to be freed.
Harm none. Mote it be”

After a few minutes, blow out the candle and throw away the candle, paper and aluminum foil. Your wish should be granted soon.

A Witch’s Week of Spells and Activities
Helga C. Loueen

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Household Magick for Friday, December 28th

Use Friday to cast for love, luxury, pleasure, and entertainment.

Planetary Influence: Venus

Household Symbols: A seashell, a fountain, fresh flowers, your wedding ring or wedding photo, red or pink paper hearts, apples and cherries.

Colors: Pink and aqua green

Kitchen Spices: Thyme and sugar

Let’s Talk Witch – Wiccan Tips

Now, there are certain lessons that you won’t find in any books and must learn from experience. Among those are certain etiquettes that you must keep in mind when it comes to interacting with people within your faith. Whilst most are tolerant when it comes to “newbie” mistakes, some might not be. To help you with that, here’s a list of ethics and proper etiquette as well as a few other tips. These starting out.

–        Every Wiccan knows of the Rede. In it, you’ll find the major laws and ethics that need to be followed. There are no compromises or exceptions, wiccans do have their own rules too. Most sacred circles derive their password from the Rede so add that to the reasons why you need to learn it by heart.

–        Don’t practice black magic. This is a simple etiquette that shouldn’t even be mentioned but certain situations do call for it. Whilst mistakes are not unusual, causing harm to other people by means of a spell or dark magic is forbidden. Remember that anything you put out there can come back to you threefold.

–        Never touch another witch’s magical tools without getting their expression first. If there’s something that you want to see up close, always ask for permission. You can easily
leave an imprint of your energy on what you touch and witches do not appreciate this. After all, if you’re a stranger, then they are unaware of both your intention and energy type. Any negativity that you carry with you can be transferred into these objects so always ask.

–        Do not be lazy about studying. It is called “craft” for a reason and you must continuously hone your skills. Learning the basics is not enough if you wish to advance and practice more complicated forms of magic. It is a lifestyle as much as a continuous education. The more you know, the better you’ll understand the foundations of the faith itself. It isn’t just a matter of learning to cast spells and forgetting everything else that you need to learn. Study the history and work your way up.

–        When it comes to researching, always compare and verify the information you get. If you know of an elder or someone who has been a Wiccan longer than you have, ask them questions. There are plenty of resources out there but not all of them would provide you with proper knowledge. Some can mix up different traditions and for beginners, this can become very confusing.

–        Join a community. Whilst becoming a part of a coven isn’t necessary, becoming acquaintances with people who practice the same faith will be very beneficial to your learning. There numerous forums and websites that should help you get in touch with the right people. Share what you know and gain knowledge from others too.

Wicca: Wicca Beliefs, Spells, Magic, and Rituals, for Beginners! Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Wicca!

Karen Bonderud

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Daily Incantations & Enchantments for Friday, December 28

This is an enchantment that can be used on jewelry, watches, anything that you will wear throughout the day that you can touch often, whenever you need a burst of positive energy.  Hold the item in your left hand and chant over it:

Wearing you all the while,
Every time I touch you I smile.
You are good luck to me,
A blessing I can see.
Positive energy will overflow,
A new attitude I will show.

Wear your item and touch as much as possible throughout the day.

The Power of Positive Witchcraft: Daily Incantations & Enchantments: A Spell a Day for 30 Days . Garden Summerland

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Spirit Message of the Day – Divine Jubilation & Remembrance

A SYSTEM THAT WORKS
“Imagine it. Move towards it. Has to happen. It always works.”

“And then, all of a sudden…you’re on top of the world, an overnight sensation, the cause of intergalactic jubilation. What seemed like unending preparation has now culminated in your delivery. You can do no wrong; your vision is clear; your mission divinely inspired. Smiles, laughter, and accolades surround you. Friends, family, and loved ones salute you. The time is right, the place chosen, and the ultimate test is about to begin. You’re ready.”

“As if struck by lightning, the scene instantly changes. The next thing you know you’re a wee little babe and all the festivities become a distant blur. The images and vibrations of ‘the party to end all parties’ rapidly fade away, while the songs and laughter still ringing in your ears are replaced with harsh voices and loud speakers. Strangers surround you, and what you had felt as an indescribable lightness of being has been replaced with gravity.”

“Nothing, absolutely No Thing, could be worth this. There has to be a mistake. Something must have gone wrong. In total shock and broken-hearted, alone and frightened, you hear a calm voice rising above the ruckus. Warm hands are now drawing you through the air, holding you safely. As the motion gently stops, you hear words that cause every cell of your body to ring with vitality, recalling the preparations that made this all possible; confirming the clarity of your earlier convictions; reminding you of countless agreements, treaties, and rendezvous plans; and instilling within your heart a vision of the perfection, love, and purpose you were born of.”

“‘My dearest, welcome to the world. We’ve been waiting for this day such a long, lo-o-ong time’. Then without logic or rationale you think your reply, in words as alien to you as the artificial light in your room, ‘Me too’. And while this experience passes swiftly and you quickly forget all the calm voice evoked, it imparted a confidence that will never again leave you and a remembrance that all is well, that everything is going to be forever OK, and that you are here because it’s where you most wanted to be, in a world that most wanted to have you.”

Today’s message is from Mike Dooley’s Choose Them Wisely – Thoughts Become Things! book.
Published on SpiritBlog

“Blessed are the Witches”

Wishing All Our Dear Brothers & Sisters, In The North & In the South, A Very Beautiful & Blessed Day!

Winter

Winter’s Hand

Winter’s shroud soon will pass,
The summer sun will come at last,
Plants will reach into the light,
The summer breeze will warm the night,
But we must await the sun to cast,
For Winter’s hand has not yet past.

The Holly King will hold on fast,
He will make this winter last,
He’ll send the ice, the snow, the rain,
He’ll send the wind to blow again,
Frozen lakes and frozen lands,
He’ll keep us all in Winter’s hand.

But fear ye not, his time is short,
The Oak King will soon make him abort,
His mission to bring about misery,
With his icy hands on you and me,
Then we’ll rejoice to see at last,
Winter’s hand, returned to the past.

—Pagan Ways
Alan Faraway

Introduction to Ogham – Second Aicme

Second Aicme

 

hÚath (OO-ah)      Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.)

Huath (HOO-ah), hawthorn – Like willows, hawthorns have many species in Europe, and they are not always easy to tell apart. All are thorny shrubs in the Rose family (Rosaceae), and most have whitish or pinkish flowers. The common hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
and midland hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata) are both widespread.

They are common in abandoned fields and along the edges of forests. Both are cultivated in North America, as are several native and Asiatic hawthorns.

Hawthorn is a druid sacred herb which is associated with the Summer Solstice.

Hawthorn is the classic flower used to decorate a maypole as it is considered to be a herb of
fertility. At one time Beltain was once reckoned as the day the hawthorn first bloomed.

Hawthorn is sacred to the fairies, and is part of the tree fairy triad of Britain “Oak, Ash and Thorn” and where all three trees grow together it is said that one may see fairies.

 

Duir (DOO-r)         Oak (Quercus spp.)

Duir (DOO-r), oak – The oak of myth and legend is the common oak (Quercus robur L.). It is sometimes called the great oak, which is a translation of its Latin name (‘robur’ is the root of the English word “robust”). It grows in the lowland forests, and can reach a height of 150 feet and age of 800 years.

Common oaks are deciduous, losing their leaves before Samhain and growing new leaves in
the spring so that the trees are fully clothed by Beltane. Common oaks are occasionally cultivated in North America. Oaks are members of the Beech family (Fagaceae).

In Scandinavia the oak is considered to be the tree of the Thunder God, Thor”. Pliny writes that the Druids performed all their religious rites in oak-groves, where they gathered mistletoe from the trees with a golden sickle. The word “Druid” means wise man of the oak. Strabo describes three Galatians tribes (Celts living in Asia Minor) as holding their councils at a place called, “Drunemeton”, the “oak grove sanctuary”. Druids of Gaul ate acorns as a way of divining the future.

Kildare, where St. Brighid founded her abbey, derives from “Cill-dara”, the Church of the
Oak. The sacrifice at Nemi took place at Summer Solstice, which brings us to the battle between the Oak King personifying the waxing wear, and the Holly King, who ruled the waning
year. At Midsummer, as the year began its turn towards the dark again, the Holly was victorious, but at Midwinter, the Oak King defeated the forces of darkness once again, revealing himself as a Vegetation God who must die each year so that Life can be renewed. It is not surprising, then, that images of the Green Man carved in wood and stone in medieval churches most frequently show oak leaves growing out of his ears and mouth.

In the Welsh story “Math, son of Mathonwy”. The hero Lleu is betrayed and killed, but after his “death” he turns into an eagle and perches atop a magical oak tree on a plain, where he suffered “nine-score hardships”.

In Cornwall, a nail driven into an oak cured toothache, while in Wales, rubbing the oak with the palm of your left hand on Midsummer’s Day kept you healthy all year.

 

Tinne (CHIN-yuh)       Holly (Ilex aquifolium)

Tinne (CHIN-yuh), holly – The holly is a shrub growing to 35 feet in open woodlands and along clearings in forests. Hollies are evergreen, and stand out in winter among the bare branches of the deciduous forest trees that surround them.

Hollies form red berries before Samhain which last until the birds finish eating them, often after Imbolc.

Hollies are members of the Holly family (Aquifoliaceae).

The common holly is often cultivated in North America, as are hybrids between it and Asiatic holly species The Holly or kerm-oak is the evergreen twin of the Oak and rules the dark or waning part of the year. The Sun-king is called the Holly King or Dark Successor (Tanist) in the Druid Calendar. The Oak and the Holly form the pillars of a bridge that crossed the “Rainbow
River” flowing into the entrance of Gwynvyd.

The Romans, observed the custom of sending holly boughs, along with other gifts, to
celebrate Saturnalia.

In Arthurian legend, Gawain (representing the Oak King of summer) fought the Green
Knight, who was armed with a holly club to represent winter. The holly is the plant badge of the Scottish clans of Drummond, Innes, Maclean, MacNab and Matheson.

Holly has been used throughout the ages as a protection against evil. It was also hung around houses as a protection against lightning.

 

Coll (CULL)        Hazel (Corylus avellana)

Coll (CULL), hazel – The hazel is the source of hazelnuts. The wood of the hazel shrub has been used for centuries in the making of wands. It forms a shrub up to 20 feet tall, inhabiting open woodlands and scrubs, hedgerows, and the edges of forests. The filbert nut in North American is Corylus maxima, a related species.

The European hazelnut is cultivated in North America, primarily as an ornamental.

Hazelnuts are in the Birch family (Betulaceae).

Hazel wood is one of the nine traditional firewood’s that is part of the Balefire, which the Druid’s burned at Beltane. Hazel is known as the tree of Wisdom. Staffs made of Hazel were once considered as a sign of authority among the Druids.

Celtic legend tell of a grove of Hazel trees below which was a well, a pool, where salmon swam. These trees contained all knowledge, and their fruit contained that knowledge and
wisdom in a nutshell. As the hazelnuts ripened, they would fall into the well where they were eaten by the salmon. With each nut eaten, the salmon would gain another spot.

In order to gain the wisdom of the Hazel, the Druids caught and prepared the salmon. But Fionn, the young man stirring the pot in which the salmon were cooking, accidentally burned his thumb with the boiling stew. By reflex, he put his thumb into his mouth and thus ingested the essence of the sacred feast; he instantly gained the wisdom of the universe.

The Hazel is a tree that is considered sacred to the Faeries. A wand of hazel can be used to
call the Fey forth. In Irish folklore, the Hazel tree was the home of “Bile Ratha”, the poetic
fairy.

Forked hazel sticks are used to find water or buried treasure.

 

Quert (KWAIRT)        Apple (Malus spp.)

Quert (KWAIRT), apple – When most of us think of apples, we think of the domestic apple, but the ogham tree was most likely the European crabapple (Malus sylvestris Miller). This tree grows to 30 feet in moist fertile soils in oak woodlands, and has been extensively cultivated. The fruits are small versions of the domestic apple, and also show the pentacle when cut across.

Cultivated crabapples in North America are usually Asian species, but this species is a common rootstock for apple trees. Apples are in the Rose family (Rosaceae).

The Common Apple or Wild Apple (Malus sylvestris) is native to Europe and Western Asia. Petrified remains of apple slices on saucers have been found in tombs dating back over 5,000 years.

In Scotland, the Crabapple is the plant badge of Clan Lamont, whose Highland territories
were around Cornwall and Argyll.

In Norse tradition, the Apple is the tree of immortality. The Goddess Idunn was the keeper
of the apples, which she fed the Norse Gods and Goddesses to keep them forever young.
Apple wands were also used in Norse love rituals.

The Earth Goddess, Gaia, gave Hera, the Queen of Heaven, an apple tree when she married the Chief God, Zeus. That tree was kept in the Garden of the Hesperides, guarded by the dragon, Ladon. One of Hercules’ tasks was to fetch an apple from that tree.

In Celtic tradition, the Otherworldly Avalon was also known as the Avallach, the Isle of Apples, ruled by Fairy Queen, Morgan le Fay. This is the land of fairies and the dead, where King Arthur was taken to be healed by his sister, Morgan. Like their cousins to the North, the Celts attributed the power of healing and youth, or rebirth, to apples.

Apples are sometimes buried in churchyards in an effort to feed the dead.

In the Welsh “Câd Goddeu” (The Battle of the Trees), the Apple is described as the noblest
tree of them all, the tree that symbolized poetic immortality.

In the Irish Druid tradition, the Silver Bough is cut from a magical Apple tree, where silver
apple shaped bells played a mystical tune, which could lull people into a trance state. Druids could make contact with the Otherworld during a trance enhanced by this silver apple bough.

The Druid Merlin was purported to work in a magical Apple Grove guarded by birds, revealed to him by his master, Gwendolleu. He was said to receive the gift of prophecy from the Faerie Queen, conferred through the consumption of one of her magic apples. Merlin was also said to take shelter under anapple tree during his bout with madness.

Bards (poets) and Ovates (shamans) carried apple branches, (with bronze, silver, or gold bells), called the “Craobh Ciuil” (Branch of Reason) as symbols of their office.

Introduction to Ogham – First Aicme

First Aicme

 

The most familiar Ogham system in use today is the Tree Ogham. The Tree Ogham is split up into; eight Chieftain Trees, eight peasant trees and eight shrub trees. In lessons two through five we will take a look at each group of five and their associations. We can develop a deeper understanding of each letter by understanding its connections with each tree.

1st Aicme

Ogham Symbol Sound/Letter Name Associated Tree


Beith – pronounced (BETH)        Birch (Betula pendula Roth)

Beth (BEH), birch – The silver birch is the most common birch in much of Europe. It is one of the first trees to colonize an area after a mature forest is harvested; this is probably a large part of its symbolic connection with new beginnings. It grows up to 100 feet high, but is more often found in spreading clumps on sandy soils. The common birch (B. pubescens Ehrh.) is almost as widespread as the silver birch, but grows primarily on acid or peaty soils; it can reach 65 feet in height.

The word “birch” derives from a root meaning ‘bright’ or ‘shining’ Because of its connection to renewal; the birch has been utilized in many cultures. In Scandinavia, switches of birch are used on the body to stimulate the process of purification in the sauna.

In ancient Britain the birch rod was used as a rod to purify the criminal of their misdeeds,
and in some cases it was used to expel evil spirits from those deemed insane.

In many cultures, including the Shamanic beliefs, the birch is seen as the “Axis Mundi”, (Cosmic World Tree). Often, baby cradles were made out of birch because of its power to drive out evil influences and its association with renewal.

 

Luis – pronounced (LWEESH)      Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)

Luis (LWEESH), rowan – the rowan, or mountain ash is related to serviceberries. The red berries were historically used to lure birds into traps, and the specific epithet “aucupari’a” comes from words meaning “to catch a bird”. Rowans thrive in poor soils and colonize
disturbed areas. In some parts of Europe they are most common around ancient settlements, either because of their weedy nature or because they were introduced by humans. Rowans flower in May. They grow to 50 feet and are members of the Rose family (Rosaceae). They are cultivated in North America, especially in the northeast.

The rowan is sometimes called “the Whispering Tree” because it is thought that the tree held secrets. The rowan is also associated with protection against witchcraft and bad luck.Rowan twigs were placed above doorways and barns to protect the inhabitants against misfortune and evil spirits.

Rowan stakes were driven into corpses to stop their ghosts from visiting, especially when they died from acts of violence. The Druids used rowan fires with incantations to summon spirits to help them portend in forthcoming battles.

Scottish tradition does not allow the use of the Rowan tree’s timber, bark, leaves or flowers, nor the cutting of these trees, except for sacred purposes under extenuating circumstances.

Rowan is also called the Witch Tree, or Wicken Tree, and can be used for divining precious
metals.

 

Fearn – pronounced (FAIR-n)       Alder (Alnus glutinosa Gaertner)

Fearn (FAIR-n), alder – The common alder is often found along lowland rivers, where it grows with aspens and willows. Like willows, alders sprout from stumps–this allows them to regenerate after heavy flooding. In protected sites they may grow to 65 feet tall. Their leaves are more blunt-tipped than most North American alders, which look more like the grey alder (A. incana (L.) Moench). Like ashes, European alders are not widely cultivated in North American (they are often sold as black alders), but several native species are.

Alders are members of the Birch family (Betulaceae).

The old superstition of “whistling up the wind” comes from making a whistle out of Alder.

Alder figures into a couple of ancient mythologies. Scandinavian mythology tells us the first
woman was fashioned from an Alder trunk. In Irish mythology the first man was said to be
made from an Alder.

The Alder is known as the “King of the Fairies”. In Homer’s Odyssey Alder is named the first of the three trees of resurrection. The two other are White Poplar and Cypress. In Denmark and Germany, the spirit of the Alder tree was said to carry children off to the Otherworld. An example of this belief can be found in Goethe’s ballad “The Erl-konig” (The Alder King).

 

Sail – pronounced (SHAiLuh)       Willow (Salix spp.)

Saille (SAHL-yuh), willow – Like North America, Europe is home to a large number of willow species Two common tree willows are the white willow (Salix alba) named for the whitish undersides of its leaves, and the crack willow (Salix fragilis) for the propensity of its
branches to “crack” off (probably another adaptation to flooding).

Both species grow along with poplars and alders along lowland rivers. They can reach 80 feet in height, and they both vigorously sprout from stumps. The white willow is sometimes grown in cultivation in North America. Willows are members of the Willow family (Salicaceae).

The Willow is often the symbol for the Ovate Grade of Druid. According to Druidic mysteries, two scarlet snake eggs were hidden within the Willow. The Universe was hatched from these two eggs, one containing the Sun, the other the Earth, relating to both cosmic birth and the birth of mankind. Traditionally, in spring rituals, these were replaced by hen’s eggs, colored scarlet for the Sun and eaten at Beltane. This rite later became the Christian celebration of Easter.

In Sumer, 4000 BCE, Ishtar’s predecessor, Belili, was known as the Willow Mother. Orpheus, the poet, was said to have received his Gift by touching the Willows in a grove sacred to Persephone.

Brighid has Her Fire festival, Imbolc, or Brigantia, during the Willow month.

The Willow tree has been associated with death, grief and cemeteries, the leaves themselves
symbolizing unrequited love or the loss of a lover. The leaf has also been worn as a charm
to protect against jealousy.

Willow has been used in the Sacred Pipes and the tobacco blends of many Native Americans because it is thought that it is most effective in carrying messages to the Great Spirit.

 

Nion – (NEE-uhn)        Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)

Nion (NEE-uhn), Ash is a major tree of lowland forests in much of Europe, along with oaks and beeches. It grows to 130 feet in open sites, with a broad crown reminiscent of American elm trees. Ash was and still is an important timber tree, and is a traditional material for the handle of a besom; it is also a popular wood for wands. The common ash is occasionally cultivated in North America, and similar native ash species are widely grown as street
trees.

Ashes are members of the Olive family (Oleaceae). The wood of the Ash is thought to be enchanted and was used by the Druids to fashion wands and spears.

At one time, children would be passed through the branches of an Ash in order that they
might be protected and to cure them from illness. Ash leaves were placed under pillows to
induce prophetic dreams or placed in bowls of water to ward off ailments.

The Celts believed that the Ash originated in the Great Deep or the Undersea Land of Tethys. It belongs to the trilogy of sacred Irish trees (the other two being the Oak and Hawthorn) and is said to offer particular protection from death by drowning.

The seeds of the Ash have long been used in love divination. If the seeds did not appear on
a certain tree, then its owner was thought to have been unlucky in love or a future venture
would be unsuccessful.

In Northern England, it was believed that if a woman placed an Ash leaf in her left shoe, then she would be fortunate enough to immediately meet her future spouse. In Greece, the Ash was sacred to the Sea God Poseidon.

In Norse mythology, the Ash is known as “Yggdrasil” (Cosmic World Tree). It was from this tree that Odin hung upside down from for nine days in order to obtain the runes. Also in Norse legend, it was an Ash which spanned the universe, with its roots in Hel and its boughs supporting the Heavens and Earth at its center.

In Celtic lore, the Ash connected the three circles of existence; Abred, Gwynedd and Ceugant.

Introduction to the Celtic Ogham

Introduction to Ogham

Presented by

Cricket & Whispering Woods

 

The Ogham alphabet consists of twenty distinct letters which are known as “feda”. They
are arranged in four series called aicmí (plural of aicme “family”). Each aicme was named after its first character (Aicme Beithe, Aicme hÚatha, Aicme Muine, Aicme Ailme, or “the B Group”, “the H Group”, “the M Group” and “the A Group”).

The Ogham Tract also gives a variety of around 100 variant or secret modes of writing
Ogham (92 in the Book of Ballymote), for example the “Shield Ogham” (ogam airenach,
nr. 73). Even the Younger Futhark is introduced as a kind of “Viking Ogham” (nrs. 91,
92). The Druids of yore were said to be very efficient at Ogham writing and signing.

The Ogham “OH-ehm” alphabet is referred to as “beth luis nion”. The name represents
the names of the first, second, and fifth letters of the Ogham alphabet.

The letters themselves consist of one to five perpendicular or angled strokes, meeting or
crossing a center line. These letters were often inscribed in wood or stone. The alphabet itself consists of twenty letters and five diphthongs.

The first twenty letters are divided into three sets of five consonants and one set of five
vowels.The five diphthongs were thought to have been added later to ease the transition from
Latin to ancient Irish. There is an understanding that the names of the main twenty letters are also the names of 20 trees which are sacred to the druids.

Vowels were sometimes described as a combination of dots. The midline was often, the edge of the object on which the inscription was carved; this is called a “Druim” which means ridge or spine.

The “Eite” (feather) and “Eite thuathail” (reversed feather) symbols are used at the
beginning and end of sentences respectively.

A 15th century treatise on Ogham, “The Book of Ballymote”, confirms that ogham was a
secret, ritualistic language.

According to the Highland Society of Scotland’s Dictionary of the Gaelic Language (1828
CE), Ogham is the “occult” manner of writing used by the ancient Irish.The primary manuscript sources for information on Ogham are “The Scholars Primer”(Auraicept Na nEces), “Values of the Forfeda” (De Duilib Feda na Forfid) and the “Book of Ogham” (Leber Ogam).These sources are quoted in the 12th century Book of Leinster and the 14th century manuscript, the Book of Ballymote.

One legend has it that the Scythian king, Fenius Farsa (or Fenius Farsaidh), visited the Tower of Babel shortly after its destruction, only to find that that the builders of the tower had already dispersed. Fenius stayed at the tower, but sent out seventy-two scholars to study each of the seventytwo languages that were now spoken by the builders of the tower. After ten years the scholars returned, and Fenius took the best parts of each language in order to create a “selected language”, which he named Goidelic after his companion Goídel mac Ethéoir. Fenius is also reputed to have discovered four writing systems, Hebrew, Greek, Latin and Ogham, and as Ogham was the most perfect of the four it was chosen for writing the Goidelic (Gaelic) language.

And others believe that the Ogham may be related to a 13 month lunar calendar. This line
of thought comes from the book “The White Goddess” by Robert Graves. I personally don’t subscribe to this particular concept as put forth by Mr. Graves.

Ogham is used as a source of divination, but I personally believe that this is a rather modern adaption of this ancient alphabet, as there are no documents supporting such a use in ancient times. For the most part, all the Ogham inscriptions that exist are burial monuments, property
divisions, or landmarks.

The Ogham was written from the bottom to top or occasionally from left to right.

The greatest concentration of surviving ogham inscriptions are in southern Ireland. A 1945
survey found 121 in Kerry and 81 in Co. Cork, while others are scattered throughout Ireland, Great Britain, and the Isle of Man, with five in Cornwall, about thirty in Scotland, mainly in ‘Pictish’ areas, and more than forty in Wales.

Similar carvings have been found in the state of West Virginia in the USA. This has led to some speculation that the Celts may have come to the New World as early as 100 BCE. The name Ogham or Ogam was derived from the Celtic God of Literature and Eloquence, “Ogma”. To the Gaul’s, he was known as “Ogmios”. Ogma was also known as Cermait (Honey-Mouthed), and Grianainech (Sunny-Faced).

He was a son of the Daghda and that he created the ogham and presented it to the druids.
He was said to lead his followers around by chains of gold and amber that lead from his
tongue to their ears. He was considered a “strong man” of the Tuatha De Danann and was often compared to the Greek, ‘Hercules”. It is thought that he resides in a Sidhe called “Airceltrai”.