The Witches Digest for Friday, October 13th

Part 3 – Horoscopes & Divination

ARIES (March 21st-April 20th)
You may think that your close ones are not supporting you, but in actual fact they are working behind the scenes. Try not to make accusations you have no proof of.

TAURUS (April 21st-May 21st)
You still seem to be reeling from some news you recently heard. You’re trying to work out what needs to be done to make you feel more in control. Continuing with your own dreams is the first step.

GEMINI (May 22nd-June 21st)
Do you need these changes you’re asking for? Or are you simply trying to show close ones that you have control. Try to work on keeping a happy medium for all over the coming days. Teamwork promises loyalty.

CANCER (June 22nd-July 23rd)
The opinions of others have been holding you back from admitting what and who really makes you happy. Remember that you are the one who has to live with the decisions you make.

LEO (July 24th-August 23rd)
Don’t listen to advice or gossip from those who you know only have half the story. Good luck awaits you financially, especially if you’re willing to sign up for a long term and not just a short term commitment.

VIRGO (August 24th-September 23rd)
Promises could well be broken, as many of the signs are not capable of giving the commitments they offer. This is not their fault, it’s the stars bringing out the nostalgic and dramatic side of our natures.

LIBRA (September 24th-October 23rd)
A situation which you have been growing tired of for some time simply vanishes from your life and you start to realise with relief that it only ever was a temporary thing rather than a permanent way of life.

SCORPIO (October 24th-November 22nd)
There is so much you need to think about at the moment that your head must be spinning Scorpio. Knowing who you don’t want in your life is a good place to begin. Ring now to hear why it’s worth meeting up socially with old work contacts.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23rd-December 21st)
Life begins at the end of your comfort zone and as you’re a fire sign, that’s going to be a very dramatic starting point. Exams and tests upcoming can prove really successful, if you organise your time and don’t allow others to do it for you.

CAPRICORN (December 22nd-January 20th)
You thought life was falling apart, but actually it was just falling into place. Buying and selling go well at this time. It would be worth your while holding out for the real deal.

AQUARIUS (January 21st-February 19th)
A better day to day life is slowly but surely evolving and this has much to do with the fact that you have finally found your voice. Friends could become something more for some of your sign, much to the surprise of all around.

PISCES (February 20th-March 20th)
I know you lost a lot of confidence at the beginning of the month, but now at last I see it’s coming back. I also see that you’ve learnt who not to listen to. Look your best tonight. You’ll be seeing someone you’ll want to impress.

Daily Tarot Card for the Day

The Lovers

Keywords: choice, decision, love, communication, inspiration (ideas from above)!

Astrological Correspondence: Gemini

The Lovers card is representative not only of crucial life choices, but also of lovers, couples, and other partnerships, like business partners, siblings, and friends. The angel between a woman and a man, depicted on this card, symbolizes the struggle of deciding to follow one’s heart versus one’s temptation or obligation. The Lovers card symbolizes the choices that must be made to progress toward higher self-awareness; choices also reflect emotional values, indecisiveness, hesitation, and our fears about making wrong choices. This applies not only to love relationships – it is applicable to any relationship in which people are drawn together, even a casual one. It’s the card of uncertainty!

Daily Love Tarot for the Day

The Emperor

The Emperor card has selected you to let you know that you sow seeds of better things and more fulfilling times ahead. Give yourself permission to reach out for more, especially if you are dissatisfied. You create a solid foundation, built on a sense of higher purpose. If your current relationship suffers from stress, today let tender actions reveal what you may be unable to put into words. Rebuild, from the ground up.

Your Daily Erotic Tarot

The Judgement

The Judgement card indicates that you’ve had some sexual hang-ups in the past, but you’re working toward getting over them. This is a period of transition, and although you’re doing the work, you may not be getting the exact results you desire. Forgive yourself for past missteps in order to take a sexual step forward today. Being afraid to express your true erotic self can even effect other areas of your life, so getting beyond your sexual inhibitions translates into a happier overall existence.

Your Daily Rune for Today

Hagalaz

“Hag-all-az” – Literally: “Hail” or “Hailstone” – Esoteric: Crisis or Radical Change

Key Concepts: hailstones, crisis and catastrophe, disruption, radical change, destructive elements of nature, severe weather, the uncontrollable, unavoidable unpleasantness, Jungian shadow, psychoanalysis, regression, acceptance of the unalterable

Psi: disruption, change, personal past

Energy: power beyond human ability to harness, perfect pattern, seed formation, objective confrontation, destructive natural forces, chaos

Mundane: bad weather, obstacles, surprises, shelter

Divinations: Change according to ideals, changes for the long-term good, controlled crisis, corrections, completion, inner harmony; or catastrophe, crisis, stagnation, loss of power, loss of property, short-term disappointment, victim-consciousness, obsession with the past, blame.

Governs:
Completeness and balance of power, integration of unconscious shadow elements
The inevitability of Fate, Wyrd, Orlog
Evolutionary progress and operations of becoming
The outworking of a perfect pattern
Protection through banishing or exorcising disharmonious patterns, protection
Awareness of the unconscious ideas for eventual processing
Causing discomfort in others by awakening their own subconscious ‘garbage’

Your Influences for the Weekend of October 13th

Tarot Influence

Six of Coins

Material gain, charity and justice are at the forefront. That which is earned will be given.

Astrological Influence

Gemini Reversed

Gemini reversed denotes vacillation. Decisions are not made, because all side of the issue pull with the same strength.

Element Influence

Air

Air denotes freedom and the ability to transcent the mundane. You may be, or may soon experience a spiritual or secular liberation.

Your Animal Spirit for Today
September 11, 2017

Frog

Frog Rivet! Something in your life needs cleansing, and frog is here to help. Frog is traditionally associated with rain—that powerful force of Nature that can flood, nurture, heal, or drown. If Frog appears in your reading, you’re being asked to examine what is stagnating in your life—then ask Frog to help you let it go. Need to cry? Jump in the shower and let Frog Medicine do its work.

The Words of Confucius

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.

A Little Humor for Your Day

The Plan

Does any of this sound familiar around here ???

• In the beginning there was the Plan.
• The plan was based on a set of Assumptions.
• And the Assumptions were without substance.
• And thus the Plan could not be sustained.
• And therefore darkness was upon the face of the Workers who are charged with carrying out the plan.
• And they spoke among themselves, saying, “This plan: It is a crock of sh*t, and it stinks of same.”
• And the Workers went unto their Supervisors and said, “It is a pail of dung, and we cannot live with the smell.”
• And the Supervisors went unto their Managers, saying, “It is a container of excrement, and it is very strong, such that none may abide by it.”
• And the Managers went unto their Directors, saying, “It is a vessel of fertilizer, and none are able to abide its strength.”
• And the Directors spoke among themselves, saying to one another, “It contains that which aids plant growth, and it is very strong.”
• And the Directors went to the Vice Presidents, saying unto them, “It promotes growth, and it is very powerful.”
• And the Vice Presidents went to the President, saying unto him, “This new plan will actively promote the growth and vigor of the company with very powerful effects.”
• And the President looked upon the Plan and saw that it was good. And the Plan became Policy.

And this is how sh*t comes to happen.

–Author Unknown

*

Till tomorrow, my sweets…..

Remember for all your magickal needs, think Magickal Necessities

Save

The Witches Digest for Friday, October 13th

Part 1 – Astronomy for your Day

Your Daily Sun & Moon Data for Friday, the 13th

The Sun
Sun Direction: ↑ 108.53° ESE
Sun Altitude: 10.66°
Sun Distance: 92.735 million mi
Next Solstice: Dec 21, 2017 10:27 am (Winter)
Sunrise Today: 7:00 am↑ 99° East
Sunset Today: 6:19 pm↑ 260° West
Length of Daylight: 11 hours, 19 minutes

The Moon
Moon Direction: ↑ 189.71° S
Moon Altitude: 70.08°
Moon Distance: 232167 mi
Next New Moon: Oct 19, 20172:12 pm
Next Full Moon: Nov 4, 201712:22 am
Next Moonset: Today2:55 pm
Moon Illumination: 38.6%
Moon Phase: Waning Crescent

The Lunar Calendar
Moon Phase Tonight: Waning Crescent
New Moon: Oct 19, 2017 at 2:12 pm
(Next Phase)
Third Quarter: Oct 12, 2017 at 7:25 am
(Previous Phase)

Source

timeanddate.com

Your Astronomy for Friday, October 13th

The Moon is in Cancer until 2:41 AM, after which the Moon is in Leo.
The Moon is void from 12:00 AM to 2:41 AM.
The Moon is waning and in its Last Quarter phase.
The Last Quarter Moon occurred yesterday, and the New Moon will occur on the 19th.

Moon in Leo

The Moon is traveling through Leo today. Shine and be proud! You rule right now!

The Moon in Leo speaks to our “inner child”. It’s a warm, generous, whole-heartedly loving position. Pride keeps us from pettiness, but it can also prevent us from opening up and revealing how we are truly feeling. We are on stage, our feelings are grand, and we appreciate some drama in our lives. We are easily threatened by anything that seems to be impersonal. This is a time when we seek attention–when we want to stand out for our special qualities. It’s a strong time for romance and any creative activity as well.

The Moon in Leo generally favors the following activities: Creative activities, activities involving children, generous undertakings, undertakings in which personal recognition is desired, and risk-taking.

The Sky This Week for October 13 to 15

The Summer Triangle in fall, a meteor shower, and other beautiful things to look for in the sky this week.
By Richard Talcott

Friday, October 13

The annual Orionid meteor shower is quickly ramping up toward its peak the morning of October 21. You already should be seeing a few shower members in the predawn sky, where the waning crescent Moon doesn’t offer much interference. To tell an Orionid from a sporadic meteor, trace the path of the “shooting star” backward. An Orionid meteor will appear to radiate from the northern part of the constellation Orion the Hunter.

Saturday, October 14

Saturn remains a tempting target in this week’s evening sky. The ringed planet stands nearly 20° above the southwestern horizon as darkness falls. Shining at magnitude 0.5, it appears significantly brighter than any of the background stars in its host constellation, Ophiuchus the Serpent-bearer. Of course, the best views of Saturn come through a telescope, which reveals a 16″-diameter globe surrounded by a spectacular ring system that spans 37″. But more significantly, the rings tilt 27.0° to our line of sight — the maximum angle possible — in mid-October. The rings haven’t appeared this open since 2003 and they won’t approach this tilt again until 2032. The steep angle offers superb views of ring structure.

Sunday, October 15

The variable star Algol in Perseus reaches minimum brightness at 1:25 a.m. EDT tomorrow morning. Observers on the East Coast who start watching around midevening can see the star’s brightness diminish by 70 percent over the course of about five hours. Those in western North America will see Algol brighten noticeably from late evening until dawn starts to light up the sky, when the star stands high in the west. This eclipsing binary system runs through a cycle from minimum (magnitude 3.4) to maximum (magnitude 2.1) and back every 2.87 days.

Source

The Astronomy Magazine

The Witches Current Moon Phase for Friday, October 13th

Waning Crescent
Illumination: 39%

The Moon is currently in Leo

The Moon today is in a Waning Crescent phase. In this phase the Moon’s illumination is growing smaller each day until the New Moon. During this phase the Moon is getting closer to the Sun as viewed from Earth and the night side of the Moon is facing the Earth with only a small edge of the Moon being illuminated. This phase is best viewed an hour or 2 before the sunrise and can be quite beautiful if you’re willing to get up early. It can also be a great time to see the features of the Moon’s surface. Along the edge where the illuminated portion meets the dark side, the craters and mountains cast long shadows making them easier to observe with a telescope or binoculars.

Phase Details for – Friday, October 13, 2017

Phase: Waning Crescent
Illumination: 39%
Moon Age: 23.17 days
Moon Angle: 0.54
Moon Distance: 367,020.13 km
Sun Angle: 0.53
Sun Distance: 149,220,114.56 km

Source

MoonGiant.com

On to Part 2 of The Witches Daily Digest for Friday, the 13th….

If you Dare to follow!

The Witches Digest for Thursday, October 12, Part 2

(The Witches Guide to Thursdays)

Today is Thursday, October 12

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 positve, 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 Gort(Ivy) – September 30 – October 27

Runic Half-Month of Gyfu(gift) – September 28 – October 12

Goddess of the Month of Hathor – October 3 – October 30

Source

The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick

On Thursday, October 12th, We celebrate the God, Cernunnos

Cernunnos

Wild God of the Forest

Cernunnos is a horned god found in Celtic mythology. He is connected with male animals, particularly the stag in rut, and this has led him to be associated with fertility and vegetation. Depictions of Cernunnos are found in many parts of the British Isles and western Europe. He is often portrayed with a beard and wild, shaggy hair — he is, after all, the lord of the forest.

With his mighty antlers, Cernunnos is a protector of the forest and master of the hunt.

He is a god of vegetation and trees in his aspect as the Green Man, and a god of lust and fertility when connected with Pan, the Greek satyr. In some traditions, he is seen as a god of death and dying, and takes the time to comfort the dead by singing to them on their way to the spirit world.
History and Worship of Cernunnos

In Margaret Murray’s 1931 book, God of the Witches, she posits that Herne the Hunter is a manifestation of Cernunnos. Because he is found only in Berkshire, and not in the rest of the Windsor Forest area, Herne is considered a “localized” god — and could indeed be the Berkshire interpretation of Cernunnos. During the Elizabethan age, Cernunnos appears as Herne in Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor. He also embodies fealty to the realm, and guardianship of royalty.

In some traditions of Wicca, the cycle of seasons follows the relationship between the Horned God — Cernunnos — and the Goddess.

During the fall, the Horned God dies, as the vegetation and land go dormant, and in the spring, at Imbolc, he is resurrected to impregnate the fertile goddess of the land. However, this relationship is a relatively new Neopagan concept, and there is no scholarly evidence to indicate that ancient peoples might have celebrated this “marriage” of the Horned God and a mother goddess.

Because of his horns (and the occasional depiction of a large, erect phallus), Cernunnos has often been misinterpreted by fundamentalists as a symbol of Satan. Certainly, at times, the Christian church has pointed to the Pagan following of Cernunnos as “devil worship.” This is in part due to nineteenth-century paintings of Satan which included large, ram-like horns much like those of Cernunnos.

Today, many Pagan traditions honor Cernunnos as an aspect of the God, the embodiment of masculine energy and fertility and power.

A Prayer to Cernunnos

God of the green,
Lord of the forest,
I offer you my sacrifice.
I ask you for your blessing.

You are the man in the trees,
the green man of the woods,
who brings life to the dawning spring.
You are the deer in rut,
mighty Horned One,
who roams the autumn woods,
the hunter circling round the oak,
the antlers of the wild stag,
and the lifeblood that spills upon
the ground each season.

God of the green,
Lord of the forest,
I offer you my sacrifice.
I ask you for your blessing.

Honoring Cernunnos in Ritual

If your tradition calls for you to honor Cernunnos in ritual – especially around the season of the Beltane sabbat – be sure to read John Beckett’s article at Patheos, The Cernunnos Ritual.

Beckett says, “His presence, which had been mild but undeniable since we started setting up (what, you think a Forest God is going to sit quietly outside the door till he gets a proper invitation?) became overwhelming. Someone shouted. Someone got up and began to dance. Then another got up, and another, and another. Before long we had a whole line of people dancing, spinning, and chanting around the altar.

Cernunnos! Cernunnos! Cernunnos!”

Juniper, at Walking the Hedge, has an absolutely lovely and moving ritual worth reading about called A Devotional Ritual to Cernunnos. She says, “I call to Him with feeling, with love with desire. I call until I feel His presence, I do not assume a few words of poetry will be enough and carry on. I call until the hair on the back of my neck stands up and goosebumps run down my arms.

I call until I can smell His scent on the air… When Cernunnos has arrived I thank Him with gifts, by showing Him what offerings I have brought for Him and placing it at the foot of the god-stang.”

Source

Patti Wigington, Author
Published on ThoughtCo

Thursday’s Conjuring

Thursday – is associated with Jupiter

Candle colors – Green, Purple, Orange, or Blue

Business, Gambling, Power, Material Wealth, Luck, Road Opening

Source

—-Old Style Conjure Wisdoms, Workings and Remedies
Starr Casas

The Magickal Day of Thursday

Thursday is a day of royal blues and greens, associated with the planet Jupiter and metals like tin. When it comes to deities, look at leader type gods like Thor, Zeus, and Jupiter. Gemstone correspondences for Thursday include turquoise, amethyst and lapis lazuli, and plant associations can be found in honeysuckle, cinquefoil, and even oak trees.

This is a day for honor, fealty and family loyalty, as well as harvesting, success, and prosperity.

Take advantage of Thursday’s different aspects and do spellwork that brings abundance to you, declares your allegiance, and embraces prosperity.

Source

Patti Wigington
Article published on ThoughtCo

The Witches Guide to Thursday, October 12th

Thursday
Jupiter’s (Thor’s) day

⦁ Middle English – thursday or thuresday
⦁ Old Norse– thorsdagr – Thor’s day
⦁ Old English– thunresdæg – Thunder’s day
⦁ Latin – dies Jovis – “Day of Jupiter”
⦁ Ancient Greek – hemera Dios – “day of Zeus”

The name is derived from Old English and Middle English Thuresday (with loss of -n-, first in northern dialects, from influence of Old Norse Þorsdagr) meaning “Thor’s Day”. Thunor, Donar (German, Donnerstag) and Thor are derived from the name of the Germanic god of thunder, Thunraz, equivalent to Jupiter in the interpretation romance.

In most Romance languages, the day is named after the Roman god Jupiter, who was the god of sky and thunder. In Latin, the day was known as Iovis Dies, “Jupiter’s Day”. In Latin, the genitive or possessive case of Jupiter was Iovis/Jovis and thus in most Romance languages it became the word for Thursday: Italian giovedì, Spanish jueves, French jeudi, Sardinian jòvia, Catalan dijous, and Romanian joi.

This is also reflected in the p-Celtic Welsh dydd Iau.

The astrological and astronomical sign of the planet Jupiter is sometimes used to represent Thursday.
Since the Roman god Jupiter was identified with Thunor (Norse Thor in northern Europe), most Germanic languages name the day after this god: Torsdag in Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish, Hósdagur/Tórsdagur in Faroese, Donnerstag in German or Donderdag in Dutch. Finnish and Northern Sami, both non-Germanic (Uralic) languages, uses the borrowing “Torstai” and “Duorastat”. In the extinct Polabian Slavic language, it was perundan, Perun being the Slavic equivalent of Thor.

There are a number of modern names imitating the naming of Thursday after an equivalent of “Jupiter” in local tradition. In most of the languages of India, the word for Thursday is Guruvar- var meaning day and guru being the style for Bṛhaspati, guru to the gods and regent of the planet Jupiter. In Thai, the word is Wan Pharuehatsabodi—referring to the Hindu deity Bṛhaspati, also associated with Jupiter. En was an old Illyrian deity and in his honor in the Albanian language Thursday is called “Enjte”. In the Nahuatl language, Thursday is Tezcatlipotōnal meaning “day of Tezcatlipoca”.

Witchery for Your Thursday

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

Source

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

The Witches Honey-Do List for Thursdays

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!

Source

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

The Witches Almanac for Thursday, October 12th

National Festival of Spain

Waning Moon

Fourth Quarter: 8:25

Moon Sign: Cancer

Incense: Balsam

Color: Turquoise

The Magick of the Fourth Quarter

(From the waning half moon until the dark of the moon.)

This is the dark time of the moon. You may find that your psychic talents take a little vacation during the dark phases of the moon, or, on the other hand, they may come roaring to life with an all-out bombardment on your senses. Personally, I have found that abilities such as empathy and psychometry are more pronounced at this time. Why, you may wonder? Well, I have found that this type of psychic ability forces you to look within and to be still as the information comes to you— what better time than in the waning moon, when your powers are focused internally? Magickally, now is the occasion to tackle serious issues, such as extreme protection magick, bindings, or banishings, and keeping away criminals, prowlers, or stalkers. Casting your spells in the final days of the moon’s cycle (when the moon is not visible at all) will increase the force behind your banishing and protective magick. This phase of the moon is often linked to the darker aspects of the Goddess, when she is a spiritual warrior; again, Hecate is a good one to work with in this phase, but you can also call on Sekhmet, the Morrigan, or even Kali, if you are really feeling brave.

Source

–Natural Witchery: Intuitive, Personal & Practical Magick
Ellen Dugan

Fourth Quarter Moon Spell

Finally, here is a spell for the final phase of the moon. This is the Crone’s moon, and at this time your psychic gifts may be at their strongest. As the energy turns to a hushed, waiting mode, it doesn’t mean it’s gone, just that it is extremely focused and internal. So if you aren’t paying attention, you may not pick up on those psychic impressions. If this is a problem for you, ask the wise old Crone for her assistance. As far as magick is concerned, this is the time to deal with those more serious issues. Check out the final line of this spell and adjust as necessary for your purposes; for example, the word “protection” can be easily switched to “banishing.”

The Crone’s moon grows smaller at the passing of each eve.
For this magick to work, in myself I must believe.
Charms performed now require a wisdom most sublime
The protection spell is now cast, sealed up with a rhyme.
That orbed maiden with white fire laden whom mortals call the moon.
—Percy Bysshe Shelley

Source

Natural Witchery: Intuitive, Personal & Practical Magick
Ellen Dugan

The Witches Correspondences for Thursday, October 12

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.

Element : Water / Fire

Planet: Jupiter

Zodiac Sign : Sagittarrius / Pisces

Angel : Sachiel

Metal : Tin

Incense / Perfumes : Cinnamon, Musk, Nutmeg and Sage

Oils : Clove, Lemon Balm, Oakmoss, Star Anise

Color : Blue, Purple, Green

Stones : Amethyst, Lapis Lazuli, Sodalite, Turquoise, Sapphire

Plants/Herbs : Agrimony, Anise, Beech, Buttercup, Cedar, Cinnamon, Cinquefoil, Coltsfoot, Dandelion, Honeysuckle, Hyssop, Linden, Mint, Nutmeg, Oak, Sage

Magick to Work: prosperity, business, buying, selling, abundance, business, fame, gambling, greed, growth, expansion, honor, leadership, money, parties, politics, power, responsibility, royalty, success, visions, wealth, political power, influencing people in high places, law, courts

Thursday is Ruled By Jupiter

Thursday is a Jupiter day. Here is the day of the week for prosperity, abundance, and good health. Thursday is “Thor’s day.” This Norse god gave the day his name and many of his attributes, including strength and abundance. Some suggestions for Thursday enchantments would include:

Wearing a regal and royal shade of blue to see how it affects your mood and your magic. Other colors for the day include purple and green

Carrying a turquoise tumbled stone in your pocket to draw a little protective and healing energy your way Incorporating honeysuckle blossoms and cinquefoil foliage into prosperity charms

Calling on Thor for abundance, or on the Roman god Jupiter for the ability to peacefully referee a fight

Adding a few oak leaves—which are sacred to these Thursday gods—to your charms to see how much better your spell works out

Casting a charm with wheat stalks for prosperity, and calling on Juno Moneta to bring wealth into your life

Baking up some whole wheat bread and blessing it for abundance. Be sure to thank the gods for your family and your good health.

Jupiter’s Energy

Weekday ruled by Jupiter: Thursday

Stones:
Sugilite
Amethyst
Turquoise
Lapis Lazuli
Sapphire

Herbs and Plants:
Cinnamon
Beech
Buttercup
Coltsfoot
Oak

Magickal Intentions: Happiness, luck, health, legal matters, male fertility, treasure and wealth, honor, riches, leadership, public activity, power and success.

The More You Know – Samhain is Not a God

Every year, usually starting around September, I start getting emails about “Samhain, the Celtic god of death,” despite the fact that Samhain is not a death deity at all, but the name of a Pagan holiday that coincides with Halloween and is a great time of year to stock up on candy corn. So what we’re going to do today is talk a little bit about the rumor that Samhain is some sort of evil scary demonic death god, and clear up the rumors and misconceptions.

Let’s get started.

The Chick Tract Issue

Way back in the late 1980s, I managed a music store in a mall in the Bible belt. It was the sort of mall where very religious people would show up first thing in the morning and wander around handing out little pamphlets telling all of us we were going to hell for one reason or another. I wasn’t singled out for being Pagan, they were equal-opportunity proselytizers, but by the time I quit working there, I had an entire shoebox full of tracts that I had saved. Most of them were produced by Jack Chick, and Chick tracts were a special form of hilarious.

My favorite one was the one about Halloween, and why it was so evil to celebrate it. The tract, complete with illustrations, explained, “October 31st was celebrated by the Druids with many human sacrifices and a festival honoring their sun god and Samhain, the lord of the dead. They believed that the sinful souls of those who died during the year were in a place of torment, and would be released only if Samhain was pleased with their sacrifices.

”

Yep. Samhain, the Celtic god of the dead! He wants your souls!

Except here’s the problem – well, one of several problems – with the tract: Samhain isn’t a Celtic god of the dead.

Celtic Mythological Figures

Okay, let’s start by clearing up a couple of things. There may have been, at some point in Celtic mythology, a minor hero named Sawan or possibly Samain, who could have maybe played a role in the Irish myth cycles.

In the legend of Balor of the Evil Eye, Balor steals a magical cow, the Glas Gamhain. Depending on which retelling of the story you read, the cow could have belonged to Goibniu the blacksmith (a variation on Lugh), or possibly Cian, a son of Dian Cecht, the god of medicine, and part of the Tuatha de Danaan.

In Lady Gregory’s translation of The Mabinogion, the Welsh myth cycles, she describes Goibniu and Cian as brothers, and adds a third brother, Samain, into the story. According to the Gregory translation, Samain was in charge of watching the magical cow when Balor stole it. Although Samain (alternately, Sawen or Mac Samthainn) appears in a few versions of the story, depending on who translated it and when, he does not appear in all of them. Regardless, even in the ones that do include him, he is a very obscure and minor character, and certainly not a deity. In fact, most lists of Celtic language variants don’t mention him at all. He’s just not that important – he’s a guy who lost his brother’s magical cow.

The Celts and Death Gods

When we’re talking about gods and goddesses from different pantheons, it’s important to keep in mind that there’s no easy way to parallel them across cultures.

In other words, while both Thor and Mars may be deities of war, they’re not the same, and can’t really be compared to one another, because each is unique to the cultural and societal context of the people who followed them. Likewise, many cultures have had gods of death, or deities who were at least associated with the underworld, but that doesn’t mean they’re all the same.

The Celts certainly didn’t shy away from the dark side of things. They had deities that were in charge of all kinds of murky things – the Morrighan, for example, was a goddess who decided whether you died in battle or survived the fight. Likewise, in Wales, Gwynn ap Nudd is a deity of the underworld, and Arawn is the king of the realm of the afterlife. Manannan mac Lir is associated with the spirit world, and the realm between it and the lands of man.

The Cailleach is connected to the darker half of the year, disasters and storms, and the dying of the crops in the fields.

However, one thing the Celts didn’t have was a god named Samhain assigned to death.

Where Did This Death God Thing Start, Anyway?

As near as anyone can determine, it looks like the whole Samhain-as-God-of-Death rumor started around the 1770s, when a British colonel and military surveyor named Charles Vallancey wrote a series of books in which he tried to prove that the people of Ireland actually originated in Armenia. Vallancey’s scholarship was sketchy at best, and part of his work referenced a deity named Samain or Sabhun.

Unfortunately, Vallancey’s writing was so fancifully bad that within just a few decades, everyone who read it admitted that it was full of completely groundless conclusions, and thus, pretty much every one of his claims and assertions were suspect. The Quarterly Review, a literary publication that ran for much of the 1800s, said that Vallancey “wrote more nonsense than any man of his time.” However, that didn’t stop numerous writers from quoting Vallancey’s work in the nineteenth century, including one Godfrey Higgins, who used Vallancey’s writings to claim the Irish had actually come from India, and so the myth was perpetuated.

The origins of this rumor having begun with Vallancey’s work was uncovered in 1994, by a folklorist named W.J. Bethancourt III, in his essay Halloween: Myths, Monsters and Devils. If there are any earlier references to Samhain as a death deity, no one has found them yet.

So What Is Samhain?

So all your evangelical and fundamentalist friends think Samhain is a Celtic god of death, because this bunk has been perpetuated for ages – and they’re probably pronouncing it wrong too, like “Sam Hain.” What in the world are you going to tell them?

Well, you can start by telling them that Samhain isn’t a god at all. You can tell them that the idea of Samhain being a god was based on false, inaccurate scholarship. You can explain that Samhain, for most modern Pagans, is a time to mark the end of the fertile season, and to embrace the darkness of the coming winter.

You can, if it fits in with your traditions, discuss how you honor your ancestors to celebrate Samhain, or how you work with the spirit world.

Samhain is many things to many people in the Pagan community… but one thing it’s not? A Celtic god of death.

Author

Patti Wigington
Published on ThoughtCo

Ritual Honoring the Harvest’s End

Samhain represents, among other things, the end of the harvest season. If you haven’t picked it by Samhain, you probably won’t be eating it! The gardens have died off by now, and where we once saw lush green plants, there is nothing left but dry and dead stalks. The perennials have shut down for the season too, going dormant so that they may return to us in the spring. Animals are brought in from the fields for the winter — and if you’ve ever had a spider come wandering into your living room one chilly October night, you know that even the insects are trying to find a place to stay warm.

If we had lived a few hundreds of years ago, we would not only have brought our cows and sheep in from the pastures. Most likely we’d slaughter a few of them, as well as some pigs and goats, smoking or salting the meat so it would last through the cold months. Our grain that we picked back at Lughnasadh has been baked into bread, and all of our herbs have been gathered, and hang from the rafters in the kitchen. The harvest is over, and now it’s time to settle in for winter with the coziness of a warm fireplace, heavy blankets, and big pots of comfort food on the stovetop.

If you want to celebrate Samhain as the time of harvest’s end, you can do so as a single ritual, or as the first of three days of ceremony. If you don’t have a permanent altar in place, set up a table to leave in place for the three days prior to Samhain. This will act as a your family’s temporary altar for the Sabbat.

Here’s What You’ll Need

Decorate the altar with symbols of late fall, such as:

Skulls, skeletons, grave rubbings, ghosts
Harvest food such as pumpkins, squash, root vegetables
Nuts and berries, dark breads
Dried leaves and acorns
A cornucopia filled with an abundance of fruit and veggies
Mulled cider, wine, or mead

Hold Your Ritual

To begin your ceremony, prepare a meal for the family — and this is something that everyone can get involved in.

Put emphasis on fruits and vegetables, and wild game meat if available. Also make sure you have a loaf of a dark bread like rye or pumpernickel and a cup of apple cider or wine. Set the dinner table with candles and a fall centerpiece, and put all the food on the table at once. Consider the dinner table a sacred space.

Gather everyone around the table, and say:

Tonight is the first of three nights,
on which we celebrate Samhain.
It is the end of the harvest, the last days of summer,
and the cold nights wait on the other side for us.
The bounty of our labor, the abundance of the harvest,
the success of the hunt, all lies before us.
We thank the earth for all it has given us this season,
and yet we look forward to winter,
a time of sacred darkness.

Take the cup of cider or wine, and lead everyone outside. Make this a ceremonial and formal occasion. If you have a vegetable garden, great! Go there now — otherwise, just find a nice grassy spot in your yard. Each person in the family takes the cup in turn and sprinkles a little bit of cider onto the earth, saying:

Summer is gone, winter is coming.
We have planted and
we have watched the garden grow,
we have weeded,
and we have gathered the harvest.
Now it is at its end.

If you have any late-fall plants still waiting to be picked, gather them up now. Collect a bundle of dead plants and use them to make a straw man or woman. If you follow a more masculine path, he may be your King of Winter, and rule your home until spring returns. If you follow the Goddess in her many forms, make a female figure to represent the Goddess as hag or crone in winter.

Once that is done, go back inside and bring your King of Winter into your home with much pomp and circumstance. Place him on your table and prop him up with a plate of his own, and when you sit down to eat, serve him first. Begin your meal with the breaking of the dark bread, and make sure you toss a few crumbs outside for the birds afterwards. Keep the King of Winter in a place of honor all season long — you can put him back outside in your garden on a pole to watch over next spring’s seedlings, and eventually burn him at your Beltane celebration.

When you are finished with your meal, put the leftovers out in the garden. Wrap up the evening by playing games, such as bobbing for apples or telling spooky stories before a bonfire.

Author

Patti Wigington
Published on ThoughtCo

“Dread Lord of Shadows,
God of Life,
and Giver of Life –
Yet is the knowledge of thee,
the knowledge of Death.
Open wide, I pray thee,
the Gates through which all must pass.
Let our dear ones who have gone before
Return this night to make merry with us.
And when our tim comes, as it must,
O thou the Comforter,
the Consoler,
the Giver of Peace and Rest,
We will enter thy realms gladly and unafraid;
For we know that when rested and refreshed among our dear ones
We will be reborn again by thy grace,
and the grace of the Great Mother.
Let it be in the same place and the same time as our beloved ones,
And may we meet, and know, and remember,
And love them again.
Descend, we pray thee, in thy servant and priest.”

– Samhain Invocation, Aleister Crowley

The Witches Digest Continues with Part 3, Your Daily Horoscopes & Divination

The Witches Digest for Thursday, October 12th

Amazing Grace

Amazing grace, how sweet the Earth
that bore a witch like me!
I once was burned, now I survive,
was hung and now I sing.

T’was grace that drew down the moon
and grace that raised the seas.
The magic in the people’s will
will set our Mother free.

We face the East and breathe the winds
that move across this earth.
From gentle breeze to hurricane
our breath will bring forth the change.

Turn towards the South and feel the fire
that burns in you and me.
The spirit’s flame will rise again
and burn eternally.

We greet the West, our souls awash
in tides of primal birth.
Our tears and blood, our pain and love
will cleanse and heal the earth.

Reach into the North and know your roots
down deep ancestral caves.
We find the wisdom of the Crone,
Of circles we are made.

Amazing earth, enduring life,
from death into rebirth.
T’is earth I am and earth I love
and earth I’ll always be.

Amazing grace, how sweet the Earth
that bore witches like we.
We once were burned, now we survive,
were hung and now we sing.

Goddess bless, so mote it be,
Our magic spirals on.
Merry meet and merry part
and merry meet again.

–Verna Knapp, Author
Originally Published on Pagan Library

Your Daily Sun & Moon Data for Thursday, October 12th

The Sun
Sun Direction: ↑ 100.33° E
Sun Altitude: 1.41°
Sun Distance: 92.762 million mi
Next Solstice: Dec 21, 2017 10:27 am (Winter)
Sunrise Today: 6:59 am↑ 99° East
Sunset Today: 6:21 pm↑ 261° West
Length of Daylight: 11 hours, 21 minutes

The Moon
Moon Direction: ↑ 195.34° SSW
Moon Altitude: 71.34°
Moon Distance: 230592 mi
Next New Moon: Oct 19, 20172:12 pm
Next Full Moon: Nov 4, 201712:22 am
Next Moonset: Today2:06 pm
Moon Illumination: 50.2%
Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous

The Lunar Calendar
Moon Phase Tonight: Waning Crescent
Third Quarter: Oct 12, 2017 at 7:25 am
(Next Phase)
Full Moon: Oct 5, 2017 at 1:40 pm
(Previous Phase)

Source

timeanddate.com

Your Astronomy for Thursday, October 12th

The Moon is in Cancer.
The Moon is waning and in its Waning Gibbous phase until 8:25 AM, after which the Moon is in its Last Quarter phase.
The Last Quarter Moon occurs today at 8:25 AM, and the New Moon will occur on the 19th.

Moon in Cancer

The Moon is traveling through Cancer today. Beware of mood swings. Cook some soul food. Cuddle up with someone.

The restlessness of the Gemini Moon gives way to an instinctive need for peace and quiet. Feelings of belonging and safety are what motivate us under this influence. The Moon feels right at home in the sign of Cancer, as it rules the sign. This Moon position has much healing potential. Although insular by nature, our feelings run deep, making it an ideal time to get in touch with what motivates us.

The Moon in Cancer generally favors the following activities: Domestic activities, those that involve awareness of personal needs. Home decor, family get-togethers.

The Sky This Week for October 12 to 15

The Summer Triangle in fall, a meteor shower, and other beautiful things to look for in the sky this week.

Thursday, October 12

Last Quarter Moon occurs at 8:25 a.m. EDT. It rose around 11:30 p.m. local daylight time yesterday evening, which gives North American observers a chance to see it almost precisely half-lit before this morning’s dawn. Earth’s only natural satellite appears among the background stars of southern Gemini.

Mars is hot on the trail of Venus, and crosses the border between Leo and Virgo today. Mars also will have some nice conjunctions with the Maiden’s stars, but they’ll occur at a slower pace thanks to the Red Planet’s more sluggish orbit.

Venus appears 0.8° northeast of the 4th-magnitude star Beta (b) Virginis this morning.

Friday, October 13

The annual Orionid meteor shower is quickly ramping up toward its peak the morning of October 21. You already should be seeing a few shower members in the predawn sky, where the waning crescent Moon doesn’t offer much interference. To tell an Orionid from a sporadic meteor, trace the path of the “shooting star” backward. An Orionid meteor will appear to radiate from the northern part of the constellation Orion the Hunter.

Saturday, October 14

Saturn remains a tempting target in this week’s evening sky. The ringed planet stands nearly 20° above the southwestern horizon as darkness falls. Shining at magnitude 0.5, it appears significantly brighter than any of the background stars in its host constellation, Ophiuchus the Serpent-bearer. Of course, the best views of Saturn come through a telescope, which reveals a 16″-diameter globe surrounded by a spectacular ring system that spans 37″. But more significantly, the rings tilt 27.0° to our line of sight — the maximum angle possible — in mid-October. The rings haven’t appeared this open since 2003 and they won’t approach this tilt again until 2032. The steep angle offers superb views of ring structure.

Sunday, October 15

The variable star Algol in Perseus reaches minimum brightness at 1:25 a.m. EDT tomorrow morning. Observers on the East Coast who start watching around midevening can see the star’s brightness diminish by 70 percent over the course of about five hours. Those in western North America will see Algol brighten noticeably from late evening until dawn starts to light up the sky, when the star stands high in the west. This eclipsing binary system runs through a cycle from minimum (magnitude 3.4) to maximum (magnitude 2.1) and back every 2.87 days.

Source

The Astronomy Magazine

The Witches Current Moon Phase for Thursday, October 12

Last Quarter
Illumination: 50%

Last Quarter in Cancer

The Moon today is in a Third Quarter phase. Sometimes called a Last Quarter Moon, this phase occurs roughly 3 weeks after the New Moon when the earth is three quarter of the way through it’s orbit around the earth. If you live in the northern hemisphere the Moons left side will be illuminated and the right side dark. For thoughts of you in the southern hemisphere it will be the opposite with the right side illuminated. On the day of the Third Quarter phase the Moon will rise around midnight on the eastern horizon and set in the west around noon the next day. In the days following the Third Quarter Phase the Moon’s illumination will decrees each day until the New Moon.

Phase Details for – Thursday, October 12, 2017

Phase: Last Quarter
Illumination: 50%
Moon Age: 22.11 days
Moon Angle: 0.55
Moon Distance: 364,716.34 km
Sun Angle: 0.53
Sun Distance: 149,262,799.16 km

Source

timeanddate.com

The Moon in Cancer: Sensitive, Nurturing, Loyal

By Tarot.com Staff

Videos, New Moon, Moon, Full Moon, Cancer, Astrology

Before we get into talking about the Cancer Moon, let’s start off with a little bit about the Moon itself. In Astrology, the Moon is considered a planet — and it’s the fastest moving one at that! Because it moves so quickly, it moves through each of the 12 zodiac signs once every month. Most of us know what our Sun sign is, but what your Moon sign? If you don’t know yours, you can use our FREE Cosmic Profile to learn about your lunar sign, your rising sign, your Tarot birth card, and more! Who knows — YOU could be a Cancer Moon sign!
When the Moon is in Cancer

Regardless of what your Sun or Moon signs are, for a couple of days a month we’re all under the influence of the Cancer Moon. We’ll feel a little bit more tender, and more vulnerable than we do during other times of the month. You’ll have the urge to put up stronger walls between you and others in order to protect yourself. This is one of Cancer’s tricks — living behind your castle walls so you can feel safe. So, during the Moon in Cancer transit, you’ll feel more protective not only over yourself, but also those you love.

Cancer is the sign of mothering energy, so during this Moon you’ll feel a stronger urge to nurture and care for everyone as if everyone was one of your children. Domestic matters will feel more important than usual, and you will find yourself wanting to be at home surrounded by your loved ones. This is a great time to invite people over to share stories over a meal, or gather friends for a night of games.

Emotions will be heightened during the Cancer Moon, and it’s easy become moody if you don’t express how you’re feeling. But don’t worry, this extra emotion doesn’t have to be a bad thing. You’ll have an easier time tuning into your emotional needs, giving you a better understanding of what you need in life to feel satisfied.
New Moon in Cancer

In the early summer when the Moon and Sun are both in the sign of Cancer, we have a New Moon in Cancer. This is a very special time because New Moons are all about new growth and the beginning of new cycles. Cancer likes to protect itself by holding things in, so during the Cancer New Moon, we want to think about planting the metaphorical seeds we’ve kept hidden. However, this doesn’t mean we need to announce our plans to everyone if we don’t want to. It just means we need to finally bring those seeds out of hiding and sow them with intention.

Full Moon in Cancer
Six months later, at the beginning of winter when the sun is in the sign of Capricorn, we have a Full Moon in Cancer. Capricorn is about the outer energy, and the mastery of our outer world. The Cancer Full Moon allows the energies of these two signs to counterbalance each other, and helps us bring to fruition those things that we held close during the New Moon. We’re finally able to manifest these things, and create a sense of security in bringing our feelings and desires out into the world.

If you were born with the Moon in Cancer
Your Sun sign represents the person you show to the world. Your Moon sign (or natal moon sign) is about how you feel, and Cancerians have very powerful feelings. Although, you wouldn’t know it with the thick shell they use to protect themselves! They only put up a hard exterior because they’re incredibly sensitive, and can get hurt easily.

They’re aren’t just aware of their own feelings — they’re also able to sense the feelings of those around them. Being a Water sign, they have the gift of intuition, and can easily pick up on how others are feeling or what they need. Rest assured, you can’t fool a Crab because they’ll see right through you!

Matters of the heart and home are incredibly important to those born with their Moon in Cancer. Deeply loyal, they take their relationships with others seriously, and love spending time with family and friends. Natural nurturers, they often go out of their way to make others feel loved. It’s no surprise that Cancer has a reputation for being the “mother sign” of the zodiac.

Tarot.com is Part of the Daily Insight Group ©2017

The Witches Digest Continues With “The Witches Guide to Thursdays”

I would like to apologize for us not being on the internet Tuesday and Wednesday. We had some severe storms move through the area and the power was out. It was off the biggest part of the day Tuesday. Then when it came back on Wednesday, there was non-stop rolling brown outs. To avoid risk of damaging the computers, we decided not to even turn them on. The rolling brown outs (what the country folk around here call a black out) have been known to take out TVs, computers and various other electrical items. I can guarantee you when something is damaged due because of their brown outs, they won’t take blame and they sure won’t pay to either repair it or replace it. We decided, due to our current financial situation, not to take the chance with our computers.

I am sorry for any inconvenience and with that, let’s get this show rolling…..

Luv & Hugs,

Lady A

Columbus Day in the United States

Columbus Day, which is on the second Monday of October, remembers Christopher Columbus’ arrival to the Americas on October 12, 1492. This holiday is controversial because the European settlement in the Americas led to the demise of the history and culture of the indigenous peoples.

Observe Columbus Day

Some Americans celebrate the anniversary of the discovery of their country with church services and other activities. In some towns and cities, special church services, parades and large events are held. Many celebrations happen in the Italian-American community. The celebrations in New York and San Francisco are particularly noteworthy. In Hawaii Columbus Day is celebrated as Discoverers’ Day, but it is not a state holiday.

Many states now celebrate Native Americans’ Day/Indigenous People’s Day instead of Columbus Day.

What’s Open or Closed?

Columbus day is a public holiday in many parts of the United states, but is not a day off in some states. Some government offices are closed because Columbus Day is still a federal government holiday. The day is a legal observance in states like Florida.

Many businesses and shops are open in states that don’t have Columbus Day as a public holiday. Schools are not required to close but check with your school district or school calendar on Columbus Day school holiday closures. The same goes for post offices – check with your local post office.

About Columbus Day

Christopher Columbus is often portrayed as the first European to sail to the Americas. He is sometimes portrayed as the discoverer of the New World. However, this is controversial on many counts. There is evidence that the first Europeans to sail across the Atlantic were Viking explorers from Scandinavia. In addition, the land was already populated by indigenous peoples, who had ‘discovered’ the Americas thousands of years before.

Columbus Day originated as a celebration of Italian-American heritage and was first held in San Francisco in 1869. The first state-wide celebration was held in Colorado in 1907. In 1937, Columbus Day become a holiday across the United States. Since 1971, it has been celebrated on the second Monday in October. The date on which Columbus arrived in the Americas is also celebrated as the Día de la Raza (Day of the Race) in Latin America and some Latino communities in the USA. However, it is a controversial holiday in some countries and has been re-named in others.

Columbus Day celebrations are controversial because the settlement of Europeans in the Americas led to the deaths of a very large proportion of the native people. It has been argued that this was a direct result of Columbus’ actions. It is clear that the arrival of the European settlers led to the demise of a large proportion of the history and culture of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. It has also been argued that Columbus should not be honored for discovering North America, as he only went as far as some islands in the Caribbean and never got as far as mainland America.

Note: timeanddate.com states the facts and issues associated with this observance but does not disclose its opinion on the matter.

Source

timeanddate.com

Your Daily Sun & Moon Data for Monday, October 9th

The Sun

Sun Direction: ↑ 139.51° SE

Sun Altitude: 37.59°

Sun Distance: 92.836 million mi

Next Solstice: Dec 21, 2017 10:27 am (Winter)

Sunrise Today: 6:56 am↑ 97° East

Sunset Today: 6:25 pm↑ 262° West

Length of Daylight: 11 hours, 28 minutes

The Moon

Moon Direction: ↑ 287.56° WNW

Moon Altitude: 3.95°

Moon Distance: 228003 mi

Next New Moon: Oct 19, 20172:12 pm

Next Full Moon: Nov 4, 201712:22 am

Next Moonset: Today11:03 am

Current Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous

The Lunar Calendar

Moon Phase Tonight: Waning Gibbous

Third Quarter: Oct 12, 2017 at 7:25 am

(Next Phase)

Full Moon: Oct 5, 2017 at 1:40 pm

(Previous Phase)

Source

timeanddate.com

Your Astronomy for Monday, October 9th

• The Moon is in Gemini.
• The Moon is waning and in its Waning Gibbous phase.
• The Full Moon occurred on the 5th in the sign of Aries, and the Last Quarter Moon will occur on October 12th.

Moon in Gemini

The Moon is traveling through witty Gemini today. Call, text, send email, write letters. Visit someone you’ve missed. Watch a movie and talk about it at a coffee shop. Get out and about. Don’t sleep in.

Our instincts are to communicate, think, and learn under the influence of Moon in Gemini. We are motivated by a desire for variety and by an instinctive curiosity. The Moon in Gemini is light-hearted, breezy, and curious, but it can also be restless and fickle.

The Moon in Gemini generally favors the following activities: Mental and communicative actions, and more than one activity at once. Reading, learning, letters and emails, errands, writing, teaching, making connections, short trips.

The Sky This Week for October 9 to 15

Tuesday 10th October:

Glorious Gothic – Jupiter enters Scorpio

Jupiter expands. Mostly, this is good news – optimism, abundance, and the desire to learn and explore are all Jupiter’s general concern.

In astrology, bountiful Jupiter rules travel and foreigners, religion, sport, the law, publishing, studying, gambling, and feeling good. The whole thing about luck and good fortune that’s associated with the transits of Jupiter is born from its generous, upbeat energy. If you’re open-minded and positive, you’ll likely attract helpful people or recognise lucky opportunities when they come along. Certainly, while Jupiter aspects can be very beneficial, they cannot bring anything more than a cheerful (or greedy) mood if we don’t choose to work with what’s on offer.

Here in secretive, watery Scorpio until November 2018, Jupiter expands and explores what’s hidden away in the locked rooms of Scorpio’s house. One of the areas in focus is ‘other people’s money’ – including legacies, insurance pay-outs, investments and initiatives such as crowd-funding. This can be a favourable time to improve personal finances, or get the financial support you need for a project. Many financial events and trends will relate to Jupiter’s realms in some way – sport, religion, law, travel, gambling, and so on.

Scorpio also presides over sex and death – so real intimacy and deep emotions of both joy and sorrow are emphasised during the next twelve months. Our ideas and philosophies around sex, death, and money will be open for much-needed discussion.

If Jupiter in Scorpio’s journey touches our natal horoscope we may get a bit obsessive or intense about sex, death, and other people’s money. Jupiter can trigger the urge to over-do, waste energy, and tends to only see the vastly bigger picture. Is the devil in the details? Probably, the answer is yes.

Out in the world there could be more scrutiny of the sex trade, particularly secretive people-smuggling operations and hidden horrors. Sex tourism will also be highlighted in the news, and perhaps the thorny issue of the mass tourism industry in general.

Secretive financial affairs may come to light when Jupiter connects with Pluto in money-orientated Capricorn during 2018.

Jupiter in Scorpio also favours exploring and studying the paranormal, mysterious hidden histories, and all things witchy and woo-woo. This bewitching theme should really take off when Jupiter links with Neptune in Pisces in November and December – and onwards into 2018. And by the way, Jupiter in Scorpio has not made this flowing aspect with Neptune in Pisces since the 19th century. It’s special.

Jupiter in Scorpio is not for the faint-hearted, the commitment-phobic, or the lazy.
But it invites us to experience new emotional depths in our relationships, following on from Jupiter in Libra’s rather cooler, and simpler, desire for partnerships.

Jupiter was last in Scorpio between October 25th, 2005 and 24th November, 2006. Maybe this was a meaningful time for you? If so, dig into your archives and you’ll discover some themes that are likely to resonate once more in your life during the months ahead.

Ahoy Mates!

Since we are running late and there is a lot of Divination to cover on Mondays,

We will now be sailing onto your Daily Horoscopes, Runes, Tarot and of course, much more.

Save

Save

When we run across a bit of information that we figure might be useful to you, we like to pass it on. This morning on the News, I was listening to it and something caught my attention. With all the security breeches, hax attacks and the latest Equifax disaster, we are all concerned with security. The local News channel has a PC Tech guy who I occasionally listen to and today, he was talked about just this problem. He gave a site(which I have already been there) which you can use to see if any of your email address have been stolen or sold on the dark net. All you have to do, is simply type in your email address and it will tell you if your address has compromised. I did two of our old ones we had closed out a long time ago on Yahoo and guess what? They showed up they had been compromised and also showed me where the breech came from. I am glad I cleared those out. The thieves didn’t get anything just wasted their time. Our other active accounts were fine. But if you are concerned about your on-line security, check out this site. You might be surprised what you uncover.

Lady Abyss

have I been pwned.com

Even if you burn the midnight oil around here, you never get caught up! I am trying to get back to some sort of routine. I went out in the warehouse and found a whole new supply of stuff. I will be here till eternity. I know it piled up rather quickly. Oh, well, I will get what I can get done and leave the rest for the crew when they come back on Monday. I was dreading Monday, now I am praying for it to hurry up and get here after I saw all these boxes. But speaking of boxes, I am over at the store today adding lots of new merchandise. Got a moment, stop by and check it out. New books of shadows, new oils, new soaps, new spell kits and the list goes on and on. Also the jewelry company in California, the deal when through and I will be adding some of their merchandise today also.

Now off on other things, I am sure you all know Lady Beltane. She is the one who runs Coven Life. Well, she just happens to be in the hospital and didn’t bother telling me because she didn’t want to worry me anymore than I was already. I got an email from her this morning, she is suppose to be out of the hospital Monday. So please light and candle and say a prayer for her speedy recovery. Also that she may have a healthy Winter. She gets sick this early, oh, it don’t look good for Winter. So please say a prayer for her and that she will have good health this coming Winter. She is a sweet lady and I hate to see her sick. I just wish she had told me sooner.

Next, I know this is a long shot but I am going to give it a try anyway. I have been doing a search on Linked-In, Google and every place else for a customer who placed an order on Magickal Necessities.  His name is Joey N………… I am trying to contact him in regards to a wrong email address we received for him. I am hoping that he is either a member here or stops by to see what is going on. I know it is a long shot but Joey if you read this, could you please contact me at witches_of_the_craft@outlook.com, it is rather important. Thank you!

Now, I believe that pretty well covers the day for me but I can’t leave without telling you a funny story first…

Yesterday, I was in a hurry to get the daily postings done so I could take the boys fishing. I don’t let them go by themselves because these are farm ponds around here and they are deep in the middle. So we got all our stuff ready and off we went. We haven’t had any rain around here in weeks so the pond’s bottom near the edge is starting to show. We had been going down to the part that had dried, sit and fished there. Well, we got all our stuff out, throw our lines out and sit for about 15 minutes, no bites, That’s unusual because you generally throw your line in and a fish is waiting on it. We got bored, started to move around the pond. Jacob caught a fish, he was thrilled to death. They love to catch them but hate to take them off the line. They generally dangle the fish in front of my face so I can take them off the line. Ha, I told him yesterday it was time he learned how to take them off the line. After a few faces he made, he got the fish off the line. Then when he went to throw it back, he accidentally threw it in the mud. Well, I am not going to watch a fish lay and die in the mud. So I told him to leave it alone I would get it. And boy did I, we have an old superstition if a fish shews water out at you, he has jinxed the rest of your fishing trip. Well, this little bast*&%!, shewed at me. after I was nice enough to go dig him out of the mud, he shewed. I ended up sinking in mud up to my knees. The boys were having a fit, I was going to drown, I was going to drown. Which was really funny because dry land was about 5 inches away from me. Anyway, while one of them when to get the farmers, the other stayed telling me not to move, I was going to drown. We always take the dog with us and I hollered at Kade (the dog) to bring Momma her stick. I always take my staff with us because I use it to climb the hills and occasionally knock a snake in the head. Anyway, Kade knew what I meant. He walks over to the stick and starts rolling it down the hill to me. He got it to point so I could reach it and I put it on solid ground and pulled myself out of the mud. Damn, that mud stunk! By that time, here comes Jacob and the farmers just flying on four wheelers. I could hear Jacob holler, she is drowning, hurry. I couldn’t help but laugh my butt off. We were sitting on top of the hill and I looked like a mud puppy and we were both laughing by this time. All of them were totally confused and couldn’t figure out how on earth I got saved. Until they found out my little 8 pound Pomeranian had saved the day. Long story short, I won’t never call Kade a dumb butt again!

Now I am off to the store, got a minute stop by and see what’s new and oh, yeah, don’t go fishing at any muddy ponds, please!

Till tomorrow, my luvs,

Lady A

I is a good puppy. I saved my Mommie! Ain’t he cute, meanest little poot, you ever seen in your life.

The Witches Digest for Friday, October 6th

(Part 2 – The Witches Guide to Fridays)

“A year of beauty. A year of plenty.
A year of planting. A year of harvest.
A year of forests. A year of healing.
A year of vision. A year of passion.
A year of rebirth.

This year may we renew the earth.
This year may we renew the earth.

Let it begin with each step we take.
And let it begin with each change we make.
And let it begin with each chain we break.
And let it begin every time we awake.”

– Starhawk, Reclaiming Samhain

Today is Friday, October 6th

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 Gort(Ivy) – September 30 – October 27

Runic Half-Month of Gyfu(gift) – September 28 – October 12

Goddess of the Month of Hathor – October 3 – October 30

Source

The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick

On Friday, October 6th, We Honor the Goddess Morrighan

Morrighan

Goddess of War and Sovereignty

In Celtic mythology, the Morrighan is known as a goddess of battle and war. However, there’s a bit more to her than this. Also referred to as Morrígu, Morríghan, or Mor-Ríoghain, she is called the “washer at the ford,” because if a warrior saw her washing his armor in the stream, it meant he was to die that day. She is the goddess who determines whether or not you walk off the field of battle, or are carried off upon your shield.

In later Irish folklore, this role would be delegated to the bain sidhe, who foresaw the death of members of a specific family or clan.

She appears to date from around the Copper Age, based on archaeological findings. Stone stelae have been discovered in the British Isles, France, and Portugal, that are from approximately 3000 b.c.e.

The Morrighan often appears in the form of a crow or raven, or is seen accompanied by a group of them. In the stories of the Ulster cycle, she is shown as a cow and a wolf as well. The connection with these two animals suggest that in some areas, she may have been connected to fertility and land.

In some legends, the Morrighan is considered a triune, or triple goddess, but there are a lot of inconsistencies to this. She often appears as a sister to the Badb and Macha. In some Neopagan traditions, she is portrayed in her role as destroyer, representing the Crone aspect of the Maiden/Mother/Crone cycle, but this seems to be incorrect when one looks at her original Irish history.

Some scholars point out that war specifically is not a primary aspect of the Morrighan, and that her connection to cattle presents her as a goddess of sovereignty. The theory is that she can be seen as a deity who guides or protects a king.

Mary Jones of the Celtic Literature Collective says, “Morrigan is one of the most complex figures in Irish mythology, not the least due to her genealogy.

In the earliest copies of the Lebor Gabála Érenn, there are listed three sisters, named Badb, Macha, and Anann. In the Book of Leinster version, Anann is identified with Morrigu, while in the Book of Fermoy version, Macha is identified with Morrigan… What is most evident is that from the texts, “Morrigan” or “Morrigu” is a title applied to different women who for the most part seem to be sisters or related in some manner, or sometimes it is the same woman with slightly differing names in different manuscripts and redactions. We see that Morrigan is identified with Badb Macha, Anann, and Danann. The first is usually identified with the raven and battle, the second usually identified with the archetypical Celtic horse goddess, the third with the land goddess, and the fo[u]rth with a mother goddess.”

In modern literature, there has been some linking of the Morrighan to the character of Morgan Le Fay in the Arthurian legend. It appears, though, that this is more fanciful thinking than anything else. Although Morgan le Fay appears in the Vita Merlini in the twelfth century, a narrative of the life of Merlin by Geoffrey of Monmouth, it’s unlikely that there’s a connection to the Morrighan.

Scholars point out that the name “Morgan” is Welsh, and derived from root words connected to the sea. “Morrighan” is Irish, and is rooted in words that are associated with “terror” or “greatness.” In other words, the names sound similar, but the relationship ends there.

Today, many Pagans do work with the Morrighan, although many of them describe their relationship with her as being somewhat reluctant at first. John Beckett over at Patheos describes a ritual in which the Morrighan was invoked, and says, “She wasn’t threatening but She was very clearly in command – I think She knew the respect we have for Her and that She didn’t have to convince anybody who She is. She seemed pleased that we were honoring Her and attempting to answer Her call… I want to encourage Pagans to listen for the call of Morrigan.

She’s a complex goddess. She can be blunt, rough, and violent. She is the Battle Raven and is not to be trifled with. But she has a message I believe is critical for our future as Pagans, as humans, and as creatures of the Earth. A storm is coming. Gather your tribe. Reclaim your sovereignty.”

Author

Patti Wigington
Published on ThoughtCo

Gods of the Celts

Wondering about some of the major deities of the ancient Celtic world? Although the Celts consisted of societies all over the British Isles and parts of Europe, some of their gods and goddesses have become a part of modern Pagan practice. Here are some of the deities honored by the ancient Celtic peoples.

Brighid, Hearth Goddess of Ireland
A daughter of the Dagda, Brighid is one of the classic triple goddesses of the Celtic pantheon. Many Pagans honor her today as a goddess of the hearth and home, and of divination and prophecy. She’s often associated with the Imbolc sabbat, as well as with fire, domesticity, and family life. Brighid was the patron of poets and bards, as well as healers and magicians. She was especially honored when it came to matters of prophecy and divination.

Cailleach, Ruler of Winter
Cailleach is known in parts of the Celtic world as the hag, the bringer of storms, the Dark Mother of the winter months. However, she features prominently in mythology and is not just a destroyer, but also a creator goddess. According to The Etymological Dictionary Of Scottish-Gaelic the word cailleach itself means “veiled one” or “old woman”. In some stories, she appears to a hero as a hideous old woman, and when he is kind to her, she turns into a lovely young woman who rewards him for his good deeds. In other stories, she turns into a giant gray boulder at the end of winter, and remains this way until Beltane, when she springs back to life.

Cernunnos, Wild God of the Forest
Cernunnos is the horned god found in many traditions of modern Paganism and Wicca. He is an archetype found predominantly in Celtic regions, and symbolizes fertility and masculine energy. Often celebrated around the Beltane sabbat, Cernunnos is associated with the forest, the greening of the earth, and wild stags. He is a god of vegetation and trees in his aspect as the Green Man, and a god of lust and fertility when connected with Pan, the Greek satyr. In some traditions, he is seen as a god of death and dying, and takes time to comfort the dead by singing to them on their way to the spirit world.

Cerridwen, Keeper of the Cauldron
Cerridwen is known in Welsh mythology as the keeper of the Cauldron of the Underworld in which knowledge and inspiration are brewed. She is considered a goddess of prophetic powers, and because her symbol is the Cauldron, she is an honored goddess in many Wiccan and Pagan traditions. The legend of Cerridwen is heavy with instances of transformation: when she is chasing Gwion, the two of them change into any number of animal and plant shapes. Following the birth of Taliesen, Cerridwen contemplates killing the infant but changes her mind; instead she throws him into the sea, where he is rescued by a Celtic prince, Elffin. Because of these stories, change and rebirth and transformation are all under the control of this powerful Celtic goddess.

The Dagda, Father God of Ireland
The Dagda was a father god of the Celtic pantheon, and plays an important role in the stories of the Irish invasions. He was the leader of the Tuatha de Danaan, and a god of fertility and knowledge. His name means “the good god.” In addition to his mighty club, the Dagda also possessed a large cauldron. The cauldron was magical in that it had an endless supply of food in it — the ladle itself was said to be so large that two men could lie in it. The Dagda is typically portrayed as a plump man with a large phallus, representative of his status as a god of abundance.

Herne, God of the Wild Hunt
In British lore, Herne the Hunter is a god of vegetation, vine, and the wild hunt. Similar in many aspects to Cernunnos, Herne is celebrated in the autumn months, when the deer go into rut. He is seen as a god of the common folk, and is typically recognized only around the Windsor Forest area of Berkshire, England. Herne was considered a divine hunter, and was seen on his wild hunts carrying a great horn and a wooden bow, riding a mighty black horse and accompanied by a pack of baying hounds. Mortals who get in the way of the Wild Hunt are swept up in it, and often taken away by Herne, destined to ride with him for eternity. He’s seen as a harbinger of bad omen, especially to the royal family.

Lugh, Master of Skills
Lugh is the Celtic god honored for his skills and gifts as a craftsman. He is the god of blacksmiths, metal-workers and artisans. In his aspect as a harvest god, he is honored on August 1, on the festival known as Lughnasadh or Lammas. Lugh is associated with craftsmanship and skill, particularly in endeavors involving creativity. Although not specifically a war god, Lugh was known as a skilled warrior. His weapons included a mighty magic spear, which was so bloodthirsty that it often tried to fight without its owner. According to Irish myth, in battle, the spear flashed fire and tore through the enemy ranks unchecked.

The Morrighan, Goddess of War and Sovereignty
The Morrighan is known as a Celtic war goddess, but there’s a lot more to her than that. She’s associated with rightful kingship, and the sovereignty of the land. The Morrighan often appears in the form of a crow or raven, or is seen accompanied by a group of them. In the stories of the Ulster cycle, she is shown as a cow and a wolf as well. The connection with these two animals suggest that in some areas, she may have been connected to fertility and land.

Rhiannon, Horse Goddess of Wales
In the Welsh mythological cycle, the Mabinogion, Rhiannon is known as a goddess of the horse. However, she also plays a crucial role in the kingship of Wales. The horse appears prominently in much of Welsh and Irish mythology. Many parts of the Celtic world — Gaul in particular — used horses in warfare, and so it is no surprise that these animals turn up in the myths and legends or Ireland and Wales.

Taliesin, Chief of the Bards
Although Taliesin is a documented historical figure in Welsh history, he has managed to become elevated to the status of a minor god. His mythologized story has elevated him to the status of a minor deity, and he appears in the tales of everyone from King Arthur to Bran the Blessed. Today, many modern Pagans honor Taliesin as a patron of bards and poets, since he is known as the greatest poet of all.

Author

Patti Wigington
Published on ThoughtCo

Friday’s Magick

Magickal Intent:
Lust
Romance
Happiness
Travel
Friends
Beauty
Sexuality
Harmony
Growth

Planet: Venus

Colors: Pink, Aqua, Seafoam

Crystals: Coral, Emerald, Rose Quartz

The Witches Guide to Friday

Ruler: Freya, Venus

Colors: Emerald green or pink

Power Hours: Sunrise and the 8th, 16th, and 24th hours following.

Key Words: Love, money, health

It is easy to spot the ruler of this day by its name. In the word Friday, we see the roots of the name of the Norse goddess Freya, a goddess of love and fertility, and the most beautiful and propitious of the goddesses thus the verse “Friday’s child is loving and giving.”

In Spanish this day of the week is called Viernes and is derived from the goddess Venus. Matters of love, human interaction, the fluidity of communication, sewing and the creation of artistic garments, household improvement, shopping, and party planning all fall under the aspects of Friday and its ruling planet, Venus.

Friday’s angels are Ariel/Uriel, Rachiel, and Sachiel. Rachiel also concerns himself with human sexuality and is a presiding spirit of the planet Venus.

On Fridays, the hour of sunrise and every eight hours after that are also ruled by Venus, and that makes these times of the day doubly blessed. These four hours are the strongest four hours for conducting ritual.

Check the local newspaper, astrological calendar, or almanac to determine your local sunrise.

Source

Gypsy Magic

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.

Source

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

The Witches Almanac for Friday, October 6th

German-American Day

Waning Moon

Moon Phase: Third Quarter

Moon Sign: Aries

Moon enters Taurus 7:56 pm

Incense: Violet

Color: Rose

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

Source

Moonlight Musings

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.

Source

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

The Witches Magick for Friday, October 6th – The Witch Bottle Love Spell

Items needed:

A glass jar

Spring water

Drop of your own blood

Strand of your own hair

Vanilla extract

Rose quartz stone

Other items mentioned are optional

Witch bottles are popular in magic, and, though most often employed for protection, they can be effective talismans for drawing love into your life. In a clean glass jar place some or all of the following while visualizing love being drawn to your dwelling: spring water, a drop of your own blood, a strand of your own hair, vanilla extract, and a rose quartz stone. You may also use any from of coriander, cinnamon, hyacinth, licorice, yerba maté, rue, myrtle, jasmine, lemon, lavender, jasmine, mastic, rose, peppermint, thyme, or plum. Drawings or other love talismans representing your goal of romance can also be included. On a Friday or during a Full Moon, bury the sealed bottle near an entryway to your home. It will work for a year and a day.

Source

Everything Under the Moon

The More You Know Fridays – Feast of Samhain

“The Celts honored the opposing balance of intertwining forces of existence: darkness and light, night and day, cold and heat, death and life. The Celtic year was divided into two seasons: the light and the dark, celebrating the light at Beltane on May 1st and the dark at Samhain on November 1st. Therefore, the Feast of Samhain marks one of the two great doorways of the Celtic year. Some believe that Samhain was the more important festival, since it marked the beginning of a new dark-light cycle. The Celts observed time as proceeding from darkness to light because they understood that in dark silence comes whisperings of new beginnings, the stirring of the seed below the ground. Therefore, the Celtic year began with the season of An Geamhradh, the dark Celtic winter, and ended with Am Foghar, the Celtic harvest. The Celtic day began at dusk, the beginning of the dark and cold night, and ended the following dusk, the end of a day of light and warmth. Since dusk is the beginning of the Celtic day, Samhain begins at dusk on October 31. Samhain marks the beginning of An Geamhradh as well as the New Year. Whereas Beltane was welcomed in the summer light with joyous celebrations at dawn, the most magically potent time of Samhain was at night. Oidhche Shamhna, the Eve of Samhain, was the most important part of the celebration. Villagers gathered the best of the autumn harvest and slaughtered cattle for the feast. The focus of each village’s festivities was a great bonfire. Villagers cast the bones of the slaughtered cattle upon the flames. (Our word bonfire comes from these “bone fires.”) Personal prayers in the form of objects symbolizing the wishes of supplicants or ailments to be healed were cast into the fire. Many sacrifices and gifts were offered up in thanksgiving for the harvest. With the great bonfire roaring, the villagers extinguished all other fires. Each family then solemnly lit their hearth from the one great common flame, bonding all families of the village together. As they received the flame that marked this time of beginnings, people surely felt a sense of the kindling of new dreams, projects and hopes for the year to come.”

– Feast of Samhain

Up Next….

The Witches Digest – Part 3 – Horoscopes and Much More

The Witches Digest for Friday, October 6th, 2017

(Part 1 – Your Astronomy for the Day)

“Hail Freyja, Golden One!
Holder of the glorious Brisingamen, that brings fertility and abundance.
As we love and honor you, may we find love and power within us. Join us and accept our thanks.
Hail Freyja!
Hail Freyr, Harvest God!
Keeper of the rain and the sunshine!
As we love and honor you, may we find creativity and inspiration within us.
Join us and accept our thanks.
Hail Freyer!
Hail Sif, Great Lady!
We come to this place grateful for your gifts.
Golden-haired goddess of the ripening grain, as we love and honor you, may we find beauty and grace within us.
Join us and accept our thanks.
Hail Sif!
Hail Thor, son of the Earth Mother!
Strong and noble keeper of Thunder, Red-Bearded Guardian of us all, guide us through the seasons and the cycles of life.
We thank you for the fertility of our lands and for the abundance we have received this year.
As we love and honor you, let us find strength and wisdom with us.
Join us and accept out thanks.
Hail Thor!”

– Kristen Madden, Autumn Celebration Ritual

Your Daily Sun & Moon Data for Friday, October 6th

The Sun
Sun Direction: ↑ 106.24° ESE
Sun Altitude: 12.08°
Sun Distance: 92.918 million mi
Next Solstice: Dec 21, 2017 10:27 am (Winter)
Sunrise Today: 6:54 am↑ 96° East
Sunset Today: 6:29 pm↑ 264° West
Length of Daylight: 11 hours, 35 minutes

The Moon
Moon Direction: ↑ 279.30° W
Moon Altitude: -4.92°
Moon Distance: 230427 mi
Next New Moon: Oct 19, 20172:12 pm
Next Full Moon: Nov 4, 201712:22 am
Next Moonrise: Today7:29 pm
Moon Illumination: 99.1%
Current Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous

The Lunar Calendar
Moon Phase Tonight: Waning Gibbous
Third Quarter: Oct 12, 2017 at 7:25 am
(Next Phase)
Full Moon: Oct 5, 2017 at 1:40 pm
(Previous Phase)

Source

timeanddate.com

Your Astronomy for Friday, October 6th

The Moon is in Aries until 7:55 PM, after which the Moon is in Taurus.
The Moon is void from 6:37 PM to 7:55 PM.
The Moon is waning and in its Full Moon phase.
The Full Moon occurred yesterday in the sign of Aries, and the Last Quarter Moon will occur on October 12th.

Moon in Aries

We’re motivated by a strong desire to start fresh. A gut instinct to start something new is with us now, as well as the gumption to do so. Our pioneering impulses are strong, and we feel energetic, spontaneous, and enthusiastic. We may also be tactless and impulsive now. Excess energy is best channeled into physical activity.

The Moon in Aries generally favors the following activities: Quick actions that yield immediate results. Undertakings that involve the self and the personality. (Staying power may be lacking). Self-assertion, taking on challenges, beginning short-term projects.

The Sky This Week for October 6 to October 8

Friday, October 6

The second brightest asteroid of 2017 puts on a nice show in October’s sky. Minor planet 7 Iris glows at magnitude 7.5, which is bright enough to see through binoculars from the suburbs. It resides in the constellation Aries the Ram, a region that climbs high in the east by late evening. Iris stands 3° due east of Aries’ brightest star, magnitude 2.0 Hamal (Alpha [a] Arietis), all week.

Saturday, October 7

Uranus reaches opposition in less than two weeks, but it is already a tempting evening target. The ice giant world rises within a half-hour after sunset and climbs more than 30° above the eastern horizon by 10 p.m. local daylight time. The magnitude 5.7 planet lies in Pisces, 1.4° west-northwest of magnitude 4.3 Omicron (o) Piscium. Although Uranus glows brightly enough to see with the naked eye under a dark sky, binoculars make the task much easier. A telescope reveals the planet’s blue-green disk, which spans 3.7″.

Mars reaches aphelion at 6 p.m. EDT, when the planet’s orbital motion carries it farthest from the Sun. It then lies 154.9 million miles (249.2 million kilometers) from our star.

Sunday, October 8

Look high in the east after darkness falls this week and you should see autumn’s most conspicuous star group. The Great Square of Pegasus stands out in the evening sky at this time of year, though it appears balanced on one corner and looks more diamond-shaped. These four almost equally bright stars form the body of Pegasus the Winged Horse. The fainter stars that form the rest of this constellation’s shape trail off to the square’s west.

Mercury passes behind the Sun from Earth’s perspective at 5 p.m. EDT. This means the innermost planet lies on the opposite side of the Sun from Earth and remains hidden in our star’s glare. It will return to view in the evening sky at the end of October

Source

The Astronomy Magazine

The Witches Current Moon Phase for Friday, October 6th

Waning Gibbous
Illumination: 99%

Moon in ♈ Aries
Moon is passing about ∠23° of ♈ Aries tropical zodiac sector.

Tomorrow the Moon will be in a Waning Gibbous Phase. This is the first phase after the Full Moon occurs. It lasts roughly 7 days with the Moon’s illumination growing smaller each day until the Moon becomes a Last Quarter Moon with a illumination of 50%. The average Moon rise for this phase is between 9am and Midnight depending on the age of the phase. The moon rises later and later each night setting after sunrise in the morning. During this phase the Moon can also be seen in the early morning daylight hours on the western horizon.

Phase Details for – Friday, October 6, 2017

Phase: Waning Gibbous
Illumination: 99%
Moon Age: 15.55 days
Moon Angle: 0.53
Moon Distance: 373,875.66 km
Sun Angle: 0.53
Sun Distance: 149,520,297.34 km

Source

MoonGiant.com

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