Author: ladyoftheabyss

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence for Monday

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Monday

 

Monday is the day of the moon itself, and it’s a day that’s connected to lunar colors like silver, white, or even a pale blue.

Metals and gemstones like silver, pearl, opal and moonstone all come into play today.

There are plenty of deities associated with the moon – Thoth and Diana for instance – and

herbal correspondences include many members of the mint family. Utilize wintergreen or peppermint, as well as catnip, comfrey, sage and chamomile in your workings.

When it comes to Monday magic, because of that lunar connection, it’s a good time to focus on workings related to childbearing and family life, purity and virginity, healing, wisdom, and intuition.

Do a little bit of self exploration and work on developing your intuition – learn to trust your gut.

Celebrate birth and life, and make some magic to fix what is broken.

Source: Article published on & owned by About.com 

By Patti Wigington, Paganism/Wicca Expert

c. 2017

Spell for Tomorrow – Healing Charm to Banish Sickness

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HEALING CHARM TO BANISH SICKNESS

A charm to banish sickness is make by placing a gold coin in a glass of red wine.
Put this beneath the stars and waning moon for three nights, and each night drink one
third of the wine to shrink your sickness until it’s gone.

This originated in rural Welsh regions,
with some similar spells appearing in Scotland and England.

Sun Phases – Sunset

Sun Phases – Sunset

The predominant energies of sunset provide a suitable condition for spellwork requiring reduction or alleviation. This phase lends itself to the removal of stress and confusion, hardship, and depression, and the disclosure of deception. It is also a good time for dieting magick.

To seal spells performed at sunset, use this chant or one of your own choosing:

Oh Setting Sun of passing day,

Aid me in Your gentle way.

Take this spell, oh Ancient One:

Give it Your strength as You pass on.

Sun Phases – Afternoon

Sun Phases – Afternoon

As the Sun journeys downward, His energies take on a receptive quality. Use this phase to work efforts involving professionalism, business matters, communications, and clarity. It is also of benefit for spellwork involving exploration and travel.

To seal spells performed in the afternoon, use this chant or one of your own choosing:

Aging One of Amber Light:

Hearken! Hear me! Aid my plight!

Take this spell where it must go,

And give it power that it might grow.

Sun Phases – Morning

Sun Phases – Morning

During the morning hours, the energy of the Sun expands and becomes strong and active. Any project that requires building, growth, or expansion work well during this phase. This is an excellent time to build upon the positive aspects in your life, to resolve situations where courage is necessary, and to add warmth and harmony to your home. Morning-Sun energy is also of benefit when performing plant magick or working spells for financial increase.

To seal spells performed in the morning, use this chant or one of your own choosing:

Oh Brother Sun of growing strength,

Come to me and stay at length.

Wrap this spell with intensity,

And add to it Your potency.

Sun Phases – Noon

Sun Phases – Noon

The influence of the Sun reaches its peak at high noon. This vibration is excellent for performing efforts that involved the mental abilities, health and physical energy. It is also of value when charging crystals, stones or metal ritual tools such as athames, censors, and cauldrons.

To seal spells performed at midday, use this chant or one of your own choosing:

Father Sun, of strength and might,

Aid this spell in taking flight

To its target, now please guide—

Increase its power as it flies.

Sun Phases – Sunrise

Sun Phases – Sunrise

Sunrise lends its energies to beginnings, change, and cleansing. This phase is beneficial to magickal workings that involve new endeavors in employment, love or direction in life. Rejuvenation matters such as renewing hope and trust, good health, or even mending a broken heart also benefit from this energy.

To seal spells performed at sunrise, use this chant or one of your own choosing:

Oh, Youngest Babe, so newly born,

Help me on this bright new morn.

Aid this spell with Your fresh power.

And strengthen it with every hour.

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence for Thursday

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Thursday’s Magickal Correspondences

Wealth
Male Fertility
Ambition
Expansion
Luck
Happiness
Honor
Family
Harvests
Planet: Jupiter
Colors: Dark Blue, Green
Crystals: Turquoise, Amethyst, Lapis

Who Was St. Patrick?

Who Was St. Patrick?

St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is one of Christianity’s most widely known figures. But for all of his prevalence in culture, namely the holiday held on the day of his death that bears his name, his life remains somewhat of a mystery. Many of the stories traditionally associated with St. Patrick, including the famous account of his banishing all the snakes from Ireland, are false, the products of hundreds of years of exaggerated storytelling.

St. Patrick: Taken Prisoner By Irish Raiders

It is known that St. Patrick was born in Britain to wealthy parents near the end of the fourth century. He is believed to have died on March 17, around 460 A.D. Although his father was a Christian deacon, it has been suggested that he probably took on the role because of tax incentives and there is no evidence that Patrick came from a particularly religious family. At the age of 16, Patrick was taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders who were attacking his family’s estate. They transported him to Ireland where he spent six years in captivity. (There is some dispute over where this captivity took place. Although many believe he was taken to live in Mount Slemish in County Antrim, it is more likely that he was held in County Mayo near Killala.) During this time, he worked as a shepherd, outdoors and away from people. Lonely and afraid, he turned to his religion for solace, becoming a devout Christian. (It is also believed that Patrick first began to dream of converting the Irish people to Christianity during his captivity.)

St. Patrick: Guided By Visions

After more than six years as a prisoner, Patrick escaped. According to his writing, a voice—which he believed to be God’s—spoke to him in a dream, telling him it was time to leave Ireland.

To do so, Patrick walked nearly 200 miles from County Mayo, where it is believed he was held, to the Irish coast. After escaping to Britain, Patrick reported that he experienced a second revelation—an angel in a dream tells him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Soon after, Patrick began religious training, a course of study that lasted more than 15 years. After his ordination as a priest, he was sent to Ireland with a dual mission: to minister to Christians already living in Ireland and to begin to convert the Irish. (Interestingly, this mission contradicts the widely held notion that Patrick introduced Christianity to Ireland.)

St. Patrick: Bonfires and Crosses

Familiar with the Irish language and culture, Patrick chose to incorporate traditional ritual into his lessons of Christianity instead of attempting to eradicate native Irish beliefs. For instance, he used bonfires to celebrate Easter since the Irish were used to honoring their gods with fire. He also superimposed a sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what is now called a Celtic cross, so that veneration of the symbol would seem more natural to the Irish. Although there were a small number of Christians on the island when Patrick arrived, most Irish practiced a nature-based pagan religion. The Irish culture centered around a rich tradition of oral legend and myth. When this is considered, it is no surprise that the story of Patrick’s life became exaggerated over the centuries—spinning exciting tales to remember history has always been a part of the Irish way of life.

Reference

The History Show

 

History of St. Patrick’s Day

History of St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated annually on March 17, the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over 1,000 years. On St. Patrick’s Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink and feast–on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage.

ST. PATRICK’s Death AND THE FIRST ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE

Saint Patrick, who lived during the fifth century, is the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland. Born in Roman Britain, he was kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave at the age of 16. He later escaped, but returned to Ireland and was credited with bringing Christianity to its people. In the centuries following Patrick’s death (believed to have been on March 17, 461), the mythology surrounding his life became ever more ingrained in the Irish culture: Perhaps the most well known legend is that he explained the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) using the three leaves of a native Irish clover, the shamrock.

Since around the ninth or 10th century, people in Ireland have been observing the Roman Catholic feast day of St. Patrick on March 17. Interestingly, however, the first parade held to honor St. Patrick’s Day took place not in Ireland but in the United States. On March 17, 1762, Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City. Along with their music, the parade helped the soldiers reconnect with their Irish roots, as well as with fellow Irishmen serving in the English army.

GROWTH OF ST. PATRICK’S DAY CELEBRATIONS

Over the next 35 years, Irish patriotism among American immigrants flourished, prompting the rise of so-called “Irish Aid” societies like the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick and the Hibernian Society. Each group would hold annual parades featuring bagpipes (which actually first became popular in the Scottish and British armies) and drums.

In 1848, several New York Irish Aid societies decided to unite their parades to form one official New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Today, that parade is the world ‘s oldest civilian parade and the largest in the United States, with over 150,000 participants. Each year, nearly 3 million people line the 1.5-mile parade route to watch the procession, which takes more than five hours. Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and Savannah also celebrate the day with parades involving between 10,000 and 20,000 participants each.

THE IRISH IN AMERICA

Up until the mid-19th century, most Irish immigrants in America were members of the Protestant middle class. When the Great Potato Famine hit Ireland in 1845, close to 1 million poor and uneducated Irish Catholics began pouring into America to escape starvation. Despised for their alien religious beliefs and unfamiliar accents by the American Protestant majority, the immigrants had trouble finding even menial jobs. When Irish Americans in the country’s cities took to the streets on St. Patrick’s Day to celebrate their heritage, newspapers portrayed them in cartoons as drunk, violent monkeys.

The American Irish soon began to realize, however, that their large and growing numbers endowed them with a political power that had yet to be exploited. They started to organize, and their voting block, known as the “green machine,” became an important swing vote for political hopefuls. Suddenly, annual St. Patrick’s Day parades became a show of strength for Irish Americans, as well as a must-attend event for a slew of political candidates. In 1948, President Harry S. Truman attended New York City ‘s St. Patrick’s Day parade, a proud moment for the many Irish Americans whose ancestors had to fight stereotypes and racial prejudice to find acceptance in the New World.

THE CHICAGO RIVER Dyed Green ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY

As Irish immigrants spread out over the United States, other cities developed their own traditions. One of these is Chicago’s annual dyeing of the Chicago River green. The practice started in 1962, when city pollution-control workers used dyes to trace illegal sewage discharges and realized that the green dye might provide a unique way to celebrate the holiday. That year, they released 100 pounds of green vegetable dye into the river–enough to keep it green for a week! Today, in order to minimize environmental damage, only 40 pounds of dye are used, and the river turns green for only several hours.

Although Chicago historians claim their city’s idea for a river of green was original, some natives of Savannah, Georgia (whose St. Patrick’s Day parade, the oldest in the nation, dates back to 1813) believe the idea originated in their town. They point out that, in 1961, a hotel restaurant manager named Tom Woolley convinced city officials to dye Savannah’s river green. The experiment didn’t exactly work as planned, and the water only took on a slight greenish hue. Savannah never attempted to dye its river again, but Woolley maintains (though others refute the claim) that he personally suggested the idea to Chicago’s Mayor Richard J. Daley.

ST. PATRICK’S Day Celebrations AROUND THE WORLD

Today, people of all backgrounds celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, especially throughout the United States, Canada and Australia. Although North America is home to the largest productions, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in many other locations far from Ireland, including Japan, Singapore and Russia.

In modern-day Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day was traditionally been a religious occasion. In fact, up until the 1970s, Irish laws mandated that pubs be closed on March 17. Beginning in 1995, however, the Irish government began a national campaign to use interest in St. Patrick’s Day to drive tourism and showcase Ireland and Irish culture to the rest of the world. Today, approximately 1 million people annually take part in Ireland ‘s St. Patrick’s Festival in Dublin, a multi-day celebration featuring parades, concerts, outdoor theater productions and fireworks shows.

Reference

The History Show

(One Person’s View Point) St. Patrick’s Day Facts

 

St. Patrick’s Day Facts

When did the first St. Patrick’s Day parade take place? And just how much corned beef and cabbage is consumed in the U.S. each year? Find out how many Americans trace their lineage to Ireland and more fun facts about St. Patrick’s Day food and traditions.

When is St. Patrick’s Day?

St. Patrick’s Day takes place each year on March 17, the traditional religious feast day of Saint Patrick.

Did You Know?

There are 34.7 million U.S. residents with Irish ancestry. This number is more than seven times the population of Ireland itself.
St. Patrick’s Day Celebration

Corned beef and cabbage is a traditional St. Patrick’s Day dish. In 2009, roughly 26.1 billion pounds of beef and 2.3 billion pounds of cabbage were produced in the United States.

Irish soda bread gets its name and distinctive character from the use of baking soda rather than yeast as a leavening agent.
Lime green chrysanthemums are often requested for St. Patrick’s Day parades and celebrations.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

The first St. Patrick’s Day parade took place in the United States on March 17, 1762, when Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City.

More than 100 St. Patrick’s Day parades are held across the United States. New York City and Boston are home to the largest celebrations.
At the annual New York City St. Patrick’s Day parade, participants march up 5th Avenue from 44th Street to 86th Street. Each year, between 150,000 and 250,000 marchers take part in the parade, which does not allow automobiles or floats.

Places to Spend St. Patrick’s Day

There are seven places in the United States named after the shamrock, the floral emblem of Ireland including Mount Gay-Shamrock, WV; Shamrock, TX; Shamrock Lakes, IN; and Shamrock, OK.

Sixteen U.S. places share the name of Ireland’s capital, Dublin. With 44,541 residents, Dublin, CA, is the largest of the nice, followed by Dublin, OH, with 39,310.

Other towns with the luck of the Irish include Emerald Isle, North Carolina and Irishtown, Illinois.

Facts about Irish Americans

There are 34.7 million U.S. residents with Irish ancestry. This number is more than seven times the population of Ireland itself.
Irish is the nation’s second most frequently reported ancestry, ranking behind German.

Across the country, 11 percent of residents lay claim to Irish ancestry. That number more than doubles to 23 percent in the state of Massachusetts.
Irish is the most common ancestry in 54 U.S. counties, of which 44 are in the Northeast. Middlesex County in Massachusetts tops the list with 348,978 Irish Americans, followed by Norfolk County, MA, which has 203,285.

Irish ranks among the top five ancestries in every state except Hawaii and New Mexico. It is the leading ancestry group in Delaware, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

There are approximately 144,588 current U.S. residents who were born in Ireland.

 

Reference The History Show

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence for Friday

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A Little Humor for Your Day

25 Signs You’ve Grown Up

Source: Funny Humor

1. Your house plants are alive, and you can’t smoke any of them.

2. Having sex in a twin bed is out of the question.

3. You keep more food than beer in the fridge.

4. 6:00 AM is when you get up, not when you go to bed.

5. You hear your favorite song on an elevator.

6. You watch the Weather Channel.

7. Your friends marry and divorce instead of hook up and break up.

8. You go from 130 days of vacation time to 14.

9. Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as “dressed up.”

10. You’re the one calling the police because those damn kids next door won’t turn down the stereo.

11. Older relatives feel comfortable telling sex jokes around you.

12. You don’t know what time Taco Bell closes anymore.

13. Your car insurance goes down and your payments go up.

14. You feed your dog Science Diet instead of McDonalds leftovers.

15. Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt.

16. You no longer take naps from noon to 6 PM.

17. Dinner and a movie is the whole date instead of the beginning of one.
18. Eating a basket of chicken wings at 3 AM would severely upset, rather than settle, your stomach.

19. You go to the drug store for ibuprofen and antacid, not condoms and pregnancy tests.

20. A $4.00 bottle of wine is no longer “pretty good stuff.”

21. You actually eat breakfast food at breakfast time.

22. “I just can’t drink the way I used to,” replaces, “I’m never going to drink that much again.”

23. 90% of the time you spend in front of a computer is for real work.

24. You no longer drink at home to save money before going to a bar.

25. You read this entire list looking desperately for one sign that this doesn’t apply to you.”

I will try to do some informational posts later today.

I hope the rest of your and your family have a day and evening that is relaxing, filled with fun, laughter, and love. Always remember to take a little me time every day to recharge yourself!

Merry part until we merry meet again!

One Person’s View Point About the Sun Phases Part 1 of 6

Sun Phases

The Sun emits an uncomplicated, direct masculine energy that is warm and golden-feeling. Unlike the Moon, He moves through several different phases every day availing the practitioner of unlimited opportunities for immediate spellwork. His wide range of properties can boost almost any magickal effort normally aided by the Moon.

 

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence for Tuesday

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A Little Humor for Your Day – You might be practicing Bubba Wicca if …

Signs That You May Be A Bubba Wiccan

  1. You are out in the woods and the Horned God appears to you and it takes you more than 30 seconds to put down your deer rifle.
  2. You’ve ever duct-taped an outhouse and called it a sweat lodge.
  3. You run out of candles and then get the emergency flares out of your trunk.
  4. Your altar is made from the hood of an old Chevy pick-up.
  5. You begin your Circle by calling for quarters to be placed in the beer fund jar.
  6. You enter a skyclad circle with the words, In Perfect Love and Perfect Lust.
  7. You close a circle with the words “Hot damn, let’s party!”
  8. You get most of your spiritual wisdom about the cycles of nature from Bill Dance bass fishing shows.
  9. You watch NASCAR for its karmic revelation.
  10. Your ritual robes are made of weatherproof camouflage.
  11. Your revel fire causes the smokejumpers to fly in.
  12. The only herb you use has to be planted in the middle of nowhere.
  13. You think “The Reclaiming Collective” is a great name for a used automobile parts business.
  14. Before you can use your ritual cauldron, you have to wash out the bones from your fish stew.

I hope the rest of your and your family have a day and evening that is relaxing, filled with fun, laughter, and love. Always remember to take a little me time every day to recharge yourself!

Merry part until we merry meet again!

CUSTOM-MADE DAILY MAGICK FOR TUESDAY and THE PERFECT ACCOMPANYING SPELL

 

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Victory Through Strength Tarot Spell

This tarot spell may be set up simply or more elaborately; it is up to you. Don’t be afraid to make your magick personal and unique.

Either use the featured cards (Six of Wands, Five of Wands, and Strength) as your only props around a red candle or add the associated crystals for a Tuesday (ruby, bloodstone, stone, and garnet). Try draping the workspace with a red cloth or scarf. Consider working ing this spell at sunrise or at noon, when the sun is directly overhead and bright. I suggest gest setting the candle and its holder in the center of your workspace, then arranging the cards and other accessories around it.

Another good idea would be to scatter those flat-bottomed, red glass marbles on the work surface. (You know, those pretty glass gems that are so popular for wedding-reception reception table decorations?) You can pick up a bag of those at most arts and crafts stores for a few bucks. Find some iridescent ones; wouldn’t they look sharp? Use your imagination! How about holly leaves or red flower petals? Are you getting inspired yet? Good. Now psych yourself up and repeat the spell below three times:

The lady holds the lion within her arms

My strength comes from my soul and causes no harm

I hold the power to succeed time and time again

Honor and victory are mine, let the spell begin.

 

Meditate on the symbolism of the cards for a short time. Close the spell by saying:

For the good of all, causing harm to none

By fire and passion, this spell is done!

Let the candle burn until it goes out on its own. If you used stones in the spell, you may keep them with you for a few days in your purse or pocket to help reinforce the spell.

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

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence for Wednesday

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Wednesday

 

Ruler: Wodin, Mercury

Colors: Orange, light blue, and gray

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

Keywords: Success, creativity, communication

The word Wednesday is reminiscent of the Norse wind god Wodin, which is referenced in the popular rhyme verse “Wednesday’s child is full of woe.” This does not mean that those born on this day are full of sorrow or trouble. To be full of Wo (Wodin) means to be full of wind, to be spirited. Woden was such a powerful pagan god that the German church fathers changed the name of his day to Mittwoch, meaning midweek, in an attempt to exorcise his influence.

In the Spanish word for Wednesday, miercoles, we clearly see its connection to Mercury. Under the guidance of Mercury; Wednesday is a day of swift activity, communication, correspondence, and phone calls. This is a good day for journalists, writers, poets, bargaining, hiring employees, and visiting friends.

On Wednesdays, the hour of sunrise and every eight hours after that are also ruled by Mercury, making these times of the day doubly blessed. These are the strongest four hours for ritual work. Check your local newspaper, astrological calendar, or almanac to determine when sunrise occurs.

 

Source: Gypsy Magic

 

(One Person’s View) Working With the Gods and Goddesses c.2014

Working With the Gods and Goddesses

By

There are literally thousands of different deities out there in the Universe, and which ones you choose to honor will often depend significantly upon what pantheon your spiritual path follows. However, many modern Pagans and Wiccans describe themselves as eclectic, which means they may honor a god of one tradition beside a goddess of another. In some cases, we may choose to ask a deity for assistance in a magical working or in problem solving. Regardless, at some point, you’re going to have to sit and sort them all out. If you don’t have a specific, written tradition, then how do you know which gods to call upon?

A good way to look at it is to figure out which deity of your pantheon would be interested in your purpose. In other words, what gods might take the time to look into your situation? This is where the concept of appropriate worship comes in handy — if you can’t take the time to get to know the deities of your path, then you probably shouldn’t be asking them for favors. So first, figure out your goal. Are you doing a working regarding home and domesticity? Then don’t call upon some masculine power deity. What if you’re celebrating the end of the harvest season, and the dying of the earth? Then you shouldn’t be offering milk and flowers to a spring goddess.

Consider your purpose carefully, before you make offerings or prayers to a particular god or goddess.

Although this is certainly not a comprehensive list of all the gods and their domains, it may help you a bit to get an idea of who is out there, and what sorts of things they may be able to help you with:

Artisanship

For assistance relating to skills, crafts, or handiwork, call upon the Celtic smith god, Lugh. Many other pantheons have forge and craftsmanship gods as well.

Chaos

When it comes to matters of discord and upsetting the balance of things, some people choose to to check in with Loki the Norse prankster god. However, it’s generally recommended that you don’t do this unless you’re a devotee of Loki in the first place – you may end up getting more than you bargained for.

Destruction

If you’re doing a working related to destruction, the Celtic war goddess the Morrighan may assist you, but don’t trifle with her lightly. A safer bet might be working with Demeter, the Dark Mother of the harvest season.

Fall Harvest

When you celebrate the fall harvest, you may want to take time to honor Herne, the god of the wild hunt, or Osiris, who is often connected with grain and the harvest. Demeter and her daughter, Persephone, are typically connected with the waning part of the year. Pomona is associated with fruit orchards and the bounty of trees in fall. There are also a number of other harvest gods and gods of the vine who may be interested in what you’re doing.

Feminine Energy

For workings related to the moon, lunar energy, or the sacred feminine, consider invoking Artemis or Venus.

Fertility

When it comes to fertility, there are plenty of deities out there to ask for assistance. Consider Cernunnos, the wild stag of the forest, or Freya, a goddess of sexual power and energy. If you follow a Roman-based path, try honoring Bona Dea. There are a number of other fertility gods out there as well, each with their own specific domain.

Home and Marriage

Brighid is a protector of hearth and home, and Juno and Vesta are both patronesses of marriage.

Love and Lust

Aphrodite has long been associated with love and beauty, and so has her counterpart, Venus. Likewise, Eros and Cupid are considered representative of masculine lust. Priapus is a god of raw sexuality, including sexual violence.

Magic

Isis, the mother goddess of Egypt, is often called upon for magical workings, as is Hecate, a goddess of sorcery.

Masculine Energy

Cernunnos is a strong symbol of masculine energy and power, as is Herne, the god of the hunt. Odin and Thor, both Norse gods, are known as powerful, masculine gods.

Motherhood

Isis is a mother goddess on a grand scale, and Juno watches over women in labor.

Prophecy and Divination

Brighid is known as a goddess of prophecy, and so is Cerridwen, with her cauldron of knowledge. Janus, the two-faced god, sees both the past and future.

Underworld

Because of his harvest associations, Osiris is often connected with the underworld. There are a number of other deities of death and dying.

War and Conflict

The Morrighan is not only a goddess of war, but also of sovereignty and loyalty. Athena protects warriors and imparts them with wisdom. Freya and Thor guide fighters in battle.

Wisdom

Thoth was the Egyptian god of wisdom, and Athena and Odin may also be called upon, depending on your purpose.

Seasonal

There are a number of deities associated with the various times of the Wheel of the Year, including the Winter Solstice, Late winter, the Spring Equinox, and the Summer solstice.

Source: About.com

(One Person’s View Point) THE GOD AND GODDESS OF WITCHCRAFT

THE GOD AND GODDESS OF WITCHCRAFT

A general complaint about Christianity by Witches is that there is the worship of the male deity to the exclusion of the female. In fact this is one of the main reasons for people (women especially) leaving Christianity and returning to the Old Religion. And yet it’s a strange paradox that many—if not the majority—of Witchcraft traditions are guilty of this same crime of
Christianity, if in reverse … they laud the Goddess to the near, or even total, exclusion of the God!

Witchcraft is a religion of nature, as any Witch will tell you. Everywhere in nature there is male and female, and both are necessary (I have yet to meet anyone who does not have both a mother and a father). It follows, then, that both the God and the Goddess are important and
should be equally revered. There should be balance. But balance is as woefully missing in most traditions of the Craft as it is in Christianity.

We are all—every single one of us—made up of both masculine and feminine attributes. The toughest, most macho man has feminine aspects just as the most traditionally-feminine woman has male aspects. So it is with the deities. The God has feminine aspects as well as masculine, and the Goddess has masculine as well as feminine.

What names you use for your deities is a matter of personal preference. In Saxon Witchcraft the name Woden is given to the God; in Gardnerian the Latin term Cernunnos is used; in Scottish, Devla. Each tradition has its own name. But names are only labels; they are only a
means of identifying. You should identify, then, using a name with which you can feel completely comfortable. For, after all, religion is a most personal thing, at the core, and—to be of real purpose—should therefore be related to on the most personal level possible. Even if you join an established tradition this is still valid—find a tradition that seems right for you (as I spoke about in Lesson One) but… don’t be afraid to modify where necessary to make it totally right for you. If the name used to identify the God, in the tradition you have chosen, happens to be Cernunnos (for example) and you have difficulty relating to that name, then choose another for your own use. In other words, respect the name Cernunnos in group worship and all matters pertaining to the coven but, in your own mind—and in personal rites—don’t hesitate to substitute Pan or Mananna or Lief or whatever. A name, as I have said, is a label. The God himself knows you are “talking” to him; he’s not going to be confused! (This all
applies equally to the Goddess of course).

It may well be for the above reason that the name Cernunnos is found in so many branches of the Craft. As I’ve mentioned, it is simply the Latin word for “the Homed One”. To add your own personal identification, then, in no way conflicts.

Traditionally the “dark half” of the year is associated with the God. But this does not (or should not) mean that he is “dead”, or incommunicado, in the “light half” of the year (and vice versa with the Goddess). During the light half he is fully active in his feminine aspect; just as the
Goddess is active in the dark half in her masculine aspect. So, both deities are active throughout the year, even though deference may be given to one over the other at certain times.

There is a common theme of death and resurrection found in myths throughout the world. The symbolism is frequently furthered in a descent to the underworld with a later return. We find it with Ishtar’s descent and search for Tannaz; with Sif’s loss of her golden tresses; with Idunn’s loss of her golden apples; with Jesus’ death and resurrection; with Siva’s death and resurrection, and many more. Basically all represent the coming of fall and winter followed by the return of spring and summer; the lead figure represnting the spirit of vegetation. From Witchcraft here are “The Myth Of the Goddess” as found in (a) Gardnerian Wicca and (b)
Saxon Wicca.

“Now G* had never loved, but she would solve all the Mysteries, even the Mystery of Death; and so she journeyed to the Nether Lands. The Guardians of the Portals challenged her, ‘Strip off thy garments, lay aside thy jewels; for naught may ye bring with ye into this our land.’

So she laid down her garments and her jewels and was bound, as are all who enter the Realms of Death the Mighty One. Such was her beauty that Death himself knelt and kissed her feet,
saying, “Blessed be thy feet that have brought thee in these ways. Abide with me, let me place my cold hand on thy heart.’ She replied, ‘I love thee not. Why dost thou cause all things that I love and take delight in to fade and die?’

‘Lady/ replied Death, ‘it is Age and Fate, against which I am helpless. Age causes all things to wither; but when men die at the end of time I give them rest and peace, and strength so that
they may return. But thou, thou art lovely. Return not; abide with me.’

But she answered, 1 love thee not’.

Then said Death, ‘An’ thou receive not my hand on thy heart, thou must receive Death’s scourge’.

It is Fate; better so’, she said and she knelt; and Death scourged her and she cried, ‘I feel the pangs of love’.

And Death said, ‘Blessed be’ and gave her the Fivefold Kiss, saying, ‘Thus only may ye attain to joy and knowledge’.

And he taught her all the mysteries. And they loved and were one, and he taught her all the Magicks.

For there are three great events in the life of Man: Love, Death and Resurrection in a new body; and Magick controls them all.

For to fulfill love you must return again at the same time and place as the loved one, and you must remember and love them again. But to be reborn you must die, and be ready for a new
body; and to die you must be born; and without love you may not be born. And these be all the Magicks.”

–The Meaning of Witchcraft
Gerald B. Gardner, Aquarian Press, London 1959

“All day had Freya, most lovely of the goddesses, played and romped in the fields. Then did she lay down to rest. And while she slept deft Loki, the Prankster, the Mischief-Maker of the
Gods, did espy the glimmering oiBrosingamene, formed of Galdra, her constant companion. Silent as night did Loki move to the Goddess’ side and, with fingers formed over the ages in
lightness, did remove the silver circlet from about her snow-white neck.

Straightway did Freya arouse, on sensing its loss. Though he moved with the speed of the winds yet Loki she glimpsed as he passed swiftly from sight into the Barrow that leads to
Dreun.

Then was Freya in despair. Darkness descended all about her to hide her tears. Great was her anguish. All light, all life, all creatures joined in her doom. To all corners were sent the
Searchers, in quest of Loki; yet knew they, they would find him not. For who is there may descend into Dreun and return again from thence? Excepting the Gods themselves and, alack, mischievous Loki.

So it was that, still weak from grief, Freya herself elected to descend in search otBrosinga-mene. At the portals of the Barrow was she challenged yet recognized and passed. The
multitude of souls within cried joyfully to see her yet could she not tarry as she sought her stolen light. The infamous Loki left no trail to follow, yet was he everywhere past seen. Those to whom she spake held to Freya (that) Loki carried no jewel as he went by. Where, then, was it hid? In despair she searched an age. Hearhden, the mighty smith of the Gods, did arise from his rest to sense the bewailment of the souls to Freya’s sorrow. Striding from his smithy, to find the cause of the sorrow, did he espy the Silver Circlet where Loki Mischief-Maker had laid it:
upon the rock before his door.

Then was all clear. As Hearhden took hold of Brosingamene, (then did) Loki appear before him, his face wild with rage. Yet would Loki not attack Hearhden, this Mighty Smith whose strength was known even beyond Dreun.

By wiles and tricks did he strive to get his hands upon the silver circlet. He shape-shifted; he darted here and there; he was visible then invisible. Yet could he not sway the smith.

Tiring of the fight, Hearhden raised his mighty club. Then sped Loki away. Great was the joy of Freya when Hearhden placed Brosingamene once more about her snow-white neck.

Great were the cries of joy from Dreun and above.

Great were the thanks that Freya, and all Men, gave to the Gods for the return of Brosingamene.”

–The Tree: The Complete Book of
Saxon Witchcraft
Raymond Buckland, Samuel Weiser, NY 1974

Source: Buckland’s Complete Book of Witchcraft