The Witches Almanac for Saturday, April 16th

Saturday (Saturn): Longevity, exorcism, endings, homes, and houses.

Zurich Spring Festival (Swiss)

Waxing Moon
The Waxing Moon (from the New Moon to the Full) is the ideal time for magic to draw things toward you.
 
Moon phase: Second Quarter

Moon Sign: Leo
Leo: Draws emphasis to the self, central ideas, or institutions, away from connections with others and other emotional needs. People tend to be melodramatic.
 
Moon enters Virgo 7: 23 pm
Virgo: Favors accomplishment of details and commands from higher up. Focuses on health, hygiene, and daily schedules.

Incense: Pine

Color: Black
 

Source

 

Llewellyn’s 2016 Magical Almanac: Practical Magic for Everyday Living

 

April 16th

A Sacred Supplication

Some say that it was on this day that the Greek hero Theseus approached the God Apollo in supplication at Delphi for help in slaying the half-man, half-bull known as the Minotaur that roamed the Labyrinth on Crete. Theseus was advised, through the Delphic Oracle, to make a sacrifce to the Goddess Aprhodite (known as Venus in Rome) before setting sail. According to Greek tradition, supplicants like Theseus carried a ritual olive branch wound with white wool called the hiketeria, for it was said that this ensured that their please would not go unanswered.

The Seed Moon

Many Wiccans dedicate the April esbat to the “growing moon” or the “seed moon” (referring to the burgeoning natural growth at this time of year). Place some seeds on your altar, ask the Goddess to bless them, and then plant them in the earth by moonlight.
 

Source

The Wicca Book of Days
Observances, Traditions and Lore for Every Day of the Year
Selene Eilidh Ash

The Pagan Book of Days for Saturday, April 16th

 

Cerealia/St. Padarn/Egyptian Day

Known by its Celtic dedication as St. Padarn’s Day. On this day it was customary to begin weeding the growing crops.

 

Source

The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick

Saturday, April 16th

Saturday is dedicated to the shadowy Anglo-Saxon God Saetere or Seater, equivalent to the God Saturn. It is a day also associated with the Norns, the Norse equivalent of Three Fates, and the trickster God Loki. It is connected generally with apprehension, austerity, caution, and excessive self-limitation.

Deity: Saetere

Zodiac Sign: Aquarius

Planet: Saturn

Tree: Alder

Herb: Daffodil

Stone: Amethyst

Animal: Eagle

Element: Earth

Color: Dark Blue

Number: 4

Rune: Dag(D)

Celtic Tree Month of Saille (Willow) – April 15th to May 12th. Willow is a tree of healing and protection. It can help us to connect with our emotions and bring us inner strength.

Runic Half Month of Man (human being) – April 14th to April 28th

Goddess of the Month for March 20 to April 17th is Columbina

The Goddess Month of Maia starts April 18th and runs through May 15th
 

Source

The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick

Magical Days Of the Week – Saturday

It’s the end of the week for many of us, so Saturday – named for the god Saturn – is a good time to wrap things up. Associated with the colors black and dark purple, and the metal lead, this day is also connected to the goddess Hecate. Gemstones like Apache tear, obsidian, and hematite are all connected to Saturday’s magic, as are plants such as thyme, mullein, and the cypress tree.

When it comes to magical workings, focus on agriculture and creativity, fortune and hope, protection and banishment of negativity.

Put up a barrier to keep the unwelcome out, eliminate the things that make you miserable, and wash your hands of anything other than your hopes, dreams and goals.
 

Author

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

The Witches Musts for Saturday

Feel the need for a psychic cleansing in the house? Light up some patchouli- or myrrh-scented incense, and wave the smoke around your house or apartment. It will help to break up any lingering negativity or bad feelings. Crumble up a few dried mullein leaves and create a circle around your home, or scatter it across the thresholds, to keep prowlers away.

Burn a few black candles to repel manipulative intentions or unwanted advances. Add a few protective herbs to your dinner such as thyme or basil. Try growing a blooming cyclamen plant in your kitchen to ward the family and to encourage Hecate’s blessings. Grow deep purple and black pansies in window boxes to encourage the planetary vibrations of Saturn. Let ivy grow up the walls of your home for even more bewitching security.

Saturdays are the particular day of the week for protection and for dealing with more serious magickal matters. Go back over the at-a-glance list and see what components you can add to your spells for today for a little more oomph.

Meditate on Hecate to learn her lessons and include some dark goddess wisdom into your Craft. As a Witch, you already know that you have power-the power to effect real change in your life. Working with Hecate can teach you how and when to best use this power for the greater good.

If you want to expand your magickal skills, then start learning how to incorporate all of this information on the days of witchery in a whole new way. This includes the knowledge you already have and the new day-by-day correspondences and witchcraft that were presented in this Book of Shadows. Put your own unique spin on things. Decide what your enchanting specialties are, then apply them to your Craft each and every day with wisdom and style.
 

Source

 

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

 

Saturday’s Witchery

Saturday is a day filled with opportunities to clean up and clear out. So if you are wondering why Hecate is assigned to this day, take another look at what she symbolizes and the magick that is associated with her. That should answer the question.

Hecate was the oldest form of the Greek Triple Goddess, as she presided over heaven, the underworld, and earth. Crossroads where three roads met were especially sacred to Hecate, earning her the title of Hekate of the Three Ways. It’s interesting to note that even after the worship of other goddesses waned, ancient people still worshiped Hecate as the Queen of the Underworld and the Guardian of the Three-Way Crossroad. It was also believed that if you left her an offering of food there, she would grant you her favors. As Hecate Trivia, her triple images were often displayed at these crossroads, where she was petitioned on the full moon for positive magick and on the dark of the moon for cursing and dark magick.

While this last bit of information sounds a little ominous, keep in mind that Hecate/Hekate was known by many titles and is a shapeshifter. Her appearance could and did change often. As a dark moon goddess, her faces are many. To some she may appear as a old crone, hunched over a smoking cauldron and draped in a midnight cape. To others she may appear as a dark beautiful, mysterious, and mature woman wearing a shimmering crown. To some she may be perceived as a maiden priestess. She was called the “most lovely one,” the Great Goddess of Nature, and the Queen of the World of Spirits. This dark goddess knows her way around the earth and the underworld. All the powers of nature, life, and death are at her command.
 

Source

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

Saturday

The planetary correspondence for Saturday is Saturn. Matters dealing with the public, farming, family ties, legal matters (such as wills and estates), taking care of debts, dealing with lawyers, financing, joint money matters, real estate, older people, banishing or binding negativity, and getting rid of bad habits all fall under the charge of Saturn. It’s easy to see why “Saturday’s child works hard for his living.”

Saturday’s angels are Cassiel, Machatan, Uriel, and Orifiel. Cassiel is the angel of solitudes and tears. He is one of the rulers of the planet Saturn and occasionally appears as the angel of patience. Cassiel links himself to dragon energy. Regarding Machatan, the only information we get is that he works well with Cassiel and is also a power of Saturn. Orifiel is an angel of the wilderness, a ruler of the second hour of the day, and also associated with Saturn.

On Saturday, the hour of sunrise and every eight hours after that are also ruled by Saturn, 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

The Sky This Week: April 16 – 17

Saturday, April 16

Mars pokes above the eastern horizon just after 11 p.m. local daylight time this week and remains prominent until morning twilight is well underway. The Red Planet’s eastward motion relative to the background stars of southern Ophiuchus comes to a halt today; it then starts moving westward at the start of its so-called retrograde loop. This is a sure sign that Mars is approaching peak visibility, which it will reach at opposition in late May. Our neighboring world currently shines at magnitude–1.0, trailing only the Moon, Jupiter, and Sirius. When viewed through a telescope, Mars appears 14″ across and should display a prominent north polar cap as well as subtle dark markings.

Sunday, April 17

The waxing gibbous Moon’s motion through the night sky carries it near Jupiter tonight. The night sky’s two brightest objects appear only 2° apart, or about four times the Moon’s diameter.

Source

Astronomy Magazine

Your Sun & Moon Data for Saturday, April 16th

Sun
Current Time: Apr 16, 2016 at 9:43:36 AM
Sun Direction: ↑ 109.38° ESE
Sun Altitude: 39.65°
Sun Distance: 93.303 million mi
Next Solstice: Jun 20, 2016 5:34 PM (Summer)
Sunrise Today: 6:18 AM↑ 76° East
Sunset Today: 7:31 PM↑ 284° West
Length of Day: 13 hours, 12 minutes

 

Moon
Current Time: Apr 16, 2016 at 9:45:06 AM
Moon Direction: ↑ 14.07° NNE
Moon Altitude: -41.70°
Moon Distance: 246579 mi
Next Full Moon: Apr 22, 201612:23 AM
Next New Moon: May 6, 20162:29 PM
Next Moonrise: Today2:40 PM
Current Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous
Illumination: 74.0%

 

Source

timeanddate.com