Author: lynette_starfire
I am a Solitary Practitioner. For those of you who don't know, that means I am 100% witch. I have no Path that I follow but I do lean toward Celtic rather heavily. I have interests in other Paths. Since I am a Solitary, I pull what I need from other traditions and weave it so it suits my needs. I also have other interests beside witchcraft. I like to ride horses in the cool Spring mornings and late in the Summer evenings. I love to go for nature hikes, I love animals (all shapes and forms). I like making as much of my food as possible. I am not really into anything store bought. I am a pure Naturalist.
Famous Witches Throughout History – Circe
Circe
In Greek mythology, flame-haired Circe is a minor goddess (or sometimes a nymph, witch, enchantress or sorceress) living on the island of Aeaea. She was reputed to transform her enemies, or those who offended her, into animals through the use of magical potions and was renowned for her knowledge of drugs and herbs.
Circe’s father was Helios, the god of the sun, and her mother was Perse, an Oceanid and daughter of the Titans Oceanus and Tethys. She was also the sister of two kings of Colchis, Aeëtes and Perses, and of Pasiphaë, the mother of the Minotaur.
In Homer’s “Odyssey”, Odysseus’ crew stumbled onto Circe’s island and her “water mansion” in a clearing in a dense wood, around which prowled harmless lions and wolves, the drugged victims of her magic. She invited the sailors to a feast, but the food was laced with one of her magical potions, and she turned them all into pigs with a wand after they had gorged themselves on it (modern interpretations suggest this may have been a hallucinogenic intoxication or drugged delusion rather than shapeshifting).
Odysseus set out to rescue his men, using the holy herb “moly” given to him by Hermes to protect himself from Circe’s potion, and following Hermes’ advice as to how to avoid Circe’s magic and seductions. Having freed his fellows, Odysseus and Circe became lovers, and he and his men remained on the island for a year feasting and drinking wine, after which Circe assisted him in his quest to reach his home.
Later poets extended the story, one version being that Telegonus, Circe’s son by Odysseus was sent by Circe to find Odysseus, who had long since returned to his home on Ithaca, but on arrival Telegonus accidentally killed his father. He brought the body back to Aeaea, taking Odysseus’ widow Penelope and their son Telemachus with him, and Circe made them immortal and married Telemachus, while Telegonus made Penelope his wife.
According to legend, Jason and the Argonauts also visited Circe’s island while they were escaping the Colchian fleet, (possibly at the request of Circe’s niece Medea, who was with them, or possibly instructed by the magical ship “Argo” itself) in order to be purified and cleansed by Circe for the assassination of Medea’s brother Apsyrtus.
In some stories, Circe was also attributed the ability to darken the heavens by hiding the moon or the sun behind clouds, and destroy her enemies with poisonous juices, calling to her aid Nyx (Night), Chaos or Hecate, the goddess of the crossroads. In her presence, and because of her enchantments, the woods would move, the ground rumble and the trees around her turn white. At night, uncontrolled visions filled her house, the walls and chambers of her palace could seem to be bathed in blood, and fire could seem to devour her magic herbs.
She is also credited with converting, in a fit of jealousy, the beautiful young woman Scylla into a monster with the face and breast of a woman, but having in her flanks six heads and twelve feet of dogs, who ever after presented a danger for ships passing the strait of Messina between Sicily and Italy. She is also supposed to have turned the handsome young magician Picus into a woodpecker after he refused her advances.
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The Spellbinding Story of Circe, Goddess of Magic
Circe was a goddess of magic and she continues to be one of the most enchanting deities of ancient Greek mythology. This daughter of Helios and patron of ancient Greek witches still fascinates people even today.
She appeared in many of the most famous ancient Greek texts, such as The Odyssey by Homer, The Theogony by Hesiod, Description of Greece by Pausanias, Geography by Strabo, and The Library of History by Diodorus Siculus. She was also mentioned by famous Roman writers like Virgil, Cicero, Ovid, Hyginus, Valerius Flaccus, Statius, and Propertius. Why did Circe become so popular for these and other writers? She was just one of many characters in Greek mythology, but people saw something in her which fascinated them more than the others.
The Magic of Circe
Witchcraft has always been important. Since the beginning of humanity, people have searched for solutions through magical practices. Therefore, Circe (or Kirke) became one of the most magnetic women in Ancient Greece.
In most texts, she is described as a daughter of Perse the Oceanid and the Titan of the Sun – Helios. She had several siblings, including Pasiphae (who married King Minos and bore the famous Minotaur.) Aeetes, known as the keeper of the Golden Fleece, was said to be her brother. However, some ancient texts suggest that she was actually the powerful goddess Hecate’s daughter instead.
Her personality and attributes encompass all of the key ideas related to witchcraft. It is written that she was a specialist in herbs and knew how to use them for magic and healing. She created many recipes for ancient potions to use in magic rituals. Circe is often depicted with a wand or a staff. One of the most famous of her accomplishments was transforming her enemies into animals.
The most popular account of Circe comes from the Odyssey 10. 135 – 12. 156:
“[Odysseus sailed forth from the land of the Laistrygones (Laestrygones) and came next to the island of Kirke (Circe):] Then we came to the island of Aiaia (Aeaea); here Kirke (Circe) dwelt, a goddess with braided hair, with human speech and with strange powers; the magician Aeetes was her brother, and both were radiant Helios the sun-god’s children; their mother was Perse, Okeanos’ (Oceanus’) daughter. We brought the ship noiselessly to shore, and with some divinity for guide we put in at the sheltering harbour. We disembarked, and for two days and two nights we lay there, eating out our hearts with sorrow and weariness.
But when Eos the Dawn of the braided hair brought the third day at last, I took my spear and my sharp sword and hastened up to a vantage-point, hoping to see some human handiwork or to catch the sound of some human speech. I climbed a commanding crag, and from where I stood had a glimpse of smoke rising from the ground. There were gleams of fire through the smoke, and at sight of this I wondered inwardly whether to go and look. But as I pondered, it seemed a wiser thing to return first to my vessel on the beach, give my men a meal and then send them out to spy. I was on my way back and near the ship when some divinity pities me in my loneliness and sent a great antlered stag right across my path [perhaps a man that Kirke had transformed into an animal].”
Her role is quite large in the Odyssey, where it shows many things about morality and understanding the power of magic and the fear of deities in ancient Greece. Homer’s description of her also led to Circe being considered as one of the most attractive female figures in ancient mythology.
A Heroine of Science and Literature
Stories from ancient literature fascinated many scientists so much that they started to search for scientific explanations in them. For example, the plants which are believed to be the ones Circe used to put a spell on Odysseus’ companions were called Circaea. That name was given during the late 16th century.
Circe’s fame didn’t die with the end of ancient beliefs. During medieval times, she became an important symbol in moral stories created by Giovanni Boccaccio. In ”Famous women” ( De mulieribus claris ), he wrote that she lived in Italy and commented on her actions. She also appeared in the monumental 600-page text written by Georg Rollenhagen in 1595, titled ”The frogs and mice” ( Froschmeulseler). In that book, Rollenhagen described the story of Odysseus or Ulysses and Circe.
In 1624, Spanish writer Lope de Vega also presented her in his text titled La Circe – con otras rimas y prosas , where he wrote another version of the Greek myth. She was a popular motif during the 19th century in books related to mystical and mythical topics as well.
Circe Today
Circe is now one of the most popular figures from ancient witchcraft and mythology. Her character appears in TV series, movies, games, and fantasy books. She still casts her magic and terrifies men, who have no idea what to do – should they escape or admire her beauty? Circe is a symbol of female power for women and vanity for men. Regardless of how she is interpreted, she is still one of the most magnetic women from ancient Greek myth.
Reference
By Natalia Klimczak, Ancient Origins
Zygmunt Kubiak, Mitologia Greków i Rzymian, 1997.
Pierre Grimal, The Dictionary of Classical Mythology, 1996.
Homer, Odyssey, available at:
http://classics.mit.edu/Homer/odyssey.html
Kirke, available at:
http://www.theoi.com/Titan/Kirke.html
The Study of Pagan Gods & Goddesses: Nephthys, Egyptian Goddess
Nephthys
Nephthys was one of the original five gods of ancient Egypt born of the union of Geb (earth) and Nut (sky) after the creation of the world. She was the fourth born after Osiris, Isis, and Set and was the older sister of Horus (usually referred to as Horus the Elder). As one of the earliest goddesses of Egypt, she was a member of the Ennead of Heliopolis, a tribunal of nine deities of immense power. Her cult centers were Heliopolis, Senu, Hebet, Per-met, Re-nefert, and Het-sekem. Contrary to some scholars’ assertions that she was never widely worshipped in Egypt, temples to Nephthys were quite common and she was considered an extremely important goddess from the Predynastic Period (c.6000-c. 3150 BCE) through the Ptolemaic Dynasty (323-30 BCE), the last dynasty to rule Egypt before it became a province of Rome.
NAME & SYMBOLS
‘Nephthys’ is the Latin version of her Egyptian name `Nebthwt’ (also given as Nebet-het and Nebt-het) which translates as “Lady of the Temple Enclosure” or “Mistress of the House” and she is routinely pictured with the heiroglyph for ‘house’ on her crown. The ‘house’ is neither an earthly home nor temple but linked to the heavens as she was related to air and ether. The ‘enclosure’ may refer to the courtyard outside a temple as she was represented by the pylons outside of temples in her role as a protective goddess; just as the pylons and wall protected the inner temple, Nephthys protected the souls of the people. She was associated with death and decay from an early period and was regularly invoked during funeral services. Professional mourners at Egyptian funerals were known as “Hawks of Nephthys” and she is one of the four goddesses (along with Isis, Selket, and Neith) whose images were found in the tomb of Tutankhamun as guardians of his canopic vessels. Historian Margaret Bunson notes:
Nephthys was associated with the mortuary cult in every era and was part of the ancient worship of Min [a god of fertility and reproduction]. The desert regions were dedicated to her and she was thought to be skilled in magic (188).
Her magical skills were similar to those of Isis and some scholars see her as Isis’ mirror image, Nephthys’ darkness balancing Isis’ light, and they are frequently pictured together as twin sisters. In the city of Heliopolis Nephthys and Isis were represented by two virgin priestesses at festivals who would recite the famous Lamentations of Isis and Nepthys at the Osiris’ festival. The Lamentations is a long narrative poem recreating the moment Isis and Nephthys worked together to revive the god Osiris and bring him back to life. Although originally spoken only at religious services, the Lamentations came to be included in the Egyptian Book of the Dead and was recited at funeral services.
Nephthys became the wife of Set and is best known for the part she played in the Osiris myth where, disguised as Isis, she seduced Osiris and provided Set with justification for the murder of his brother. She is later depicted in the myth as both betraying and then helping Isis in her efforts to restore her husband to life. She is a goddess of the dead who, like her granddaughter Qebhet, provides assistance to the souls of the deceased. She was so helpful to those in the afterlife that one of her titles was “Friend of the Dead” and she was also thought to bring news of the deceased back to their relatives on earth and comfort them in their time of mourning.
Her symbols are the hawk and the temple and the sycamore tree, one of the more popular trees depicted in inscriptions from the Egyptian Book of the Dead. She is the mother of the death god Anubis and was associated with the setting sun, twilight, and darkness. Prayers were offered to Nephthys at twilight for protection and also to aid her as she struggled with her husband Set to defend the Boat of Ra (the sun god) from the serprent Apophis as it made its journey through the realms of night.
MYTHOLOGICAL ORIGINS
According to the most popular version of the Egyptian creation myth, there was once only swirling chaotic waters and darkness in the universe until, one day, a mound (known as the ben-ben) rose from the seas with the god Atum (also known as Ra) standing upon it. Atum gazed out on the eternal nothingness and recognized he was lonely, and so mated with his own shadow to give birth to Shu (god of the air) and Tefnut (goddess of moisture). These two deities then left their father alone on the primordial mound and went off to create the world.
Atum, alone on the hill in the midst of chaos, longed for his children and worried over their safety, and so he removed his eye and sent it out in search of them. Shu and Tefnut returned with the eye, having failed to create the world, and Atum was so happy to see them, he began to cry. As his tears fell on the fertile earth of the ben-ben, men and women sprang up.
These new fragile beings had nowhere to live, however, and so Shu and Tefnut mated and gave birth to Geb (the earth) and Nut (the sky). These two quickly fell in love and became inseparable; a situation Atum found intolerable as they were brother and sister. He pushed Nut high above Geb and fastened her there so the two lovers would be able to see each other but never touch again. Nut, however, was already pregnant by Geb and soon gave birth to five children: Osiris, Isis, Set, Nephthys, and Horus. Atum gave to these five gods the task of maintaining the world and set his first born, Osiris, to rule over all the living things of the earth.
THE OSIRIS MYTH
At this point in the story the famous Osiris Myth begins when Set becomes jealous of Osiris’ power and success. Osiris married his beautiful sister Isis and the royal couple taught the humans of the world culture and art, instructed them in religion, and gave them the gifts of agriculture. To the Egyptians, their country was essentially the world and this world, under the reign of Osiris and Isis, was a paradise. Men and women were equal in all things and there was an abundance of food.
Osiris
Horus the Elder, in this story, is never mentioned but the roles of Set and Nephthys, who are, seem fairly insignificant at first until Nephthys emerges to play a pivotal role. She changed her form to take on the shape and scent of Isis and seduced Osiris, who thought he was sleeping with his wife. In some versions of the story she drugs his wine or gives him too much while, in others, he simply comes to her bed thinking she is Isis. Osiris leaves afterwards but drops a flower he wore in his hair on the floor and this is later found by Set who recognizes it as his brother’s.
Set was already resentful of his older brother but now, believing Osiris had seduced his wife, he planned to murder him. He created an ornate chest to Osiris’ exact measurements and then threw a party where he offered the box as a gift to whichever of his guests could best fit in it. Osiris, of course, fit perfectly and, when he lay down in the casket, Set slammed the cover on, fastened it, and threw it into the Nile. He then assumed the throne with Nephthys as his consort. She gave birth a short time later to a son, the god Anubis, whom she abandoned and who was raised by Isis.
Isis, meanwhile, went in search of her husband and found the casket with his body inside lodged in a tree in Byblos. The king and queen of the city had seen the tree down by the shore and were attracted by its beauty (which was the essence of Osiris permeating the tree) and its sweet scent (the aroma of Osiris) and had it cut down and brought to their court to serve as a central pillar. Isis, disguised as an older woman, was invited to the court after she befriended the queen’s handmaidens down by the shore and soon became nursemaid to the young princes. In an effort to make the youngest son immortal, she held him in a mystical fire each night to burn away his mortal part and, one night, the queen caught her and was horrified. Isis threw off her disguise, revealing herself, and the king and queen begged her for mercy, offering her anything to spare them. She asked for the pillar in the court; and they gave it to her.
All this time, the world was suffering under the rule of Set. The land was barren and the desert winds blew. Equality in the land was forgotten as people fought for each other for survival. Isis returned to the wasteland with Osiris and hid his body in the marshes of the Nile Delta and then asked Nephthys to stand guard to protect him from Set. While Isis went off to find herbs to revive her husband, Set was out searching for the body and found Nephthys. He managed to get from her where Isis had hidden Osiris and hacked the body to pieces, throwing them across the land and into the river. When Isis returned, Nephthys tearfully told her the story and offered to help in any way she could.
Isis and Nephthys found all the parts of Osiris and put him back together except for his penis, which had been eaten by a fish. Osiris revived but, because he was not whole, could not return to the land as king; he would instead descend to the underworld where he would rule over the dead as their just and merciful judge. Before he left, however, Isis transformed herself into a kite (a falcon) and flew around his body, drawing his seed into her own and becoming pregnant with a son, Horus. When Horus was born, she hid him in the marshes of the Delta as she had his father’s body and Nephthys, this time, kept her secret.
THE CONTENDINGS OF HORUS & SET
When Horus grew to manhood he challenged Set for the kingdom. The best known version of this contest is known as The Contendings of Horus and Set from a manuscript of the Twentieth Dynasty (1190-1077 BCE). The story tells of the legal battle before the Ennead of Heliopolis, a tribunal of nine gods, to decide who was the rightful king of Egypt. These gods were Atum, Shu and Tefnut, Geb and Nut, Isis and Nephthys, Set, and Osiris. Horus and Set both present their cases and then must prove themselves in a series of contests and battles which are all won by Horus.
Horus
The majority of the nine gods ruled that Horus was the rightful king but Atum, the sun god, was not convinced and the decision had to be unanimous, barring Set’s opinion. Atum believed that Horus was too young and had led too sheltered a life to effectively rule while Set had the necessary experience if not the most gentle manner. Even though Horus won every contest against his uncle, Atum would not be moved. This trial went on for over 80 years while the people of Egypt suffered under Set’s chaotic reign until Isis intervened, showed the other gods – and Set – how wickedly he had behaved, and won the ruling in favor of her son. In another, perhaps older, version of the story it is the goddess Neith who settles the dispute in favor of Horus and grants the desert lands to Set along with two foreign goddesses (Anat and Astarte) as consolation. Horus assumed the throne of his father and ruled with Isis and Nephthys as his counselors. Set was driven from the land to the arid frontier deserts and Nephthys remained as a protector of the female head of the household, Isis in this case, but later any mature married woman.
THE LAMENTATIONS OF ISIS & NEPHTHYS
This myth was important to the ancient Egyptians on many levels. It illustrated core values of harmony, order, divine intervention in human affairs, the importance of gratitude, trust, and how, in the character of Set, even the gods could succumb to temptation but, no matter what, harmony and order would be restored. The death and ressurection of Osiris provided a divine template for the passage of all human beings who were thought to be travelers on an eternal journey through life and on into the afterlife. The Cult of Osiris became extremely popular and part of his religious service included the recitation of the liturgy known as The Lamentations of Isis and Nephthys.
The most complete version of this verse comes from the Berlin Papyrus 3008 dating to the Ptolemaic Dynasty. This papyrus was part of a copy of The Book of the Dead owned by a woman named Tentruty (also given as Teret) and is written in hieratic script (the cursive, everyday, script of the Egyptians) in five columns. The poem is written as an exchange between Isis and Nephthys as they call Osiris’ soul back to his body. The two goddesses entreat the soul to return, to live again among them, and invoke Horus, Osiris’ son, as his protector in life who will provide him with “bread, beer, oxen, and fowl” and whose sons will guard his body and protect his soul. In the end, Osiris returns to life as the poem ends with the line, “Lo! He Comes!”
Following the verse, the scribe has left very careful instructions on how the Lamentations is to be presented at the festivals:
Now, when this is recited the place is to be completely secluded, not seen and not heard by anyone except the chief lector-priest and the setem-priest. One shall bring two women with beautiful bodies. They shall be made to sit on the ground at the main portal of the Hall of Appearings. On their arms shall be written the names of Isis and Nephthys. Jars of faience filled with water shall be placed in their right hands, offering loaves made in Memphis in their left hands, and their faces shall be bowed. To be done in the third hour of the day, also in the eighth hour of the day. You shall not be slack in reciting this book in the hour of the festival. It is finished.
The two virgins would recite the Lamentations to invite Osiris to participate in the festival and, once he arrived, the celebration could begin. Osiris was considered the first king of Egypt who had given the people their culture and who, through his death and resurrection, showed them the way to eternal life. In death, everyone was linked to Osiris who was the first to have died and been reborn. His festivals, therefore, were of great importance and Nephthys regularly featured as one of the most important elements of the celebration: one of the two who called the god to join the living.
She describes herself as the “beloved sister” of Osiris in the Lamentations and says, “I am with you, your bodyguard, for all eternity.” When the Lamentations became included in The Book of the Dead (c. 1550-1070 BCE), the poem was recited at funerals and Nephthys would then have been speaking to the soul of the deceased. It was in this capacity that she came to be regarded as the “Friend of the Dead” who walked with the soul and helped them in the afterlife as their “bodyguard for all eternity” and made her such an important deity to the people.
NEPHTHYS & THE BARGE OF RA
Long before the Osiris myth became popular, Nepthys was already a very significant goddess, however. In texts of the period of the Old Kingdom (c. 2613 – c. 2181 BCE) she is referenced with Set as the two gods who protect the barge of the sun god Ra (Atum) as it passes through the night sky. The evil serpent Apophis tried every night to murder the sun god but Nephthys and Set fought the creature off so the sun could rise the next morning. Set was later transformed from a protector god to the villain of the Osiris myth but Nephthys’ role remained the same: a protector and sustainer of life. Even though the focus on who was protected changed, the basic elements of her character remained the same. The scholar Geraldine Pinch has observed that, “Nephthys never enjoyed the high status of her sister, Isis” (171) and, while it may be true that worship of Nephthys never was on par with that of Isis, her status was consistently quite impressive throughout Egypt’s history.
In the Predynastic Period of Egypt, Nephthys was one of the most important deities owing to her part in this myth. If Apophis succeeded in murdering Ra, the sun would not rise and so it was vital that the barge be protected. In the Coffin Texts Set and the snake-god Mehen protect the barge; Mehen by coiling himself around Ra and Set by fending off Apophis. Mehen was later replaced by Nephthys but Apophis was considered so powerful, and the threat to Ra so dire, that other deities often appear on the barge to drive the enemy of the sun away such as Isis, Bastet, Selket, Neith, and Sekhmet who were collectively known, with Nephthys, as the Eyes of Ra in this capacity.
The myth of the nightly threat to Ra is most clearly told in a manuscript dating from the Ramessid Period (1292-1069 BCE) but archaeological evidence suggests the story is much older. By the time of the Ramessid Period the myth had evolved into a ritual known as Overthrowing Apophis in which a priest would recite a list of Apophis’ secret names (thereby gaining power over him) and the people would sing hymns celebrating his destruction. Even though the gods destroyed the great serpent every night, he returned to try to murder Ra again the next. The hymns were sung to encourage the gods in their eternal struggle. Participants in the ritual would then make serpents out of wax, spit on them, and destroy them in fire. The ritual was performed regularly after a number of cloudy days when it seemed as though Apophis was succeeding in preventing the dawn and especially during a solar eclipse.
POPULARITY & WORSHIP OF NEPHTHYS
Prior to the addition of the other goddesses, however, it was Nephthys and Set who kept the sun on course and she was duly honored for this. Temples to Nephthys were located in every region of Egypt long before she became associated with the dead and only grew more numerous afterwards. As with any Egyptian deity, her temple was attended by priests and priestesses who cared for her statue and observed her holy days and festivals. The public was barred from entering the inner sanctuary of the temple where her statue resided but were welcomed in the outer courtyards where the clergy tended to their needs and collected their donations and sacrifices.
By the time of Ramesses II (1279 – 1213 BCE) Nephthys was so popular she was given her own temple at the popular religious center of Sepermeru in the holy precinct where Set’s temple was located. Nephthys was so popular at this time that she is mentioned in texts without allusion to Isis or Set. Her temple in the town of Punodjem was apparently so popular that the head priest and vizier Pra’emhab complained of his workload and her temple at Herakleopolis, near Sepermeru, became the site of the Heb-Sed festival celebrating the rejuvenation of the king. The basalt statue of Nephthys currently housed at the Louvre in Paris comes from this temple.
Although Nephthys is frequently depicted as a mirror to her twin sister Isis, she had a life and status all her own which was just as worthy of veneration. Once she became associated with the afterlife and the care of the dead the linen which was used to mummify the deceased was known as “tresses of Nephthys” and it was thought that she, along with Selket, helped to breathe life back into the soul and help them on their eternal journey. Nephthys came to represent the promise of a helper at one’s side in the afterlife who would look after and protect the soul and who assured the living that death was nothing to be feared. The realm of the afterlife was only a new land one traveled to and old friends, like Nephthys, would be waiting to offer their protection and guidance in death as they had throughout life.
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Nephthys
Nephthys was an ancient goddess, who was referenced in texts dating back to the Old Kingdom. She was a member of the Ennead of Heliopolis as the daughter of Geb and Nut and the sister of Osiris, Isis and Horus and the sister and wife of Set. When the Ennead and Ogdoad merged, Nephthys was given a place on Ra’s boat so that she could accompany him on his journey through the underworld.
Nephthys is the Greek pronunciation of her name. To the Ancient Egyptians she was Nebthwt (Nebhhwt or Nebthet) meaning “the Mistress of the House”. The word “hwt” (“house”) may refer to the sky (as in Hwt-hor, the “House of Horus” – the name of Hathor), but it also refers to either the royal family or Egypt as a whole. The latter makes a great deal of sense as she was described as the head of the household of the gods and was thought to extend her protection to the head female of every household. She was sometimes associated with Ptah-Tanen in representing Lower Egypt, while Khnum and Isis represented Upper Egypt.
It seems that she was originally conceived of as the female counterpart of Set. He represented the desert, while she represented the air. Set was infertile (like the desert that he represented) and was frequently described as either bisexual or gay and so Nephthys was often considered to be barren. As a goddess of the air, she could take the form of a bird, and because she was barren she was associated with the vulture – a bird which the Egyptians believed did not bear children. The Egyptians thought that all vultures were female (because there is very little difference in the appearance of a male vulture), and that they were spontaneously created from the air. While the care shown by a mother vulture for her child was highly respected, the Egyptians also recognised that vultures fed on carrion and associated them with death and decay. As a result, Nephthys became a goddess of death and mourning.
Nephthys
Professional mourners were known as the “Hawks of Nephthys”, in recognition of her role as a goddess of mourning. It was also believed that she protected Hapi in his role as of the Four sons of Horus (who guarded the organs stored in the four canopic jars). Hapi protected the lungs, and as a goddes of the air Nephthys was his guardian. She was also one of the four goddesses who guarded the shrine buried with the Pharaoh. She appears with Isis, Selkit (Serqet) and Neith on the gilded shrine of Tutankhamun, but was often depicted with Isis, Bast and Hathor in this role. Yet, she was also said to be the source of both rain and the Nile river (associating her with Anuket) and was thought to protect women in childbirth (with the assistance of her sister, Isis). Thus she was closely associated with both death and life.
Although she was technically infertile, later myths claimed that she was the mother of Anubis by either Osiris or Set (depending on the myth). This came about because Anubis’ position as the god of the dead was usurped by Osiris when the theologies of the Ennead and the Ogdoad merged. According to one myth Nephthys disguised herself as Isis to get the attention of her neglectful husband Set, but instead seduced Osiris (who apparently did not realise that it was Nephthys). An alternative myth made it clear that Nephthys intended to seduce Osiris from the beginning and drugged his wine to make her task easier, while a less common myth held that she did trick her husband into a brief daliance in order to concieve Anubis. It is suggested that this tale also explained the flowering of a plant in a normally barren area because Set apparently discovered the adultery when he found a flower left by his brother Osiris.
Isis and Nephthys were very close despite Nephthys’ alleged infidelity with Osiris (the husband of Isis) and her marriage to Set (the murderer of Osiris). Nephthys protected the body of Osiris and supported Isis as she tried to resurrect him. The goddesses are so similar in appearance that only their headdresses can distinguish them and they always appear together in funerary scenes. Together Isis and Nephthys could be said to represent day and night, life and death, growth and decay. In Heliopolis, Isis and Nephthys were represented by two virginal priestesses who shaved off all of their body hair and were ritually pure.
Nephthys was usually depicted as a woman with the hieroglyphs of her name (a basket on top of the glyph representing the plan of an estate) on her head. She could also be depicted as a mourning woman, and her hair was compared to the strips of cloth used in mummification. She also occasionally appears as a hawk, a kite or a winged goddess in her role as a protector of the dead. Her major centers of worships were Heliopolis (Iunu, in the 13th Nome of Lower Egypt), Senu, Hebet, (Behbit), Per-mert, Re-nefert, Het-sekhem, Het-Khas, Ta-kehset, and Diospolites.
Reference
Joshua J. Mark, Ancient History
7 Cardinal Rules for Life
The Witches “Witchy” Journal for Thursday, April 12th
The Witches “Witchy” Journal for Thursday, April 12th
Witches were a bit like cats. They didn’t much like one another’s company but they did like to know where all the other witches were, just in case they needed them. And what you might need them for was to tell you, as a friend, that you were beginning to cackle.
TERRY PRATCHETT, A Hat Full of Sky
Today is Thursday, April 12th
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
The Celtic Tree Month of Fearn(Alder)(March 18 – April 14)
Runic Half Month of Ehwaz(horse) (March 30 – April 13)
Goddess of the Month of Columbina (March 20 – April 17)
Source
The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick
The Pagan Book of Days for Thursday, April 12
Cerealia was the eight-day Roman festival of Ceres, goddess of the Earth and its fruits, who was prayed to for peace good government and plenty.
Source
The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick
The Goddess Book of Days for Thursday, April 12
Day of Chu-Si-Niu Niu Si in Taiwan, she is a Birth Goddess, cognate to Kwan Yin (Iatiku, Tonantzin, Spider Woman, Oddudua, Changing Woman, Yemaya, Isis, Mary, Stella Maris, Sheela, Eileathyia, and Carmen).
Reference
The Goddess Book of Days
Diane Stein
Goddesses Asssociated with Thursday
Juno, Hera, Kwan Yin, Mary, Cybele, Tara, Mawu, Mbaba Mwana Waresa, Ishtar
Source
The Goddess Book of Days
Diane Stein
Thursday’s Magickal Correspondence
Wealth
Male Fertility
Ambition
Expansion
Luck
Happiness
Honor
Family
Harvests
Planet: Jupiter
Colors: Dark Blue, Green
Crystals: Turquoise, Amethyst, Lapis
Thursday
Thursday: Is associated with Jupiter and the colors of – Blue and Metallic Colors
Thursday is the best time to deal with such matters as: Broadcasting, Business, Charity, College Education, Correspondence Courses, Doctors, Expansion, Forecasting, Foreign Interests, Gambling, Growth, Guardians, Horses, Logic, Long Distance Travel, Luck, Material Wealth, Merchants, Philosophy, Political Power, Psychologists, Publicity, Publishing, Reading, Religion, Researching, Self-improvement, Social Matters, Sports, Studying, and The Law
Reference
Practical Magick for the Penny Pinching Witch
Carol Moyer
Magickal Days of the Week – 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.
Author
Patti Wigington, Paganism/Wicca Expert
Article published on & owned by ThoughtCo.com
The Witches Guide to Thursdays
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
Thursday’s Witchery
Today is the day for prosperity work of all kinds. It can also be used for healing work, whether that is a physical healing of an illness or an emotional healing. Also remember that you have to follow up your healing work and prosperity magick and physical action.
I can’t tell you the number of times I have met new witches who complain to me that their prosperity spell or “I need a better job” spell did not work as they expected. They’ll ramble on and on about how much time and money they spent working their magick….but, alas, they had no glorious manifestation of wealth or fabulous job that suddenly dropped out of the sky and landed in their laps.
Then, when I gently ask them, “Did you enchant your resume or application when you filled it out? Did you do a little confidence-boosting spellwork when you went to apply for the job or went to the interview?” typically they give me a blank, confused stare.
Nine times out of ten, their response is, “You mean I have to go out and actually look for the job too?” Um, yes, my dear, you certainly do. Magick follows the path of least resistance, which means it’s going to manifest along the simplest, quickest route. Get out there and hit the pavement. See what you can find. Times are tough and competition for good jobs is fierce, so you need whatever edge you can get. For folks like us, we’re going to get the edge by using our magick and our spellcraft.
Thursdays have such a rich source of magick for us to draw upon that, honestly, the sky is the limit. This is the day associated with the gods of the sky and heavens, after all. Get to know these deities and add their wisdom and magick into your days
Source
Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week
Ellen Dugan
Magickal Must Dos 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, April 12th
Children’s Day (Bolivian and Haitian)
Waning Moon
Moon phase: Fourth Quarter
Moon Sign: Pisces
Incense: Carnation
Color: Green
Correspondences for Thursday, April 12
Thursday (Thor’s day)
Planet: Jupiter
Colors: Purple, Deep Blue
Crystals: Amethyst, Lepidolite, Sugilite, Tin
Aroma: Melissa, Clove, Oakmoss, Jupiter Oil, Cinnamon, Musk, Nutmeg, and Sage
Herb: Cinquefoil
Ruled by the planet Jupiter and dedicated to Thor, god of thunder and agricultural work. His parallels in various European Traditions include Zeus, Taranis, Perun, and Perkunas.
Magical aspects: controlled optimism, energetic growth, physical well-being, material success, expansion, money/wealth, prosperity, leadership, and generosity.
Thursday is the day of Jupiter, the largest of the planets and said to be the most powerful. Spellcasters would be wise to use this day for attempting wealth, success and prosperity spells.
Thursday is also associated (in Greek mythology) to Thor – Thor’s day – and some even say that Jupiter and Thor are one in the same. Both are strong and powerful, yet wise and just. Try a small prayer to Jupiter before commencing any ritual on Thursday as a sign of respect.
This is the proper day of the week to perform spells and rituals involving luck, happiness, health, legal matters, male fertility, treasure, wealth, honour, riches, clothing, money, desires, business, group pursuits, joy, laughter, and expansion
The Witches Magick for April 14th – A Love Charm and Love Poppet Reversal
In April or May, when Rosemary is in season, choose pliable, willowy stems and
bind them together into the shape of a heart. Form a mental image of the one you
wish for.
Then secure the rosemary heart with a yellow ribbon and if you have any threads
from your partner’s clothes or strands of hair, wave these in to create a
stronger vibrational link. If your desired one is born under Aries, weave in a
few strands of wool too. Place the rosemary heart in a white envelope and put it
under your pillow. Before you sleep, repeat the words:
DIVINE LOVE
BLESS MY SLEEP
MY TRUE LOVER
I SHALL KEEP
The rosemary will dry with time and its life force will fade. When you feel your
spell has brought the one you want closer, burn the heart in a fire, thinking
while you do it of the flames of passion.
_____________________
Love Poppet Reversal Spell
Too often I have seen authors teach how to make Love poppets, but they forget to
teach how to reverse them. Here is a little spell that works very well:
TO REVERSE A LOVE POPPET SPELL:
1. Light a white candle.
2. Remove the top stitching from the puppet.
3. Speak the following spell:
“I now revoke the spell I previously spoke.
Let _______(name)___ love me no more,
but hate me not — happily we part
our ways, keeping pleasant memories
for all days.
____(name)__ I set thee free and thus in this
I too am free, Apart now do we flee.
It is my wish, so mote it be.”
4. Remove the contents of the doll, burning all.
5. Repeat spell.
6. Burn doll while repeating:
“An’ it harm none, so mote it be.”
7. Repeat spell.
8. It is done.
Celebrating Legends, Folklore & Spirituality 365 Days A Year for April 12
The Cerealia/Chu-Si-Nu Festival
The Cerealia is an ancient Roman holiday to honor the Goddess of grain, Ceres. The festival began on April 12 and concluded on April 19. As with most of the Spring festivals, the Cerealia was celebrated to secure fertility for the crops. Most of the activities were held inside the Circus Maximus, including the yoking of a bull and a rather bizarre fox chase. Burning brands were tied to the foxes tails and then they were set loose among the people.
in Taiwan, the Goddess Chu-Si-Nu who presides over childbirth is honored at this time. ONe of the customs is for pregnant women to go the temple of Chi-Si-Nu and ask for her blessing on their unborn children.
Things Every Witch Should Know – The Healing Properties of Trees and Herbs
Celtic Tree & Flower Medicine
BIRCH – this tree is indicative of cleanliness & determination in overcoming adversity. Use when wanting to make a fresh start & ridding yourself of bad influences
ALDER – is a water-loving tree, the God linked with this tree is Bran the blessed, is for spiritual protection & prophecy.
WILLOW – medicine stands for female & lunar rhythms of life. She is water-seeking like the alder. Offers protection against damp diseases &modern herbal Practioners extract salicin from the bark to be used to ease illnesses like rheumatic fever. The gift of fertility is also represented here.
ASH – The World Tree, it has deep penetrating roots which change the chemistry of the soil, making undergrowth difficult for other vegetation. Helps link the earthly and spiritual. Good medicine for meditation.
HAWTHORN – Small tree with dense, many-branched body. Best used for cleansing & chastity, bringing protection from the inner magical realms.
OAK – The Oak’s place in Celtic lunar calendar is seventh among thirteen months. The Oak has protected England through the use of his timbers for the building of ships. Oaks are used as boundary marker. Oak medicine is best used for securing your pursuits, protecting while attaining your goals. It is essential protection for those less able, who require security in order to strengthen their characters.
HOLLY – a white-wooded tree with almost invisible grain, looks much like ivory. Holly is associated with the death and rebirth symbolism in both Pagan & Christian lore. In Arthurian legend, Gawain (Representing the Oak King of summer) fought the Green Knight, who was armed with a Holly club to represent winter. Holly medicine may be used with difficulties in sleep and to ease the passage of death.
HAZEL – Hazel embodies many talents: poetry, divination, and the powers of meditation. In Celtic tradition, the Salmon of knowledge is said to eat the nuts dropped into its sacred pool from this tree growing beside it. Each nut eaten by the salmon becomes a spot on its skin. In Europe and North America Hazel is used to gain knowledge, wisdom & poetic inspiration.
APPLE – A dense, fine grained, rosy colored wood with a sweet smell. Apple is associated with choice. This is good medicine to use when your are having difficulty in making decisions, whether they are work or relationship oriented.
VINE – This is used in the development of prophetic powers, best when used while trying to reach deeper state of consciousness and when doing healing work.
IVY – Represents the spiral of the self and the search for self. The maze of the labyrinth is also linked to Ivy, since it symbolized the wondering soul, circling inward and outward, seeking nourishment from within & without, leading you to ENLIGHTENMENT . A wonderful aid if helping others on a spiritual journey.
REED – Helps create spiritual weapons – gives you direction. Best when used before beginning healing work or soul retrievals.
BLACKTHORN – is a wintery tree. Fruits, known as sloes, only ripen after the first frost. The Gaelic word “staif” has links with English word “strife”. Wood of Blackthorn is traditionally used with the Irish shillelagh. It represents the strong action of fate or outside influences in your life. Blackthorn should not be used by the novice.
ELDER – is linked to eternal turnings of life and death, birth and rebirth. It represents the end/beginning and beginning/end. Significant of creativity and renewal.. new beginnings.
SILVER FIR – is used to bring knowledge of your present and past lives into now. The color sliver links you to your SILVER THREAD symbolizing your awareness of the progress of your spiritual journey. Best used when searching for gift of INSIGHT.
HEATHER – used for Solitary healing work (going within) Heather along with mistletoe create powerful healing medicine in both spiritual and physical aspects.
WHITE POPLAR – concerns with earthly and material aspects of Life. Also with finding the spiritual determination to face hardship we have to endure. This tree has the ability to resist and to shield, also an ability with languages and speech with close relationship with the winds.
YEW- mostly found in ancient cemeteries. In Breton Legen, the tree is said to grow a root into the open mouth of each corpse buried in the graveyard. This root is the symbol of rebirth. Good medicine when used in working with past life issues and regression.
GROVE – tree of All Knowledge. The grove represents a sacred place wehre all is linked and becomes clear. Helps you look beneath the surface of things.. whether situations or people. Medicine works with your hidden knowledge, helping you to manifest it at the appropriate time.
SPINDLE – completion of tasks. Ability to complete something to its end, no matter how difficult. Good for progressing in certain areas of your life which are of difficulty to you
HONEYSUCKLE – helps you to distinguish what is real from what is false, and what is of real value on your journey. The honeysuckle will help you tread safely – remaining true to your quest.
BEECH – Beech wood is close grained and easy t work with – smooth and even surface. Beech medicine can tell you about yesterday and how it is relevant today. Handling old objects or visiting a place connected to your past will bring understanding of people, incidents, reviving the memories within that are needed.
All Things Connect
The Witches Astronomy Journal for Thursday, April 12th
The Witches Astronomy Journal for Thursday, April 12th
Your Daily Sun & Moon Data for Thursday, April `12th
The Sun
Sun Direction: ↑ 85.86° E
Sun Altitude: 9.21°
Sun Distance: 93.184 million mi
Next Solstice: Jun 21, 2018 5:07 am (Summer)
Sunrise Today: 6:24 am↑ 78° East
Sunset Today: 7:26 pm↑ 282° West
Length of Daylight: 13 hours, 2 minutes
The Moon
Moon Direction: ↑ 128.69° SE
Moon Altitude: 25.64°
Moon Distance: 244521 mi
Next New Moon: Apr 15, 20188:57 pm
Next Full Moon: Apr 29, 20187:58 pm
Next Moonset: Today4:07 pm
Current Moon Phase: Waning Crescent
Illumination: 13.7%
Reference
timeanddate.com
Astrology of Today – Thursday, April 12th
Mars-Uranus early today is progressive. A Last Quarter Moon occurs shortly before midday, and asks us to consider our spiritual needs.
The Moon is in Pisces all day (until Wednesday, June 10th, at 7:13 AM).
The Moon is void from 2:08 PM forward (until tomorrow at 7:13 AM).
The Moon is waning and in its Waning Gibbous phase until 11:41 AM/ Third Quarter phase from 11:41 AM forward.
The Third Quarter Moon occurs at 11:41 AM in Pisces.
Mercury is retrograde. (Mercury is retrograde from May 18 to June 11 in the sign of Gemini).
Moon in Pisces
The Moon is traveling through Pisces today. You may feel disconnected. Serve others. Listen to music. Paint a picture. Daydream.
We are not inclined to want to face reality while the Moon is in dreamy, impressionable Pisces. It can be a wistful, sensitive, intuitive, and compassionate time. We are especially imaginative, and our intuition reigns under this influence. Boundaries and walls come down, as Pisces energy merges and blends. It’s a time when details are overlooked and feelings defy description.
The Moon in Pisces generally favors the following activities: Imaginative undertakings, mystical or spiritual pursuits, inner development, music and drama, going on a retreat, activities involving water.
Daily Overview of Your Sky for Thursday, April 12th
With recent doubts and suspicions or cynicism, today’s Venus-Neptune sextile seems to come at just the right time. We are more imaginative and attuned to the world of beauty and romance today, and we tend to approach one another more gently. A “magical” time on a romantic and social level is possible now, as we are inclined to see spiritual dimensions of our relationships and to approach others with compassion. As well, the Moon is in Pisces all day, reinforcing the inclination to forgive and release.
The sky this week for April 12 to 15
Mars and Saturn chase the Moon, the Summer Triangle returns to prominence, and a brilliant Venus takes center stage, all in the sky this week.
By Michael E. Bakich
Thursday, April 12
As you stare into tonight’s starry sky, think about the two space-related anniversaries we celebrate on this date. In 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to journey into outer space, and the first to orbit Earth. Then, in 1981, NASA launched its first space shuttle, Columbia, on a three-day mission during which it orbited Earth 36 times.
Friday, April 13
This could be your lucky night if you want to hunt down a galaxy. First, you’ll need to head to a dark observing site. Then, with binoculars in hand, scan about one field of view east-southeast of 2nd-magnitude Phecda (Gamma [γ] Ursae Majoris), the star that forms the southeastern corner of the Big Dipper’s bowl. You should see a triangle of 5th- and 6th-magnitude stars. The spiral galaxy M106 lies 1.7° south of 3 Canum Venaticorum, the triangle’s southern tip. The galaxy will appear as an oval blur of light glowing at magnitude 8.4.
Saturday, April 14
Brilliant Venus dominates the evening sky starting about half an hour after sunset. It stands 15° above the western horizon 30 minutes after the Sun goes down and doesn’t set until around 9:30 p.m. local daylight time — a full two hours after the Sun. Shining at magnitude –3.9, it lies in front of the stars of Aries the Ram and appears far brighter than any other point of light in the sky. When viewed through a telescope tonight, Venus spans only 11″ and shows a 92-percent-lit phase.
Sunday, April 15
Dwarf planet 1 Ceres is the largest object in the asteroid belt, which lies between Mars and Jupiter. Almost any telescope will reveal its 8th-magnitude glow. All this month it moves eastward in front of the stars of the constellation Cancer the Crab. You’ll find it tonight between magnitude 4.0 Iota Cancri and 57 Cancri, which glows at magnitude 5.4. It lies two-thirds of the way from the brighter to the fainter star. If you can’t pinpoint it exactly, sketch the area and come back one or two nights later. The point of light that’s moved will be Ceres.
Reference
Astronomy Magazine
Your Daily Cosmic Calendar for Thursday, April 12
The cosmos gives you a free ticket to ride thanks to the absence of any challenging alignments.
Love vibrations increase in frequency — courtesy of a supportive, 60-degree alliance between Venus in Taurus and Neptune in Pisces (9:27am) and another 60-degree tie between the moon and Venus (5:58pm).
Have a field day in the fine and graphic arts. Lend a helping hand to the truly needy. Play a favorite musical instrument or improvise with a video camera during the monthly union between the moon and Neptune in Pisces (5:10pm).
Start gearing up for Mercury’s station and shift from reverse to direct on Sunday — the same day of a new moon happening within 2 degrees of Uranus, the revolutionary planet of genius, surprises and shock-waves.
[Note to readers: All times are now calculated for Pacific Daylight Time. Be sure to adjust all times according to your own local time so the alignments noted above will be exact for your location.]
Reference
Astrology.com
The Witches Current Moon Phase for Thursday, April 12
ommorow the Moon will be 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 – THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018
Phase: Waning Crescent
Illumination: 14%
Moon Age: 25.95 days
Moon Angle: 0.50
Moon Distance: 396,671.24 km
Sun Angle: 0.53
Sun Distance: 149,989,613.22 km
Reference
MoonGiant
Waning Crescent Moon Phase
What is a waning crescent moon? The waning crescent moon, sometimes called an old moon, is defined to occur when the Moon is nearly, but not precisely, on a line with the Earth and Sun. This means that part but less than one-half of the Moon is illuminated by direct sunlight, creating a crescent moon. Because the fraction of the Moon’s disk that is illuminated is decreasing, we consider the Moon to be “waning.” Each new lunar cycle is measured beginning at each new moon and the waning crescent moon occurs when the Moon is more than three-quarters of the way around the sky (i.e., along its orbit) from new moon.
Waning Crescent Moon Dates / Next Waning Crescent Moon
When is the next waning crescent moon? A waning crescent moon is seen one day to several days before a new moon. The average calendrical month, which is 1/12 of a year, is about 30.44 days, while the Moon’s phase (synodic) cycle repeats on average every 29.53 days. Therefore the timing of the Moon’s phases shifts by an average of almost one day for each successive month. To find out the waning crescent moon dates, please see the waning crescent moon calendar below.
About the Waning Crescent Moon
The waning crescent moon, happens when the moon is between a 135 and 180 degree angle with respect to the Earth and Sun. So we are seeing less than half of the moon illuminated and more than half in shadow. The word “crescent” refers to the phases where the moon is less that half illuminated. “Waning” essentially means shrinking or decreasing in illumination. Each evening, as the moon’s orbital motion carries it away from the Earth-sun line, we see less of the moon’s day side.
Each lunar cycle begins with a new moon. As the Moon moves eastward away from the Sun in the sky, we see a bit more of the sunlit side of the Moon each night. We call this waxing. After the new moon, the sunlit portion is increasing, but less than half illuminated, so it is a waxing crescent moon. When half of the Moon’s disc is illuminated, we call it the first quarter moon. As the sunlit portion continues to increase, now more than half illuminated, it becomes waxing gibbous moon. When the Moon reaches maximum illumination, a full moon, the Moon has completed one half of the lunar month.
During the second half of the lunar month, the Moon grows thinner each night. We call this waning. The waning gibbous moon phase occurs first, followed by the last quarter moon when half of the Moon’s disc is illuminated. Next is the waning crescent moon, which wanes until the illumination is completely gone; a new moon
Reference
Full Moon Phases
Interesting Facts About The Moon
Called Luna with the Romans, Selene and Artemis with the Greeks, and many additional names in other mythologies.The Moon, of course, may be known since prehistoric times. It is the second brightest object within the sky after the Solar. As the Moon orbits round the Earth once per thirty days, the angle between the planet earth, the Moon and sunshine changes; we see this for the reason that cycle of the Moon’s periods. The time between effective new moons is twenty nine and a half days (709 hours), slightly totally different from the Moon’s orbital period (measured from the stars) since the Earth moves an important distance in its orbit round the Sun in that time period.Due to its size and composition, the Moon may also be classified as a terrestrial “planet” in addition to Mercury, Venus, Earth along with Mars.The Moon was visited by the Soviet spacecraft Luna two in 1959. It is the only extraterrestrial body to get been visited by humans. The first landing ended up being on July 20, 1969 (do you remember where you’re? ); the last is at December 1972. The Moon is additionally the only body where samples have been went back to Earth. In the summer of 1994, the Moon was very extensively mapped with the little spacecraft Clementine along with again in 1999 simply by Lunar Prospector.The gravitational forces relating to the Earth and the Moon cause some interesting results. The most obvious is the tides. The Moon’s gravitational attraction is stronger on the side of the Earth nearest to the Moon and weaker on the opposite side. Since the planet earth, and particularly the oceans, is not perfectly rigid it really is stretched out along the actual line toward the Moon. From our perspective on the Earth’s surface we notice two small bulges, one on the way to the Moon and one directly opposite. The effect is a lot stronger in the ocean water than within the solid crust so water bulges are higher. And considering that the Earth rotates much faster than the Moon moves in its orbit, the bulges maneuver around the Earth about once per day giving two high tides on a daily basis. (This is a enormously simplified model; actual tides, especially close to the coasts, are much more complicated. )But the Earth seriously isn’t completely fluid, either. The Earth’s rotation provides the Earth’s bulges slightly before point directly beneath the actual Moon. This means which the force between the Earth along with the Moon is not exactly across the line between their centers desigining a torque on the Soil and an accelerating force on the Moon. This causes a world wide web transfer of rotational energy from the Earth to the Moon, slowing down the Earth’s rotation by about 1. 5 milliseconds/century and raising the Moon in to a higher orbit by regarding 3. 8 centimeters annually. (The opposite effect occurs to satellites with unusual orbits for instance Phobos and Triton). The asymmetric nature on this gravitational interaction is also responsible for the truth that the Moon rotates synchronously, when i. e. it is locked throughout phase with its orbit so the same side is always facing toward the planet earth. Just as the Earth’s rotation is actually being slowed by the actual Moon’s influence so within the distant past the Moon’s rotation was slowed with the action of the Soil, but in that case the effect was much stronger. If your Moon’s rotation rate was slowed to match its orbital period (such which the bulge always faced toward the Earth) there is no longer an off-center torque on the Moon and a secure situation was achieved. A similar thing has happened to the vast majority of other satellites in the actual solar system. Eventually, the Earth’s rotation will likely be slowed to match the actual Moon’s period, too, as is the case with Pluto along with Charon.Actually, the Moon appears to wobble a lttle bit (due to its slightly non-circular orbit) so that a few degrees of the far side can be seen every once in awhile, but the majority of the far side (left) was completely unknown before the Soviet spacecraft Luna 3 photographed the item in 1959. (Note: there’s no “dark side” of the actual Moon; all parts of the actual Moon get sunlight half the time (except for some deep craters near the actual poles). Some uses of the term “dark side” previously may have referred to the far side as “dark” within the sense of “unknown” (eg “darkest Africa”) however even that meaning is no longer valid today! )The Moon doesn’t have atmosphere. But evidence from Clementine suggested that there could possibly be water ice in some deep craters close to the Moon’s south pole that are permanently shaded. This has been reinforced by facts from Lunar Prospector. There’s apparently ice at the north pole as well.The Moon’s crust averages 68 kilometers thick and varies by essentially 0 under Mare Crisium for you to 107 km north of the crater Korolev on the actual lunar far side. Below the crust is often a mantle and probably a tiny core (roughly 340 kilometers radius and 2% of the Moon’s mass). Unlike the planet earth, however, the Moon’s interior is no longer active. Curiously, the Moon’s center regarding mass is offset by its geometric center simply by about 2 km within the direction toward the Soil. Also, the crust is thinner on the near side.There are two primary varieties of terrain on the Moon: the heavily cratered and extremely old highlands and the actual relatively smooth and youthful maria. The maria (which comprise about 16% of the Moon’s surface) are huge impact craters which were later flooded by molten lava. A lot of the surface is covered with regolith, a mixture of great dust and rocky debris produced by meteor impacts. For many unknown reason, the maria are concentrated on the near side.Most of the craters on the in close proximity to side are named for famous figures within the history of science for instance Tycho, Copernicus, and Ptolemaeus. Features on the far side have newer references such as Apollo, Gagarin and Korolev (with any distinctly Russian bias since first images were acquired by Luna 3). Besides the familiar features on the actual near side, the Moon also offers the huge craters South Pole-Aitken on the far side which is actually 2250 km in height and 12 km deep so that it is the the largest impact basin within the solar system and Orientale on the western limb (as observed from Earth; in the biggest market of the image at left) the industry splendid example of any multi-ring crater.A total of 382 kg regarding rock samples were returned to the Earth by the Apollo along with Luna programs. These provide almost all of our detailed knowledge of the Moon. They are particularly valuable in that they may be dated. Even right now, more than 30 years as soon as the last Moon landing, people still study these cherished samples.Most rocks on the top of Moon seem to become between 4. 6 and 3 billion years. This is a fortuitous match while using the oldest terrestrial rocks that are rarely more than 3 billion years. Thus the Moon provides evidence in regards to the early history of the Solar System not available on the Earth.Prior to study of the Apollo examples, there was no consensus in regards to the origin of the Moon. There were three major theories: co-accretion which asserted which the Moon and the Earth formed concurrently from the Solar Nebula; fission which asserted which the Moon split off of the Earth; and capture which held which the Moon formed elsewhere along with was subsequently captured with the Earth. None of these work very well. But the new and detailed information from the Moon rocks led to the impact theory: that the planet earth collided with a very large object (as big because Mars or more) understanding that the Moon formed from the ejected material. There continue to be details to be exercised, but the impact theory is actually widely accepted.The Moon doesn’t have global magnetic field. But some of its surface rocks exhibit remanent magnetism indicating that there was a global magnetic field early within the Moon’s history.With no atmosphere with out magnetic field, the Moon’s surface is exposed right to the solar wind. Over its 4 million year lifetime many ions from the solar wind have become embedded within the Moon’s regolith. Thus types of regolith returned by the actual Apollo missions proved valuable in studies of the solar wind.
(And this was one long run on paragraph. Lynette)
Reference
Full Moon Phases
Good Thursday Morning To All My New Family & Friends of the WOTC!
The Witches Gather
The forest echoes with love and laughter
As the coven of witches gather.
Clearing the circle of unwanted vibes,
The maiden, onto a candle, inscribes:
“Sacred flame of fire, glow,
Asking all impurities to go.
Cleanse this space with fire and air
So our rite is fresh and fair.”
The High Priestess holds her wand above,
And casts the circle of perfect love.
Faeries flutter to and fro,
As the energy begins to grow.
The sharing of crescent cakes and ale,
Weaving spells and healing prevail.
Luna illuminates powerful light;
Blessing the coven, the earth, and the rite.
The witches hold hands as they chant:
“Oh, great Goddess, vibrant and valiant,
Blessings upon you and your earth,
Thank you for the Sun’s rebirth.”
–By The Light Of The Crystal Moon: A Book of Pagan Poetry and Short Stories
Elizabeth Gardiepy
Children Of The Earth
Children Of The Earth
We know they feared our Pagan ways,
They tried to wipe us out,
They tortured and they burned us,
If they had the slightest doubt,
They took away our festivals,
Replaced them with their own,
But we stood strong and carried on,
We’ve flourished and we’ve grown.
They said we worshiped Satan,
Stole babies and much worse,
And if by chance someone fell ill,
They said we laid a curse,
They took us in for “questioning”,
Tortured till we confessed,
But anyone would say the words,
Under such duress.
With bodies bruised and broken,
They put us on the stand,
The priests said we’d offended God,
And the devil took our hand,
The villagers believed them,
Our guilt was their desire,
Then everybody turned out to see,
The witch burned in the fire.
They never really understood,
And some to this day still,
Do not understand our craft,
We bear no one ill will,
We live a life of peace and love,
At one with Mother Earth, S
o in secrecy the Hedgewitch lives,
Gathering berries, leaves and herbs.
I sometimes think that there are those,
Who live in those dark times still,
They do not wish to understand,
And I guess they never will,
But Pagans all around the world,
Are proud to carry on,
We practice the oldest religion,
In our deeds and in our song.
Be joyful all ye Pagans,
For the road has been so long,
Remember the innocent martyrs,
That suffered in those days gone,
Give your praise to all the Gods,
And the Goddess of rebirth,
For they can never destroy our faith,
We are the children of the Earth.
—Pagan Ways
Alan Faraway
Trying out the account to make sure it works for tomorrow.
Witches Of The Craft® 
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