July 4th

Independence Day

It was after the famous midnight ride of Paul Revere in April 1775 that England’s colonies in the New World began their armed conflict against the British Imperial power. By July 2, 1775, the colonies voted for independence from Britain. A document was drawn up stating this intent. On July 4, 1776, what we know as the Declaration of Independence was signed by John Hancock – president of the Continental Congress at Philadelphia – and delegates from the 13 colonies. By the 1880s Independence Day had become a major American holiday.

Monday Is Ruled By the Moon

This day of the week is dedicated to the moon and all of her magic and mystery. Mondays are for women’s mysteries, illusion, prophetic dreaming, emotions, travel, and fertility.

Some suggestions for Monday enchantments would include:

*Getting outside and looking for the moon in the heavens. Sit under her light and absorb a little glamour. Call on the moon goddess Selene for practical help in magical issues.

*Invoking the god Thoth for wisdom and insight

*Empowering your silver jewelry under the light of the moon. Wear moonstone or pearl jewelry today to add a lunar and magical shimmer to your outfit. Be mysterious and subtle and wear moon-associated colors such as white, silver, and blue.

*Working spells for safe travel with a simple moonstone

*Gathering bluebells, jasmine, gardenias, or white roses to create a little garden witchery with the flowers that are associated with the moon

*Setting up a lunar Tarot spell today to increase your psychic powers

*Eating a lunar fruit such as a melon to be healthy, serene, and at peace

*Brewing up a cup of chamomile or mint tea and enchanting it for sweet dreams and restful sleep

The Witches Correspondences for Monday, July 4th

Day: Monday ( Moon-day)

Planet: Moon

Colors: Silver and White and Grey

Crystals: Moonstone, Pearl, Aquamarine, Silver, Selenite

Aroma: Jasmine, Lemon, Sandalwood, Moon Oil, African violet, Honeysuckle, Myrtle, Willow, and Wormwood

Herb: Moonwort

The sacred day of the Moon, personified by such goddesses as Selene, Luna, Diana, and Artemis. The Moon is ruler of flow affecting the changeable aspects of people. If a full moon falls on a Monday, its powers are at their most potent.

Magical aspects: peace, sleep, healing, compassion, friendships, psychic awareness, purification, and fertility

Monday is ruled by the moon – an ancient symbol of mystery and peace. Monday is a special day for mothers as the cycle of the moon has long been associated with the female menstrual cycle. Those wishing to conceive a baby would be wise to try on a Monday as the magic of motherhood is strong and pregnancy is in the air.

This is the proper day of the week to perform spells and rituals involving agriculture, animals, female fertility, messages, reconciliation’s, theft, voyages, dreams, emotions, clairvoyance, home, family, medicine, cooking, personality, merchandising, psychic work, Faerie magic, and Goddess rituals.

 

How to Use the Moons to Boost Your Energy Flow – New Moon

New Moons are used for internalized work that often takes the form of meditation, visualization and relaxation exercises and chakra balancing work. We may also use the New Moon to start a manifestation process that will culminate at the Full Moon if there is something that we would like to bring into being. New Moons are a time of deep introspection and self-study.

 
Days and Times of Power: A Guide to Optimizing High Energy Solar and Lunar Moments (Bio-Universal Energy Series Book 6)
Katrina Rasbold; Eric Rasbold

New Moon Magic

New Moons are special, as a time to enfold into your real self, the timeless one.

If it’s true that we rest between lives, in our real home, the New Moon is a time to rest, before the next cycle of happenings.

Because of that, it’s one to get juiced up again, by merging with that renewing, spiritual source. And like other moments of soul searching, like the Sun’s “New Moon” at Winter Solstice, it’s a time to remember who you are, and get guidance on the road ahead.

Sun and Moon
When the Moon is new, the Luminaries — the Sun and Moon — are aligned in the same Zodiac sign. That makes it a charged time with concentrated energies of that sign.

A New Moon is a symbolic point of attention, and a symbolic portal for new beginnings.

New Moons are a great time to set intentions for things you’d like to create, develop, cultivate, make manifest. There are many ways to initiate this communion with the Universe from lighting a candle to elaborate rituals.

What matters is that you’re committing yourself to your vision, and open to receiving guidance, healing, support from Spirit.

Following the Moon
When you tune into the Moon’s phases, it’s reassuring to know that there are many chances during the year to tap into lunar energy. Like the tides, the Moon ebbs and flows, a rhythm that women understand intimately. New Moons are a blank page on which to speak your dreams out loud, and Full Moons are for taking action and celebrating the fruit of your efforts.

In the chaotic and temporal world, looking to something larger that is also part of yourself can fill you with awe and make you feel connected. For whatever path you’re on, opening to working with planetary energies links you to the power of the divine.

Getting Ready
It’s a good idea to spend some time reflecting in the days leading up to the new Moon. Knowing exactly what you want to draw into your life is not always easy. Part of preparing for the new Moon is making sure you are clear about your intentions. Sometimes it’s a quality you’d like to cultivate like forgiveness, courage — other times it’s a more specific request like a promotion at work or new place to live.

What is a New Moon Ritual?
This depends on your personal tastes, the pace of your life and the time you have to devote to it. Some simply light a candle, while others gather objects and pictures for their altar. Lately, I’ve been writing my intentions on a 7-day candle and leaving it in a prominent (and safe) place. With a candle, you can return to it and relight it while meditating on your intentions.

Ritual helps focus your entire being on the quest at hand. In the days leading up to the new Moon, you might gather pictures and totems that symbolize your goal. Creating a New Moon collage gives you a visual reminder of your dreams.

What does it mean in each different Zodiac Sign?:
Every new Moon is different, and this gives you the chance to claim the energies of each different sign. Even if you don’t have planets in the sign for a given month, it falls somewhere in your birth chart. We each have elements of the entire Zodiac in our make-up, with some more emphasized than others. Find out where the new Moon falls in your chart for clues as to what to “call in” that month.

How is it different from the Full Moon:
The new Moon has a more inward feel, has a void or empty quality, and therefore can be frightening to those not comfortable with uncertainty. Can you learn to trust the dark? It’s the moment when the old passes away and the new is not yet here. That’s why it’s a powerful time for sending out your prayer, wishes, desires to the Universe.

Source

Molly Hall, Astrology Expert
Article published on & owned by About.com

 

DARK OR NEW MOON

The Dark or New Moon is frequently the subject of heated debate among magical practitioners. So much so, in fact, that there are only three things that practitioners seem to agree upon when it comes to this phase:

1. It occurs during the period between the Waning and Waxing phases.

2. It belongs to the Crone.

3. Even though the Moon isn’t visible in the sky, She’s still there bathing us with Her energy.

Because of this, the magical practices associated with this phase are as varied and diverse as the practitioners themselves. Many folks, for example, use this phase to rest and relax, regroup and regenerate. Others find this energy extremely useful for delving into past lives, divinatory efforts, magical study, and meditation. A personal favorite for Dark Moon energy, though, is truth discovery. Nothing surpasses its energy for getting to the heart of things and seeing them for exactly what they are.

Still others divide this phase into two parts: New Moon energy and Crescent Moon energy. New Moon energy is afoot from the first day of the Dark Moon to three and a half days after, and is said to be excellent for efforts involving self-improvement, gardening, employment solutions, and health. Crescent Moon energy picks up the slack after that, and is said to continue from the three and a half day mark through the seventh day after the Dark Moon. And those who work with its energy usually harness it for efforts that involve business dealings, animals, feminine strength, a leveling of emotions, or projects that necessitate change of some sort.

While I certainly don’t discount the strength of these two energies, or the fact that they work well for the efforts described, I do have to admit that I have a problem with the mathematical figures from which these phases are derived. For one thing, the practitioner would have to consistently check an ephemeris to determine the exact time of the Dark Moon in order to calculate the first three and a half day period with any sort of precision. For another, the Crescent Moon usually isn’t even visible in the sky until about five to six days after the Dark Moon. This, of course, means that the Moon is not yet even a sliver during the first couple of days of calculated Crescent Moon energy; thus, it is not a crescent at all. Most important, though, is this: If the Moon is visible in the sky after the Dark Moon, even a bit, it is growing or waxing, and the Waxing Moon does not belong to the Crone or Her energy. Rather, it is ruled by the Light Maiden.

Everyday Moon Magic: Spells & Rituals for Abundant Living (Everyday Series)
Dorothy Morrison

The Witches Almanac for Monday, July 4th

Monday (Moon): Peace, sleep, healing, compassion, friends, psychic awareness, purification, and fertility.

Independence Day

Waning Moon
The Waning Moon (from the Full Moon to the New) is a time for study, meditation, and little magical work (except magic designed to banish harmful energies).

New Moon 7:01 am

Moon Sign: Cancer
Cancer: Stimulates emotional rapport between people. Pinpoints need, supports growth and nurturance. Tends to domestic concerns.

Incense: Neroli

Color: Lavender

Monday Is A Day of Witchery, Magick and Enchantment

Think for a moment on all of the witchery, magick and enchantments that you have discovered. Don’t be afraid to adjust spells to suit your own specific needs. Any gentle, illusory, and dreamy charms and spells can be enhanced when you work on the day of the week that is dedicated to the moon. Mondays are a fantastic day to boost your psychic abilities and to tune in to your intuition and empathy. It also gives you the opportunity to work with a different lunar phase each and every Monday, which means in one month you could work four different types of moon magicks on Mondays. How’s that for adding to your repertoire? You are going to have mad skills in no time at all.

So light up those lunar scented candles and add a little mystique to your outfit by wearing an enchanting lunar color. Wear your sparkling silver jewelry and maybe add a pair of dangling silver earrings or a pendant shaped like a crescent moon. Create lunar potions and philters; make a dream catcher and give it as a gift to someone you love. Burn some sandalwood or jasmine-scented incense today to inspire the glamour and magick of the moon. Slice up a favorite variety of fruit that is in season for a snack or share it with your love and enjoy his or her lunar and romantic qualities. Brew up a cup of chamomile tea, enchant it with a little moon magick, and relax and get a good night’s sleep.

Most importantly, get outside tonight and watch the moon for a while. What phase is she in? What color was the moon as she rose? Why not start a journal and write down at what location the moon rises and sets for a few seasons? This is a great way to teach you to tune in and to become more aware of the moon and the influence that she pulls into our lives. Try calling on Selene for her magickal assistance, and call Thoth for wisdom and strength. Get to know the Norse Mani and the Latvian Meness. These gods of the moon have plenty to teach, and if you allow their influence to cycle through your life, you’ll receive many blessings. Be imaginative, and create your own personal lunar magick and witchery. Go on….the moonlight becomes you.

Source

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

Pagan Monday

Monday is the day of the week between Sunday and Tuesday. It gets its name from the Moon, which in turn gets its name from Mani (Old English Mona), the Germanic Moon god. Similarly, the names in Latin-based languages such as the Italian name (Lunedi), the French name (lundi), the Spanish name (Lunes), and the Romanian name (Luni) come from the Latin name for Moon, luna. The Russian word, eschewing pagan names, is понедельник (poniediélnik), meaning “after Sunday.” The Hindi word for Monday is Somvar, with Som being the Sanskrit name for the moon. The Japanese word for Monday is getsuyōbi which means day of the moon.

Monday is often held to be the first day of the week. This is the case in most of Europe, parts of Africa, and South America. In Asia – because the western calendar system was introduced only during the 20th century – many languages refer to Monday as the “day of the beginning”. For example, Monday is xingqi yi in Chinese, meaning day one of the week. The international standard, ISO 8601, defines Monday as the first day of the week.

But according to the Judeo-Christian count, Monday is the second day, the first being Sunday. This is also the standard format in Canada and the United States. Its name in Arabic, Armenian, Georgian, Greek, Hebrew, Persian, Portuguese and Syriac means “second day”. Quakers also traditionally refer to Monday as “Second Day” eschewing the pagan origin of the English name “Monday”. For similar reasons the official liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church refers to Monday as “Feria II”. (The Portuguese name for Monday reflects this, as do all the days’ names except Saturday and Sunday: the Portuguese word for Monday is segunda-feira.)

Published on Pagan Calendar

The Goddess Book of Days for July 4th

Mescalero Apache Gahan Ceremonial to the Mountain Spirits. Also Native American, the Sun Dance of the Southern Utes, to the Sun God (Christ, Quetzalcoatl, Osiris, Horus, Father Sun, Apollo, Ra, Tammuz, Damuzi, Adonis, Attis, Dionysus, Lugh, Bacchus). Day of the Goddess Pax (Peace, Concordia) in Rome.

 
The Goddess Book of Days
Diane Stein

Some Interesting Days We Missed from the Pagan Book of Days

July 1
Kalends of July
A weather marker:
If July the first be rainy weather,
It will rain for four more weeks together.

 

July 3
Dog Days begin/Loki’s Brand
The dog days, ruled by the Dog Star, Sirius, called Loki’s Brand in the Northern Tradition, begin today. Traditionally, we are now entering the hottest part of the year.

 

July 4
Sorry, ain’t nothing happening!

 

Source

The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick