Summary:
Calendar of the Moon
22 Duir/Skirophorion
Day of Thunder
Color: Grey and black
Element: Air
Altar: Upon cloth of black patterned with grey clouds and yellow lightning place nine yellow candles, a chalice of rainwater, and if possible, a Tesla coil or other static lightning lamp.
Offerings: Go out into the rain during the next storm, and stand unprotected in it.
Daily Meal: Cold food. Only rainwater to drink.
Day of Thunder Invocation
(Call and response, repeating:)
Dark powers of Air, we honor you!
Lords of the storm cloud, we honor you!
Dancers of the lightning bolt, we honor you!
Roar of the summer skies, we call you!
Zeus of the eagle’s eye,
Shango, leaper in the fire,
Oya, Lady of the Wild Winds,
Thor, Lord of the Hammer,
We acknowledge your power
And we give you our respect!
But rather than merely fear you
We ask for your protection,
For the Thunder can be your friend
If you know how to ask!
So we ask this, Gods of Thunder,
Summer storm that rolls across the land,
Protect us from your fury!
Protect us from your wrath!
Protect us from your destruction!
Protect us from your floods!
Protect us from your wrenching winds!
Protect us from the heat of your lightning!
Protect us from your eroding rain!
Protect us from your pelting hail!
Have mercy on us, Gods of Thunder!
(During the last nine lines, one candle is extinguished on each line. As the room falls into darkness, the snuffer of candles flings the rainwater into the libation well. All cry out, “Protect us!” and flee the room.)
Calendar of the Sun
22 Lithemonath
LITHA – SUMMER SOLSTICE
Colors: Yellow and gold
Element: Fire
Altar: Upon cloth of yellow and gold light eight yellow candles, incense of cedar and bay, many yellow flowers, a golden chalice of mead, another of citrus fruit juice, and as many figures of the sun as you can find or make. A great sun on a pole should be brought in procession, and one man should stand before the altar with it, and read the call and response.
Offerings: Open the House to others to share the ritual, or take it elsewhere. Like all the great high holidays, this ritual should be shared with the greater community.
Daily Meal: Yellow and orange food of any kind.
(Four who have been chosen to do the work of the ritual come forward and cast the quarters.)
North Caller: All hail the Standing Stone of the North,
Guardian of the Earth!
Whose name is the Great Bear,
Whose name is Midnight Star,
Whose name is Sleep of Winter
Whose name is Constancy.
West Caller: All hail the Standing Stone of the West,
Guardian of the Waters!
Whose name is the Salmon of Knowledge,
Whose name is Edge of Twilight
Whose name is Autumn Rain
Whose name is Yielding.
South Caller: All hail the Standing Stone of the South,
Guardian of the Fire!
Whose name is the Coiled Dragon,
Whose name is High Noon
Whose name is Summer Solstice,
Whose name is Fervor.
East Caller: All hail the Standing Stone of the East,
Guardian of the Air!
Whose name is Hawk in Flight,
Whose name is Light of Dawn,
Whose name is Equinox,
Whose name is Wanderer.
One steps forward and pours a libation of mead onto the ground, and says:
Accept this offering, O sun above us, whose golden rays pour down and give us Life, and yet can give Death if we do not take care. Teach us to glory in your generosity and yet respect your power. Do not desert us, but burn forever in our souls.
Call and Response:
All Hail the longest day!
We have slept away the shortest night,
We have watched the wheel turn
From early darkness to early light.
All hail the highest moment of the year!
Come forth Sun and shine upon us!
Let nothing cloud your brilliance!
Let nothing cloud your light!
Let all your veils of rain be cast away!
Come forth and give us life, O Sun!
We stand where our ancestors stood,
We hail you on the day they hailed you,
We follow in their footsteps!
Hail Apollo of the golden chariot,
Hail Lugh Sun-Face of many talents,
Hail Ra who battles serpents each night,
Hail Amaterasu Omikami, mother of emperors!
Take joy in the morning rays!
Take joy in the noon heat!
Take joy in the sunset colors!
Take joy! Take joy! Take joy!
(One steps forward and says:)
Never forget that we live because our world, our green Gaea, is the right distance away from the Sun’s power. Further away and we would be robbed of its lifegiving rays; further in and we would be burned to death by them. Never forget that life depends on the right amount of closeness and distance. Ponder this as you go your ways, and remember it every time you look up at the Sun above you.
(Another steps forward and says:)
For this is the time of the Sun’s highest glory, and like Him, we will fade and decline, and then be reborn new. For this is the way of the Universe: unending cycles within cycles. Rather than praying for an end to things, see it rather as a source of comfort that all dies and is reborn, and so nothing truly dies forever, and so nothing ever truly ends.
Song: Oak and Ash and Thorn
The Moon today is in a Waning Gibbous Phase. This is the first phase after the Full Moon occurs. It lasts roughly 7 days with the Moon’s illumination growing smaller each day until the Moon becomes a Last Quarter Moon with a illumination of 50%. The average Moon rise for this phase is between 9am and Midnight depending on the age of the phase. The moon rises later and later each night setting after sunrise in the morning. During this phase the Moon can also be seen in the early morning daylight hours on the western horizon.
Learn to embrace divine love in every act. Learn to see it and feel it every word you say and every thought you think. Experience the entire world as this love and be free.
365 Days of Meditations on the Goddess
Mata Enzer
D E S I D E R A T AGoes Hand-In-Hand With the Witch Oath
amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.
Penned by Max Ehrmann, 1927
Published in Lady Ishtar’s Complete Guide to Wicca Protection Spells
In Life’s name, and for Life’s sake,
I say that I will use the
Art for nothing but the service of Life.
I will guard growth and ease pain.
I will fight to preserve what grows
and lives well in its own way;
and I will change no object
or creature unless its growth and life,
or that of the system of
which it is part, are threatened.
To these ends, in the practice of my
Art, I will put aside fear for courage,
and death for life, when it is right to do so
—till Universe’s end.
Published in Lady Ishtar’s Complete Guide to Wicca Protection Spells
Wednesdays are wild and wacky days. They are for communication, change, cunning, and the arts. This is a Mercury day, and just its patron god this day is full of contradictions, change, and excitement. Some suggestions for Wednesday enchantments would include:
Pulling a little Wednesday color magic into your life by wearing purples or orange
Carrying a multipurpose agate with you and tapping into its various charms
Working with magical plants such as the fern for protection. This plant will also boost the power of any other magical plants with which it is arranged.
Incorporating lavender into charms and spells for transformation
Using the charming scent of lily of the valley to improve your memory, or working with the aspen tree for communication
Calling on Athena, patron of arts and crafts, for inspiration for a new project
Fanning out a Tarot spell to increase you creativity
Calling on Hermes on a Wednesday night to bring movement and good luck into your life
Dedicated to the Teutonic god Woden or Odin, an aspect of the “All-Father” god of knowledge wisdom enlightenment and combat, the parallel of Hermes.
Element : Air
Planet: Mercury
Zodiac Sign : Virgo / Gemini
Angel : Raphael
Metal : Mercury
Incense / Perfumes : Jasmine, Lavender, Sweet Pea
Oil: Benzoin, Clary Sage, Eucalytus, Lavender
Color : Red, Orange, Light Blue
Stones : Bloodstone,Garnet, Aventurine, Hematite, Moss Agate and Sodalite
Plants/Herbs : Almond, Anise, Cherry, Clover, Dandelion, Dill, Fern, Hazel, Hyssop, Lavender, Lemongrass, Lilac, Mace, Peppermint, Rosemary, Vervain
Magick to Work: the conscious mind, study, travel, divination, consulting oracles, wisdom, communication ,cleverness, contracts, creativity, information, intellect, memory, erception, science, wisdom, writing
Attributes: Controlling, unusual, social, open-minded, leadership
Herbs: foxglove, pine, nutmeg, curry, allspice
Stones: amber, malachite, aquamarine, turquoise
Element: Air
Day: Saturday
Colors: All colors
Planet: Saturn and Uranus
The Spell Crafter’s Compendium
Terri Paajanen
Wednesday (Mercury): The conscious mind, study, travel, divination, and wisdom.
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).
Moon Phase: Third Quarter
Moon Sign: Capricorn
Capricorn: Develops strong structure. Focus on traditions, responsibilities, and obligations. A good time to set boundaries and rules.
Moon enters Aquarius 4:08 pm
Aquarius: Rebellious energy. Time to break habits and make abrupt changes. Personal freedom and individuality is the focus.
Incense: Bay laurel
Color: Topaz
Be bold and daring today! Expand your knowledge of the Craft by working with the planetary energies of Mercury on this multifaceted day of the week. Consider the Greco-Roman gods Mercury and Hermes and all of the many lessons they have for you. Embrace change and movement, and work on your communication techniques. Conjure up a little good luck for yourself with that Mercury dime spell. Call on Athena to inspire you to try magickal arts and crafts and to be more creative in your own spellwork and witchery.
Meditate on Odin and see what you can discover about him. I wonder what sort of fabulous and fascinating magickal wisdom you will uncover? Odin is a shaman, after all; he may appear in many guises and faces. I guarantee that he will make you laugh at yourself before he is through with you, but you will learn. It’s up to you what you do with that knowledge. Will you let it shapeshift into wisdom?
Wednesday is the wild and wily day of the week, so try to go with the flow; don’t fight the quirky energies of the day. Most importantly, follow your heart, and always keep a good sense of humor, because of Wednesdays you will really need it.
Source
Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week
Ellen Dugan
The name Wednesday comes from the Old English Wodnesdæg, meaning the day of the Germanic god Woden, more commonly known as Odin, who was the highest god in Norse mythology. It is based on Latin Dies Mercurii, “Day of Mercury.” The connection between Mercury and Odin is more strained than the other syncretic connections. The usual explanation is that both Odin and Mercury were considered leaders of souls in their respective mythologies. Also, in Old Norse myth, Odin, like Mercury, is associated with poetic and musical inspiration.
Article originally published on & owned by About.com
Wednesday is named for Woden himself, although the Romans called it dies Mercurii. This is a day associated with the color purple, the planet Mercury, and the metal quicksilver – which is also called mercury. See a pattern here?
When it comes to deities… yes, Mercury! However, there are a few other gods associated with Wednesday, including Odin and Hermes, Athena, and Lugh. Gemstones like adventurine and agate come in handy as well, as do plants such as aspen trees, lilies, lavender and even ferns.
Business and job-related issues, communication, loss and debt, traveling, and journeys are all tied in to Wednesday. This is a good day to do a working to open up lines of communication – especially if your own actions are preventing you from being an effective speaker or listener. Go someplace new or return to an old favorite stomping ground, step up your game, and settle up your accounts.
Patti Wigington, Paganism/Wicca Expert
Article published on & owned by About.com
Isis, Demeter, Ceres, Spider Woman, Bona Dea, Oya, Devi-Kali, Hella, Rhiannon, Coatlique, Maman Brigette
The Goddess Book of Days
Diane Stein
Summer Solstice, a Wiccan Sabbat, also Midsummer’s Night or Litha. The fullness of the year, dedicated to: Freya, Demeter, Anahita, Kupalo, Athena, Cybele, Aine, Amaterasu, Erzulie, Oshun, Spider Woman, Venus, Neit, Isis, Hathor, Hou Tu, Iamanza, Yemaya, Hera, Ma, Emma, A- Ma, Astarte, Ishtar, Ashtoreth, Aida Wedo, Mawu, the Great Mother. In Brazil, Candalaria ceremony for Yemaya/Iamanja at the ocean.
The Goddess Book of Days
Diane Stein
Wednesday is the day of the Teutonic deity known as Wodin or Odin, an aspect of the Allfather, god of knowledge, wisdom, enlightenment and combat, the parallel of Hermes, the planet Mercury.
Deity: Woden
Zodiac Sign: Gemini & Virgo
Planet: Mercury
Tree: Ash
Herb: Cinquefoil
Stone: Emerald & Sardonyx
Animal: Raven & Cat
Element: Air
Color: Red & Blue
Number: 6
Rune: Odal(O)
Celtic Tree Month of Duir(Oak) – June 10 – July 7. Oak month is a time for protection and strength, fertility, money and success, and good fortune.
Runic Half-Month of Dag(day) – June 14 – June 28
Goddess of the Month of Rosea – June 13 – July 10
The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick
Wednesday – is associated with Mercury
Candle colors – Purple
Conjuring for Wednesday: Mastery, Domination Work, Wisdom, Healing, Dealing with Legal problems.
—Old Style Conjure Wisdoms, Workings and Remedies
Starr Casas
This week, it’s all about Saturn … but if you look close, you might spy an asteroid.
Wednesday, June 22
• Magnificent Saturn reached its peak earlier this month, when it appeared opposite the Sun in the sky, and our view of the ringed planet remains spectacular. It is on display nearly all night among the background stars of southern Ophiuchus, hanging in the southeastern sky as darkness falls and climbing highest in the south around 11:30 p.m. local daylight time. Saturn continues to shine brightly, too, at magnitude 0.1. When viewed through a telescope, the planet measures 18″ across while the dramatic ring system spans 42″ and tilts 26° to our line of sight. This evening also provides an excellent view of the gas giant’s large family of moons. The most obvious is 8th-magnitude Titan, which appears northeast of the planet. Next, look for the 10th-magnitude trio of Tethys, Dione, and Rhea. They appear in a straight line northwest of Saturn and closer to the rings. Finally, target 10th-magnitude Iapetus well to the west of Saturn. Don’t confuse any of these satellites with the brighter, 6th-magnitude star SAO 184541, which appears between the planet and Iapetus.
Thursday, June 23
• Mars remains near its peak all this week. The Red Planet reached opposition and best visibility a month ago but, like Saturn, has not declined much. Mars appears almost due south and at its highest as twilight fades to darkness. The world shines at magnitude –1.5 against the much fainter background stars of Libra. When viewed through a telescope, Mars’ orange-red disk spans 17″. Look for subtle dark markings along with a whitish north polar cap.
Friday, June 24
• Brilliant Jupiter appears high in the west as darkness falls and remains on display until midnight local daylight time. The giant planet shines at magnitude –1.9 against the backdrop of southern Leo the Lion. Jupiter appears equally dazzling through a telescope, which reveals a wealth of atmospheric features on a disk that spans 35″.
Saturday, June 25
• Look high in the northwest after darkness falls this month, and you’ll be greeted by the familiar sight of the Big Dipper. The Dipper is the most conspicuous asterism — a recognizable pattern of stars that doesn’t form a complete constellation shape — in the entire sky. It forms the body and tail of Ursa Major the Great Bear. Use the Pointers, the two stars at the end of the Dipper’s bowl, to find Polaris, which lies due north for everyone north of the equator. Polaris marks the end of the Little Dipper’s handle. On June evenings, the relatively faint stars of this dipper arc directly above Polaris.
Sunday, June 26
• If ever there was a good time to track down Pluto, this is the night. The distant world passes just 2.7′ due south of the 3rd-magnitude star Pi (p) Sagittarii in northeastern Sagittarius, making the task of finding the dwarf planet much easier than usual. Pluto glows dimly at magnitude 14.1, however, so you’ll need an 8-inch or larger telescope to spot it visually.
The Sun
Sun Direction: ↑ 99.49° E
Sun Altitude: 52.41°
Sun Distance: 94.475 million mi
Next Equinox: Sep 22, 2016 9:21 AM (Autumnal)
Sunrise Today: 5:35 AM↑ 59° Northeast
Sunset Today: 8:18 PM↑ 301° Northwest
Length of Daylight: 14 hours, 42 minutes
The Moon
Moon Direction: ↑ 269.18° W
Moon Altitude: -28.75°
Moon Distance: 240853 mi
Next New Moon: Jul 4, 20166:00 AM
Next Full Moon: Jul 19, 20165:56 PM
Next Moonrise: Today9:59 PM
Current Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous
Illumination: 95.0%
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