Silent Night, Solstice Night

ich wünsche dir einen schönen Wintertag

SILENT NIGHT

 

Silent Night, Solstice Night

All is calm, all is bright

Nature slumbers in forest and glen

Till in Springtime She wakens again

Sleeping spirits grow strong!

Sleeping spirits grow strong!

Silent Night, Solstice Night

Silver moon, shining bright

Snowfall blankets the slumbering Earth

Yule fires welcome the Sun’s rebirth

Hark, the Light is reborn!

Hark, the Light is reborn!

Silent Night, Solstice Night

Quiet rest till the Light

Turning ever the rolling Wheel

Brings the Winter to comfort and heal

Rest your spirit in peace!

Rest your spirit in peace!

–Author Unknown

Wishing You & Yours A Very Blessed & Beautiful Friday!

Winter Solstice Blessings

Yule

Yule time is now upon us,
The longest night draws near,
Pagans will light the fires,
And a new king will soon appear.

The Goddess will be the great mother,
The Sun King will be reborn,
She will give birth to a lover,
The wheel once more will turn.

Rejoice at the mid-winter solstice,
Ye pagans throughout the land,
Light fires and honour the Goddess,
Be ye woman, child or man.

–Pagan Ways
Alan Faraway

I apologize but we are having to go old school this morning

This morning has been extremely hectic. I had to run our 4-wheel drive truck to the garage to get the 4-wheel drive fixed on it. After I got back, the phone has not stopped ringing. I have a friend who lost his mother in a fire not too long ago. He called and wanted to know if I could come and talk to him about his loss and take away some of his pain. Then I had a call from a local library, it is my turn to speak this afternoon at 3 p.m. The topic, one I am passionate about and generally get on my soapbox, the Burning Times. Hopefully I won’t get on my soapbox. Keep your fingers and brooms crossed.

Due to all of this, I haven’t had time to compile all the information the ladies have gathered this morning. So we are going to have to go individual posts. I am sorry for this inconvenience but life happens. We will return to our new format tomorrow. Again I apologize and I will try to make this as quick and painless as possible, lol!

Love ya,

Lady A

Wicca

Wicca

Wicca, as it is performed today, is not modern witchcraft per se, but a contemporary neo-pagan religion. It is, however, one of the major forms of witchcraft. It began in its modern form with the teachings of Gerald Gardner after the repeal of the Witchcraft Act in 1951, though its descent can be traced to the ancient nature religions. This traditional method of Wicca is quite formal, with covens using ritual tools and learned invocations emphasising the Goddess and her representative, the High Priestess, as their head. The Goddess is the archetype or source energy of the ultimate feminine power or principle. All the named goddesses represent aspects of particular qualities of the Goddess in
different cultures. Her consort is the Horned God and his representative in the coven is the High Priest. Though each coven is autonomous, formal Wicca follows a system of degrees of learning and does not permit self-initiation. The High Priest initiates the female members and the High Priestess the male. They celebrate eight sabbats, or seasonal celebrations.

There are, however, numerous forms of Wicca and of witchcraft, many of which draw on ancient traditions. For example, the feminist Dianic Wicca, founded in the 1970s, is spiritually descended from the nature religion of the Italian witches who worshipped Diana as the Triple Goddess of the
Moon from about 500 BC.

Since the 1970s, less formal practices and covens have evolved, which may or may not have a structured learning system, and these create their own spells and ceremonies, rather than using an existing system, such as that recorded in Gardner’s own Book of Shadows, revised by his High Priestess Doreen Valiente. These individual ceremonies are recorded in books created to reflect the evolving rituals of each coven and its own emphases. This method is much more conducive to solitary practitioners who can incorporate magick into their domestic and working lives.

Wiccan Rituals And Ethics

Wiccans believe in polarity rather than a single godhead, both in magick and in life. Evil is therefore not a separate demonic force to be eradicated, and the darker aspects of life emanate as a result of
alienation from the natural order of things. However, even those things that are bad can act as catalysts for change; death and endings are as much part of the cycle of life as are birth and beginnings. Dark and light, night and day, positive and negative, destruction and creation are two sides of the same coin, a principle that finds expression in Eastern Taoism and underpins the ancient Chinese / Ching (The Book of Changes), often used for divination. Negativity can be transformed into
healing energies through positive ritual.

The Goddess is the source of all creation, from whom, in the original virgin birth, her son-consort, the Horned God, came. The Horned God and the Goddess are the creative male and female principles that act and react, not in opposition to each other, but as complementary and necessary parts of a whole.

There are variations on this idea within the teachings of Wicca. Some traditions consider the Goddess to be of greater significance than her male counterpart.

Others regard them as equal, assuming different aspects according to the season and ritual: she as the Earth or Moon deity, ruler of the summer months, he as the Sun or Corn God, ruler of winter and Lord of the Underworld after his death.

Along with other nature deities, the Horned God became demonised with the advent of Christianity,and the Goddess was either depicted as a wicked witch or downgraded to the status of a faerie. Thus the Celtic warrior goddess Maeve became the faerie Mab, described thus by Mercutio in
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet:

She is the fairy’s midwife, and she comes
In shape no bigger than an agate-stone
On the fore-finger of an alderman.

Contrary to popular belief, Wiccans do not ‘hex’ (cast curses) or seek revenge, although some Dutch and Pennsylvanian witches consider that it is justifiable to ‘bind’ those who harm children or animals or actively promote evil or corruption. Wiccans prefer to rely on the principles of natural justice that under karmic principles will redress the balance, either in this lifetime or the next.

The chief moral codes are the Wiccan Rede and the Threefold Law. The Wiccan Rede states simply:

‘An it harm none, do what you will’.

This deceptively straightforward statement refers to the self as well as others. I have already mentioned the Threefold Law whereby magical intent – and, many believe, actions and thoughts – return to the sender with three times the intensity.

Because people are responsible for their own actions, everyone -witch and non-witch alike – can choose to do good or evil. Many witches and Wiccans believe that they are reincarnated in some form and also that the results of past deeds can follow a person from one life to the next.

You can compare this to the concept of karma found in Hinduism and Buddhism, which says that the thoughts and deeds we accumulate in our lifetime may either progress us towards spiritual perfection – if good – or indicate, if bad, that we need to learn lessons in subsequent lives to right our mistakes or attitudes. Other witches say there is an afterlife, spent on another plane of existence. Known as Summerland, Avalon or Valhalla, and akin to Tir na n’Og, the Celtic Otherworld of eternal youth, it is a place where joy and light are experienced.

Reincarnation, on the other hand, is a form of bodily transformation. Some may choose to be reborn in another body, perhaps as an animal or bird, sometimes to teach or to complete unfinished work. For example, Merlin, the magician, was believed to have been incarnated in several lifetimes and to have entered willing bodies, including the sixth-century bard Taliesin.

Wiccan rituals are held at esbats and sabbats. An esbat is a monthly coven meeting, traditionally held 13 times a year during each full moon. The eight sabbats are described in the chapter Seasons and Festivals, and celebrate the eight major divisions of the Celtic year on the solstices, the equinoxes and the old Fire festivals. These festivals mark the coming of early spring, the start of the Celtic summer, the first corn harvest and the start of the Celtic winter.

There are also many lovely ceremonies to mark the transitions in the life cycle, such as handfastings, or weddings, and rites of passage to welcome recently deceased Wiccans to the familiar circle whenever they wish to draw near.

 

–Practical Guide to Witchcraft and Magic Spells

Cassandra Eason

Witches of the Craft’s Journal for Thursday, December 6

“Now the seasons are closing their files
on each of us, the heavy drawers
full of certificates rolling back
into the tree trunks, a few old papers
flocking away. Someone we loved
has fallen from our thoughts,
making a little, glittering splash
like a bicycle pushed by a breeze.
Otherwise, not much has happened;
we fell in love again, finding
that one red reather on the wind.”

– Ted Kooser, Year’s End

Current Planetary Positions

December 06, 2018
Tropical Zodiac

Sun: 14 Sagittarius 20
Moon: 05 Sagittarius 10
Mercury: 27 Scorpio 17 Rx
Venus: 02 Scorpio 15
Mars: 13 Pisces 02
Jupiter: 06 Sagittarius 14
Saturn: 08 Capricorn 26
Uranus: 29 Aries 01 Rx
Neptune: 13 Pisces 44
Pluto: 19 Capricorn 48

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Planetary Aspects for the month of December

The planetary aspects listed below are for New York time.

December 06, 04:21 pm – Mercury Direct 27 16
December 07, 02:20 am – New Moon at 15 07
December 07, 09:11 am – Mars conjunct Neptune 13 44
December 15, 06:49 am – 1st Quarter Moon 23 26
December 16, 09:26 am – Venus sextile Saturn
December 17, 01:57 am – Mars sextile Pluto
December 20, 11:21 am – Sun trine Uranus
December 21, 12:11 pm – Venus trine Neptune
December 21, 12:36 pm – Mercury conjunct Jupiter 09 34
December 22, 12:48 pm – Full Moon at 00 49
December 24, 07:31 pm – Mercury square Neptune
December 28, 04:30 pm – Venus sextile Pluto
December 29, 04:34 am – 3rd Quarter Moon 07 36

A Cosmic Weather Yule List

Jane Lyle, Astrologer
From The Astrology Room

For Aries, Leo and Sagittarius – the Fire Signs:

The Sun, Mercury and Jupiter are in sociable Sagittarius. Uranus is back for the final time in fiery, impulsive Aries.

*Mercury’s most useful gift arrives early, on 6th December, when the planet of travel, media, tricks and communication turns forward again.

All our travel plans still need extra care though – Mercury (briefly in Scorpio) is arguing with disruptive Uranus until Wednesday 12th December, and then squaring off to discombobulating Neptune just before Christmas Day itself. Surprises, or a sudden turn of events, could scramble our holiday plans.

*December’s big cosmic boost from messenger Mercury and jolly Jupiter will be right on the Winter Solstice, 21st December. This one looks to be quite something. It’s at 9 degrees Sagittarius, aligning with the Watcher of the West, fixed star Antares.

Antares is a very potent, important star. It’s also known as the Heart of the Scorpion. Antares denotes success, but some kind of journey to the underworld and back again is always involved. This could be through an intense experience, or a psychological trip into your personal subconscious. Some kind of underworld beckons. Antares is also closely associated with news about nuclear energy.

So, do watch out for the days around this December event – they’ll more than likely be brimming over with intense news, passion, and major announcements. If you have planets at around 9-11 degrees in your own natal chart, this could herald important personal news for you, too.

*Jupiter in Sagittarius is surely Father Christmas in some of his many guises. For, just like Jupiter, Secret Santa is a shape-shifter.

He’s a Siberian shaman, flying high on magic mushrooms, and attended by sprites and elves on the inner planes. He’s Odin, galloping aloft on his magical horse in the dark December skies. He’s a close friend of the Holly King of pagan tradition, and somewhere or other he’s kindly St. Nicholas and jolly Sir Christmas too. And like Jupiter in Sagittarius, which is mostly lucky and wondrous, Santa Claus has a devilishly dark side called Krampus. Yes, you better watch out! He knows when you’ve been good or bad……

Santa – and Jupiter – contribute much more than just a sense of fun to this holiday season. Jupiter is radiating goodwill and a sense of adventure from his home in Sagittarius until next December. When Jupiter activates your own natal horoscope it’s time to be more expansive and open. How and where will depend upon the planets and houses involved for you personally.

*Gemini, Libra and Aquarius can all benefit from these planets in fire too, so they aren’t totally missing out during the Yuletide season’s astrology. The astrological element of air is, in fact, mostly absent until 20th January, when the Sun enters Aquarius. Meantime, air signs can enjoy an energising, imaginative and fiery boost to their dreams and plans.

For Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces – the Water Signs:

*Venus returns to Scorpio again on Sunday 2nd December, retracing her September and October path and perhaps reawakening deep thoughts and feelings we had then.

Venus is in new Scorpio territory just before the Solstice.
Fresh thoughts on love, friendship, money and fashion begin to emerge – it could all get very spiritual and romantic for some of us around Friday 21st December. Venus meets Neptune then for some intensely misty enchantment. There may be tears before bedtime, but the festive season always has many intricate emotional layers – and I can’t be the only person who’s welled up when watching certain Christmas ads!

*Mars is in musical, intuitive Pisces all month.

Christmas ghost stories, heavenly choirs, and supernatural Yuletide beings are extra energised between Sunday 2nd – Saturday 8th December, when Mars meets Neptune in Pisces. These are also days to be extra vigilant around your cash, online scams, and smooth-talking would-be lovers or salesmen. Fishy? Yes indeed.

*Neptune often represents a glamorous magician, or spiritual guru. This can be a misty, even delusional astrological influence, fond of mind-altering drugs, alcohol, and deception.

But Neptune has a kind-hearted side too. Astrological aspects involving Neptune this month can prompt us to give something back to our community, spend a little time helping others, or decide to donate to our local food bank or favourite charity.

For Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn – the Earth Signs:

*Serious Saturn and enigmatic Pluto are in earthy Capricorn now and on into 2019. They’re joined there by the Sun on 21st December.

This Sea Goat trio mean that business, finance, government and security are issues we can’t completely ignore during December. They’ll push their message home in January for sure, aided and abetted by a potent solar eclipse in Capricorn on 6th January. All this activity supports serious ambition, hard work, and practicality. It doesn’t wear a party hat though.

However, let’s give sober old Saturn, ruler of Capricorn, a holiday break too. December brings echoes of the Saturnalia, which was a wild party in the Ancient Roman world.

–The Astrology Room

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The Solar Almanac for Thursday, December 6, 2018

Sun Direction: 115.89° ESE↑

Sun Altitude: -2.84°

Sun Distance: 91.592 million mi

Next Solstice: Dec 21, 2018 4:22 pm (Winter)

Sunrise Today: 6:53 am↑ 118° Southeast

Sunset Today: 4:37 pm↑ 242° Southwest

Length of Daylight: 9 hours, 43 minutes

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The Lunar Almanac for Thursday, December 6, 2018

Moon Direction: 117.63° ESE↑

Moon Altitude: 6.08°

Moon Distance: 243276 mi

Next New Moon: Dec 7, 20181:20 am

Next Full Moon: Dec 22, 201811:48 am

Next Moonset: Today4:31 pm

Current Moon Phase: Waning Crescent

Illumination:
0.7%

timeanddate.com

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Lunar Lore

The legend of the werewolf (were has etymological roots in Old English and means man) comes from the tales of the beastly side of men coming out at the Full Moon.

The Moon is the Queen of the Underworld and a bridge to the shadowy realms of the psyche.

The Moon is a passageway to the hidden (occulted) mysteries, including ancestral memory and past lives.

The natal Moon in the birth chart can be a symbol of feminine identity for women; for men, it’s the sought-after feminine ideal, and the kind of woman to form a soul-bond with.

Molly Hall, Author
Published on ThoughtCo

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Lunar Superstitions

The first time you see a crescent moon for the month, take all your spare coins out of your pocket, and put them in the other pocket. This will ensure good luck for the next month.

Some people believe that the fifth day after a full moon is the perfect time to try to conceive a child.

Many cultures throughout history have honored lunar deities, including Artemis, Selene, and Thoth.

In some Chinese religions, offerings are made to the ancestors on the night of a full moon.

In some Native American legends, the moon is held captive by a hostile tribe. A pair of antelope hope to rescue the moon and take it the village of a good tribe, but Coyote, the trickster, interferes. The antelope chase Coyote, who tosses the moon into a river each night, just out of reach of the antelope.

The night of the full moon is believed to be a good time for divination and scrying.

Patti Wigington, Author
Published on ThoughtCo

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The Sky This Week from December 6 to December 9

Venus dazzles in the predawn sky, and gets a little help from the Moon December 3. Meanwhile, Mars and Neptune appear closer to each other under a dark sky than they will until the 23rd century.

By Richard Talcott

Thursday, December 6
Mars continues to put on a nice show these December evenings. The Red Planet appears nearly halfway to the zenith in the southern sky as twilight fades to darkness. The ruddy world shines at magnitude 0.1, as bright as any other early evening object, against the faint backdrop of Aquarius the Water-bearer. As you gaze at Mars with your naked eye, you might assume it’s the only object of interest in the area. But target the planet through binoculars or a telescope and you’ll also see the much fainter glow of Neptune. The magnitude 7.9 ice giant lies 23′ east-northeast of Mars this evening. The two switch positions tomorrow night, with Neptune 16′ southwest of Mars. (The magnitude 6.1 star 81 Aquarii then stands 12′ north of Mars.) The actual conjunction between the two planets occurs at 9:08 a.m. EST on the 7th, when Mars passes 2.2′ north of Neptune, but both objects then lie below the horizon from North America. When viewed through a telescope, Mars appears 9″ while Neptune spans 2.3″. The two planets won’t pass closer to each other under a dark sky until October 19, 2210.

Friday, December 7
Although people in the Northern Hemisphere won’t experience the shortest day of the year for another two weeks (at the winter solstice December 21), those at 40° north latitude will see the Sun set earlier today than at any other time this year. Tomorrow’s sunset will arrive about one second later than today’s. The date of earliest sunset depends on latitude — the farther north you live, the closer it occurs to the solstice.
New Moon occurs at 2:20 a.m. EST. At its new phase, the Moon crosses the sky with the Sun and so remains hidden in our star’s glare.

Saturday, December 8
The days of viewing Saturn in the evening sky are just about over. In fact, tonight might be your last, best chance to see it this year. Although the magnitude 0.5 ringed world stands only 7° high in the southwest 45 minutes after sunset, a slender, two-day-old Moon serves as a guide. The two objects lie 3° apart and look beautiful through binoculars.

Sunday, December 9
Head outside in early evening this week and you can see the Big Dipper scraping the northern horizon. For latitudes north of about 40°, this conspicuous asterism never sets (“circumpolar” in astronomical parlance), though December evenings find it at its lowest ebb. This means that the constellation on the opposite side of the North Celestial Pole, the familiar W-shaped Cassiopeia, currently rides highest in the sky.

The Astronomy Magazine

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Moon Phase Calendar

Thursday – 6th December 2018

Current Moon Phase: Waning Crescent

Moon Currently in Sagittarius

Moon in Sagittarius:
The greatest need is to always search for something. In order to feel safe you might find that you need to have a goal, mission or philosophy that gives your life meaning. With Moon in Sagittarius you have an optimistic approach to life and you believe that things will get better even if you get into trouble.

Organs influenced by Sagittarius Moon Sign:
Organs: Liver, sacrum, thigh bone, tail bone, hip muscles, hip joint, lumbar vertebra, lumbar muscle.

These organs are now more sensitive so provide them with extra care.
Surgical operations:

Surgical operations are recommended during the Waning Moon.

However, avoid surgeries of organs under the influence of the Moon Sign.

Today is Thursday, December 6th

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 positive, 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

Celtic Tree Month of Ruis (Elder) (November 25 – December 22)

The Runic Half Month of Is (November 28 – December 12)

Goddess of the Month of Astraea (November 28 – December 23)

—The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick

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The Goddess Book of Days for Thursday, December 6

Sinterklaas or St. Nicholas Day in the Netherlands. Santa Claus had female roots in Befana, Bertha, Perchta, Lucia, Brigid, and the Yule Child (Persephone or the newborn Goddess). The sixth day of the Moon/month is dedicated to the Mothers, or Spenta- Armaiti and Haitian Voodoun Goddess Erzulie.

Goddesses Associated With Thursday, The Day of Thor

Juno, Hera, Kwan Yin, Mary, Cybele, Tara, Mawu, Mbaba Mwana Waresa, Ishtar

The Goddess Book of Days
Diane Stein

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On Thursday, December 6th, We Celebrate….

Kashim (Alaska)
TAKANAKAPSALUK

Themes: Providence; Purification; Strength; Thankfulness; Luck; Health

Symbols: Saltwater; Arctic Animals

About Takanakapsaluk: This Arctic sea goddess rules over the successful catching of game and over personal health. Takanakapsaluk lives far beneath the cold waters, where she also receives the spirits of the dead and cares for them.

To Do Today: Among Inuit hunters, this is the time of year when special rituals propitiate the spirits of Takanakapsaluk’s animals, who give themselves for the tribe’s food. Specifically, all the bladders of seals, whales, and polar bears are returned to her icy waters in thankfulness. In a similar spirit, go to any open body of water and toss in a small biodegradable offering to the goddess in thanks for your food. Consider abstaining from meat today, or from some other beloved food, as a way of showing appreciation for the goddess’s bounty.

The Kashim traditionally includes ritual fire jumping and sweat baths for purification. Try this yourself by jumping a small candle (carefully, please) or taking a steamy shower (the goddess is part of that water). Additionally, any show of physical prowess today brings continued strength. So, add a little exercise to your day. Take a brisk walk, do some jumping jacks. As you do, think of Takanakapsaluk filling you with revitalizing health.

–365 Goddess: A Daily Guide To the Magic and Inspiration of the goddess
Patricia Telesco

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Thursday’s Magickal Correspondence

Wealth
Male Fertility
Ambition
Expansion
Luck
Happiness
Honor
Family
Harvests

Planet: Jupiter

Colors: Dark Blue, Green

Crystals: Turquoise, Amethyst, Lapis

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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

–Practical Magick for the Penny Pinching Witch
Carol Moyer

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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

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

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The Witches Almanac for Thursday, December 6

St. Nicholas’s Day

Waning Moon

Moon phase: Fourth Quarter

Moon Sign: Sagittarius

Incense: Balsam

Color: Turquoise

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St Nicholas Day

St. Nicholas of Myra is a popular Christian Saint among children across Europe because of his reputation as a bringer of gifts. Both the North American Santa Claus and the British Father Christmas are legendary figures whose attributes derive from the myths surrounding St. Nicholas.

What Do People Do?
St. Nicholas Day is a popular occasion for children in many parts of Europe because children usually receive gifts on this day. Some European cities such as Bari, Italy recognize St. Nicholas as the patron saint and celebrate with different activities such as gift-giving, parades, feasts and festivals.

St. Nicholas is referred to by many names throughout Europe such as Sinterklaas in the Netherlands or Nikolaus in Germany. In the days leading up to December 6, children throughout Europe put their shoes or a special St. Nicholas boot in front of the fireplace or the front door at night to find them filled with small presents the next morning. A larger amount of gifts is usually brought on the eve of St. Nicholas Day or December 5.

Public Life
St. Nicholas Day is a religious observance but not a nationwide public holiday in countries such as Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Background
The legendary figure of St. Nicholas is derived from Nicholas of Myra who officiated as a bishop in 4th century Greece. During his lifetime he developed a reputation for gift-giving by putting coins in other people’s shoes, which accounts for many of today’s Christmas traditions that involve leaving gifts in shoes or boots.

Having inspired both the figure of the North American Santa Claus and the British Father Christmas, St. Nicholas has in some countries been more recently joined on his visits to children’s homes by an evil companion who punishes the naughty ones: in Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic and northern Italy, this personification of evil is called Krampus, in Germany Knecht Ruprecht, and in the Netherlands Zwarte Piet.

—timeanddate.com

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Correspondences for Thursday, December 7

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

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Magickal Applications for Thursday

Thursday comes from the Latin Dies Iovis, which means “Jove’s day” Jove, or Jupiter as he was sometimes called, was the supreme god and patron of the ancient Romans. Jove/Jupiter is associated with wealth, leadership, thunder, and lightning. A lord of heaven, Jove/Jupiter was also a god of light, and his sacred color is white. In the Greek mythologies, this deity was known as Zeus. This fifth day of our bewitching week was eventually turned into the Old English Thursdaeg or Thunresdaeg, which translates to “thunder’s day” or, more simply, “Thor’s day.” This day of the week is named after Thor, the popular Norse god of thunder. Thor was the son of Odin. He carried a war hammer called Mjollnir, and it was this that made the thunder and lightning. All of these Thursday gods-Jupiter/Jove, Zeus, and Thor-were wielders of the thunderbolt.

Thursday has the planetary association of Jupiter, and this day of the week is associated with prosperity, abundance, leadership, and good health. Prosperity and abundance are the typical magickal concerns on a Thursday. However, the way people define prosperity can vary greatly between individuals.

Personally, I think prosperity and abundance aren’t about owning the biggest house, fanciest wardrobe, or the newest car. It’s about living within your means and living well. My definition of prosperity is having enough money in the checking account to cover the bills and to pay for the groceries; anything left over is gravy.

But with a family, there is always something. Just about the time you’re feeling confident, something pops up. Somebody has to go to the doctor or the dentist, or someone needs work done on their car. Or my daughter calls from college with the classic “send money” request. It’s enough to drive me bonkers! For instance, just this past month, I got hit up for sorority dues, book fees, dentist bills, a bit of car repair and, lest we forget, living money for my daughter while she is away at school. Ouch!

The aspiration to make your budget stretch and to find ways to cover extra expenses is a real need for just about everybody. So on this bewitching day, let’s look at some practical, magickal ways to increase your prosperity and try out a few enchanting ideas designed to create a little abundance and, last but not least good health.

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

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Thursday & The Perfect Corresponding Spell

Thursdays are good days for travel and change. It’s the perfect day to re-arrange the furniture of your house and gain a new perspective on something. Even if you are not able to do any traveling on this day, you can still use Thursdays to do spells for travel. You can even do spells for positive change, and re-arrangement of your life. It’s a good idea to exercise on this day, as well. That way, your body can be in-shape by the time Friday comes along.

Rock Safe Trip Spell

Items you will need are:
1 small rock
1 blue candle
1 tube of black paint or black marker

Walk around outside and find a small rock, with a flat surface on one side. When you return inside, write the rune symbol “Raido” on the rock, with your paint or marker This symbol looks like the letter “R.” After the paint or marker dries, take the rock and hold it between your hands. Once the rocks feels warm from the heat of your hands, place it beside the candle. Then light the andle. Close your eyes and prayer to The Powers That Be, for a safe trip. Now open your eyes and hold the rock over the flame and wave it back and forth, careful not to burn your hands. Once you feel like you have infused the energy from the candle into the rock, set the rock aside and blow out the candle. After the rock cools off, place it in your pocket, to ensure a safe journey.

–A Witch’s Week of Spells and Activities
Helga C. Loueen

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Winter Magick

Winter can be a time when aligning oneself with the forces of Nature can seem difficult. The cold and snow can keep everyone locked indoors, and all time spent outside must be limited for one’s own safety. But Winter is a time just as applicable to magick as any other season. And though all plant life has diminished and many animals have hidden themselves away, slumbering till Spring, there is still much at hand that the Witch can use.
Winter is a time of pause, reflection and self analysis. It is one of the times when the Crone turns to face us, reminding us just how mortal we truly are. Stand outside, let the wind tear at your clothes and hair, the cold bite at your skin, penetrating to the bone. Listen to the susurrus of the snow blowing across the ice, just as softly Her words can be heard: “all things must pass.” For these reasons, Winter is a perfect time for purificatory and cleansing magick. And these are ends to which the snow, ice, and cold of Winter are perfectly suited.

Snow is simple to work with magickally and it’s rather versatile. It can be used to “wash” items in to cleanse them. Altar clothes, ritual tools, crystals, and candles can all be “washed” in the snow. Just hold the item in your left hand, with your right take a handful of snow and rub it all over the items. Cleansing with snow is like cleansing with a million very small clear Quartz crystals, and that is the affect it has, as well. It leaves the items feeling freshly cleansed, but energized at the same time. Items like tools and crystals can also just be left outside overnight, buried in a snow bank, to be cleansed by the snow.

Snow can also be used in the creation of a “snowbane” for banishing magick. Outside, form some snow into an image of what it is you will to be rid of. As you form the snowbane, fill it with all the energy and power that thing, person, bad habit, or whatever, has over you. Take your snowbane indoors now. Ideally, place it in a cauldron, but a large cooking or mixing bowl will do perfectly. As the snowbane melts, so, too, the power of what it represents has over you fades.

Snow and ice can also be used to intensify energy within your Circle, just be sure to do your ritual at a time when the winds are calm as Winter winds are prone to dissipation. To this end, the snow can be mounded up to designate the Circle boundaries and piled up a la snowman style for an altar and for smaller altars at the Quarters, as well. If you are particularly ambition and like to play in the snow, you could construct a small outdoor temple outdoors, entirely out of snow, much like an igloo. It need only be big enough for you to sit comfortably in and you could create a snow-sculpture inside to represent your patron Deity.

Another simple means to harness the power of Winter is to work your spells and rituals in silence, as silence is one of the virtues of the North and, thus, of Winter. Gestures alone are quite powerful and evocative, but, as Winter is a time of introversion, visualization alone can be quite appropriate.

These are just a few examples of ways to tap into the power of Winter and keep oneself aligned with the changing of the seasons. Magick is flexible and permeates life, experiment and see what other ways you can up with.

-Lady Althaea

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Spirit Message of the Moment – Ideas To Celebrate Yule 2018

CELEBRATING THE PAGAN SABBAT: YULE

In many Pagan and Wiccan celebrations, often the cornerstone of a successful Sabbat is the food. Yule is a time of rich, delicious cooking for many of us, so start planning your menu ahead of time. Open up your hearth and home for your guests, and once you’re seated at your meal, take a moment to be thankful for all the bounty and blessings you have before you this Yule season!

Food Blessings, Pagan and Wiccan Style
Many religions celebrate the consumption of food with some sort of prayer of thanksgiving. Many Pagans and Wiccans believe that not only should we thank the gods for our food, but also the earth and the food itself. After all, if you’re eating plants or meat, something had to die so that you could have a meal. It seems rude not to thank your food for its sacrifice. Any of the following may be said over a meal, a Cakes and Ale ceremony, or any other event where food is served. Feel free to include the names of the deities of your tradition, of you prefer.

• This Simple Meal Blessing offers thanks to the God and Goddess for a meal.

• A Prayer to the Earth shows gratitude for the planet’s bounty.

• If you’re eating a meal that once walked around, offer a prayer Celebrating Meat.

• Invite the Gods to dine with you.

• Make an Offering of a bit of your food.

Basic Wassail Recipe
Wassail was originally a word that meant to greet or salute someone — groups would go out Wassailing on cold evenings, and when they approached a door would be offered a mug of warm cider or ale. Over the years, the tradition evolved to include mixing eggs with alcohol and asperging the crops to ensure fertility. While this recipe doesn’t include eggs, it sure is good, and it makes your house smell beautiful for Yule!

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours, 15 minutes

Ingredients:
• 1 Gallon apple cider
• 2 C. cranberry juice
• 1/2 C honey
• 1/2 C sugar
• 2 oranges
• Whole cloves
• 1 apple, peeled and diced
• Allspice
• Ginger
• Nutmeg
• 3 cinnamon sticks (or 3 Tbs. ground cinnamon)
• 1/2 C – 1 C brandy (optional)

Preparation: Set your crockpot to its lower setting, and pour apple cider, cranberry juice, honey and sugar in, mixing carefully. As it heats up, stir so that the honey and sugar dissolve. Stud the oranges with the cloves, and place in the pot (they’ll float). Add the diced apple. Add allspice, ginger and nutmeg to taste — usually a couple of tablespoons of each is plenty. Finally, snap the cinnamon sticks in half and add those as well.

Cover your pot and allow to simmer 2 – 4 hours on low heat. About half an hour prior to serving, add the brandy if you choose to use it. Buttered RumButtered rum was a popular recipe in colonial America, and it’s easy to see why — it’s GOOD. You can brew this up in your crockpot, ladle out a nice big mug and sit by the fire on a chilly winter evening. It’s the perfect warm drink for Yule. If you leave out the rum, your kids can enjoy it too (here’s a tip — when your little one wants to have a Harry Potter party, make a rum-free pot of this recipe and call it butter beer).

Ingredients:
• 2 Quarts apple juice
• 2 C firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 stick butter (use the real stuff, not margarine)
• 3 Tbs. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 C. your favorite rum
• Refrigerated whipped dessert topping
• Cinnamon sticks and nutmeg for garnish

Preparation: Warm up the apple juice and brown sugar in a pot. Add the butter (dice up the stick before you put it in there, so it’ll melt faster). Stir until the butter is melted. Add the spices and the rum. Cover the pot, and allow to simmer on low for 2 – 4 hours. Ladle into mugs for serving. Top each with a dollop of whipped topping and a cinnamon stick. Sprinkle with a dash of nutmeg.

Sunshine Skillet
When the sun comes up on Yule morning, there’s nothing quite like it. If your family celebrates with a solar ritual, after you’re done, head to the kitchen for a big breakfast. This sunny skillet dish is full of good stuff — if you’re vegetarian, simply substitute something else for the sausage, or leave the meat out altogether. This is fabulous with some nice warm biscuits and gravy.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
• 2 Tbs. butter (use the good stuff, not margarine)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/2 C shiitake mushrooms, chopped
• 2 C southern-style hashbrown potatoes, thawed
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 2 C sausage, browned
• 2 C cheddar cheese, grated
• Fresh rosemary and sage
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 C Asiago cheese, grated
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1 small tomato, diced

Preparation: Preheat your oven to 350. Heat the butter in a large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add the mushrooms and onions, sautéing until they are opaque. Add potatoes, and cook until browned, stirring occasionally. In a buttered or greased casserole dish, spread the potato mixture around to evenly cover the bottom. Mix the eggs, sausage, cheese, herbs, salt and pepper together in a small bowl, and then pour over potatoes. Bake in the oven at 350 for about 30 minutes. About ten minutes into the bake time, sprinkle the Asaigo cheese on top. Remove from oven and allow to cool for ten minutes before serving. To serve, dish onto plates and garnish with tomatoes and onions.

All Above Excerpts authored by Patti Wigington, ThoughtCo
Published on Spiritblogger’s Blog

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MAGIC IN THE HOME

Without hearts, there is no home. —LORD BYRON

Hovel, hotel, or houseboat—your home should be your castle. If it’s not, a little magic fairy dusting is in order. Of all the places where the Goddess can manifest herself, your home is one where she can really shine without the aid of furniture polish. Every part of your living space has magical potential. What about your living room, you ask? Use the TV screen as a crystal ball (but turn it off first)! And the rugs—metaphysically sweep problems under them!

One of the favorite magical jokes in my home is about the hot tub. When people come over and meet Trish the witch for the first time, we often open the tub by way of hospitality. A little later, when everyone’s relaxed, I come out with a handful of mixed vegetables, a wooden spoon, and a sneaky grin! Gives a whole new meaning to “bubble, bubble,” eh? The point is that the hot tub could be my cauldron if I wanted it to be, just as many things around your home can take on the Goddess’s glimmer if you will allow them to.

–Goddess in My Pocket: Simple Spells, Charms, Potions, and Chants to Get You Everything You Want
Patricia Telesco

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Witchy Tip for Thursday, December 6th

Yule is also a time to share our wealth and happiness with those around us. Gift-giving to family, friends and circle-mates is a wonderful gesture, not only of our own path but others as well. Symbolically, we’re sharing the bounty of a harvest, though in times past it was elements of the harvest that were shared out among those closest to the giver. The gift was often something one couldn’t provide oneself, and in return a gift was given to someone else, something they didn’t have.

–Yule (Creating New Pagan Family Tradition)

Jodi Lee

Daily Cosmic Calendar for December 6th

Deal with the dark-of-the-moon unsettled monthly vibes as best as possible. This challenging situation lasts until the moment the new moon at 16 degrees of Sagittarius occurs at 11:22pm. In the meantime, the universe is handing you a couple of golden opportunities as the moon in Sagittarius makes its monthly conjunction with optimism-boosting King of the Gods Jupiter (6:32am) while Mercury makes its station to turn direct at 28 degrees of Scorpio (1:25pm). Zero in on the following important themes associated with Mercury – communications, learning and primary education, words and language, transportation and travel plans, business and trade, messages and paperwork, health and medical concerns, the five senses, air and breathing, wind and temperature changes. Since Mercury, like every celestial body, has a shadow side, don’t let down your guard concerning signings and agreements as Mercury is fundamentally motionless all of today and can influence earth dwellers positively or negatively. (Mercury will remain in forward motion until March 5, 2019 when it will begin a new retrograde cycle at 30 degrees of Pisces.) Before the new moon happens, two additional sky anomalies test your patience as the moon squares Mars (8:12pm) and Neptune (8:43pm). After the new moon enters the history books, keep striving for serenity since several planetary shake-ups make their appearance in the heavens on Friday.

[Note to readers: All times are calculated as Pacific Standard Time. Be sure to adjust all times according to your own local time so the alignments noted above will be exact for your location.]

Copyright 2018 Mark Lerner & Great Bear Enterprises, Ltd

Astrology.com

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ARE YOU SECRETLY AN ALIEN? IF YOU WERE BORN AFTER 1978, YOU MIGHT BE!

How would you describe yourself? A millennial? Super-creative, highly intuitive, instinctually rebellious, and… existentially lonely? If you answered “yes” to these questions, you might be an Indigo Child.

In her book “Welcome Home, Wanderer: A Guide for Indigo Children,” author Sophia Gubb asks, “Have you felt different all your life? Do you feel that you have an important purpose, even when you don’t know what it is?… Are you, in other words, an alien with a mission?”

by Anna Ortiz

WHAT IS AN INDIGO CHILD?

“Indigo Children” was a term coined in the 1970’s by Nancy Ann Tappe, an author and synesthete who developed the idea of a “life color” – a single color that remains in your aura from birth to death. She began seeing a rare aural shade of a deep purplish-blue appearing in a unique set of people starting in the ‘60s and early ‘70s – before noticing a prominent spike in its occurrence in the ensuing decades.

Since Tappe named the phenomenon, numerous works have been written about the Indigo children, who are generally characterized as people who were born in or after 1978 that have the telltale indigo aura. There are many specific characteristics attributed to this burgeoning group of individuals, including the belief that they are a spiritually evolved generation whose purpose is to enlighten society and steer humanity to a better path.

Some even believe that Indigo children are alien hybrids or, at the very least, have a special celestial connection to extraterrestrials. Craig Lang, a Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) field investigator, proposes that otherworldly visitors could be genetically integrating these characteristics into the human populace in order to introduce a population of “awakened” individuals. In her book “Children of the Stars: Advice for Star Children and Parents,” author Nikki Pattillo theorizes that Indigos are spiritual incarnations of extraterrestrials in human bodies, rather than genetic science experiments.

Either way, there’s no doubting that countless young outsiders have found their place among the Indigo tribe.

LIFE AS AN INDIGO CHILD

There was one widely shared sentiment among the Indigos we interviewed: Growing up, they felt like outsiders. Most Indigos we spoke to admitted to experiencing alienation or a feeling of generally being misunderstood. In fact, Indigos are often diagnosed with conditions such as ADD, ADHD, autism, anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder.

Terek Schofield, of Petawawa, Ontario has struggled with severe ADHD all his life. When he recently stumbled upon articles about Indigo children, “the scary accuracy of every single trait pretty much made me a believer.”

Learning of this phenomenon has made the 32-year-old feel less alone. “I have a community, or rather a family,” he explains. “And when you’ve felt a strange outsider your whole life, it’s comforting.”

That sentiment has been echoed by many others across the globe. Simply feeling a part of a like-minded community, even if it’s just a Facebook group or online forum, has helped to cope with the challenges they face as an Indigo. Aurexia Rivers, a 33-year-old from South Africa,  identifies as an Indigo and says that learning about the community has helped her make sense of her own life. “Learning about Indigo Children has helped me to understand myself better,” she says. ”I’m not just a freak.”

In addition to ADHD and other diagnoses, Indigos are also often highly attuned to things that others cannot see.  “Ever since I was a little girl, I have been able to see entities that ‘normal folk’  do not see,” explains Isabelle Alba, a 35-year-old from Stockholm, Sweden. “Both good and bad entities. It was and still is a very scary experience.”

On the other hand, the sensitivity can bring about a feeling of connectivity. For instance, Marie Velan spent her childhood talking to the wildlife around her home in Seattle. The 31-year-old would hold conversations with birds in her treehouse and could sense when a stray cat was going to have kittens before it was visibly apparent.

If any of these stories feel familiar to you, you might be an Indigo as well.

7 SIGNS OF BEING AN INDIGO CHILD

You don’t follow the rules. Indigo children are not the personality type to accept rules and authority at face value. Instead, they choose to be led by their internal values and their innate sense of integrity above all else. This means growing up at odds with authoritarian figures like parents and teachers. As a result, adult Indigos tend to clash with authority throughout their lives because of their strong sense of right and wrong and they’re not afraid to make their opinions known.

You are an empath. Indigos pick up on a lot from the people and the atmosphere around them and have an uncanny ability to tap into other people’s emotions. When Indigos are unaware of this trait, it can lead to depression and a sense of feeling overwhelmed.

You have psychic abilities. Often, Indigos have an innate connection to the spirit world, which can include seeing or feeling ghosts. They have a sixth sense in tuning into other’s motives, feelings, characteristics and underlying issues, and they often already know the outcome of a situation before it comes to fruition. It’s hard to pull the veil over an Indigo’s eyes since their perception is so fine-tuned.

You often feel lonely. Even though much of the time Indigos are well-liked and even admired for their altruistic character, feeling disconnected with those around them is still a lifetime battle. Because they have always lived with a feeling of isolation and alienation beginning in their earliest years, Indigos typically have trouble falling into step with the rest of society. This makes for a challenging adolescence, in which depression and anxiety can develop early on. Questions like, “What’s wrong with me?” and statements like, “Everything is wrong,” tend to be repetitive throughout an Indigo’s lifetime.

You’re super-creative.  Indigos think outside of the box and gravitate towards the world of fantasy, and often find artistic ways to express themselves such as through music, writing, and the arts.

You’re hypersensitive. Indigos, especially if they are younger, are filled with a whirlwind of emotions, which amplifies their reactions to situations and people. They are the first to get their heart-strings tugged by a moving scene in a movie and react strongly when reading the news of a person or animal who was harmed. They also have many physical sensitivities, such as allergies to foods and chemicals. In addition, Indigos can have a heightened reaction to stimulus, especially in chaotic or overbearing atmospheres.

You want to make the world a better place.  Indigos are born with a desire to find their destiny, which often ties in with humanitarian-based efforts. Part of their driving force is the persistent feeling that they are here for a reason, combined with intense empathy for not only other people but also animals and the environment. They don’t believe in living for material gain and comfort, but rather use their time on Earth to enact solutions to humanity’s’ many quandaries.

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Your Daily Love Horoscopes for Thursday, Dec. 6 & Dec. 7

Pisces Daily Love Horoscope

Thursday 6th of December 2018

Be prepared to dig deep into your passionate well of compassion and kindness to find pearls of wisdom and romantic revelations. Your heart’s needs might be altering or evolving, but this can lead the way to new desires that you’ll be keen to explore passionately! Just remember to introduce any changes gradually. If a loved one or potential partner needs time to catch up with you, passion-wise, then slow things down briefly!

Pisces tomorrow love horoscope:

Friday 7th of December 2018

A loved one or someone close might not be getting the memo or taking your hint in some way. This could cause you to wonder what else you should do to make yourself clear. Your best bet at this time involves refraining from pushing for anything new to be tried or explored and choose instead to see what healing or small improvements a bit of time can bring. You and someone close could still be reeling from a tense or unpleasant development. Be there for each other.

Capricorn Daily Love Horoscope

Thursday 6th of December 2018

There could be strong similarities between your current romantic circumstances and those from your distant past. You’re probably quite happy to boost your effort levels with one special connection because you know the rewards will come and are right to embrace it with a positive spirit. With plenty of gratitude and compassion, one connection can only go from strength to strength.

Capricorn tomorrow love horoscope:

Friday 7th of December 2018

You might feel you couldn’t be more consistent or straightforward with how you’re projecting or conveying yourself to someone close, but they could draw your attention to mixed or confusing signals you’re sending. To be fair, your moods and attention levels could fluctuate at this time, and you might not feel it’s necessary to keep a loved one in the loop every minute of the day about what you think, feel or are doing. If you’re told you’re a bit erratic, then don’t take it to heart.

Sagittarius Daily Love Horoscope

Thursday 6th of December 2018

A wave of reassurance permeating your emotional world or one special connection could help you to feel confident that you’re on the best path possible to realize a romantic dream now. Obligations might demand attention in other areas and make finding enough time for romance to be tricky. Stop seeing romance as a luxury that you can afford only when the time is right to do so. If it demands attention like anything else, then don’t put it further down your priority list!

Sagittarius tomorrow love horoscope:

Friday 7th of December 2018

Feeling a noticeable sense of ease and comfort in your emotional world or within a love relationship can help bring your focus back to enhancing and strengthening a special bond instead of keeping on top of any tension or uncertainty. If you’re attached, then others could see you and someone close as an inseparable team, so be willing to seize social opportunities coming your way together.

Scorpio Daily Love Horoscope

Thursday 6th of December 2018

It’s not easy to simplify your love life, but if you can explore options to do so, then you’ll do yourself a great service now. Setting aside ‘you time’ to ponder affairs of the heart is important, especially if you’re suppressing thoughts or emotions to keep things peaceful and harmonious. Fortunately, your passionate purpose is probably clearer to you now than it has been in some time. You’ve coped with amazing challenges recently. Now, it’s time to take stock of where you stand currently and if your current emotional position matches your expectations.

Scorpio tomorrow love horoscope:

Friday 7th of December 2018

Your ability to apply your innate intuition is legendary, and you can connect with those you’re closest to or anticipate their thoughts or actions with remarkable ease now. Try to apply your intuitive talents to sweeten someone’s world. You could offer a solution to a loved one’s problem or dilemma by putting yourself in their shoes briefly and seeing what they see or feel what they feel. You could also be surprised at what you discover by doing so, too.

Libra Daily Love Horoscope

Thursday 6th of December 2018

If you believe an imbalance exists in a current love relationship, then restoring harmony relies on you having an authentic heart-to-heart conversation about it. What you perceived to be balanced might differ from what a partner believes to be fair, so a meeting of minds and hearts needs to happen pronto. It’s by nipping tiny issues in the bud before they grow in strength and size that you can keep moving one special connection in a positive direction.

Libra tomorrow love horoscope:

Friday 7th of December 2018

There appears to be plenty of comradery and cooperation on offer to you and teaming up with a loved one or potential partner could provide a perfect chance for a bond to strengthen or deepen. You and a special person will enjoy being part of a collaborative effort or feeling as if you have important roles to play and contributions to make. It might not be only your lives than the two of you can make a significant difference to.

Virgo Daily Love Horoscope

Thursday 6th of December 2018

You might be unaware of the stable influence you are to one special connection. Even with a lengthy To Do List in other areas of your world, you still manage to tend to essential matters of the heart. A new chapter is beginning, and the boost to your personal power fills you with the confidence you need to keep everything balanced and copacetic. It’s by harnessing and focusing your power constructively that will ensure romance gets a lot hotter!

Virgo tomorrow love horoscope:

Friday 7th of December 2018

What might seem a straightforward, humdrum way of doing something to you could make you very appealing in a certain person’s eyes. The way you make something appear easy or your knowledge of a particular topic could bring you closer. Although they might be genuinely keen for you to share your knowledge or expertise, it’s probably you they’re more interested in. A meeting of hearts starts with a meeting of minds.

Leo Daily Love Horoscope

Thursday 6th of December 2018

Being able to rise above a love life snafu helps you to connect with a love interest in a meaningful way. You can see the lesson that’s waiting to be learned in a current love life situation, even if it means adopting a new attitude or approach to an old love life matter you believed was resolved and put behind you. As you evolve, so too does the object of your affections. Together, you’ll feel confident about supporting each other in ways you could both use some support now.

Leo tomorrow love horoscope:

Friday 7th of December 2018

Come on, Leo! Do you know of anyone able to bring more imagination and creativity to their love life than you? This is a time to connect with your deeply romantic side. A loved one or potential partner could be surprised at and delighted by your ability to express romantic ideas, thoughts or plans in ways that truly touch their heart. It’s the way you make someone close smile or, better still, laugh by applying your unique brand of imagination that can make you appear even sexier in their eyes.

Cancer Daily Love Horoscope

Thursday 6th of December 2018

Tending to a loved one’s needs requires you to focus on your needs first. It’s that simple. You can broaden personal horizons and simplify your love life by being guided by your heart regarding what you should do next. Make this passionate process easier by being honest with yourself and making someone close clear about what you need and why you need it. Offering total authenticity means you will never have to settle for second best.

Cancer tomorrow love horoscope:

Friday 7th of December 2018

You want to remove tediousness from your emotional world, and the cosmos appears to have listened. One unexpected development or surprise activity pushes you to embrace the thrill of spontaneity. If you’re attached, then a loved one could reveal a plan made in secret that could thrill you. If you’re single, then an out of the blue message from a certain person could give you plenty to consider.

Gemini Daily Love Horoscope

Thursday 6th of December 2018

A lover can be your biggest ally today. Remaining on the sidelines of all the action may seem prudent to you, but you’re missing out on what could be a real romantic adventure. Summon that sexy spirit of yours and make a bold move. Something as simple as sharing a personal goal or fun fantasy can create warm fuzzy feelings between you and the one you love.

Gemini tomorrow love horoscope:

Friday 7th of December 2018

There’s likely much going on in the background of your emotional world or a love partnership. What gets agreed between you and someone close could take longer than you anticipated to come to fruition so don’t get antsy if progress feels slow. However, the need to take something slowly helps to create a new level of level of trust. If you’ve wanted to reveal thoughts, feelings or plans in new or more exciting ways, then you could have your chance to do so.

Taurus Daily Love Horoscope

Thursday 6th of December 2018

You don’t need an excuse to ignore any love life issues or tension waiting to arise in your emotional world. This could be a time when you want to ponder affairs of the heart because once you’ve recharged your physical and emotional batteries, you’ll feel more confident about dealing with whatever you’re ignoring now.

Taurus tomorrow love horoscope:

Friday 7th of December 2018

You could be busy making plans in every area of your world or have your eye fixed on what you want to make happen career-wise. However, don’t let your emotional world or love life suffer from lack of attention. You don’t have to create a lengthy and ambitious list of things to throw similar energy into, love-wise. Slow but heartfelt changes in your romantic world could transform it. You might need to adjust your priorities accordingly.

Aries Daily Love Horoscope

Thursday 6th of December 2018

You could feel very much ‘in the zone’ when it comes to love affairs of the heart, and the first clue about how comfortable you feel could surround the ease in which your words flow. Your heart is full of gratitude and compassion, but it’s important you don’t push too hard to be understood. Feeling more relaxed toward affairs of the heart allows some luck to permeate your emotional world. Don’t rule out what a bit of that can bring you now.

Aries tomorrow love horoscope:

Friday 7th of December 2018

Romantic energy could intensify, and you might be unsure how to handle or focus this delightful bodily buzz! Therefore, you might need to dial back your signature impulsiveness otherwise your fervent passion could be more than one person could handle. You’re not obliged to bottle anything up, just release what you feel slowly and measuredly. Making a concerted effort not to rush something between you and one special person can build anticipation wonderfully.

Aquarius Daily Love Horoscope

Thursday 6th of December 2018

The surge of confidence you’re blessed with in your romantic world has the power to move mountains. Nothing will stop you from furthering your personal, passionate transformation, and it’s important you trust your vision of the future. If you truly want to improve current love circumstances, then open your heart to the powerful changes underway right now. They’re waiting for some guidance and steering from you.

Aquarius tomorrow love horoscope:

Friday 7th of December 2018

Whether or not you and someone close have given each other the ‘silent treatment’ recently, tension could be easing, and lines of communication could be improving. This can be helpful with getting plans underway that have been delayed due to uncertainty – or lethargy. Finding new places to explore can strengthen a bond, and the more unfamiliar, the better

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The Daily Horoscopes for Thursday, December 6

Claire Petulengro, Astrologer

ARIES (March 21st-April 20th)
Words are seeds for you this week, so scatter them with care and they will grow and flourish beyond your wildest expectations. Someone you thought you wanted back in your life, you now realise you do not. Ring now to hear why these feelings are spot on.

TAURUS (April 21st-May 21st)
Don’t waste time on those who don’t give, but only take from your life. To do so can only lead to that same frustrated feeling you could not get rid of last month. Show you can grow and be the bigger person. Ring now so I can empower you.

GEMINI (May 22nd-June 21st)
You may not realise it, but 2018 has been a year of real life lessons for you and not all of them were pain free, were they Gemini? Many of your sign are having trouble sleeping lately, but making much needed phone calls can put your life back in order. Ring me. Let’s get you living life again.

CANCER (June 22nd-July 23rd)
Try not to take sides in any arguments today as nothing is what it at first seems. In fact, many of the signs really are talking for the sake of it lately. Your element of water brings out your need to confess, but stick to your own secrets, not those of others. Ring now for guidelines.

LEO (July 24th-August 23rd)
You will always find a way out of a problem. You’re a Leo! Don’t be afraid to take the lead, it’s what you were born for. Knowing who you can trust has not been easy, but today is set to give you all of the evidence you need. Ring now for a message from Uranus.

VIRGO (August 24th-September 23rd)
I can see that there have not been enough hours in the day for you recently and that you have felt as if others have been using you. That all changes once you learn to say no to the things you don’t want. Ring now so I can help you to find your voice again.

LIBRA (September 24th-October 23rd)
You would be wise on this day to believe nothing of what you hear and only half of what you see. Facts will come to light as this month unfolds which will make you feel foolish for acting so quickly on what could just be rumours. Ring now to stay on top.

SCORPIO (October 24th-November 22nd)
Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced. Once you accept this fact, then you will slowly but surely start to let down some of those defences. Negotiations in work can go in your favour at this time. Ring now for a game plan.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23rd-December 21st)
You should have learnt by now that you are a sign with an addictive nature. What you have yet to realise though, is that you can have good addictions as well as negative ones. Try to put all of your time and energy into making the change which is long overdue. Ring now for help.

CAPRICORN (December 22nd-January 20th)
Can you feel the excitement which is running through your veins? If you can’t, then you will be able to within the next fortnight my friend. Your life is about to get brighter and bolder than ever before. Fasten your seatbelt Capricorn. You’re in for quite a ride! Ring now for details.

AQUARIUS (January 21st-February 19th)
There is a no nonsense attitude to your chart today where you will not be suffering fools gladly. Thanks to the magic of Saturn, you’ll be able to see through lies easily. This could shed some light on what was really meant by a recent offer. Ring me to build more on this.

PISCES (February 20th-March 20th)
Be happy for this very dramatic moment you have found yourself in recently Pisces. It is, after all, your life! You have spent far too much time listening to and taking advice from those whose lives you would not wish for your own anyway! Ring now to improve your confidence.

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Get A Jump on Tomorrow….

Your Daily Horoscopes for Friday, December 7

Claire Petulengro, Astrologer

ARIES (March 21st-April 20th)
Friends turn into lovers for many of your sign and you start to see what you have to do in order to live the life you desire. For some of you, this will mean parting ways with those who do not treat you well. About time is all I say. Ring now for total honesty.

TAURUS (April 21st-May 21st)
Don’t play games in love this weekend or you will get your fingers burnt. It would be far better for you to give your close ones the cold hard facts. Making time however for those who are older than you is critical. Ring now to hear how money can be made from second attempts.

GEMINI (May 22nd-June 21st)
Stay present and celebrate what is rather than what may be in time to come. Your dual nature often sees you putting your time and energy where it is least needed. Pisces link to a new path in your career which can bring happiness. Ring now for the full story.

CANCER (June 22nd-July 23rd)
Try not to speak for the sake of it or you could end up getting yourself into a lot of hot water. Instead, try only to answer the questions which are being asked of you. Knowing who your heart really lies with is your major battle. Ring now to make sense of mixed messages.

LEO (July 24th-August 23rd)
Never let the future worry you. You will meet your destiny as the same person you are now, which means if you speak from the heart your answers will be the right ones. Ring now to hear how pregnancies and births are all around you this month and next.

VIRGO (August 24th-September 23rd)
The written word is more important than you could possibly imagine. Don’t let what others try to tempt you into take centre stage. If you do, then you will be kicking yourself for a long time to come. Ring now to hear which sign is your Achilles’ heel.

LIBRA (September 24th-October 23rd)
The past is on your mind more than usual and you may even find yourself tempted to call up those who you miss. Just try to remember why it is that you moved on from them Libra. It’s the key to you feeling in control of your destiny. Ring now so I can help you.

SCORPIO (October 24th-November 22nd)
Trust is a major issue for you at this time, but what you need to ask yourself is if you are mistrusting someone for what another did to you, or if you truly feel you are having the wool pulled over your eyes. Ring now to excel where you have previously failed.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23rd-December 21st)
Fear of the same thing going wrong for a second time is a very real fear for you, isn’t it Sagittarius? However, deep down inside you and I both know that your current situation is nothing like an old one. Ring now to work on following through with what your heart is telling you.

CAPRICORN (December 22nd-January 20th)
There are an array of new talents which are going to be touching your heart and soul this month. The first step to you getting back onto a path which is right for you requires you to admit what and who you really want. Phone now to hear why gambles in love are worth taking.

AQUARIUS (January 21st-February 19th)
Your element of air could see you telling others’ secrets which they would rather have kept under wraps. Make sure you express your intentions before you carry them out or you could end up ruining a relationship which has only just got back on track. Ring now for clarity.

PISCES (February 20th-March 20th)
Look back for a moment Pisces and you will see that you have already survived every bad thing that came your way. All you can remember is the pain, but that has passed and will not return. Take a deep breath and jump. Ring now to hear what amazing times await you.

For Claire’s in-depth horoscope for this week, call 0905 072 0237
Calls cost 77p/min from a BT landline

To book a private tarot, horoscope or clairvoyant reading with Claire over the telephone, click here.
Phone consultations cost UK£55, US$83 for 20mins, UK£90, US$135 for 40mins.

More details…

Your Daily Tarot Card for December 7th is Temperance

Temperance

Keywords: providing aid, healing, concentration, moderation!

Astrological Correspondence: Sagittarius

The angel between heaven and earth blending different elements into a harmonious substance represents a bridge between polarities, like heaven and earth, masculine and feminine, beginning and end. The combining of varied substances serves as imagery for the merging of diverse forces to create a new whole for cooperation, coordination, a harmonious balance, looking for a middle ground, achieving healing, and recovery. Temperance signifies that moderation is necessary to regulate passions and maintain harmony in relationships, and to build tolerance and cooperation in groups. In a negative situation, Temperance characteristics are indecision, inconstancy, excess, obsession, and lack of control.

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Your Daily Love Tarot Card for December 6th is The Magician

The Magician

Have you fallen under a spell today and do not want to let go of the fantasy? Do you think you found the ideal? Could you be ignoring what you feel might destroy the ideal? Think twice. Put the brakes on and contemplate as you work to see things in perspective. If in a relationship, criticism might be a turn on for someone, but does it work for you?

 

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Your Daily Tarot Power Card for December 6th is The Magician

The Magician

You’re in the zone! During this time, your silver tongue seems to be able to do no wrong. So, seal the deal, whether that means signing a contract, purchasing a house, or reaching out to your crush to propose a date! This adventure can only be started if you are the one to initiate by starting the conversation, so don’t wait around for somebody else to be the one to get the ball rolling. Take charge of your own destiny!

 

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Your Daily Rune for August 31 is Elhaz

 

Elhaz

Also known as: Algiz, Eoih, Elgr

Pronunciation: el-hahz

Letter sound: Z

Translation: protection, elk, sedge plant

Keywords: protection, defense, opportunity

Primary Themes Elhaz is the rune of defense and protection. Its shape is said to represent both the elk, with its imposing antlers, and the sedge plant, whose sharp leaves act as natural protection from would-be predators. Both images illustrate the power represented by this rune— a built-in protective force that discourages negative influences from affecting your personal experience.

Drawing Elhaz indicates that you are safe from danger and that there is no need to fear. However, don’t take the protective energy for granted by being reckless with your actions, as this rune does not mean that there is no danger present whatsoever. It simply means that as long as you remain alert and clear-minded and in touch with your intuition, you are headed for a positive outcome. Elhaz has also been interpreted as a symbol of reaching up to connect with the divine for support. By listening to your higher guidance, you will know which moves to make to stay out of harm’s way.

Magical Uses: Protection from negative energy and people, protection of property, strengthen friendships, astral communication

–Runes for Beginners: A Guide to Reading Runes in Divination, Rune Magic, and the Meaning of the Elder Futhark Runes

Lisa Chamberlain

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Your Daily Witches Rune for December 6 is The Blank Rune

The Blank Rune

Meaning: This is a rune of difficulty and negative influences will rule your life for a time, but as all difficulties are a learning experience it will lead to improved personal perspective and progress on your life’s path. Always consult the surrounding runes with this stone. If it lies with a positive stone, it indicates that the pain of this experience will lead to a beneficial change in circumstances.

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Your Daily Ogham Reading for December 6 is Straif-Blackthorn

Straif-Blackthorn

This thorny tree is known for it’s negative uses over the years. It has been used for cattle proofing with its thorns, the berries have been turned into alcohol, and the thorns were once dipped in poison as a weapon. Drawing this letter brings forth ideas of pain, negativity, pessimism, and potential conflict. If Straif comes up in your reading it is very wise to pay attention to any warnings.

Fortune – This Ogham can denote very bad signs ahead. Pay very close attention to matters in life that way you can avoid the warning that you were given.

Your Animal Spirit Guide for December 6 is The Robin

When the Robin enters your life you can expect a brighter future is on its way.

Characteristics of the Robin

New Growth
Cleansing
Communication
Harmony
Hope
New Beginning
Bright Future

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Your Daily Karmic Number for December 6 is 11

Have you noticed how beautiful autumn leaves are when they move through the air or across the ground when the wind moves them? It’s like a dance with Mother Nature. It’s magical. That’s not your life right now, under number 11. You have been blowing around like debris being swept down a sidewalk by a leaf blower. You are ungrounded and easily influenced by outside forces. You have too many people giving you advice that has nothing to do with your life. Tell them to stop sharing then focus on your breath for five minutes. You will gain clarity this way. You’ll soon become more like a leaf, floating through the air.

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Crack the Cookie

Quarreling is the weapon of the weak

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Wisdom of the Buddha

To live a pure unselfish life, one must count nothing as one’s own in the midst of abundance

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Your Daily Planet Tracker for Dec. 6: Moon in Sagittarius

 Optimistic, Philosophical, Adventurous

December 5 – December 8, 2018


Before we jump straight into the Moon in Sagittarius, let’s first learn about the Moon itself. In Astrology, the Moon is considered a planet. It moves so quickly through the sky that it actually passes through each of the zodiac signs every month! While most people are familiar with their Sun sign, many people are unaware of what their Moon sign is. Why is knowing this aspect of this so important? The Moon is our astrological home, and it relates to our moods and our gut feelings.

When the Moon is in Sagittarius

No matter what your Moon sign is, we are all honorary Sagittarians when the Moon moves through that sign. The energy of Sagittarius is very expansive, free, and visionary. If you’re normally very pragmatic or cynical, you might find that you’re a little more optimistic than usual. Your mind will start considering all the possibilities of a situation rather than just focusing on the potential roadblocks. Your thoughts could end up in uncharted territory!

A Sagittarius Moon will renew your sense of adventure, and you could have the desire to pick something (no matter how big or small) and just go for it. Sagittarius loves the idea of traveling and expanding their horizon. This can be something physical like traveling to a faraway place, or taking their mind on a trip with an education pursuit. Don’t be surprised if you have the urge to register for that class you’ve been thinking about taking, or if you decide to book a last-minute vacation during this transit.

New Moon in Sagittarius

New Moons are a time of new beginnings and new emotional cycles. The Sagittarius New Moon asks us to plant the seeds of optimism. This is when we allow ourselves to leave the painful parts of our pasts behind so we can visualize a bigger and brighter future. This idealistic outlook doesn’t match the realities of everyone’s life. Many people are suffering in economic, emotional, physical, and spiritual ways. It’s not difficult to find areas of frustration and fear inside us and in the environment around us. The Sagittarius New Moon offers you hope, and all the wonderful things that hope brings. Instead of seeing a situation as it is, you will be able to imagine what your situation could be.

Full Moon in Sagittarius

Unlike the New Moon, which is about starting something new, the Full Moon is about reflecting on what we planted six months ago, and how it’s coming to fruition. It urges us to consider what’s next. This is an interesting time because the Moon in far-seeing Sagittarius opposes the Sun in nearsighted Gemini. Gemini is concerned with things that are nearby while Sagittarius wants us to contemplate what’s on the distant horizon. We might be overwhelmed with ideas and information, but the Sagittarius Full Moon helps us focus our attention on long-term goals and higher principles rather than getting lost in a flood of small details.

Tarot.com is Part of the Daily Insight Group ©2018

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A Little Humor for Your Day

The Ten Catmmandments


  1. I am the Lord of thy House.
  2. Thou shalt have no other pets before Me.
  3. Thou shalt never ignore Me.
  4. I shall ignore thee when I feel like it.
  5. Thou shalt be grateful that I even give thee the time of day.
  6. Remember My food dish and keep it full.
  7. Thou shalt spend most of thy money on toys and gifts for Me.
  8. Thou shalt always have thy lap ready for Me to curl up in.
  9. Thou shalt shower Me with love and attention upon demand.
  10. Above all, thou shalt do anything and everything it takes to keep Me happy.

–Turok’s Cabana

“Walk barefoot, listen to the wind, drink in the moon…. BE MAGICK”

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Enjoy the Daily Journal, help support it by visiting our store, Magickal Necessities. All sales for the store goes to support the WOTC and all its operations. Current Yule Special 25% discount on your final purchase price.

May The Goddess Bless You & Yours On This Wintry Thursday Morn’!

TCG - Winter Wonderland - Pro Challenge

God Rest Ye Merry, Paganfolk

God rest ye merry, paganfolk,
Let nothing you dismay.
Remember that the Sun returns
Upon this Solstice day.
The growing dark is ending now
And Spring is on its way.
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy!
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.

The Goddess rest ye merry, too,
And keep you safe from harm.
Remember that we live within
The circle of Her arms,
And may Her love give years to come
A very special charm.
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy!
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy!

–Author Unknown
Published on Pagan Library

The Witches Journal for Wednesday, December 5th, 2018

Can You Believe it – 16 DAYS TILL YULE – Where has this year gone?

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“And that’s what witches do: we look for magic, for divinity, in everything. What’s more, we allow ourselves to find it, even in the seemingly mundane.”

― Mya Spalter, Enchantments: A Modern Witch’s Guide to Self-Possession

Custom Planetary Positions

December 05, 2018
Zodiac: Tropical (Standard Western)

Sun: 12 Sagittarius 53
Moon: 16 Scorpio 54
Mercury: 27 Scorpio 33 Rx
Venus: 01 Scorpio 22
Mars: 12 Pisces 07
Jupiter: 05 Sagittarius 55
Saturn: 08 Capricorn 16
Uranus: 29 Aries 03 Rx
Neptune: 13 Pisces 43
Pluto: 19 Capricorn 45

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Planetary Aspects for the month of December

The planetary aspects listed below are for New York time.

December 05, 05:21 pm – Sun square Neptune
December 06, 04:21 pm – Mercury Direct 27 16
December 07, 02:20 am – New Moon at 15 07
December 07, 09:11 am – Mars conjunct Neptune 13 44
December 15, 06:49 am – 1st Quarter Moon 23 26
December 16, 09:26 am – Venus sextile Saturn
December 17, 01:57 am – Mars sextile Pluto
December 20, 11:21 am – Sun trine Uranus
December 21, 12:11 pm – Venus trine Neptune
December 21, 12:36 pm – Mercury conjunct Jupiter 09 34
December 22, 12:48 pm – Full Moon at 00 49
December 24, 07:31 pm – Mercury square Neptune
December 28, 04:30 pm – Venus sextile Pluto
December 29, 04:34 am – 3rd Quarter Moon 07 36

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The Astronomy Forecast for the Week of December 3 – December 8

Mars and Neptune come together for the first half of the December horoscope. This can be a pleasant conjunction but not so when square the Sun. The December 7 full moon amplifies this challenging configuration and is easily the most significant influence this monthly horoscope

.Friday December 7
The New Moon at 15° Sagittarius is square the Mars Neptune conjunction at 13° Pisces. So the new moon has a sinister influence. Major themes of the December 7 new moon include anger, fear, deception, confusion, immorality and perversion. At 16° Sagittarius, a fixed star in Hercules Constellation will cause irritation from women and a ruthless drive to gain power. You may experience tests of character from your competitors or enemies. Events or other people may cause confusion and disappointment, which may force you to battle against the odds. This may have a weakening effect on your vitality, making you feel paranoid and delusional.

A tendency to over idealize others can leave you open to deception and scandal. Seeing only the best in people increased the likelihood of coming disillusioned. Your good intentions to help others can easily be taken advantage of. If you are very sensitive and scare easily then you need to take precautions. Keep yourself grounded in the real world as much as possible. Stay above-board in all of your dealings. Avoid negative environments where violence, crime and drugs are prevalent. Take a defensive approach. It might be safer to submit to authority, seek a compromise or retreat. The keys to avoiding loss and disappointment from the December 2018 horoscope are honesty and integrity.

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The Solar Almanac for Wednesday, December 5th

Sun Direction: 278.30° W↑
Sun Altitude: -49.07°
Sun Distance: 91.610 million mi
Next Solstice: Dec 21, 2018 4:22 pm (Winter)
Sunrise Today: 6:51 am↑ 118° Southeast
Sunset Today: 4:37 pm↑ 242° Southwest
Length of Daylight: 9 hours, 45 minutes

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The Sun’s Movement

It travels at 20 kilometers per second relative to other stars, and 220 kilometers per second around the Milky Way.

Different parts of the sun rotate at different speeds, the fastest being at its equator.

The sun’s rotation period at the equator is about 27 days while that at the poles is about 36 days.

It completes a revolution around the entire galaxy once every 250 million years.

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The Lunar Almanac for Wednesday, December 5th

Moon Direction: 324.60° NW↑
Moon Altitude: -61.49°
Moon Distance: 240351 mi
Next New Moon: Dec 7, 20181:20 am
Next Full Moon: Dec 22, 201811:48 am
Next Moonrise: Tomorrow 5:01 am
Current Moon Phase: Waning Crescent
Illumination: 5.0%

–timeanddate.com

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Some Mad Myths About the Moon

by Stephanie Pappas

Myth: The Moon Makes Us Crazy
The word lunacy traces its roots to the word “lunar,” and plenty of people, from nurses to police officers, will tell you that things get wild around the full moon

But this non-supernatural equivalent of the werewolf myth doesn’t hold water. A 1985 review of the literature on the timing of mental illness and the moon found that the folklore that links the full moon with mental breakdowns, criminal behavior and other disturbances has no basis in scientific data. Nor has research turned up a link between the moon’s phase and surgery outcomes — though pets are more likely to need a trip to the emergency room during a full moon, likely because owners keep them out and about later on nights when the moon brightens up the sky.

Myth: The Supermoon Can Cause Disasters
The reason we have supermoons is because the moon’s orbit is not perfectly circular. When it swings closer to Earth on its elliptical path, the moon does exert a bit more of a gravitational pull on our planet. But it’s nothing Earth can’t handle.

Tidal forces around the world will be particularly high and low, with the moon exerting 42 percent more force at its closest point to Earth than it does at its farthest, according to Joe Rao, SPACE.com’s skywatching columnist. This extra force doesn’t have an appreciable effect on disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis, however.

“A lot of studies have been done on this kind of thing by USGS scientists and others,” John Bellini, a geophysicist at the U.S. Geological Survey told LiveScience’s sister site Life’s Little Mysteries. “They haven’t found anything significant at all.”

Myth: The Moon Landing Was a Hoax
We’ve got video. We’ve got rocks. We’ve got a dozen astronauts who have proudly returned to Earth to recall walking on our great satellite. But conspiracy theories claiming that the moon landing was faked just won’t die. [Top 10 Conspiracy Theories]

These moon hoax theories are multitudinous and varied, ranging from claims that there was no dust on the Apollo 11 Lander footpads so the Lander must have never left a secret soundstage (In fact, dust on the moon doesn’t hang in the air as it does on Earth due to a lack of gravity, so dust kicked up by the landing would have been hurled away from the Lander) to theories about faked rock specimens (In reality, moon rocks have been researched by NASA scientists and independent researchers alike. They’re unlike any Earth rocks, lacking water-bearing minerals and bearing tiny meteoroid craters from the specks of dust that would have been burned up in Earth’s atmosphere but which landed on the surface of the airless moon.)

As thinly sourced as it is, the hoax theories can be frustrating to those who risked their lives to get to the moon. In 2002, Buzz Aldrin, one of the members of the original 1969 Apollo 11 mission, was dogged by conspiracy theorist Bart Sibrel at an event. When Sibrel blocked Aldrin’s path and called him a “coward” and a “liar,” the then-72-year-old astronaut punched Sibrel in the face.

Myth: The Moon Is Made of Green Cheese
The myth to dispel here isn’t so much about the moon’s makeup — definitely not cheese — but rather the idea that anyone ever believed the old “the moon is green cheese” canard at all. In fact, the cheese myth seemed to have started with a sardonic little couplet by English poet John Heywood (1497-1580), who wrote, “Ye set circumquaques to make me beleue/ Or thinke, that the moone is made of gréene chéese.”

In other words, the first known mention of the moon being green cheese was actually mocking the idea that anyone would believe that the moon was green cheese. Heywood apparently underestimated early 20th-century children: A 1902 study published in the American Journal of Psychology surveyed young children about their beliefs about the moon and found that the most common explanation for what it might be made of was cheese. Other theories included rags, God, yellow paper and “dead people who join hands in a circle of light.”

-LiveScience

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Did You Know…..

Diana was an ancient Italian goddess of woodland. In Capua and in Aricia, a locality near Rome, there are still shrines dedicated to the old Italian goddess. Diana was the twin sister of the god Apollo. Her father and mother were Jupiter and Latona.

Diana believed her body was very sacred, and so no man was to see her naked. One day a wandering hunter came across Diana bathing. She became very angry, and turned him into a stag.

She was always surrounded by young beautiful attendants, who used to hunt with her. Romans identified Diana with the Greek goddess Artemis. As Artemis, she was also a Moon goddess.

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Moon Phase Calendar for Wednesday, December 5th

Current Moon Phase: Waning Crescent

Moon is currently in the sign of Scorpio

Moon in Scorpio:
Moon in Scorpio creates the need to delve into your feelings as deep as possible. You desire meaningful emotional exchanges now more than at any other time even if it is not easy and you are forced to change many things. Shallow relationships do not satisfy you, because they are not purifying enough.

Organs influenced by Scorpio Moon Sign:
Organs: Genitals, rectum, anus, urethra, genital glands, ovaries, prostate, pubic bone, genes.

These organs are now more sensitive so provide them with extra care.

Surgical operations:
Surgical operations are recommended during the Waning Moon.
However, avoid surgeries of organs under the influence of the Moon Sign.

ASTROSEEK

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The Sky This Week from December 5 to December 9

Venus dazzles in the predawn sky, and gets a little help from the Moon December 3. Meanwhile, Mars and Neptune appear closer to each other under a dark sky than they will until the 23rd century.

By Richard Talcott

Wednesday, December 5
Although Mercury passed between the Sun and Earth just last week, the innermost planet has already climbed into view during morning twilight. Look low in the southeast about 30 minutes before sunrise, when Mercury stands nearly 9° above the horizon. The planet shines at magnitude 0.7, so you’ll likely need binoculars to pick it out of the twilight this morning. Binoculars also will show a waning crescent Moon hanging 5° above the planet. When viewed through a telescope, Mercury appears 9″ across and sports a slender crescent phase. The inner world will grow brighter and climb higher as it approaches greatest elongation in mid-December.

Thursday, December 6
Mars continues to put on a nice show these December evenings. The Red Planet appears nearly halfway to the zenith in the southern sky as twilight fades to darkness. The ruddy world shines at magnitude 0.1, as bright as any other early evening object, against the faint backdrop of Aquarius the Water-bearer. As you gaze at Mars with your naked eye, you might assume it’s the only object of interest in the area. But target the planet through binoculars or a telescope and you’ll also see the much fainter glow of Neptune. The magnitude 7.9 ice giant lies 23′ east-northeast of Mars this evening. The two switch positions tomorrow night, with Neptune 16′ southwest of Mars. (The magnitude 6.1 star 81 Aquarii then stands 12′ north of Mars.) The actual conjunction between the two planets occurs at 9:08 a.m. EST on the 7th, when Mars passes 2.2′ north of Neptune, but both objects then lie below the horizon from North America. When viewed through a telescope, Mars appears 9″ while Neptune spans 2.3″. The two planets won’t pass closer to each other under a dark sky until October 19, 2210.

Friday, December 7
Although people in the Northern Hemisphere won’t experience the shortest day of the year for another two weeks (at the winter solstice December 21), those at 40° north latitude will see the Sun set earlier today than at any other time this year. Tomorrow’s sunset will arrive about one second later than today’s. The date of earliest sunset depends on latitude — the farther north you live, the closer it occurs to the solstice.
New Moon occurs at 2:20 a.m. EST. At its new phase, the Moon crosses the sky with the Sun and so remains hidden in our star’s glare.

Saturday, December 8
The days of viewing Saturn in the evening sky are just about over. In fact, tonight might be your last, best chance to see it this year. Although the magnitude 0.5 ringed world stands only 7° high in the southwest 45 minutes after sunset, a slender, two-day-old Moon serves as a guide. The two objects lie 3° apart and look beautiful through binoculars.

Sunday, December 9
Head outside in early evening this week and you can see the Big Dipper scraping the northern horizon. For latitudes north of about 40°, this conspicuous asterism never sets (“circumpolar” in astronomical parlance), though December evenings find it at its lowest ebb. This means that the constellation on the opposite side of the North Celestial Pole, the familiar W-shaped Cassiopeia, currently rides highest in the sky.

The Astronomy Magazine

Today is Wednesday, December 5

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 Ruis (Elder) (November 25 – December 22)

The Runic Half Month of Is (November 28 – December 12)

Goddess of the Month of Astraea (November 28 – December 23)

—The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick

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The Goddess Book of Days for December 5th

First feast of St. Lucia in Italy (second is Dec. 13). She is Birth and Light Goddesses Lucia, Lucina, Luz, Brigit, Bride, Eileathyia, Vesta, Aurora, Eos, Oya, Perchta, Bertha, Befana, Arinna, Amaterasu, Cannen, Cannenta.

Goddesses Associated with Wednesday

For Woden: Isis, Demeter, Ceres, Spider Woman, Bona Dea, Oya, Devi-Kali, Hella, Rhiannon, Coatlique, Maman Brigette

The Goddess Book of Days
Diane Stein

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~ The Goddess Days of the Moon ~

Days 4-6 Ruled by Artemis/Diana, the independent one of the wilderness, the impetus behind the newly planted seed
Days 7-9 Kore rules these lunar days, and she is seen as the Maiden of Menarche, the link between childhood and adulthood
Days 10-12 Ruled by Hera, Queen of Heaven and creatrix, representing the power of inspiration
Days 13-15 Demeter, the nurturer, rules these
Days 16-18 Dedicated to Gaia, the Earth Goddess
Days 19-21 Hestia, Goddess of Waning Moon, is the matriarchal grandmother, ruling and protecting her family
Days 22-24 Ruled by Medusa, the crone of death and spiritual release, the necessary destruction that allows a new cycle to begin
Days 25-27 Ruled by Hecate, queen of the underworld and the shades, she is seen as the one who allows departed souls to choose thier paths in the next phase of existence and rebirth
The remaining days of the moon – the dark days – are those of the unknowable Masked Goddess, who is present, but invisible.

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On Wednesday, December 5, We Celebrate….

Walt Disney’s Birthday (United States)
CASTALIA

Themes: Art; Creativity; Joy; Children; Inspiration

Symbols: Cartoon Characters; Fountains

About Castalia: In Greek tradition, this goddess embodies the force of artistic inspiration. Her power is so profuse that art often depicts her simply as an ever-flowing fountain from which we can drink when our motivation wanes.

To Do Today: On this day in 1901, the legendary Walt Disney was born. During his life, Disney inspired millions of children with a Castalia-rich imagination and well-beloved cartoon characters. To remember this man and uplift Castalia’s childlike ability to awaken the artist within, watch a favorite Walt Disney film today, reveling in the wonder of it. Then get out and do something creative! Try drawing your own magical cartoon (this is just for you and the goddess, so don’t worry about a lack of skill—the keynote today is having fun with your fancy).

To quaff this goddess’s inspiration for any task you’re undertaking, find a water fountain and drink fully of it. Visualize the water filled with a color of light that, to you, represents creativity. Also fill a small container with a secure top with some of this water and keep it with you. Carry Castalia’s power into the situation in which you need inspiration. Pour a little out before your meeting, artistic effort, or speech to release her power. Or sip a bit of it to wet your whistle and renew the magic.

–365 Goddess: A Daily Guide To the Magic and Inspiration of the goddess
Patricia Telesco

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Wednesday’s Associations

Color: Purple

Planet: Mercury

Metal: Mercury (Quicksilver)

Deities: Odin, Hermes, Lugh

Gemstones: Mercury, Athena

Crystals: Adventurine, Agate

Herbs: Aspen trees, lilies, Lavender, Ferns

Associations: Business, Communication, Loss and Debt, Travel.

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The Magickal Days of the Week: Wednesday

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 ThoughtCo.com

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Wednesday Witchery

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.

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

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The Witches Almanac for Wednesday, December 5

Krampus Night (European)

Waning Moon

Moon phase: Fourth Quarter

Moon Sign: Scorpio

Moon enters Sagittarius 9: 49 pm

Incense: Lavender

Color: White

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Who is Krampus?

9 Facts About Krampus, St. Nick’s Demonic Companion

BY JESS ZIMMERMAN

St. Nick brings the gifts, and Krampus brings the pain. Here are some things you might not have known about Santa’s demonic companion.

1. KRAMPUS IS A CHRISTMAS DEMON.
Who is Krampus? In Austria and across the German-speaking Alpine region, the demonic character is a crucial part of the holiday season. He’s a devilish figure, with long horns and a goaty beard, much like typical portrayals of Satan. You might see him posed harmlessly on a greeting card or reproduced in chocolates or figurines. But you might also encounter a procession of Krampuses stalking through the town, laden with bells and chains, intimidating onlookers or whipping them with bundles of sticks.

2. DECEMBER 5 BELONGS TO KRAMPUS. IF YOU SURVIVE, YOU MIGHT GET PRESENTS.
December 5 is Krampusnacht, when Krampus reigns. In the real world, people might attend Krampus balls, or young men from the local Krampusgruppe might don carved wooden masks, cowbells, chains, and elaborate costumes to run through town in a Krampuslauf (Krampus run), frightening and sometimes beating bystanders. According to legend, Krampus will spend the night visiting each house. He might leave bundles of sticks for bad children—or he might just hit them with the sticks instead. He might toss them into a sack or basket on his back and then throw it in a stream, or he might straight-up take them to hell.

The next day, though, is Nikolastaug, St. Nicholas’ Day—the same St. Nicholas whose Dutch name, Sinterklass, evolved into “Santa Claus.” In other words, it’s time for presents for all the little girls and boys … that is, all the ones who haven’t already been beaten, damned, or drowned.

3. KRAMPUS MAY BE A MONSTER, BUT HE PALS AROUND WITH SANTA.
Originally, Krampus was a purely pagan creation, said to be the son of Hel from Norse mythology. But he got grafted onto Christian tradition as a sidekick of St. Nicholas, similar to figures like Zwarte Piet in the Netherlands and Knecht Ruprecht in Germany. Since the 17th century, the two have been linked in a sort of Christmasy yin-yang, with Krampus as St. Nick’s dark companion. Costumed figures of the two traditionally visit houses and businesses together on Krampusnacht: St. Nick brings the gifts, and Krampus brings the pain.

4. KRAMPUS REVELERS WILL HIT, PUSH, AND WHIP SPECTATORS AT THEIR PARADES.
The Krampus of legend whips people with his birch bundle, but he’s a literal demon. Surely the costumed human Krampus partiers wouldn’t engage in such violence, right? Wrong. Here’s a description of the Salzburg Krampuslauf from a tourist who expected mere costumed buffoonery and came home with welts:

The narrow streets in the Old City section of Salzburg were packed with pedestrians as the Krampusse stomped through. Many people were caught unaware and reacted with terror. Some would flee and try to seek refuge in a shop or restaurant, only to be pursued by a determined Krampus. With so many easy targets, we again managed to escape largely unharmed. At times we were chased, jostled and struck, but compared with the brutality we witnessed, it was obvious we had been spared the full brunt of what Krampus could muster.

This writer went to Krampuslaufs in three cities and described “savage beatings” to people’s thighs and shins, as well as a Krampus chasing down and sitting on a teenager. But despite the fear and bruises, it’s all in good fun, and hey—at least they aim for the legs.

5. THE APPEARANCE OF KRAMPUS VARIES, BUT HE OFTEN HAS ONE HUMAN FOOT AND ONE CLOVEN HOOF.

The Krampus costumes at Krampuslaufs are aesthetically varied—they may be reminiscent of devils, bats, goats, Abominable Snowmen, or something out of a Guillermo del Toro movie. There are usually some kind of horns and hides involved, but there’s also a lot of free rein.

Krampus has also been a fixture on Austrian holiday greeting cards since the 1800s, where he’s shown pursuing women or menacing children. On the cards, Krampus traditionally has a long tongue that sometimes lolls halfway down his chest, and sports one human foot and one cloven hoof—no one is entirely sure why.

6. SOME AUSTRIAN HOUSEHOLDS HAD YEAR-ROUND DÉCOR MEANT TO REMIND KIDS TO STAY GOOD OR KRAMPUS WOULD GET THEM.
A 1958 article about the Krampus legend in Styria (a state in southeast Austria) reports that Krampus would deliver gold-painted bundles of birch sticks to children, small versions of the bundle of twigs he would use to beat people. The families would hang the birch twigs on the wall for the rest of the year as decoration—and to remind kids to stay in line. The article rather primly notes that the twigs are hung “particularly in those houses where the behaviour of the children merits the application of corporal correction.”

7. KRAMPUS WAS ONCE BANNED BY FASCISTS.

Between 1934 and 1938, when Austria was under Fascist rule, Krampus was seen as a symbol of (variously) sin, anti-Christian ideals, and Social Democrats. The newspaper of the Austrian Catholic Union called for a Krampus boycott, and the government of Lienz, the capital of East Tyrol, forbade Krampus dances, and further mandated that all aspiring St. Nicholases must be licensed by the city. They also pledged to arrest Krampus whenever they saw him. Though it didn’t rise to the level of a ban, in 1953 the head of Vienna’s kindergarten system also published a pamphlet calling Krampus “an evil man” and warning parents that celebrating him could scar their children for life.

8. KRAMPUS MASKS ARE VALUABLE PIECES OF FOLK ART.
Sure, you could probably pick up some plastic horns at Tyrolian Target, but that’s not really in the right spirit. Traditionally, the masks worn in a Krampus procession are made of wood, hand-carved by specialist artisans. For instance, Ludwig Schnegg makes the masks for all 80 members of the Haiming Krampusgruppe—and he’s been making them since 1981. Antique masks often wind up in museums; either folklore museums, or ones explicitly devoted to the Krampus. The towns of Kitzbühel and Stallhofen both feature Krampus museums that collect old costumes and masks, and until recently, there was a museum in Suetschach as well.

9. YOU CAN CELEBRATE KRAMPUS EVEN IF YOU’RE IN THE U.S.

Krampus has become increasingly popular on this side of the pond—he’s shown up on Venture Brothers, Grimm, Supernatural, The Colbert Report, and American Dad, and there’s a Krampus-inspired horror movie. And in an increasing number of American cities, you can go to a Krampus party, Krampus costume contest, or even a traditional Krampuslauf. Los Angeles in particular has a burgeoning Krampus scene, and the Morbid Anatomy Museum in Brooklyn hosts a yearly costume party. You can also get down with Krampus in Chicago, D.C., Philadelphia, Richmond, Orlando, and other cities in the U.S. and Canada.

Of course, for some people the holidays are scary enough without throwing a demon beast with a penchant for physical assault into the mix. But if you’re the kind of person who goes to extra-scary haunted houses at Halloween, take heart: That terror doesn’t have to stop just because we’ve entered a season of togetherness and joy.

Mental Floss

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Wednesday & The Perfect Corresponding Spell

Wednesday is a good day to focus on getting over any slumps you may have. This day is considered the middle of the work week; and many people find themselves very tired by this point. That is why this day is a great day to do refresh, refrain, return, wake-up, and concentration spells. It is, also, another good day for meditation.

Refresh the Soul Spell

Items you will need for this spell:
1 bottle of peppermint oil
1 white candle
1 lighter or match

Dress the candle with the peppermint oil, being careful about contact with the skin. Place the candle on a fire-safe surface and light it. Close your eyes for about a minute and just allow yourself to breathe in the peppermint aroma. Open your eyes and say this chant nine times:

“Breathe in, breathe out.

I’m refreshing.

I’m restoring.

I’m feeling revived.

My energy’s soaring.”

Keep breathing in the aroma and close your eyes again. When you are ready, open your eyes and blow out the candle. This should give you a feeling of being refreshed.

A Witch’s Week of Spells and Activities
Helga C. Loueen

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Circles, why use them?

They say that the longest journey begins with a single step. So, too, the exploration of Magickal studies begins with a single step. Though the first step in a physical journey is often self-evident, the First Step on a Magickal journey is often not quite so clear. While formally organized groups often have a path of lessons to instruct newcomers, the solitary or isolated student is often left standing in perplexity on this broad plain of knowledge, wondering just where in the heck to begin. And wondering, too, if it’s “okay” to start just anywhere.

While it’s true that studies can begin in any direction that attracts you, the necessary first step must be learning to make psychic shields. There are “Things of the Dark” out there. There are any number of explanations for what these things might be — ghosts, demons, or simply uncontrolled urges of the subconscious mind. In truth, it doesn’t matter what they are. What does matter is that their effect is very real and unless they are put under your control, they will drag you over the borders of sanity into psychosis. You are most vulnerable to them while you’re in an “open” trance or meditative state. That’s why the wise practitioner always begins by taking steps to define exactly what will be permitted through the portals of their “psychic shields” — no matter how simple the ritual. And this, in a nutshell, is what “protective magic” is about.

There are a number of ways to do this. The most common is to begin by drawing a circle (around a group or yourself) and invoking the one or more protective powers. Generally, this is done by candlelight, in front of an altar that holds certain magical objects. The circle may be further “secured” and “cleared” by using salt, salt water, rum, incense, or some other method. You may be wearing a special robe and will have taken a bath (or performed a cleansing ritual) earlier. The powers that protect you will be called on and then you will begin your ritual.

Is it psychological? Absolutely! Is there a reason why protection rituals always take this form? Positively! Let’s take a step back and see what you’re actually doing and how the process works — from a psychological standpoint — and how to use this knowledge to help you refine your circles to enhance your rituals.

Psychologists and psychics alike view the mind’s structure as a three-part entity: The Ego (that which you think of as yourself), the Superego (the “higher self”) and the Id (the child within). The Id is, in a sense, a computer. Like most computers, it operates on the GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out) principle. There’s an old superstition: “As you name something, so will it become.” Tell yourself that you’re very unlucky and your Id will obligingly give you bad days by enhancing any negatives in your environment. Tell yourself that you are clumsy, and your Id-computer will obligingly arrange for you to break a leg while stepping off the sidewalk. The bad news is that the Id can’t make a judgment as to whether or not this is a good idea. It only knows that it’s received these “instructions” and must carry them out. The good news is that you can actually program/reprogram this portion of your mind.

You begin programming this Internal Servant of yours by first drawing its attention to what you want done and then explaining what you need done in a simple and clear manner. Repeating the instructions in a chant help fix the goals for the Id — rhymed chants seem to be easier for it to process. Each time you perform the ritual and repeat the chant, the programming is strengthened. Never mind that your ego and superego understand that you’re going to program the child-like Id. It works just the same.

To direct the Id’s attention to the process, you first have to impress it. Using special tools and clothing alert it that something unusual is going on and that it must pay attention. Acquiring hard-to-obtain items, drawing symbols, performing a symbolic sacrifice (donating money, say, to a good cause) are all ways of reinforcing the Id’s impression that this ceremony is very special and that the result will be very powerful. Organized, meaningful symbols, speak to your subconscious mind in ways it understands, reinforcing the goals you have set.

Drawing the circle itself establishes boundaries within your environment (“The rest of the world can do what it likes Out There. All within this circle is in my control!”). Purifying the circle and consecrating it (sprinkling water which has been blessed and salt added) further enforce your territory, defining the borders where you are “safe”. Nothing can enter this area except what you invite inside. You further tighten these borders by calling on certain Powers.

You can call on any powers you like. Some use traditional Christian images. Others call up deities from the religion they are most comfortable with. And many people use the thought/image of a beam of light that represents either God/Goddess (whichever one they like) or the power of light and life and goodness in the Universe.

The number of powers called as guardians varies. You may choose to invoke one powerful being to protect your circle. Or you might call on the Universal Being/Light and four guardians (one for each quarter of the compass). A third approach is to use a guardian for the four quarters of the compass and no higher being. There is no “absolutely correct” system; the correct system is the one that you are comfortable with.

Take time to choose the guardians of your circle carefully. You should select guardians (gods or animals or some form of life) which have a deeper meaning to you and whose qualities are in harmony with your goals. For the new student, it’s best to have all your Powers and Guardians from the same belief system/religion/mythic universe so that the symbols will be consistent and not confuse the Id.

You can use people — saints, movie actors, figures from favorite books as guardians. Do, however, pick someone who’s dead or non-existent. The dead can’t argue with your interpretation of them, whereas the living may be highly offended to be approached as gods/guardians.

As your studies continue, you will find that your totems or guardians change. This is to be expected; as you explore new realms in your studies, you may find you need guardians who deal with very specific areas to strengthen and guide you in these new fields.

But don’t make the mistake of assuming that you’ll become so powerful that you will never need the protection of the psychic shielding circle in some form. And don’t assume that you will not need a circle for “positive” magicks such as healing. Open is open — and open is vulnerable. And circles strengthen and protect you by defining what psychological influences will be allowed to work with you.

–Mel White, Author
Published on Sacred Text

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Spirit Message of the Day – A Sacred Act of Love; A Wild and Pure Heart

A MESSAGE FROM WU WANG
“In times of olde, they said that only those who were pure could connect with those like myself. That the virgin could connect with Unicorn. That the child could see the meaning of God. That the Fae would truly see into your heart, and finding it corrupt, would never appear to you. I am here to tell you that your heart is pure and wild and innocent. It is that you have forgotten how to see us, that you have been told that in order to see us, you must be perfect. That in order to see us, you must be mad, unclean, broken, and if you say you have seen us, you face being shunned.”

“I am here to say to you that we appear to those who have looked into the hearts and have seen beyond the woundings…because within you there is a wild and untrammelled heart space which is free of any taint. In that space we can enter and therefore, we can and will be seen again. You were not born into this world wrong or sinful. There may be karmic markings, but you are no sinner, nor are you corrupt or unworthy. Foster that which is wild and pure and good within you, and we will begin to appear and come forth. You will feel us on the wind, in the water, see us in the fire and hear our voices emanating from the heart of our mother, the Earth. You are a child of the Mother, call her what you will, and at your core you are a one of the wild ones. That is my message for you.”

ABOUT WU-WANG
“Wu-Wang is a Dragonfae Lord who has been both a dynastic ruler in human form and whose energy has entered the Chinese system of philosophy and divination known as the I-Ching. His mind is very natural and honest; he has an innately good nature and encourages us to be the same, and to know we can be the same, no matter how we have behaved in the past. Truth and innocence of nature can be reclaimed and furthermore, these traits bring about good fortune personally, and for Gaia, Dana and our Mother.”

A MESSAGE FOR YOU
“Know you are innocent and cultivate that aspect of yourself. Know that your innocence and goodness lies within you no matter what actions you have taken in the past: This present moment is a chance to reclaim that pure and wild heart. When you do that, you will be able to see, feel and sense clearly the presence of magickal beings, including the Dragonfae and particularly the Unicorn. Wu-Wang will also help you to eat organically, well and healthfully. Take nothing into your body without contemplating whether it will erode or grow that wild pure heart and act accordingly. Dance, sing, play music, and make love…all of these acts, done with innocent, wild joy, are healing and part of the sacred act of Love.”

WORKING WITH WU-WANG
“Stay pure and wild and innocent. Devote part of your daily life to the development of the pure wild part of you. Let something be beyond your control. Do not attempt to control and predict the outcome of all. Know that innocent also means that you have not known all; and come from that place, which is noble and humble. When we do so, our expectations and controlling behaviors depart, as does the drama. In their place come insights and much communication with the magickal web of life, including mermaids, unicorns, centaurs, and the Dragonfae, dryads and other innerworld beings that may have yet been unseen by your eyes.”

Today’s message is from Oracle of the Dragonfae by Lucy Cavendish.
Spiritblogger’s Blog

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Celebrating Legends, Folklore & Other Spirituality 365 Days a Year for December 5 & 6

Walt Disney’s Birthday, St. Nicholas’s Day

It was on December 5,1901, that the legendary Walt Disney was born. During his life, his magickal imagination inspired and uplifted the hearts of people all over the world. Walt’s Disneyland was the product of a dream he had one night, and Disney World his crowning achievement. His Florida theme park is truly a kingdom, complete with its own police force, fire departments, transportation systems,and major Disney highways and hotels. And who says magick doesn’t work?

Today, Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas mas and heralds the coming of Christ. In the past, Advent began on December 6, St. Nicholas’s Day. Very little is known of Nicholas, who was the bishop of Myra in Turkey, but he was very popular in the Middle Ages. One legend tells how he revived three small boys that an innkeeper keeper had murdered and salted down so he could make them into pies, and another tells how he threw three bags of gold through the window of a poor man’s house so his daughters would have dowries. St. Nicholas is linked with children, and in England on this night they receive presents in his honor. This was also the date on which “Boy Bishops” were chosen by the Church to oversee the choir and rule over the Christmas celebrations.

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Witch Tip #120 for December 5

If you have trouble falling asleep try to do your spell work right before bed. Doing rituals and spells will drain your energy if done properly and therefore make it easier to fall asleep.

End 2018 on a High Note – Clearing Out, Updating Your Energy

As we sit in the last days of the year, do you feel prepared for what’s coming in 2019? In this article I’ll outline a few ways you can feel prepared, and at the same time, update your personal energy to end 2018 on a high note.

Endings and Beginnings

As background, while we can never be truly prepared for future events still in the process of manifesting, we know from experience that how we end one month or cycle has a lot to do with how we start the next one.

This means that we want to use the next several weeks to clear out what’s no longer useful, heal unhealed wounds, and raise our frequency so we are vibrating at a higher level by year-end.

Doing this is no guarantee that January will be rosy or without challenge, but not doing this means that we take key unresolved issues into the new year.

Unresolved Issues

What are key unresolved issues? And how do you determine the most important ones to focus on now? The issues are personal to you. To prioritize the ones to pay attention to, consider these examples: (1) a relationship needing updating (2) personal empowerment and self-esteem themes (3) level of authenticity expressed (4) relationship between you and spirit – including your spiritual practice, trust in your intuition, and applying what you know spiritually to everyday life (5) level of clarity about personal goals and soul purpose (6) approach to work and the use of power in the workplace (7) ability to show up and actively engage in transforming society.

To hone in more on issues, consider what comes into your mind when you think about the year ending and where you are in your life. Contemplate what may be missing from your life, or what you sense could benefit from healing, when you respond to questions like the following.

What gives you joy? What gives you a sense of purpose? What connects you to others? Who is your support team? How much can you trust yourself, your partner, spirit?

Know Your Cycles, Energies

To raise your frequency higher by year-end, here are some tools to consider: (1) look at your astrology including transits to know what’s impacting you and what you benefit from looking at and healing (2) consider key triggers of sadness or upset that tend to arise in recent times; do spiritual practice including meditation and inner work that helps you uncover deeper reasons for unhappiness; then apply what you know about energy to lift your frequency; since deep personal issues  can be easier for others to discern and address, work with a trusted practitioner for breakthroughs.

Other helpful tools for raising frequency include: (1) meditation (2) sound healing with crystal singing pyramids and crystal bowls (3) working with crystals (4) applying or diffusing essential oils (5) getting in touch with and expressing out loud your gratitude to someone specific (6) going into nature and becoming still, leaving your devices home or on airplane mode (7) finding something that makes you laugh, smile, or simply feel a sense of unbounded joy.

What to Avoid

I include this section because oftentimes we can cancel out the benefits of what’s described above by falling into habitual tendencies of negativity, gossip, or doom and gloom. Everyone does this sometimes. So don’t judge yourself. Simply be mindful and catch yourself when your mind goes to the “what ifs” and worrisome potentials for what’s coming next year.

Stay in the present. Work on yourself diligently.

It might sound boring to do so, and you may say to yourself: “When am I done? When can I relax and just be? Why do I need to constantly do inner work?”

The wise part of you knows the answer to all of these questions. The enlightened masters over time have shown us that we must remain committed to our inner work, our spiritual path, and to the monitoring of our own self-talk. When we think we’re “done,” the ego comes in with self-sabotage, often disguised in tricky ways.

Be wise. Trust in your ability to apply what you were born knowing on an inner level – that you are a divine being encoded for enlightenment. Keep that goal in your mind daily, applying what you have learned. As you do this, your bright light becomes your own beacon for going forward, and a beacon for countless others on the path.

 

 

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Your Past Life Tarot Card for December 5th is The Moon

The Moon

Your inner philosopher past life awakens only when you have the time to ponder deep ideas. While you are busy working it is difficult to find the time for deep thought. When your daily life gives you extra time to think, the philosopher in you can take center stage with new concepts about who you are and where you are going. Your hectic lifestyle can block the dormant philosopher inside, but healthy change can’t happen without this deep thinker.

 

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Your Daily Rune for Wednesday, December 5th is Jera

Jera

Rune of harvest and reward for, or reaction to, right actions in a horizontal (naturally ordered) cyclical process. Rune of peace on the land and in the heart.

Psi: psychological time, patience, the measurement of time

Energy: good harvest, orbits, cycles, progress, biorhythms, right effort

Mundane: waiting, gardening, farming, the seasons, harvest

Divinations: Reward for positive action, plenty, peace, proper timing; or repetition, bad timing, poverty, conflict, regression.

Governs:
Fertility, creativity and harmony with the land
Peace, prosperity and plenty
Realization of the cyclical nature of the multiverse, invoking the power of time and cycles
Bringing other concepts gently into material manifestation
Initiating gradual and lasting change in flow of life

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Your Daily Witches Rune for December 5th is Woman

Woman

Meaning: The first meaning of this rune is quite obvious: it represents women. Any woman that is important in the question, whether you know her or not, will be represented by this rune. Mother, sister, aunt, grandma, a female boss, friend, lover or even enemy… all can be symbolized by the appearance of this rune.

In a more general sense, this rune is related to traditional female abilities and characteristics, such as giving birth, nurturing, comforting and healing. When this rune appears, you can count on the sympathy of others towards you or your situation. In its most negative aspects, the Woman rune can show over-protectiveness, a patronizing attitude or co-dependency. It often strives to maintain the status quo, refusing to change even if the situation is bad.

The Woman rune is connected to nurturing – nurturing a relationship, a person or a project. Like the Moon rune, it can be related to finding a safe place to rest and heal, but while the Moon implies a solitary retreat, the Woman often shows that you need to go back to the people you trust, the people you feel safe with.

Healing is another strong aspect of this symbol, as well as teaching. You can be both the patient/student or the healer/teacher when this rune appears. This rune is also connected to creativity, but in a way that is different from the Romance rune. While the latter is about the conception of a project – the initial stages of creation – the Woman is about the birth of this project. When your creation is brought out into the world, fully manifested.

In relationship readings, this rune isn’t bad, but rather weak. While it can indicate subtle ties between people, these are usually so, so subtle that the partners can easily drift away from each other. It can show that one of the partners sees the other as someone who needs to be protected and healed, rather than an equal. Usually, the romance is a bit stagnated when this rune appears, or very close to becoming a friendship.

Your Animal Spirit Guide for December 5 is The Dragonfly

Dragonfly is the power of light. The dragonfly inhabits two realms: air and water and the influence of both these elements will be felt by Dragonfly people. Dragonfly is the essence of the winds of change, the messages of wisdom and enlightenment; and the communication fro the elemental world. Dragonfly medicine beckons you to seek out the parts of your habits that need changing. Call on Dragonfly to guide you through the mists of illusion to the pathway of transformation. Dragonfly brings the light and color of transformation into your life.

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Your Daily Karmic Number for December 5 is One

Hansel and Gretel dropped breadcrumbs in the woods to find their way back home. But the crumbs got eaten up and they ended up lost – and almost fell victim to a witch. What does this have to do with your 1 result today? You have lost your way because you are following too much of other people’s advice. This is a time to turn a deaf ear to any guidance not coming from your inner self. Meditate or just do nothing for five minutes. The answers will come to you, from within. Listen carefully and be confident in their advice.

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Crack the Cookie

Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

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The Wisdom of Buddha

The whole secret of existence is to have no fear. Never fear what will become of you, depend on no one. Only the moment you reject all help are you freed.

Your Daily Planet Tracker for December 5: Venus in Scorpio

Intense, Passionate, Committed

Now – January 7, 2019


The black widow. The mistress. Skeletons in your romantic closet. Secretive about money and love. A sexy, magnetic, deliciously irresistible intimate encounter. A healing and transforming bonding experience. Venus in Scorpio has the power to elicit all of this … and more.

Astrology considers Scorpio to be a tough placement for beautiful and sweet Venus. Scorpio isn’t concerned with superficiality, and prefers chasing after a transcendental kind of love. The Scorpion likes to get below the surface to examine issues of power, fear, sex, and desire. When Venus is in Scorpio, Venus trades in social niceties for digging deeply and sparking needed change.

When Venus is in Scorpio

Venus is about relationships, and is sociable, friendly, and affectionate. Scorpio is about passion, and likes to dive headfirst into love. This means we’ll crave meaningful and intense experiences when Venus is in Scorpio. Depth and intimacy become more important, urging us to trade in frivolous flings for long-lasting romance. Love can border on obsessive when Venus is in this sign, compelling us to go all-in when it comes to matters of the heart.

Venus in Scorpio is a time when we’ll want to shine a light on the shadows of our relationships. Those nagging thoughts that we’ve been pushing aside to make peace? Well, they become impossible to ignore when Venus and Scorpio get together. It’s a time to go beneath the surface, find the truth, and hold it up to the light of day. We’ll try to figure out what we can do to make it work — or if it’s time to let go. This transit gives our relationships a major reality check, whether we want one or not!

Venus in Scorpio can also bring power struggles and money concerns out into the open. Subtle issues become more obvious than they were before. How money is spent becomes a focus in partnerships where financial resources are shared. This could also be a time when we have a stronger interest in making financial investments or decisions about loans, insurance, or other areas of our lives having to do with money.

Yes, Venus in Scorpio can be pretty heavy, but it can also be truly amazing. All of this intensity leads to a stronger bond, so if you’re up for the challenge both emotionally and physically, this could end up being a transformative and sexy time that ends up bringing you and your partner much closer together.

If you were born with Venus in Scorpio

As someone with their Venus in Scorpio, you take love very seriously. While others might be fine with a fling here or there, you’re always in it for the long haul. You are one of the most dedicated Venus signs in the zodiac, and you enjoy the deep, emotional connection that comes with being in a committed relationship. This doesn’t mean it’s easy for you to open yourself up to people. You are extremely skeptical of others at first, and believe actions speak louder than words. If someone does end up toying with your emotions, they will end up on the receiving end of your stinger!

Your intuition and penetrating mind make it easy for you to see past facades and understand who people really are. You are the private investigator of the zodiac, seeking to uncover every last detail — and secret — about someone. Yes, this is partly because you want to see if they are who they say they are, but you also want to learn what makes them tick so you know how to nurture them once you do get closer. Your Scorpio Venus may compel you to search for everyone else’s secrets, but your need for privacy makes you unwilling to share your own.

The raw passion and power of Scorpio coupled with the romantic nature of Venus creates an aura of mystery that other people can’t help but be drawn to. You might find yourself in the sights of quite a few admirers! However, you have very high standards for potential mates, and won’t allow someone to get close to you until they’ve proven their loyalty and trustworthiness. This makes you appear distant or disinterested at first, but you’re simply protecting the sensitivity Scorpio is known for. Once someone has shown you that it’s OK to let your guard down, you are as devoted as they come.

Tarot.com is Part of the Daily Insight Group ©2018

A Little Humor for Your Day

Ineffective Daily Affirmations


As I let go of my feelings of guilt, I can get in touch with my Inner Sociopath.

I have the power to channel my imagination into ever-soaring levels of suspicion and paranoia.

As I learn to trust the universe, I no longer need to carry a gun.

I assume full responsibility for my actions, except the ones that are someone else’s fault.

I no longer need to punish, deceive or compromise myself. Unless, of course, I want to stay employed.

In some cultures, what I do would be considered normal.

Having control over myself is nearly as good as having control over others.

My intuition nearly makes up for my lack of good judgment.

I can change any thought that hurts into a reality that hurts even more.

I honor my personality flaws, for without them I would have no personality at all.

Joan of Arc heard voices, too.

I am grateful that I am not as judgmental as all those censorious, self-righteous people around me.

I need not suffer in silence while I can still moan, whimper and complain.

As I learn the innermost secrets of the people around me, they reward me in many ways to keep me quiet.

When someone hurts me, forgiveness is cheaper than a lawsuit. But not nearly as gratifying.

The first step is to say nice things about myself. The second, to do nice things for myself. The third, to find someone to buy me nice things.

All of me is beautiful and valuable, even the ugly, stupid, and disgusting parts.

I am at one with my duality.

Blessed are the flexible, for they can tie themselves into knots.

Rather than curse the darkness, I could light a candle… with a little luck, I could torch the place.

I will strive to live each day as if it were my 30th birthday.

Only a lack of imagination saves me from immobilizing myself with imaginary fears.

Does my quiet self-pity get to me? Yes? Or should I move up to incessant nagging?

I honor and express all facets of my being, regardless of state and local laws.

Today I will gladly share my experience and advice, for there are no sweeter words than “I told you so.”

False hope is nicer than no hope at all.

A good scapegoat is nearly as welcome as a solution to the problem.

Just for today, I will not sit in my living room all day watching TV. Instead I will move my TV into the bedroom.

-Turok’s Cabana

“Walk barefoot, listen to the wind, drink in the moon…. BE MAGICK”

Wishing You & Yours A Very Blessed & Beautiful Wednesday Morn’!

Y.A.M._Winter

The Priestess Lives On

They say that the role of the priestess in modern
society has been buried
Like a crumbling temple left to decay under sand
Regarded unimportant by the men who determine
What society should
embrace
remember
and hold dear
They don’t know that the priestess lives on.
How many times have you assured a friend that
they are good enough?
And in how many ways have you given someone
space to fall?
Have you ever given someone time to show you
who they truly are?
Even when they were not sure themselves?
And so the priestess lives on
Can you remember a time when you witnessed
a person kick away their tight bud?
Burst into blossom?
Embrace the sky?
And so the priestess lives on
And when was the last time you kissed someone
goodbye?
Leaving the wet of your lips on their cheeks,
like holy water on foreheads,
like rain on cracked Earth.
And so the priestess lives on
To witness
Hold space
Bless
And heal

This is the work of the priestess
So in you,
The priestess lives on

 

Don’t You Dare Teach My Daughter To Fear The Forest: Other Poems Of Remembrance For Women
T.Y. Chambers

Good Monday Morning, My Sweets! I am one lucky Witch today, NOT!

I hope everyone is having a great Monday morning so far. As far me, don’t ask. We are getting ready to drive three hours to Nashville. It is time for my six month check up with the doctors down there. In case you don’t know, I came down with a rare blood condition and also a problem with my pancreas. They figured out the rare blood condition and got it under control. The pancreas wasn’t so easy. I had the option to remove it or try a experimental drug to control it. After my sons looked up it on the internet, everyone decided that you could not live without your pancreas. Funny, I thought I saw an article the other day about a boy’s pancreas being removed and he was alive and well. But anyway, I decided to go with what my sons wanted me to do, I signed up for the experimental drug. I was having to go every three months for a check up to make sure the drug was not reacting to my body and make sure it was controlling my pancreas. Plus they keep an eye on the blood condition as well.

After they decided that the medicines were working, they have changed my appointments to every six months. So today is my lucky day, I get to go to the doctor who is three hours away from here, lucky witch. The biggest part of the women here and Lord M are going with me, plus one of my sons. They are going to make a field day out of it, while I get stuck and probed. I am sure the medicine is still doing its job, I feel fine. But the doctors don’t take your word at it, they have to see for themselves. So off to the doctor, we go.

I did manage to get some work done last night since I knew I was going to the doctor today. I have a few scheduled posts coming up over at The Commentary Gazette. Why over there? Well it doesn’t take eight people to gather the info and then publish it. Over there, I can do everything by myself and it is much easier on me. So if you want your daily horoscopes and a few other goodies that I post over there, then hop on over (around 9:30). I know the gentleman that runs the Gazette would be delighted to have you visit.

Now I have got to run or else I will be late for my appointment. If you are late down there, you have to wait till they have an opportunity to work you in. Hopefully, I will get a good check up report and a clean bill of health. Ha, that is a pipe dream, I have been told I will stuck with this the rest of my life.

Anyway, we will see you tomorrow. Have a great Monday, my sweets.

Love ya,

Lady A

Simple & Quick Divinations

Simple & Quick Divinations

Hair Divination

Throw some hair into a fire. It is said to be a sign of long life if the hair flames up vigorously. It is an omen of ill health if it simply smolders away.

Rosemary Divination

Take a sprig of rosemary and ask a yes or no question seven times. Then pluck a leaf from the sprig and say YES. Pluck another leaf and say NO. Continue alternating yes and no with each leaf you pick until the sprig is base. The last leaf you pick reveals the answer.

Water Divination

Holding a stone, sit in front of a bowl of water and ask a question, one that can be answered with either a yes or no. Drop the stone into the water and carefully count the ripples it creates. An even number of ripples means yes and an odd number means no.

Tarot Divination

TAROT DIVINATION

Not long ago an on-line friend told me that he saw no reason to use the Tarot in divination; in fact, he felt that no one should use them for divination, as this was a profane use of the cards. He preferred to use the cards solely for contemplation.

At the time I did not feel inclined to respond to this narrow view, but after a night of thinking about it, I was prompted to write the following in defense of Tarot Divination (and I don’t mean fortune telling!)

Divination:
1) The art or practice that seeks to foresee or foretell future events or
discover hidden knowledge usually by means of augury (divination from omens) or by the aid of super-natural powers
2) Unusual insight or intuitive perception (these definitions from Webster’s)

According to the Brotherhood of Light there are four main uses for the Tarot:
1) Science of Vibration
2) Divination by cards
3) Divination by number
4) Spiritual Science (the method of putting the rest together to develop a philosophy)

Is it wrong to USE the cards?

1) Playing cards is fun! Without such use perhaps Tarot would long ago have died as other games have faded from use. Chess may be considered to be a child’s game or a highly developed intellectual discipline. The same is true of using the Tarot cards.

2) Have you ever played Taroc? It is a very interesting game like bridge using the Major Arcana as Trumps…in profane decks the court cards and majors may have two heads (to be read either up or down.) Some versions of the game have certain mystical aspects.

3) In studying the history of the Tarot you will see that the decks (except those belonging to aristocrats who had hand-painted decks made for them by great artists) used long ago were very primitive and made from wood cuts. We have come far from those crude representations…but the ideas expressed in the Tarot remain the same – they are still there in those early decks.

4) Where did the Tarot come from? We have only theory and conjecture:

a) Ancient Egyptians
b) They always have existed but have been revived from time to time
c) Gift of Divine Origin
d) etc.
It’s validity and usefulness are what count

a) it works when used
b) it contains Universal symbology and archetypes found elsewhere
c) it is numerically correct and corresponds with ancient systems of wisdom (especially to the Qabala)

10 = sephiroth (ace through 10 in the Minor Arcana)
22 = paths (22 Major Arcana cards)
4 = elements (four suits)(etc.)

The Tarot is MUCH MORE than mere pictures on pasteboard. The pictures on the Tarot cards are physical symbols for spiritual concepts. One definition I use for the Tarot is as follows:

A symbolic representation of Archetypal Forces and/or Beings which have always existed and have been identified and passed on to us by ancient initiates and which provide a focus for us to use in self-initiation, spiritual development, and the perception of hidden wisdom.

A few notes regarding the above……..

1) Jung says of Archetypes that they exist for us at birth…they emanate from the collective unconscious….they are NOT self-created or generated.

2) Aleister Crowley says in his book the Book of Thoth:

“Each card is, in a sense, a living being.” “It is for the student to build these living stones into his living Temple.”
“…the cards of the Tarot are living individuals…”

“How is he to blend their life with his? The ideal way is that of contemplation. But this involves initiation of such high degree that it is impossible to describe the method in this place. Nor is it attractive or suitable to most people. The practical everyday common-place way is divination.”

3) In Magick without Tears he says:

“…the Tarot itself as a whole is an universal Pentacle…Each card, especially this is true of the Trumps, is a Talisman; …It is evidently an Idea far too vast for any human mind to comprehend in its entirety. For it is ‘the Wisdom whereby He (God) created the worlds.'”

As regards these Lively Forces:

1. These Forces can communicate with us…or rather we can interpret their currents through our subconscious intuitive minds….this is one use of divination (and contemplation). This is the level, as Jung says, at which we are all connected.

2. These Forces can be directed by us Magickally if we are so trained. First we must master divination, then direction.

3. The Tarot is a Magickal Weapon in the hands of a trained initiate the mere placement of one card between two others can alter the forces involved and affect physical (and ethereal) reality.

4. The Tarot is a philosophy as well, with an Ancient Message about the Soul’s journey.

5. Yes, the Tarot is useful to study and contemplate….the colors and symbols are specifically designed and arranged to stimulate things within us (forces, archetypes, subconscious).

6. The Major Arcana are especially sacred to us because they represent the Paths, Steps, Forces which are necessary for us to rejoin the Godhead and attain enlightenment.

We are fortunate that modern printing is so good and that the Tarot decks and books which we have today are easily available to us. This was not always the case for our brothers and sisters in times past. Today one can afford to smile and say: “I only need to contemplate the cards to understand them.” But there is more to the use of the cards in Divination than many have been taught; for it is a mysterious process.

Just as one must study and practice upon a musical instrument to become a virtuoso, so too the Tarot takes many years of study and practice to use
correctly. One must be well developed spiritually, emotionally, and intuitively, or (as in music) naturally gifted to make full and accurate use of the cards in divination. In the hands of a gifted Diviner or Initiate the Tarot is a formidable weapon. It can even talk and spell out sentences! Hence the Hebrew letters correspondence to the Major Arcana. However, since we do not all learn in the same ways….the Tarot may not be the DIVINATORY METHOD for everyone…although everyone can learn from it and should study it.

Other methods which may suit:

a) Astrology
b) Numerology
c) I Ching
d) Pendulum
e) Runes
f) etc.

As humankind evolves spiritually (and in other ways) so too the Tarot evolves. Take for example the reconstruction of The Chariot (Arcanum VII) and The Devil(Arcanum XV) cards by Levi. He gave them a new presentation based upon his advanced knowledge at the time. Also, note how The Lovers (Arcanum VI) has changed from earlier decks. It still has the same basic meaning, but the symbols have changed. No longer are there two women…one good one bad…with the man in between…now it is two people with an Angel above them. New Tarot decks continue to be made as our knowledge and under-standing evolves.

A note on The Book of Thoth, Aleister Crowley’s Tarot deck, is as seen by him from the Astral Plane. This is why it is so different from many decks; why it is so striking; and, why the energy felt has such strong effects upon many people.

Some cards come and go….there are more cards on the astral plane than we have on the physical….between the cards, above and below the cards are others…as with the Quaballa.

When working with the Tarot if one is in a Magickal State (Asana, etc.) and reads the cards it is a Magickal or Divine (hence the term divination) operation. I take the forces into myself when using the cards thus they affect me and I them.

Because of this knowledge, I respect the Tarot as a Living Thing/Force and I do not bother it with profane questions. I treat it as a Magickal Weapon and thus with care and respect. Fortune telling, while not wrong, is the profane use of the cards.

Contemplation of the cards is useful; without Divination, however, one could not experience the forces within them in the same way. Also, there are hidden uses for the Tarot. The Tarot is indeed a Teacher. It is also a door, a gateway, an entryway into other realms which is partly how it was used in Egyptian

Initiation Rites. We may use it in some of the ways listed below:

1) Scrying/meditation
2) Ritual (invocation and evocation)
3) Works/spells
4) Talisman use/focus
5) Divination

Some of the goals of initiates (after perfecting divination and the Tarot’s philosophy) are
1) to read with a blank deck and to use a spread with no set meanings, and
2) to develop one’s own Astral Deck.

Magick (in Theory and Practice), Crowley’s famous book, calls Divination an important branch of Magick, and defines it thusly:

1. “We postulate the existence of intelligence’s, either within or without the diviner, of which he is not immediately conscious. (It does not matter to the theory whether the communicating spirit so-called is an objective entity or a concealed portion of the diviner’s mind.) We assume that such intelligence’s are able to reply correctly – within limits- to the questions asked.”

2. “We postulate that it is possible to construct a compendium of hieroglyphs sufficiently elastic in meaning to include every possible idea, and that one or more of these may always be taken to represent any idea. We assume that any of these hieroglyphs will be understood by the intelligence’s with whom we wish to communicate in the same sense as it is by ourselves. We have therefore a sort of language….”

3. “We postulate that the intelligence’s whom we wish to consult are willing, or may be compelled, to answer us truthfully.” He goes on to discuss divination as shown in some of the quotes below:

“In a system of divination each symbol stands for a definite idea.”

“As regards the Holy Quaballa, based as it is on pure number, (it) evidently possesses an infinite number of symbols. Its scope is conterminous with existence itself; and it lacks nothing in precision, purity, or indeed any other perfection. But it cannot be taught, each man must select for himself the materials for the main structure of his system.”

“It is always essential for the diviner to obtain absolute magical control over the intelligence’s of the system which he adopts.”

“Experience is the only teacher. One acquires what one may almost call a new sense. One feels in one’s self whether one is right or not. The diviner must develop this sense.”

“In order to divine without error, one ought to be a Master of the Temple. The faintest breath of personal preference will deflect the needle from the pole of truth in the answer.”

“One must prepare oneself by general purification and consecration devised with the object of detaching oneself from one’s personality and increasing the sensitiveness of one’s faculties.”

“The muscles with which he manipulates the apparatus of divination must be entirely independent of any volition of his. He must lend them for the moment to the intelligence whom he is consulting.”

(Note: one of the first steps in divination is the invoking of the Angel HRU)

“He must have succeeded in destroying the tendency of the ego to interfere with the object of thought. He must be able to conceive of a thing out of all relation with anything else.”

“He should allow the question entire freedom to make for itself its own proper links with the intelligence directing the answer.”

“He must sink his personality in that of the intelligence hearing the question propounded by a stranger to whom he is indifferent, but whom it is his business to serve faithfully.”

“He should exhaust the intellectual sources of information at his disposal, and form from them his judgment. But having done this, he should detach his mind from what it has just formulated, and proceed to concentrate it on the figure as a whole, almost as if it were the object of his meditation.”

“The concluding operation is therefore to obtain a judgment of the figure, independent of all intellectual or moral restraint. One must endeavor to apprehend it as a thing absolute in itself.”

“Divination is in one sense an art entirely separate from that of Magick; yet it interpenetrates Magick at every point. The fundamental laws of both are identical. The right use of divination has already been explained: but it must be added that proficiency therein, tremendous as is its importance in furnishing the Magician with the information necessary to his strategic and tactical plans, in no wise enables him to accomplish the impossible. It is not within the scope of divination to predict the future with the certainty of an astronomer in calculating the return of a comet. There is always much virtue in divination.”

“One must not assume that the oracle is omniscient.”

“The Magician ought therefore to make himself master of several methods of divination; using one or the other as the purpose of the moment dictates. He should make a point of organizing a staff of such spirits to suit various occasions. These should be ‘familiar’ spirits, in the strict sense; members of his family.”

“Divination of any kind is improper in matters directly concerning the Great Work itself. In the Knowledge and Conversation of his Holy Guardian Angel, the adept is possessed of all he can possibly need. To consult any other is to insult one’s Angel.”

“Although the adept is in daily communication with his Angel, he ought to be careful to consult Him only on questions proper to the dignity of the relation. One should not consult one’s Angel on too many details, or indeed on any matters which come within the office of one’s familiar spirits. One does not go to the King about petty personal trifles. The romance and rapture of the ineffable union which constitutes Adeptship must not be profaned by the introduction of commonplace cares.”

Thus we may use Divination for those worthy questions which we need answered but cannot find out in any other way…either through our own research or by the contacting of one’s Guardian Angel. If we can attain the necessary magickal states discussed above and if we complete the necessary study and work which then suggests, we can become masters of Tarot Divination.

Divination

DIVINATION

This seems like a fairly good time of year to be talking about divination. What is it, why do we do it, and what’s in it for us? Lots of people think it’s a way of avoiding responsibility – if the future is preordained, we might as well go back to bed.

Of course, that’s not it at all. Divination is the use of any one of several methods to obtain information which is not directly accessible to the conscious mind of the person asking the question. Whether you use cards, crystals, a pendulum, ink, lead, dice, the flight of birds or anything else, what you are really doing is opening your end of a channel to higher wisdom. I consider the “actual” source of that wisdom irrelevant and immaterial; it could be one’s own subconscious, the collective unconscious, the Gods’ will, telepathic insight, or a big computer buried in the Balkans. It’s still additional information which is not as tainted by ego and intellect’s limitations as most.

So what do we do with it? The same things we do with any other information; add it to what we already know and develop a synthesis that can help us do our decision-making. The easiest way to analyze the process is with a concrete (well, maybe jello) example:

A young man has been between relationships for some time. He wants very much to link up with the great love of his life, but is not aware of anyone on the horizon. He is putting himself in a position to meet new people, presenting himself as attractively as he can, and generally taking care of business, but no results. He has to decide whether to take a work-related course at night or not. It will take a lot of time and there are not likely to be any women attending. His progressed horoscope is neutral. He gets his cards read. They say:

1. Nothing at all about love, but a lot about skilled craftsmanship and
satisfaction through work. He decides to relax and wait for a better time, takes the course, and is rewarded with a modest promotion which enhances his satisfaction with his job.

2. A lot about increasing social activities, leading to the start of a new romance, leading to great happiness and satisfaction after some difficulties are resolved. He does not take the course, and meets a really nice interesting lady at a party given by a friend (which he couldn’t have attended had he taken the course).

3. That he is overlooking sources of emotional gratification in his current situation. Given the information, he starts looking around and discovers that one of his quieter friends is a really thoughtful and insightful person who helps him learn to know himself better, and that a young cousin needs a mentor and this relationship gives him a lot of pleasure and fulfillment. He begins to feel much more ready for a good relationship, and much less impatient to have one start.

These examples illustrate the point made above; divination provides you with choices, and you take the consequences, no matter what the oracles say. Treat them with respect, not adoration or blind compliance, and may they always show you the truth.