1955 Chartered Air India plane the “Kashmir Princess” is bombed and crashes into the South China Sea in a failed assassination attempt on Zhou Enlai by a Kuomintang secret agent

1968 US President Lyndon B. Johnson signs 1968 Civil Rights Act

1979 Tanzanian army captures Kampala, the capital of Uganda forcing Ugandan dictator Idi Amin to flee into exile in Libya

2015 Barack Obama and Raúl Castro meet in Panama, the 1st meeting of US and Cuban heads of state since the Cuban Revolution

2019 Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir overthrown and arrested by the army in Khartoum after 29 years in power

Today’s Historical Events

491 Flavius Anastasius becomes Byzantine Emperor, as Anastasius I – often called the first Byzantine Emperor

672 Deusdedit II begins his reign as Catholic Pope

1079 Bishop Stanislaus of Krakow is executed by order of Bolesław II of Poland

1471 Wars of the Roses: King Edward IV of England seizes London from Henry VI

1512 Battle of Ravenna: French forces under Gaston de Foix defeat the Holy League in a major battle of the Italian Wars

1551 English premier John Dudley appointed Duke of Northumberland

1564 England & France sign Peace of Troyes

1564 Liege prince-bishop Robert van Bergen resigns

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1955 “Marty” directed by Delbert Mann and starring Ernest Borgnine and Betsy Blair premieres in New York (Best Picture 1956)

1966 Frank Sinatra records “Strangers in the Night” single for his album of the same name. Later reaches #1 Billboard charts

1967 Tom Stoppard‘s play “Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead” debuts in London at the Old Vic

1968 WHED TV channel 15 in Hanover, NH (PBS) begins broadcasting

1971 WBFF TV channel 45 in Baltimore, MD (IND) begins broadcasting

1983 3rd Golden Raspberry Awards: “Inchon!” wins

1983 55th Academy Awards: “Gandhi”, Ben Kingsley & Meryl Streep win

1988 60th Academy Awards: “The Last Emperor”, Michael Douglas & Cher win

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1830 Robert Schumann hears the violinist Paganini play in Frankfurt

1888 The Concertgebouw in Amsterdam is inaugurated

1936 Rodgers & Hart’s musical “On Your Toes” premieres in NYC

1956 Singer Nat Cole attacked on stage of Birmingham theater in racial incident

1959 Yip Harburg, Fred Saidy, and Harold Arlen’s musical “Jamaica”, starring Lena Horne, closes at Imperial Theater NYC after 558 performances

1961 Bob Dylan makes his 1st appearance at Folk City, Greenwich Village, New York City

1964 Stephen Sondheim‘s musical “Anyone Can Whistle” closes at Majestic Theater, NYC, after 9 performances

1967 “Illya Darling” opens at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC for 320 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1750 Jack Slack retains Champion of England boxing title, beats Frenchman Jean Petit in 7 rounds in Harlston, England; acknowledged as first international prize fight

1831 The 12th century Lewis chess pieces are exhibited at the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, shortly after their rediscovery in a sand bank on the Scottish Isle of Lewis

1896 Hungarian swimmer Alfréd Hajós beats Otto Herschmann of Austria by 0.6s to win the inaugural Olympic 100m freestyle final in 1:22.2 at the Athens Games; also takes out the 1,200m on the same day

1896 Irish tennis player John Boland, representing Great Britain wins both the men’s singles and doubles finals at the Athens Olympics; Dionysios Kasdaglis of Greece loses both matches

1907 New York Giants future Baseball Hall of Fame backstop Roger Bresnahan becomes first catcher to wear shin guards

1921 KDKA broadcast 1st radio sporting event, a boxing match (Ray-Dundee)

1924 1st men’s college swimming championships begin

1936 Stanley Cup Final, Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, ON: Detroit Red Wings beat Toronto Maple Leafs, 3-2 for a 3-1 series win; Red Wings first SC Championship

April 10 Today In History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1407 Lama Deshin Shekpa visits the Ming Dynasty capital at Nanjing and is awarded the title Great Treasure Prince of Dharma

1516 1st Jewish ghetto established: Venice compels Jews to live in a specific area

1815 Mount Tambora in the Dutch East Indies experiences a cataclysmic eruption, one of the most powerful in history, killing around 71,000 people, causes global volcanic winter

1858 “Big Ben”, a 13.76 tonne bell, is recast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry

1972 US, USSR & 70 other nations agree to ban biological weapons

1998 The Good Friday Agreement [Belfast Agreement] for Northern Ireland is signed by the British and Irish governments

Today’s Historical Events

837 Comet 1P/837 F1 (Halley) approaches within 0.0334 AUs of Earth

847 St Leo IV begins his reign as Catholic Pope

879 Louis III becomes King of West Francia

1407 Lama Deshin Shekpa visits the Ming Dynasty capital at Nanjing and is awarded the title Great Treasure Prince of Dharma

1500 France captures duke Ludovico Sforza of Milan

1516 1st Jewish ghetto established: Venice compels Jews to live in a specific area

1552 Henri II of France occupies Metz

1589 Spanish troops conquer Geertruidenberg

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1953 “House of Wax” 1st color 3-D movie, premieres in New York

1954 KRGV TV channel 5 in Weslaco, TX (ABC) begins broadcasting

1956 Philips broadcasts 1st Dutch color TV programs

1957 “12 Angry Men”, directed by Sidney Lumet, starring Henry Fonda and Lee J. Cobb, is released

1967 39th Academy Awards: “A Man For All Seasons,” Best Picture, Elizabeth Taylor & Paul Scofield best actress/actor

1968 Musical “George M!”, based on the life of Broadway star George M. Cohan, opens at Palace Theater NYC for 435 performances

1968 40th Academy Awards: “In the Heat of the Night”, Rod Steiger & Katherine Hepburn win

1972 44th Academy Awards: “The French Connection”, Gene Hackman & Jane Fonda win

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1868 1st performance of Johannes Brahms‘ “A German Requiem”

1935 Vaughan Williams’ 4th Symphony premieres in London

1970 Paul McCartney officially announces the split of The Beatles

1986 “Big Deal” opens at Broadway Theater NYC for 70 performances

1989 24th Academy of Country Music Awards: Hank Williams Jr, George Strait, and K.T. Oslin win

1994 “Les Miserables” opens at Hiten Theatre, Osaka

1995 “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” opens at Lyceum Theater NYC for 24 performances

2006 40th CMT Music Awards: Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood & Kenny Chesney win

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1874 British Open Men’s Golf, Musselburgh Links: Mungo Park wins first title by 2 strokes from Tom Morris Jr

1887 Soccer team Be Quick forms in Hairs Groningen

1896 Spyridon Louis of Greece wins inaugural Olympic marathon (2:58:50) in Athens; runs last lap accompanied by Constantine I

1896 High jumper Ellery Clark leads an American sweep of the placings with a leap of 1.81m at the Athens Olympics; his 2nd victory of the Games after taking out the long jump

1896 American athlete Thomas Burke claims the sprint double at the Athens Olympics winning the 100m final in 12.0s; his 2nd victory of the Games after success in the 400m

1913 President Woodrow Wilson throws out 1st ball, Senators beat Yankees 2-1

1913 New York Highlanders play first MLB game as the New York Yankees; lose to the Washington Senators, 2-1 at Griffith Stadium

1916 The Professional Golfers Association of America (PGA) is founded in New York City

April 8 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1767 Ayutthaya kingdom falls to Burmese invaders

1886 William Ewart Gladstone introduces the first Irish Home Rule Bill into the British House of Commons.

1898 Battle of Atbara River, Anglo-Egyptian forces crush 6,000 Sudanese

1913 Opening of China’s 1st parliament takes place in Peking (now Beijing)

2004 Darfur conflict: The Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement is signed by the Sudanese government and two rebel groups

Today’s Historical Events click here for more

217 Roman Emperor Caracalla is assassinated (and succeeded) by his Praetorian Guard prefect, Marcus Opellius Macrinus

1093 The new Winchester Cathedral is dedicated by bishop Walkelin in Winchester, England

1139 Roger II of Sicily is excommunicated

1149 Pope Eugene III takes refuge in the castle of Ptolemy II of Tusculum

1195 Alexius III Angelus drives out brother Isaak II as Byzantine emperor

1341 Petrarch crowned a poet on the Capitoline Hill in Rome

1378 Bartolomeo Prignano elected as Pope Urban VI

1455 Alfonso de Borgia elected as Pope Callistus III

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV click here for more

1963 35th Academy Awards: “Lawrence of Arabia“, Anne Bancroft & Gregory Peck win

1968 40th Academy Awards postponed to Apr 10th due to death of Martin Luther King

1968 WKPI TV channel 22 in Pikeville, Kentucky (PBS) begins broadcasting

1974 Discovery Island opens at Walt Disney World, Florida

1975 47th Academy Awards: “The Godfather Part II”, Ellen Burstyn & Art Carney win

1979 205th & final episode of “All in the Family”; followed by “Archie Bunker’s Place” for 4 seasons

Today’s Historical Events in Music click here for more

1781 Premiere of Mozart‘s violin sonata K379

1876 Amiliare Ponchielli’s opera “La Gioconda” premieres in Milan

1931 Dmitri Shostakovich‘s ballet “The Arrow” premieres

1935 Béla Bartók’s 5th String quartet premieres in Washington, D.C.

1938 Walter Piston‘s 1st Symphony in E, premieres in Boston, by the Boston Symphony, conducted by the composer

1942 Arnold Schoenberg & Tudor’s ballet “Pillar of Fire” premieres in NYC

1950 “Miss Liberty” closes at Imperial Theater NYC after 308 performances

1954 “By the Beautiful Sea” opens at Majestic Theater NYC for 270 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports click here for more

1935 2nd Augusta National Invitation Tournament (Masters) Golf: Gene Sarazen wins Monday playoff with Craig Wood by 5 strokes

1941 In his 4th title defence in 9 weeks Joe Louis beats Tony Musto by TKO in the 9th round at the Arena, Saint Louis, Missouri to retain NYSAC heavyweight boxing crown

1943 Stanley Cup Final, Boston Garden, Boston, MA: Detroit Red Wings beat Boston Bruins, 2-0 for a 4-0 series sweep and their 3rd SC Championship

1943 1943 NFL Draft: Frank Sinkwich from University of Georgia first pick by Detroit Lions

1945 1945 NFL Draft: Charley Trippi from University of Georgia first pick by Chicago Cardinals

1956 20th US Masters Tournament, Augusta National GC: Jack Burke Jr. wins his first major title, 1 stroke ahead of amateur Ken Venturi; final Masters played without a 36-hole cut

1963 Detroit Tigers claim young pitcher Denny McLain on waivers from the Chicago WS; McLain goes on the win Cy Young Award 1968, 69 and AL MVP 1968

1966 American Football League votes in 36 year old Al Davis as commissioner after Joe Foss resigns; appointment lasts 3 months when AFL merges with NFL

National Unicorn Day – April 9, 2022 World (Holiday)

[This is posted a day early to give us all a chance to wear something Unicorn related. I am honored to have a Unicorn as a totem animal that has been with me through many lifetimes.]

National Unicorn Day on April 9 is a day to celebrate the most popular mythical creature ever. Why? Because if we don’t take time out to celebrate a beautiful, horned, rainbow–printed mythical creature then we’re most definitely missing a trick. The unicorn is a symbol of happiness, fantasy, and wonder. It’s an icon of color, of childlike splendor and magic. They often make appearances on birthday cakes and children’s clothing, and let’s be honest quite a lot of us adults still dig them too. National Unicorn Day is your chance to express some unicorn love, so show some color and delve into the magnificence of unicorns with us!

WHEN IS NATIONAL UNICORN DAY 2022?

We celebrate the myth and magic of unicorns on National Unicorn Day, which takes place on April 9 every year.

HISTORY OF NATIONAL UNICORN DAY

The unicorn is known as a creature of legend, one with a single large, spiraled and pointy horn which projects from its forehead. They were spotted in early Mesopotamian artwork and were often noted in myths and stories deriving from China, Greece, and India. In Greek mythology writers strongly believed that unicorns were running wild in a faraway distant realm. That distant realm was India and Greek physician Ctesias quoted in his book ‘‘On the Nature of Animals’’ that he believed India produced a one-horned horse. Some argued that he wasn’t seeing a unicorn, but instead was citing the Indian Rhinoceros. In Iran, unicorns were said to be found in Persepolis and the Hebrew Bible describes an animal called the ‘‘re’em’’ which some believe to be the unicorn.

The unicorn has always been depicted as a symbol of grace and purity, with its horn said to hold the power to cleanse poisonous water and to heal sickness. In medieval times, they would sell the tusks of the Narwhal whale and advertise it as a Unicorn horn.

The Celts, Romans, and Persians also described a white magical horse with a single horn. The creature was said to represent …

Click here to read the rest of this article about Unicorns from nationaltoday.com

A 12,000-mile-deep ‘canyon of fire’ has opened on the sun, spitting intense solar wind toward Earth

Filaments of plasma escaped from a fiery canyon that opened on the sun’s surface on Sunday (April 3) releasing powerful streams of magnetized solar wind(opens in new tab) that might bring more auroras to Earth later this week.

Use this link to read the rest of this important story: https://share.newsbreak.com/tabrv6cu

There Will Only Be 1 Retrograde This Month, But That’s The Least Of Your Worries

From elitedaily.com

Ah, the dreaded retrograde. I bet the mere mention of the word has got you rethinking your entire belief in astrology, right? As if forgetting everything you thought you knew about the zodiac would suddenly make the concept of a “retrograde” seem ridiculous? Yeah, I’ve tried that too, and the truth is, retrogrades always have a way of having the last word. However, the truth about retrogrades is much more complex than simply designating the experience as something inherently negative. In fact, there are so many different planets that can station retrograde and the process is always completely unique. If you’re wondering what planets are retrograde during April 2022, then pat yourself on the back, because you’re asking all the right questions and your parents must be *so* proud.

Everyone knows Mercury retrograde is a drag, but is there more to the experience of a retrograde than meets the eye? Absolutely. After all, a planetary retrograde causes the planet in question to begin rolling backward in its typical trip across the zodiac calendar. As it moves back in time, it has a tendency to bring up unfinished business from your past that still needs tending to. A retrograde also has the power to invert the typical function of a planet, shifting its influence from external to internal. As you embrace the energy of a planet in a different way, it has the power to throw you off, but it can also show you things from a totally eye-opening perspective.

If you’re definitely *not* in the mood for a retrograde, you’re in luck. Only one planet will station retrograde, and because it’s an outer planet, the initial shift won’t be as noticeable or detrimental as you might fear. However, just because the retrograde brigade is operating at a minimum this month doesn’t mean that chaos is not on the schedule. Here’s everything you need to know about the out-of-this-world astrology of April:

Only 1 Planet Will Retrograde During April 2022, But That’s Not All

Not only will there only be one planetary retrograde this month, it’s not something to worry about. After all, it won’t even begin until April 29, meaning that you won’t experience the brunt of its intensity until next month. Also, this retrograde in question involves Pluto — planet of creation and destruction — which does some of its best work while retrograde. After all, Pluto takes a break from being a total drama queen while it’s retrograde, encouraging you to work on embracing inner transformation rather than forcing things beyond your control. Although this retrograde will have a major impact on you, there’s a strong chance you won’t notice how much you’ve changed until much later. This retrograde — which takes place in ambitious, headstrong, and karmic earth sign Capricorn — will last several months, coming to an Oct. 8, 2022.

However, the month of April is bound to be wild, and it’s no thanks to any old retrograde. Instead, turn your attention to the solar eclipse in Taurus scheduled to rock your world on April 30 at 4:28 p.m. ET. In astrology, eclipses are a major deal because they bring you face to face with your ultimate destiny. If you happen to have your sun, moon or rising sign in Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, or Aquarius between the degrees of 5 and 15, this solar eclipse will have an even stronger impact on your life, so stay tuned for the curveballs the cosmos are about to throw at you.

No matter what happens, trust in the process. Eclipses are the markers of major milestones in your life, so have faith that everything is happening just as it’s supposed to. Embrace the idea that something bigger than yourself might be at play here.

April 2022 PAGAN CALENDAR OF OBSERVANCES

From WiccanFamilyTemple.org

APR. 1: Dark Mother Day –honoring Black Annis, Kali;
Fool’s Day—honoring the God of Chaos Energy.
Day of Venus: Goddess of Love and the Hunt

APR. 5: Roman Day of Fortuna: Goddess of Fate

APR. 7: Feast of Blajini—offerings made to the Other People/Sidhe or Faeries “Kindly Ones”.

APR. 7-8: Feast of Greek Goddess Artemis (Roman Diana) – who represents the feminine in Nature and protects women throughout their lives.

APR. 8: Day of Mooncakes—honoring the Moon Goddess.

APR. 15: – Feast of Tellus Mater (Roman)
– Festival of Ba’ast, Feast of Bast (Egyptian cat goddess)

APR. 16: – St. Padarn’s Day (Celtic)
– Feast of St. George (Byzantine)

APR. 15-17: Feast of the Seas – Honoring God-Goddess as Olokun-Yemaya (Yoruba/Santeria) and Okeanos-Tethys (Old Greek).

APR. 22: Earth Day – Day to honor the Earth and to meditate on Deity manifesting as Mother Earth
– Festival of Isthar (Babylonian)
– Feast of the Divine Couple (Japanese)
– Feast of Elaphebolia (Greek)
– Odin’s Day – Norse festival.

APR. 23: Festival of the Greenman—honoring the God of the Forest and vegetation.

APR. 25: – Spring Festivals – Dedicated to Herne, Pan, Horned God.
– Roman Robligalia – Corn Mothers (Ceres and Demeter) and Harvest.

APR. 25: Spring Festival – dedicated to the Horned God and Corn Mother.

APR. 28: Celebrated April 28 – May 3: Festival of Flora: remembrance of those who passed into the Underworld.

APR. 30: May Eve—Walpurgis Night; annual gathering of Witches and covens. Beltane Begins at Sundown (Celtic, Wiccan) Old Norse Feast.

APR. 30 – MAY 2: – Beltane – Celtic festival marking the arrival of summer in ancient times, celebrating Blodeuwedd (Goddess of Flowers) and Llew (Oak King, God of the Waxing Sun).
– Old Norse Feast – Celebrating Nanna (Goddess of Flowers), true love of Baldur (God of Light).
– Feast of Sacred Marriage – Honoring Goddess-God as Inanna & Dumuzi , Ishtar & Tammuz (Old Sumerian), Isis & Osiris (Egyptian), Oshun & Shango (Yoruba/Santeria).

Wheel of the Year

The Wheel of the Year is a symbol of the eight Sabbats (religious festivals) of Neo-Paganism and the Wicca movement which includes four solar festivals (Winter Solstice, Spring Equinox, Summer Solstice, Fall Equinox) and four seasonal festivals (celebrating or marking a significant seasonal change). Contrary to modern-day Wiccan claims, there is no evidence of an ancient Wheel of the Year in its present form but it is clear that the Celts of thousands of years ago celebrated the festivals the wheel highlights, even if these celebrations were known by another name now long lost.

In the ancient Celtic culture, as in many of the past, time was seen as cyclical. The seasons changed, people died, but nothing was ever finally lost because everything returned again – in one way or another – in a repeating natural cycle. Although time in the modern world is usually regarded as linear, the cyclical nature of life continues to be recognized.

The modern-day Wheel of the Year was first suggested by the scholar and mythologist Jacob Grimm (1785-1863 CE) in his 1835 CE work, Teutonic Mythology, and fixed in its present form in the 1950s and early ’60s CE by the Wicca movement. The wheel includes the following holy days (most dates flexible year-to-year): …

Click here to read the rest of this article about the Wheel of the Year

Smells like witch spirit: How the ancient world’s scented sorceresses influence ideas about magic today

Most perfume ads suggest that the right scent can make you sexy, alluring and successful. A blend by Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs, meanwhile, offers to make you smell like Hecate, the three-faced Greek goddess of witchcraft.

As a classics scholar who studies both magic and the senses in the ancient world, this idea of a witch-inspired perfume fascinates me – and “Hecate” is just one of many magic-inspired fragrances available today.

What does a witch smell like, and why would you deliberately perfume yourself like one?

Smells are impossible to see or touch, yet they affect us emotionally and even physically. That’s similar to how many people think of magic, and cultures around the world have connected the two. My current research is focused on how magic and scent were linked in ancient Rome and Greece, ideas that continue to shape views of witches in the West today.

Click here to read the rest of this article

One View on Angel Numbers – Meanings and Symbolism

A good article from SunSigns.org. Lady Beltane uses this website daily to bring you the birthday horoscope. She has wondered on their take of angel numbers, chakra clearing and balancing (see today’s post on this topic) so took the time today to listen to the videos and read their information about these topics. In her opinion they are worth sharing with all of our WOTC community.

Please click on this link to watch the video and read the entire article about Angel Numbers

What are Angel Numbers?

Have you been seeing a repeated sequence of numbers in your life lately? These numbers are angel numbers, and you need not ignore them. Angel numbers are number sequences that contain patterns or repetition. These numbers appear in common places, and they tend to capture our attention and leave us wondering what they mean.

Angel Numbers are messages from your guardian angels and the divine realm that offer wisdom and insight into your life. They also offer a sense of direction that your life needs to take. These numbers can shed light upon your life and guide you on the right path. They also let you know about your spiritual life and how best to align your goals with your divine life purpose.

They are also a source of inspiration and motivation from your guardian angels. Your guardian angels will keep sending you angel numbers until you heed their messages. The repeating influence of integers such as 111, 222, 3333, or 4444 has been there since time immemorial; therefore, these numbers play a huge in the numerous occurrences in your life. Angel numbers will always make a lasting impression on your psyche.

Using Your Intuition to Decipher Angel Number Meaning

What is intuition? It is the ability to understand something from instinctive feeling without the need for conscious reasoning. To better work with angel numbers, …

One View on How to Open and Balance Your Chakras

For those of you who are not sure of either where your chakras are or how to clear and balance them Lady Beltane does Chakra clearings and balancing for a donation of $30.00 USD if done through a head-to-toe picture of the person or with the picture while connecting to the person via a Skype video call for $40.00 USD. She can also do an aura cleansing and repair for an additional $10.00 to $15.00 depending on what she sees in the persons aura in a second session with the person.

Root, Sacral, Solar Plexus, Heart, Throat, Third Eye, Crown – India’s Chakra Symbols

For those of you who are familiar with what chakras are and want some extra information on clearing and opening them I recommend reading this good article from SunSigns.org. Lady Beltane uses this website daily to bring you the birthday horoscope. She has wondered on their take of angel numbers (see today’s post on this topic), chakra clearing and balancing so took the time today to listen to the videos and read their information about these topics. In her opinion they are worth sharing with all of our WOTC community…

How to Open Your 7 Chakras from SunSigns.org

How To Open Your 7 Chakras?

The 7 Chakras are most essential for the well-being of a person. But they are of no use if they are blocked.

If you wish to know if your chakra is open or closed, take the free chakra test to know more.

Here are few tips to open or balance each of the seven chakras.

Opening The Root Chakra (Muladhara)

First of all, close your eyes and position your hands in such a way that the tip of your thumb touches against the tip of your index finger. After that, you should concentrate on the Root Chakra, which is positioned between the anus and the genital organs. Along with this, you should start chanting the word LAM.

Additionally, what you can also do is to occasionally contract your muscles that lie between your anus and genital organs. Contract these muscles inward while inhaling, and contract them outward while exhaling. This in turn, stimulates the Root Chakra, and gives you inner physical strength. (Get more meditation tips).

Opening The Sacral Chakra (Swadhisthana)

To open the Sacral Chakra, you should sit down on the floor and place your hands on your lap, with the palm upwards, so that they lie on top of each other. Your left hand should be placed underneath, and its palm should touch the back of the fingers of the right hand. The tips of the left and right hand thumb fingers should touch gently.

In this position, you should concentrate on trying to open up the Sacral Chakra, which lies on the sacral bone on your lower back. Along with this, you should start chanting the word VAM.

Opening The Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)

In order to open the Solar Plexus Chakra or Navel Chakra, you should start by placing your hands before your stomach, in the region slightly below your solar plexus. After this, you should let all your fingers join at the top, and all of them should be pointing away from yourself. Then, you should cross your thumbs. All this time, it is important to keep your fingers perfectly straight.

In this position, start concentrating on the Navel Chakra, which is located on the spinal region, a little above the navel. Along with this, you should start chanting the word RAM.

Opening The Heart Chakra (Anahata)

In the first instance of opening the Heart chakra, start the whole process by sitting cross-legged, preferably on the floor. Position your hands in such a way that the tip of your thumb touches against the tip of your index finger. After this, place your left hand on your left knee, and your right hand should be placed in front of the lower region of your breastbone, which is just above the solar plexus.

In this position, start concentrating on the Heart Chakra, which is located at the heart region, at the centre of the chest. Along with this, you should start chanting the word YAM.

Opening The Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)

If you feel the Throat Chakra is closed and wish to open it, you should position your hands so that your fingers stay crossed on the inner part of your palms, without the thumbs. At this point of time, allow your thumbs to touch at the top, and slowly pull them slightly upwards.

In this position, you should start concentrating on the Throat Chakra, which is located at the base of a person’s throat. Along with this, you should start chanting the word HAM.

Opening The Third Eye Chakra (Ajna)

If you want to open up the Third Eye Chakra, you should start by sitting down and placing your hands before the lower part of your chest. Your middle fingers should be straight and the tips should touch each other at the top, with them pointing slightly forward. The other fingers should be bent and preferably touch the upper two phalanges. The thumbs should point towards yourself and touch at the tips.

In this position, you should start concentrating on the Third Eye Chakra, which is located slightly above the eyebrows. Along with this, you can either chant the word OM or AUM.

Opening The Crown Chakra (Sahasrara)

To open the Crown Chakra, start the whole process by placing your hands before your stomach. You should then let the ring fingers of both your hands point upwards, and their tips will touch each other. After that, you should cross the rest of your fingers, with the left thumb placed underneath the right one.

In this position, you should concentrate on the Crown Chakra, which is located at the top of your head. Along with this, you should start chanting the word NG.

How To Balance The 7 Chakras:

From sunsigns.org

Balancing Root Chakra
Balancing Sacral Chakra
Balancing Solar Plexus Chakra
Balancing Heart Chakra
Balancing Throat Chakra
Balancing Third Eye Chakra
Balancing Crown Chakra

“Tales from the Unwavering ✨ ” Chapter #3

Connect With the Energy of Your Plants

Pagans are often urged to connect with the energy of the plants around them. But how do you do that?

First, get in touch with the plants around you — really in touch. Make it a point to feel the leaves of shrubs at your front door or put your hand on the nearest tree. Calm your mind and ask yourself what you are sensing. Some people describe feeling a low vibration, especially in trees. When you pay attention, you may feel a slight tingle in your arms.

You can also sit near a plant that seem attractive to you as you burn incense of frankincense, rose, and mugwort. All these herbs will help raise your psychic awareness as you extend your mind to the plants on your patio or in your garden. This is something that requires persistence. If you practice, you will soon open your mind to an energy that you can call on to help your magickal work or just to rejuvenate yourself in times of stress.

By J D Hortwort in Llewellyn’s Witches’ Datebook 2022 Page 81

Smells like witch spirit: How the ancient world’s scented sorceresses influence ideas about magic today

What does a witch smell like, and why would you deliberately perfume yourself like one?

Greeks and Romans of all walks of life believed in magic and used spells ranging from curses to healing magic and garden charms. Magical handbooks from the time show that Greco-Egyptian magicians used fragrance extensively in their rituals, even scented inks, and doctors believed strong-smelling plant species to be more medically effective than others. The gods themselves were thought to smell sweet, and places they touched retained a pleasant odor, making scent a sign of contact with the divine.

Witches wielding perfumes …

To read the rest of this article from theconversation.com

A Magickal Rite for Mabon: Honor the Dark Mother

A Magickal Rite for Mabon

Honor the Dark Mother at Mabon

Demeter and Persephone are strongly connected to the time of the Autumn Equinox. When Hades abducted Persephone, it set in motion a chain of events that eventually led to the earth falling into darkness each winter. This is the time of the Dark Mother, the Crone aspect of the triple goddess. The goddess is bearing this time not a basket of flowers, but a sickle and scythe. She is prepared to reap what has been sown.

The earth dies a little each day, and we must embrace this slow descent into dark before we can truly appreciate the light that will return in a few months.

This ritual welcomes the archetype of the Dark Mother and celebrates that aspect of the Goddess which we may not always find comforting or appealing, but which we must always be willing to acknowledge. Decorate your altar with symbols of Demeter and her daughter — flowers in red and yellow for Demeter, purple or black for Persephone, stalks of wheat, Indian corn, sickles, baskets. Have a candle on hand to represent each of them — harvest colors for Demeter, black for Persephone. You’ll also need a chalice of wine, or grape juice if you prefer, and a pomegranate.

If you normally cast a circle, or call the quarters, do so now. Turn to the altar, and light the Persephone candle. Say:

The land is beginning to die, and the soil grows cold.
The fertile womb of the earth has gone barren.
As Persephone descended into the Underworld,
So the earth continues its descent into night.
As Demeter mourns the loss of her daughter,
So we mourn the days drawing shorter.
The winter will soon be here.

Light the Demeter candle, and say:

In her anger and sorrow, Demeter roamed the earth,
And the crops died, and life withered and the soil went dormant.
In grief, she traveled looking for her lost child,
Leaving darkness behind in her wake.
We feel the mother’s pain, and our hearts break for her,
As she searches for the child she gave birth to.
We welcome the darkness, in her honor.

Break open the pomegranate (it’s a good idea to have a bowl to catch the drippings), and take out six seeds. Place them on the altar. Say:

Six months of light, and six months of dark.
The earth goes to sleep, and later wakes again.
O dark mother, we honor you this night,
And dance in your shadows.
We embrace that which is the darkness,
And celebrate the life of the Crone. Blessings to the dark goddess on this night, and every other.

As the wine is replaced upon the altar, hold your arms out in the Goddess position, and take a moment to reflect on the darker aspects of the human experience. Think of all the goddesses who evoke the night, and call out:

Demeter, Inanna, Kali, Tiamet, Hecate, Nemesis, Morrighan.
Bringers of destruction and darkness,
I embrace you tonight.
Without rage, we cannot feel love,
Without pain, we cannot feel happiness,
Without the night, there is no day,
Without death, there is no life.
Great goddesses of the night, I thank you.

Take a few moments to meditate on the darker aspects of your own soul. Is there a pain you’ve been longing to get rid of? Is there anger and frustration that you’ve been unable to move past? Is there someone who’s hurt you, but you haven’t told them how you feel? Now is the time to take this energy and turn it to your own purposes. Take any pain inside you, and reverse it so that it becomes a positive experience. If you’re not suffering from anything hurtful, count your blessings, and reflect on a time in your life when you weren’t so fortunate.

When you are ready, end the ritual.

By Patti Wigington,Paganism/Wicca Expert
Article found on & owned by ThoughtCo

History of Ostara, The Spring Equinox

The word Ostara is just one of the names applied to the celebration of the spring equinox on March 21. The Venerable Bede said the origin of the word is actually from Eostre, a Germanic goddess of spring. Of course, it’s also the same time as the Christian Easter celebration, and in the Jewish faith, Passover takes place as well. For early Pagans in the Germanic countries, this was a time to celebrate planting and the new crop season.

Typically, the Celtic peoples did not celebrate Ostara as a holiday, although they were in tune with the changing of the seasons.

According to History.com,

“At the ruins of Chichen Itza, the ancient Maya city in Mexico, crowds now gather on the spring (and fall) equinox to watch as the afternoon sun creates shadows that resemble a snake moving along the stairs of the 79-foot-tall Pyramid of Kukulkan, also called El Castillo. On the spring equinox, the snake descends the pyramid until it merges with a large, serpent head sculpture at the base of the structure. While the Maya were skilled astronomers, it’s unknown whether they specifically designed the pyramid to align with the equinox and create this visual effect.”

A New Day Begins

A dynasty of Persian kings known as the Achaemenians celebrated the spring equinox with the festival of No Ruz, which means “new day.” It is a celebration of hope and renewal still observed today in many Persian countries, and has its roots in Zoroastrianism.

In Iran, a festival called Chahar-Shanbeh Suri takes place right before No Ruz begins, and people purify their homes and leap over fires to welcome the 13-day celebration of No Ruz.

Mad as a March Hare

Spring equinox is a time for fertility and sowing seeds, and so nature’s fertility goes a little crazy.

In medieval societies in Europe, the March hare was viewed as a major fertility symbol. This is a species of rabbit that is nocturnal most of the year, but in March when mating season begins, there are bunnies everywhere all day long. The female of the species is superfecund and can conceive a second litter while still pregnant with a first. As if that wasn’t enough, the males tend to get frustrated when rebuffed by their mates, and bounce around erratically when discouraged.

The Legends of Mithras

The story of the Roman god, Mithras, is similar to the tale of Jesus Christ and his resurrection. Born at the winter solstice and resurrected in the spring, Mithras helped his followers ascend to the realm of light after death. In one legend, Mithras, who was popular amongst members of the Roman military, was ordered by the Sun to sacrifice a white bull. He reluctantly obeyed, but at the moment when his knife entered the creature’s body, a miracle took place. The bull turned into the moon, and Mithras’ cloak became the night sky. Where the bull’s blood fell flowers grew, and stalks of grain sprouted from its tail.

Spring Celebrations Around the World

In ancient Rome, the followers of Cybele believed that their goddess had a consort who was born via a virgin birth.

His name was Attis, and he died and was resurrected each year during the time of the vernal equinox on the Julian Calendar (between March 22 and March 25).

The indigenous Mayan people in Central American have celebrated a spring equinox festival for ten centuries. As the sun sets on the day of the equinox on the great ceremonial pyramid, El Castillo, Mexico, its “western face…is bathed in the late afternoon sunlight. The lengthening shadows appear to run from the top of the pyramid’s northern staircase to the bottom, giving the illusion of a diamond-backed snake in descent.” This has been called “The Return of the Sun Serpent” since ancient times.

According to the Venerable Bede, Eostre was the Saxon version of a Germanic goddess called Ostara. Her feast day was held on the full moon following the vernal equinox–almost the identical calculation as for the Christian Easter in the west.

There is very little documented evidence to prove this, but one popular legend is that Eostre found a bird, wounded, on the ground late in winter. To save its life, she transformed it into a hare. But “the transformation was not a complete one. The bird took the appearance of a hare but retained the ability to lay eggs…the hare would decorate these eggs and leave them as gifts to Eostre.”
Modern Celebrations

This is a good time of year to start your seedlings. If you grow an herb garden, start getting the soil ready for late spring plantings. Celebrate the balance of light and dark as the sun begins to tip the scales, and the return of new growth is near.

Many modern Pagans mark Ostara as a time of renewal and rebirth. Take some time to celebrate the new life that surrounds you in nature–walk in a park, lay in the grass, hike through a forest. As you do so, observe all the new things beginning around you–plants, flowers, insects, birds. Meditate upon the ever-moving Wheel of the Year, and celebrate the change of seasons.

Author

Patti Wigington
Published on ThoughtCo.com

OSTARA LORE

A traditional Vernal Equinox pastime: go to a field and randomly collect wildflowers [Thank the flowers for their sacrifice before picking them, using a collection formula such as can be found in “An Herbal Grimoire”]. Or buy some from a florist, taking one or two of those that appeal to you. Then bring them home and divine their magickal meanings by the use of books, your own intuition, a pendulum or by other means. The flowers you’ve chosen reveal your inner thoughts and emotions.

It is important at this time of renewed life to plan a walk (or a ride) through gardens, a park, woodlands, forest and other green places. This is not simply exercise, and you should be on no other mission. It isn’t even just an appreciation of nature. Make your walk celebratory, a ritual for nature itself.

Other traditional activities include planting seeds, working on magickal gardens and practicing all forms of herb work – magickal, medicinal, cosmetic, culinary and artistic.

Foods in tune with this day (linking your meals with the seasons is a fine way of attuning with nature) include those made of seeds, such as sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds, as well as pine nuts.

Sprouts are equally appropriate, as are leafy, green vegetables. Flower dishes such as stuffed nasturtiums or carnation cupcakes also find their place here. [Find a book of flower cooking or simply make spice cupcakes. Ice with pink frosting and place a fresh carnation petal on each cupcake. Stuff nasturtium blossoms with a mixture made with cream cheese, chopped nuts, chives and watercress.]

Developing your Spiritual Abilities? What are the “Clairs”?

When a person begins to awaken to their true self and divine potential, spiritual or psychic gifts will begin to emerge and develop.

Here is some information about the different kinds of ‘Clairs’ that describe some of these abilities and a few tips to help you practice.

‘Clair’ is from the French language and means ‘clear’. There are a number of ‘Clairs’ that we all have the ability to use.

Clairvoyance

The term we all recognise the most is clairvoyance. ‘Voyance’ means ‘vision’, so clairvoyance means clear vision.

A psychic vision is a term used to describe the way that those who are clairvoyant receive messages from Spirit. It usually begins with very short periods of ‘seeing’ things.

It is possible you may be able to see a ‘picture’ and the more you develop this gift the more detailed the vision will be and the length of time you will ‘see’ it will also increase.

Clairaudience

Clairaudience means clear hearing.

Clairaudience may start when you are very young or during meditation. You may hear a voice speaking to you, or you may hear other sounds, such as music. Spirit plays me songs all the time!

This may be your guides or other…

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