Category: Articles

About the Goddess Month of Moura

GothAbout the Goddess Month of Moura

Moura is the thirteenth month and the fifth season of the Sacred Year of Our Mother God.
Unlike the other seasons, which each consist of three 28-day months, Moura is a single-month season. While the other seasons correspond to the four “material” elements, Moura corresponds to the fifth element (literally, the quintessence), Aethyr.

The correspondences are as follows:

Spring : Water : East
Summer : Fire : South
Autumn : Earth : West
Winter : Air : North
Moura : Aethyr : the Center/Vertical Axis

Moura is sometimes called “the Filianic Lent”, and this is certainly not an inaccurate description, since it is the period of purification that precedes the death and resurrection of the Daughter. It is a time of discipline and sacrifice, of cleansing and purification on all levels.

Interestingly, the (long pre-Christian) name of February, the secular month in which Moura begins, means “the month of purifications”. The word “Lent” was actually the Old English name for the season of Spring, and while Filianists regard Moura as a separate season, neither Winter nor Spring, the tradition of “Spring cleaning” in Filianic households actually takes place in Moura. It is cleaning for Spring rather than in Spring.

And cleaning for Spring means specifically cleaning for the first day of Spring, which is also the first day of the year, and the day of the Daughter’s resurrection. Thus Spring cleaning and Moura purifications are all part of the same thing. By making personal sacrifices and undertaking disciplines, we are purifying and preparing our souls and bodies for the New Year and the Resurrection. By cleaning the house – which is always a microcosm of the world and of the body – we are doing the same thing on another level.

The household, or hestia, is particularly important in feminine faith and tradition, so what is happening is that, while on the cosmic level the Daughter, by Her sacrifice, renews the cosmos, we renew the microcosmos, both of ourselves and of the hestia.

So, while on one level the disciplines of Moura are seen (as such things tend to be seen in the Christian West) on a moral and personal level, they should also be seen on the level of ritual action, as participating in the Cosmic Drama which is embodied in the Wheel of the Year.

 

Source:

Chapel of Our Mother God

Today Is Friday, March 3rd

spellToday Is Friday, March 3rd

Friday is the day of Venus. It takes it name from Frigg, the Goddess of love and transformation. She rules the spiritual side of a person that manifests in the physical. Because of this, Friday is often thought of as dangerously unpredictable. This is expressed in an old East Anglian adage:

Friday’s day will have its trick
The fairest or foulest day of the week.

Deity: Frigg

Zodiac Sign: Taurus/Libra

Planet: Venus

Tree: Apple

Herb: Vervain

Stone: Sapphire/Chrsolite

Animal: Bull/Serpent

Element: Earth

Color: Yellow/Violet

Number: 7

Rune: Peorth(P)

 

Celtic Tree Month of Nuin (Ash) – (February 18 – March 17)

The Runic Half Month of Tyr (February 27 – March 13)

Goddess of the Month of Moura – (February 20 – March 19)

 

Source

The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick

 

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March and the Storm Moon

Moon PriestessMarch and the Storm Moon

This Full Moon occurs between February and March in the sign of Pisces. The theme for this Moon is “Desire” as we solidify the goals that were born at Winter Solstice when the Spark brought the idea into on the radar of our mind. Because Pisces is very mutable and adaptable as a sign, the energy around this Moon allows us to weather the storms that come into play as we receive our confirmation and redirects from God as to what to plant in Spring. It also encourages us to use the brewing storm of our desire and passion for what we are harvesting in creative and inventive ways while we remain attuned to the natural flow and progression of the year.

 

Days and Times of Power: A Guide to Optimizing High Energy Solar and Lunar Moments
Katrina Rasbold; Eric. Rasbold

 

The Sky This Week for March 3 to March 5

Green FairyThe Sky This Week for March 3 to March 5

Open star clusters visible with binoculars, the Moon at perigee, and other cool things to look for in the sky this week.
By Michael E. Bakich

Friday, March 3

The Moon is at perigee, the closest point in its orbit around Earth, at 3 a.m. EST. It will then lie 229,324 miles (369,062 kilometers) away. But because the Moon’s orbit is not circular, its distance from Earth varies by some 13 percent. Still, this morning’s perigee is the second farthest during 2017. The only perigee further will occur in September, when the Moon will lie 798 miles (1,284 km) farther away.

Saturday, March 4

Head outdoors around 10:30 p.m. local time and look for the sky’s fourth-brightest star rising in the east. That’s Arcturus (Alpha Boötis), the luminary in the constellation Boötes the Herdsman. The easiest way to find Arcturus is to first find the Big Dipper, which tonight stands high in the northeast. Note that the Dipper’s handle is curved. Follow that curve downward and you’ll come to Arcturus. Because the handle’s curve is also part of a circle called an arc, use the old phrase, “Follow the arc to Arcturus,” to remember how to locate the orange star.

Sunday, March 5

First Quarter Moon occurs at 6:32 a.m. EST. If you watch carefully, you may see the half-lit orb rising in the northeast just past noon local time. Geometrically, First Quarter means the Sun-Earth-Moon angle equals 90°. When this angle, where Earth always represents the vertex, is 0°, we experience New Moon. That’s when the Moon and the Sun line up. At 180°, the Full Moon lies opposite the Sun as we see it and dominates the night. And when the angle is 270°, the Last Quarter Moon rises at midnight and sets 12 hours later.

Source

Astronomy Magazine

 

The Sun & Moon Data for Friday, March 3rd

Green WizardThe Sun & Moon Data for Friday, March 3rd

The Sun
Sun Direction: ↑ 139.66° SE
Sun Altitude: 37.57°
Sun Distance: 92.164 million mi
Next Equinox: Mar 20, 2017 5:28 am (Vernal)
Sunrise Today: 6:22 am↑ 98° East
Sunset Today: 5:50 pm↑ 263° West
Length of Daylight: 11 hours, 28 minutes

 

The Moon
Moon Direction: ↑ 77.32° ENE
Moon Altitude: 3.38°
Moon Distance: 229351 mi
Next Full Moon: Mar 12, 20179:53 am
Next New Moon: Mar 27, 20179:57 pm
Next Moonset: Today11:34 pm
Current Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent
Illumination: 29.9%

Source

timeandate.com

 

Amazing Grace

WICCAN SIGNSAmazing Grace

Amazing grace, how sweet the Earth
that bore a witch like me!
I once was burned, now I survive,
was hung and now I sing.

T’was grace that drew down the moon
and grace that raised the seas.
The magic in the people’s will
will set our Mother free.

We face the East and breathe the winds
that move across this earth.
From gentle breeze to hurricane
our breath will bring forth the change.

Turn towards the South and feel the fire
that burns in you and me.
The spirit’s flame will rise again
and burn eternally.

We greet the West, our souls awash
in tides of primal birth.
Our tears and blood, our pain and love
will cleanse and heal the earth.

Reach into the North and know your roots
down deep ancestral caves.
We find the wisdom of the Crone,
Of circles we are made.

Amazing earth, enduring life,
from death into rebirth.
T’is earth I am and earth I love
and earth I’ll always be.

Amazing grace, how sweet the Earth
that bore witches like we.
We once were burned, now we survive,
were hung and now we sing.

Goddess bless, so mote it be,
Our magic spirals on.
Merry meet and merry part
and merry meet again.

—Verna Knapp, Author
Originally published on Pagan Library

 

May The Goddess Bless You & Yours On The Glorious Friday Morn’! Enjoy, dear brothers & sisters for we are truly blessed!

Merry met
Call me crazy but I feel this undying need to praise our Divine Mother this morning. The National Weather Association finally released the mph for the freak tornado that went over us, it was 110 mph. For our house to survive such winds the Goddess had to put Her loving and caring arms around our house and protect us from those winds. There is no other explanation to be had.

Glory be to our Divine Mother!

Glory to our Almighty Goddess!

I honor you today and every day of my life to come.

You are my protector, my guide and most of all my loving Mother!

Glory Be To You, my Divine Mother, Goddess, & Protector!

All Glory & Praise To You!

Everyone Has the Day Off And I Am Up-dating the Sites…..

I don’t know if you have watched it on the national News or not, but…..our area currently looks like a war zone. Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee and Kentucky were all hit and hit hard by tornadoes.  The tornado that hit our area, came out of no where, the National Weather Service didn’t even have time to issue a warning. It hit about 3:00 in the morning.

 

Earlier that evening, I had took my little pup outside to use the bathroom this was long before the tornado ever hit. My pup used the bathroom and while he was doing so, I kept hearing the wind roaring in a distance. It was strange, I knew at that time, it wasn’t close but the roar sounded just like a train and very loud. It was a sound I have heard three other times, the sound of a tornado. I called Mystie outside and asked her if she heard it. She told me, “no, I was crazy and come on in.” I didn’t and I stayed outside a bit with my pup. It was for sure that Kade (I am tired of calling him my pup, that’s his name), he heard what I was hearing. That was all the confirmation I needed. We came in and without anyone knowing it I took the proper precautions to protect us. That night, we lost power and the next thing the tornado hit. The house shook something terrible but the tornado went over us and hit every other house in the neighborhood. Like I said it looks like a war zone. It was just strange though, that I heard the tornado coming long before it hit here. I honestly believe it was a warning from the Goddess what was going to happen. It is the only thing I can believe. The other ladies that work here, I did call them and told them a tornado was coming and they also thought I was crazy. “The storms are going around us, we’ll be fine,” yeah, right! They have the day off to clean up their properties and they are wondering how I knew that freak tornado was coming.

 

Our power finally came back on sometime during the night. There were more than 200,000 people without power and us being in the stick, I guess we were last to get back up. Kade is scarred for life or at least right now. The night we were outside and he heard the winds, he won’t go outside by himself now. Hopefully, he will get back to normal soon. It has turned off cold here now and taking him to the bathroom at 4 in the morning it is rather chilly. But everyone else if off and cleaning up their property and I am the only working today. I am going to enjoy the peace and quiet, and also thank the Goddess that She warned me of what was coming. I am going to update the sites and tomorrow, we will be back to normal operations.

 

I would ask that you pray for this area and all the others effected by these tornadoes. There is a lot of rebuilding to be done and people lost everything. I can sympathize with them, we have lost everything not too long ago. So please pray for this area and its people.

Thank you and Praise Be To Our Goddess,

Love ya,

Lady A

Please pray for Lady Beltane also. I know she is in Missouri and I haven’t heard anything from her, let’s us pray that her and her family are fine and made it through the tornadoes.

Spell of the Day for February 28 – Flagstone Spell

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Hot-linked as usual

Spell of the Day for February 28 – Flagstone Spell

February 28th, 2017

Do you have someone you believe is sending you bad vibes or ill will? Then, if so, this is the perfect, simple spell for you. The spell does not require but just a few ingredients, the main thing you have to remember is to do it every 3 months. It is suggested on the Equinoxes, so it is easier to remember to do. This is an old spell and over the years (even though it is so simple), it is has been tried and worked like a charm every time. Enjoy!

Celebrating Legends, Folklore & Spirituality 365 Days a Year for Feb. 28th – Kalevala Day

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Kalevala Day

The Kalevala is a poetic folk tale of 22,000 verses. It amalgamates gamates folklore with legend, history, and symbolism regarding ing the Finnish people and their land. The poem was memorized and passed down orally by Finnish bards. In 1836 the poem was finally written down, and this day marks the first day it appeared in print. The Finnish celebrate this day by reading the Kalevala, and then partake of a great feast followed lowed by song, dancing, and drink.

Let’s Talk Witch – Salt’s Usages & Superstitions

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Let’s Talk Witch – Salt’s Usages & Superstitions

Since time immemorial, amazing properties and superstitions have been attributed to salt. Salt is a crystalline substance that is produced as if by magic in water… and disappears in water. Salt is a pure product – that is, it does not contain any additional substances – that is white in color, and for this reason is considered to be “sacred.” We must remember that in days of yore, salt was extremely valuable, expensive, and indispensable to human life. Salt was so expensive that in many countries, gathering and mining salt was the monopoly of the king or ruler. Salt has good and bad properties.

The first superstition states that salt protects the person against the devil. This is why, when salt is spilled, it is a sign that the devil is in the vicinity, and the person’s guardian angel caused him to spill the salt. Since the guardian angel is stationed behind the person’s right shoulder, and the devil is behind his left shoulder, he must immediately take a pinch of the salt and throw it over his left shoulder in order to blind the devil! However, spilled salt also foretells an imminent quarrel between the members of a couple, perhaps as a result of the fact that in the past, salt was very expensive. “A quarrel with a husband always starts with spilled salt!”

Spilled salt is not only the sign of a quarrel, but also foretells days of sadness. In North America, it is believed that salt predicts sadness… since many tears are needed to “rinse out” the salt. For this reason, it is customary to pour salt onto fire, or onto a range – in order to “dry up” the tears of sadness. Obviously, the fact that tears are salty is connected to this superstition.

When salt is sprinkled on the threshold of the home, the devil and his henchmen cannot get in. (In fact, when salt or ash is sprinkled on the floor, the devil won’t come because he is afraid of leaving tracks.)

In order to greet an important or beloved guest, he is received with a gift in the form of bread and salt, or by placing a pinch of salt in his right hand.

If a pinch of salt is placed on a baby’s tongue, he will have a long, happy, and healthy life.

Incidentally, salt was used as currency in the past, both in trade, and especially as soldiers’ salaries. In fact, the word “salary” comes from “sal”, the Latin word for “salt.” This in fact means that “he is worth his salt.” There is a belief that salt provides immunity against poisons. This belief stems from the custom of former rulers, who would take a pinch of poison with their food in order to fortify their immunity against genuine poisoning. They mixed the poison with salt. This is the origin of the expression, “A pinch of salt a day prevents a change of ruler.”

The expression, “salt of the earth,” describes the cream of humanity. A Muslim proverb states that “salt was spilled between us,” meaning that a covenant was sworn between people. In the East, salt is still a purifying and sanctifying substance. Salt is sprinkled in the Sumo wrestling ring before every match in order to purify it of the evil eye.

 

Day-by-Day Wicca: A complete guide to Wicca from Beliefs and Rituals to Magic and Witchcraft
Tabatha Jennings

The Witches Almanac for Tuesday, February 28th

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The Witches Almanac for Tuesday, February 28th

Tuesday (Mars): Passion, sex, courage, aggression, and protection.

Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday)

Waxing Moon
The Waxing Moon (from the New Moon to the Full) is the ideal time for magic to draw things toward you.

Moon phase: First Quarter

Moon Sign: Aries
Aries: Good for starting things, but lacks staying power. Things occur rapidly, but quickly pass. People tend to be argumentative and assertive.

Incense: Cinnamon

Color: Black

Astronomy Picture of the Day – A White Oval Cloud on Jupiter from Juno

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2017 February 28

A White Oval Cloud on Jupiter from Juno
Image Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, SwRI, MSSS; Processing: Roman Tkachenko

 

Explanation: This storm cloud on Jupiter is almost as large as the Earth. Known as a white oval, the swirling cloud is a high pressure system equivalent to an Earthly anticyclone. The cloud is one of a “string of pearls” ovals south of Jupiter’s famous Great Red Spot. Possibly, the Great Red Spot is just a really large white oval that turned red. Surrounding clouds show interesting turbulence as they flow around and past the oval. The featured image was captured on February 2 as NASA’s robotic spacecraft Juno made a new pass just above the cloud tops of the Jovian world. Over the next few years, Juno will continue to orbit and probe Jupiter, determine atmospheric water abundance, and attempt to determine if Jupiter has a solid surface beneath its thick clouds.

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Earth Sky News for Feb. 28th: Don’t Miss Moon and Venus

Don’t miss moon and Venus February 28

By

Tonight – February 28, 2017 – catch the slender waxing crescent moon and the dazzling planet Venus in the western sky after sunset. The moon and Venus will be the first two celestial objects to pop out at evening dusk. That’s because these two rank as the brightest and second-brightest heavenly bodies to light up the nighttime, respectively.

Then, after night truly falls and it’s dark, try spotting the planets Mars and Uranus in a single binocular field of view …

Do you have a telescope? This is a super time to aim it at Venus. This world will be passing between us and the sun on March 25 and thus, for over a month now, Venus has been displaying a waning crescent phase. In other words, as it nears the (approximate) line between us and the sun, the day side of Venus is shifting more and more away from us.

A telescope reveals Venus as a rather slim crescent. Surprisingly, perhaps, it’s better to look at Venus through a telescope at dusk than at nightfall. The glare of Venus is a bit overwhelming after dark.

Once again, the best time to view Venus with the telescope is dusk, so concentrate on the moon and Venus before nightfall. Tonight – February 28 – Venus’ disk is approximately 17% illuminated by sunshine. However, from now until March 25, Venus’ phase will wane (get thinner) while the angular diameter of its disk will increase.

We give you some idea of what’s ahead by listing the phase and angular diameter for certain dates. Remember that 1o = 60′ and that 1′ = 60″.

February 28, 2017
Venus phase: 17% illuminated
Angular diameter: 47”

March 10, 2017
Venus phase: 8% illuminated
Angular diameter: 54”

March 20, 2017
Venus phase: 2% illuminated
Angular diameter: 59”

Venus will be very close to one second (1′ = 60″) in diameter for a few weeks, centered on March 25, 2017. It’s said that some people can actually see the crescent with the naked eye (or at least binoculars) when its angular diameter is this large.

Venus will come closest to Earth for the year on March 25, 2017 as it passes (more or less) in between the Earth and sun at inferior conjunction. See the diagram below.

By the way, at his particular inferior conjunction, Venus will pass a whopping 8o north of the sun. That far-northern inferior conjunction will give folks at northerly latitudes (United States, Canada, Europe and northern Asia) a chance to see Venus in both the evening and morning sky for several days in a row, starting on or near March 20.

Bottom line: On February 28, 2017, seek out the moon and Venus at dusk, and then look for Mars and Uranus in the same binocular field at nightfall.

 

Bruce McClure

Bruce McClure has served as lead writer for EarthSky’s popular Tonight pages since 2004. He’s a sundial aficionado, whose love for the heavens has taken him to Lake Titicaca in Bolivia and sailing in the North Atlantic, where he earned his celestial navigation certificate through the School of Ocean Sailing and Navigation. He also writes and hosts public astronomy programs and planetarium programs in and around his home in upstate New York.

Article originally published on EarthSky