July 27th and 28th

Hopi Kachina Dance

Celebrated annually, the Hopi Kachina Dances commemorate the Kachina-supernatural beings that help insure the survival of the tribe. The Kachina are believed to be ancient spirits that guide and protect the Hopi people. It is believed that the dances and accompanying religious ceremonies are what bring the rain that will heal the entire community. The ceremonies usually begin at sunrise and end at sunset, when it is believed the Kachina return to the realm of the spirit.

Daily Magickal Applications for Wednesday

To the Romans, this day was called Dies Mercurii, or “Mercury’s day” Mercury was a popular character in the Roman pantheon. A messenger of the gods, he presided over commerce, trade, and anything that required skill or dexterity. The Celts also worshiped Mercury and eventually equated him with the Norse god Odin (some spelling variations on this name include Wotan, Wodin, and Wodan). In Norse mythologies, Odin, like Mercury, is associated with poetry and music. Interestingly enough, both Odin and Mercury were regarded as psychopomps, or the leaders of souls, in their individual mythologies.

Odin, one of the main gods in Norse mythology, was constantly seeking wisdom. He traveled the world in disguise as a one-eyed man with a long gray beard, wearing an old, beat-up hat and carrying a staff or a spear (which brings to my mind images of Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings). In the Old English language, this day of Mercury evolved into Wodnes daeg, “Woden’s day,” or Wednesday.

Wednesday carries all of the planetary and magickal energies and associations of the witty and nimble god Mercury himself. Some of these mercurial traits included good communication skills, cleverness, intelligence, creativity, business sense, writing, artistic talent, trickiness, and thievery. And don’t forget all of those wise and enigmatic qualities associated with the Norse god Odin/Wodin, not to mention the goddess Athena’s contributions of music, the arts, handmade crafts, and writing. Wednesdays afford excellent opportunities for seeking wisdom, changing your circumstances, and improving your skills, be they in trade and commerce, music and art, or in communication and writing.

Source

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

Wednesday Is Ruled By Mercury

Wednesdays are wild and wacky days. They are for communication, change, cunning, and the arts. This is a Mercury day, and just its patron god this day is full of contradictions, change, and excitement. Some suggestions for Wednesday enchantments would include:

Pulling a little Wednesday color magic into your life by wearing purples or orange

Carrying a multipurpose agate with you and tapping into its various charms

Working with magical plants such as the fern for protection. This plant will also boost the power of any other magical plants with which it is arranged.

Incorporating lavender into charms and spells for transformation

Using the charming scent of lily of the valley to improve your memory, or working with the aspen tree for communication

Calling on Athena, patron of arts and crafts, for inspiration for a new project

Fanning out a Tarot spell to increase you creativity

Calling on Hermes on a Wednesday night to bring movement and good luck into your life

The Witches Correspondences for Wednesday, July 27th

Dedicated to the Teutonic god Woden or Odin, an aspect of the “All-Father” god of knowledge wisdom enlightenment and combat, the parallel of Hermes.

Element : Air

Planet: Mercury

Zodiac Sign : Virgo / Gemini

Angel : Raphael

Metal : Mercury

Incense / Perfumes : Jasmine, Lavender, Sweet Pea

Oil: Benzoin, Clary Sage, Eucalytus, Lavender

Color : Red, Orange, Light Blue

Stones : Bloodstone,Garnet, Aventurine, Hematite, Moss Agate and Sodalite

Plants/Herbs : Almond, Anise, Cherry, Clover, Dandelion, Dill, Fern, Hazel, Hyssop, Lavender, Lemongrass, Lilac, Mace, Peppermint, Rosemary, Vervain

Magick to Work: the conscious mind, study, travel, divination, consulting oracles, wisdom, communication ,cleverness, contracts, creativity, information, intellect, memory, erception, science, wisdom, writing

The Witches Almanac for Wednesday, July 27th

Wednesday (Mercury): The conscious mind, study, travel, divination, and wisdom.

Sleepyhead Day (Finnish)

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

Moon Phase: Fourth Quarter

Moon Sign: Taurus
Taurus: Things begun now last the longest, tend to increase in value, and become hard to alter. Brings out appreciation for beauty and sensory experience.

Incense: Marjoram

Color: White

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.

Reference

Patti Wigington, Paganism/Wicca Expert
Article originally published on & owned by About.com

Wednesday’s 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.

Source

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

The Witches Wednesday

Wednesday is the fourth day of the week, in the Judeo-Christian calendar between Tuesday and Thursday. The name comes from the Middle English Wednes dei, which is from Old English WÄ“dnes dæg, meaning the day of the Germanic god Woden (Wodan) who was a god of the Anglo-Saxons in England until about the 7th century. WÄ“dnes dæg is like the Old Norse Oðinsdagr (“Odin’s day”), which is an early translation of the Latin dies Mercurii (“Mercury’s day”). Although Mercury (the messenger of the gods) and Woden (the king of the Germanic gods) are not equivalent in most regards, both gods guided the souls of the dead to the underworld.

When Sunday is taken as the first of the week, the day in the middle of each week is Wednesday. Arising from this, the German name for Wednesday has been Mittwoch (literally: “mid-week”) since the 10th Century, having displaced the former name: Wodanstag (“Wodan’s day”). The Finnish name is similarly practical: Keskiviikko (literally: “middle of the week”) as is the Icelandic name: Miðvikudagur (“Mid-week day”).

According to the Hebrew Bible, Wednesday is the day when the Sun and Moon were created.
Wednesday is also in the middle of the common Western 5-day working week that starts on Monday and finishes on Friday.

In Romance languages it is derived from the name of the Roman god Mercury: mercredi (French), mercoledì (Italian), miércoles (Spanish), miercuri (Romanian), dimecres (Catalan), dies Mercurii (Latin). Similarly, the Hindi name for Wednesday, Budhvar is derived from the Vedic name for Mercury, Budh. Russian does not use pagan names but instead uses sredá, meaning “middle,” similar to the German Mittwoch. Likewise, Portuguese uses the word quarta-feira, meaning “fourth day.”

An English language idiom for Wednesday is “hump day”, a reference to making it through to the middle of the work week as getting “over the hump”. It is also informally referred to as “the peak of the week”.
Quakers traditionally refer to Wednesday as “Fourth Day”, eschewing the pagan origin of the name “Wednesday”. Most eastern languages also use a name with this meaning, for much the same reason.

Extremely faithful Orthodox Christians observe a vegetarian / fish-only fast on Wednesdays (and Fridays) in some countries such as Greece.

According to the Thai solar calendar, the color associated with Wednesday is green.

Wednesday in Popular Culture
* The nursery rhyme states, “Wednesday’s child is full of woe”. This line was the inspiration for the ‘Wednesday’ character, the daughter, in The Addams Family comic and TV Show.

* In the 19th century children’s rhyme Solomon Grundy, Solomon was ‘Married on Wednesday.’

* A song titled “Wednesday’s Song” is on the 2004 album Shadows Collide with People by John Frusciante

* Mr. Wednesday is a main character in Neil Gaiman’s novel American Gods. He is the employer of the protagonist Shadow, and is a variation on the god Odin.

Astrological Sign
The astrological sign of the planet Mercury represents Wednesday — Dies Mercurii to the Romans, with similar names in Latin-derived languages, such as the French Mercredi and the Spanish Miércoles. In English, this became “Woden’s Day”, since the Roman god Mercury was identified with Woden in northern Europe.

Reference

Pagan Calendar

Wednesday, July 27th, We Celebrate….

Niman: Hopi Kachina Dances (Southwestern United States)

NUVAK’CHIN’MANA

Themes: Ghosts (Spirits); Blessings; Weather; Winter

Symbols: Cold Items; White; Moisture

About Nuvak’chin’mana:
This goddess’s name means Snow Maiden. In the Niman festival, Nuvak’chin’Mana is a Kachina who appears to pray for the return of cold weather so the moisture in the earth gets replenished. In our lives, she comes to replenish the well of our spirits and cool any overheated tempers that erupt with summer’s heat.

To Do Today: In Hopi tradition, Kachinas are spirits that help the tribe in all matters of life. Each year the Kachinas emerge around February to remind people of their blessings and to teach the sacred rituals that bring rain. Around this time of year, the Kachinas return to their rest, escorted out of the human realms by the Niman ritual.

To bring Nuvak’chin’Mana’s coolheadedness and refreshing energy to your entire day, drink a glass of milk on the rocks at breakfast, lunch, and dinner (or anytime in between). It’s very refreshing, and the appearance of the beverage honors the goddess. If your region has been suffering from a dry spell, pour out a little of the milk and ice on the ground as an offering to Nuvak’chin’Mana so she might carry your need for rain to the nature spirits.

Last, take a moment at some point during the day to thank the Powers for all your blessings. A grateful heart is one ready to give and receive more of the Goddess!

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

Goddesses Associated With Wednesday, The Day of Woden

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

Source

The Goddess Book of Days
Diane Stein

The Goddess Book of Days for Wednesday, July 27th

Day of Hatshepsut in Egypt, healer queen and architect. Egyptian queens were considered to be Goddesses. Procession of the Witches in Belgium. The twenty-seventh day of the Moon is dedicated to Diana and Hecate. (Diana: Artemis, Oya, Anahit, Athena, Minerva, Hathor, Maat. Hecate: Hel, Holde, Mother Holle, Sedna, Persephone, Eurydice, Erishkegal, Rhiannon.)
The Goddess Book of Days
Diane Stein

Wednesday, July 27

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 Tinne(Holly) – July 8 – August 4. Holly, an evergreen plant reminds us all year long about the immortality of nature. The Holly moon was called Tinne, pronounced chihnn-uh, by the Celts, who knew the potent Holly was a symbol of masculine energy and firmness. The ancients used the wood of the Holly in the construction of weapons, but also in protective magic.

Runic Half-Month of Ur (primal strength) – July 4 – July 28

Goddess of the Month of Kerea – July 11 – August 8

Source

The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick

Ritual Work Associated With Wednesday, The Day of Mercury

Perfumes: Sweetpea, Lavender, Mastic, Frankincense, Cloves

Incense: Cinnamon, Cinquefoil

Color: Yellow or Grey

Influences: Conjurations, Predictions, Knowledge, Writing, Eloquence

Reference:

A Book of Pagan Rituals
Herman Slater

Sky This Week for July 27 to July 31, 2016

This week is all about the planets, the Moon, and the Delta Aquarid meteor shower.
By Richard Talcott

Wednesday, July 27

Pluto reached opposition and peak visibility nearly three weeks ago, and it remains a tempting target all night. It glows dimly at magnitude 14.1, however, so you’ll need an 8-inch or larger telescope with good optics to spot it visually. Pluto currently lies in northeastern Sagittarius, some 0.8° west-southwest of 3rd-magnitude Pi (p) Sagittarii and 0.7° northeast of 4th-magnitude Omicron (o) Sgr. See “The quest for distant Pluto” in the July Astronomy for complete details on finding this world.

The Moon reaches perigee, the closest point in its orbit around Earth, at 7:37 a.m. EDT. It then lies 229,698 miles (369,662 kilometers) away from us.

Thursday, July 28

The Southern Delta Aquarid meteor shower reaches its peak overnight. Although the waning crescent Moon rises around 2 a.m. local daylight time tomorrow morning, it doesn’t really detract from the show. The meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Aquarius, which rises in late evening and appears highest in the hours before dawn. At its best, the shower produces 15 to 20 meteors per hour under a dark sky, a rate that stays nearly constant for a couple of days on either side of the peak.

Friday, July 29

The Southern Delta Aquarid meteor shower isn’t the only event you’ll want to keep an eye on this morning. As the waning crescent Moon marches eastward relative to the background stars of Taurus, it passes directly in front of the Bull’s luminary. Our satellite occults 1st-magnitude Aldebaran for observers south of a line that runs from southern New Mexico to northern Maine. While viewers north of this line will see the Moon and star just miss each other, those along the line will witness the star skimming Luna’s northern limb. Be sure to set up ahead of time, center the star in your telescope’s field of view, and watch the magnificent show.

Uranus’ eastward motion against the background stars comes to a halt at 10 p.m. EDT. This so-called stationary point marks the beginning of the best period to observe the outer planet. Uranus rises before midnight local daylight time and appears more than halfway to the zenith in the southeastern sky as morning twilight commences. The magnitude 5.8 planet lies in Pisces, 2.7° due north of magnitude 4.8 Mu (m) Piscium. A telescope reveals Uranus’ blue-green disk, which spans 3.6″.

Saturday, July 30

Although Saturn reached its peak nearly two months ago, it remains a lovely sight. You can find the planet nearly due south around 9 p.m. local daylight time. Saturn shines at magnitude 0.3 and appears far brighter than any of the surrounding stars of southwestern Ophiuchus. When viewed through a telescope, the planet measures 18″ across while its dramatic ring system spans 40″ and tilts 26° to our line of sight.

Sunday, July 31

The two inner planets lurk low in the western sky shortly after sunset all week. Your best chance to spot them comes when they lie highest in the twilight this evening. If you scan the western horizon through binoculars 30 minutes after sunset, you should pick up Venus standing just 3° high. It shows up only because in shines so brightly, at magnitude –3.9. Mercury appears 6° above the horizon but will be harder to see because it glows more dimly at magnitude –0.2. And if you have a haze-free sky, you might spot the 1st-magitude star Regulus between the two planets.

Reference

Astronomy Magazine

The Last Quarter Moon

The Last Quarter Moon or Third Quarter Moon phase occurs when the Moon is 270 degrees after the Sun.

This is a time of action, but it’s about reviewing, receiving, paying, planning, closing, sorting, storing, and reaping. Most suitable activities now include paying debts, asking for money owed to us, giving rewards, receiving rewards, making evaluations, taking inventory, tying up loose ends, dealing with people and matters from the past, contacting people from the past, dealing with endings, acting with wisdom and maturity, and letting go if necessary. This is an accountable time when following the rules is most appropriate.

Daily Sun & Moon Data for Wednesday, July 27

Current
Sun is in Leo
Moon is in Taurus

The Sun
Sun Direction: ↑ 97.90° E
Sun Altitude: 42.43°
Sun Distance: 94.395 million mi
Next Equinox: Sep 22, 2016 9:21 AM (Autumnal)
Sunrise Today: 5:56 AM↑ 65° East
Sunset Today: 8:06 PM↑ 295° Northwest
Length of Daylight: 14 hours, 9 minutes

The Moon
Moon Direction: ↑ 239.67° WSW
Moon Altitude: 49.25°
Moon Distance: 229700 mi
Next New Moon: Aug 2, 20163:44 PM
Next Full Moon: Aug 18, 20164:26 AM
Next Moonset: Today2:09 PM
Current Moon Phase: Waning Crescent
Illumination: 42.6%

Reference:

timeanddate.com