Category: Articles

Let’s Talk Witch – The Elements

The Elements

What do earth, air, fire, and water have in common? It’s elementary, my dear Watson. All four are called elements and their use is everywhere in witchy practices.

Each element corresponds to a quarter when used in Pagan rituals (the quarters are the four directions-north, south, east, and west-each of which corresponds to an element), and each also has various colors and properties that are associated with it. For instance:

Earth-The north quarter. Usually associated with the color green (although some use brown), it is said to be grounding and is associated with the physical body, the home, the practical matters. You can use anything earthy to represent this element on your altar, even a small plant, but I like to use a rock or gemstone crystal.

Air – The east quarter. Associated with the color yellow (so if you are using candles at eachof the four quarters in your circle, this is the color for that quarter – see how this works?) and the intellect and communication. It is usually represented on the altar by a feather or incense, since the smoke from the incense floats up through the air to the gods.

Fire – The south quarter. Associated with the color red, creativity, and passion (whoo, baby!), fire can be represented on the altar by a small burning candle or a small cauldron.

Water – The west quarter (if you have trouble remembering which one is which, as most of us do in the beginning, try remembering water=west, air=east, since the sounds are close). Associated with the color blue, the emotions, intuition (things that are always fluid and ever-changing). Water is usually represented on the altar by, well, water. You can put some out in a bowl or a special container, or use a shell instead if you want.

These four elements show up in almost every aspect of day-to-day Witchcraft, but it is important to remember that there is a fifth element that we recognize as well, and that is the element of Spirit. This element is what binds the other four together as indeed it binds us all to each other. And of all the elements that you use as a Witch, spirit is probably the one that you will call upon the most, whether you realize it or not.
 

Source

Everyday Witch A to Z: An Amusing, Inspiring & Informative Guide to the Wonderful World of Witchcraft
Deborah Blake

The Witches Almanac for Friday, April 15th

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The Witches Almanac for Friday, April 15th

Friday (Venus): Love, friendship, reconciliation, and beauty.

Plowing Festival (Chinese)

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: Second Quarter

Moon Sign: Leo
Leo: Draws emphasis to the self, central ideas, or institutions, away from connections with others and other emotional needs. People tend to be melodramatic.

Incense: Rose

Color: Purple
 

Source

Llewellyn’s 2016 Magical Almanac: Practical Magic for Everyday Living

The Wicca Book of Days for Friday, April 15th

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The Wicca Book of Days for Friday, April 15th

Wonderful Willow

April 15 marks the start of the Celtic tree month of the Willow, which will end on May 12. According to the system of astrological correspondences, the willow (Salix) is ruled by the moon, and its association with the Goddess in her lunar, watery, and funerary aspect is emphasized by the droopy growing habit of weeping willows in particular. More positively, the fast-growing willow is an emblem of Artemis (the Greek equivalent of the Roman Diana) as the divine help of women in childbirth, while as the source of salicylic acid, willow bark alleviates many complaints.

A Withy Wand

If you can, fashion a wand from a withy (or withe, a flexible willow twig) with which to invoke the healing and reproductive powers of the Goddess during your rituals. Alternatively, collect the bark of two- to four-year-old willow trees to use in remedies.
 

Source

The Wicca Book of Days
Observances, Traditions, and Lore for Every Day of the Year
Selena Eilidh Ash

Friday, April 15th

...Goddess in the Clouds...

Friday, April 15th

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/Chrysolite

Animal: Bull/Serpent

Element: Earth

Color: Yellow/Violet

Number: 7

Rune: Peorth(P)

Celtic Tree Month of Saille (Willow) – April 15th to May 12th. Willow is a tree of healing and protection. It can help us to connect with our emotions and bring us inner strength.

Runic Half Month of Man (human being) – April 14th to April 28th

Goddess of the Month for March 20 to April 17th is Columbina
 

Source

The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick

Friday’s Witchery

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Friday’s Witchery

Love magick is a perennial popular topic. However, there is more to this topic than meets the eye. There are many enchanting layers here for us to explore on this day of the week. What about creating a loving home, or producing a loving and nurturing family? What about keeping your intimate relationships vital and on track? How about promoting happy, healthy, and enduring friendships? See, there is more to be considered than just the “You shall be mine…” type of fictional love spell.

Don’t forget that many of the deities associated with Fridays are also parents. So, yes, while this is the day to work on romance, sex, and love spells, there is additional magick to be considered here, which makes Fridays a more well-rounded and bigger opportunity for witchery than many folks ever truly realize. The truest, strongest magick always comes from the heart.
 

Source

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

Friday

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Friday

Ruler: Freya, Venus

Colors: Emerald green or pink

Power Hours: Sunrise and the 8th, 16th, and 24th hours following.

Key Words: Love, money, health

It is easy to spot the ruler of this day by its name. In the word Friday, we see the roots of the name of the Norse goddess Freya, a goddess of love and fertility, and the most beautiful and propitious of the goddesses thus the verse “Friday’s child is loving and giving.”

In Spanish this day of the week is called Viernes and is derived from the goddess Venus. Matters of love, human interaction, the fluidity of communication, sewing and the creation of artistic garments, household improvement, shopping, and party planning all fall under the aspects of Friday and its ruling planet, Venus.

Friday’s angels are Ariel/Uriel, Rachiel, and Sachiel. Rachiel also concerns himself with human sexuality and is a presiding spirit of the planet Venus.

On Fridays, the hour of sunrise and every eight hours after that are also ruled by Venus, and that makes these times of the day doubly blessed. These four hours are the strongest four hours for conducting ritual.

Check the local newspaper, astrological calendar, or almanac to determine your local sunrise.

Source

Gypsy Magic

The Sky This Week: April 15 – 17

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The Sky This Week: April 15 – 17

Friday, April 15
Although Jupiter reached opposition and peak visibility over a month ago (on March 8), it remains a stunning sight from dusk until the start of morning twilight. The giant planet shines at magnitude –2.4 against the backdrop of Leo the Lion. Turn a telescope on Jupiter and you will see a 43″-diameter disk with lots of atmospheric detail. And this evening, you also can observe the shadows of two of its large moons. Volcanic Io casts its shadow onto the jovian cloud tops starting at 6:55 p.m. EDT (unfortunately still during daylight), but the black dot doesn’t leave the disk until 9:10 p.m. If you miss Io, you don’t have to wait long for icy Europa’s shadow to show up. It traverses Jupiter from 9:32 p.m. until 12:18 a.m.

Saturday, April 16
Mars pokes above the eastern horizon just after 11 p.m. local daylight time this week and remains prominent until morning twilight is well underway. The Red Planet’s eastward motion relative to the background stars of southern Ophiuchus comes to a halt today; it then starts moving westward at the start of its so-called retrograde loop. This is a sure sign that Mars is approaching peak visibility, which it will reach at opposition in late May. Our neighboring world currently shines at magnitude–1.0, trailing only the Moon, Jupiter, and Sirius. When viewed through a telescope, Mars appears 14″ across and should display a prominent north polar cap as well as subtle dark markings.

Sunday, April 17
The waxing gibbous Moon’s motion through the night sky carries it near Jupiter tonight. The night sky’s two brightest objects appear only 2° apart, or about four times the Moon’s diameter.

Source

Astronomy Magazine