Tag: Earth

Calendar of the Sun for Monday, March 5th

Calendar of the Sun
5 Hrethemonath

Navigium – Poseidon’s Day

Colors: Blue and blue-green of the sea
Element: Water
Altar: Set with sea-colored cloths, figures of dolphins, the figure of a ship, a compass, and a great bowl of salt water.
Offerings: Sea salt. Face some emotion that seems overwhelming to you.
Daily Meal: Fish. Seafood. Seaweed.

Invocation to Poseidon

Great Bull from the Sea
Crashing against the rocks
Master of the waves and depths
Foaming horses champing wild
Break against the yielding shore
And you, Lord of bitter brine,
Sink not our ships as they make their way
From safe harbor to safe harbor.
And we shall sing the praises of Poseidon
Earth-shaker, loudest voice
In the world between heaven and underworld,
The voice that booms up from the depths
Of every water-borne soul.

Chant:
Earth-Shaker
Storm Maker
Lord of the Wave

(The compass is then passed from hand to hand, and each person in turn says, “Guide me in my navigations, Lord of the Unending Waters, and bring me safe home again.” The bowl of salt water is then passed hand to hand, and each splashes a bit onto their heads. The rest is poured out as a libation.)

(All join hands including those girl children who wish it, and dance in a circle.)

Breaking A Curse

Breaking A Curse

On the first night of the waxing moon, gather the following items:

A square of black cloth a little larger than your hand

1 tablespoon of curry

1 tablespoon of dill

1 tablespoon of vervain

1 tablespoon powdered ginger

1 consecrated black candle

Paper and black ink pen

1 black string, knotted nine times

On paper, write the full name and birth date (if known) of the person who has cursed you. Place the paper in the center of the bag. One at a time, add the herbs, covering the slip of paper. Next, take the lit candle and drip 5 – 10 drops of wax over the paper and herbs.

Visualize the person who has cursed you and say their name aloud three times while tying the bag shut with the knotted string. The final step is to bury the bag someplace on the property of the person who cursed you. The bag must remain there undisturbed until the next waxing moon. At that time, dig up the bag and burn the contents. This will weaken that person’s power (usually until the night of the full moon) and the curse.

My Magickal Gift to You for March 4th – House Blessing Spell

I am sure my regular readers know that every Full Moon, I bless my home. I also try to remind all of you to do the same. To help you get the ball rolling, my git to you this day……

House Blessing Spell

It is a good idea, when moving into a new home or even every few months – to bless your home with positive energy. This is an effective way to bring positive energy and prosperity into your home.

Items you will need:

Sea Salt

Water

House Blessing Incense

Glass of Red Wine

Dried White Sage

Bell

In the room you spend most of your time in, or a “main room” of your house (like your living room) – cast a circle of power. You do not have to perform an elaborate ritual for this, however you can simply visualize a protective circle around you that slowly expands to encompass your entire living space and house. Invite positive energy, your guides and all spirits who will be positive to come to your aid – and release all those spirits and energies that are negative. An easy way to do this, is to say this, while casting your circle:

“By Fire, Air, Earth and Water – I conjure three that there remain within thy frame, no adverse spell or enmity, or spirit not in accord with me, this is my Will, So Mote It Be!”

Take you Water and Salt, in a small bowl you will take with you on your journey through the house, place the dried sage on top of the water and salt. Have House Blessing Incense burning in the room you cast your circle. Then walking through the house, go to each door, window and entrance and anoint the doors and windows with a sprinkle of the mixture, while saying something to the effect of:

“By the Elements, I purify this home and all doorways. May love and light, prosperity and joy enter. May these passages allow friends and love ones to enter, and prevent those who wish ill or harm.”

Do this to all the windows and doors. Then follow your steps one more time, ringing the bell (this raises positive energies and spirits). Then take the wine, and anoint the front doorway with touches of wine. If you own your home, you can pour the wine across the doorway outside. Place the remaining water, salt and sage outside as an offering to the Gods. Close your circle and the Blessing is complete.

Calendar of the Moon for Sunday, March 4th

Calendar of the Moon

Ash Tree Month

Color: Pale Blue
Elements: Water and air
Altar: On a cloth of pale blue set a great bowl of salt water in which are set many shells and stones, a shell full of salt, incense, and the figures of sea-birds and fishes.
Offerings: Wash something clean, or air it out.
Daily Meal: Either fish or seafood, or poultry.

Nion/Anthesterion Invocation

Call: Now is the time of wind and water.
Response: Now is the time of sea and sky.
Call: Now is the time of the Gods of weather.
Response: Now is the time of the great waves.
Call: Now is the time of terrible flooding.
Response: Now is the time of needed rain.
Call: Now is the time of battering gales.
Response: Now is the time of winds of change.
Call: Now is the time of fear of change.
Response: Now, and always, change will win.
Call: The wild winds disturb our dreams.
Response: The wild winds awake our minds.
Call: The heavy rains flood our hearts.
Response: The heavy rains water our future.
Call: The sea will sweep us away.
Response: The sea will bear us up.
Call: The sea is cold and unending.
Response: The sea is the source of life.
Call: We are ships on the lost expanse of the ocean.
Response: We are winds that call to one another.
Call: We will brave the wind and water.
Response: We will bring together mind and heart.
Call: We will come home safely after wandering.
Response: We will anchor safely after our journeys.
Call: We will come through wind and water!
Response: We will come through wind and water!
(Repeat last two lines twice more.)

Chant:
We will come through wind and water
We will come through sea and sky

Calendar of the Sun for Sunday, March 4th

Calendar of the Sun

Media Hiems

Color: White and grey
Element: Earth
Altar: Set out a cloth of white and grey, a vase of bare branches, a single grey candle, a pitcher of melted snow or rainwater, pots of earth, and seeds to be sown and nurtured in the greenhouse.
Offering: Seeds, preferably saved from the year before.
Daily Meal: Vegetarian.

Media Hiems Invocation

Earth that lies asleep
Waiting for the touch of the Sun
To grow in strength and light
And awaken thee to life,
We warm thee with our breath,
We prepare thee with our hands,
We plant thee with our hopes,
We await thy awakening
With faith in the coming of Spring.

Chant:
Breath warms thee
Hands prepare thee
Hope sows thee
Sun awaken thee.

(All take seeds and plant them in the pots of earth, water them, and breathe onto them, visualizing the seeds awakening and growing. The remainder of the water is poured out as a libation to the Earth. The pots are then taken to the greenhouse in procession to be nurtured until planting time.)

Revive Your Magickal Powers

Revive Your Magickal Powers　

On the night of the full moon, anoint a purple candle with vanilla oil. While anointing raise energy and focus it into the candle. See it glow with magick. Light the candle and go outside (if possible) or near a window where you can see the moon. Place the candle on the ground or windowsill. Reach your arms out to the moon and say:

“I ask for your power on this night,

By the powers of the stars above me.

So Shall It Be!” 

Visualize your arms and hands soaking up the powers of the moon and into your body. Put out the candle and leave it on your altar overnight. The next morning, repeat the spell with this chant. 

“Oh dear Lord of sky and sea,

Lead your magick into me,

By soil, wind, flame and sea,

This is my will.

So Mote It Be!” 

Soak up the powers of the Sun. Go to your altar and light the purple candle from the night before and meditate on it until it burns out.

Elder’s Meditation of the Day – March 3

Elder’s Meditation of the Day – March 3

“For me writing has become prayers that say, `Great Spirit, return to us our freedom, our land, and our lives. We are thankful for the present from which to learn how to be thankful for the past, and how to be hopeful for the future.”

–Barney Bush, SHAWNEE

We Native people have really been tested. This testing is having our land taken from us, our culture challenged, and our way of living altered. Gratefully, we have not lost our spirituality. Our spirituality has been the key for our people making it through all of these tests. Our prayers are strong. Indian people have also been able to adjust to change and still keep their culture and spirituality. Today, we should be grateful to the Creator for the present, and for the lessons of the past. May our future be guided by the Great Spirit.

Great Spirit, thank You for Mother Earth and Father Sky. Thank You for my life.

*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*

Calendar of the Moon for Saturday, March 3rd

Calendar of the Moon
3 Nion/Anthesterion

Day of Llyr

Color: Sea-blue
Element: Water
Altar: On a sea-blue cloth place a chalice of salt water, a skull, a dolphin, and a ship.
Offerings: Paper ships. Deal with fearful emotions that threaten to drown you.
Daily Meal: Fish or seafood.

Invocation to Llyr

We cross the sea at our own risk,
Be it the sea of water
Or the depths of our own
Internal tides of feeling.
We cross the sea at our own risk,
Knowing that the smooth expanse
Could at any moment become turbulent,
Degenerate into a vast whirlpool
And draw us screaming into the darkness.
We cross the sea at our own risk,
Navigating our way with signs
And symbols that have nothing
To do with the vast expanse we see,
But are just numbers, spun out of
The mind’s vast abilities,
The world of air and sky,
And sometimes they fail us.
We cross the sea at our own risk,
But if we do not cross it
We will be separated forever
By those terrible watery chasms.
Ocean god, we pray to you for mercy;
Bear us up and do not let us drown
In any ocean, within or without.

Chant:
Born of water, cleansing, powerful, flowing, healing, we are…..

(Let one who has been chosen to do the work of the ritual come forward with the bowl of salt water, and each shall dip their hands into it and mark themselves on their heart chakras and their heads. Then the salt water shall be poured out as a libation.)

Spring Equinox Ritual Potpourri

Spring Equinox Ritual Potpourri 

A small cauldron filled with homemade potpourri can be used as a fragrant altar decoration, burned (outdoors) as an offering to the old Gods during or after a Sabbat celebration, or wrapped in decorative paper and ribbons and give as a wonderful gift to a fellow brother or sister of the Craft. 

45 drops rose oil

1 cup oak moss

2 cups dried dogwood blossoms

2 cups dried honeysuckle blossoms

½ cup dried violets

½ cup dried daffodils

½ cup dried rosebuds

½ cup dried crocus or iris

Mix the rose oil with the oak moss, and then add the remaining ingredients. Stir the potpourri well and then store in a tightly covered ceramic or glass container.

Simple Exercise to Familiarize Yourself with the Elements

Simple Exercise to Familiarize Yourself with the Elements

To better feel and understand how these elements affect us, do this simple exercise:

Collect four items, one to represent each element and locate a compass. Weather permitting, find a spot outside – if not indoors will do.

Choose a spot where you will not be disturbed. Have your journal and something to write with.

Find north on the compass…and face that direction. If you are seated in a chair, move to face that direction.

First close your eyes and gather impressions about the compass point. After a few minutes, write down your impressions.

Now, hold the element you chose for Earth and the North, and close your eyes. Open your mind and feel the impressions of this element and how it relates to compass point. Think about how it corresponds to you and the Universe.

When you have finished write down your thoughts.

Continue through each element, facing the compass point that corresponds to the element…and finish by writing your feelings and thoughts on each one.

With the element of Spirit – focus on a golden light coming down from the heavens and filling you to the brim. When you have completed this, write down again, your thought and feelings.

Compare your notes with the properties of those elements described above. Were you connected to one or more of them? Did you feel more power in one direction? This will help you become attuned and more apart of the universe  you are apart of. Do this as a meditation every now and then also; to remind yourself to simplify.

　

Spellbound’s

Book of Spells

A Collection of Simple Spells

Volume 1

Kelli James Klymenko

Magickal Correspondences For The Five Elements

Magickal Correspondences For The Five Elements

Earth – North, Grounding – Mystery and growth, fertility, material abundance, the combined forces of nature and its bounty; birth and healing; business, industry and possessions; the bear, the stag and the wolf; conservation and nature.

Air – East, Truth and Light – Represents intellect, communication, knowledge, concentration; the ability to “know” and understand; to unlock secrets of the dead; contacting angels; telepathy, memory and wisdom, the hawk, the raven and the eagle; prophecy; movement, Karma and speed.

Fire – South, Cleansing – Stands for energy, purification, courage, the will to dare, creativity; higher self; success and refinement; the arts and transformation; the lion, the phoenix and the dragon; loyalty and force

Water – West, life – Associated with intuition, emotions, the inner self, flowing movement, the power to dare and cleanse all things; sympathy and love; reflection; currents and tides of life; the dolphin, the swan and the crab; dreams and dreamtime.

Spirit – The Fifth Element – It is the quintessence necessary for the manifestation of the elements.

Symbolic Circle Casting

 

 Symbolic Circle Casting

 

The most popular magick circle is a symbolic one, physically cast by walking round the visualized circle area clockwise. It is visible psychically as a circle of light but not seen externally except by those with evolved clairvoyant light – and children.

You can make a symbolic circle before a simple outdoor spell and it is a good way of connecting with the earth energies.

Form the psychic light circle in the air about waist or kneed high, whichever feels more natural, with a pointed crystal or wand held in your power hand (or your index finger). Direct the point at about 45 degrees, casting the circle in front of you so you step into the emerging light and become empowered.

If you wish, you can make a circle-casting chant that you repeat either aloud or in your mind as you walk, for example:

May the circle be cast and so remain unbroken

May the love of the goddess be forever in our hearts

Blessings be.

If working in a group, some practitioners like to cast a symbolic clockwise circle straight after the introductory blessing and then welcome other members of the group into it. Drawing the psychic circle over head height at the planned entry point (north-west for a north-beginning circle or north-east for an east-initiated one). The guests enter at this psychic gateway and you can then finish off the circle when they have entered.

Personally I prefer to make the circle round the people once they have entered. You can enter the circle where you began casting it through a visualized doorway, sealing it afterwards.

Unless it is a real emergency people shouldn’t leave the circle during a ritual as this involves a lot of sealing and unsealing and psychic disturbance.

Calendar of the Moon for February 28th

Calendar of the Moon

Ash Tree Month

Color: Pale Blue
Elements: Water and air
Altar: On a cloth of pale blue set a great bowl of salt water in which are set many shells and stones, a shell full of salt, incense, and the figures of sea-birds and fishes.
Offerings: Wash something clean, or air it out.
Daily Meal: Either fish or seafood, or poultry.

Nion/Anthesterion Invocation

Call: Now is the time of wind and water.
Response: Now is the time of sea and sky.
Call: Now is the time of the Gods of weather.
Response: Now is the time of the great waves.
Call: Now is the time of terrible flooding.
Response: Now is the time of needed rain.
Call: Now is the time of battering gales.
Response: Now is the time of winds of change.
Call: Now is the time of fear of change.
Response: Now, and always, change will win.
Call: The wild winds disturb our dreams.
Response: The wild winds awake our minds.
Call: The heavy rains flood our hearts.
Response: The heavy rains water our future.
Call: The sea will sweep us away.
Response: The sea will bear us up.
Call: The sea is cold and unending.
Response: The sea is the source of life.
Call: We are ships on the lost expanse of the ocean.
Response: We are winds that call to one another.
Call: We will brave the wind and water.
Response: We will bring together mind and heart.
Call: We will come home safely after wandering.
Response: We will anchor safely after our journeys.
Call: We will come through wind and water!
Response: We will come through wind and water!
(Repeat last two lines twice more.)

Chant:
We will come through wind and water
We will come through sea and sky

Happy & Blessed Tuesday to you, my dear, dear friends!

Tuesday Pictures, Comments, Graphics, Cards
Ok, forget the boots! This grabbed my attention because this is just what me and Razzy had just finished doing. She has a collection of shoe strings. When she wants to play, here she comes with the tip in her mouth, dragging the rest under her belly. I am going to have to take a picture of her one day and show you, she is so cute when she does this. I have been trying to teach her to keep her claws in. She was doing pretty good till today. I think I pissed her off. I just wasn’t moving fast enough for her this morning. So she gave me a smack or two on the back of my leg to wake me up. And I gave her a pop on her rump to let her know I was wake, lol!

My cat’s antics wasn’t what I wanted to write to you about today. But she so cute, I can’t help it, lol! What was on my mind is some comments I have been getting about the “About Us” page. I have been promoting this site pretty hot and heavy at different spots on the web. I ought to know that when I do that, I better put on my tough skin (more like armoured suit!). Most of the comments have been really nice. They are thanking me for showing them this site and they wish others could see what we are really like. At least, we are getting through to some. But there are others that have gotten under my skin. You know yourself, you have never heard me attack another Religion. I won’t do it. I will not do it. NEVER! I try to teach tolerance of each other’s Religions. With tolerance we can learn from each other and eventually accept each other. But when I have individuals that write to me and tell me that witches are psychotic and thank God we live in a free country or else we would be locked up. That is taking it too far and it reminds me of a time not so long ago in our history. It PISSES me to the bottom. Also there is no such thing in the universe as magic, anyone that believes in magic is living in their own little world. As long as they stay in their own little world, they are no threat to anyone. Since there is no magic in the universe, there are no such things as witches. Anyone that calls themself a witch is delusional. 

Now, my brothers and sisters in the Craft do you see why I turn to you for comfort? I need your love, comfort and support. I am mad as hell. I have fought ignorance all my life and it seems ignorance has reared its ugly head again. I am still promoting this site and I really don’t want to go off on a binge. But a witch can only take so much and for those of you new to this site, please forgive me. But stop to consider if someone attacked your Religion. How would you feel? Witchcraft is a religious practice. We have been tormented throughout history by ignorant fools. Do you not realize the first person to outlaw our practices was a Catholic Pope? Why? It wasn’t because our religious practices was bad, demonic, satanic, or any of that. It was because he was money hunger, land hunger, wanted the world. The only way he could do that was to condemn innocent people to their death and the church seize their earthly goods. Yes, it was to make the Church powerful and rich. Our Religion is old as time itself. In the beginning, we were the only Religion that existed. We worshipped the Earth, Nature, and most of all our Loving Goddess, the Mother of All Creation. Our people had to go underground to worship and pass our teachings down from generation to generation. We could not write our Religion down, anyone caught with such was condemned to death. All our Religion has ever known is persecution, hatred and death. We are a strong Religion, Yes, Religion. Just because our Religion has been casted in a bad light for all these centuries does not mean we are evil. Our Religion was given this brand because people were afraid the truth would actually come out about us.  Well the truth is coming out about us know. People are turning to our Religion because they are fed up with the mainstream Religions. They are finding out for theirselves what we are about. They are seeking the truth and myself and others like me are here to make sure they see the truth. We are a peaceful Religion. You will never find in the history books our Religion calling for killings in the name of Religion. We worship the Goddess and we respect all life. Life to us, no matter how small is sacred to us. We cherish every living creature. We harm no one. And for those of you that thing there is no such thing as a Witch. I am here to tell you, you are dead wrong. For I AM A WITCH! I don’t have green skin or a long, pointy nose with warts. I look like your neighbor next door. You see what make me different from you. I have found the power of magick, YES MAGICK! There is magick in this world. I am sorry for those who are too ignorant to open their eyes and behold the magick that is all around them. I am sorry that you haven’t looked inside yourself and seen the magick in you. Each of us has the magick in us, no matter what Religion you are the magick is there. You just have to look inside and see it. You see, WITCHES, have looked inside, found the magick and have learned to control it. We can wheel the magick to do our bidding. We can wheel the magick to right the wrong in the Universe. We can wheel the magick to help mankind. You see that is what our mission is, to help and better mankind. We mean no one any harm, but we will not stand by and let ourselves be harmed either. We have Laws we live by and most of us believe in the Karmic Law.

You see, there is Witches in this Universe. We live among you. We could be your neighbor but you will never know. We want to leave in peace. We want our Religion to be recognized for what it is, a Religion. We want to educate the public. To dispel all the old myths that still cast a shadow on our Religion to this day. For those of you that think there is no such thing as a Witch. I pity you. For you see, we will experience the most beautiful life anyone can imagine. The Goddess will shower us with Her Love and show us wonders beyond our beliefs. We will behold things, you will never be able to. There are many things in life, you will never know and it is ashame because all you would have to do is open your mind and heart.

In the service of my Goddess,

Lady Of The Abyss

The Use of the Pentacle In Dragon Magick

The Use of the Pentacle In Dragon Magick

A pentacle disk is necessary for consecrations and other ritual work. This is usually a metal or wooden disk with a pentagram (five-pointed star, one point upwards) painted or etched on it. However there is no reason that the pentacle cannot be made out of cardboard. The pentacle is of the element of both Spirit and Earth and helps to control and balance all the other elements. When used as an element of Earth, the pentacle grounds Spirit in the ritual.

 

The dragon pentacle can be used as either a picture or disk. It is presented during specific rituals as a means of establishing your authority to call upon the dragons, and is also of the element of Spirit.

 

“Dancing with Dragons”

D. J. Conway

Calendar of the Moon for Saturday, February 25th

Calendar of the Moon

Ash Tree Month

Color: Pale Blue
Elements: Water and air
Altar: On a cloth of pale blue set a great bowl of salt water in which are set many shells and stones, a shell full of salt, incense, and the figures of sea-birds and fishes.
Offerings: Wash something clean, or air it out.
Daily Meal: Either fish or seafood, or poultry.

Nion/Anthesterion Invocation

Call: Now is the time of wind and water.
Response: Now is the time of sea and sky.
Call: Now is the time of the Gods of weather.
Response: Now is the time of the great waves.
Call: Now is the time of terrible flooding.
Response: Now is the time of needed rain.
Call: Now is the time of battering gales.
Response: Now is the time of winds of change.
Call: Now is the time of fear of change.
Response: Now, and always, change will win.
Call: The wild winds disturb our dreams.
Response: The wild winds awake our minds.
Call: The heavy rains flood our hearts.
Response: The heavy rains water our future.
Call: The sea will sweep us away.
Response: The sea will bear us up.
Call: The sea is cold and unending.
Response: The sea is the source of life.
Call: We are ships on the lost expanse of the ocean.
Response: We are winds that call to one another.
Call: We will brave the wind and water.
Response: We will bring together mind and heart.
Call: We will come home safely after wandering.
Response: We will anchor safely after our journeys.
Call: We will come through wind and water!
Response: We will come through wind and water!
(Repeat last two lines twice more.)

Chant:
We will come through wind and water
We will come through sea and sky

Calendar of the Sun for Saturday, February 25

Calendar of the Sun

Media Hiems

Color: White and grey
Element: Earth
Altar: Set out a cloth of white and grey, a vase of bare branches, a single grey candle, a pitcher of melted snow or rainwater, pots of earth, and seeds to be sown and nurtured in the greenhouse.
Offering: Seeds, preferably saved from the year before.
Daily Meal: Vegetarian.

Media Hiems Invocation

Earth that lies asleep
Waiting for the touch of the Sun
To grow in strength and light
And awaken thee to life,
We warm thee with our breath,
We prepare thee with our hands,
We plant thee with our hopes,
We await thy awakening
With faith in the coming of Spring.

Chant:
Breath warms thee
Hands prepare thee
Hope sows thee
Sun awaken thee.

(All take seeds and plant them in the pots of earth, water them, and breathe onto them, visualizing the seeds awakening and growing. The remainder of the water is poured out as a libation to the Earth. The pots are then taken to the greenhouse in procession to be nurtured until planting time.)

Calendar of the Sun for February 24th

Calendar of the Sun
24 Solmonath

Regifugium – Day of the Abdication of the Sacred King

Colors: Gold and black
Element: Fire
Altar: On a black cloth set a crown of gold in a bowl of ashes, three lit black candles, and two lengths of cloth – one golden silk sewn with trim and jewels, and one plain rough handwoven cloth in the colors of the Earth.
Offerings: Prostrating oneself on the ground before the altar. Giving up something in which one has great pride that is no longer useful to anyone.
Daily Meal: Food that is plain, unseasoned, simple, and coarse.

Regifugium Invocation

Hail to the King in his glory!
Yet turn away your eyes
For he has grown weary of his throne
And he finds that power
No longer brings him joy.
On this day in cold Solmonath
Before the coming of the Spring
He finds that pride has fallen
Into ashes
And that he longs for a morning
That breaks on a simpler life.
Hail to the King as he descends
From the high places
Where he has grown accustomed
To ruling and serving.
He will now serve a greater purpose
Within a smaller boundary.
May the Gods smile on those
Whose soul tells them
When they must step down.
Hail to him who is no longer King
And blessed be the rest of his days.

Chant:
The King hath died to the world of the Crown
Let the trumpets sound – away he rides
Yet life goes on – Regifugium.

(All prostrate themselves, are sprinkled with the ashes, and contemplate what they must give up.)

Astronomy Picture of the Day for Feb. 23 – A Zodiacal Skyscape

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.

2012 February 23
See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest resolution version available.

A Zodiacal Skyscape
Image Credit & Copyright: Jack Fusco 

Explanation: Venus and Jupiter are this month’s two brightest planets. Shortly after sunset on February 20, they dominate the sky above the western horizon and this snowy landscape. In clear and transparent skies over Cherry Springs State Park, Pennsylvania, USA, they are also seen immersed in Zodiacal light. The extended, diffuse, triangular glow is sunlight scattered by dust along the plane of the ecliptic. Brighter near the horizon, the Zodiacal glow angles upward, first to Venus and then to Jupiter hugging the ecliptic as they orbit the Sun. Fading even further, the glow stretches toward the lovely Pleides star cluster near the top of the frame. Following their appearance in this Zodiacal skyscape, the coming days will see Venus and Jupiter sharing the early evening sky with a young crescent Moon. The two bright planets are even headed for a close pairing or conjunction, separated by about 3 degrees on March 13.

Calendar of the Moon for Thursday, Feb. 23rd

Calendar of the Moon
23 Nion/Anthesterion

Diasia: Day of Ua Zit

Color: Black
Element: Earth
Altar: Upon a black cloth set three knives, a sword, and a sickle in the shape of a serpent; two white candles, and a bowl of barley.
Offerings: Any atonement for a wrong done by you, your family, or your ancestors.
Daily Meal: Fasting until the following morning.

Diasia Invocation

We have walked upon the face
Of this our generous Mother
And done wrong to many,
Whether by accident or by design
Or only by our lack of mindfulness.
Before we walked here,
Those who made us walked upon the face
Of this our generous Mother
And did wrong to many,
And their wrongs made them strong,
And their strength gave life to us.
We are born of the pain and toil
Of others, and this price
Is etched into our bones.
There are none truly innocent
Anywhere on the face of the Mother,
And we must all atone
For ourselves and for our blood.
Therefore we shall live always
With this knowledge over us,
We shall share a bed with its presence,
We shall learn to love its painful truth
And yet never become accustomed to it.
We shall work to atone for this legacy
Even if we only do no more harm
Through action or inaction.
We are children of Fate,
And we cannot afford to be blind
To the wrath our footsteps leave behind them.

(All sit on the floor and meditate. At the end of the meditation, the barley is poured as libation.)