Tag: Sun

Calendar of the Moon for Sunday, Feb. 12th

Calendar of the Moon
12 Luis/Gamelion

Lenaia Day I

Colors: Purple and green
Element: Water
Altar: A large post is set up behind the altar, draped in robes of purple and green, with a mask of Dionysus upon it, and arms raised upwards made of grapevine and fruit tree branches. The altar is draped in purple and green, and upon it set two purple candles, a wreath of grapevines, two jugs of wine (one white and one red), and a chalice.
Offerings: Dancing. Drumming. Music. Transforming dreams into reality.
Daily Meal: Wine. Goat or lamb. Lentils. Grape leaves. Greek food if possible.

Lenaia Invocation I

Son of Semele! Iakkhos, Giver of Wealth!
Not wealth from below the Earth,
But wealth from above it!
Fruit like jewels, wealth of tree and vine!
Tonight your living coffers sleep
In stasis through the winter’s cold.
Yet their roots are anchored firmly
In the frozen soil of life,
And soon they will awake
To draw upon its nourishment.
We sing fertility into your roots!
Our dances prepare the soil
That you may in turn be fed.
From our heads down through our feet,
From our feet into the Earth,
From the Earth into your body,
We give you our life force
That you may one day return it.

(Instead of a particular chant, a drum circle is formed and all dance for at least an hour. Any appropriate chant may be used. After the drum circle is closed, the red wine is passed around and shared, with the worker saying, “Behold the blood of Iakkhos.” The remainder is poured out as a libation. Then the white wine is passed around and shared, with the worker saying, “Behold the dreams of Iakkhos.” The remainder is poured out as a libation.)

Calendar of the Sun for Sunday, Feb. 12th

Calendar of the Sun
12 Solmonath

Day of Diana as Lady of the Animals

Colors: Brown and green
Element: Earth
Altar: Lay with cloth of earth colors and set with representations of many animals, as well as a crescent moon for Diana. Burn cypress incense.
Offerings: Animal figures. Kindliness towards the other creatures of the earth.
Daily Meal: Serve both vegetarian food (for the prey animals) and wild game (for the predators).

Invocation to the Lady of the Animals

Goddess who runs with the rabbit,
Fleet of foot, silver of tail;
Goddess who runs with the wolf
Who follows on its path,
Lady who runs with the cycle,
From Life to Death to Life again,
Who is with fish and frog,
Bird and butterfly,
And all that runs on four legs
Or crawls upon the ground,
Lady of our sisters and brothers,
Those who became one with
Our ancestors,
Those who gave their lives
That we might live,
Let us never forget, Diana
Of the deep forest, that this world
Is a shared one
And not ours alone.

Chant: Diana Diana Brother Wolf and Sister Bear
Diana Diana Brother Mouse and Sister Hare
Diana Diana Brother Stallion, Sister Mare.

(All go outside, where treats of seed and peanut butter are hung on branches for the forest spirits, and any livestock are given special treats.)

Daily Cosmic Calendar for Saturday, Feb. 11

Don’t let this become the lost weekend. Hope and fear are battling for supremacy since jovial Jupiter is making three alignments today while the Moon in Libra makes its first union with the recently stationed ring-master Saturn tomorrow. Like it or not, these two planets – the largest in our solar system – have much to do with how we hopefully (Jupiter) fit into society and worldly happenings or fearfully (Saturn) try to reach various career milestones without developing all sorts of chronic difficulties in the process. Of course, Jupiter can bring excess and overdoing of a good thing while Saturn can teach the essential long-term rewards of patience, hard work, self-reliance and responsibility. On today’s agenda, the Sun and Jupiter provide sustenance and robust enthusiasm as they form an inspirational, 72-degree link (12:03AM PST). However, Jupiter – being no slouch as King of the Gods – keeps up his interactive efforts by making a contra-parallel to Neptune (3:17AM PST) and a subtle and yet still nurturing and creative, 30-degree tie to Venus (8:35AM PST). Despite some potential confusion and uncertainty coming from Jupiter’s contact with Neptune, Jupiter is offering you a sizable dose of optimism right now. Relationships receive an empowerment boost from Mars contacting Juno via an inspirational, 72-degree liaison (12:53PM PST). If you feel the urge to shop for values or change your hair style or wardrobe, you are probably picking up on both the Moon’s presence in Libra as well as the Mars-Juno association. A big event later on is Pallas entering Pisces (9:07PM PST). Learn more about the secret teachings of all ages and the philosophical tenets of ancient civilizations. One way you can improve your problem-solving skills is to keep a dream notebook and understand more about how precognitive visions will assist you in fulfilling your higher destiny.

Calendar of the Moon for February 11

Calendar of the MoonMoon & Witch Comments & Graphics

Rowan Tree Moon

Color: Orange-red
Element: Fire
Altar: Upon a cloth of orange-red set a row of red candles, Brigid’s cross, and a bell.
Offerings: Votive candles. Quicken a newborn idea into birth.
Daily Meal: Hot drinks with every meal. Keep food warm.

Luis/Gamelion Invocation

Call: Now is the quickening of the year.
Response: Now is the time of the first movement.
Call: Now the child stirs in the womb.
Response: Now the seed stirs in the earth.
Call: Now the plains flood and our fire is threatened.
Response: Now the cold water drowns our spark.
Call: Now is the time of the hard struggle.
Response: Now is the month of desperation.
Call: Now is the time of desperation to live.
Response: Now is the time of desperation to be born.
Call: We turn in our sleep as the earth turns.
Response: We dream with the sleeping earth.
Call: Each of our dreams is a lit candle in the dark.
Response: Each of our dreams is a single point of hope.
Call: They shine faint and alone in the night of struggle.
Response: They are alone as we are alone.
Call: Yet we are not alone in our dreams.
Response: We are not alone!
Call: We will keep our fires burning.
Response: We will burn against the night!
Call: We will warm our dreams with the force of life.
Response: We will not die alone in the cold!
Call: We will ward off all evil.
Response: Only good shall pass our gates.
Call: We will care for each other.
Response: We will never cease to care!
Call: We will survive the winter.
Response: We will survive!
(Repeat last two lines twice more.)

Chant:
Protect the flame that warms your dreams
And dreams shall never die.

Cosmic Calendar for Friday, February 10th

There is an uncommon sense of planetary restlessness going on during this intense void lunar cycle that began yesterday when the Moon in Virgo joined forces with Mars. Before the Moon leaves void mode by entering affable, airy Libra at 11:55AM PST, you need to work with the following aspects – Venus trine Juno in fire signs (1:18AM PST), the Sun moving into an off-kilter, 150-degree link to Mars (3:32AM PST), Mercury forming a caustic, 45-degree tie to Pluto (5:47AM PST), Pallas making a flowing trine to Saturn in air signs (8:56AM PST), and the Moon parallel to Ceres (10:14AM PST). The two challenging alignments – the Sun-Mars and Mercury-Pluto connections – could increase worries and stress across the board. Trying to extinguish their explosive potentials is the trio of favorable link-ups combining Venus with Juno, Pallas with Saturn, and the Moon with Ceres. These three contacts can assist you with improving the rapport with loved ones, problem-solving and strategizing, as well as increasing your all-around productivity in arts, crafts and hobbies. Once the Moon is in Libra (11:55AM PST), treat a friend, relative or significant other to lunch or dinner at a favorite cafe. Visit an art gallery, cultural exhibit, museum or national landmark. Enjoy a night on the town and let the good times roll as the Sun is approaching an inspirational, 72-degree rapport with benevolent Jupiter (forming exactly at 12:03AM PST tomorrow).

Calendar of the Moon for February 10th

Calendar of the Moon

Rowan Tree Moon

Color: Orange-red
Element: Fire
Altar: Upon a cloth of orange-red set a row of red candles, Brigid’s cross, and a bell.
Offerings: Votive candles. Quicken a newborn idea into birth.
Daily Meal: Hot drinks with every meal. Keep food warm.

Luis/Gamelion Invocation

Call: Now is the quickening of the year.
Response: Now is the time of the first movement.
Call: Now the child stirs in the womb.
Response: Now the seed stirs in the earth.
Call: Now the plains flood and our fire is threatened.
Response: Now the cold water drowns our spark.
Call: Now is the time of the hard struggle.
Response: Now is the month of desperation.
Call: Now is the time of desperation to live.
Response: Now is the time of desperation to be born.
Call: We turn in our sleep as the earth turns.
Response: We dream with the sleeping earth.
Call: Each of our dreams is a lit candle in the dark.
Response: Each of our dreams is a single point of hope.
Call: They shine faint and alone in the night of struggle.
Response: They are alone as we are alone.
Call: Yet we are not alone in our dreams.
Response: We are not alone!
Call: We will keep our fires burning.
Response: We will burn against the night!
Call: We will warm our dreams with the force of life.
Response: We will not die alone in the cold!
Call: We will ward off all evil.
Response: Only good shall pass our gates.
Call: We will care for each other.
Response: We will never cease to care!
Call: We will survive the winter.
Response: We will survive!
(Repeat last two lines twice more.)

Chant:
Protect the flame that warms your dreams
And dreams shall never die.

Calendar of the Sun for February 10th

Calendar of the Sun
10 Solmonath

Anahita’s Day

Colors: Black and silver
Element: Air
Altar: Lay a cloth of black studded with silver stars, and on it set many white candles, and a great six-pointed silver star, a chalice of white wine, and a tray of star-shaped cookies.
Offerings: Paper stars written with reasons to hope.
Daily Meal: Star-shaped breads and cakes. Vegetables sliced into stars. Cold raw food.

Invocation to Anahita

Lady of the Morning Star
Who sings us awake
With a song of hope
For the daily road ahead,
Never let us fail
In our ability to keep faith.
Lady of the Evening Star
Who sings us to sleep
With a song of peace
For the nightly struggle,
Never let us fail
In our ability to dream.
Lady of the starry sky
Whose womb birthed the universe
That we might one day come to be,
Never let us fail
In our ability to hope
For the future of this world.

Chant: Ai ya Ai ya Anahita Anahita

(One who is chosen to do the work of the ritual comes forth with the cakes and passes them around, saying, “Taste matter and manifestation.” Then s/he comes forth with the white wine and passes it around, saying, “Taste the spirit that brings it to life.” The rest is given as a libation. Afterwards, all present place their paper stars on the altar and meditate on hope.)

Calendar of the Sun for Thursday, Feb 9th

Calendar of the Sun
9 Solmonath

Day of Nerthus and Wuldorfader

Colors: Green and blue
Elements: Earth and Air
Altar: Lay with a green cloth, and place upon it pots of earth in which has been drawn the runes Feoh, and Berkana, and Jera, and seeds to be planted, and a wooden tray of small cakes marked with the runes Sigil, and Tyr, and Ansuz, and a horn of mead, and a pitcher of rain or snow water.
Offerings: Planting seeds. Doing something to clean the earth or air.
Daily Meal: Vegetarian, with wholegrain bread and vegetables. Mead and honeyed tea to drink.

Invocation to Nerthus and Wuldorfader

Great Mother Earth beneath our feet
Who gives forth all our sustenance,
Who feeds us from your breast,
Never let us forget
How much we owe
Your eternal fertility.
Father of Glory above us,
You who send the rain
To grow your bride’s crops
High enough to touch your hand,
May you be generous to us this year.
Earth and Rain, we beg you
To move in a joyful dance together
And never spend too long apart.

(Chant wordlessly as each person digs a hole in the pots of earth, places in a small cake, sprinkles seeds over it, tamps down the earth, waters it, and sends energy into the seeds. Then pass around the horn of mead, drink to Mother Nerthus and Wuldorfader, and pour out the remainder as a libation.)

The Wiccan Book of Day for Feb. 9th – Child Of The Sun

Wiccan Book of Days for Thursday, February 9th

Child of the Sun 

The divine infant that, according to many systems of sacred belief, was born around the Winter Solstice in late December, is thought to have grown into childhood by this time of year. The stories associated with these Divine boys which include Christianity’s Jesus and ancient Egypt’s Horus are concerned with their growing strength-of mind, body and spirit-but also with their vulnerability, especially when pitted against the embodiment of evil. In Horus’s case, Set, the murderer of his father, Osiris, presented a hugely dangerous threat, one that could only be neutralized in an epic, coming of age struggle to the death, in which the heroic. Horus would emerge bloodied but victorious.

　

“The Artic Sun”

Light a yellow candle in a gesture of joyful fellowship with the people of Narvik in Norway, who are celebrating their first sight of the sun since early November around

 

Full Moon Love Boon (Storm Moon)

Full Moon Love Boon

(Storm Moon)
 
 
You will need your journal, a green candle, three drops of rose oil, and a green stone. This spell taps into the fertile power of the moon, ruled by the beautiful Greek Goddess Selene. She influences the reproductive energies of plants, animals and people.
 
Begin by writing on a blank page of your journal what you want to focus the energy of this full moon love spell. It could be anything from a new love relationship to strengthening your love with your beloved. Be clear as to your desires, and make sure your spell is truly for the greater good–everyone’s greater good, not just your own.
 
Dress the candle with the three drops of rose oil. As you rub the oil over the surface of the candle, focus your mind on your desire. Wipe the oil from your hands, and place the candle in a candleholder. Light the candle, and imagine the candlelight fueling your magickal pattern. Imagine the magickal fire energizing every aspect of your being and then direct it toward your specific love desire. Say three times:
 
I am the light that shine bright
Within this magickal moonlight night.
 
Put the green stone on an altar tile or plate on your altar. Then carefully pick up the candle and hold it over the stone. Angle the candle so that three drops of wax spill onto the stone. After you do this, say:
 
Maid, Crone, and Mother
Your light shines like no other
On this bright night of the full moon
Please grant me this true love boon.
{State what you desire.}
So be it! Blessed be!
 
Allow the candle to burn safely down, and set the stone in the windowsill to absorb the energy of the full moon. Afterward put the stone one your altar for twenty-eight nights(a moon cycle) to draw the love you desire into your life.

Calendar of the Moon for Wednesday, Feb. 8th

Calendar of the Moon

Rowan Tree Moon

Color: Orange-red
Element: Fire
Altar: Upon a cloth of orange-red set a row of red candles, Brigid’s cross, and a bell.
Offerings: Votive candles. Quicken a newborn idea into birth.
Daily Meal: Hot drinks with every meal. Keep food warm.

Luis/Gamelion Invocation

Call: Now is the quickening of the year.
Response: Now is the time of the first movement.
Call: Now the child stirs in the womb.
Response: Now the seed stirs in the earth.
Call: Now the plains flood and our fire is threatened.
Response: Now the cold water drowns our spark.
Call: Now is the time of the hard struggle.
Response: Now is the month of desperation.
Call: Now is the time of desperation to live.
Response: Now is the time of desperation to be born.
Call: We turn in our sleep as the earth turns.
Response: We dream with the sleeping earth.
Call: Each of our dreams is a lit candle in the dark.
Response: Each of our dreams is a single point of hope.
Call: They shine faint and alone in the night of struggle.
Response: They are alone as we are alone.
Call: Yet we are not alone in our dreams.
Response: We are not alone!
Call: We will keep our fires burning.
Response: We will burn against the night!
Call: We will warm our dreams with the force of life.
Response: We will not die alone in the cold!
Call: We will ward off all evil.
Response: Only good shall pass our gates.
Call: We will care for each other.
Response: We will never cease to care!
Call: We will survive the winter.
Response: We will survive!
(Repeat last two lines twice more.)

Chant:
Protect the flame that warms your dreams
And dreams shall never die.

Cosmic Calendar for Wednesday, Feb. 8th

After a day like yesterday, it is important to avoid a severe let-down. This is also a good point in the cosmic calendar to remind you that solar and planetary alignments from one day don’t necessarily disappear the next day. Therefore, many of Tuesday’s cosmic interactions are still reverberating in the ethers and affecting everyone. However, whatever happens right now is more in the ascendancy of importance. The Moon parallel Mars (8:35AM PST) suggests avoiding displays of arrogance, rash behavior and egocentricity. During the fairly short void lunar uncertainty zone in Leo – from 8:43AM PST to 9:33AM PST – complete old business with a flourish, but leave new and bold enterprises until the Moon is comfortably settled into meticulous, versatile Virgo (9:33AM PST). The Moon in this sixth sign of the zodiac should accentuate clean-up campaigns, scholarly research and nutritional changes to strengthen your immune system, but the Moon opposing Neptune (9:52AM PST) followed closely by a potentially emotionally-disruptive Venus-Uranus contra-parallel (10:20AM PST) have the capacity to send you down a blind alley. Know where you are going and what you are doing. The Moon making a flowing trine to Jupiter (3:46PM PST) would seem to carry the necessary oomph and charge to give you a renewed optimistic mind-set, but lurking in the shadows is an off-kilter, 150-degree entanglement from Mercury to Mars (11:10PM PST). Why be belligerent to dear ones under pressure when you can be a fighter for human rights around the globe? Think before you act.

New Moon Report for Feb. 7th – Venus in Aries

New Moon Report

By Jeff Jawer

 

Venus in Aries

Tuesday, February 7, 10:01 pm PST, Wednesday, February 8, 1:01 am EST

Spontaneous attractions and restless relationships are likely with the love planet in impatient Aries until March 5. The urge for immediate gratification could be downright reckless when Venus joins rebellious Uranus on February 9. However, experiencing breakthroughs in alliances, appearance and self-worth make experimentation desirable during this revelatory period.

New Moon Report for Feb. 7th – Full Moon in Leo

New Moon Report

By Jeff Jawer

 

Full Moon in Leo

Tuesday, February 7, 1:54 pm PST, 4:54 pm EST

The fiery and fiercely personal Leo Full Moon opposes the chilly Sun in objective Aquarius as egos need attention and hearts are eager for dramatic expression. Allow some room for childlike behavior; some of it may be overbearing, but the freedom to show feelings without restraint may be worth the trouble. Exaggeration can encourage creativity and also bring buried emotions to the surface where they can be addressed openly.

New Moon Report for Feb. 7th – Saturn Retrograde

New Moon Report

By Jeff Jawer

 

Saturn Retrograde

Tuesday, February 7

The planet of order’s backward period (lasting until June 25) is a time to cultivate discipline, patience and self-restraint. Making up for unmet obligations comes from hard work instead of guilt and shame. Balance in relationships is restored when individuals take responsibility for themselves instead of casting blame on others. Finding peace within is the first key to harmonious partnerships.

Calendar of the Moon for Tuesday, February 7th

Calendar of the Moon
7 Luis/Gamelion

Hearth Blessing

Color: Red
Element: Fire
Altar: On this day the altar is built in the kitchen, spread before the hearth with a red cloth and a single red candle on which is carved the Rune of Fire.
Offerings: Ashes smeared on the forehead. Kitchen cleaning and duty.
Daily Meal: Cooked all together as a group.

Invocation to the Hearth Goddess

Hertha of the warm hearthstone
Hestia of the naked flame
Vesta of the rising smoke
Lady who warms us
As you warmed our ancestors,
Lady whose touch cooks our food,
Lady around whom we gather
On the coldest nights,
Fire that draws us in,
Fire tamed, fire who is our friend,
Never let us forget your care
Lest you become wild and strike back.
Stay here in your hearth
And protect our home from your anger.
Speak truth to us
And let us bear your truth on our tongues.
Never leave us for long
Lest we forget to whom we owe
The next winter’s comfort
And salvation.

Chant: Ken Ken Ken

(As everyone chants, each steps forward and draws the rune of Fire, Ken, on the hearth with their finger. Then the hearth is ceremonially relit with the candle and dinner-making commences.)

Cosmic Calendar for Tuesday, February 7th

Here’s a humdinger of epic proportions. Take a look at the following dizzying list of aspects – the Sun unites with Mercury in Aquarius (1:04AM PST), Saturn stations at 30 degrees of Libra (6:04AM PST) and very slowly begins to move retrograde, the Moon parallels Jupiter (9:36AM PST), Mars opposes Vesta (10:47AM PST), Venus makes an off-kilter, 150-degree tie to Saturn (12:01PM PST), the Full Moon occurs at 1:55PM PST (activating 19 degrees of Aquarius and Leo), Venus ends its cycle through the zodiac by entering Aries (10:02PM PST), and Juno trines Uranus in fire signs (10:54PM PST). That list represents 8 major heavenly happenings that are all interweaving their myriad qualities into one vast singularity in the psychic atmosphere. Keep in mind that the Sun-Mercury conjunction is actually an Earth-Sun-Mercury line-up in the solar system in which celestial seed-ideas are seeking entrance into receptive human minds. The Saturn shift into reverse motion will last until June 25, and this key planet doing backstrokes in Libra places an emphasis on what is more practical, sensible, logical and reliable in the material realm. In addition, you want to make a thorough re-evaluation of career aims, professional work and business plans – not to mention improve the quality of primary partnerships. Meanwhile, the Full Moon reminds you to send out healing thoughts and prayers to humanity on the edge of a pessimistic fall into the abyss. Your job is to rally the flying squadrons of enlightenment via individual and group meditations. While the Mars-Vesta opposition and Venus-Saturn 150-degree skirmish are clearly unsettling vibrations that can interfere with your best efforts to spread goodwill, the illuminating presence of the Full Moon – along with Venus starting a new cycle in the zodiac and Juno teaching Uranus a few things about style and beauty – can give you the positive boost necessary to have an award-winning day. May the Force be with you!

The Wicca Book of Days for Feb. 7 – Supernatural Seven

Tuesday Pictures, Images, Comments, Graphics
Supernatural Seven

The number seven has long been regarded as an important symbol. It signifies cosmic order, it is the sum total of the number of Earth (four) and heaven (three). There are seven days of the week, seven colors of the rainbow, and, in ancient belief, seven planets. It is also said to denote occult wisdom and psychic ability: any seventh child is born lucky; a seventh son, specifically, is blessed with the gifts of second sight and healing at birth; and the seventh child of a seventh child is a born witch.

“Curing Cramps”

If you suffer from cramps in your calves, enlist the aid of a plant ruled by Aquarius, the sign that governs the lower legs, as well as February 7. Adding a few drops of peppermint essential oil to base oil and then gently rubbing t in should soothe muscular spasms and tension.