Tag: Zeus

Calendar of the Sun for Monday, January 27th

Calendar of the Sun
27 Wolfmonath
Day of the Dioscuri

Color: Blue
Element: Air
Altar: Upon a cloth of blue place two blue candles, two red candles, two figures of horses, to small mirrors, and four knives, one before each candle. Place there also four cups, one containing white wine, one containing red wine, one containing grape juice, and one containing bitter tea.
Offering: Meditate on your inner divisions.
Daily Meal: Poultry.

Invocation to the Dioscuri

Hear ye the story of the Dioscuri, the sacred twins:
Leda, Queen of Sparta, opened herself to her lawful husband,
Tyndareus of Sparta, and also to great Zeus, king of the Gods.
She bore two sets of twins, and of each pair
One was mortal, and the other a divine child.
Castor, son of Zeus, loved his brother,
Pollux son of Tyndareus, with a love that could not separate them,
And Pollux returned that love. Each protected the other’s life,
As it should be between the mortal and immortal part
Of any being. Yet Pollux was stricken, slain, brought down,
As will come about for anything mortal, and went to Hades.
Therefore did Castor grieve, and offered up half his right to Olympus,
So that both spend half their time in the darkness, and half in heaven.
Yet hear the tale of the other twins: Helen the beautiful
Scorned her plain mortal sister Clytemnestra,
Saw her married at twelve, widowed at thirteen,
Raped on the bed beside her murdered babe,
Locked in a tower by her second husband
To prove as brood mare, whilst Helen, fairer of face
Than any mortal woman, went from prince to prince,
Fought over like a proud jewel. Yet the abused sister
Overthrew her oppressors, chose her own mate, turned a kingdom
Back to the ways of old before her death, whilst Helen
Was slain by raging mortal woman, like the sister she had scorned.
And so it is: The Divine and mortal parts must love each other,
More than life itself, and learn to work together,
And be prepared to sacrifice, or both shall be ever lost.

(The four cups are poured out as libation, first the white wine and the grape juice for Castor and Pollux, then the red wine and bitter tea for Helen and Clytemnestra.)

[Pagan Book of Hours]

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Blue Magick

Blue Magick

Wealth is not to be measured in terms of assets, but rather in terms of how much
control over people and material, and thus ultimately one’s own experiences, one
achieves by economic activities. Money is an abstract concept used to quantify
economic activity, thus wealth is a measure of how well you control your
experiences with money. Assuming that varied, exciting, unusual and stimulating experiences are preferable to dull ones, and that they tend to be expensive for this reason, then the main problem for most people is to find a highly efficient form of money input which has the above agreeable qualities. The aim of wealth magic is to establish a large turnover of money which allows agreeable experiences at both the input and output stages. This demands what is called Money Consciousness.

Money has acquired all the characteristics of a “spiritual” being. It is
invisible and intangible, coinage, notes and electronic numbers are not money.
They are merely representations or talismans of something which economists
cannot coherently define. Yet although it is itself intangible and invisible it
can create powerful effects on reality. Money has its own personality and
idiosyncratic tastes, it avoids those who blaspheme it, and flows towards those
who treat it in the way it likes. In a suitable environment it will even
reproduce itself. The nature of the money spirit is movement, money likes to
move. If it is hoarded and not used, it slowly dies. Money thus prefers to
manifest as turnover rather than as unexploited assets. Monies surplus to
immediate pleasure should be re-invested as a further evocation, but the truly
money conscious find that even their pleasures make money for them. Money
consciousness gets paid to enjoy itself. Those in money consciousness are by
nature generous. Offer them an interesting investment and they will offer you a
fortune. Just don’t ask for small cash handouts.

The attainment of money consciousness and the invocation of the Wealth-self
consists of the acquisition of a thorough knowledge of the predilections of the
spirit of money and a thorough exploration of personal desires. When both of
these have been understood, real wealth manifests effortlessly.

Such invocations must be handled with care. The blue gnosis of wealth and desire creates demons as easily as gods. Many contemporary success and sales seminars concentrate on creating an hysterical desire for money coupled with an equally hypertrophied desire for the mere symbols of wealth rather than the experiences the punters actually want. To work like a possessed maniac all day for the questionable pleasure of drinking oneself into near oblivion on vintage
champagne every night, is to have missed the point entirely and to have a
entered a condition of anti-wealth.

However, the majority of those who are poor in relatively free societies where
others are rich, owe their poverty either to a lack of understanding of how
money behaves, or to negative feelings which tend to repel it. Neither
intelligence nor investment capital are required in any great degree to become
wealthy. The popularity of tales about the misery and misfortunes of the rich is
testimony to the ridiculous myth prevalent amongst the poor, that the rich are
unhappy. Before beginning works of blue magic it is essential to seriously
examine all negative thoughts and feelings about money and to exorcise them.
Most of the poor people who win in lotteries, and only the poor regularly enter
them, manage to have nothing to show for it a couple years later. It is as if
some subconscious force somehow got rid of something they felt they did not
really deserve or want. People tend to have the degree of wealth that they
deeply believe they should have. Blue magic is the modification of that belief
through ritual enactment of alternative beliefs.

Blue magic rituals may thus involve exorcism of negative attitudes to wealth,
divinatory explorations of one’s deepest desires, and invocations of the Wealth-
self and the spirit of money during which the subconscious wealth level is
adjusted by ritual expression of a new value, and affirmations of new projects
for the investment of resources and effort are made. Hymns and incantations to
money can be delivered. Cheques for startling sums can be written to oneself
and desires can be proclaimed and visualised. Various traditional god forms with
a prosperity aspect can be used to express the Wealth-self such as Jupiter, Zeus
and the mythical Midas and Croesus.

Simple money spells are rarely used in modern blue magic. The tendency nowadays is to cast spells designed to enhance schemes designed to make money. If one fails to provide a mechanism through which money can manifest then either nothing will happen or the spell will flesh by strange means, such as a legacy from the untimely death of a much beloved relative for example. Serious blue magic is never attempted by conventional forms of gambling. Conventional
gambling is an expensive way of buying experiences which have nothing to do with increasing one’s wealth. Blue magic is a matter of carefully calculated
investment. Anyone but a fool should be able to devise an investment that offers
better odds than conventional forms of gambling.

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Deity of the Day – Poseidon

Deity of the Day – Poseidon

Poseidon

(Neptune)

Son of Cronos (Saturn) and Rhea, he is represented wielding a trident being pulled by monsters in a chariot. After Zeus’ victory over Cronos (Saturn), the gods, who preferred life on earth, divided the various domains of earth. Poseidon chose the seas. He represented the hidden forces of germination and death. Together with his wife Amphitrite, he had powerful ties with Gaea, the Earth, mother of the Titans. As subterranean Gods, they shook the world from inside. Poseidon caused earthquakes when he made love to his wife. The mystery isle of Atlanta belonged to Poseidon. Poseidon could provoke storms, set fire to rocks on shore and create springs of water. He had many children, most wicked and violent, like the Cyclops of the Oddessy.

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Celebrating Other Spirituality 365 Days A Year – Sacrifice to the 7 Stars

Celebrating Other Spirituality 365 Days A Year

January 4

Sacrifice to the 7 Stars

The ancient Greeks set this day aside to honor Callisto, the Moon Goddess who was loved by Zeus. Callisto bore Zeus a son, Arcas, and was then changed into a bear either by Zeus, wishing to hide her, or by Hera herself.  As a bear she was shot by Artemis in the forest, who then placed her among the stars as the “She Bear” connected with the Ursa Major constellation.

In Greek Callisto was also called Helice, which means both “that which turns” and “Willow branch”—-a reminder that the willow was the sacred tree favored by Helice and Callisto.

Magickal Adtivity

The Willow Wand
To make the wand:

Cut a small branch from a Willow tree. Clean and sand the branch until it is smooth. Use silver pain to inscribe your name in a spiral pattern around the branch.

Use a smudge stick to concentrate your wand. Light the smudge and pass the wand through its fragrant smoke. This will remove any negative thoughts or vibrations that might have been attached to the branch before you acquired it.

Once the branch has been cleansed you will need to bless it in Callisto’s honor. Place the wand on your altar or a small table. Hold both of your hands over the wand and speak the following prayer:

“Goddess of the Moon grant to me
The Willows power of flexibility.
Through your love  all be warmed,
And from this moment be transformed.”

When you feel the need to be more flexible and accommodating hold your wand and repeat the prayer

Crystal of the Day – Moonstone

Crystal of the Day – Moonstone

As its name implies, moonstone is tied to the lunar deities, in particular, any goddess with a triune or triple aspect. Diana, Selene, and Hecate are often associated with moonstone. This stone can be used in workings related to female reproduction, menstrual cycles and childbirth. On a magical level, include moonstone in rites having to do with wisdom and intuition, womens’ mysteries, and goddess-centric ceremonies.

Common Name: Moonstone

Also known as: Cylon Opal

Appearance: White to colorless, sometimes found in pale blues; looks a bit like Opal in some cases

Element(s): Water

Planetary connection: Moon

Deity connection: Any goddess with a triple aspect – Diana, Selene, Hecate

Healing powers: Anything related to female reproduction, childbirth, menstrual cycles

Magical uses: Can be used in workings related to wisdom and intuition, Goddess-focused rituals

Our Deity for December 30th – Hecate, Goddess of the Witches

Today’s Deity – Hecate ~ Goddess of the Witches

Hecate is a powerful goddess representing the aspects of the Triple Goddess: goddess of fertility and plenty; goddess of the moon; and goddess of the night and the underworld, which led to her evolving as the patroness of magic and Witchcraft. She mixed fertility with death to be used as earth power. She has been called supreme, both in heaven and hell. It is believed that even Zeus called on her whenever he wished to grant something to someone. Hecate is portrayed as the most powerful – who could give aplenty or destroy totally. She is said to have the power to bestow on or withhold from mortals any gifts she chose. All the secret powers of Nature were at her command. She had control over birth, life, and death. Because of her power in the three areas of nature, heaven and earth she was represented as a triple form.

She is most known as an underworld goddess; the Goddess of the Dark of the Moon, the nights that there is no moon and the world above is as dark as the world below. She was the overseer of the world of the dead. At night she traveled roaming the earth accompanied by her dogs, Hermes, and dead souls. Some say she sent demons from the lower world at night and that she causes nightmares and insanity, and was called “the Nameless One.”

Aspects and Imagery

  • She is “The goddess that troubles the reason of men.”
  • The Greeks called her “The Hag of the Dead”
  • She is also called “the most lovely one” a title of the moon.
  • The owl is her messenger, and the willow is her tree.
  • Rides a chariot pulled by dragons.
  • Depicted wearing a gleaming headdress of stars.
  • She was connected to the goddess Artemis, Diana, and Persephone.
  • Closely associated with Eleusinian Mysteries.

Festivals and Celebrations

  • On the Greek isle of Aegina a festival was held every year in her honor. Mystery rites were held in her behalf.
  • On August 13 in Greece at the House of Storms and Fertility. It was held to aid in keeping the harvest storms from destroying the harvest.
  • Hallowmas held on October 31 to honor Hecate at a time when the veil between the world was the thinnest.
  • In Italy by the lake of Avernus, there was a scared dark grove of Hecate. In private worship to her followers were offered Hecates suppers. The leftovers were placed outdoors as offerings to this goddess and her hounds.

Sacred to Hecate

  • Key, torch, cauldron, dogs, owls, wild animals

Attributes

  • Poppy, animals dog, willow, star

Misc

  • Medea was a priestess of Hecate. In some accounts she is actually Hecate’s daughter.
  • The appearance of black howling dogs at night meant that Hecate was near, and their barking announced her approach. “If the dogs are traveling at night, it means Hecate is about.”
  • She is only visible to dogs.
  • Her name was called at night at the cross-roads of cities.
  • She is said to live near the tombs of the victims of murder.

The above article is a compliation of materials from the sources listed below:

Sibylline Order

Your Charm for December 18th is The Cornucopia

 Your Charm Today

The Cornucopia 

Today’s Meaning:       

This aspect is need of some pampering, you are in need of some pampering and who better to do it than yourself? Do something extravagant, something out of character and make this aspect a more pleasant place to be.         

General Description:        

This is a Roman amulet and was worn for many centuries as a charm to attract good fortune. The Cornucopia represents Amaitheia’s Horn, and is a symbol of prosperity, abundance and fruitfulness. Amaltheia daughter of Melissus, King of Crete, nursed the infant Jupiter with goats milk. Jupiter afterwards endowed the goats horn with magical properties, and promising that it would supply in abundance whatever she desired, gave it to his nurse. The idea most probably originated from using the horns of oxen and goats as drinking cups.

Deity of the Day – Aphrodite

Deity of the Day – Aphrodite

Aphrodite, also known as Marianna. She was the Greek “Foam Born” Moon Goddess, and was often referred to as “She who binds hearts together”, and the Goddess from the Western Corner. She is depicted as beautiful and voluptuous with blue eyes and light hair, and while considered virginal, she was not a virgin but an independent woman. Her followers celebrated with sexual rites from which men where banned. Myrrh and Frankincense was often used in her celebration rituals. Her animal associations where: the heron, lovebird, swan and the dove. She is the patron Goddess to prostitute’s who refer to her as the Goddess of Love. She is associated with beauty, physical love, sensuality, sexuality, passion, relationships, affections and fertility.

 

Celebrating Spirituality 365 Days A Year – Saturnalia (Dec. 17 – 23)

December 17th – 23rd

Saturnalia

Out of all the ancient Roman festivals this was the most beloved. The festival grew out of the dedication-day of a temple to Saturnus, the God of seed and sowing. It is also equated with the Greek Kronos, father of Zeus, and supreme God during the age of the Goldent Race. It was believed that Saturn had been the King of Italy in a time of equality and abundance.

The festival began with a sacrifice at the Temple of Saturn, which was followed by a great public banquet. During the Saturnalia, all shops and schools were closed and gambling—usually prohibited—was allowed. Each household chose a mock king to preside over the festivities, masters waited on their slaves, presents were given, and the entire household celebrated. Many of the time-honored traditions and customs of Saturnalia were absorbed into the later Christian Christmas that fell on December 25th.

Deity of the Day – The Erinyes

Deity of the Day – The Erinyes

Children of the Night and Daughters of the Earth and Darkness

“Then fell Tisiphone with Rage was stung,

and from her mouth th’ untwisted serpents hung,

Girt in a bloody gown a torch she shakes,

And round her neck twines speckled wreathes of snakes.

Part of her tresses loudly hiss, and part

Spread poison as their forked tongues they dart…” (Metamorphoses, Book IV)

The Erinyes, the three Goddesses of revenge, are among the most ancient Goddesses and predated Zeus and all the other Olympians. In Greek mythology, They gare called the Erinyes – in Roman mythology They are called the Furies (“the furious”) or Dirae (“the terrible”). They are usually represented as three black sisters: Alecto (“the Unceasing”), Megaera (“the Grudging”) and Tisiphone (“the Avenging”).

The Erinyes are the children of Gaia and Uranus. They were created from drops of blood coming from the wounds of Uranus when He was castrated by His son Cronus and which fell upon the Earth (Gaia). The first drop of blood formed Aphrodite, which is why She is sometimes referred to as the oldest of The Erinyes.

Artists in ancient times depicted The Erinyes as women with fiery eyes and snake hair and with attributes such as torches and whips. Sometimes They were dressed as hunters.

The Erinyes were placed in Hades and are Goddesses of the dead. They also are called upon to revenge the crimes – especially those against women and mothers – of murder, perjury, ingratitude, disrespect, harshness, violation of filial piety and the laws of hospitality. They are impartial and impersonal, and pursue these wrongdoers until they are driven mad and die. But even in death, the criminal does not find rest until he shows remorse.

The Erinyes are associated with funeral trees: the alder, the black poplar, and the yew. The color associated with the three is black and the animal associated with Them is the snake.

 

Calendar of the Moon for December 5th

Calendar of the Moon

5 Ruis/Poseideion

Plerosia: Honoring Zeus

Color: Purple
Element: Air
Altar: Upon a purple cloth set two torches, a sword, a chalice of Greek wine, a mash of barley, and the figure of an eagle.
Offerings: Barley. Wine. Gold coins.
Daily Meal: Poultry. Barley. Flatbread.

Plerosia Invocation

Most glorious of the Immortals,
Zeus that governest all things with law.
Hail! For lawful it is that all mortals should address Thee.
For we are Thy offspring, taking the image only of Thy voice,
As many mortal things as live and move upon the earth.
Therefore we shall sing Thy might forever.
Such a minister hast Thou in Thine invincible hands;
The two-edged blazing, imperishable thunderbolt.
For under its stroke all Nature shuddereth,
And by it thou guidest aright the Universal Reason,
That roams through all things,
Mingling itself with the greater and the lesser lights.
Thou knowest even to find a place for the small things,
And to order that which is disorderly,
And things forgotten of men are dear to Thee.
O Zeus, Dweller in the darkness of cloud,
Lord of thunder, save men from their unhappy folly,
So that being honored, they may pay Thee honor,
Singing Thy works continually.
Since there can be no greater glory for men of Gods than this,
Duly to praise forever the Universal Law.
Call: O Great Zeus, Lord of Olympos, we call you!
Response: O Great Zeus, Lord of Olympos, hear us!
Call: We hear your thunderbolt, and we are in awe!
Response: We hear your call, and we rise to our feet!
Call: Oi Theoi, genoisthe apotropoi kakon!
May the Gods turn away all evils!
Response: Oi Theoi, genoisthe apotropoi kakon!
May the Gods turn away all evils!

Chant: Lightning strikes, Thunder falls, Open me to the wind and the Fire…

[Pagan Book of Hours]

TUESDAY – The Day of Mars
, The Day of Honour

TUESDAY

The Day of Mars
 The Day of Honour

tiwesdaeg (Anglo-Saxon)
dienstag (Germanic)
dies martis (Latin)
mangal-var (Hindu)
mungul (Islamic)
mardi (French)
ka youbi (Japanese)

Traditionally seen as the third day of the week. ‘Tiu’, also ‘Tiw’, was associated with Mars who was the Roman god of War. Tiu was the younger brother of Thor and son of Odin. The French later closely translated this name to ‘Mardi’ or ‘Mar’s Day’. Mars has also been associated with Zeus or ‘Zeus’s Day’ later being developed by the Anglo-Saxons. It was thought that to meet a left-handed person in the early morning on a Tuesday would bring misfortune for the rest of the day according to a traditional Scandinavian belief. It has been suggested that this may because of the fact that the day related to the God of War. According to the English historian Richard Grafton certain dates of the month were unlucky as published in the ‘Manual’ in 1565. Days throughout the year were identified and of course could have related to any day of the week. The date was the most important point to consider. The work was reputed to have some credence with support given by astronomers of the day.

(For more information see Mystical WWW Mystical Time : Mystical Months).

Dieties of Marriage

Dieties of Marriage

by Divine Spirits

Deities Of Marriage These deities can be invoked in rituals concerning the family and the home. Frigg Frigg was the Viking Mother  Goddess whose jewelled spinning wheel formed Orion’s belt; as patroness of marriage, women, mothers and families, she can be invoked for all rituals  concerned with families and domestic happiness. She invited devoted husbands and wives to her hall after death so that they might never be parted again and  so is goddess of fidelity. As Ostara, goddess of spring, she was known among the Anglo-Saxons and is remembered in the festival of Easter as a fertility  goddess and bringer of new beginnings. In her role as Valfreya, the Lady of the Battlefield, Frigg recalls the Northern tradition of warrior goddesses and  offers courage to women. Hera Hera, the wife-sister of Zeus, is a the supreme Greek goddess of protection, marriage and childbirth whose sacred bird is the  peacock. She is a powerful deity of fidelity and is called upon by women seeking revenge upon unfaithful partners. Hestia Hestia is the Greek goddess of the  hearth and home, all family matters and peace within the home. She is a benign, gentle goddess and so can be invoked for matters involving children and pets.  Juno Juno, the wife-sister of Jupiter, is the Roman queen of the gods, the protectress of women, marriage and childbirth and also wise counsellor. Together  with Jupiter and Minerva, the goddess of wisdom, she made up the triumvirate of deities who made decisions about humankind and especially Roman affairs. Her  month, June, is most fortunate for marriage and, like Hera, her Greek equivalent, her sacred creature is the peacock. She is invoked in sex magick as well as  for all matters concerning marriage, children, fidelity and wise counsel. Parvati Parvati is the benign and gentle Hindu Mother Goddess, consort of the god  Shiva and the goddess daughter of the Himalayas. Her name means ‘mountain’ and she is associated with all mountains. She and Shiva are often pictured  as a family in the Himalayas with their sons Ganesh, god of wisdom andlearning, and six-headed Skanda, the warrior god. She is invoked for all family matters  and those concerning children and by women in distress. Vesta Vesta is the Roman goddess of domesticity and of the sacred hearth at which dead and living  were welcomed. The Vestal Virgins of Rome kept alight the sacred flame in Vesta’s temple and this was rekindled at the New Year, as were household  flames. Vesta can be invoked in rituals centred around the element Fire.

TUESDAY – The Day of Mars, 
 The Day of Honour

TUESDAY

The Day of Mars
 The Day of Honour

tiwesdaeg (Anglo-Saxon)
dienstag (Germanic)
dies martis (Latin)
mangal-var (Hindu)
mungul (Islamic)
mardi (French)
ka youbi (Japanese)

Traditionally seen as the third day of the week. ‘Tiu’, also ‘Tiw’, was associated with Mars who was the Roman god of War. Tiu was the younger brother of Thor and son of Odin. The French later closely translated this name to ‘Mardi’ or ‘Mar’s Day’. Mars has also been associated with Zeus or ‘Zeus’s Day’ later being developed by the Anglo-Saxons. It was thought that to meet a left-handed person in the early morning on a Tuesday would bring misfortune for the rest of the day according to a traditional Scandinavian belief. It has been suggested that this may because of the fact that the day related to the God of War. According to the English historian Richard Grafton certain dates of the month were unlucky as published in the ‘Manual’ in 1565. Days throughout the year were identified and of course could have related to any day of the week. The date was the most important point to consider. The work was reputed to have some credence with support given by astronomers of the day.

(For more information see Mystical WWW Mystical Time : Mystical Months).

To My Witchlings and Newbie Pagans

To My Witchlings and Newbie Pagans

Author: SonneillonV 

I want to talk about that time period when you first discover magic (or magick, if you prefer, but I don’t use the ‘k’ spelling) is real.

There are a million ways it could happen. There are a million directions it could come from. Perhaps you tried a spell from a book and… something… happened. Something you couldn’t explain, something terrible or wonderful or just plain weird. Perhaps you saw something in the deep woods one day that had no business being there. Perhaps you know a Witch or other practitioner, and they brought something into your life that kept defying your vision of reality until finally you had to adjust it. Perhaps you always knew magic worked, but for reasons philosophical or religious or practical, you denied it to yourself until the lure of it made you cave. Maybe you picked up ‘To Ride A Silver Broomstick’ or a ‘House of Night’ book and suddenly felt like you’d come home. Maybe you’ve been glimpsing ghosts for as long as you can remember, or sensing the spirits that live in the creatures and land around you, and you’ve finally decided to quit turning your face away.

However it happened, wherever you came from, you see it now – the threads that bind us to each other and to the world, the synchronicities and symbolism that run through our lives. The music of the spheres. You realize that the complex interrelations between all the elements of our universe go much deeper than you previously assumed, that there is such a thing as sympathetic reaction, that a rose may not be merely a rose, nor a tree a tree, nor a missing set of keys a missing set of keys; there are layers of meaning, circles upon circles.

And now that you realize it, you’re seeing magic EVERYWHERE.

You may not realize it, but you’re probably annoying the crap out of practitioners or Pagans in your life. They’re saying things like, “The gods are not your imaginary friends, they don’t care what you eat for breakfast, ” or “It doesn’t necessarily mean anything that you tripped and dumped coffee all over yourself today”. They insist that Loki has better things to do than to hide your keys, and that every time it storms, Zeus is not specifically yelling at YOU. When you find an exciting congruence and ask them what it means, you can’t see why they say, “probably nothing” or why they hesitate to give you the benefit of their wisdom regarding correspondences, and why they won’t litanize a run-down of the uses for every weed in your yard.

It’s okay; don’t feel self-conscious. We’ve all been there. Or, at least, I have been there, so I totally understand what you are going through. Everything seems shiny and new, like you’re looking at it through new eyes.

You may suddenly feel connected to your environment in a way you didn’t before, or you may think you sense things from other humans that you never sensed before (clinging astral nasties are particularly popular) . You may start talking about ‘negativity’ with great esteem, as in, “I’ve decided not to hang out with zir anymore, zie was bringing too much negativity into my life”, or “No negativity allowed – we only nurture positive thoughts here!” You’ve come under the conviction that absolutely everything affects absolutely everything else… which it does. But those effects aren’t always significant, and that’s what your fellow practitioners, those who’ve been around a little longer and become a little more jaded (and perhaps a little less jaded…. time can open your eyes to new wonders) have been trying to tell you.

Let me give you a simple example: Some people make a big deal about astrology and about the position of the stars when we are born. The view of the stars at different times of the year is supposed to affect everything from your temperament to your ultimate destiny. Note that I’m not calling astrology a crock of bull because I don’t believe it is, but when you drop a hot pan on your foot, that doesn’t mean the stars are misaligned and out to get you. From a purely physics-centered standpoint the effect of distant stars on human physiology is so small as to not be worth charting – if we calculate the force of Mars’ gravity specifically on you at the time of your birth, if you are an Aries, we find that the force of gravity from the midwife who delivered you would be 150 times greater (source below, read it, it’s fascinating) .

Likewise, the light that may have been shed upon you by the planet Mars IF you were born outside under a clear sky and perfect visibility conditions would still be much less than the fluorescent lights that probably shone down on you when you were delivered indoors, in a hospital. So the question is less, “Can the constellations of the moment of my birth effect me in any way?” and more “Can the constellations at the moment of my birth effect me in any way that would reasonably be noticeable when compared to all the other forces (light, gravity, electricity, heat, friction, ) which were also having effects on me at the time?” You have to find your own answer to that (and if your answer is ‘yes’ the next question is ‘how?’) , but the point is, you have to have some perspective.

Now, perspective is a tough thing to get hold of. Time is the most reliable way – the longer you live, the more things you see, the greater your perspective can grow. But time isn’t the only way of gaining perspective – some people live 110 years and never get their heads out of their own asses, and some people have lived 17 years and passionately try to ease the systemic injustices of the greater, wider world. Exposure helps, having someone who’ll talk to you about how things affect other things and why that matters, or being able to listen to people who are affected talk about their experiences. You can increase your own exposure, and I highly encourage every new witch and Pagan to do this, because you can’t go wrong by listening – just make sure your critical thinking skills are being applied to what you hear.

You should be open-minded, but you don’t have to be credulous.

When someone makes a claim, you should be asking questions: who, what, where, when, why, can this effect be reproduced, can it be controlled, how does it work under other circumstances, can it be reproduced using different techniques. We are talking personal gnosis here, which doesn’t always get along well with rigorous scientific inquiry, but the point is to experiment. Test conclusions. Test techniques. Examine what’s presented to you.

Question your teachers. Question peoples’ claims. Develop your own belief about sympathetic magic and correspondence theories, and whether the innate nature of a thing, whether it’s an herb, a stone, or a person, can override or be subsumed by the forces that thing is subjected to in the course of its life. If a piece of rose quartz is improperly mined using slave labor, does it still resonate with love? If the wedding ring worn by your ancestress and passed down through her finger was worn by her when she died violently, is it ‘clean’ enough to make a reliable pendulum? Will a scrying mirror you buy for a high price in a new age store work as well as one you make with a piece of convex glass and black nail polish? Does it matter as long as you cleanse and dedicate the tool yourself?

You can find out these things by testing them. Until you’ve tested them, don’t make claims. Trust me, if you apply that simple rule to all of your magical practice, your fellow practitioners will be MUCH happier with you. That is, the ones who bother testing claims and examining critically.

This is probably a bright and wonderful time in your life (or, conversely, it may be a terrifying and paranoid time in your life) , and I understand how exciting it is to feel like you can see all kinds of connections that weren’t there before. But another part of having perspective is fitting yourself into the grand scheme of things in a way that isn’t self-aggrandizing, and makes sense.

If you’ve dedicated yourself to Loki and now you think he follows you around hiding your keys and making snarky comments about people in the mall, ask yourself why. Ask yourself, ‘does this really make sense considering who Loki is – not just a mischief-maker and king of sass, but also a DEITY, a JOTUN, someone of immense power who, incidentally, is chained up under the foundations of the earth, whose agony and insanity make it tremble when he’s in pain, who is destined to bring about the greatest catastrophic event in his mythos? Likewise Apollo governs the blazing sun, the source of light and life on our planet, which must rise and set each day for us all to survive. Do you really think he spends his evenings preening in front of your mirror?

I am not saying that gods and spirits never reach out and touch people. I am not saying they never speak to people, maybe sometimes even about inconsequential things. I am not saying they never take an intense personal interest in one individual’s life – the existence of godspouses would prove me wrong. What I am saying is that even today, these deities have thousands of devotees not to mention their traditional responsibilities and/or portfolio, and you are only one worshipper. So, especially when you are starting out, it’s important to keep that in perspective – I am only one worshipper, I am only one witch. There is more going on here than just me. And perhaps most importantly, the greatest actor upon my future and my development as a magical person is myself.

Also, as you explore, you will encounter all kinds of entities from all kinds of cultures… demons, daemons, spirits, kami, faeries, free-range repeaters, and so on. People around you who follow specific cultural paths will use words you don’t understand to describe how they interact with the supernatural or the unseen. It’s wonderful and fascinating to learn about all these new things, but it’s important to keep in mind that aspects of a culture may not be lifted from that culture and appropriated for your use. This is what people mean when they refer to ‘cultural appropriation’ – they mean that it’s inappropriate and disrespectful to take pieces of a culture or mythos you know nothing about and claim to ‘use’ them for your own benefit without understanding the real people who lived in that culture or having their permission to use those elements.

Some traditions are culturally ‘closed’, others are open, so it is important to treat every culture you learn about with respect and examine your practice with discernment. I know everything is new and wonderfully shiny, and you don’t mean any disrespect by dipping your toes in, but some things are not yours to take or to use, and it’s important to be respectful of that. Listen to the people who belong to that culture; seek them out and be respectful when they speak. If they tell you their practices are not for you, back off. If they advise you may practice only after you have participated in cultural immersion and extended study under a reliable teacher, then that is what you must do in order to be respectful. Deities, spirits, and ancestral ghosts that belong to a particular culture do not usually look kindly on someone who does not treat that culture with honor. They will remember someone who is both ignorant and arrogant, and so will the people.

A new Pagan or a new Witchling may attract some attention from forces around them. Spirits may want to get to you before you’ve learned to be cautious. Other entities may want to deceive you into thinking they’re someone else just because they can, and you haven’t learned yet how to tell whether they’re lying. Some entities may just want to whirl around you in a celebratory dance, blow up your skirts, tip over your flowerpots, and maybe hide your keys. The world is a many-splendored place. That’s why reaching out and learning about it is so important – and critically examining what you learn is even more important.

So, rather than attributing every occasion in your life to forces beyond your control, or searching for the meaning in the arrangement of spaghetti-O’s in your bowl, remember that you are just one person moving through a vast and magnificent multi-verse, it’s not all about you, and you have just set out on an adventure, so you had best find some good guides and an even better towel.

 

Footnotes: Neil Degrasse Tyson – http://www.haydenplanetarium.org/tyson/read/1994/05/01/horrorscope

TUESDAY – The Day of Mars
 The Day of Honour

Days Of The Week Comments
TUESDAY

The Day of Mars
 The Day of Honour

tiwesdaeg (Anglo-Saxon)
dienstag (Germanic)
dies martis (Latin)
mangal-var (Hindu)
mungul (Islamic)
mardi (French)
ka youbi (Japanese)

Traditionally seen as the third day of the week. ‘Tiu’, also ‘Tiw’, was associated with Mars who was the Roman god of War. Tiu was the younger brother of Thor and son of Odin. The French later closely translated this name to ‘Mardi’ or ‘Mar’s Day’. Mars has also been associated with Zeus or ‘Zeus’s Day’ later being developed by the Anglo-Saxons. It was thought that to meet a left-handed person in the early morning on a Tuesday would bring misfortune for the rest of the day according to a traditional Scandinavian belief. It has been suggested that this may because of the fact that the day related to the God of War. According to the English historian Richard Grafton certain dates of the month were unlucky as published in the ‘Manual’ in 1565. Days throughout the year were identified and of course could have related to any day of the week. The date was the most important point to consider. The work was reputed to have some credence with support given by astronomers of the day.

(For more information see Mystical WWW Mystical Time : Mystical Months).

A Prayer to Hekate

hecate4

A Prayer to Hekate

Hekate, sure-stepping maid, watcher at the gate,
honored by mighty Zeus above all others,
fair goddess who walks freely along all paths,
holder of shares in all the worlds. Hekate,
keeper of evil from the home, friend of women,
guardian of children, protector in fear and need.
 
Hekate, keen-eyed one of whom we know too little,
honored in ancient times at each home’s door,
receiver of crossroad offerings, of mothers’ prayers,
I ask of you, defend us now as you did then.
I call on you to guard my home, my family, my children. 
Kind Hekate, I praise and honor you.
 
Glorious Hekate, well known by all in times past,
honored today as well in many guises,
on this dark night I pray to you, shining goddess.
Peerless Hekate, I pour out sweet wine to you,
I pray to you:  safeguard my home, my household;
watch over my daughters; keep all ill from my door.

TUESDAY – The Day of Mars
, The Day of Honour

TUESDAY

The Day of Mars
 The Day of Honour

tiwesdaeg (Anglo-Saxon)
dienstag (Germanic)
dies martis (Latin)
mangal-var (Hindu)
mungul (Islamic)
mardi (French)
ka youbi (Japanese)

Traditionally seen as the third day of the week. ‘Tiu’, also ‘Tiw’, was associated with Mars who was the Roman god of War. Tiu was the younger brother of Thor and son of Odin. The French later closely translated this name to ‘Mardi’ or ‘Mar’s Day’. Mars has also been associated with Zeus or ‘Zeus’s Day’ later being developed by the Anglo-Saxons. It was thought that to meet a left-handed person in the early morning on a Tuesday would bring misfortune for the rest of the day according to a traditional Scandinavian belief. It has been suggested that this may because of the fact that the day related to the God of War. According to the English historian Richard Grafton certain dates of the month were unlucky as published in the ‘Manual’ in 1565. Days throughout the year were identified and of course could have related to any day of the week. The date was the most important point to consider. The work was reputed to have some credence with support given by astronomers of the day.

(For more information see Mystical WWW Mystical Time : Mystical Months).

Calendar of the Moon for October 10th

Calendar of the Moon

9 Gort/Puanepsion

Stenia Day 1

Color: Brown
Element: Earth
Altar: Upon cloth of brown set two green candles and the Thesmoi, the sacred figures to be put into the Mundus Cereris. They include snakes, phalli, and pigs all made of bread. Unlike the regular opening of the Mundus Cereris, only women with wombs can move the stone today.
Offerings: Thesmoi. Ritual sex is an appropriate offering for this day.
Daily Meal: Pork and bread.

Stenia I Invocation

We gather today in the name of Demeter,
To fertilize the Earth with our spirits.
The Earth yields to us, and gives us nourishment,
But we must return our energy to Her body,
Give and take in equal parts. So today we give forth
What energy we can. Bring forth the Thesmoi,
Give them the warmth of your love.

(The women with wombs take the Thesmoi from the altar, and bring them to any men with testicles to hold, bless, and place energy within them. Women without wombs and men without testicles must watch and chant, but cannot touch the Thesmoi once they are placed on the altar, for this magic must be that of fertility.)

Hail, Demeter! We bring you our gifts,
To be placed in the dark of your womb!
We bring you our hopes, our joys,
Our passions and desires, that you may
Enjoy them, and your womb fill to overflowing
And burst forth in goodness upon our world.
As you have given to us, so we give to you.

Chant: Mother Earth I sing to you
Demeter and Gaia
Mother Earth I bring to you
All within my hands

(The women with wombs carry the Thesmoi to the Mundus Cereris, roll back the stone, and place them within, also chanting. They reset the stone, return to the altar room, and announce, “It is done!” All who have been chanting cry out “Hail Demeter!” and the rite is ended.)

[Pagan Book of Hours]

Calendar of the Sun for October 4th

Calendar of the Sun

4 Winterfyllith

Jejunium Cereris: Fast for Demeter

Color: Brown
Element: Earth
Altar: Upon cloth of brown place a clay cup of water, empty bowls, plates, and an empty cornucopia.
Offerings: Give food to the hungry.
Daily Meal: Fasting today, from the night before until Hesperis.

Jejunium Cereris Invocation

Demeter weeps.
She mourns all losses,
All that passes from our hands
Into the gaping earth of the Mother’s womb.
Across the land, there are places
Where the Earth is barren, and no mouths
Shall be fed from Her soil.
The people starve, they cry out, they fall,
But there is no mercy for them
Until the Wheel turns yet again.
So if we cannot feed them all,
If we cannot be Demeter Herself,
For our hands are too few,
Our work is too little,
Our efforts fall like a drop into a wasteland,
Let us still be that drop of hope
And let us, for one day, mourn with them.
For all that we have not, there are others
Who have less, and on this day
We give out some of what we have,
For true wealth is counted only
By how much you can give away.
For today, we shall fast with them
And we shall remember.
Blessed be Demeter in Her weeping,
Blessed be Demeter in Her mourning,
May we be blessed with Her tears.

Chant: By the dust of the Earth we live
By the work of our hands we give
By the work of our hearts we open the world.

[Pagan Book of Hours]