Monday, February 13, 5:38 pm PST, 8:38 pm EST
Minds meander with Mercury moving through Pisces, going off course to places that words cannot adequately describe. This transit serves poets, artists, healers, spiritual seekers and all those who don’t rely on objective evidence to shape reality. Facts may grow fuzzy, but conversations grow tender as intuition becomes the most valuable source of information.
For the start of a workweek, you cannot use the business-as-usual tag line in any realistic shape or form. As indicated in yesterday’s calendar entry, Mercury is on the move – forming a strong parallel with the Sun (8:11AM PST), a flowing trine to Saturn in air signs (10:45AM PST), entering Pisces (5:39PM PST) as well as uniting with far-out Neptune (10:48PM PST). By early tomorrow, Mercury will unite with Pallas – bringing three celestial bodies into the Zero Point of psychic, mysterious, and go-with-the-flow Pisces. Add on this morning’s Sun-Vesta subtle 30-degree rapport (9:50AM PST) and the presence of intense Scorpio Moon, and knowing which way economic markets are going to shift is a coin toss. Whereas Mercury aligning with both the Sun and Saturn early today suggests a need for pragmatism and logic, the annual Mercury-Neptune conjunction in Pisces as Valentine’s Day approaches is quite a different story. Whenever Mercury merges its essence with Neptune, several of the graphic and fine arts loom prominently on the horizon. Plunge into photography, film and video production, painting, music and dance for inspiration. Say no to addictive behavior in any form. Meditation and soul-searching are definitely back in vogue. Don’t be surprised if you feel the urge to problem-solve and strategize overnight as Mercury contacts Pallas at 3:32AM PST on Tuesday.
Calendar of the Sun
13 Solmonath
Parentalia
Color: Blood-red
Element: Fire
Altar: Set with a red cloth, and unlit red candles, and symbols of Mother and Father.
Offerings: Written words of thanks for one’s childhood. Be a parental mentor to someone young.
Daily Meal: Soups or stews, and bread.
Parentalia Invocation
Perhaps you gave us life,
Sowed our seed, gifted us with
Your chromosomes and genes.
Perhaps you birthed us
Or were there to greet us
As we entered the world.
Perhaps you fed us, cleaned us,
Held us when we cried,
Sang us to sleep, taught us
Many skills, or perhaps
You merely led by example.
Perhaps you were tied to us by blood
Or by marriage, or simply came
Into our lives when it was needed.
Perhaps you were a parent to our bodies,
Or to our minds, or to our hearts,
Or to our souls.
However it was, you were there,
And we are grateful,
For the flame you kindled
Has warmed us ever since,
And we will pass it on.
(Each steps forward, lights a candle, and speaks the name of a parent, or one who has parented them, and everyone else calls it back to them, as in “I honor Maria, my stepmother who taught me to read!” “We honor Maria!” The next person lights their candle from the last one, until the ritual is over. At the end, all chant in two-part harmony the names they have spoken.)
Early birds are likely to fly high and soar above the static of the lower realms since the Moon in Libra makes harmonious trines of 120-degrees to the Sun in Aquarius (2:29AM PST) and Mercury in Aquarius (10:00AM PST). When you have the Sun, Moon and Mercury on a silver platter, rejoice in what the celestial hosts are offering to you. If some important communication channels have been recently blocked, now they have a chance to reopen. This is magnified as the Moon parallels Mercury (10:50AM PST). It also makes good sense to re-vitalize any literary, educational and publishing projects. However, make sure that Saturn is on your side – and not undermining your position due to excess fear moving through your emotions and thoughts – since the Moon unites with beautiful, ringed Saturn in Libra (1:10PM PST). Learn valuable lessons from mentors and teachers in your main fields of expertise. The Moon’s monthly union with Saturn also begins a short void cycle that lasts until 2:02PM PST when the lunar orb activates intense, passionate and driven Scorpio. By 5:23PM PST, psychic storm warnings are posted due to an abrasive, 45-degree link from the Sun to Pluto. Being too pushy, willful and headstrong won’t win you admirers. Opportunity can knock several hours later when a revelatory Pallas-Neptune union happens at the first degree of Pisces (10:39PM PST). Welcome insights pouring in from the higher planes of consciousness. Over the next 48 hours, Mercury will join forces with both Pallas and Neptune to create a triple conjunction right at the beginning of psychic, imagination and empathic Pisces. Your ability to solve key problems and be a savvy strategist helping friends, colleagues and loved ones will depend on tuning into soul-spiritual attributes as well as unlocking logical and common-sense clues from the three-dimensional world.
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
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.)
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
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.
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
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.
The Witchcraft Chronicles 
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