You encounter another one of those fairly rare quiescent days – from the standpoint of the universe – when only a few alignments grace the stage of Planet Earth. As the Moon continues its monthly transit in Pisces, it unites with Venus (5:13AM PST) and then Vesta (7:41AM PST). This is a major boost for increasing the value of your assets, prized possessions and investments. You may also want to talk to soul-sisters who may be good and trusted advisers across the board. Surprises and shocks to the system are more likely to occur around the time when the Moon first parallels Uranus (11:25AM PST) and then makes a contra-parallel to Uranus just 12 minutes later (11:37AM PST). Consider experimenting with a digital or video camera today. Photography, film and video work, as well as improvisation in art, music and dance can go well under the monthly Pisces Moon dispensation. Intense or hostile vibes may be on the rise tonight as the Moon opposes Mars (8:54PM PST) – beginning a void lunar cycle that lasts until 10:29AM PST tomorrow when the Moon enters Aries. Fighting with a loved one this evening is a no-no. Find common ground and surround yourself with plenty of serenity to ride out the overnight psychic storm.
Tag: Sun
The Simple Facts About Imbolc
The Simple Facts About Imbolc
Candlemas: Imbolic (Celtic), Imbollgc Brigantia (Caledonii), Lupercus (Strega) Candlemas involves celebrations of banishing the winter and welcoming the spring.
Light a candle in each room of the house or turn on all the ligts for a moment or two to welcome back the Sun. Imbolc is a celebration of the end of winter and the return of the light.
At the time of Candlemas, the newborn Sun God is seen as a small child nursing from his Mother.
At this phase of the cycle, winter is swept away and new beginnings are nurtured. Some Wiccan groups favor this time of year for initiations into the Craft. It is traditional at Candlemas to light every lamp in the house for a few minutes in honor of the Sun’s rebirth.
The Goddess becomes the “Maiden” again as the wheel turns toward Spring. It is a celebration of the coming Spring and the new life it represents
Imbolc and Grain Dollies
Grain Dollies can be made many different ways, and need not take on human shape unless you desire. They are made of wheat or sheaves of other grains such as straw, corn or barley. The sheaves are formed into some semblance of a “dolly” by folding, tucking and tying here and there. They can then be “dressed” in white cotton or satin and lace to represent the bride. You may even choose to create a “bed” (from a basket usually) for your grain dolly, commonly called a “Bride’s Bed”. There are many Pagan books available on how to create Candle Wheels, Grain Dollies, and Sun Wheels. Imbolc is also represented by burrowing animals, and the bride. Some other altar decorations may include a besom (Witch’s broom) to symbolize the sweeping out of the old, a sprig of evergreen, or a small Goddess statue representing Her in the Maiden aspect.
THE FEAST OF LIGHT
THE FEAST OF LIGHT
(By: Titania Morgay)
If Candlemas day be fair and bright,
Winter will have another flight.
If Candlemas day clouds and rain,
Winter is gone, and will not come again.
– E. Holden
The time has come to call and welcome the forces of light!
Candlemas or Imbolc is the mid point of the dark half of the year. We
welcome the rebirth and awakening of the Earth, the earliest beginnings of
Spring.
Through Pagan lore, we learn that the Sun God, who is now a young boy, is
beginning to feel his growing powers through the renewing energies of the
Sun, represented in the lengthening in the daylight hours. The Goddess is
awakening from her slumber and rest after giving birth to the
God/Child at Yule. She is represented in the Maiden aspect of the triple
Goddess. The awakening of the Goddess/Earth, causes germination of seeds and
development of buds on the trees, as the powers of the Sun begin to warm and
renew the earth. A celebration of fertility.
Traditionally, Imbolc is a time to prepare for the goals one wishes to
accomplish in the coming months, and to clarify and redefine our personal
projects which were begun at Yule. the fires of Imbolc represent our
personal illumination and inspiration, a celebration of ideas yet to be
born. Imbolc has also become a time for new initiations into covens,
self-dedication, and renewal of our bows. It is also a time for purification
of oneself.
The colors for Imbolc are lavender, white and pink. Herbs include
Heliotrope, Carnation, Poppy, Basil and Violet. Stones used for this
celebration may include Amethyst for peace of mind or jet for
heightened intuition and inner sight.
Offerings of cakes and wine may be presented to the Lord and Lady, to seek
their assistance in helping to ignite your creative fires and energy.
May the fires of Imbolc burn brightly within all of you throughout the
coming year!
Cosmic Calendar for January 25th
Strange forces are very much on the prowl in the early going today as the Moon makes its monthly union with Neptune in Aquarius (12:34AM PST) – simultaneously launching a short void lunar cycle that lasts until 1:12AM PST when the Moon enters Piscean waters. Watch your dreams for clues about the future and don’t be surprised if maternal archetypes are present in your soul-wanderings since the Moon is also parallel to Ceres (1:10AM PST). Healing forces are making a comeback since the Moon forms its monthly conjunction with Chiron in Pisces (7:14AM PST) while the lunar orb is also parallel to Chiron (8:57AM PST). This double emphasis on Chiron reminds you to meditate for clarity and peace of mind. Learn more about advances in the field of alternative medicine. Be more of a bridge-builder between your multi-faceted personality and spirit realms. Pisces Moon gives you an opportunity to lend a helping hand to the truly disenfranchised and abandoned. Tough it out this evening when Venus forms a frictional, 135-degree tie to Saturn (7:04PM PST). This aspect can bring the big chill into affairs of the heart on a temporary basis. Dance away the blues as the Moon in the last sign of the zodiac can give you a dose of happy feet.
Calendar of the Moon for January 25th
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 January 25th
Calendar of the Sun
25 Wolfmonath
Sementivae Feria: Seed Blessing
Colors: Green and brown
Element: Earth
Altar: Upon cloth of green and brown set all the seeds for the next year, with the seeds saved from last year’s garden in bowls in the center.
Offerings: Give seeds to poor farmers and gardeners.
Daily Meal: Vegan.
Sementivae Feria Invocation
Hear us, Ceres, Mother of the Grain,
You whose breath stirs the seed in the ground,
Though Earth sleeps now in her bed of stone,
We ask for her blessing on these seeds
Which will soon be sowed.
These are our hopes, our dreams,
Our aspirations, all promise and possibilities,
Waiting dry and dormant to be awoken.
Though we will not wake them today,
Soon the time will approach when they shall
Come into the embrace of the warm soil
And blossom into manifestation.
Bless our seeds, Great Ceres,
Mother of the Corn, Spark of the Plowed Earth,
Bless their promise, and ours as well.
(All cry, “Hail Ceres!” Then all surround the seeds and hold their hands over them, and together sing Ohm and Ah in harmonies, to carry Ceres’ blessing. The seeds are then placed in a special basket shaped like a cradle, and covered with a cloth, and sung to.)
Chant: Carry our wishes
Carry our hoping
Carry our blessing
Till you be awoken
Lunar Almanac for Wednesday, January 25th
Lunar Almanac for Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Waxing, New Moon Age: 2 ¾ days.
Ascending Node is at 11° Sagittarius.
Moon in 10th degree of the Sign Pisces, the Fishes;
also in 13th deg. of the Constellation Aquarius, the Water-Bearer.
Ascending Node is at 11° Sagittarius.
Moon in 10th degree of the Sign Pisces, the Fishes;
also in 13th deg. of the Constellation Aquarius, the Water-Bearer.
Moonrise: 8:16 morn. Midheaven: 2:10 eve. Moonset: 8:14 eve.
Cosmic Calendar for Tuesday, January 24th
It may be difficult to get your bearings on the first day after Mars has turned retrograde. The fact is that Mars isn’t truly retrograding at all; it is virtually motionless and on the verge of reversing direction. The great reality is that when any celestial body is retrograde, it is moving in counterpoint to the motion of the Sun and Moon – which, from our vantage point, always appear to be moving forward in the zodiac. Therefore, Mars becomes somewhat of a maverick, outlaw, rebel or rabble-rouser when viewed from the solar, lunar and earthly perspectives now that it is no longer direct in motion. Thus, acting in an unruly fashion and calling undue attention to yourself are out-of-bounds – unless you are deliberately looking for trouble. Intensity and shock waves are still on center stage because the Sun parallels distant Pluto (1:22AM PST) while Ceres unites with Uranus in Aries (3:08AM PST). The unknown may temporarily be in the catbird seat and circumstances beyond your control are running the show. Hope that you can somehow be an expert problem-solver and strategist when the Moon in Aquarius unites with Pallas (2:03PM PST). Strive for a loving and peaceful interaction with a significant other this evening during the Moon-Venus parallel (8:31PM PST).
Calendar of the Sun for Jan. 24th
Calendar of the Sun
24 Wolfmonath
Paganalia: Celebration of the Country Farmer
Color: Green
Element: Earth
Altar: Upon a cloth of green set agricultural tools, and perhaps a small model farm of paper.
Offering: Give aid to a farmer.
Daily Meal: Food from a small local organic farm.
Paganalia Invocation to Gaea
The mother of us all,
The oldest of all,
Hard, splendid as rock
Whatever there is that is of the land
It is she who nourishes it
It is the Earth that I sing.
(All cry out: “Hail Gaea, Mother beneath our feet!”)
Hear now the words of Gaea:
Without me
No seed grows
No milk flows
No honey in the hive
Without my touch
No sweet exchange of breath between plant and animal
No safe nest from which to try your fledgling span
No one to miss you when you go
Without the part of you that is me
No working the earth
No food in the belly
No caring hand to help another.
(All cry out: “Hail Gaea, Mother who gives us all!”)
Remember that those who work the earth
With their own hands are closest to me.
Lie upon me when the spring comes
And give thanks that you were born here.
(All cry out: “Hail Gaea, we give thanks to you!”)
Chant:
Mother I feel you under my feet
Mother I hear your heartbeat
The Witchcraft Chronicles 
You must be logged in to post a comment.