Tag: Sun

Calendar of the Sun for Jan. 21st

Calendar of the Sun

Carista – Day of Peace in the Family

Color: Lavender
Element: Water
Altar: Upon a lavender cloth set a tray of cakes shaped like clasping hands, and many cups full of hot tea.
Offerings: Promise to attempt to be more considerate of those you live with.
Daily Meal: Any food, but it must be served from one great plate for every table, and it should not be in separate portions.

Carista Invocation

May there be Peace in this house.
(Response: “May there be peace in this house!”)
Peace can be a hard mistress.
The daily round of the ordinary,
The simple turn of day and night and day
The presence of the same souls
Can come to be like a shadow on the sun,
And yet Peace still demands
That we find a way to move past
That ordinariness
And all the thousand thorns and briars
And bring Peace into the house.
(Response: “May there be peace in this house!”)
Take the hand of your sister, your brother,
The one who shares your roof, your table,
The ground you walk on,
Whose feet know the boards as well as your own,
And swear to find a way
To bring peace into the space between you.
(Response: “May there be peace in this house!”)

Chant:
My brother, my heart, my sister, my soul;
My family, my life, come in from the cold;
My sister, my heart, my brother, my soul;
My family, my life, that makes this life whole.

(Instead of a ritual, this period of time should be used to mediate and address problems between members of the community, with emphasis on peacemaking and compromise and useful solutions. At the end of the meeting, all share cakes and tea.)

Lunar Almanac for Saturday, January 21

Days Of The Week Comments
Lunabar Moon Almanack for Saturday, January 21, 2012

Waning, Balsamic Moon Age: 27 ¼ days.

Ascending Node is at 11° Sagittarius.

Moon in 3rd degree of the Sign Capricorn, the Goat;

also in 7th deg. of the Constellation Sagittarius, the Archer.

Moonrise: 5:45 morn. Midheaven: 10:47 morn. Moonset: 3:54 eve.

  
Magickal Graphics

About Imbolc

About Imbolc

a guide to the Sabbat’s symbolism

by Arwynn MacFeylynnd

Date: February 1 or 2.

Alternative names: Imbolg, Candlemas, Oimelc, Brighid’s Day, Lupercus, the Feast of Lights, Groundhog’s Day

Primary meanings: The name “Imbolc” derives from the word “oimelc,” meaning sheep’s milk. It is considered a time of purification, preparation and celebration for new life stirring, anticipating spring. The holiday is also known as Candlemas; the custom of blessing candles at this time signifies awakening of life and honors the Celtic goddess Brighid, to whom fire is sacred. This Sabbat also celebrates banishing winter.

Symbols: Candle wheels, grain dollies and Sun wheels, a besom (witch’s broom), a sprig of evergreen, a bowl of snow and small Goddess statues representing her in the maiden aspect.

Colors: White, yellow, pink, light blue, light green; also, red and brown.

Gemstones: Amethyst, aquamarine, turquoise, garnet and onyx.

Herbs: Angelica, basil, bay, benzoin, clover, dill, evergreens, heather, myrrh, rosemary, willows and all yellow flowers.

Gods and goddesses: Brighid, the Celtic goddess of healing, poetry and smithcraft; all virgin and maiden goddesses; all fire and flame gods, connected with the newborn Sun.

Customs and myths: In Irish legends of the Tuatha De Danaan, Brighid is the name of three daughters of Dagda who over time were combined into one goddess. She was venerated in Scotland, Wales, on the Isle of Man and in the Hebrides. When celebrating Candlemas or Imbolc, spellwork for fertility, inspiration and protection are appropriate, defining and focusing on spiritual and physical desires for the future. Imbolc is a good time to get your life in order — physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. Make plans, organize, clean out drawers and closets to bring in the new and clearing out the old. Make and bless candles; light one in each room in honor of the Sun’s rebirth. Carry out rites of self-purification. Burn mistletoe, holly and ivy decorations from Yule to signify the end of harsh weather and old ways.

Cosmic Calendar for Friday, Jan. 20th

Some strong changes are in the air – especially as the Sun enters Aquarius (8:11AM PST) for the next 30-day solar cycle in the zodiac. There is always an emphasis on group projects, team sports, community activities and humanitarian movements that are global in nature whenever the Sun activates this sign of the zodiac. Helping you make the most of this transition from the earth sign Capricorn is an inspirational, 72-degree rapport from Mercury to Ceres (12:26AM PST), a similar aspect from Mercury to Uranus (6:46PM PST) while Venus forms a supportive, 60-degree association with Pluto (12:33PM PST). Your productivity in arts, crafts and hobbies can rise while your emotional bonds with dear ones are strengthened. Breakthroughs in consciousness can become more the rule than the exception. Adding to your gains on the productivity front is a constructive, 60-degree alliance of the Sun with Ceres (5:49PM PST). The main challenge comes from a relatively short lunar void cycle that runs from 1:50PM PST to 2:41PM PST (when the Moon shifts from Sagittarius into Capricorn). Hopes should be able to drown out any chorus of fears as the Moon in Capricorn trines Jupiter in Taurus (5:18PM PST) – creating a strong and positive psychic backdrop to the evening hours.

Calendar of the Sun for Friday, Jan. 20

Calendar of the Sun

Feralia: Day of Purification

Color: White
Element: Air
Altar: On a white cloth put a lit candle, incense, a cup of water, and a bowl of salt.
Offering: Although this day is not a day of total silence, it is a solemn day and talking should be done only when necessary and in quiet tones. Bodies should be thoroughly cleaned during the bathing hour, and then the altar area should be cleaned and purified with all four elements. Each person, upon entering the altar space at the beginning of Sponde should remove their clothing and be naked, and each body should be purified with the four elements and marked with water and salt, at which point they may enrobe again. Chores of the day should concentrate on cleaning and repair.
Daily Meal: Vegan and extremely simple and plain.

Feralia Invocation

Breathe the air into your body
And breathe out again,
And as you breathe out,
Let all grime and corruption
Depart on that breath
(All breathe together for twelve breaths.)
Feel the blood coursing through your body
And imagine it clean
Of anything but what should be there.
Feel the energy coursing through your body
And wash it clean
Of anything that does not belong.
Feel the Earth beneath you,
Remember that She can absorb all
Remember that all rot is her provenance
Draw her energy up into you
And give it back again.

(After this grounding, all breathe together again in a yogic breathing pattern for the next half an hour, after which all will go with water and salt and incense and fire to all rooms in the house and cleanse them. Great care should be taken for the rest of the day not to disturb the energy of the freshly cleaned house.)

Cosmic Calender for Thursday, Jan. 19th

The Moon in Sagittarius is certainly a robust, stimulating and adventurous type of energy. Weather permitting, exploring the great outdoors and enjoying favorite sports and hobbies are a delight. Meanwhile, the largest asteroid – Ceres – enters Aries (10:38AM PST) for a new round through the 12 signs of the zodiac that lasts until April 14, 2016, over four years from now. It is a good time to shift your nutritional needs on to a higher level. You can be a leader in the fields of gardening and good-food production by taking an active interest in what Mother Nature has to offer humanity. [Ceres will enter Taurus on April 9.] Later today, the Sun at the end of Capricorn forms a square to Saturn at the end of Libra (1:20PM PST). Do everything in your power to avoid getting down on yourself or accentuating a pessimistic mind-set. Hard work and perseverance are the dynamic duo that will lead to eventual worldly success. Realize that tomorrow will bring a solar shift into Aquarius whereas Saturn is slowing down in its daily motion as it will go into reverse on February 7. Uncertainty and confusion can still grip you like a vice this evening as the Sun makes a 30-degree link to Neptune (7:56PM PST) while Mercury forms a frictional, 45-degree tie to Chiron (8:22PM PST). Learn more about alternative medical and holistic healing techniques that can help to eliminate some of the wear and tear on your physical body.

Calendar of the Sun for Thursday, Jan. 19th

Calendar of the Sun
19 Wolfmonath

Thor’s Blot

Color: Blue
Element: Air
Altar: Upon a blue cloth lay a bowl of rainwater, a cup of mead, and a Thor’s hammer.
Offerings: Mead libation.
Daily Meal: Goat meat.

Invocation to Thor

Hail, Thor, Lord of the Hammer!
Lord of the Storm, rumbling chariot
That tears across the sky,
Lord who speaks plainly
And has no time for intrigue
And subtle ploys,
Protector of the common man,
Warrior beloved by farmers,
Help us to untwist our tongues
And speak the fiery truth
Hurled blazing like a hammer-bolt
Across the open sky!

Song: Hail Thor, Lord of Thunder

(The cup of mead is passed around, and each drinks for Thor, saying what first comes into his mind, like a lightning bolt of truth. The remainder of the mead, and the rainwater, is poured out as a libation. Then the Mjollnir is passed, and each lays it on their heart and swears to make their word be as a bond of iron.)

Lunar Almanac for Thursday, January 19th

 Moon & Witch Comments & Graphics 

Lunar Almanac for Thursday, January 19, 2012

Waning, Last Quarter Moon Age: 25 ¼ days.

Moon at Ascending Node.

Moon in 5th degree of the Sign Sagittarius, the Bowman;

also in 5th deg. of the Constellation Scorpius, the Scorpion.

Moonrise: 3:51 morn. Midheaven: 8:50 morn. Moonset: 1:47 eve.

 
~Magickal Graphics~

Daily Cosmic Calendar for Jan. 17th

There’s a definite uptick on the relationship front and it comes from a Sun-Juno 60-degree alliance (12:00PM PST) linking Capricorn and Scorpio. The Sun and Juno don’t always make this kind of favorable aspect and your job is to be extra sensitive to dear ones. Be a good listener and don’t just dump your burdens of the shoulders of a significant other. Some confusion may pop up on the artistic horizon and in dealing with investment matters due to Mercury forming a caustic, 45-degree tie to Neptune (1:57PM PST) while the Sun makes the same kind of challenging alignment with Vesta (4:39PM PST). Assisting you in making sure your business affairs are on solid ground is a subtle and yet still uplifting, 30-degree rapport from Jupiter to Uranus (4:14PM PST). This mentally expansive alignment also works on your behalf if you are engaged in advanced studies in all fields of knowledge and wisdom. The love boat travels to exotic ports of call this evening as the Moon forms a supportive, 60-degree link with passionate Mars (11:25PM PST) while the Moon also makes its approach to a monthly union with Juno in Scorpio (happening exactly at 6:56AM PST tomorrow).

Calendar of the Sun for Januaury 17th

Calendar of the Sun
17 Wolfmonath

Ogoun’s Day

Colors: Green and black
Element: Earth
Altar: On cloth of green and black set many tools and weapons of iron and steel, an anvil, large green candles, and the figure of a leopard.
Offerings: Red meat from four-legged animals. Work hard and focused at a difficult task.
Daily Meal: Red meat from four-legged animals.

Invocation to Ogoun

Papa Ogoun
You of the unflinching leopard stare
You whose eyes bore into us
As you look up from the work
You are doomed to do eternally.
You know the darknesses within us,
The beasts caged by such flimsy bars;
The silent round of toil,
The dedication,
The rhythm of hammer on anvil
Forging one’s own chains
To free the hands of others.
Hunt our laziness down like
Frightened antelope
And do not rest
Until you have borne us to the ground
Which is where we belong.

(The Ogoun chant should be accompanied with a drum circle. It is wordless harmonies sung over the pounding drums. Each person who is not drumming should take a turn pounding on the anvil with a metal hammer, in honor of Ogoun the smith.)