Tag Archive for Equinox

| April 26, 2012
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The Wiccan Rede

rede-wicca-714593 rede-wicca-714593

Bide within the Law you must, in perfect Love and perfect Trust. Live you must and let to live, fairly take and fairly give. For tread the Circle thrice about to keep unwelcome spirits out. To bind the spell well every time, let the spell be said in rhyme. Light of eye and soft of touch, speak you little, listen much. Honor the Old Ones in deed and name, let love and light be our guides again. Deosil go by the waxing moon, chanting out the joyful tune. Widdershins go when the moon doth wane, and the werewolf howls by the dread wolfsbane. When the Lady’s moon is new, kiss the hand to Her times two. When the moon rides at Her peak then your heart’s desire seek. Heed the North winds mighty gale, lock the door and trim the sail. When the Wind blows from the East, expect the new and set the feast. When the wind comes from the South, love will kiss you on the mouth. When the wind whispers from the West, all hearts will find peace and rest. Nine woods in the Cauldron go, burn them fast and burn them slow. Birch in the fire goes to represent what the Lady knows. Oak in the forest towers with might, in the fire it brings the God‘s insight.   Rowan is a tree of power causing life and magick to flower. Willows at the waterside stand ready to help us to the Summerland. Hawthorn is burned to purify and to draw faerie

Category: Gods and Goddessess, Magicks, Wicca | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
| March 12, 2012
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Alban Elfed Stags and Cernunnos

The Celtic, antlered god Cernunnos is followed for his life-fertility-death cycle. His death is now usually set at Samhain (or Hallowe'en, October 31st) and his rebirth is marked at or around Spring Equinox. The pendant is worn for Renewal and Transformation. The Celtic, antlered god Cernunnos is followed for his life-fertility-death cycle. His death is now usually set at Samhain (or Hallowe'en, October 31st) and his rebirth is marked at or around Spring Equinox. The pendant is worn for Renewal and Transformation.

For the second time in the solar cycle. We stand equally between light and dark time instead of moving from darkness to light. We now move from light to dark and it is the time of the autumn Equinox, celebrated by Druids and Celtic traditions are Alban Elfed, (the light of the water in the Druid tradition). Although most of the celebrations are related to agriculture and harvest and giving thanks to the fields. One of the major symbols depicted in Celtic charms is the stag, which is used to symbolise nature surviving through the hard times of winter. The stag is closely associated to Cernunnos horned God. Also known as the Lord of animals or the laws of wild things. Cernunnos is often seen with horns, cross-legged in shamanic pose with the torc around his neck and in one hand and with a snake in the other. Cernunnos is depicted with seven points on his horns and often in the company of a stag. The stag is the symbol for Cernunnos or Herne, the horned gods; and is also is sometimes associated with the Green Man  and with gods of the Underworld.  Moreover, the Druid’s Horned God of Fertility, Hu Gadarn, was usually portrayed with the head of a stag.  Also, the Man in the Tree, or Derg Corra, is always accompanied by a stag. He is the Celtic guardian of knowledge. The stag and itself symbolology, played a large part in the Celtic belief system. They were considered to be animals of the

Category: Druidry, Gods and Goddessess, Pagan Mysteries, Symbols and Sigils | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
| February 7, 2012
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What is Wicca?

dianic_wicca dianic_wicca

Wicca is an earth-based Spiritual path, based on reviving the ancient pagan religions of pre-Christian Europe. Wiccan’s have a strong belief in the forms and forces of nature and that the divine source exists on all planes and is both male and female. Wiccan’s see aspects of life and nature as being sacred. Wiccan’s will attempt to attune themselves to natural rhythms of nature and cycle of life so they can communicate with the divine form. Wiccan’s will use rituals and rites, which are a mix between ancient text and modern ceremonies as well as shamanic practices to achieve this commune with the divine force. For Wiccan’s the divine form / force is divided in to two parts the two parts are considered to be equal and opposite (up-down / left-right / good bad / summer-winter etc.). These two halves created the balance in the universe and manifest as a Goddess(s) and God(s). By manifesting the power in two deities (Goddess and God), the natural balance of opposites, cause and effect are retained, e.g. Summer/winter, light/ dark, life and death etc    Although Wiccan’s may name their deities Wiccan’s believe that all goddess’s are but one goddess and all gods are but one god. The reason a Wiccan will call on a deity by name is to focus the aspect or nature of the persona that that aspect of the divine portrays. Wiccan’s believe that with the will of the divine and through magickal workings such as spells and rituals you can bend the unlimited

Category: Book of Shadows, Ethics, Everyday Pagan, Wheel of the year, Wicca | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
| January 25, 2012
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Introduction to Thelem

Aleister-Crowley Aleister-Crowley

A Peek at History The word “thelema” originates from the Greek language (in Modern Greek “thelima”) and means “will” and “intention”. Thelema as a religious — philosophic term is first mentioned in Francois Rabelais’ Gargantua & Pantagruel (1532), an adventure story where the main characters of the book visit “Abbey of Th�l�me”. This abbey concentrated on refining human virtues on the principal of “do what you will”, which Rabelais described as being the opposite of the Christian decency of his time. In Rabelais’ Th�l�me the basis of philosophy is laughter, which makes life both enjoyable and mock — able at the same time, resulting in “otherness” without asceticism. Even though some of the ideas presented in Rabelais’ book were approached every now and then during the centuries after the book’s publication, it wasn’t until the 20th century before a religious — philosophic path called Thelema was born. Thelema was founded in 1904 by Aleister Crowley, who is considered the prophet of the religion. Even before this, Crowley was known for his skills as a mage and he was initiated to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. In addition to Western magico — mystical and ceremonial magick, Crowley familiarised himself with many Eastern esoteric systems during his many journeys. The magickal systems he studied, influenced his world view and through him, Thelema. A turning point in the birth of Thelema is Crowley’s and his wife Rose’s trip to Egypt in 1904. According to accounts, Rose — buy prescription drugs without a prescription who had been

Category: Ceremonial, Magicks, pagan People, Rituals and Rites, Symbols and Sigils, Thelema | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
| November 13, 2011
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Mabon the autumn equinox

autumn-leaves autumn-leaves

Mabon – the autumn equinox is one of the eight festivals / Sabbats marked on the wheel of the year. The autumn equinox celebrates a time of balance and the harvest the name Mabon was coined by Aidan Kelly around 1970 as a reference to Mabon ap Modron, a character from Welsh mythology. The autumn equinox fall between the 21st – 24th September the day will depend on the position of the sun. At this time of year pagans and neo pagans will either celebrate The Second Harvest Festival, Wine Harvest, Feast of Avalon, Equinozio di Autunno (Strega), Alben Elfed (Caledonii), or Cornucopia. The Teutonic name, Winter Finding, spans a period of time from the Sabbat to Oct. 15th, Winter’s Night, which is the Norse New Year. The basic theme behind the celebration is giving thanks and preparing for winter and understand that the earth is dieing and the fields are becoming barren, Many of the myths around the Equinox are often relating to the dieing or descent in to the underworld by a deity. The Myths of Persephone , Innana and Mabon are some of the major myths related to this festival / Sabbat. Many of the activities that take place at this time of year include wine making, collecting seeds and pods for spring planting, walks in the countryside, decorating relatives graves as well as sharing a meal with friends and family. During Mabon some of the major symbols include wine, gourds, pinecones, acorns, grains, corn, apples, pomegranates, vines such as ivy, dried

Category: Mabon, Wheel of the year | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
| November 7, 2011
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Imbolc, Imbolg or Oimelc

imbolc-BrigitsCross imbolc-BrigitsCross

Traditional starts sunset on 1st February Imbolc is a Celtic fire festival and marks the mid point between Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Imbolc (pronounced ‘im’olk’ also known as Oimelc) comes from an Irish word that was originally thought to mean ‘in the belly’ although many people translate it as ‘ewe’s milk’ (oi-melc). Imbolc marks the beginning of spring a time of the spring lambs and the earth showing the first signs of new life and promise and would mark the change over from the winter goddess and the summer goddess depending on the weather. Depending on local climate, the transfer of power between the winter goddess and the summer goddess is celebrated any time between Là Fhèill Brìghde (February 1) at the earliest, Latha na Cailliche (March 25), or Bealltainn (May 1) at the latest, and the local festivals marking the arrival of the first signs of spring may be named after either the Cailleach or Brìghde. Since Imbolc is a reclaimed festival and much of it original history has been lost and or absorbed many of the original Celtic links to Cailleach or Brìghde have been replaced by links to the goddess Brighid the Celtic goddess who was converted to Christianity. Since this time of the year shows the aspects of rebirth many ancient cultures celebrated it The Romans with Lupercalia, the Egyptians with the Feast of Nut, the Christians with Candelmas etc but since Gerald Gardener Wheel of the Year many pagans use Imbolc and the associated mythologies created or adapted

Category: Imbolc, Pagan Mysteries, Rituals and Rites, Wheel of the year | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
| June 3, 2011
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Eostre or Ostara Not Easter

ostara ostara

As the wheel keeps turn we move towards the vernal equinox the point where day and night are equal (give or take) and our thought turn to planting new crops for the on coming harvests. ?ostre or Ostara is as the Venerable Bede said the origin of the word is actually from Eostre, a Germanic goddess of spring. Eostre is a very obscure Goddess, and uniquely Anglo-Saxon Heathen. She is not mentioned at all in the Norse corpus, and there are only fleetingly in the Old English by Bede in De Temporum Rationale. Some scholars have even conjectured that she may not have even been a goddess but rather just the Germanic name for the celebration that took place around the time of Vernal equinox. It is must also be noted that Typically, the Celtic peoples did not celebrate Ostara as a holiday, although they were in tune with the changing of the seasons. It can be assured well as much as it can be, Eostre is Teutonic in its origin as Teutonic dawn goddess of fertility was known variously as Ostare, Ostara, Ostern, Eostra, Eostre, Eostur, Eastra, Eastur, Austron and Ausos.” Her name was derived from the ancient word for spring: “eastre.” Since we know that the wheel of the year is made up and cobbled together by Gardener I am sure sometime with a bit of humour. I feel that Gardener Choose to call vernal equinox ?ostre or Ostara, as it is very similar to Easter and in some way claiming a Christian

Category: Gods and Goddessess, Ostara, Wheel of the year | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,