#corresponding winter months in southern hemisphere

[rohirric-hunter]

I think we should all get November-March off work to stay inside and hibernate

[talonabraxas]

Sun in Scorpio

The Lesson of the Sun in Scorpio

Scorpio, the eighth sign of the zodiac, starts around 23 October and brings about a state of constant transformation and renewal. These two facts, however, are frequently invisible.

Scorpio has no attachment to routine or appearance. Far from it. Its general pattern of vibration includes a profound intimacy with the process of sudden change.

The influences of this sign are difficult to predict or classify. Scorpio stimulates life or death. It spreads decay or regeneration and provokes various kinds of transmutation according to the Karmic possibilities of circumstances.

This is one of the signs under which a true warrior can be born. Yet a wise warrior must fight for a noble cause. His only enemy is ignorance, mainly his own lack of wisdom, and secondarily the naiveté belonging to others.

As one deals with the energy of Scorpio, it is wise to choose brightness rather than its opposite, and to work for the creative renewal of life-structures, not for their demolition. Spiritual law invites Scorpio to prefer sowing rather than reaping, and to promote an intelligent construction of life, instead of the easy yet unfortunate temptation to merely destroy.

Belonging to the Water element, Scorpio has Pluto as its main ruler. Mars, the co-ruler, was the only patron of Scorpio until the small planet Pluto was discovered in 1930.

In Scorpio, autumn unfolds in the Northern Hemisphere, and spring gains momentum in the Southern half of the planet. Life has now less physical light, or more light – depending on where you live. But Light governs Life across the twelve months of the year. If you see the world from a deep and accurate point of view, you know that it is enlightened all the time.

The light of the Sun is present in every atom. The Law forces Scorpio to transcend outward forms. Sooner or later – in this lifetime or in a future one – the spiritual soul learns to become an agent of healthy changes in life. It does so by working with that inner and spiritual light that never fades. This is one of the secret aspects of the lesson of the Sun in Scorpio.

Ultimately, every spiritual soul belongs to the transcendent realm of universal harmony.

In the territory of Scorpio, the individual seeks for an experience of total unity with other beings and with the totality of life. But the evolutionary journey will not end here. Several lessons remain unlearned: it takes time to get to the final stage symbolized by Pisces. Imperfect levels of Scorpio are clumsy or careless at times, and prefer sudden explosions to intelligent action. Scorpio is powerfully impulsive as long as it does not have a stable understanding of the universe. Part of its intention in the objective world is invisible. To immature souls, disloyalty is sometimes a temptation.

Anna Maria Costa Ribeiro sees three kinds of Scorpio individuals, or three levels of consciousness, one of which must be more powerful and predominate in each situation or lifetime. This will depend on the knowledge possessed by the soul:

* The lower animal Scorpio is marked with vice, cruelty, the habit of manipulation and mediocrity. His poison is always ready to be used any time, everywhere.

* The eagle Scorpio is interested in the celestial mysteries. He is aware of his own strength. Nothing defeats him, for he flies above terrestrial problems.

* The dove or phoenix Scorpio corresponds to the pure Spirit. He has transcended the world of desire. He is the true mystic, the healer of souls. He was reborn on another level of life. With an iron determination, he burns his impurities in the regenerating fire of truth eternal.

Scorpio is the sign of death, of resurrection and rebirth. Hence creativity, struggle, and the occult world have a special, direct relation to it. The sign intensely stimulates the search for truth as it helps the soul prepare itself for the great battle ahead – the life-and-death struggle of winter in the northern hemisphere.

The great secret of the future battle is the rebirth of the Sun, the Initiate, or Jesus in the Christian tradition.

Winter itself does not appear in Scorpio. It will be received by a more confident and stable sign, Sagittarius, as the optimist and fiery centaur sign gets ready to transmit the torch of time to Capricorn, in the second half of December.

The mission of Scorpio is to harbor life during the first preparatory phase of difficulties in the transition to winter. Facing the obstacles of autumn is like making military exercises before a fierce battle. When things get tougher, Scorpio passes the torch to Sagittarius. Acting under the guidance of Jupiter – the master of Optimism and Compassion – Sagittarius has an absolute confidence in the bright future that is right now waiting for Life. The centaur archer goes firmly ahead and pays scarce attention to obstacles.

The highest point of the yearly battle for life is ruled by the old wisdom and stable patience of one of the most careful signs: Capricorn.

The days of Capricorn will open the door to the New Year in Christian time. This part of the Zodiac is guided by Saturn, the judge of actions and the master of Time and Karma. Seen from the Earth, the collective spirit of Saturn is the Lord of the Rings, the most Ancient One, the Initiator, the guardian of the inner limits of our solar system.

The Key of Firmness

Stephen Arroyo highlights the fact that like Pisces and Cancer – the other Water signs -, Scorpio can use the practice of firmness as a tool to overcome its own limitations.

“Watery people need to be firm with themselves”, says Arroyo, and he adds that firmness is also the best way for other people to deal with persons of the Water element.

The Yoga of Patanjali says in Book II, aphorisms 33-34 that wrong ideas must be replaced by its correct opposites.

In Astrology, opposite signs are teachers of one another. The sign opposite to Scorpio is Taurus, which happens to be precisely one of the firmest and most stable of the Zodiac.

The inner dialogue of Taurus and Scorpio establishes a fine symmetrical balance whose results are peace and strength; wisdom and stability; free transcendence and a practical view of life, calmly built on solid ground.

Image: Astronomicum cæsareum, 1540

[sunlitsorrows]

Some Mars Facts i have to figure out how to shoehorn into my narrative.

(all numbers approximated)

1 Martian Year is 1.88 Earth years! So all ages listed will need to be multiplied by 1.88; if Mordred is 10, then in Earth years he’s almost 19. Loholt is 5; he’s not quite 9 1/2.

fun fact! i have a headache already!

The Martian Day is close enough to 24 hours I don’t have to change anything, and while there are a few different monthly calander proposed there’s no Official Martian Calander I will be tossing out if I want to do my own thing.

So on Mars a Year is 668 Days (sols, but I want to keep the casual term Day for layman use)

Now since this is still mostly an agricultural society I don’t think I need to be super specific about how long a day or a week is, it shakes out to roughly 24 months a year, roughly 28 days a month, so I could just double the length of the months to get 12 months with 56 days each… that way I don’t have to make up new month names.

And I think people are still going to call the seasons what they call them now, it’s just that because of Mars’ orbit how long spring/summer/autumn/winter is differs in the northern or southern hemispheres, so the north might be fairly similar to earth, with the seasons lasting 6 months instead of 3, while the south has a 10 month winter and a 2 month summer, with crops grown according to where they have to be genetically tweaked the least to survive.

I’m starting my calendar with Landing Day, so I don’t have to figure out the corresponding earth year (that way lies madness and pedantry by people far better and more interested in math than I am) so the date December 56th 602 written day/month/year might look like 56/12/602, and I like the 24 hour clock but language has relaxed from “military time”, so most people don’t say “Fourteen hundred hours” they’d just say “fourteen” or “fourteen o’clock”

… is it cheating to just give Mordred and Loholt a conversation about some school test Loholt is studying for?

M: “Alright smarty, how old am I in earth years?”

L: “Ew! Why would I ever need to know about earth?”

M: “Conversion rates—it’s going to be on the test.”

L: “…but like the history test right? Not the math test?”

M: “I cannot confirm that it will be not be on the math test.”

L: “Oh my crap I’m setting my entire tablet on fire how do I even look that up!?! “

[apothe-turgy]

Happy Worm Moon in Libra ft a Lunar Eclipse on an Earth Ox day!

This phrase is just a mishmosh of so many beliefs, ways that humans make systems of classification to understand the super/natural world around us. How they inform how I move through this world. I'm trying to learn from Native American & Folk planting traditions, Astrology's self-agency, and Traditional Chinese Medicine of my blood-kin. These systems I use in application to theatre: in understanding who the heavens are in Shakespearean worlds, in emboldening myself when there is a flood in the theatre and the show must go on, and in fidning the pace I want to work in order to sustain my identity as an artist.

Sooo, lets break it down

/ Worm Moon / comes from the the Southern Native American tribes who notice how in this time of the seasons, earthworm castings appear as the ground thatws. This moon of March also has other names including: Crow (NNAt, the crows who signal the end of winter), Death (European, the srtat of spring signifying the end of the old year and the start of the new), Lenten (E, corresponds with Lent); full moon of Purim (Hebrew, that marks the Jewish deliverance from a royal death-decree) or Holi (Hindu, the month of Phalguna and the victory of good over evil with the start of spring); Māgha Pūjā (Buddhism, the creation of an ideal and exemplary community; aka Sangha Day, Buddhist All Saints Day), Medin Poya (Shri Lanka), Mid-Sha’ban (Islamic, eigth month)

/ (full) Moon in Libra / comes from the positionally of the full moon in the sky. This area of the sky is designated as the Libra House, the seventh in the European Astrological Zodiac. Libra is about balance.

/ Lunar Eclipse / is a solar event where the Earth is between the sun and the moon, casting Earth's shaddow and redness onto the moon. There are many beliefs of the Moon being attacked/eaten, a product of mathematical patterns, and the potential for salvation.

/ Earth Ox day / is the description of the March 26th day, in the Fire Rabbit Month and Wood Dragon Year. These are all Traditional Chinese classifications of the zodiac's animal and element that can be applied to years, months, days and hours (akin to European astrology)

How does our perspective imapct how we view the passing of events? Does the moon's phase cycle wax on and off in the same way in the southern hemisphere? With so many ways of thinking, which does mine fall into? How do we find peace in the dichotomy of information? What about theatre's cacophony am I discerning and distilling?

As promised, here are some sprouting seedlings in honor of the beginning of this eclipse season!

[stocklivemarket]

If you are thinking of traveling to Lima, Peru, you are in the right place. Lima is the largest city in Peru and is the capital of the country. Lima is the most populated city in Peru, located in South America, and is also the third most populous city in South America. With a population approaching 10 million, it is the most populous city in South America after San Paulo and Mexico. Lima is a coastal city located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. This made the city an important port and maritime trade center. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fDuW7oxeZE[/embed] Due to its location and fertile geographical conditions, it has been chosen as a campus by many states throughout history. Lima was founded in 1535 by Francisco Pizarro. Thanks to Pizarro, a Spanish ruler, Lima became the most powerful city in the region. The city, where Spain's most powerful colonies lived for many years, was declared the capital of the Peruvian Republic, which was established as a result of Peru's struggle for independence. When to go to Lima? Let us share with you some of the things you need to know when traveling to Lima. In Lima, which is the capital city of Peru in the southern hemisphere, temperate climatic conditions prevail. In Peru, temperatures drop considerably with the effect of cold water currents, which are named after the country. The driest region of Peru is the geography where Lima is located. Lima is the driest region of the country, with annual precipitation of around 40 mm. Although Lima receives little rainfall, it can be counted among the regions with the highest humidity in the country. Throughout the year, the average humidity is 87%. Although touristic trips are usually difficult in the winter season, this is not the case for Lima. Although the season is winter, the temperatures hover around 15 degrees. In these mild climatic conditions, Lima is among the cities that can be visited in winter. The best time to visit Lima is between December and March. These months, when Lima is experiencing the summer season, are the most suitable period for you to make your Lima trip. In terms of climatic conditions, it is a period in which you will spend your travel easily and with pleasure. Apart from the influence of the mild climate and mild weather, this period is also a period when Lima is active in terms of festivals. For this reason, the city takes on a lively atmosphere. The period when the most tourists come to the city corresponds to this lively and active period. Where to Stay in Lima? Lima is a city formed between the ocean and forests, living the Spanish culture in every part of the city until today, and you will not understand how your time has passed. This city, where both day and night life is full and colorful, consists of 43 regions in total. Although accommodation in Lima seems a bit expensive, you can find a budget hotel in the accommodation area you choose. There are no non-stop flights to reach Lima. For this reason, after your flight to Madrid or Amsterdam, you can reach Lima by connecting from here. Places to Visit in Lima Lima, the capital of Peru, has magnificent natural beauties due to its geography. In the city, you can take a walk through the forests or enjoy the Pacific Ocean. Dazzling with its historical monuments, Lima promises its visitors an unforgettable holiday with its museums and art galleries. During your trip to Lima, you can find many enjoyable activities to do in touristic spots. You should definitely stop by the Plaza Mayor, the center of the city. You should visit the Government Palace, which has historical importance in this region, and you should definitely visit the Archbishop's Palace with its magnificent architecture. In addition to these, another architectural wonder of the city, St. You should see St John's Cathedral. You should definitely visit the Larco Museum and Peru's Gold and World Weapons Museum with their interesting subjects and rich collections. You can relieve the tiredness of your Lima trip at Park Kennedy, which is famous for its cats.

You should visit the Exposition Park, which is an indicator of the value Lima attaches to art, and watch the magnificent harmony of water and lights in the Reserve Park. You should not return from Lima without seeing the San Francisco Convent, one of the landmarks of Lima. Plaza Mayor When starting to explore Lima, your first point should be the Plaza Mayor. The Plaza Mayor area, which is the heart of the city, is also the point where the first settlement in Lima began to be seen. It is one of the first points that come to mind when Lima is mentioned and is always chosen as the first stop by travelers visiting the city. The Plaza Mayor area, located in the part of the old city campus of Lima, which we can call historical Lima, was built in the 16th century according to the city planning prepared by the King of Spain, Charles I. The Plaza Mayor area is considered the main square of the city and other important buildings of the city are located around it. Around Plaza Mayor Square are other touristic spots such as the Government Palace, the great Lima Cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace. You can easily reach Plaza Mayor in the city center by using public transport, and you can easily visit other touristic points as they are within walking distance. Government Palace The Government Palace, considered one of Peru's most important buildings, is located near the Plaza Mayor Square, the center of the capital city of Lima. The Government Palace, known as Pizarro's House throughout the country, is the house where the capital Lima rules the country. The building, which is accepted as the official building of the Peruvian Government, is also the residence of the President of Peru and his family. The Government Palace was built in 1535. The Government Palace building, which is called Pizarro's house because it was built during the time of Francisco Pizarro, has undergone many changes over the years. Private security guards are located at the entrance of the palace, which was built in neo-colonial architectural style to protect government officials. The ground floor and various parts of the building are open to the public. The rooms furnished in different concepts in the Government Palace are appreciated by the visitors. The security guards at the gate of the palace change the guard every day at exactly 13.00. This changing of the guard, which was carried out in a very serious atmosphere with an official ceremony, attracts the attention of tourists. During your trip to Lima, you should definitely visit the Government Palace, which is the administrative center of Peru and has a dazzling building. St. John's Cathedral and Basilica One of the buildings that has become one of the symbols of Lima and forms the silhouette of the city is St. John's Cathedral and Basilica. The cathedral, which was started to be built in 1535, was opened to worship as a small church when it was first completed. The cathedral area, which has been subjected to various arrangements and new additions until today, can now be considered one of the largest churches in the city. Affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, St. John's Cathedral is located in the city center. Located within walking distance of Plaza Mayor square, the cathedral has survived many earthquakes. Cracks in some parts of the buildings remained from the earthquakes. The cathedral building is taken into maintenance at certain periods and the necessary repairs are made by staying true to the original. Visited and worshiped by thousands of people every year with its magnificent building, the cathedral is dedicated to St. John and his apostles. Park Of The Reserve One of the structures that has become the symbol of Lima is the Reserve Park. It is one of the most interesting visiting points of Lima with its unusual architecture and colorful appearance. Located between the two most important streets of Lima, Paseo de la Republica and Arequipa, the building is also known as the magic water building.

It was built in neo-classical style on an area of eight hectares. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push(); The design of the building belongs to the famous French architect Claude Sahut. It was completed in 1929 after a long construction period. There are many fountains and fountains in the park. When these fountains and fountains are combined with colorful light shows, a unique visual feast emerges. You can visit the park yourself if you wish. If you wish, you can visit the magical water tour organized at certain times of the day and participate in the show. The biggest fountain in the park is the one known as the Magic Fountain. With a height of 80 meters, this fountain has dazzling details. Park Kennedy One of the must-visit points during your trip to Lima is Park Kennedy. Park Kennedy, which is a wonderful open space to breathe in the middle of the city, is a place where not only the tourists who come to visit the city but also the people of Lima visit at every opportunity with its lush nature and various buildings. You can reach Park Kennedy, which is approximately 10 km from the historical city center of Lima, by using public transportation. Located in Lima's Miroflores District, the park is famous for its cats. It is possible to see cats all over Park Kennedy, which is almost a land of cats. The cats in the park are regularly cared for and vaccinated. There are many cafes, restaurants, bars, karaoke halls in the park. You can also listen to the music of street artists and take a look at the pictures they made in various parts of the park. Park Kennedy, which is frequently preferred not only for entertainment and relaxation but also for shopping, has two large shopping points. You can shop as much as you want from these places, which taste like a neighborhood market. Park Kennedy is open 24/7. Transportation in Lima When you travel to Lima, you should also know how to get there. Lima is one of the cities where you can be most comfortable in urban transportation. You can reach many parts of the city on foot and by bicycle. The public transport system in Lima is also highly developed. There are frequent metro and bus lines in the city. Although the metro line is in the form of a single line, it provides transportation to many points in the city. The metro, which provides a very fast transportation compared to the bus and metrobus, is also very convenient in terms of fare. A single metro ticket costs 2 PEN. The public transportation vehicle, which provides the fastest transportation after the metro and is frequently preferred by the people of Lima, is the metrobus. However, the metrobus line does not provide transportation to every part of the city. The metrobus line, which provides transportation from the Miraflores region to the city center, does not go to other regions. The fastest transportation between Miraflores and the city center is provided by metrobus. For the metrobus serving a single line, the cost of a single ticket is 1.5 PEN. The public transportation vehicle that is frequently preferred by the locals in the city is the bus. You can reach every point of Lima with wide bus lines. The stops and routes of the buses are on the sign in front of them. Taxi is another transportation alternative in the city. Although taxis are affordable, the vehicles do not have a taximeter. Therefore, it would be best to negotiate with the driver before getting into the taxi. Since most of Lima's touristic spots are close to each other, you can easily visit the city on foot. Lima Cuisine Your trip to Lima continues, if you can't decide what to eat, then it's time to talk about what to eat in Lima. The capital city of Lima has many restaurants serving the best of Peruvian cuisine. You can taste the most delicious dishes of Peruvian cuisine in Lima, where fish and seafood are predominantly preferred. It is also possible to find traces of American food culture in Peruvian cuisine, which has been especially influenced by Spanish cuisine.

With the priority being on fish, meat is used as the main ingredient in most of the dishes of Lima cuisine. Meats seasoned with various spices become very delicious dishes with different cooking methods. In addition to meat and fish products, the consumption of vegetables in the city is also very high. Especially vegetable soups are one of the leading dishes of Lima cuisine. If the dishes cooked with seasonal vegetables are vegan or vegetarian, they will be the apple of your eye. In addition, you can add vegetables of your choice to your meat dishes in many restaurants in the city. Ceviche is one of the most popular traditional dishes in the city. Prepared with freshly caught raw fish and a variety of seafood, this dish is visually appetizing as well as delicious. The dish called arron con pollo, which resembles chicken rice in Turkish cuisine, is another favorite Lima dish. Chicken meat cooked by seasoning with various spices is served with rice porridge. In addition to these, you can try the soup called chupe de camarones, which is a delicious vegetarian alternative. This soup, cooked with the vegetables of your choice, is considered one of the most delicious dishes of Lima cuisine. It is a courtesy to leave a tip in Lima restaurants. It would be appropriate to leave a tip of 15% of your account. Shopping in Lima Wouldn't you like to beautify your Lima trip with shopping? As in many other subjects, there are many rich shopping options in Lima. While visiting the city, you will often see handmade products. It is possible to find these precious handicrafts, which you can buy as a souvenir from Lima, in many shops in the city. Lima's most popular shopping area is the Miraflores district. Although this area is known as the high society part of the city, it is possible to find stores that appeal to different budgets. You can find affordable places selling handcrafted products in the side streets of this region, where world-renowned brands and expensive products are mainly sold. A street market is also set up in the Miraflores area. Founded in Kennedy Park in the region, Miraflores Market is open every day. But you can only visit between 17.00-23.00. You can buy beautiful handcrafted products from Miraflores Market. These products, which are produced by the local people of Lima, are sold at very reasonable prices, although they are handcrafted. Another shopping point you should visit in Lima is Gamarra. The products sold in Gamarra are mainly textile. Gamarra, where hundreds of textile products are sold, is exposed to intense interest by both locals and tourists visiting the city. In Gamarra, which is considered the largest textile market in South America, you can find many products such as colorful fabrics and hand-sewn dresses. Another feature that makes Gamarra interesting is the clothes made with you. If you wish, you can have the fabric of your choice sewn on the looms that are already installed in the market and have your plain fabrics processed. The prices of these products produced by you are also very affordable. Apart from the local shopping points in Lima, you can also complete your shopping by visiting the luxury stores and large shopping centers on Las Begonias Street. Nightlife in Lima Lima is one of the best cities if you want to have fun and have a lively nightlife. The nightlife in the city is always lively and continues until the first light of the morning. In most cities, only weekend nights are lively, but Lima does not distinguish between weekdays and weekends in terms of entertainment. Whether on weekdays or weekends, you can have fun as you please by mixing with the lively streets of the city and the non-stop entertainment venues. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push(); Most entertainment venues in the city do not have a closing time. You can continue to have fun in these places until the sun comes up. In the historical city center of Lima, which can be considered as the old city, you can come across a street artist on almost every corner.

The value given to art is quite high in the city. However, young and amateur artists are always supported by the people of Lima. The best reflection of this is street artists. There are artists singing, making music, dancing and holding pantomime shows on every corner. These artists are followed with great interest and admiration not only by the people of Lima but also by the tourists who come to visit the city. In Lima, the sound of music rises from every street. Live music is played not only in the streets of the city, but also in cafes and various restaurants. If you want a quiet pastime, you can choose these cafes and restaurants. You can both relax and have a pleasant time accompanied by pleasant music. In addition, since Lima is a coastal city, many places have sea or ocean views. If you wish, you can sit in one of these places with a gentle evening breeze and enjoy the unique ocean view. Apart from these places with a view, it is possible to frequently come across young people who gather on the coastline. When it gets dark, the young people go down to the beach and have a good time around the fire they lit, accompanied by music and dancing. If you wish, you can have fun on the beach with your own group of friends or mingle with the young people. If you want to spend a more active and lively nightlife in Lima, you should definitely visit Miroflores District. This region, which is considered the heart of Lima, is also the center of live entertainment. Here you can find venues that appeal to various budgets and entertainment. If you wish, you can have fun in luxury and big nightclubs or in mid-budget bars and pubs. Another entertainment spot you should visit in the Miroflores District is Park Kennedy. There are some entertainment venues in this large park, although not many in number. These places are also convenient places to experience Lima's entertainment life to the fullest. You can also have fun taking a walk in the park or just sitting outdoors. Although Miroflores District is the first recommended place by those who go to Lima, the area called Barranco also hosts the city's favorite entertainment venues. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push(); Although it is a bit far from the center compared to Miroflores, it is a must-visit region especially for those who love bohemian style. In the Barranco region, which is generally known and preferred by the locals, it is possible to find smaller and more intimate venues as well as large entertainment venues. There are also many casinos in the city. If you wish, you can also have fun by going to the casinos. When you travel to Lima, do not leave without tasting the nightlife! Lima Festivals Lima hosts colorful and entertaining events every year. National Pisco Drink Day: Every year in February, events are held in honor of Pisco, which is considered Peru's national drink. Liters of pisco are drunk in this festival, where colorful shows are staged. St. Peter and St. Paul's Day: Celebrated on different dates each year, this festival is held to show respect for Saints Peter and Paul, the important clergy of Lima. Lima Latin American Film Festival: The event where films from various countries of the world are shown and where successful filmmakers organize panels is one of the most popular events in Lima. Lima Public Holidays 01-02 January: New Year 13-16 April: Easter 29-30 June: St. Peter and St. Paul's Day July 28-30: National Independence Day July 30-31: Santa Rosa Day 08-09 October: Anniversary of the Battle of Angamos 01-02 November: All Saints' Day 08-09 December: Virgin Mary's Day 25-26 December: Christmas Useful Information for Lima Emergency assistance: 117 Fire: 116 Police: 105

[samwisethewitch]

Add Some Oomph to Your Spells with Magical Timing

Like herbs, oils, and crystals, you don’t need to work with magical timing for your spell to be successful. You can cast a spell at any time, no matter your intention, and get your desired results. However, working with the energy of the sun, moon, and days of the week can add an extra power boost to your magic.

Think of it this way: certain energies are dominant at certain times. Those energies are easier to connect with because they are closer at hand, so to speak, so you can bring them into your life and your spells more easily and in a more powerful way. That doesn’t mean you can’t call on other energies during these times — it just means that you may not connect to them quite so easily.

If you choose to work with magical timing in your spells, there are several yearly, monthly, weekly, and even daily cycles you can align your spells with.

The Cycle of the Sun: Solstices and Equinoxes

These are the turning points that mark the solar year, and are associated with the relationships between day and night, light and dark, summer and winter. Each solstice or equinox marks the end of one season and the beginning for the next. Because they are so rare and so potent, these days are a great time for your “big picture” spells or for spells that need a big power boost.

Winter Solstice. The winter solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year, and falls between December 20 and December 23, depending on the year. In some pagan traditions the winter solstice, or Yule, marks the beginning of the new year — you may choose to set intentions for the coming year on this solstice. After the winter solstice, the nights start getting shorter and the days start getting longer — so spells related to healing and bringing things into the light are especially effective at this time of year. The winter solstice marks the end of the “dark half” of the year and beginning of the “light half” of the year; at this point, our focus turns from inward reflection to outward manifestation. You may choose to think of the time between the winter solstice and spring equinox as a “planning phase,” where you examine yourself and your desires, decide what you want to work on in the next year, and make plans for manifesting what you want.

Spring Equinox. An equinox occurs when the day and the night are exactly the same length, representing a perfect balance between light and dark. The spring equinox marks the beginning of spring and occurs between March 19 and March 22. The Christian holiday of Easter and the pagan holiday of Ostara are both related to the energy of this equinox. At this time of year, the natural world is coming back to life as winter begins to fade. Plants are beginning to grow, and baby animals are being born. This is a powerful time of year for fertility magic and any magic related to new beginnings. You may choose to think of the time between the spring equinox and the summer solstice as a “planting phase,” where you “plant the seed” of the things you want to manifest and begin doing the work to make it happen.

Summer Solstice. This solstice marks the longest day and shortest night of the year. It occurs between June 19 and June 23. As I am writing this post, we are coming up on the summer solstice (June 20, 2020). Life, fertility, and growth are at their peak during this time of year, which makes this solstice a perfect time for big manifestation spells. At the same time, this marks the end of the “light half” and beginning of the “dark half” of the year, so after the summer solstice our energy shifts from outward manifestation to inward contemplation. You may choose to think of the time between the summer solstice and fall equinox as the “harvest phase,” where you reap the results of your hard work and manifest your desires in the physical world.

Autumn Equinox. This is the other time of year when the day and night are perfectly balanced. The autumn equinox occurs between September 19 and September 23 and marks the beginning of autumn. This is traditionally the time of year when crops are harvested, and many pagan groups celebrate harvest festivals around this time. Nature is beginning to die or go into hibernation in preparation for the coming winter. This is an especially powerful time of year for shadow work or for magic related to endings and transitions. You may choose to think of the time between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice as the “reflection phase,” when you retreat from the outside world to rest, focus on yourself, and do your inner work and self-healing.

Important Note: This post lists dates for the solstices and equinoxes in the Northern hemisphere. In the Southern hemisphere, the seasons are reversed. If you live in the Southern hemisphere, you would observe the winter solstice in June, the spring equinox in September, the summer solstice in December, and the fall equinox in March.

The Cycle of the Moon: Lunar Phases

If you don’t have time to wait for the appropriate solstice or equinox, you can still connect with the cosmos in your magic. One of the biggest pros of the lunar cycle is that it happens roughly every month — so you never have to wait very long for the next full moon. The moon is also associated with magic and spirituality in several traditions, which makes it an especially powerful astral ally for witches.

New Moon. The new moon is when the moon is completely invisible in the night sky, and is the phase opposite the full moon. The new moon is a powerful time for shadow work (because it deals with things that are hidden) and for magic related to new beginnings.

Waxing Moon. The moon is waxing when it appears to be growing in the night sky; this is the phase between the new moon and full moon. This is a powerful time for any magic that deals with drawing something in, building something up, or strengthening something that already exists.

Full Moon. Many witches believe that the full moon is the most powerful time of month for any kind of magic. This is a good time to cast any spell that needs a serious power boost. The full moon is also an especially powerful time to release what no longer serves you or to work healing magic.

Waning Moon. The moon is waning when it appears to be shrinking in the night sky; this is the phase between the full moon and new moon. This is a powerful time for any magic that deals with sending something away, banishing negative energy, or bringing something to an end.

Dark Moon. The dark moon is the three day period immediately before the new moon. In some traditions, it is believed to be bad luck to cast spells during the dark moon. Other traditions hold that the dark moon is the best point in the lunar cycle for destructive magic, such as curses and hexes. Many modern witches don’t recognize the dark moon as a separate moon phase at all. I personally like to use the dark moon as a time for self reflection, and may focus on shadow work during this time.

Magical Correspondences for the Days of the Week

The days of the week also have their own unique magical energies, and each day is linked to a certain planet and to certain deities.

Sunday. Sunday is, of course, connected to the Sun and solar deities. Sunday is the best day of the week for any manifestation magic that needs an extra boost. Its energy is also associated with healing, personal growth, power, and success.

Monday. Monday is associated with the Moon and lunar deities. Monday is a quiet, introspective day, and can feel very ethereal. It’s the best day for magic related to intuition, nurturing, and shadow work.

Tuesday. Tuesday is associated with Mars and with gods and goddesses of war and action. (It is named for the Norse/Germanic god Tyr/Tiw.) Tuesday is a very “active” day, and is good for magic related to action, activism, victory, or finding courage.

Wednesday. Wednesday is associated with Mercury and with gods and goddesses of wisdom, learning, and communication. (It is named for the Norse/Germanic god Odin/Wodan.) Wednesday is all about mental activity. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to thought, travel, communication (written, spoken, or digital), and learning/study.

Thursday. Thursday is associated with Jupiter and with gods and goddesses of prosperity, wealth, and protection. (It is named after the Norse/Germanic god Thor.) Thursday, like Jupiter in astrology, is all about outward expansion. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to career, prosperity, and wealth.

Friday. Friday is associated with Venus and with gods and goddesses of love, fertility, and sensuality. (It is named after the Norse goddess Freyja, or perhaps the goddess Frigg.) The energy of Friday is fun, lighthearted, and sexy. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to love, beauty, and sex/sexuality.

Saturday. Saturday is associated with Saturn and with time and wisdom. (The day and the planet are both named after the Roman god Saturn.) Saturday is practical and wise, but it does have a little bit of a dark side. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to banishing and protection.

Magical Times of Day

Okay, so you’d like to start working with magical timing, but what about emergency magic and last-minute spells? What if you don’t have time to wait for the next full moon, or even the next Sunday? You can still align your spell with magical timing! There are several moments of power each day, and each has its own magical associations.

Sunrise. Sunrise is, of course, the birth of the new day. This makes it the perfect time for spells related to new beginnings or expanded possibilities.

Noon. This is the peak or high point of the day. This is a powerful time for healing magic.

Sunset. Sunset is the end of the day, and forms a gateway between light and dark. This is a great time for spells related to accepting endings, releasing that which does not serve, and moving on from the past.

Midnight. If noon is the peak of the day, then midnight is the peak of the night. Midnight has a very ethereal, transformational energy. Like with the full moon, some witches believe that any spell will be more powerful if cast at midnight. This is a powerful time for both banishing and attraction magic.

Resources:

You Are Magical by Tess Whitehurst

Green Witchcraft by Paige Vanderbeck

Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin [specifically the chapter on the sabbats]

Qabalah Made Easy by David Wells [Note: Qabalah is based on an appropriation of Jewish mysticism, and I am NOT endorsing its practice. However, much of the magical timing associations used in modern witchcraft is shared with Qabalah and other forms of ceremonial magic, which is why it’s referenced here.]

[eartheatr]

⛧September Correspondences

𓆣

The equinox happens toward the end of this month, heralding the beginning of autumn in the North Hemisphere and the start of spring in the Southern Hemisphere.

An equinox happens when the sun crosses the celestial equator, an imaginary line in the sky not unlike our Earth's own equator.

It's on the equinox that the sun rises due east and sets due west. This is why people often go to famous landmarks to watch the rising of setting of the sun on the equinoxes and solstices. In our ever changing world, it's nice to know there are some constants.

Astrologically, the autumnal equinox is when the sun sign of Libra begins. It's fitting, as this is the time when day and night are of equal length, and Libra is the sign of the scales.

The full moon that corresponds with this event is called the Harvest Moon or the Corn Moon. The few days around the equinox and the full moon bring a period in which everything is ripening and full of energy.

It all seems to be coming into fullness, preparing either for the coming of winter or the start of the growing season.

𓆣

- Moons

Harvest Moon

Barley Moon

Corn Moon

Wine Moon

- Crystals and Stones

Sapphire

Peridot

Olivine

Bloodstone

Chrysolite

Rainbow Obsidian

- Flowers

Aster

Morning Glory

Forget-Me-Not

Rose

Lilac

- Herbs

Copal

Fennel

Valerian

Rye

Mugwort

Marjoram

Thyme

- Scents

Storax

Bergamot

Gardenia

Rose

Lilac

Thyme

- Colors

Brown

Yellow

Amber

Green

- Animals

Snake

Jackal

Ibis

Sparrow

- Elements

Earth

Air

Fire

- Trees

Hazel

Larch

Bay

- Magickal Work

Feminine Energy

Love

Relationships

Balance

Psychic Work

Home

Hearth

𓆣

[witchfinderblog]

Samhain- the Pagan/Wiccan/Witch New Year

Time of year

Samhain is traditionally celebrated between the 30th October and the 1st November in the Northern Hemisphere, although it is typically celebrated on the 31st October, as this aligns with the Christian celebration of Halloween. It is a good opportunity for broom closeted witches to express their witchy side without seeming too out of the ordinary. Ocotber 31st was special this year, as there was a blue moon, which is the second full moon in a calendar month. (There was another full moon on October 2nd.) This usually happens once every 2-3 years.

In the Southern Hemisphere, some witches celebrate Samhain today, to align with the calendar dates, and other witches celebrate Beltane today, to align with their seasons. They will celebrate Samhain on the 1st May. This post focuses on the celebration of Samhain.

What do we celebrate?

Samhain is a celebration of the final harvest and the end of the harvest season, and it marks the new year in the Pagan calendar. In Wiccan tradition, this is when the God or Sun King is sacrificed back to the land to wander the underworld and the Goddess or Crone mourns him until his rebirth at Yule (the Winter Solstice.) Boundaries between the worlds are at their thinnest this time of year, so it is a good time to honour and communicate with your ancestors.

It is a time to reflect upon death, but remember it is not always a bad thing. In tarot, the death card often represents change and the end of a cycle which will begin again.

Name Origins and History

The name 'Samhain' is most likely derived from the old Irish word 'samfuin' meaning 'summer's end'. As for its pronunciation, there are many variations. The most popular ones seem to be 'SOW-in', or 'SAW-in'.

Samhain began in Ireland as one of the four fire festivals with feasts and dancing. Hearth fires were left to burn out while the people harvested the last of their crops, whichwould be pumpkins, gourds and squashes, amongst other things. A druid priest would then light a community fire, which people would light their own hearths from.

Because the veil between worlds was thinnest, both kind and malevolent spirits could pass into this world, so people would dress up and wear masks to look like the malevolent spirits to avoid harm from them. This is likely where the halloween tradition of dressing up came from. They would also lay a place at the table for their deceased ancestors or friends, and children might honour dead pets by keeping an image of them at their altar, and some would leave dog or cat food out as an offering.

Correspondences

Samhain is a time to cast spells with the focus of change and cycles of death and rebirth. It is a good time to reflect on the past year and think of new beginnings and the light that is to come. As the veil between worlds is thinnest, it is the perfect time of year for shadow work, but also banishing and protection spells.

Colours: earthy reds, oranges and browns, gold, black and purple.

Symbols: cauldrons, brooms, acorns, candles (particularly black ones to honour the dead), photographs of loved ones or pets who have passed away.

Crystals: lapis lazuli, rhodonite, citrine, haematite, bloodstone, jet, carnelian, onyx, smoky quartz.

Herbs/Flowers: calendula, allspice, chrysanthemum, mint, nutmeg, rosemary, sage, wormwood, thistle.

Animals: raven, black cat, owl, bat.

Foods: pumpkins, apples, nuts, berries, bread, pomegranates,

Gods and Goddesses: Hecate, Loki, Hel, Hades, Arawn, Belenus, Dagda, Banba, Cailleach, Inanna, Ishtar, Kali, Odin, Morrigan, Rhiannon.

Activities and Festivals

As mentioned above, there are many traditions associated with Samhain. It's easy to decorate your altar for the celebration, using anything above or anything that is personal or special for this time of year.

Many choose to honour or communicate with their ancestors at Samhain. Similarly to past celebrations, an extra place could be laid at your table for a loved one who has died, or leaving an offering for a pet (People used to leave out bread and milk but this is really harmful to hedgehogs! If you are going to leave an offering outside, check that it doesn't harm your local wildlife.) Lighting candles to represent loved ones is also very popular, and the practice can be seen in the christian faith- the little racks of candles in a church that people light in remembrance of their dead.

There are always recipes that can be made with seasonal foods- things like handmade bread, cake, stews and pies are good for warming you up in the colder evenings.

As always, taking a walk outside, perhaps with a dog, and just being in nature is a great way to connect to the season and whatever Samhain means to you.

However you celebrate,

Happy Samhain, everyone!

[theconstellation]

A Constellation

Home

Based on Constellations Guide, Zodiac constellations are constellations that lie along the plane of the ecliptic. The ecliptic, or the apparent path of the Sun, is defined by the circular path of the Sun across the sky, as seen from Earth. In other words, the Sun appears to pass through these constellations over the course of a year. The passage of the Sun through the zodiac is a cycle that was used by ancient cultures to determine the time of year. Most of the planets in the solar system have orbits that take them near the ecliptic plane, within about 8 degrees above or below. The Sun also passes through Ophiuchus and Cetus, but these constellations are not part of the zodiac. They belong to the Hercules and Perseus families respectively. 

The word zodiac comes from the Greek ζῳδιακός (zōidiakos), meaning the “circle of animals.” The Latin term zōdiacus was derived from the Greek, and the Greek term comes from the word ζῴδιον (zōdion), which is the diminutive of ζῷον (zōon), or animal. How many zodiac constellations are there? There are 12 constellations in the zodiac family. They can all be seen along the ecliptic. They are: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpius, Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius and Pisces. The northern zodiac constellations, which are: Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer and Leo, they're located in the eastern celestial hemisphere, while the southern are Virgo, Libra, Scorpius, Sagittarius, Capricornus and Aquarius and they're found in the west.

Today, the term zodiac is mostly associated with astrology, with the 12 signs of the western zodiac corresponding to the 12 constellations seen along the ecliptic. The so-called cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn) mark the beginning of the four seasons, i.e. the Sun is said to enter these signs on the first days of spring, summer, autumn and winter respectively. Zodiac constellations are most commonly brought up in the context of western astrology, as the 12 constellations correspond to the 12 signs of the zodiac.  There are 12 constellations in the zodiac family. They can all be seen along the ecliptic. They are: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpius, Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius and Pisces.

Regulations

This team is not allowed to have a twin. Temporary swap is allowed, maximal 5 days in a month and only if the face-claim is available. One account, per-head. Only allowed to join maximal 3 team/squad. If you want to change your face-claim, you need to wait for two-weeks!

This team accepts non alphabet and alphabet username.

All types of Role-Player are allowed to join in this team (2D, transgender, and others). 

At this team, you are required to post any activity at least once in 5 days in dorm. If you’re out of our dorm for two days you’ll definitely get reprimanded and will be kicked out if you stay off. If you’ve ever been kicked twice for being inactive and you already asked for the re-verification (also twice) but you keep being inactive again, WE WILL MAKE SURE your name will be on our blacklist.

Hiatus maximum time is 2 weeks in a month, and for deactivated account maximum time is 5 days. If your account get disabled, wants to move account, deactive (DA) and unverify, please, report it to the DM page, wall page or directly message the admins.

It is STRICTLY FORBIDDEN to take screenshots of members’ posts in the dormitory for any purposes, especially to provoke a commotion and do anything that causes discomfort between members in the dormitory. You are also banned from carrying sensitive content from outside (war thread, spill the tea things) into our dorm, hoping the dorm will be a warm and friendly place. Conversation should not bring up a negative topic. If you have any issues between members and outside the team, you are expected to resolve them in person and maintain the team’s good name if at all possible.

It is encouraged not to go too far when it comes to LGBTQ+. We also support love wins. But, being part of LGBTQ+ and supporting it also means we have to respect the others, doesn’t it? To respect each other or even the hater is a good thing to do.

How to Join?

Like our page. IS A MUST!

Make sure yourself to read the thread to know our team.

Three, Before joining in our team, make sure to check an availability of your character by checking on our taken list. You must follow our open booked session to book your characters. You can booking your character by DM page, but this team is not only using the manual way to booked, but we will also use the Website, namely Google Form, using Slots, and so on.

Please do verification by send the format in our wall page when your account is ready and place your signature in your profile (admins will check your signature),

“Hi, Guardians! I’m (Muse). I got (Tarot Card) for my card, it’s connected to (Zodiac Sign) as my Zodiac. I’m ready to make a journey with the Constellation team.”

𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 : Hi, Guardians! I'm BLACKPINK's Rose. I got The Strength for my card, it's connected to Sagittarius as my Zodiac. I'm ready to make a journey with the Constellation team.

𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗠𝗔𝗧 𝗦𝗜𝗚𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘

Zodiak diwajibkan sama dengan zodiak Real Life mu, dan Sign Tarot Cardsnya bisa didapatkan sesuai dari yang kamu dapatkan disini. Signature bersifat permanent.

𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗢𝗛 : Setelah membaca atau mengetahui nama zodiak kamu, kamu mendapatkan nama zodiak yaitu Scorpio ( The Scorpion ). Kamu diwajibkan untuk membuka link Sign Tarot Cards untuk mendapatkan karakter dari kartu tarot yang tertera di komentar paling bawah. Setelah mendapatkan Sign Tarot Cards dari link tersebut, kamu dapat menyusun signature kamu dengan 2 pilihan yang bisa kamu pakai, dan diwajibkan untuk memilih salah satunya, di antaranya :

The Scorpion, Strength.

The Scorpio, Strength.

The Strenght, Scorpion.

Boleh mengkreasikan Signaturemu.

Properties

You can find here for our high quality photos. 

[noise-vs-signal]

The Astral (Electromagnetic) Tides

“The Seasonal Tides (Tempora) result from two influences: the major influence being the effect of the solar particles which bombard Earth’s odic mantle, and the minor being the stresses set up within that odic mantle by the earth’s axial inclination.

Od is the dynamic aspect of Astral Light, whether manifesting as the aura of a living being, whether existing as an astral current or as a charge in a consecrated object, or whether manifesting as a physical phenomenon: the earth’s magnetic field, magnetism, electricity, etc.

The aspects of these Seasonal Tides should be reversed when considered from the point of view of someone in the Southern Hemisphere i.e. the Summer Solstice (June 21st) in the Northern Hemisphere is the Winter Solstice in the Southern.

These tides are also modified by other tides, such as the Lunar Tides (Aestus), which correspond to the phases of the moon, so that they change four times in the month.

The Full Moon is the time of greatest power: the First Quarter is by nature akin to all inception and growth.

The potency of the Lunar Tides fluctuates also from one season of the year to another. The New Moon is at its most magical in the springtime, while the “Harvest Moon” is notably the most powerful tide of the Full Moon.

The last series of Tides to be considered (Velocia), are those that constitute rhythmic fluctuations in the Earth’s odic mantle: they flow from east to west.

These elemental tides (with their Tattva attributions) are:

Spirit (Akasha).

Air (Vayu).

Fire (Tejas).

Water (Apas).

Earth (Prithivi).

From sunrise, each tide, in the order given above, rules for 24 minutes, with a complete cycle taking 2 hours. This then repeats over the course of 24 hours.”

Excerpts from “The Sword and the Serpent” by Melita Denning and Osborne Phillips (1988), initiates of the Aurum Solis.

See also: "Spirit Compass Rose".

[sabrinasgrimoire]

Yule

Northern Hemisphere Dates: circa December 20th - 23rd

Southern Hemisphere Dates: circa June 20th - 23rd

Similar Celebrations: The most obvious similarity is with Christmas. Like Samhain, the Christians sought to replace Yule with their own holiday within their religion. This celebration commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. Hanukkah is a Jewish celebration known as the “festival of lights”. This lasts for eight days and commemorates the defeat of the Assyrians, who persecuted the Jews and refused to let them practice their religion. Kwanzaa is another well-known celebration around this time, and is an African American tradition. This tradition takes place over eight days, and each day is meant to celebrate a different aspect of positive living. This holiday also involves the lighting of candles, one for each day, and culminates in a feast with everyone present.

Purpose: Yule is on the Winter Solstice, which is the shortest day of the year. Early peoples noticed this phenomenon, and celebrated Yule as a return of the God’s light. Many pagans choose to celebrate this by watching the sunrise on the morning of Yule. Others celebrate by lighting fires and candles to represent the return of light. This Sabbat is a remnant of rituals and celebrations meant to hurry the winter season so that spring may once again bring its bounty. To many modern Wiccans and pagans, Yule is representative of the circle of life and that all new life must first come from death.

Goddess and God: This marks the part of the year when the God is reborn from the Goddess. This is represented by the Sun’s return and growing strength as the days once again get longer. The Goddess, who slumbered through her labor, rests after the birth. This is represented by the barren earth during the month of winter.

Key Words: Darkness, Divination, Light, Purification, Rebirth/Renewal. Most of these key words are associated with the rebirth of the God at Yule. The darkness and light represent the darkness before the birth and the consequent return of the light. Purification comes with birth as the old has died and the new untouched has sprung forth. Divination is corresponded to this Sabbat because many look forward to the new year and divine what is to come for them.

Decorations: Decorate the altar with pine, juniper, cedar, bay, and dried leaves. Traditional practices for this Sabbat include creating a Yule Tree (now known simply as a Christmas Tree), string up garlands of cinnamon and other fragrant spices, and creating a Yule Log of oak or pine. For kitchen witches, cook with apples and pears, and for non-vegetarians, pork is traditional.

Correspondence Chart:

Trees: Apple, Cedar, Chestnut, Fir, Juniper, Oak, Pine, Yew

Herbs & Spices: Chamomile, Ivy, Sage, Blessed Thistle, Mistletoe

Stones & Metals: Ruby, Gold, Silver

Animal Totems: Bear, Boar, Stag, Squirrel, Tiger, Eagle, Snow Goose, Kingfisher, Lapwing, Robin, Wren

Deities: Aphrodite, Gaia, Hel, Isis, Ma’at, Tiamat, Apollo, Baldur, Bragi, the Green Man, Helios, Janus, Lugh, Mabon, Marduk, Mithras, Odin, Ra, Saturn

Planet: the Sun

Time: Midnight

Season: Winter

Ogham: Ailm, Beithe, Ioho

Element: Earth

Zodiac: Capricorn

Colors: Gold, Green, Red, Silver

Works Cited:

Sandra Kynes (2013), The Complete Book of Correspondences, Llewellyn, print

Scott Cuningham (1996), Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner, Llewellyn, print

Dorothy Morrison (2000), Yule: A Celebration of Light and Warmth, Llewellyn, print

[mordigen]

Reassigning Holidays - Why it’s insulting.

I was presented with a provocative question today. Someone asked, if you are in the Southern Hemisphere, so you celebrate Samhain today, or do you wait for your fall/winter to come around and celebrate it then? 

There was a selection of responses, and snarky remarks. Mine might have been in the more snarky, or possibly condescending. Oops? But the general consensus seemed to be, No, silly, of course not - we celebrate it in our respective season!

And that, unbeknownst to me - Struck a real horrible chord with me. I kinda felt like you just slapped me in the face, or spat in my mouth. 

Now, generally speaking - yes, of course seasonal “harvest” holidays or feast days would, obviously, correspond to the seasons and be celebrated or recognized in the respective season they should belong, wherever on the calendar that may fall. 

BUT. My issue is - there are SEVERAL holidays that are very much more than just a ‘harvest’ festival, and have very deep rooted spiritual meaning and significance. Samhain being one of those, Lughnassadh being another great example, where the specific month, if not exact day, holds relevance. Samhain is not only a harvest festival, but also a celebration of life and death. It is a day to remember and honour the ancestors, remember the beloved dead, celebrate the victorious dead, a time for scrying and divination, shadow work, plane work, spirit work, walking, watching - SO many heightened things, in this sacred thinned veil that separate this world from the others. It is also, in Celtic belief, the New Year. And Samhain is, literally, the name of the Month. It is November. So why the hell would you celebrate a festival whose namesake is the Month it is supposed to herald in, in the precise opposite point in time? That seems. Insulting? Ignorant? Silly? Disrespectful? I need a word that is a collection of all of that simultaneously, along with indignation. 

Would you move Christmas just because the season “didn’t match” what your own perception of it was? 

How about New Years?  Does that suddenly fall on a different day just because your on he opposite side of the world ?  Or would it not still be January 1st? (not being a smartass and accounting for time-zone differences)  Or what about the cultures that celebrate a different New Year (Samhain being one of them) - Like the Chinese New Year (falls on Feb 12), or the Orthodox New Years (which typically falls around Jan 14th) - Would you just expect them to NOT celebrate it on those same days just because they may have relocated to a different hemisphere??  Why is ours any different? Why do we not get the same respect as other religions and cultures?  The Celtic New Year falls between October 30th - November 4th. And it SHOULD BE OBSERVED *ON THOSE DAYS* regardless of what hemisphere you live in. Period.  Same for Lughnassadh - it is tied to a harvest festival, but it in itself is not a harvest festival. It originated as a funeral celebration for the mother of Lugh, and was held on her burial and memorial, and therefore should be observed ON HER DAY, not changed on a whim to suit humans perceived “misalignment” of preset notions of what the weather should look like outside on that holiday. The modernized Lunasa, is also the name of the month of August - so it should be respectively celebrated in it’s namesake.  Belltaine, or Bealtaine in modern Irish, is again, another one of these celebrations that - yes, are tired to harvest days, but are not SOLELY harvest related, and is a spiritually significant holiday. It is a Fire festival in celebration of Balor, who gives his name to the celebration - and, yet again, to the MONTH. So, again, it should be observed within it’s namesake.  Imbolc(g) is really the only named holiday, in addition to the solistices/equinoxes, that are ambiguously tied to the seasons and can be easily shifted to correspond to the respective hemispheric alignment. But when you have holidays that are rooted in tradition, and have historical, and cultural significance in being observed on specific days for specific reasons - they need to be observed on those days. Hard stop. It is just, plainly, disrespectful not to. 

I think the idea of being overly accepting, and overly specialized in the greater pagan community (an Ironic oxymoron, as callous and gate-kept as the greater pagan community can be) has significantly watered down the respective faiths, understanding, and discipline. This constant reminder that “there are no rules!” “anything goes!” and “make your own path!” are so pervasive, that the suggestion of ANYTHING sacred, or standard, or fundamental leads your to be ostracized and mocked. Sorry, that is just not how that works. Yes - you can believe anything you want to - but if you are going to make the choice to believe in a specific faith, you should honor the doctrine of that specific path. If you don’t...well...common fucking sense would tell you, then that’s not your path, now is it? And there is nothing wrong with that, at all - but you cant practice being a frog, and claim it’s a deer. It just isn’t - and your insulting both the frog and the deer. Along with anyone with the power of logic, reason and deduction on your way...

This to me, tells me that said ‘practitioners’ don’t actually give a damn about understanding what they are doing, or what they are celebrating, or the histories or origins of what they claim to love and worship - but only the superficial perceived notion of said faith, and their own narcissistic experiences within it. It should be relevant to *me* in *my* time and place and convenience - NOT the actual gods, elements, or culture of the faith of the actual practice. Nope. That’s secondary. I’m first. So I’ll just change everything all around to fit what I think is most comfortable. Yup. 

No. That is incorrect. That is not how religious observance works, regardless of what faith you follow. And that is not how holidays work. Respect them.

[sciencespies]

This Very Large Telescope Snapped an Exoplanet's Baby Photos

https://sciencespies.com/news/this-very-large-telescope-snapped-an-exoplanets-baby-photos/

This Very Large Telescope Snapped an Exoplanet's Baby Photos

Congratulations, it’s a gas giant! An international team of astronomers has captured the telltale signs of the birth of an exoplanet for the first time.

The fiery image shows a swirl of dust and gas near the young star AB Aurigae, located in the Auriga constellation that’s visible to stargazers in the northern hemisphere in winter. Storms of thick dust and gas around a young star are prime real estate for planets to form, and previous observations saw hints that formation had started. In 2019 and early 2020, astronomer Anthony Boccaletti of PSL University in Paris led an international team at the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope in Chile to capture what may be the first photograph of exoplanet formation. Their results published this month in Astronomy and Astrophysics.

“Here, in this particular case, we don’t see the planet,” Boccaletti tells Becky Ferreira at Vice. “We see the structure that the planet produces on the spiral—this is what we call a twist.”

The image on the right highlights the very-bright-yellow ‘twist’ (circled in white) that scientists believe marks the spot where a planet is forming. This twist lies at about the same distance from the AB Aurigae star as Neptune from the Sun. The blue circle represents the size of the orbit of Neptune.

(ESO/Boccaletti et al.)

The twist is a thick point in the yellow spiral that’s vaguely lightning-bolt or S-shaped, located near the center of the photograph. Computer models of exoplanet formation have predicted that a twist like that might occur, but it hadn’t been observed directly until now. At the turning point of the twist, the dust changes direction from outward swirl to one that spins inward to the forming planet’s orbit, co-author Anne Dutrey of Astrophysics Laboratory of Bordeaux (LAB) in France explains in a statement.

“It was amazing,” University of Bordeaux astrophysicist Emmanuel Di Folco tells Science News’ Lisa Grossman. “It was exactly as we were expecting from the theoretical predictions of planet formation.”

The forming exoplanet is about the same distance from its star, AB Aurigae, as Neptune is from our sun, and it’s probably going to be a gas giant, not a rocky planet like Earth. Its star is also much younger than ours, only about four million years old, compared to the sun’s four and a half billion. “It’s really a baby,” Di Folco tells Science News.

The researchers got a clear look at the young star and its disc of dust by using an instrument called the Spectro-Polarimetric High-contrast Exoplanet Research, or SPHERE, which uses a coronagraph to block out the star itself and make the surrounding system visible. The same tool was used previously to find other very young exoplanets, but not one as early in the process as the newly found twist.

Scientists think that as the baby exoplanet spins and kicks the swirls of dust around it, it also incorporates some of the matter and grows.

“In this way, the planet accretes and accumulates the gas and it forms a huge envelope we see in the giant planets in our solar system,” like Jupiter or Saturn, Boccaletti tells Vice. “To build these atmospheres of gas, you really need something to bring the gas from somewhere and put it on the planet. This is the process we believe is working for these kinds of planets.”

Although the photos taken with SPHERE are the clearest yet of AB Aurigae and its dusty surroundings, the researchers don’t yet know for sure if the twist will lead to a new exoplanet. The team will continue to monitor the twist to make sure it’s moving with the speed and path expected from an exoplanet orbiting a star.

“This is the definitive way to prove that it actually corresponds to a massive object,” Boccaletti tells Robert Lea at the Startup. The team will also look for direct evidence that the possible planet is growing, “this way we could really measure the speed at which a planet forms and compare that to current models.”

#News

[stocklivemarket]

Lima is the largest city in Peru and is the capital of the country. Lima is the most populated city in Peru, located in South America, and is also the third most populous city in South America. With a population approaching 10 million, it is the most populous city in South America after San Paulo and Mexico. Lima is a coastal city located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. This made the city an important port and maritime trade center. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fDuW7oxeZE[/embed] Due to its location and fertile geographical conditions, it has been chosen as a campus by many states throughout history. Lima was founded in 1535 by Francisco Pizarro. Thanks to Pizarro, a Spanish ruler, Lima became the most powerful city in the region. The city, where Spain's most powerful colonies lived for many years, was declared the capital of the Peruvian Republic, which was established as a result of Peru's struggle for independence. When to go to Lima? In Lima, which is the capital city of Peru in the southern hemisphere, temperate climatic conditions prevail. In Peru, temperatures drop considerably with the effect of cold water currents, which are named after the country. The driest region of Peru is the geography where Lima is located. Lima is the driest region of the country, with annual precipitation of around 40 mm. Although Lima receives little rainfall, it can be counted among the regions with the highest humidity in the country. Throughout the year, the average humidity is 87%. Although touristic trips are usually difficult in the winter season, this is not the case for Lima. Although the season is winter, the temperatures hover around 15 degrees. In these mild climatic conditions, Lima is among the cities that can be visited in winter. The best time to visit Lima is between December and March. These months, when Lima is experiencing the summer season, are the most suitable period for you to make your Lima trip. In terms of climatic conditions, it is a period in which you will spend your travel easily and with pleasure. Apart from the influence of the mild climate and mild weather, this period is also a period when Lima is active in terms of festivals. For this reason, the city takes on a lively atmosphere. The period when the most tourists come to the city corresponds to this lively and active period. Where to Stay in Lima? Lima is a city formed between the ocean and forests, living the Spanish culture in every part of the city until today, and you will not understand how your time has passed. This city, where both day and night life is full and colorful, consists of 43 regions in total. Although accommodation in Lima seems a bit expensive, you can find a budget hotel in the accommodation area you choose. There are no non-stop flights to reach Lima. For this reason, after your flight to Madrid or Amsterdam, you can reach Lima by connecting from here. Places to Visit in Lima Lima, the capital of Peru, has magnificent natural beauties due to its geography. In the city, you can take a walk through the forests or enjoy the Pacific Ocean. Dazzling with its historical monuments, Lima promises its visitors an unforgettable holiday with its museums and art galleries. During your trip to Lima, you can find many enjoyable activities to do in touristic spots. You should definitely stop by the Plaza Mayor, the center of the city. You should visit the Government Palace, which has historical importance in this region, and you should definitely visit the Archbishop's Palace with its magnificent architecture. In addition to these, another architectural wonder of the city, St. You should see St John's Cathedral. You should definitely visit the Larco Museum and Peru's Gold and World Weapons Museum with their interesting subjects and rich collections. You can relieve the tiredness of your Lima trip at Park Kennedy, which is famous for its cats. You should visit the Exposition Park, which is an indicator

of the value Lima attaches to art, and watch the magnificent harmony of water and lights in the Reserve Park. You should not return from Lima without seeing the San Francisco Convent, one of the landmarks of Lima. Plaza Mayor When starting to explore Lima, your first point should be the Plaza Mayor. The Plaza Mayor area, which is the heart of the city, is also the point where the first settlement in Lima began to be seen. It is one of the first points that come to mind when Lima is mentioned and is always chosen as the first stop by travelers visiting the city. The Plaza Mayor area, located in the part of the old city campus of Lima, which we can call historical Lima, was built in the 16th century according to the city planning prepared by the King of Spain, Charles I. The Plaza Mayor area is considered the main square of the city and other important buildings of the city are located around it. Around Plaza Mayor Square are other touristic spots such as the Government Palace, the great Lima Cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace. You can easily reach Plaza Mayor in the city center by using public transport, and you can easily visit other touristic points as they are within walking distance. Government Palace The Government Palace, considered one of Peru's most important buildings, is located near the Plaza Mayor Square, the center of the capital city of Lima. The Government Palace, known as Pizarro's House throughout the country, is the house where the capital Lima rules the country. The building, which is accepted as the official building of the Peruvian Government, is also the residence of the President of Peru and his family. The Government Palace was built in 1535. The Government Palace building, which is called Pizarro's house because it was built during the time of Francisco Pizarro, has undergone many changes over the years. Private security guards are located at the entrance of the palace, which was built in neo-colonial architectural style to protect government officials. The ground floor and various parts of the building are open to the public. The rooms furnished in different concepts in the Government Palace are appreciated by the visitors. The security guards at the gate of the palace change the guard every day at exactly 13.00. This changing of the guard, which was carried out in a very serious atmosphere with an official ceremony, attracts the attention of tourists. During your trip to Lima, you should definitely visit the Government Palace, which is the administrative center of Peru and has a dazzling building. St. John's Cathedral and Basilica One of the buildings that has become one of the symbols of Lima and forms the silhouette of the city is St. John's Cathedral and Basilica. The cathedral, which was started to be built in 1535, was opened to worship as a small church when it was first completed. The cathedral area, which has been subjected to various arrangements and new additions until today, can now be considered one of the largest churches in the city. Affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, St. John's Cathedral is located in the city center. Located within walking distance of Plaza Mayor square, the cathedral has survived many earthquakes. Cracks in some parts of the buildings remained from the earthquakes. The cathedral building is taken into maintenance at certain periods and the necessary repairs are made by staying true to the original. Visited and worshiped by thousands of people every year with its magnificent building, the cathedral is dedicated to St. John and his apostles. Park Of The Reserve One of the structures that has become the symbol of Lima is the Reserve Park. It is one of the most interesting visiting points of Lima with its unusual architecture and colorful appearance. Located between the two most important streets of Lima, Paseo de la Republica and Arequipa, the building is also known as the magic water building. It was built in neo-classical style on an area of eight hectares.

The design of the building belongs to the famous French architect Claude Sahut. It was completed in 1929 after a long construction period. There are many fountains and fountains in the park. When these fountains and fountains are combined with colorful light shows, a unique visual feast emerges. You can visit the park yourself if you wish. If you wish, you can visit the magical water tour organized at certain times of the day and participate in the show. The biggest fountain in the park is the one known as the Magic Fountain. With a height of 80 meters, this fountain has dazzling details. Park Kennedy One of the must-visit points during your trip to Lima is Park Kennedy. Park Kennedy, which is a wonderful open space to breathe in the middle of the city, is a place where not only the tourists who come to visit the city but also the people of Lima visit at every opportunity with its lush nature and various buildings. You can reach Park Kennedy, which is approximately 10 km from the historical city center of Lima, by using public transportation. Located in Lima's Miroflores District, the park is famous for its cats. It is possible to see cats all over Park Kennedy, which is almost a land of cats. The cats in the park are regularly cared for and vaccinated. There are many cafes, restaurants, bars, karaoke halls in the park. You can also listen to the music of street artists and take a look at the pictures they made in various parts of the park. Park Kennedy, which is frequently preferred not only for entertainment and relaxation but also for shopping, has two large shopping points. You can shop as much as you want from these places, which taste like a neighborhood market. Park Kennedy is open 24/7. Transportation in Lima Lima is one of the cities where you can be most comfortable in urban transportation. You can reach many parts of the city on foot and by bicycle. The public transport system in Lima is also highly developed. There are frequent metro and bus lines in the city. Although the metro line is in the form of a single line, it provides transportation to many points in the city. The metro, which provides a very fast transportation compared to the bus and metrobus, is also very convenient in terms of fare. A single metro ticket costs 2 PEN. The public transportation vehicle, which provides the fastest transportation after the metro and is frequently preferred by the people of Lima, is the metrobus. However, the metrobus line does not provide transportation to every part of the city. The metrobus line, which provides transportation from the Miraflores region to the city center, does not go to other regions. The fastest transportation between Miraflores and the city center is provided by metrobus. For the metrobus serving a single line, the cost of a single ticket is 1.5 PEN. The public transportation vehicle that is frequently preferred by the locals in the city is the bus. You can reach every point of Lima with wide bus lines. The stops and routes of the buses are on the sign in front of them. Taxi is another transportation alternative in the city. Although taxis are affordable, the vehicles do not have a taximeter. Therefore, it would be best to negotiate with the driver before getting into the taxi. Since most of Lima's touristic spots are close to each other, you can easily visit the city on foot. Lima Cuisine The capital city of Lima has many restaurants serving the best of Peruvian cuisine. You can taste the most delicious dishes of Peruvian cuisine in Lima, where fish and seafood are predominantly preferred. It is also possible to find traces of American food culture in Peruvian cuisine, which has been especially influenced by Spanish cuisine. With the priority being on fish, meat is used as the main ingredient in most of the dishes of Lima cuisine. Meats seasoned with various spices become very delicious dishes with different cooking methods. In addition to meat and fish products, the consumption of vegetables in the city is also very high.

Especially vegetable soups are one of the leading dishes of Lima cuisine. If the dishes cooked with seasonal vegetables are vegan or vegetarian, they will be the apple of your eye. In addition, you can add vegetables of your choice to your meat dishes in many restaurants in the city. Ceviche is one of the most popular traditional dishes in the city. Prepared with freshly caught raw fish and a variety of seafood, this dish is visually appetizing as well as delicious. The dish called arron con pollo, which resembles chicken rice in Turkish cuisine, is another favorite Lima dish. Chicken meat cooked by seasoning with various spices is served with rice porridge. In addition to these, you can try the soup called chupe de camarones, which is a delicious vegetarian alternative. This soup, cooked with the vegetables of your choice, is considered one of the most delicious dishes of Lima cuisine. It is a courtesy to leave a tip in Lima restaurants. It would be appropriate to leave a tip of 15% of your account. Shopping in Lima As in many other subjects, there are many rich shopping options in Lima. While visiting the city, you will often see handmade products. It is possible to find these precious handicrafts, which you can buy as a souvenir from Lima, in many shops in the city. Lima's most popular shopping area is the Miraflores district. Although this area is known as the high society part of the city, it is possible to find stores that appeal to different budgets. You can find affordable places selling handcrafted products in the side streets of this region, where world-renowned brands and expensive products are mainly sold. A street market is also set up in the Miraflores area. Founded in Kennedy Park in the region, Miraflores Market is open every day. But you can only visit between 17.00-23.00. You can buy beautiful handcrafted products from Miraflores Market. These products, which are produced by the local people of Lima, are sold at very reasonable prices, although they are handcrafted. Another shopping point you should visit in Lima is Gamarra. The products sold in Gamarra are mainly textile. Gamarra, where hundreds of textile products are sold, is exposed to intense interest by both locals and tourists visiting the city. In Gamarra, which is considered the largest textile market in South America, you can find many products such as colorful fabrics and hand-sewn dresses. Another feature that makes Gamarra interesting is the clothes made with you. If you wish, you can have the fabric of your choice sewn on the looms that are already installed in the market and have your plain fabrics processed. The prices of these products produced by you are also very affordable. Apart from the local shopping points in Lima, you can also complete your shopping by visiting the luxury stores and large shopping centers on Las Begonias Street. Nightlife in Lima Lima is one of the best cities if you want to have fun and have a lively nightlife. The nightlife in the city is always lively and continues until the first light of the morning. In most cities, only weekend nights are lively, but Lima does not distinguish between weekdays and weekends in terms of entertainment. Whether on weekdays or weekends, you can have fun as you please by mixing with the lively streets of the city and the non-stop entertainment venues. Most entertainment venues in the city do not have a closing time. You can continue to have fun in these places until the sun comes up. In the historical city center of Lima, which can be considered as the old city, you can come across a street artist on almost every corner. The value given to art is quite high in the city. However, young and amateur artists are always supported by the people of Lima. The best reflection of this is street artists. There are artists singing, making music, dancing and holding pantomime shows on every corner. These artists are followed with great interest and admiration not only by the people of Lima but also by the tourists who come to visit the city.

In Lima, the sound of music rises from every street. Live music is played not only in the streets of the city, but also in cafes and various restaurants. If you want a quiet pastime, you can choose these cafes and restaurants. You can both relax and have a pleasant time accompanied by pleasant music. In addition, since Lima is a coastal city, many places have sea or ocean views. If you wish, you can sit in one of these places with a gentle evening breeze and enjoy the unique ocean view. Apart from these places with a view, it is possible to frequently come across young people who gather on the coastline. When it gets dark, the young people go down to the beach and have a good time around the fire they lit, accompanied by music and dancing. If you wish, you can have fun on the beach with your own group of friends or mingle with the young people. If you want to spend a more active and lively nightlife in Lima, you should definitely visit Miroflores District. This region, which is considered the heart of Lima, is also the center of live entertainment. Here you can find venues that appeal to various budgets and entertainment. If you wish, you can have fun in luxury and big nightclubs or in mid-budget bars and pubs. Another entertainment spot you should visit in the Miroflores District is Park Kennedy. There are some entertainment venues in this large park, although not many in number. These places are also convenient places to experience Lima's entertainment life to the fullest. You can also have fun taking a walk in the park or just sitting outdoors. Although Miroflores District is the first recommended place by those who go to Lima, the area called Barranco also hosts the city's favorite entertainment venues. Although it is a bit far from the center compared to Miroflores, it is a must-visit region especially for those who love bohemian style. In the Barranco region, which is generally known and preferred by the locals, it is possible to find smaller and more intimate venues as well as large entertainment venues. There are also many casinos in the city. If you wish, you can also have fun by going to the casinos. Lima Festivals Lima hosts colorful and entertaining events every year. National Pisco Drink Day: Every year in February, events are held in honor of Pisco, which is considered Peru's national drink. Liters of pisco are drunk in this festival, where colorful shows are staged. St. Peter and St. Paul's Day: Celebrated on different dates each year, this festival is held to show respect for Saints Peter and Paul, the important clergy of Lima. Lima Latin American Film Festival: The event where films from various countries of the world are shown and where successful filmmakers organize panels is one of the most popular events in Lima. Lima Public Holidays 01-02 January: New Year 13-16 April: Easter 29-30 June: St. Peter and St. Paul's Day July 28-30: National Independence Day July 30-31: Santa Rosa Day 08-09 October: Anniversary of the Battle of Angamos 01-02 November: All Saints' Day 08-09 December: Virgin Mary's Day 25-26 December: Christmas Useful Information for Lima Emergency assistance: 117 Fire: 116 Police: 105

[taysi-kuu]

Samhain

Here is a small "guide" to help you celebrate samhain i have included some in depth spells as well as well as super simple things you can do if youre busy or just dont have the mental energy to celebrate. there is no "wrong way" to celebrate any of the sabbats, just because one person did a huge ritual doesn't mean doing something smaller and simple is any less meaningful.  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Times to celebrate: In the northern hemisphere, many Pagans celebrate Samhain from sundown on October 31 through November 1. Others hold Samhain celebrations on the nearest weekend or on the Full or New Moon closest to this time. Some Pagans observe Samhain a bit later, or near November 6, to coincide more closely with the astronomical midpoint between Fall Equinox and Winter Solstice. Most Pagans in the southern hemisphere time their Samhain observances to coincide with the middle of their Autumn in late April and early May, rather than at the traditional European time of the holiday. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What is Samhain: The third and final harvest festival on the Wheel of the Year is Samhain, observed on October 31. This Sabbat marks the end of the growing season and the beginning of Winter, which must be prepared for now in earnest. Herbs are dried for winter storage, fruits and vegetables are canned and preserved, and root vegetables are dug up and stored so they may nourish us through the cold months. The word “Samhain” comes from the old Irish and is thought by many to translate as “Summer’s end.” While the cycles of life and death are implicitly recognized at every Sabbat, Samhain is when the necessary role of death is formally honored. The nights grow noticeably longer with each day. The God retreats now into the shadows of the dark season, symbolically dying back to the Earth before being reborn again at Yule. Many Wiccans and other Pagans consider this to be the most important day on the Wheel, a time when the veil between the spirit world and the mundane world is at its thinnest. Our ancestors and loved ones on the Other Side are said to be more easily able to visit with us and make their presence known at this time. Samhain is arguably the most visible Sabbat in the mainstream world, thanks to the parallel holiday of Halloween. Many of the Halloween traditions celebrated in contemporary cultures today have grown out of customs dating back to pagan times. As far back as ancient Greece, people were leaving offerings of food to their ancestors, which is echoed in the modern tradition of trick-or-treating. The practice of leaving root vegetables, hollowed out with lighted candles inside, to guide spirits visiting on Earth ultimately led to today’s jack-o-lanterns. Witches, of course, have always been part of mainstream Halloween lore. And although they have almost always been presented as “evil” caricatures with no resemblance to the real thing, there’s still a lingering association between the spirit of Halloween and the real power of a Witch .--------------------------------------------------------------------------- Correspondences: SYMBOL: Black cat, jack o 'lantern, bat, ghost, scarecrow, waning moon.

 GODDESSES: Crone, all crone goddesses, Cerridwen, Hecate, Hel, Oya, the Morrigan, Lilith, Kali, Ishtar, Arianrhod, Rhiannon, Tlazoteotl, Nephthys, Persephone, Beansidhe (Banshee), Inanna, Baba Yaga, Isis, Pomona and Cailleach Beara (Brigid's crone aspect), who is reborn this night. 

 GODS: Osiris, the Horned God, Herne the Hunter, Cernunnos, Anubis, Odin, Bran, death gods, dying and rising gods.  INCENSE: Copal, sandalwood, mastic resin, benzoin, sweetgrass, wormwood: to get the sight, to see the spirits of the returning dead.  CANDLES: New candles for the new year: black, orange, autumn colors, or black candles for the Lord and the old year, white candles for the Lady and the new year.  TOOLS: Besom, to sweep out the old year and any negativity it had. Cauldron, for transformation. Divination tools: Tarot cards, scrying bowl, rune stones, pendulum, mirror, etc.  PLANT: Pumpkin, apple, grain, pomegranate, mugwort, wormwood, Dittany of Crete, acorn, oak leaf, gourds, root vegetables, rosemary (for remembrance). STONE: Obsidian, carnelian, onyx, smoky quartz, jet, bloodstone.  ANIMAL: Bat, black cat, owl.  ALTAR DECORATIONS: Autumn leaves, fall flowers, pomegranates, apples, pumpkins, ears of corn, sprays of grain, corn dollies, gourds, nuts, seeds, acorns, chestnuts and images of ancestors are all appropriate. Use whatever is in season where you live, whatever feels right and looks good to you.  FOOD: Gingerbread, freshly roasted nuts, nut breads, anything made with apples or pumpkin, meat (especially bacon), doughnuts, popcorn, cakes with lucky tokens in them, and red foods because the ancients held them sacred to the dead. DRINK: Mead, apple cider, mulled cider, mulled wine, fruit juices, pomegranate juice/tea .-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Magical Workings:  Samhain is one of the most potent nights of the year for magic. As a cross-quarter day it is a supernatural time, a time outside of time, the night that is not a night, a powerful time of flux and change. This is a good night for: candle magic - astral projection - past life work - dark moon mysteries - mirror spells (reflection) - casting protection - inner work - propitiation - clearing obstacles - uncrossing - inspiration - workings of transition or culmination - manifesting transformation - creative visualization. Divination: Samhain is a power night for divination: read the tarot cards; use the Wheel of the Year spread to forecast the year ahead - cast runes or the I Ching - scry in crystal balls, dark mirrors, bowls of black ink or pools of water - swing a pendulum, asking yes or no questions - eat an apple in front of a mirror at midnight, by candlelight, to scry your future mate.  Meditation: This is a good night for deep reflection and inner work. Meditation themes include: changes, transition, endings and beginnings, passage, return, mortality and reincarnation, chaos leading to reorder. Spirit work: (by invitation, not summons) This is the night when the veil is thinnest, the gates between the worlds are open. Souls of the dead are said to visit their homes at midnight.  Possible workings include: a dumb supper for the beloved dead - ouija - séances - trance possession - automatic writing - bury apples as food for hungry spirits - leave spirit plates of food outside your home - set a place for a missed love one at the banquet or dinner table.  New Year workings: Release the old: bad habits and toxic relationships, illness, failure and poverty; everything you do not want to carry into the new year - sweep negativity and out of your home - end quarrels - settle debts, make amends or restitution if needed - spells for prosperity and security for your family.  Faery Magick: This is a great night for visiting the faery realm but you must return by dawn or remain forever enchanted, unable to return. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- simple no bake apple oatmeal cookies    https://onceamonthmeals.com/recipes/no-bake-apple-oatmeal-cookies/ not so simple  soul cake recipes https://www.learnreligions.com/make-a-soul-cake-for-samhain-2562655Once ------------------------------------------------------------ Candle Ceremony for The Ancestors  This is a wonderfully simple ritual which can be shared with both friends and family, or worked alone. You can include children in it - it begins in darkness and ends full of light. It's a great balance to trick or treating! You will need a supply of small candles, either black or white, or a supply of night lights. You need a heat proof container or tray of sand or earth to put them in. Place one in the centre of the container from which all the others will be lit. Switch off all the lights and sit gently in the darkness. Allow the darkness to enfold you. Ask for the presence of your ancestors to come to you. When you are ready, light the central candle saying "We welcome our departed loved ones into this home and honour your presence amongst us". Allow each person in the circle to spontaneously remember someone who has passed to the Summerlands and remember something about them and light a candle for each person from the central candle: 'I remember Great Aunt Sheila and her generosity of heart....'. Allow this to continue for as long as it takes to complete the re-membering. You will end with a tray full of radiant candles. When all is complete, give thanks, and allow the candles to burn to completion ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Guide the Spirits (quick and easy spellwork to honor the dead) Place a white candle in the window to guide the dead to the Spirit World. Light the candle and speak these words, “O little flame that burns so bright, be a beacon on this night. Light the path for all the dead, that they may see now what’s ahead. And lead them to the Summerland and shine until Pan takes their hands. And with Your light, please bring them peace, that they may rest and sleep with ease . ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- as Samhain marks the witches new year you can write down a bad habit or something you dont wish to carry with you onto the new year onto a piece of paper and in a fire proof bowl or somewhere safe place a lit candle inside (or even use a fire pit/bonfire/fireplace) and drop the paper in the flame and watch it burn away. if there are any ashes of it left over wait for them to cool and bury them outside  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If anyone plans on taking a walk late at night or a cemetery walk at night please be careful! if you can bring someone with you or bring some form of protection pepper spray, pocket knife, even your keys. be respectful to the spirits, be safe with what spirits you try and contact. if you aren’t sure if a passed family member would want to be involved if your spells/rituals you can always ask them/ send them an invitation so that way the choice is at least open to them. i hope you all have a wonderful and safe samhain/halloween <3

[ms-m-astrologer]

The equinox happens toward the end of this month, heralding the beginning of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and the start of spring in the Southern Hemisphere. An equinox happens when the sun crosses the celestial equator, an imaginary line in the sky not unlike our Earth's own equator. It's on the equinox that the sun rises due east and sets due west. This is why people often go to famous landmarks to watch the rising or setting of the sun on the equinoxes and solstices. In our ever-changing world, it's nice to know that there are at least some constants! "Astrologically, the autumnal equinox is when the sun sign of Libra begins. It's fitting, as this is the time when day and night are of equal length, and Libra is the sign of the scales. The full moon that corresponds with this event is called the Harvest Moon or the Corn Moon. The few days around the equinox and the full moon bring a period in which everything is ripening and full of energy. It all seems to be coming into fullness, preparing either for the coming of winter or the start of the growing season.

Charlie Rainbow Wolf, Llewellyn’s 2018 Witches’ Spell-A-Day Almanac