Waning Gibbous Moon enters Cancer

"I'm one with the Goddess
and open to Her Wisdom."


18th Day of the 12th Lunar Cycle
Ruled by Demeter
Lunar Tree Cycle ~ Ngetal/Reed
Celtic Tree Cycle ~ Ruis/Elder
Moon Phase: waning Gibbous
Moon sets: 9:02AM EST
Moon rises: 6:12PM EST
Moon in Gemini v/c 5:27AM EST\
Moon enters the Cardinal Water Sign of Cancer at 11:00AM EST
Rhiannon's Cycle of the Moon
Lunar Meditation: The satisfaction of conclusion.
Sun in Sagittarius
Sunrise: 7:28AM EST
Sunset: 4:51PM EST
Solar Question for the Day: "What do you hope for most?"
Samhain (Calan Gaeaf) Quarter of the Year
December 3rd, 2009

There are Major magickal energies today for spells/rites regarding Security.  The correspondences are the element of Earth - earth elementals; the color white/ brown if for home; the tarot card Ten of Pentacles; and the rune Othala. 

The Winter Solstice:

    Along with Samhain, the winter solstice and the observance of Yule are probably the most widely celebrated today of the ancient rituals. Although today Yule is linked to the Christian observance of the Nativity, there is no biblical or historical evidence that Christ was born on Christmas. Rather, December 25 was long held to be the celebration day of the Roman deith, Mithras. It is believed that the cult of Sol Invictur, or 'Invincible sun,' with which Mithras is often associated, may have even predated the Romans by several hundred years. The Etruscans were known sun-worshippers and are largely associated with the beginnings of classical culture.

  Regardless of its modern associations, it is no wonder that this time of the year is and was celebrated as a holiday season. In addition to the advent of lengthening days, winter solstice was the time when much of the work of the year was complete. Harvest was long past.  Provisions were stockpiled, and the ale was brewed. Winter solstice was unique in that it was a rare time for fresh meat. In pre-Christian times, the cycle of the seasons meant that fresh vegetables were available throughout the summer. but the long cold nights of winter made it the only time of year when the flesh of slaughtered animals would keep for any length of time without salting. So the winter solstice became characterized primarily by leisure and feasting.

  The Roman Saturnalia was a carnival in the truest sense, its participants partaking in carnal as well as carnivorous pleasures. The drinking of alcoholic beverages factored heavily into Saturnalia celebrations, to the point where the holiday became synonymous with debauchery and lewed behavior. The Saturnalia festival included societal role reversal, where the masters would wait on their servants, who were accorded the very best that the house could afford. This can be interpreted nas a mundane allegory to the divine exhange of power between the gods; the master becomes the servant as one age comes to an end and another begins. Often, masters would use Saturnalia as an opportunity to make up for harsher treatment that occurred earlier in the year.

  The celebration of the return of the light is also a metaphor for conception. The seed of the sleeping god  is nestled within the womb of the goddess where it flourishes just as surely as the days begin to lengthen.