The Party's Over - Waning Full Moon

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


17th Day of the First Lunar Cycle
Ruled by Gaia
Lunar Tree Cycle ~ Beth/Birch
Celtic Tree Cycle ~ Beth/Birch
Moon Phase: waning Full Moon
Moon sets: 8:27AM EST
Moon rises: 6:22PM EST
Moon in Cancer v/c 10:43AM EST
Moon enters the Fixed Fire Sign of Leo at 9:41PM EST
Rhiannon's Cycle of the Moon
Lunar Meditation: The message of the wind.
Sun in Capricorn
Sunrise: 7:43AM EST
Sunset: 5:03PM EST
Solar Question for the Day: "What are you
attempting to manifest now?"
Samhain (Calan Gaeaf) Quarter of the Year
January 1st, 2010

   New Year Resolutions:

New Year's resolutions are a modern tradition but despite being neither a Wiccan tradition nor linked to the Witches' year, which begins and ends at Samhain, many Witches still pratice this.  Rather then setting yourself one or two difficult-to-attain targets, make a list of 6 to 12 things you would like to achieve during the coming year. Some could be linked to self-improvement like eating in a more healthy way or learning a new skiull, while others are perhaps more in the way of personal treats; for example, saving for a ballon flight or a weekend at a health spa. Try to include one or more things associated with your Craft, like remembering to observe the cycles of the Moon or wirting up your Book of Shadows, for example. It can also be helpful to apply a 'rule of three' approach to this: for each item for self-improvement, have one for the benefit of others, the Land, or the Craft, and one which is for pleasure. Ensure that your list includes things which are relatively simply to achieve as well as more difficult goals.

  Write a list of all your targets and, while burning a gold candle, recite them to yourself, repeating after each: "As is my will so mote it be." Pin the list in a place where you will se it every day. If you don't want to announce your intentions to the world, you could place it on the inside of your closet door. Now select one goal from your list and start work towards achieving it as soon as you can.

"The best way to succed is to start."

  Janus:

The Roman God Janus gave his name to the month of January. Janus was the God of doorways and the turn of the year.  He was protrayed as having two faces, one on each side of his head, so that he could look both forward and backward at the same time. His wife was Jana, a woodland and Moon Goddess who was also called Dione. In some tales she was also his mother. Janus evolved from Dianus and was the God of the Oak, and in his morning aspect he was called Matutinus.  In early Roman times he was a Sun God who opened the gates of heaven. Until the arrival of Jupiter, Janus was the primary God of Rome. His festival celebrated from dusk on New Year's Eve to sunset on New Year's Day, although the dates would have been different from ours as the calendar had not been adjusted at that time. His shrine in central Rome was closed at times of peace, although this was said to be only 3 times during 7 centuries. It was also said that it was closed at the times of the birth of Jesus.

  The ancient Egyptians also had an Earth God called Aker. He was represented as having the forepaws of two lions, joined together, each with a human head. He opened the gates to the underworld and presided over the place where the East and West horizons of the underworld met. He was invoked to neutralize poison from snakes and flying insects. Like Janus he also looked both ways.

"There is no ending and no beginning

for all life is a circle."

Both of these entries come Kate West's book "The Real Witches' Year".

Birch - Celtic Tree Cycle

The Celtic Tree Calendar is a lunar one based upon the Celtic Ogham letters and their tree correspondences. Birch corresponds with the Ogham letter beth (beeth), which speaks of new beginnings and fresh starts of growth. This is the perfect time to cast off the old and make way for the new. We begin 2010 under the blessings of the birch tree, one of the first trees appearing on bare soil after land has been cleared. Birch is known as a 'nursery tree', it nurtures others so that they may grow. Invite the spirit of birch to bless this year by lighting a white candle and placing it before a piece of birch bark or a picture of a birch tree. Feel the power of the birch growing from the ashes of the past year. Feel your potential for growth and focus on your goals. Repeat the following:

"Sweetest birch, lovely tree of white,
I leave what I don't need behind
Spirit of birch bring me beginnings anew
Sending your blessings to all that I do,"
by Mickie Mueller in the Llewellyn's Witches'
Datebook 2010.