and open to Her Wisdom."
25th Day of the 1st Lunar Cycle
Ruled by Medusa
Lunar Tree Cycle of Beith/Birch
8th Day of the Celtic Tree
Month of Luis/Rowan
25th Day of the Cycle of Imbolgen -
Days of Reclaiming
Moon Phase: waning Last Quarter
Moon rises: 3:09AM EST
Moon sets: 12:36PM EST
Moon in Scorpio v/c 1:29AM EST
Moon enters the Mutable Fire Sign
of Sagittarius at 1:55AM EST
Ceridwen's Cycle of the Moon
Lunar Meditation: The life made
available by decay
Sun in Aquarius
Sunrise: 7:34AM EST
Sunset: 5:32PM EST
Solar Question for the Day: ""What
threshold of attainment waits for
you to cross over?"
Samhain (Calan Gaeaf) Quarter
for the Year
January 28th, 2011
Moon in Sagittarius - The Moon in Sagittarius gets us moving; it brings cheerful impatience and refreshing honesty. We need wide open minds, souls, and attitudes, but can't sit still. Time to: get honest, forgive, dance, hike, explore and connect to the natural world. Sagittarius brings out our inner-Artemis; we need to roam in body and in soul. Our curiosity intensifies. The restless, enthusiastic Sagittarius loves adventure, change, and motion. The moon in this sign is a time for philosophy, metaphysics, travelling, studying and freedom from responsibility.
Sagittarius brings the need to feel free of restrictions, and to be spontaneous. The warm and friendly vibes of Sagittarius make it a good time for seeing new places, encountering different people and relating to a changing environment. For those born under a Sagittarius moon sign they can be funny, restless, freedom-loving and direct; they are a natural globe citizen but also need to look for answers at home. They accept the wild in all sentient being.
Freya's Day - Venus Day - the Day of Sharing and Relationship - Relation Day. There are minor magickal energies today for initiating endings to relationships - tis the waning moon time.
"Part our ways in peace and love.
I would not use a magick shove
unless you make me.
Then I will get rid of you
with tormentil."
[From "Seasons of the Witch Datebook"]
The first stirrings of new life are felt as the great wheel turns from winter to spring. Water begins to move beneath the life. We notice lengthening of days. Our dreams conceived on the winter solstice begin to take root Although the weather is still wintry, there is no turning back on the journey in the sun's return. Winter's darkness begins to loosen its grip, and new beginnings are seen all around as spring approaches. This is the time for rebirth and healing, sacred to Brighid, goddess of poetry and arcane learning.
The Festival of Imbolc commences on February eve, or January 31, and usually concludes on February 2nd. Imbolc has three major associations: the veneration of fire and water, the quickening of new life in the womb, and the lactation of ewes. The association of Imbolc with fire comes from its place as the midpoint between winter solstice and the vernal equinox. Celtic in origin, the sabbat hallows the midpoint of the changing season, rather than the day of change. Referred to as 'the first light', the observance of Imbolc was marked by the traditional lighting of candles, signifying purification, inspiration and growing light. Fire is also representative of the goddess Brighid in her aspect of patroness of smithcraft. In the fires of the forge, physical transformations occur. These changes are metaphoric, to symbolize the strengthening of the soul.
Another symbol of Brighid is the well. On Imbolc, processions were made to her sacred wells, which were typically adorned with greenery at this time, signifying the imminent return of spring. Devotees would circle the well deosil, or sunwise, before drinking the waters in order to bring about good fortune. The procession was never made widdershins, or counterclockwise, as this was believed to bring ill luck. Water has long been associated with the power to heal, so it is no coincidence that Brighid in her aspect as healer, would be associated with wells.
The festival of Imbolc is alternately known as Oimelg, or 'ewe's milk'. The presence of lactating ewes was of great importance at this time of year; it often meant the difference between life and death to the early Celts. Ewes only lactate when there are lambs to nurse, and in the intensity of February's cold, lactating ewes meant the presence of milk, chees, and butter. While Imbolc is hailed as the beginning of spring, the weather bears a far greater resemblance to the grip of winter. If the stockpiled provisions of the Samhain harvest were not sufficient to last through the entire winter, ewe's milk (and its accompanying dairy derivatives) was the most immediate souce of fresh food and a vital element to sustaining human life. In Ireland, the Imbolc feast was often celebrated with lamb's meat.
On February 2nd, the secular world acknowledges Groundhog Day, when the arrival of spring is determined by the presence or lack of the groundhog's shadow. Weather divination was common to Imbolc, and the weather of early February was long held to be a harbinger of spring. On Imbolc, the crone Cailleach's grip of winter begins to loosen. She goes forth in search of kindling so that she may keep her fires burning and extend the winter a little longer. If Imbolc is rainy and cloudy, she will find nothing but twigs unsuitable for burning and will be unable to prolong the winter. If the day is dry and kindling is abundant, she will have plenty of fuel to feed her fire and prolong the cold of winter. Spring will be very far away. This is the probable origin of the fabled groundhog's shadow and its effect on the coming of spring - a modern weather divination that echoes Celtic folk beliefs of the past.
[From Judy Ann Nock's "The Wiccan Year"]
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