The Birds they sang at
the break of day
Start again, I heard them say,
Don’t dwell on what has passed away or what is yet to be.
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack in everything.
That’s how the light gets in.
Leonard Cohen
According to the Celtic tradition New Year's day is November 1st. If you
follow a Norse tradition rather than the Celtic you would celebrate New Year's
at the Winter Solstice. Modern day Wicca has taken the four Norse holidays
(equinoxes and Solstices) and conjoined them with the traditional Celtic (the
four fire festivals of Samhain, Imbolc, Beltaine, Lughnasad). Since I'm 50%
Irish and 50% Scandinavian this works just fine for me but it's purely a
modern day hybrid Another tradition you can follow is that of the personal
New Year. Your own personal new
year is on the day when the sun reaches your rising sign.
The ancient Romans dedicated the first day of January to
Janus.
Janus has two identical faces which look in opposite directions: One to the past;
one to the future. He is a God of gateways and doorways, and is associated with travels and
beginnings. Janus' festival, called the Kalendae is from January 1st
to 3rd.
If you've ever wondered why on earth January 1st is the new year then read
this great
article
Full
Moon at at 12°48 Cancer
5:57 pm PST
Sabian Symbol:
A hand, which is held out receptively, is remarkable for
the suggestion of character in its prominent thumb.
This opposition between Sun in Capricorn and Moon in Cancer embodies
the classic tensions between disciplined intellect and wealth of feeling;
perseverance in pursuit of professional goals and the inner nurturing energy
of domesticity; the mature male and the youthful female, As the Moon is the
ruler of Cancer, it is not surprising that this time of the year emphasizes
the nurturing powers of the feminine, family activities shared within the
home, and a time of introspection following the feasting season of early
winter.
Thoughts for this full
moon
You have been looking into the past
and it has you feeling afraid and not well. How long can you keep from
doing something about it? Don’t count on other people to do what you
should be doing yourself. If you want to influence someone show them the
strength in your convictions. Keep yourself and your impulses in check.
Create space to feel character, intent and harmony. Create space for
others in your life. Think about what Julia Cameron has said, “I have
learned, as a rule of thumb, never to ask whether you can do something.
Say, instead, that you are doing it. Then fasten your seat belt. The
most remarkable things follow.”
Thorr's Blót (High Festival Of Thorr) -
First Full Moon in January. This is a time when the winter is at its most
powerful and Thorr wields his hammer to drive back the Jotnar, the frost giants
whom are at their most powerful and whom threaten Midgard - the abode of Humans.
(11:47:14) Perihelion -
Earth is closest to the sun
Venus enters Aquarius (my
first house)
Twelfth Night and Wassail Eve (in England) marks the end of
Christmastide.
Contrary to much popular belief, these are not the twelve days before
Christmas, but in the Western Church are the twelve days from Christmas until
the beginning of Epiphany (January 6th; the 12 days count from December 25
until January 5). In the Western church, Epiphany is traditionally
celebrated as the time the three Wise Men or Magi arrived to present gifts to
the young Jesus (Matt. 2:1-12).
Joy, health, love, and peace be all here in this place
By your leave we will sing, concerning our king
Our king is well dressed, in the silks of the best
In ribbons so rare, no king can compare
We have traveled many miles, over hedges and stiles
In search of our king, unto you we bring
We have powder and shot to conquer the lot
We have cannon and ball to conquer them all
Old Christmas is past, twelve time is the last
And we bid you adieu, great joy to the new
The mystical rite of Kore was held over the nights of 5/6
January preparing the way for Kore/Persephone's rise back into the world from the
darkness of the underworld
Nollaig na mBan -- Women's Christmas. It is so called because of the
tradition (still surviving, though only just) of Irish men taking on all the
household duties on that day and giving their spouses a day off.
Epiphany is the climax of the Christmas Season
and the time when the Magi presented their gifts to the baby Jesus.. In some
cultures, the baking of a special King's Cake is part of the festivities of
Epiphany (a King's Cake is part of the observance of Mardi Gras in French
Catholic culture of the Southern USA).
Today is a holy day of the goddess Sekhmet, and it's the ancient Egyptian new
year celebration. It is also the feline New Year
A day sacred to Justitia, Roman goddess of Justice.
Old Druid's New Year. I doubt very much that there is any historical
accuracy to this date. The Druid's would have kept the Celtic Calendar
(Samhain). But you can view this as a procrastinator's new years in case
you didn't have time to make your resolutions or update your journal.
The Agonium, festival of Janus, the Roman god of gates and doors,
beginnings and endings. It was customary to keep the doors of Janus’
temple closed in peacetime, to open them as soon as war began and to close them
again when war was concluded—thus invoking the blessing and protection of
Janus, and his gifts of historic memory and foresight, when the continuity of
the nation was in danger.
Festival of Four Winds and All Sky
This day is one of asking for a foretelling by the
Ladies of the four winds.
Last
Quarter Moon at 20°54 Libra.
4:44 am PST
Libra Moon reminds us of the need to balance out those obvious imbalances
in our relationships. This serves as a good time to just get on with and
deal with emotional matters that are brought to our attention. Libra's
adage is that 'Love is the Answer'. Simple cards, kind words, poems, thank
you, miss you, or love you; flowers are some of the ways we can pay
back those who have helped us. There is a balanced point in every matter.
This is the time to let the emotional pressure be released and to handle
matters with friends (and loved ones) carefully and wisely. If some aspect
of your connection to a friend disrupts your sense of peace, reach within
for the answers and declare them so. Take care not to indulge in
negative and disruptive hype. Pace yourself, the clock has always been
ticking and there is no hurry to be anywhere, the real action is happening
with personal truth. Keep balanced and aware, rest well, and take good
care!
This day is sacred to the chief Goddess of Old England,
Frigga,
whose followers were called the Free folk
On this day, the old Norse ceremony of Midwinter's Offering was observed on this day,
in honor of Tiu, the Teutonic chief God, and ruler of the year.
St Canute's Day. By tradition the Christmas season officially ended on
this day in Sweden.
The
Day of the Earth Dragon.
This special day honoring all earth dragons
occurs every year on the last week in Capricorn.
The sacred festival called the Feast of the Ass was celebrated on this date each year
in ancient Rome in honor of the Goddess Vesta/Hestia and the ass that saved her. Vesta
presided over the hearth and her temple was lit by a sacred fire tended to by six virgin
priestesses known as the Vestal Virgins.
My Personal Astrological New Year. Every year on the day where the sun is
conjunct your rising sign degree you begin a new tour around the wheel of the houses.
My Capricorn rising is at 25o so my side of the story is that it's made
me a life long procrastinator after all I have until the 15th of January to make my
personal New Year's resolutions.
The Festival of Concordia,
the Roman goddess of harmonious relations.
She is pictured seated, wearing a long, flowing robe and
holding a sacrificial bowl in her left hand and a cornucopia in her right.
Her temple was the meeting place of the Roman Senate.
Day of Freya, Norse Goddess.
The
new moon in Capricorn at 28°41
8:01 am PST
Sabian Symbol:
A woman reading tea leaves
The changing Capricorn new moon is about perfecting physical
structures, so now is a great time to kick off changes to produce some very
practical benefits. The downside of Capricorn is its conservative streak, the
tendency to stick with the "tried and true", even when it's neither.
If you want to end up with something different, you have to start with new
ideas. There are strong mental overtones to the new moon chart, indicating a
need for examining ideas and beliefs, making some radical shifts in your point
of view where necessary. In particular, it's important to examine the effects
your decisions have on others instead of looking out for number one exclusively.
It may require some hard work and you'll need to use your resources wisely, but
it is possible to achieve some vital goals in coming weeks. Just be sure
your goals are worthwhile -- that's where the change in point of view comes in.
As the old saying goes, be careful what you wish for -- you might get it. Aim
for your best..
Meditation for the New Moon
The quietest place to be found rests inside a peaceful soul.
Ritual
How
to read tea leaves
Sun
enters the sign of
Aquarius
3:01 am PST
Aquarius is the sign of humanitarian goals and altruism. A shift is occurring
in the manner in which we focus on life. Spiritual and ethical safeguards need
to be reaffirmed. Always impartial and nonsectarian, Aquarian energy is
communal (even global). The focus is on the goal, and the goal is always one
that is for the many and not the few. Thus this sign is connected to far-seeing
visions, world views, and group work of all kinds. Avoid expedient
measures, and keep the large view in the fore. Patience can insure that projects
are accomplished without losing sight of their original purpose.
For those of us not born in Aquarius we can
access that portion of our chart by working on a group project, by doing
something unconventional or something independent. It's also a good time
to do something of a humanitarian nature, such as donate money to a relief fund
or amnesty international
Thought for the month
"The Sun in Aquarius
naturally tilts our focus skyward for solutions, gazing into the future and
into our computer screens, scanning an invisible horizon for lightning bolts
of inspiration…. when we are gazing at the stars, or into the limitless
horizon of the Internet, it’s easy to overlook what’s all around us at
ground level…"
From Big Sky Astroblog
The start of the Celtic tree month
Luis
The Druids believed that the Creator, Celi who was an invisible god, manifested
in nature including the restless elements such as lightning, which was also
associated with Dragons. Dragons are associated with new life and thus this
period of time is also associated with the coming of new life out of the dark
winter.
The Charming of the Plow
Though today many people may not even
know what a plough looks like, life depends on it. Land is largely unproductive
for food until it has been ploughed, made ready. It is fitting that at the start
of a New Year, we understand that for the year to be "fruitful" we
must make preparation. To be productive life contains an element of compulsion,
where rebellion and protest have no place. Human life needs discipline if the
harvest of our body and spirit is to be a good one. As we are interdependent
with nature, so a "civilized" society is also dependent upon a variety
of "trades and labor" to function. At the blot we hail the men and
women whose skills enable us to maintain our existence. We are also reminded of
the continuity of life - a new year born. At this ritual we "return the
Corn Mother" (placed on the altar at Winter Finding). In the past it would
have been ploughed back into the Earth. Today it is presented to a young person
during the Blot - a reminder that the future of our folk depends upon our young
people and their discipline and fruitfulness. It is not the starting but the
continuing that is really important and gives success.
Traditionally, St. Agnes' Day is observed on this day, and is considered a time for divination by fire.
It was said that on this day a young women who correctly baked a “dumb cake”
– so called because it was prepared in strict silence, would be able to
see the dream image of her future husband.
Parade of the Unicorns - Most of what you'll find on this web
site is dragon centered and not unicorn centered. I've heard it suggested
that we're born with an orientation toward dragons or toward unicorns and
possibly toward other mythological beasts.
'Well,
now that we have seen each other,' said the unicorn,
'if you'll believe in me, I'll believe in you.'"
--Lewis Carroll; Through the Looking Glass
First
Quarter Moon 5°36
Taurus
3:01 pm PST
Quarter moons are turning points, so forget practice, try theory. It's an
excellent day for writing or coming up with a crowd-pleasing plot twist.
First Quarter Moon firmly establishes the growth and momentum of
practical feelings in the sign of Taurus. The Venus ruled Taurus emphasizes
beauty and practicality. The 'fixed earth' nature of Taurus leads many folks to
feel inclined towards watching their pocket book and making sure they're getting
the most value possible out of all expenditures. A Taurus moon encourages us
to respond, possess, and "have" just about everything possible. This is a
nurturing and fertile sign in that any seed or impulse is cradled, bringing
forth growth and development. Taurus is the way we "have" things, how we
possess and acquire things. There is something gentle, regular, steadfast, and
determined about Taurus.
Seeking after wholeness is the spiritual warrior's quest. And yet what you are striving to become in actuality is what you,
by nature, already are. You must become conscious of your essence and
bring it into form, express it in a creative way. The fortnight of Sowelu' marks a time for regeneration
right down to the cellular level.
Practice the art of doing without doing: aim yourself
truly and then maintain your aim without manipulative effort. For by our
own power we do nothing. Even in loving, it is love that loves through us.
This way of thinking and being integrates new energies and permits you to
flow into wholeness, which is the ultimate goal of the spiritual warrior.
St. Paul's Day
If St. Paul's Day be fair and
clear,
It do betide a happy year.
But if it chance to snow or rain,
Then will be dear all kinds of grain
If clouds or mists do dark the sky,'
Great store of birds and beasts will die.
And if the winds do fly aloft;
Then wars shall vex the kingdom oft
On this day, the Norse feast of "Old Disting" was observed
annually on this date, and honors the Disir, the Norse
guardian Goddesses.
Freya, and our blessed Disir, we give thanks
this night for the watch you keep over us
For safeguarding our household tonight, ourselves, our means and our fame,
For Delivering us from distress, from harm, and from the fruits of envy and of enmity.
May we revere all thy children in the same gentle light you cast around us,
May we live in harmony in Midgard,
And may we enjoy thy love in the Bright World.
Festival of the Muses. Goddesses of inspiration, sciences and the
arts, the Muses are honored and invoked each year on this day with inspired poetry, Pagan
folk songs, music, and dancing.
Mercury
enters the "Shadow" period when it first crosses the point of its final
retrograde station. What that means is if Mercury goes back 20 degrees
during its retrograde period the shadow period will begin when mercury first
cross that point. We can think of the full cycle as: Front-end
Shadow, Retrograde, Back-end Shadow. From experience, it is clear that
Mercury-ruled matters start getting weird some time during the Front-End Shadow,
and continue being weird into the Back-End Shadow.
Valkyries' Day (Norse)
This is a day that is sacred to the warriors of air. The
Valkyries can be invoked for protection and guidance as we align our
warrior nature.
Mercury
Shadow Begins
