Yes there are Christian wizards and witches. And it’s a long standing tradition. You can find them anywhere in the world. Even among Protestants. And yet the more conservative branches of Christians are always talking about not using magic.
So as a Christo Pagan I figured I would dedicate this week’s post just to Abrahamic Magic!
Don’t practice witchcraft! Said the old Wizard in his regalia swinging the magic incenseback and forth……
Before I do, let me say this : I am a Christo Pagan. So my views are not 100% the same as others. There are Christian Magicians who absolutely are Monotheist and are even Priests or Deacons in multiple denominations. But they’re monotheist. They wouldn’t agree with most of what I believe.
They would agree with me on the mystical nature of God and his spirit beings. Be they Saints, Angels, or even the nature spirits that some Christian mystics believe in. That goes back to Hebrew culture about mysterious entities in the Earth God created alongside humanity. Not angels or demons but something else entirely. So I do not claim to represent everyone.
Some people mentioned here aren’t full witches per say. They are spiritualists and mediums of the Christian tradition. But I would still call them magic users of some sort. I’m just randomly adding links on here to things and people I find fascinating.
I actually wrote most of this on Sheelah’s Day. And yesterday. I was tired as hell. And I had already posted the random links of the day. So I figured I would wait till today to post this.
Both yesterday and today something interesting happened. I was blessing some idols to hide on the property of the apartment complex. I spent a lot of time in the sun today. I felt a surge of energy around me when I walked outside. Like someone else was laughing and dancing around me.
But from the other side of the veil.
It was one of the elemental spirits I’m friends with here. I mentally wished him a happy Sheelah’s Day. This one was an immigrant spirit. One of the Celtic beings who followed the Irish and other groups into this country. He (or is it an it?) sort of looked like this.
I think it was a male spirit. But one that looked like the Sheelah. I started feeling that odd buzzing in my head. Which usually happens when Fae are tuning into me. It’s kind of how they “talk”.
And I began to remember the post about helping the Fae have a home. But I felt like there was something else that I missed. What did I miss? I asked. I had a lot of signals. And it gave me a headache.
So finally I decided to do an offering of fresh, cold water to a tree. And then I asked them to show me the way. To tell me what it is I needed to know. So I went about the rest of my day doing offerings. And I went to my earth and astrology shrine on the balcony.
I was gifted this white translucent candle box.
There was a large green candle in it originally. A jar candle. But I’m burning that for Queen Asherah, the Great Creatrix. God the Mother, who was renamed “the holy spirit” along with her daughter Sophia. Or Chokmah in Hebrew.
I’ve been doing a major spring ritual for the Great Queen herself. And for her daughter. Then I added Gaia and the Virgin Mary and a whole host of other Goddesses. Mostly to do a massive healing on me after the events of the battle with my last client. And yes I worship Mary as a Goddess.
And the Saints as either ascended spiritual masters (who are ascended dead). Or as Demi Gods. Because I have Catholic readers. And I know a lot of you are gonna get triggered by that. Getting back to my point, I saw the empty candle box.
And I remember the outdoor shrines or saint houses as I call them. That you find outside many households. Not only in Florida, but wherever there is a large Catholic population.
I found this image originally on Pinterest but then I read the caption and saw that it originally came from Crows of Arroyos blog here on WordPress.
I tried using it as a place for Gaia to use as a throne. But she didn’t like it. She let me know that it felt like a prison of sorts. She’s the creator of the Earth. The living source of all nature.
Just like Asherah.
She had no interest in being stuck inside of a glass case. But then it hit me……now I knew what I was missing. All my outside shrines were protecting and giving shelter to spirits. But I forgot to give hospitality to the earthly spirits who visit my balcony. Which leads me to today’s post.
I had written an post titled spirits need warmth and love too. I talked about how the Tuatha Dé Danann were preparing me to truly be a caretaker for the land. By learning from them, I have grown closer to nature spirits of various cultures. As you might remember, I had read a post from the British Faeries blog. About whether or not Faeries feel the cold.
There were many techniques and traditions for doing this. The original tradition, was if a storm came, you had to abandon the main room of your house. Then go to bed early. So that the Fae would have a place to sleep if a storm came in. And they couldn’t get home on time.
The Irish extended their hospitality even to the spirits. The Tuatha let me know that I needed to do something similar. What I learned was that many people would also hang mistletoe over their doors. And the Fae would transform into their energy or spirit forms. And enter the plant.
That would be their resting place until they could reach home.
So the Gods spoke to me. And said I needed to do something like that for the local Fae of the spirits of the Niiji. The native or First Nation people. I knew what to do almost immediately. I cleaned the candle holder.
And I began to add magical prayers to it. A few holy incantations stating that it was now a house for the spirits. Be they Ghosts, Fae, or any other type of spirit who needed a home for the time being. That it was only temporary. Only the Fae who already visited me as well as my spirit guides could stay there permanently.
I had a magical stick that didn’t really fit in with my usual works. I couldn’t use it as a wand. And it didn’t work as a normal totem. It was too wild. But it wanted to come home with me.
So last year I took it. I figured I would find some use for it. I now designated the stick as a totem for the spirits outside. I took a feather from a shrine to one of the Orishas (Yoruba Gods of Nigeria). I promised that I would replace the feather with a new one.
If this God would only lend their ashe (divine grace) to the totem for the spirits outside. The Orisha said yes. I also gave this Orisha a gift as an offering in the meantime. They were very happy. I should state that magic feathers belong to all cultures.
Not just Niiji. It really pisses them off when some white guy wants to learn about,
” their culture and the magic feathers! ”
So this feather I added to the totem was African magic. Because Hoodoo is a mix of different forms of magic and includes some Niiji magic, the Niiji spirits didn’t mind. Yoruba magic uses a lot of magic feathers. Druids too actually. In my research I learned that a lot of Druids made masks and even cloaks from the feathers.
From whatever birds they had in their natural surroundings. So after finishing the incantations I set up the Faerie House.
Gaia and the Faerie Shrine
The thing is, it was pointed out to me that the candle holder would rust. With all my daily water offerings. That’s not counting the rain. So I had to move it away to where there was more shelter. It made sense.
After all this is supposed to be a place where they would be dry if it rains. Also while Gaia is one of the Queens of the Earth, she isn’t Niiji. So I moved the shrine to its own space.
Too many libations, but my plants love that shit. So do the Fae usually
The first of Fruits from trees of the land. The staff of the complex pluck them out of the trees. To have a nice treat. I wrote some things in practical ways to practice religious ritual. I realize now that I wrote a lot about this without intending to.
Clearly someone wanted me to share this. So I put this little section aside. If you want to skip all the lecturing, please do. And move on to the images of the shrine.
Some notes on practical religion
Anyways I put my offerings all inside an old medicine pill bottle. I re-use these bottles for offerings. Such as small fruit. Or even wine or water for libations. Easy to store.
They keep the items fresh. Protect them from bugs. And also protect your nose from the offerings beginning to rot. They fit great with your altars and shrines. And you can carry them in your pocket.
That way when the time comes to place the offerings in nature, you don’t attract attention to yourself. When no one is looking I go to a secluded spot. Usually one of my outdoor shrine-altars. And I quickly toss them out of the bottle to the appointed spot. Then put the bottle back inside my pocket.
Same for liquids like water or wine. Just make sure it’s properly sealed. Pill bottles are more or less for liquids. They can leak. I should also say that you can buy empty pill bottles online at Walmart for $11.95.
They’ll ship it to your house. Of course for me it’s just easier to walk to a Walmart and get it there in person. I think it’s a waste of money (if you pay shipping) and time to wait for the mail carrier to get you the pill bottles. You can also buy labels for your bottles. In this bottle, eye of newt.
In this other bottle, dragon fly tail. And so on and so on. You can also go to the Bottle Store and order any kind of recycled bottles you want. If an offering is too big, use zip lock bags. Again you can order those anywhere.
Don’t make it hard on yourself. You don’t need an infestation of roaches in your property to prove your devotion. My last neighbor who practiced Santeria did that all the time. It was gross. I was the one who introduced them to using sealed bottles and bags.
I was taught to do that by Wiccan friends. They taught me that you don’t need fancy sticks and idols to do practical magic. Some of them used their emails as their “book of shadows” so their families would never find physical copies of them.
The Shrine
These are mostly pictures.
Enjoy!
Shrine wall
The wall of the shrine was decorated by family. I gotta admit they added a nice touch.
This was once an in door shrine. With crystals, semi precious stone, hag stones, regular rocks, and shells I use for magic. They told me they wanted them for their faerie house. I hadn’t realized they were already lining up for the house. Figured I would have to do a ritual or something.
What can I say? They love shiny stuff. And then there was this.
They chose this spot for their house. It took me a while to figure out what they wanted.
It’s a tree house. I practically facepalmed myself to death. Of COURSE they would want a tree house. The pot was once dried, empty earth. It suddenly has little green plants in it again.
I had watered it before to no avail. Originally, my sister had brought a plant that died there. I blessed the poor thing’s soul. Purified the spirit of the plant. They’re using it as a bed to take a dirt nap now.
The above plant is being used by them as another section of house. The candle holder is a house but more like a front door to this complex. They’re telling me they want either animal statues or bones to represent the animal spirits. An image of a dead native person to represent the local indigenous ghosts. Problem with that, is that I have to do some more research.
And I doubt I will find an image of someone from the local First Nations. It’s not like stuff like that grows on trees. Or perhaps there is a traditional representation for ancestors of the Niiji. Particularly Florida’s Miccosukee. But for the moment the immortal spirits of nature have their home.
Today I am doing a special random links of the day, for our friends in the United Kingdom. From England to Ireland. I know the UK is way bigger than that. But I would spend years trying to find something from every square inch of the land. But since I have so many readers from Europe and a few other places I figured I would dedicate this to you.
As a sort of love letter. Some of my favorite Irish and English writers. Or people who aren’t necessarily European but follow a pantheon associated with the United Kingdom in some fashion. But first, I’m happy to share this news with you today! From our friends at History of Ireland,
In the old Celtic calendar, today is Sheelah’s Day. In ancient Ireland, it was an annual festival to honour the fertility Goddess known as Sheela-na-gig. Naked Sheela-na-gig figures appeared in Irish churches constructed before the 16th century, but most were defaced or destroyed during the prudish Victorian age.
According to some sources, the origins of ‘drowning the shamrock’ have also been traced to this date. In the eighteenth century, William Hone reported on the celebrations surrounding Sheelah, who has been variously identified as the wife, mother, or other relative of St Patrick – noting that, the people of the day ‘are not so anxious to determine who ‘Sheelah’ was, as they are earnest in her celebration. All agree that her immortal memory is to be maintained by potations of whiskey.’ At the end of the day, the faithful would then take their shamrocks and drop them into their respective glasses before downing the contents.
(okay so Ostara is technically Germanic rather than from the UK, but the Celts and Germans had a lot in common and many Wiccans and other traditions celebrate Ostara as well)
Happy Vernal Equinox! A Time for Renewal and Celebration of New Life!
As the Equinox arrives on March 20th in the Northern Hemisphere, it marks the beginning of Spring and has long been revered as a time of regeneration and rebirth in nature. This sacred moment brings a harmonious balance of day and night, light and darkness, prompting us to seek balance in all aspects of our lives, including the nurturing of both feminine and masculine energies.
In many ancient traditions, spring is linked with the East direction, where each sunrise signals the dawn of new beginnings. It fills us with renewed optimism, inviting us to embrace fresh opportunities and positive energies. As we emerge from the quiet introspection of winter, it’s a time to kindle our inner light and focus on nurturing the seeds of our dreams and aspirations, ready to blossom into fruition.
Let us commemorate Mother Earth’s renewal and our personal growth by honoring the light within each other, engaging in purifying rituals, lighting candles, making offerings to the Earth, and mindfully appreciating the emergence of new life. Together, let’s celebrate the beauty of new Life!
I consider this to be a companion to the Parentalia. Even though it’s a Greek Holiday. Because while both pantheons are different, they are also inextricably linked to each other. There are even some like me, who worship both Gods and work with them together. Nemesis and Fortuna work especially well with one another.
When this celebration begins, I use it as the beginning of the end of the Parentalia. Like the Parentalia, the dead roam the streets. But, they have something else to add. In the Greek Anthesteria, it’s believed that not only are the dead walking.
They believe that the Guardians of the dead, those spirits and Gods that cross them over, are also among us. Particularly the Keres. The Keres are children of the Goddess Nyx, the Goddess of Night. And Erebus, the God and personification of darkness. Especially the night mist.
The people rejoice and drink of the vine, image from Malvus
This festival is very fun to do. Like the Parentalia, they honored their ancestors. But unlike Parentalia, chthonic Gods could be honored. Dionysus has many underworld characteristics. People often overlook that aspect of him.
But the original Dionysus was called Zagreus. And he was the child of Persephone and Zeus her father. Since Hades couldn’t sire a child, being the embodiment of death and all. He was eventually killed by the Titans in the underworld. Only to be reincarnated as a child of Zeus and Hera.
Dionysus in his cthonic aspect rules this day. And he demands merriment rather than mourning.
On this, the first day of the Anthesteria, we observe the Pithoigia or “the opening of the jars”. Last year’s jars of wine are ceremonially opened. The people ward their doors from evil by smothering tar on the door ways. They chew hawthorn and buckthorn leaves to protect themselves from the shades of the dead. Then, they party.
Everyone, including the slaves, have fun.
Businesses as usual is suspended as in the Parentalia. Everything is topsy turvy. Libations are sacrificed to Dionysus. Spring Flowers decorate the rooms of the home. To invite the spirit of spring.
I also personally think that the flowers are a type or cleansing. Flowers and plants are natural cleansers. Not just medically but spiritually as well. I have been shown floral cleansing rituals. Where a faith healer will arrange a bouquet of roses or other flowers in a home.
The purpose is for the flowers to absorb the bad energy. And release the good natural energy of the earth into the home. This provides both a cleansing and a blessing.
The flowers would decorate all drinking vessels. As well as children older than three years of age. The first and last day of the festival were both considered bad luck. Hence all the apotropaic rituals. Expiation rituals were also done.
A libation offered at a symposium, image is from a red-figure cup ca. 480 BC
For those who don’t know, expiation is a type of ritual, sometimes involving a sacrifice. It’s where a person will do a ritual to remove sins. Or sometimes bad luck or bad energy in general. Particularly it’s for the redeeming of sins. In Roman rituals I would say it’s sort of the removal of both bad luck and bad energy.
So by offering to Dionysus and the ancestors as well, we’re in effect protecting ourselves from harm. Other than that, this day is just about relaxing. Having fun. And being with friends and family. A perfect companion to the Parentalia.
The sun is setting outside right now. The rays of warmth leave for the night. And while it isn’t chilly in Florida right now, one can sense a feeling of foreboding if you pay attention. The shadows seem extra long this year. Is it a new influx of souls?
Maybe it’s from all the new dead we had from this year and last year already. It actually feels more like Halloween in this Parentalia than it did in October last year. So with that, I wanted to share with you a Roman Ghost Story. It was an event recorded by Ovid in his Fasti.
And allegedly it actually happened. This was one of those few times I was genuinely surprised with a new nugget of knowledge. I had never heard of this account before. This came from one of the articles I used to write my post on the Parentalia. It records an uprising by the dead in the festival due to neglect by the people.
I had never heard of this before. But it makes sense. Even good ghosts, can get pissed off. I was inspired to write my own ghost story. I wrote it as if were a legend.
And I call this story…….
~ The Mournful Wail ~
Open the door boy!
The people ran in fear. Even the drunkards and the homeless on the streets ran for shelter. Sealing themselves up in government buildings that had been shut closed for the festival of the parents. The screams of the Romans filled the night all over their city. The Ancestors rose from the tombs at nightfall.
Their anger were like waves of heat in the night. The air was filled with their angry voices. Can you imagine that? An endless throng of shades rising up to haunt the living? Some of them were the military dead.
Arisen to haunt their comrades for forgetting their votive offerings. Some were citizen dead. Most were spirits. Strange confusing creatures. Some were as fog in the night.
Others were spheres of light. Some were shadows. Others seemed to be like water and fire. And some still appeared as humanoid light without discernible features. They were able to float to the top of houses and wail to be let in.
But that wasn’t the worst of them. The roads were being blocked by legions of the angry dead. Some are even reanimated corpses. For then such things happened. What we once mocked in the taverns as silly stories, were now before our very eyes.
It was nothing to laugh about.
The people couldn’t go back to the temples. They were locked up for the Parentalia. Soldiers were trying to fend off the non-corporeal beings at first. Then upon seeing the ones that brought back their rotted bodies. And soiled themselves.
Families were locking their doors and sealing the windows. Maybe blocking all exists and entries. Preparing as if for an invading horde. And in a way it was. A horde of our own dead.
But now hearken to me. As I tell you the tale of those brave Romans who fought off the hordes. And saved their city.
Behold, there was once a well known family of farmers. In the countryside they tended to horses and other animals. And were well known to be hard workers. The father Claudius and his wife Aelia were well known for their charity. They even allowed the poor without homes to work in the fields for them for money.
With time their small farm became a mighty latifundium. And they shared all that they had. Not forgetting their humble beginnings. Not wearing fancy clothing as many of the higher classes did. Just the night before, they thought that their worst problem was the war.
And now they and they workers were sealing themselves up in their own home. Closing every single opening.
Why? Why did we waste so much time with war, They were thinking. Why didn’t we pay attention to the ancestors?
The workers and children could hear the animals screaming outside. They didn’t have enough room for all of them. The children began to cry. Claudius, Aelia, and their workers lit candles and torches. And began to illumine the darkened corners of their rooms.
When they were interrupted by a deep, sharp, knock on the front door. And what they heard was both terrifying and disheartening. A terrible wailing.
The terrified household hid behind Claudius. The Paterfamilias (father of the family). After all, the head of all families are the Priests of this festival. The Paterfamilias was putting on a strong face for his family. When another long, sharp, knock hit the door.
And a mournful voice spoke through the cracks. The household could tell someone, a woman, had been crying. Claudius spoke in a stern voice.
“Who dares disturb our rest this night?”
Aelia was not pleased that he spoke. The priests of the temple often warned of the dangers of speaking to strange spirits. Even speaking to your own ancestors could become dangerous if not done properly. He had not long to wait for the answer.
“Claudius, let me in my son. I am so cold. And so hungry,”
Claudius went pale as if all the blood had been spilled from his body. Everyone else in the house is stunned into silence. Even the animals outside can not bare to make noises now.
“Claudius,” she speaks again, “Why did you forget me this year? Why did you make no offerings of bread and wine? Was it too much for you to even visit?”
Claudius couldn’t believe what he was hearing. But it was real. The workers and his family can hear it too. It was his dead mother. He had not heard that voice for many years.
It was a voice he had missed for so long. A voice that once comforted him as a child. He tried to remember the lullabies that she taught him. The ancient magical spells she would sing to protect him. Why hadn’t he paid more attention to the customs?
All he had before was faith that such things could be. What he had behind that door now was truth. A truth more frightening and more terrible than any of the legends could describe.
“Claudius!”, now a deeper voice spoke. And a more aggressive knock assailed the door. “Open up boy!” Thevoice was far deeper. It was a man. A man who had a stone cold heart in life.
Unforgiving.
He had died when he was just 17. But even on his death bed, he never lost his spiteful tongue. His venom and contempt for life. His stern voice. A voice that demanded to be respected.
Or else. But his father’s old voice when he was alive, was gentle compared to this one. It was the voice of vocal chords that had long rotted past their use. The voice of something that should not have been able to speak. The voice of a spirit reunited with it’s dead body.
It suits him, Claudius thought. He was barely a human when he was alive.
It brought out the venom and bile of his soul more than his old voice did. He wondered how long it would take the Vigiles Urbani to come to their aid. Then he cursed at his own stupidity. The watchmen were probably busy dealing with their own angry ancestors. Another, louder knock hit the door,
“Boy, I have commanded you to open this door…. now,”
The children openly cried now. They no longer tried to be silent. They held onto their mother’s legs for support. And she began to hush them. And place her protective hands on their shoulders.
Aelia was frightened at first. But then she closed her eyes. Took a deep breath. And centered herself. She laid a gentle hand on her husband.
And calmed his tremors. Claudius hadn’t even realized he was shaking before. Or that his eyes had shed tears. She looked deeply into his eyes. He’d always been confident in all that he did.
Perhaps too confident sometimes. But right now the person standing before her seemed as a frightened child. Her heart sank at this. The voices outside kept wailing louder. The winds howled with their voices.
Then she gently squeezed his arm. “Claudius”, she said. That back into himself. As if by art of magic. He gazed into his wife’s loving eyes.
He knew without words what she was saying. She was saying, I believe in you Claudius, now believe in yourself. He smiled at her. He felt his inner strength returning.
“Daughter in law!”, the voice outside screamed. “Let us in Now! Your Paterfamilias commands it!”
Claudius who before was frightened, was now angry. Angry that his household was under attack. Angry at himself and all the other men of the city who had told their wives that they had to focus on the war effort. Rather than taking care of their ancestors. Angry that these people he had taken in from the streets, and now his own family, were in danger here.
And finally, angry that his father insulted both him and his wife. Screaming out commands as if he were still in charge and they were the children.
“Silence! I am the Paterfamilias. Not you. You are nothing but a shade of the dead. With a sour tongue and empty threats. And I as Priest of this household, Adjure you by the Gods to be silent,”
The wailing and the wind stopped. The animals outside began to make their noises again. Silently, but calmly. Aelia was always a lot more spiritual than he was. She was the one who often stayed in the temples after every celebration.
Asking questions about the nature of life and death. And how to protect oneself from the spirits. If I survive this, I will strive to be as spiritual as she he said to himself. Something she had told him once stayed in his mind. That every believer is a priest in their own right.
And if you command the spirits, they must obey.
“My family,” he spoke addressing the workers as much as his own blood family, “We must treat them as if they were Larvae (evil ghosts). Go and get the pots and the pans. And begin banging them and making noises all night. Light the torches using carmen (spells). To make the fires holy.
And place them in every corner we can,”
“Where will you go?” Asked Aelia. “To fetch black beans for the rite of expiation,”
Aelia understood now. They performed this ritual in the month of Maius every year. Not the month of Februa. But right now they needed help. The men broke into two groups, one group began banging the pots and pans.
And screaming at the ghosts to leave now. The other, kept the doors and Windows sealed while the Paterfamilias did his work. Aelia began to light the torches. Using a carmen or charm over each of them. Consecrating them as best as she could.
She may not be the father of the family, but she’s still the mother. And she knows much from her priests. Then came Claudius. He studied the door frame. And he noticed a crack, large enough to throw things outside.
First he took salt and then seeds that he had blessed with prayers to Lupercus. And he said,
“Accept these offerings my Parentes, accept them and be comforted, and depart from us,”
He slowly threw the salt and seeds outside of his front door. Little by little he chanted the carmen. His living family made the house inhospitable to the spirits. This would serve a double function. He would comfort the shades and feed them.
But they would bless the inside of the estate and banish the spirits. So as not to encourage them to stay. Outside he heard a sickening sound. It was of long tongues, licking the salt and swallowing the seeds from the floor outside. The fetid stench of those long dead mouths filled the air.
And it crept through the same cracks in the door. Aelia wished she could burn the sacred herbs. But refrained from doing so. It was not proper to do this in the time of the dead. Claudius understood what his wife was thinking and said,
“Use lavandula infused lustral waters. And wash the floors in the name of Lupercus,”
Aelia smiled. That was the Claudius she knew. Always quick on his feet. She ran to the herbs, took lavandula, and broke them into pieces. She heated the water to strain their essence into it.
Lavandula as you know, is sacred to the people of Rome. It could break curses. And ward off evil spirits. But it was also a sweet smelling herb. It would serve the purpose of consecrating the floor to protect them.
And the smell would blot out the stench of the corpses outside their door. Albus and Alba, their children, looked at what they were doing and had an idea. They would would do the same thing.
“Go get a sprig of unbroken lavandula,” said Albus, “I’ll prepare the water,”
Alba made her own aspergillum. Like the priests. Except the priests use a stick with horsehair to cast aspersions of sacred water. This would have to do. They made their own lustral water.
Copying what their mother had done, Alba and Albus started flicking the waters at the animals outside. Like her father, she used the cracks in the back doors. Begging Lupercus who is lord over all animals, to protect their livestock. The animals started getting quieter. Calmer.
But whatever was out there began to moan in pain. They didn’t like the blessed waters. Whatever was back there scaring the livestock, started to leave. The adults smiled. Not bad for common worshippers.
They would make it through the night. But it would not be easy. The formless shades were flying near the top of the estate. Hovering above them. And creatures who had ensouled their corpus outside the door.
They could hear them outside. Hungrily devouring salt, and pieces of blessed seeds. Now accompanied by small pieces of bread. They long stopped wailing and speaking. The great mob of the dead grew larger.
He cursed under his breath in Latin. The offerings were attracting the other dead. But he couldn’t stop now. Suddenly, he heard a voice from one of the other houses.
“Claudius! Aelia! Can you hear me?”
It was their neighbor Marcellus.
“Marcellus, we hear you!”
He shouted from their door.
“The dead stopped assailing the rest of us. Why are they going to you?”
“Listen very carefully,” said Claudius. “I need you to write down these instructions. And pass it on to our other neighbors. Because I can not keep this going for long,” he stopped as the dead began to complain that he was taking too long.
“I the Paterfamilias adjure you, silence! Or I will cease my offerings,”
Now they all quieted. He began again slowly. And he told Marcellus what he and his family were doing. How they were both warding off the dead and feeding them. He told Marcellus they can keep it up for a longer period of time.
But he needed him to send instructions to the rest of his neighbors of how they could replicate this. Marcellus wrote everything down. And one by one he began to shout to the neighbors. Eventually making a hole in his roof and standing atop a ladder to shout it to everyone at once. He instructed them to also make holes and listen to him speak.
It was safe now, as the formless phantoms from above were at the Claudius and Aelia’s estate. Just one time he was able to give them all the instructions. One by one, each Paterfamilias and their households began to first bless and consecrate their homes as Claudius had done. And then prepare blessed offerings and carmens for the dead. Since Claudius had drawn all the attention to his land, they were able to open their doors and leave offerings on the roads instead.
They screamed to the dead that their offerings were there. In large groups all at once, they began to file out of Claudius’ door way. The Phantoms above too began to leave. Until only his parents and other ancestors were there. That was still too many.
But it was old Marinus who had the best idea. He instructed the Paterfamilias of each household to prepare a large bonfire away from the houses down the roads. They would have to work fast. And exit their homes via the posticum. And take whatever they could find to perform one mass carmen.
They would enchant the fires and command the shades to appear before the flames. And the holy flames would provide them with both warmth and sustenance. And when they had their fill, they would be adjured to depart from the living. Back to their tombs for the night. Because Marinus himself had come up with this idea, he was chosen as the “high priest” for the event.
The old man had no idea how he was going to do this himself.
“You can do it Marinus,” shouted his neighbor Livia. “I know you can,”
Suddenly, Marinus was filled with courage. And more ideas formed in his mind. He exited his own posticum first. Luckily, the old man had the bad habit of collecting things. Like sticks and old dried leaves.
They would be perfect for the fires. He had chanted a carmen over them. Then he was surrounded by the other men.
“Let us begin,” he said.
They began to pile up the wood. Each of them had offerings for the dead they would toss inside once the fire was started. One of them took a blessed torch from the inside of the house to light the bonfires. One by one they began to make sacred fires. Marinus told them,
“Build the fires. I will chant the carmens by myself at first,”
As each of them built other fires away from the neighboring houses, he began to call the dead.
“I call you di Parentes, of all Rome, congregate here before the flames and accept these offerings on behalf of all your people”
He hoped this carmen would be strong enough to attract all the dead everywhere. Vestal virgins were supposed to be doing a collective offering for all the dead. So he asked for just a single virgin to appear, someone young. And from one of the houses, a child of no more than thirteen came to assist him. To pray to Vesta to bless her even though she was not consecrated.
The girl swore in prayer to become a Vestal when all of this was over. If she would just help her now. As the old man summoned the dead, the girl spoke a carmen as she sacrificed the offerings into the fire.
“These old clothes we sacrifice to you. To clothe you in the afterlife. This fire be blessed by Vesta to feed you warmth. These pieces of food and wine we throw into the fire to bless the flame with substance for you,”
She continued drawing on divine inspiration to do this. As Marinus commanded more and more of the dead there. More bonfires were lit. “Come girl,” he said. “This fire is blessed enough for them.
Now we need to do the same for the others,”
They took the rest of the offerings to the second bonfire. And she repeated the ritual. Feeding the flame with blessed offerings for the dead. They did this until all the bonfires, were blessed. And she commanded that the fires should become a common sacrifice for all of Rome.
All of Claudius’ ancestors had now left. They were all by the bonfires. Drinking in the warmth as if it were food. Marinus and the girl had realized all they needed were small offerings to bless a fire. So they began to ration them out to each of the bonfires.
More fires were made. And Aelia had an idea.
“Claudius, join the other Paterfamilias in this work. Take the men with you. The children and I have work to do,”
Claudius raised a brow at this but did not press her for details. The men left. And Aelia, Albus, and Alba had knocked on every single door. And told the women and children, to prepare sprigs of lavandula and vessels of lustral water. The children would also take pots and pans to make noise.
And little by little they all began to make a large enough noise to frighten the dead away. They began to cast aspersions of lustral water everywhere. Blessing the roads and outside of each domūs to create a sanctum. Although the Paterfamilias usually did this next part, the women took bags of black beans. And then began to pellet the dead who tried to linger.
And cast the carmen together,
“Haec ego mitto; his redimo meque meosque fabis,”
(I send these; with these beans I redeem me and mine)
The Lemurian exorcism rite. Driving away the angry and dark dead. This made the spirits of the ancestors uncomfortable. When they had gained enough energy from the bonfires, they slowly left. Returning to their tombs.
They had to be careful. Some of the dead were tricky. They tried to stay behind. So the women and children began to investigate every dark corner, every crevice. And secured the areas.
But the formless dead still hovered in the air above their homes. Livia had an idea.
“Let us tie sprigs of lavandula to each place we have cleansed. To ensure the dead do not return to these places,”
Aelia thought the idea inspired. When they had finished warding all of their properties with fresh new carmens, they sent the children back to each domūs. And instructed them to continue making noises. And only to answer the doors if they saw that it was them. The children decided to have one child bang the pots in the house.
And another up a ladder through the holes in the roof. In order to keep watch. And communicate among themselves. Their mothers approved and they did this. Then the children atop the ladders asked for sprigs to be thrown to them.
And using them as scepters, they pointed to the shades above. One child invented a carmen for all of them to say.
“Lupercus, by these sprigs, cast away the shades, send them away!”
As the dead exited the streets, they thanked the living for their offerings. Claudius and Aelia decided to expand to the rest of the city. One by one they recruited whole families to join them. They gave bigger and bigger offerings. And as the hours of the night passed, the dead departed to their tombs again.
The shapeless entities began to screech. And one by one, they flew away. Made uncomfortable by the great carmen spoken by the children. It took long hours of the night before they reached the Vigiles Urbani. When the watchmen heard what they were doing, they quickly sprang to action.
They sent word to all the politicians. To the priests and high priests, and to the Legions. With their help they had finished before dawn. And then began to ward the inside and outside of the city with not just with lavandula or other herbs. But with special amulets blessings of lustral waters.
The entire city was warded now. The boundaries and other liminal spaces strengthened. Cleansings and blessings for Lupercus were given. The Luperci, Lupercus’ priests had apparently already done something similar to all of them. Chasing the dead away with aspersions of blessed waters.
But they had not thought to do the offerings. They were going to wait till daylight. They were all exhausted. But none of them slept. Instead, all the families, even the children, went to the tombs outside the city.
And gave homage to their ancestors. As had all the families of Rome that day. And at nightfall, there was only peace. Never again sense, had anyone doubted the old ways. Not forgotten their dead kin.
– Finis –
I have dedicated this story to a friend. I won’t mention his name out of privacy. He’s a good man. A great writer. And above all, a brother.
Good night my friends, sleep tight. Don’t let the dead ones bite,
As of yesterday, Tuesday the 13th of February the feast of Parentalia and the Lupercalia began. And today is the feast of Saint Valentinus. We got a lot to cover so let’s get started.
– The Lupercalia ~
Lupercus himself
The three day Roman festival of the God, Lupercus. Every year I honor him by doing spring cleaning in my home. In his name, I wash the floors of the home with holy water. And I clean out things I no longer need.
Contrary to popular belief, Lupercalia had nothing to do with “pagan sex orgies. The entire holiday, was dedicated to Lupercus. In Greek religion he is often compared to Lycaean Pan or “wolf Pan”. Pan in his lupine form. Of course not everyone agrees they are the same person.
That’s not a debate I am going to have here.
Rites of the Lupercal
Married women led by Cupid toward the Luperci, the Priests of Lupercus
Lupercus is the wolf incarnation of Faunus. A God similar to Pan. During his month of Februarius, he takes the form of Lupercus to drive out the winter spirits. Specifically shades of the dead. As winter for many cultures is said to be the time of the dead.
The Luperci (brothers of the wolf) the priests of Lupercus, would perform purification rituals for the community. They would use holy water to wash clean all floors and homes. Aspersions of water were used to purify and drive away the dead. And the other spirits that appear during winter. Send them back where they belong.
The brothers of the wolf would wear wolf masks.
Romulus and Remus fed by Lupa the she wolf
Some rituals included remembering Romulus and Remus, the twin brothers who founded Rome. And were raised by the she wolf Lupa. Also known as La Lupa Capitolina (the capitoline she-wolf). She’s very popular in Roman culture as a totem of Rome. The Luperci would go to the Lupercal.
Which is said to be the cave at the southwest of the Palatine Hill. Legend says that this is the cave where Lupa was feeding her milk to the twins. Before the shepherd Faustulus found and adopted them. In the Lupercal, the sacrifices of animals were done for the honor of Lupercus and the twin heroes. Usually goats or dogs.
The one and only thing that I could find that sounded like it was “sexual” was a fertility rite.
So in this picture you see an image on the right of men I assume are supposed to be the Luperci. They don’t have the special masks but whatever. The point is just like the more accurate picture, you see them with thongs called Februa which were cut from the flayed skin of sacrificed animals. This is spoken of in the Topography of the Lupercalia by Dr. Krešimir Vuković. The classicist, ancient historian, and philosopher.
Apparently it was believed that if they slapped a woman on the wrist with the februa, pregnant women were protected during child birth. And women that were sterile, would conceive children. That’s it. Yes it was playful because the priests ran around naked and hit anyone they could. It was a fun festival.
And a bunch of people got hit with those februa. But no sexual acts were performed. Let alone “orgies”. This was a holiday for spring cleaning and spiritual cleansing. And a holiday for blessing people.
This holiday goes on for three more days. Ending on the 15th. The reason people mistakenly believe it’s connected to St. Valentine is due to a coincidence. His day just happens to be in the middle of the Lupercalia. But it is not a christianized holiday.
And the original holiday was not about sex orgies. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. No kink shaming here.
The Feast of St. Valentinus/San Valentino/Saint Valentine
Sometimes he’s portrayed as clean shaven. Other times as bearded like right here. I decided on bearded. I’m not going to add the whole history of this man here. Because we have a lot to cover.
I will say that he’s a mystic saint. And he’s actually really good to call upon in magic. For a variety of things. Including,
– Beekeeping
– And all Diseases, including mental disease, epilepsy, and fainting
-Couples especially those are either married or betrothed to be married this also includes love and happiness in marriage
– And Lesbians!
No, it’s not what you think. Lesbos or Lésvos is an island in Greece. So the Lesbians here, are the people of Lésvos. He’s their patron Saint.
Valentinus healing a man afflicted by epilepsy
So here’s a short story about why he’s associated with love. This small history comes from the History of Ireland (Stair na hÉireann) blog.
“There are many versions of the Legend of St Valentine. But a few things are known. That he was a priest martyred (as in beheaded) on 14th February. In either 269 AD or 270 AD by the Roman Emperor Claudius II. Also known as Claudius the Cruel.
Among Valentine’s crimes was secretly marrying Christian lovers.
Claudius, being a sexist as well as a tyrant, decided that those pesky women were the reason he was having so much trouble getting soldiers for his armies. His reasoning was that men didn’t want to leave their families, wives, or girlfriends to go to war. (Apparently it never occurred to him that they might not be all that willing to die for an emperor they detested.) So his solution was to ban engagements and marriages. An edict Valentine, who had a warm place in his heart for all lovers, ignored.
Many churches claim to be Valentine’s final resting place. Including the Carmelite Church on Whitefriar Street in Dublin. According to the story told there, the Saint’s remains were given to Father John Sprat by Pope Gregory XVI. And a shrine still exists there today,”
Let’s forget the fact that his feast is almost completely about love and couples. It adds to the chthonic energy already present. Because a Saint is a dead spiritual master. A member of the Mighty Dead. So that adds to the ancestral power of all three of these festivals.
Plus him being an occultic saint, with mystical powers just adds more magic to the next few days. Finally, the Parentalia.
Dies Parentales (days of the ancestors) The Parentalia
Image taken from Novae Romae (New Rome)
The Parentalia officially started today at 12pm. When this happens, all images of the Gods must be covered. Beginning February 13, it begins a nine day festival dedicated to the ancestors. The Roman people truly revered their ancestors. Almost as much as the Gods.
Most ancient cultures were like that. In our modern world, most of the faiths and communities have abandoned their ancestors. Even the more modern witches are like that for the most part. I was. It took me a while to learn that the spirits must be honored. And not just human spirits or your relatives.
During the Parentalia, there is no worship to the Gods. All reverence goes to the ancestors. All of them. The first part of the ritual was to be done in public.
The Tomb of Tarpeia
From Wikipedia, Tarpeia the betrayer she betrayed Rome to the Sabines, and they betrayed her in turn
Tarpeia was the daughter of an ancient Roman commander. She was a Vestal virgin. But she was far from holy. She betrayed her own people to the Sabines. Believing that she would receive jewelry payment, she not only betrayed the other virgins to the Sabines.
She actually opened the gates for them to enter the city. When they came in, instead of paying her, they killed her slowly. By crushing her with their own shields. Then tossed her body off of a rock. Which to this day is called the Tarpeian Rock.
The very first part of the Parentalia, was to go to the tomb of Tarpeia. And give an offering to the collective di parentes (dead of the family). On behalf of all of Rome. Traitors and criminals were also ceremonially thrown off the same rock her body was tossed off of. This was seen as a collective sacrifice.
The Mānēs or spirits of the dead, were given offerings at the familial tombs outside the city. Wine soaked bread was one of the most favored offerings. Garlands, salt, sprinkled corn, violets, and wheat was also acceptable to them. Which is kind of weird because salt normally repels the dead. But then again, using spices from the kitchen to feed certain spirits is well documented. The Paterfamilias (father of the family) or head of the family, acted as a sort of high priest of the family.
The Paterfamilias leading the family in veneration to the ancestors, to the far right of the picture you can see the ancestor shrine with small figurines of them
Performing these rituals on behalf of everyone’s ancestors. Presumably I assume that would also mean the mother’s side of the family. But I wasn’t able to find any info online about that. According to the Alchetron site,
” From Parentalia to Caristia all temples were closed, marriages were forbidden, and ‘magistrates appeared without their insignia,’ an indication that no official business was conducted. William Warde Fowler describes the Parentalia as ‘ practically a yearly renewal of the rite of burial,‘ “
Lighting lamps at the tombs was also a good offering for them. So the practice of burning candles to the dead is actually older than we think. For all we know, the church may have adopted such practices from our Pagan ancestors. Every family had their rituals to their dead in secret. And while they did visit family shrines, they also had household shrines.
When they didn’t visit the familial tombs, they would use a red brick as a makeshift street shrine. And leave food offerings there. The dead weren’t just in the tombs. They would wander the streets and re-visit the living world as well. The living also visited the dead in their tombs to have picnics.
From History and Archeology Online,
It reminds me of modern traditions today. With the day of the dead in Mexico. American families who prepare banquets at wakes of their loved ones. Or Southern Appalachian and Liberian families who go to the cemeteries every Decoration Day. Which is the original holiday memorial day was based on.
This is a time of personal meditation. Of contemplation and self reflection. We meditate on our ancestors. On their effects on our lives. This festival is for quiet contemplation.
Trying to reconstruct this feast is hard sometimes. For one thing, the original opening rituals and prayers were done by vestal virgins. And while I have a good relationship with Vesta, I am neither female nor virgin. But I work with gatekeeping and liminal magic a lot. So I explained to her a long time ago, that while I am not a consecrated virgin I wanted to work with her for special prayers.
She accepted. The Gods are reasonable. And they can be flexible with those who love them. The next problem I encountered was I am not in Rome. This is clearly a Roman religion.
Based on the country side and cities. I am no where near the tomb of Tarpeia. So instead I used a shrine to Janus, the God of the double doors. I won’t say where it’s located. But I also use it as a public vault of the dead.
For dead neighbors. But also Roman departed. And random ghosts who roam the streets and need a home can live there. I also have buried dead animals there. Even nonhuman spirits (faeries mostly) who associate with the dead live there.
Especially those who protect the dead.
I usually offer a roasted chicken. But any dinner left over is given to them. Steak, fish, etc..even vegetables and bread. Recently I started leaving them cookies. When all else fails, libations of water, fruit juice, and wine or brandy.
In traditional practice this was an initial offering for all of the dead. And then you focused on just yourself. Problem is, not all neighbors honor their dead. Even in Florida, with all the Santeros and other groups, most people are still in Christian churches. And they have the belief that the dead are fine and don’t need help.
That they’re automatically with God. That they are “protected by Christ”. All this despite the fact that Christian, Jewish, and Muslim lore all mention ghosts. And souls that need help. Or worse, they don’t believe at all.
Which is bad for their poor ancestors who need that love and support in the afterlife too. So my modern practice is split into three : Offerings for the Living, immortal spirits (non humans) to help the dead out. Offerings for the public dead which is everyone. Which I do outside at special shrines. And finally personal offerings at home for my own dead.
Because they do like to have their own rituals done for them. So I honor pretty much any spirit who needs the help right now. And I do it for the community. Sometimes talking to them is sad.
They tell me how much they wish their own relatives would help them. But they’re grateful for any help they can get. So I try to go all out for them. I give them feasts. I give them offerings and spirit homes.
The offerings were done daily. And it served a dual purpose. One was to strengthen the blood bond between ancestor and descendant. Specifically the protective powers of the ancestor. And second, it’s an Apotropaic ritual to drive away enemies of the family.
Be it a spirit or a human. Or even disease and bad luck. It ends at midnight in the 21st of February. On the ending feast known as the Feralia. There’s a bunch of stuff that has to do with holidays that end this day.
But for now that’s about it. But first one final thought.
Astrological Forecast
PlutoMars
Finally, we have a new astrological update from Lynn Hayes. Mars (God of War) enters Aquarius (Water Bearer) on February 13th (Tuesday). The union of fire and water. Perfect for a Dragon. And then immediately joins with Pluto (God of the Underworld).
Which increases the power of this chthonic time. From Lynn herself,
Now that’s just part of what she said in her newsletter. But I thought it bared mentioning. Seeing as this is a conjunction of the Gods Mars and his uncle Pluto. Happy Parentalia, Lupercalia, and Saint Valentinus day!
First we start with the predictions of Geomancer, Master Joseph Chau. I tend to agree with his divination more so than others. He said that in terms of economics, this year is a mixed bag. He says that,
“Industries such as construction, real estate, information technology, and restaurants are poised for growth, while others, including banking, tourism, and trading, may face challenges,”
He warns against not just political conflict, but personal conflict. Including backstabbing and jealousy. What really caught my attention was this part,
“Health-wise, attention is drawn to respiratory issues, digestive problems, and potential accidents involving cars and airplanes. Natural catastrophes such as typhoons, floods, fires, and earthquakes are also predicted in various parts of the world,”
If you recall, in the New Year’s Report the Santeros warned of diseases of the lower body this year. The stomach mostly. In fact, almost immediately I’ve noticed a rise in stomach issues among women particularly. As well as womb issues. Also in Florida, we have non stop had airplane accidents.
Just yesterday another plane fell. Now I can always say, “well it’s the crappy infrastructure Florida has now,”. But this slightly goes over the top. So infrastructure aside, I wouldn’t even get on a private jet right now. In fact, the plane that fell yesterday in the middle of the road was a private jet.
So far it seems the spiritual people of the world are on track. The rest of his article is an explanation by him of what this year means for your zodiac sign. So just click on his name above. And you will be able to access the article. Next is is Tsao-Lin Moy.
She’s the founder of various spiritual businesses. And is very well versed in religion and metaphysics. She says that the element of wood will effect all the zodiac signs. So no matter what your primary element is, it will be effected by Wood. She says,
“Wood is the element of Yang. It is the energy of spring, of reaching toward the light while deepening roots into the soil. The Wood element is associated with the liver and gallbladder and relates to planning and execution. A sign of vitality and vibrance, Wood is responsible for the smooth flow of Qi or Chi (circulating life force) and blood within the body. When emotions are out of balance, Qi does not flow and there is stagnation.
If left untreated the results are irritability, anger, and poor decision-making.
Dragons tend to have careers where they can share, articulate, and express their wisdom. Generally healthy, they run the risk of running fast and running on adrenal fumes. The ‘fire’ in their bellies can manifest as stomach and digestive issues such as acid reflux. Drained resources can lead to problems with circulation and body aches, while poor sleep can result in impatience, moodiness, and melancholy for Dragons.”
I would also like to add, that such a stagnation would cause health problems in anyone. If this is true, that would explain a lot. Such as why so many people are getting lower abdominal diseases. The ones that we were forewarned about. The root chakra which is our spine, legs, bones, pretty much our power body, is where our chi comes from the earth.
It’s how our life force gets into our bodies. So now we know a lot more about what’s happening this year. It makes sense why we need to focus on water. In order to feed the earth element. Water is often seen as our life force as well as the Earth.
The running on fumes adds another explanation. It means we’re overusing our chi and burning ourselves out. Because the Dragon influence of this year drives us.
“Dragons are Yang in nature; enigmatic, intelligent, spiritual & wise. Dragons are curious. They’re independent thinkers and love to gather knowledge. Apropos of this, the symbol of the Dragon holds the Pearl of Wisdom. They have intense focus; setting goals they will dive deep into a subject gaining expertise and mastery.
Above all Dragons value intelligence, wisdom, and loyalty. Dragons don’t tolerate stupidity and can be unforgiving if cheated. Never try to manipulate or trick a Dragon.”
She advises that we balance the energy of the Dragon (Yang) with the Earth (Yin). Because then you could use the combined energy to enhance your prosperity. And anything else you want to accomplish. You don’t need a ritual for that. Just your will and focus.
Though a good ritual wouldn’t hurt. Her final recommendations are as follows,
“Use your divine wisdom to make health a priority. Pay attention to hunger pangs; eat at regular intervals, chew slowly, and don’t skip meals. A springtime liver detox can clear out metabolic waste. While meditation may not be appealing to Dragons, breathing exercises and sound baths are great for Dragons. Taper excess caffeine and other stimulants that interrupt sleep. Consider substituting dandelion, burdock, and stinging nettle teas for coffee,”
For her forecasts on what happens via your zodiac sign go here.
From the Flying Stars Website,
You can read the rest of their prediction here. I don’t want to take away from their website. You can just read it there. Next we have the Paht Chee Forecast for 2024 – Year of the Wood Dragon. And again, we are seeing the same thing from the Letters of the year (in my new year’s report), pop up in Chinese Feng Shui.
Next we have the The 24 Mountains Stars of 2024. The Mountain Stars are powerful in Feng Shui. Click the link above to see what you need to do to increase your luck. Finally, are leaving Period 8. The era of the number 8.
It should also be noted that in Western Numerology, the number 9 is slow, but long lasting prosperity. The Nine Periods each last for 20 years. So it’s time to take advantage of this number and gain our power. But it will also be a more tumultuous period. Possibly marked by Revolutions.
But it’s also a time of prosperity. So it depends on who and what will be effected.
In this Chinese New Year, the world will enter the year of the Wood Dragon. And with it, a massive imbalance in our world. Too much earth, and not enough water. That’s the ruling theme for this year. The world is not being nurtured by water.
Too many dreams are being sacrificed in the name of what we think is practical (a perversion of the earth element). Or what we think is reasonable. And we’re not nurturing each other or ourselves like we used to. Grounding is great. Earth is great.
Earth lends power to all of us. It makes us invincible in any almost situation. Especially battles. The problem is, we have too many battles. Too many of us are stuck in defensive or offensive strikes.
Normally, I would say this isn’t bad at all. Because most of the time, people lead a sedentary life style. Too many are wasting their energy and time on social media. On pleasure. And on feel good stuff.
Especially this time of the year. So I was happy with the more aggressive magma energy of the underworld stirring our world up. More and more people becoming conscious and educated on things they weren’t before. And no longer standing for it. No longer being passive.
But if there’s no water, you’re grounding with desolate earth. And your soul becomes desolate as well. In resisting the cement of the establishment, we’ve all entered overdrive. Even after we broke our selves free (or free enough). I have felt it too.
I don’t think we should stop resisting evil. Far from it. But it’s time to change tactics. We have already used our raw power to break free from sedentary state. From the cement of apathy and ignorance.
Now it’s time to wash what’s left of the cement from our bodies. Gently. To flow with water. Bruce Lee actually talked about this many times.
Yin and Yan
Imbalances are cured through spiritual counter balance. What this means is, spend the first six months of the year meditating only with water. Then, on month 7, you can re-incorporate the Earth. This should balance you out. Ask your spirits how this is to be done.
Something wholesome and loving for the new year
You could also work with spirits of water. Or spirits who are associated with water. Learn to redirect your energies towards nurturing yourself. And your dreams. Just don’t totally lose yourself in the water either.
You don’t want to accidentally create a new imbalance.
The strength of water, is also it’s weakness. It opens up your mind to visions. Which is why Neptune Retrograde is good for spirit work. It even allows you to enter the spiritual world. However, that’s also its weakness.
Too much water, leaves you ungrounded. And then your mind floats the same way the air signs do. When the astrology is ungrounded. So if you notice that water energy leaves you ungrounded like that, don’t wait to re-incorporate the earth. Everyone reacts differently.
Lucky Colors & Their Meanings
According to the flying stars site, the lucky colors of this year are : blue & black (wealth), white, gold, & silver (intelligence), red (support and authority), green (recognition of your talents), and finally yellow (fostering of good allies). Wearing each of these colors is supposed to personally stabilize your energy for this coming year. Next we talk about who the ruling Chinese God of this year is.
The Tai Sui of 2024
General Li Cheng
Every year the Jade Emperor, the Supreme Chinese God, chooses someone from his court to rule that year. He has sixty divine generals. And one of those generals is anointed as the Grand Duke of the planet Jupiter. Jupiter you see, is seen as a planet of wealth and power across cultures. In Rome, Jupiter was the Supreme God.
So this is a very important planet in Astrology. Even astrologies from different cultures. Whatever God or spirit is in charge of this planet, is very important. And obviously very powerful. So it’s important to stay on the good side of whoever will be in charge.
For this year, the being in charge is General Li Cheng.
The sacred direction of the Tai Sui this year is going to be the South East direction of your house. That is the direction where the wood dragon spirit will be. So that direction should be kept quiet at all times. Don’t ever face that direction. Because doing that is a challenge to him.
You should burn incense or candles and leave fruit offerings to both the Tai Sui and the Dragon. Divine with your spirits or ask a specialist on the best way to do this. The sign of the dog directly conflicts with the Tai Sui. So anyone born under that sign will be afflicted. The sheep and ox are afflicted indirectly by the Tai Sui.
Taken directly from the website :
Now that sounds good and all. And it is don’t get me wrong. But there is a down side. One, if the Jade Emperor chose him to rule us this year, that means there is going to be a massive overhaul. Imagine having a forensic accountant audit you.
Making sure that all accounts are balanced. Now this is for our own good. We need balance. And we desperately need to redo how we are living our lives. So that’s a good thing.
And he will give us support.
But remember that a Mercury retrograde is kind of like that too. We have our lives in an upheaval to change something we wouldn’t change on our own. So there’s no telling what kind of upheaval there will be this year. We are being told that good leaders will emerge to rise up and help us. But over all I think you should learn to rely on yourself.
Because for some signs, leaders won’t help at all.
Trouble for Zodiac Signs
Please pay attention. If you were in the following. It comes from the China Highlights.com site.
“Recent/upcoming years of the Dragon are 2024, 2012, 2000, and 1988. If you were born in one of the years, then you are a Rabbit. You will experience your zodiac birth sign year (benmingnian) in 2024, which is considered bad luck,”
So expect the ride to be particularly bad for you. The sign of the Dragon, Goat, Dog, and Ox are also considered unlucky this year. Because they directly oppose the ruling Tai Sui. The luckiest zodiac animals are Monkeys, Roosters, and Pigs. Anyone falling under those signs shouldexperience good luck.
The same article mentions important things you should do on specific dates. And other important tidbits and details you may need. Another important thing I wanted to bring up. There are days that are lucky or unlucky for cutting your hair. Most Westerners don’t know this, but there are days where it is bad to cut your hair.
Why? Because hair is on the crown of the head. And the soul lives in the mind. This is actually a common belief among the ancients. Even in Yoruba religion, we are cautious with who touches our heads. Even barbers, because evil sorcerers and spirits can attack the soul directly through the head.
It’s the chief center of power for the whole body. So evil spirits and certain types of bad or enemy witches, will attack that area first. That’s why you shouldn’t just allow anyone to touch your children. Or you. You don’t know with what intentions they are doing this.
Now, we aren’t going to delve into the intricacies of this. There’s too much information and cultures to cover. This specifically comes from a Buddhist text. Tibetan Buddhist. So every year there is an updated calendar done by Tibetan Buddhist Monks.
These calendars detail exactly when the spiritual essence of a person is weak. So you actually need the extra hair as a natural shield. Cutting it on the wrong day, opens your mind chakra to foreign influences. And bad spirits, who will see you leaking your energy through that chakra. And go after an easy meal.
The good news is, even after a hair cut, it only takes about a day or so for the mind to adapt. It can adapt the flow of its own energy to the new hair length. And as long as you aren’t being attacked that day by someone, you’re good. And the flip side is, cutting your hair on good days brings prosperity. That means you’re opening your soul and mind up to prosperous energies.
Which it will naturally feast upon. The calendar for these days is here.
Now, for positive stuff about your signs. And opportunities you can read this article instead. Now for a mix of good and bad info go there following. This is a Feng Shui Astrology Calendar which means it balances both concepts with the zodiac signs of each person. For some it will be bad.
For others, good. Speaking of good, the normal Feng Shui calendar for this month is extremely good. And this is a normal Buddhist calendar for important spiritual days in January. It tells you who is in charge of what day. And the special kinds of rituals you should do for success.
It’s finally hear! Imbolc! As well as its Christian equivalent, Candlemas or Candle Mass. The Mass of Candles. Just like Imbolc, Candlemas is the best time to bless things. Especially candles. Priests will bless candles with incense and holy water.
To impart special blessings upon the candles.
All Hail the Queen
I use both holidays not only for this, but to bless special charms in general. Currently I am getting ready to bless these.
When these egg shells gain their full power, I’m going to crush them into a powder. In Santeria these powders are called Cascarilla. The blessed egg shell powder is used for a variety of magics. And can even be used as an extra ingredient to empower a spell. Cascarilla is always used for positive purposes.
Like healing. I’ve never heard of them being used for curses.
This year’s Brídeog
I also made my Brídeogor little Brighid. My Imbolc idol for Brighid. As is custom, I walked around the house at sunset. On the day before the Sun entered 15 degrees in the sign of Aquarius (this year the day before was February first). In tradition, a person used a torch to walk around the outside of the home.
I used a lighter instead. It’s easier to hide what I’m doing. In the past I used candles or incense sticks as the torch. With this, I can click the lighter on and off when someone shows up. It still gets the job done.
Although when people see the doll, they freak out.
The bed on which Brighid will sleep tonight
I remember I was caught making a Brídeog a few years ago. Mine are basically poppets that I can make from what’s on the land. Sticks and vines sometimes. It didn’t have a head yet. But as soon as he saw it he turned pale as hell.
I laughed. I couldn’t help myself. Like I said in my last blog post, people assume magic dolls are always going to be for hurting a person. You never ask someone who has a Saint statue if it’s to hurt anyone. Or an image of a man being tortured to death on a cross in clear agony.
Noooooo but those scary ass corn dollies and poppets? It’s El Diablo!
This year I dressed the idol with specific elements. Part of the decorations represented are for Oya. The Orisha (Yoruba God) of storms and winds, the market place, and guide of the dead. She’s also a great warrior. And she brings great prosperity.
Oya’s favorite color is purple. But rainbow colors are also sacred to her. My candle for Oya and the Virgin of Candelaria
It’s said that windy storms, especially thunderstorms, are actually her dancing the skies. She lives in the market place because she loves human activity. So commerce naturally falls under her. However, she’s also the Orisha who can protect us from Iku, the Orisha of Death. And since then, she leads souls to the front gates of all tombs.
Oya’s feast day is the feast day of Candelaria (Candlemas). Which is February 2nd. During this time, Santeria visit cemeteries. And do special offerings to her at the front gates. They also do these things for the honor of the dead.
Asking Oya to bless them.
Then we work with another incarnation of the Virgin Mary. Oya and other Gods were often synchronized with the Virgin Mary. Or other Saints. So when the slaves came, new aspects of the Saints arose. Including a new aspect of the Virgin Mary appeared.
La Virgen de la Candelaria. Or English, The Virgin of the Mass of Candles. Candlemas.
La Virgen de la Candelaria
This African aspect of Mary, is said to be Oya in her Christian disguise. Even the colors seem to point to her. I only half way agree. I think this is the Virgin Mary. But because so many people combined her and Oya together, she took an African form.
Gods often do that when they get adopted into other cultures. And I do see Mary as a Christian Goddess. Not just a Saint. She’s even called “the queen of heaven”. Which is a Pagan title in many cultures for a Mother Goddess.
Mary has often taken different forms across cultures. Appearing as Native, Asian, or in some cases her traditional middle eastern form. So I do a lot of Hoodoo and Santeria during this time. With both her and Oya. Specifically I do a combination of African and Christian necromancy.
It’s a good time to talk to the ancestors. But I’m also talking to the Tuatha Dé Danann.
Brighid and her people, the Tuatha Dé Danann
I am watching shows with Brighid. I put her to sleep now.
The fire of Brighid, doesn’t it sort of look like the sacred heat from Catholicism? Covered Brighid in her own blanket. The Romani woman watches her sleep
And I’m about to recite our favorite poem. Candlemas by Alice Brown. And listen to some Irish poetry. I lit seven candles in honor of Brighid. Two of those candles were for Oya and the Virgin herself.
All in all, it’s been a good day.
Saw this the other day, normally I use regular candles. But this is perfect for OyaThe Tuatha Dé Danann, image from Art Station
I thought I would add it to this little mini article I made. The problem here, is that people always think of Voodoo dolls or Poppets in terms of evil. No one ever talks about their use in white magic or nature magic. For instance, most of the time when I make Poppets, or use African Dolls (not Voodoo, but from Santeria) they are used for religious purposes. For instance, in the feast of Imbolc which is Celtic (Christian Candlemass) we have the Brídeog.
Brídeog is an idol of the Celtic Goddess, Brighid. We make one for her every February. It’s made of straw or corn husks or whatever you can find. And you welcome her spirit by walking around the outside of a house with a Torch. Now in modern times, what I use is an incense stick or a lighter.
Candles are a pain in the Ass. And they attract attention. I sort of flick the lighter on and off. And hide the doll in something while I walk. Then I utter an incantation at the door,
” Bridean, Bridean, thig an nall ‘s dean do leabaidh”
Translation :
” Bríd (Brighid), Bríd, come over and make your bed ”
And then I place her doll near a fake fire place in a makeshift bed. I light seven Candles in honor of her. Because in the old days young women would choose an “Imbolc Queen” from among themselves. And they would wear a stick crown with seven candles in them that were lit. I use the stick holders from burned out incense sticks as the candles at the very top of a Brídeóg or “Little Brighid”.
One of my Brídeóg effigies from 2019
During the Eve before it’s actually Imbolc (for the ancients, midnight was almost always at sunset, not 12am) Brighid was said to inhabit that doll and bring blessings upon the household. Meanwhile the doll actually absorbs all the bad energy out of the home. And then, we go the next day to a body of water like a river or a pond. Or a canal. And we leave the doll at the edge near the water.
She takes the bad things away from us.
During the night of Imbolc, we read poetry to her Doll. And just plain have a really nice time together. Sing songs. Basically it’s a night to relax and enjoy not just spiritual life, but human life. Of course holy fires are important for warding away bad spirits.
Specifically either bonfires or hearth fires. So of course we do our religious worship. But it’s done in a chill way. At least originally it’s like that. Many modern practitioners make a lot of these holidays overly ritualized.
Like even more so than our ancestors did. I suspect it’s the feeling of needing to connect to our higher powers. You could always do the Imbolc celebrations with your children. Imbolc, like Yule was a time of caroling. People went from house to house singing songs.
And begging alms for the poor.
The girls or sometimes boys and girls would carry the Brídeóg in procession while they sang to her. They all wore white with their hair unbound. Afterward, you could feast in your home. The Brídeóg was set in a place of honor, and put to bed with lullabies sang to her. After dinner there would be dancing.
And reading and any activity the family finds enjoyable. Also you have the Imbolc Queen. Where one of the girls would be chosen to wear a thorn crown with seven lit candles in it. You could give all the girls a crown with candles that has been lit but were put out. Also there are arts and crafts activities like making Brighid’s crosses and shields.
Or make Strawboys with hats to accompany Brighid. And straw masks. Basically it’s a day for arts and crafts. You could mold the day to however you like it. I need to point out that this is my research, I am not a Druid.
I do not have the authority to speak. I am a novice in Celtic Polytheism. Do not take my word for it. Take everything, from everyone, with a grain of sand. Cheers,
The following article is one of the best. It’s about how they prepare for the coming of Toshigami. Also called Ōtoshi-no-kami(大年神). His name means “God of Harvests”. And because he was honored on the New Year, the word for harvest, became the word for year.
The Lord of the New Year
I’m doing my own version of the rituals at my home. Well, except for the part about ringing the bells 100+ times to symbolize the “sins of humanity“. Yeah…..I think I’ll ring my singing bell once for the dismal of all bad spirits. As well as the invitation of all good spirits. That should be enough.
All holiday decorations were removed on the 28th of December (the last day you’re allowed to have them by Toshigami). Because he gets offended at things from the old year. It’s like you invited him to your house only to insult him. Which means bad or unclean energy from the old year won’t be removed by him. He may even make it worse.
The house is being cleansed along with my idols. And I’m celebrating the last holidays of the last day of the year. Including the feast of Ossian, the Orisha of Nature and the Mountains. I’m also honoring his companion the God, Aroni. I am also celebrating the Sunday of the Holy Family, St. Sylvester, and St. Catherine Laboure.
And of course the Feast of lady Sekmet. The Goddess of War and Healing. She before whom all evil trembles. In her honor, I’m eating fish with my family. Later I am giving her some dulce de leche wafers since the Kemetan people were fond of sweets and deserts. But the Tuatha Dé Danann let me know they expect SPECIAL offerings given to them.
And they’re telling me they want all the other Gods I worship to receive them equally too. As usual, they humble me. And make me laugh with their bad temper. And good cheer (love you guys). So, I’m going to take my bag of food, and leave it on every shrine for a half an hour or so.
Tuatha Dé Danann
And let them accept the offerings. Infused with my prayers. But also, ask them to bless the offerings with their own particular energy. So they can share the offerings with the spirits when I leave them on the crossroads tonight. This is so that the Crossroads Gods and other Gatekeepers can open the doors at Midnight for us.
Especially Lord Ianus (Janus). The God of the Roman God of the double doors. He guards and protects all doorways. And opens the road for all peoples who serve him. He was also called upon for victory during war.
Since controlling and ruling the doorways also control destiny. I’m also preparing the offerings for all New Year’s Gods of all cultures. So look out for my New Year’s Report. It’s going to be a long article. Watch out for that.
It may take a day or two. Though sometimes I have it done by the very first day. The article on Ōmisoka is here. And here are some amazing Midwinter Meditations by the Druid Teacher, Nimue Brown. One of the two writers of the Druid Life blog.
And here we have the Folklore of New Year’s Eve. By blogger Raven Wood. Blessings to everyone on this new year. I hope it’s no where near as shitty as the past year. But I’m not holding my breath.
By Maranda Wabik
Adventures of A Mage In Miami 