Jaci Goddess of the Moon, Animals & Nature, Lovers, reproduction, plants, night, moonlight, offerings, and maidens. Indigenous Goddess in Brazil.
Well, this post is all about the astrological events coming in these weeks. Including the full moon that is to come. Remember that Mercury Retrograde ends on the 23rd of this month which is only a week away. And the day before the Full Moon. But Juno Retrograde will be with us until August 2nd.
So we have plenty of reaping and fixing of our affairs to do. On the major changes we are to continue doing I suggest reading Lisa Moon cat’s post on the subject. On Juno Retrograde, Jamie from Pandora Astrology has a great video here. And this is a video on the Full Moon. Tomorrow, we have the Summer Solstice.
And the fine people at Paradise Lost made a special edition of their newsletter for it. The feasts for today are the Feast of Summanus which is a chthonic version of Jupiter, King of the Roman Gods. The Jupiter of the night time thunderstorms. Which strangely enough, thunderstorms are being forecasted for tonight here in Florida. It’s also the final feast of the Roman Rosalia, which is the feasts dedicated to dead Roman soldiers.
And finally, the Egyptian festival of Anpu (Anubis) traveling to every necropolis. So this is truly a day for the dead across the spectrums. It makes sense that before the triumph of the Gods of Light tomorrow, the forces of night and death would be stronger today. So give offerings to all your dead at Sunset and stay in doors after that. Make sure you cleanse and clean your house.
Rather than the typical smudging everyone uses, it’s better to cleanse the house first with Myrrh which is a funerary incense. This is to take away all impure energy from your home. All bad luck, all the stuff you want to get rid of. And finally, bless and charge the house with Frankincense which is a solar incense. Dedicate your home to the Gods of Lights.
Replace and recharge your wards. And place imagery of the Gods of light everywhere in your home. Even a simple cross will do since it’s both Christian and Pagan imagery. It can be used to bring the light and conquer the darkness. I hope you enjoy these links and that they are of some benefit to you.
Karkinos, the Giant Crab given immortality by Poseidon or Hera depending on the Legend. In the more anglicised version, his name is Crios.
Now normally, when July comes around, most people don’t view it as a dark time. Most people think of the scorching heat of the sun. But if you have been reading my studies and my weird little exploits then you know I am not most people. For starters, in the Ryukyuan Islands of Japan, the entire month of July is their version of Ghost Month. If you don’t know the story behind that festival, you can read about it here :
But this Month has started out cthonic even astrologically. Both monday and tuesday start out with a New Moon. New Moon’s are considered the time of the dead and times of bad luck in Hinduism. Tuesday also has a solar eclipse in the sign of cancer. The day after the new moon in the old Roman calendar is the Nones which is dedicated to the dead and considered a bad luck day.
On the 7th of July (Sunday) we have Mercury going into retrograde which now joins Saturn, Pluto, and Jupiter in their retrogrades. Then on the 16th of July (Tuesday) we have a Lunar Eclipse in the sign of Capricorn. Then there’s the feast of the dead saints Saints Cyril and Methodius on Friday July 5th. And if you notice, we end this new month the same way it begins : with a New Moon between the days 30 and 31st with the Feast of Joseph of Arimathea. So either way, it seems we’re bound for a lot of change.
And a lot of dark influences.
As always, stay in doors during the solar eclipse, any offerings you’ll make to the Sun Gods must be on altars to the dead to their underworld aspects. On Lunar Eclipses, you can stay outside to make wishes. But only for as long as the conjurations last. Then immediately go inside. If you are sick, or a woman who is pregnant or on her period, really not a good idea.
Liminal times like these will hit you harder than a man. Speak your wishes over the offerings and leave them outside before the actual events. You’ll still get your wishes. And remember : leave offerings blessed with prayer for the dark dead on crossroads or cemeteries, bodies of water like rivers or ponds are also good. They’ll channel themselves into animals in order to eat in most cases.
Also feed your land and house spirits to be safe and protected during this time. Now is the time to do a lot of cleansing and cleaning of the home. Also on Sunday we have the Tanabata Festival of Japan (Qixi in China) the Star Light festival of the two lovers. We have a bunch of holy holidays of light including the Slavic Kupala Night (the final Summer Solstice festival) which also ends Sunday. So we have a balance of light with darkness.
Update : As a matter of fact I may do more updates in the future.
I did my Soothsaying as usual. I did offerings to the Gods and entered a trance. I began to perceive days and weeks as energies. And then I marked my astrological calender with notes. Which I found something odd.
In fact I have never done this before.
Apparently, I pointed out that there is a vortex forming. Almost like a strange weather pattern of the spirit world. It started Monday to Tuesday this week with the New Moon and Solar Eclipse.
What I learned is that the vortex seems to be connected to the astrological phenomenon. Some kind of doorway in our skies is being opened. What, I have no idea. This could be for karma. This could be due to the Ryukyuan Ghost Month which is every July.
Or it could be something else entirely. I am still doing my research. What I also discovered is that the magic involved is influenced by the power of four. It creates a kind of square or perhaps a cube.
I noticed another phenomenon. Light and Dark seem to be going back to back with each other. We started the month dark. Tomorrow the feast of Cyril and Methodius we begin a light energy. It seems to be solar and rises to prominence from the 6th-7th which is Kupala Night. Then on the 7th Mercury Retrograde we have the Star Festival.
The light changes from solar to starlight. Night reigns but with infusions of holy light. Then around the day 9 to 10 it begins to clear up. A “Dawning” begins. But rather than Sunlight, I spiritually saw a large moon rising to illuninate everything at the 11th. The Full Moon isn’t until Tuesday the 16th, the same time as the Lunar Eclipse which adds a weird power to this.
The Eclipse and everything else sort of creates a spiritual vortex that feels similar to the Bermuda Triangle. Only it’s a square. And then I realized it’s actually a Cube. I just haven’t pinpointed yet where the last two points of the Cube are. Or what they are.
On the 11th the monthly energy is illuminated with lunar energy. That is the Dawning. But by the 17th it darkness till the end of the month. Oh and guess what? The regular Chinese Ghost Month starts next month on the 1st and ends on the 19th. So that means we have two cthonic months.
I wondered if I hadn’t found the other two points of the Cube, because they were for next month. And I was correct. Mercury going direct on the 31st is one point.
The last is Jupiter going direct next month on the 11th which is a master number. And Zeus or Jupiter as the God of Gods is a true master.
I’ll wait to do any other predictions for next month. It almost looks like a Hurricane path. So what I get from all this is :
Manifestation
Destruction
Healing
Light Vs. Dark or Light working with the dark.
Lots and lots of spirits, light, dark, and neutral but mostly light or dark coming through during this timeframe. Ending sometime after Jupiter goes direct.
Possible increase in violence.
Potential for peace, though it will be hard.
This month is tricky, good and bad vibes mixed into one. For protection from the Hungry Ghosts (I believe in India they are called Preta) you should have sacred charms with protective blessings or spells. Crosses, Stars of David, images of certain Gods or even holy books placed in corners of the home will shield it. Also place salt all around the outside of the home and salt the doors and windows from both sides. At the same time, you can charge the same charms with good energy from this month.
I would call this a Yin and Yang month. How will you put these energies to work for you? Oh and by the way. After I finished my update on what appeared to be a spiritual vortex, I saw this over my home in Miami. Sweetwater down the road from FIU to be precise. It’s not there anymore but I saw it.
They were taken with different phones. The originals were mine which is an Android. The lighter ones are from an iPhone 6. Notice that in every snap of the iPhone they seem to change in color. Interesting that this happened after my reading.
Update again
Apparently what I saw, was seen all over Florida. Even by people out to sea. This video shows at 10:13 that it could be seen off the shores of Florida.
Since then, the strange Earthquakes in California have been happening. Quakes that many residents are saying are not the norm for them. Could the “spiritual storm” I foresaw be something major happening?
I will put the remaining updates on this twitter thread
Strange things are happening. I wonder if any other #Diviners have seen what I saw during my monthly divination. Cause now we have more tremors in #California. https://t.co/IUbY5SlJf0
— Adventures of a Mage in Miami (@MiamiMagus) July 6, 2019
Today we’re going to talk about something different. Something I am not sure I have ever talked about. Sacrifice and purification through fasting. So first we need to define each thing. People often believe that sacrifice in old religions is about killing an animal.
Libations are the most common form of sacrifice there is. Pouring water or another drink in honor of your Gods and your spirits.
I refuse to kill any creature. I’m even attempting to go vegan. I’m not criticising anyone’s traditions. But to me killing a creature as an offering is all about spilling someone else’s life in order to get cheap and easy power. Or to get a favor done.
To me sacrifice is actually sacrificing your time and your energy to a divine being. Be that being a God/Goddess or spirit. Because spirit guides and helping spirits in general require our sacrifices too. Not only our Deities. Of course I will accompany my sacrifice with sacrifical offerings.
Like food, candles, incense etc..and I’m not going to be a hypocrite. There are rare times when the Gods ask me for meat. But instead of killing an animal, I bring them specially prepared food from my favorite restaurant and I leave them that. Yes, an animal is still being killed. But unlike animal sacrifices where blood is spilled and the meat is left behind to rot, I bring an animal already dead and cooked.
“But M! The point of the sacrifice is the life energy!”
That animal’s Ashe or life force is not mine to take. Instead I infuse the food with spiritual energy to feed the Gods on both sides of the veil. I also offer up the soul of that dead animal. And ask that he/she and all the dead companions this animal is with to offer their own Ashe up to the Gods by going into the light. That way the full energy goes to the Gods and that poor creature, who no doubt lived a wretched existence on Earth, can find peace.
I only do this when what I am asking for is so strong that the Gods ask for the meat of an animal. And since I still eat meat because I am making the transition, I do this with all my food. In fact I do it also for the plants I consume as an offering. They’re alive too after all. But I digress.
I offer myself up in meditation to the Gods and their spirits. I do the proper rituals and prayers. I even make my own rituals and prayers to better suit my practice. Sometimes I give an offering before a ritual to initiate it. And sometimes after to seal it.
I better characterise a sacrifice by the way of the Nords. A Blot can be any kind of sacrifice. An animal, libations of mead, or fruit and bread. My sacrifices are incense, candles, milk, alcohol, fruit and candies, breads of many sorts, holy water, and prayer. So what is a Fast? A Fast is not always starving yourself.
A fast is a denial of pleasure. That’s what my Medicine Woman taught me. Native Americans often fasted either by going hungry for a certain period of time, or by eating only small portions. “Eat only to be full,” she once told me. “To be satisfied. Don’t over eat, don’t over indulge,”.
That also means not eating your favorite food. Just regular food. It doesn’t have to he super bland but nothing that has too many spices and flavors. I’m not very fond of either concept truth be told. I’m chubby and I eat like a starving man.
So instead, when I do fast I give up another pleasure : Sex. No, I’m not happy about that it sucks. Not even masturbation. It’s not easy. At first it feels like I’m in withdrawl. But by the third day a peace comes over me.
A spiritual peace. It sounds corny but it’s true. Still a pain, but it helps me focus my energies towards other endeavors. In this case the spiritual. I did this this last week for two holidays I was celebrating at once.
The first one was Maslenitsa. The ancient Slavic Pagan feast of Volos, God of the Underworld and Nature. This is a spring time feast which involves the worship of sun and winter Deities and the veneration of the spirits they command. It’s also when an effigy known as “Lady Maslenitsa” is set up first with beautiful clothing. Then later it is stripped little by little of all it possesses.
Finally, the lady is burned and the ashes of the effigy are mixed with the crops for a good agricultural year. It’s become a Christian holiday in modern times. But me being a Christo Pagan, that doesn’t bother me at all. I worship Volos first and foremost, asking all underworld energies of winter to be drained back into the darkness. Afterwords, I honor Koliada the God of the Sun along with Jesus Christ.
I ask them both to bring back the sun and spring. I make a small effigy from red mulch. And instead of burning Lady Maslenitsa, I tear her apart and throw her parts into a barren place where even weeds aren’t growing. Then I ask for the plants to be replenished and for the animals of the land to be well feed. I also ask for prosperity and abundance in all good things.
I also celebrating Omizu-Okuri (Japanese) where I fed holy water to the altars outside. This was to replenish the nature temple I have built in my whole apartment complex. I poured libations of cool water on my indoor altars. So that being done, when I asked for all good energies and sealed the rituals, I did my Road Opener Rituals to open the roads for all good luck. And with Papa Legba and the other gatekeepers and road spirits with me, I began to analyze the IFA calander I mentioned in my last post.
I also worked on a few paranormal cases. And spent time with family. Lol that doesn’t sound like it matches. But to me that’s just what I do every other day. When I did my divinations I noticed something though.
As part of my Soothsaying I do a lot of Land Divinations. That’s where I just observe the land and animals or general behaviour of the people on it. A lot of dead animals, specifically birds are appearing. Not in massive numbers. But I noticed enough of them that it caught my attention.
I interpreted this as meaning that the Reaping of this year is continuing even un to spring. But not an intense reaping either. This shows the dual nature of this year. Other than that, these two holidays were relaxing and good. I learned a lot about myself and the world around me.
How do you give sacrifice to the Gods or spiritual guides?
Hello everyone, I’m sorry I’ve been gone for so long. The real world was calling. But now I’m back to tell you about the Christmas Full Moon on none other than the Winter Solstice. Not to mention some other things I have noticed. For starters let’s look at the holidays on December 21st.
We have the Divalia/Angernalia, Korochun, the Rites of Soyal, and the various “Return of the Sun” holidays across traditions. The Divalia or Angernalia was sacred to Angerona, a Roman Goddess who removed suffering from people. She is worshipped on this day because the Winter is at the height of it’s power during this time. Sacrifices were made to her in the Temple of Voluptia (Sacellum Volupiae) to alleviate the people’s burdens. Other sources state it was at *Curia Acculeia.
While I have not yet found the actual offerings given to her, I can guess based on what she stood for. I will give libations of honey on my Roman God altar. Korochun is a Slavic holiday where Czernobog (The Black God) the malevolent God of Darkness and Winter and all his dark spirits are at their strongest. But as usual, there’s another side to the story. Many of his modern followers claim he was not really malevolent but simply the embodiment of the dark side of nature.
On the 23rd of December, the Sun is reborn. Or is it the Goddess Koliada? Simbolic of Winter reaching the height of it’s power, only for the Sun to return. Korochun is also seen as a time to honor the ancestral dead. Fires are lit at cemeteries and a log is set ablaze on the crossroads to keep the dead warm.
And as usual, feasts are made. The Rites of Soyal are rituals of the Hopi Nation. It is about Creation and commemorate both the Hawk Maidan (who represents the Sun) and the Spider Woman (who created the Universe and represents Winter). Now, I have heard some contradictory dates. Some people have said they are done on December 16th and others state they are done on the Winter Solstice.
After doing a personal divination and asking them for guidance, they and my spirits told me to do it on the Solstice. It’s also possible that it’s a week long ritual from the 16th to the 21st. Though that’s just my guess. First Nations magic and religion is often limited only to the initiated as shamans. Or to natives themselves.
So my understanding of it is limited.
To me it makes the most sense to do it on the Solstice. But the 16th and the rest of the days could be in preparation for the actual day. One theory anyway. But what makes it extra interesting this year, is that the Full Moon falling on the Winter Solstice. Making it a true Christmas Full Moon.
The Solstice begins at the 21st and continues on the 22 of December. But the moon begins it’s appearence starting, Friday. You can already begin to see Full Moon a day in advance. And the power of the moon is felt a day before and after it. This year’s final full moon is called “The Cold Moon” or “Long Night Moon” as well as Oak, Winter, or Wolf Moon.
I particularly appreciate calling it the “Long Night Moon” because the Solstice is the longest night. It will be in the sign of Cancer in 0°. Heathens believe the Solstice ends on New Year’s Day. But I personally follow the Nordic-Scottish tradition of celebrating it until Up Hella Aa which is the last Tuesday of January. Lots of Bonfires and drinking, just like Hogmanay on New Year’s Day!
Although I follow a mostly European pattern for the Solstice, I give offerings to all the Gods and spirits on all my altars. I give offerings to the Spider Woman in thanks for reaping the negative, and creating the Universe. And I beg Hawk Maidan to return to warm the lands. Though usually I only beg for that in other states in the US because Florida is hotter than Satan’s nutsack. I beg Apollon and Helios to return.
As well as Kolayda and Koliada. On my Vodoun and Santeria altar, where I practice an assortment of African magics, I beg Mawu to restore the heat to places plagued by the cold.
I beg Amateratsu to leave her cave and return to warm the world. I beg Sol Invictus to show his children that no winter can conquer the sun. I of course feed the ancestors and other spirits including the Nisse which are Nordic elves.
I ask them to give us bounty. Offerings also to Odin, Thor, and Hold Nickar. I also do rites to the Roman Goddess Vesta for she is the protectress of us all during Winter. I feed the Native American spirits as well. I basically leave offerings and libations everywhere.
So, my outside altars have bits and pieces of food I can spare as well as libations of eggnog. I started feeding them Eggnog when I didn’t have anything else to offer due to issues with money. To my surprise, not just the nature entities but my ancestors and roaming dead as well as the Gods enjoyed it. So normally I have to stock up on eggnog to have enough. I use non alcoholic Eggnog outside so that the animals who act as conduits for the spirits and Gods don’t get harmed.
I always do everything possible for my offerings to be animal friendly. Even when leaving bread, I make sure to tear them to tiny pieces so that they are easy to eat and digest.
My ancestors had to point that out to me one day. I was going to write about how I celebrate Yule the Nordic way, but I think this is better. It shows you an overall view of how I do it.
Next year I will write in detail how I celebrate Yule with Odin and the others. What I will mention is that my favorite part of Yule is midnight December 25th. This is Mōdraniht (Mother’s Night) when the Dísir (female spirits and Goddesses) come to visit. I make a dumb supper, which is leave a plate of food for a spirit as a supper, and I do spiritualist sessions welcoming the spirits into my home. I get to especially enjoy conversations with my deceased grandmother and great grandmother as well as Freya and other Goddesses.
I do Divinations about what needs to happen in my life and plan the new year ahead from there. Because the time of the dead is from 12am-2am, I celebrate it since midnight and I stay awake doing whatever rituals or offerings are needed to appease them. I continue doing the rituals later on around Sunset of the same day all through the night until it’s over. It’s a time for me to really talk with some of my kin and become enthralled in the wisdom of the Goddesses and the women of the other side. Although this is usually for Nordic spirits, I have non Nordic Goddesses and spirits who participate.
This is usually my alone time when I zen out. So anyways, that’s what we have to look forward to!
Adventures of A Mage In Miami 