WELCOME TO WINTER!

As yesterday was the Solstice, I'm wishing everyone a wonderful winter.

Have a wonderful holiday season!

A to Z Challenge -- W -- AQUA, SPOKES, AND NORSE

WHEEL OF THE YEAR -- The Wheel of the Year encompasses the eight Sabbats celebrated: Samhain, Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lughnashadh (or Lammas), and Mabon.

The Wheel usually begins with Samhain and the death of the God.  It follows with rebirth of the God.  He grows in power with it culminating at Litha, the Summer Solstice.  Then his power wanes as the darkness of winter grows.

Both the Celts and Anglo-Saxon/Norse have influenced this wheel. Agricultural rites from both ancient cultures are celebrated.


WIDDERSHINS -- To move counterclockwise.  Also called withershins.  Many practitioners do not use this since it is against the sun's direction, but there are some that use it as banishment and destructive use like releasing a circle.

A Symbol for Water

WATER --  Water is one of the four Elements.  It is feminine in nature and is connected to the Goddess.  It's used for psychic workings like scrying, purification, and healing spells.  It's receptive in nature.

The cauldron and cup are associated with this element along with the color blue.

Mercury

WEDNESDAY -- Wednesday is named after the Norse god, Odin, Or if you prefer one of his other names, Wodan.  Translated, his name means master of ecstasy.  He was both a war god and loved to incite war.  He was also a poet god.  He stole the mead of poetry from a giant, which was made from the blood of a human created by Aesir and Vanir spit to cement the truce at the end of the war. (Uh, totally gross.)

His favorite peeps were berserkers and outlaws (for whatever reason) and held favor for a few amazing warriors.

What is more interesting is that in some texts it is said he was a practitioner of seidr, which is a shamanistic practice that rewove destiny.  It was considered a woman's magic and for a man to practice seidr, he was considered unmanly and was looked down upon.  So . . . yeah, interesting contradictions.

The Roman god, Mercury, or Greek Hermes, is also the name for this day.  Dies Mercurii is the root word for the Spanish miércoles.  As god of commerce, messages, luck, thieves, boundaries, roads, travelers, and eloquence, he had his work cut out for him.  What's even more cool is that he also guided departed souls to the underworld.  He was one of the few that could come and go as he pleased.



Disclaimer: None of these pictures belong to me.  I found them on Google.

A to Z Challenge -- S -- FESTIVAL, MARK, AND WHEEL

SABBAT -- Sabbats are the name for the eight major celebrations in Wicca and Pagan religions.  They consist of the Greater Sabbats and Lesser Sabbats.  The Greater Sabbats are Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lughnasadh.  These four are the four fire festivals from Pre-Christian times and are when each season is at its peak of power.

The Lesser Sabbats are Yule, Ostara, Litha, and Mabon.  These are the transitional Sabbats when the seasons are turning.  These are the solstices and equinoxes.

SIGIL -- Sigil is defined by Merriam-Webster as:

noun (sig·il) (si-jil)
1: seal, signet
2: a sign, word, or device held to have occult power in astrology or magic

It comes from the Latin and means a mark, sign, or seal.

In Wicca, sigils are said to very powerful and are designed with elements that have specific meanings. They sometimes start as a sentence of intent and are created specifically to will it into being. They can be inscribed onto objects like candles, talismans, amulets as well as other things.  They can be used for many purposes like protection.

 Sigils can be abstracts that are very personal to the creator and can have no meaning to anyone else, or they can be made of other symbols put together or even letters from the sentence of intent.  

Historically sigils have been the equivalent of the true name of spirits and were used as such in the medieval magic.  Some pratictices involved summoning angels and demons through their sigils.  

Many other cultures have used sigils like the Hebrews.  Their word is segula has a few meanings including talisman, folk remedy, safeguard, or superstitious action. 

The sun cross

SUN --  The sun has been worshiped since man walked the earth.  Every ancient culture has some form of sun worship.  The Egyptian Ra, the Greek Apollo, the Celtic Lugh, and the Japanese Amaterasu are just some of the gods and goddesses associated with the sun.

For Many Wiccans, the Wheel of the Year is a representation of the eight Sabbats that follows the God's birth and death as the sun.  Within the Wheel is the sun cross, which divides the Sabbats into their quadrants.


SKYCLAD -- This is the proper term for ritual nudity.  It has absolutely nothing to do with anything sexual.  It is not a requirement at all.  

SAMHAIN -- (pronounced sah-win, sow-in, sah-vin) is a Celtic word that means "summer end".

It is a the beginning of the Wheel of the Year and heralds the third and final harvest before winter.

This is the time when the Goddess is in Her third aspect, the Crone.  She is symbolized by the waning moon.  It is said that the God dies before He is reborn at Yule, the Winter Solstice.  It is when those who have gone before are remembered.

It is believed that the veil between the worlds is thinned and that the dead could roam freely on the Earth.  One tradition during this time was called the Dumb (Silent) Supper.  As a sign of honor, a place was set at the table for the departed.  The plate was filled with food for their spirit guest.  The supper would be completely silent. It was believed that looking at the chair was bad luck.  Also, to placate any evil spirits roaming around, food was placed on the doorstep to ward them off.

Saturn

SATURDAY --  This day of the week is named for the Roman god Saturn.  He is the god of sowing seeds and later of time.  He was once the supreme ruler of the gods after his father and before his son, Jupiter.  He is equated with Cronus in Greek mythology.  His festival, Saturnalia, fell on December 17.  It was the most famous of all because this festival was the IT festival.  Slaves were free to speak and sit with their masters as well as be served by them.  Gifts were exchanged, which may have influenced Christmas.  A 'king' was elected by dice game and was given the power over his 'subjects' and could request them to do ridiculous things. 

Saturn may have roots as an underworld god that held sway over funerary rites.  this can be surmised by his first consort, Lua.  She was a goddess that soldiers sacrificed captured weapons to avoid misfortune.

Helios

SUNDAY -- Sunday comes from the Latin dies solis.  It means day of the sun.  The Roman god, Sol, was similar to Helios. In many of the Romance languages it has been changed into a word that translates to "the Lord's day".  Also, to note, that in Norse mythology, the sun was a goddess called (shall we guess? That's right!) Sól!  Her brother was the moon. They were chased across the sky by wolves until Ragnarok. 


Disclaimer: None of these pictures belong to me.  I found them on Google.

A to Z Chalenge -- O -- BUNNIES, ACORNS, AND EGGS

OSTARA -- (Give or take pronounced oh-star-ah) One of the Sabbats in the Wheel of the Year.  It takes place on the spring equinox.  It may derive from the Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Spring, Ēostre.  Her name means "moving with the waxing sun."  Her symbols are eggs and bunnies.

One story goes that a bunny wanted to give a gift to the goddess.  He found a fresh egg. He wanted to eat it, but he thought it would make a great gift.  He decorated the egg and gave it to the goddess.  She loved it.  This is why the Easter Bunny delivers decorated eggs.

Culturally speaking, spring is one of the most prolific celebrations.  All ancient peoples had some version of a spring celebration.

It is a time of renewed fertility and sacred sex rites were and are performed for those who wish to participate.

OAK -- One of the most sacred trees in pagan culture.  Druids may have taken their name from the word for oak itself. They held ceremonial meetings in oak groves.

It has been associated with Cú Chulainn, Dagda, Taranis, early Christian beliefs, Thor, and a host of others.  Ancient oaks found there way into many names of places.  Places like Holy Oaks, Derry, and Kildare derive their names from it.

Many early Christian churches were built in oak groves probably because they may have been places of pagan worship.

Romans generals were given oak crowns in victory, which a version is still used in modern military.

One pagan tradition celebrates the Oak King and Holly King.  They battled for dominance as the old year passes and and new year begins.  The Holly King's power wanes as the Yule comes and the Oak King's power waxes to bring forth fertility by impregnating the Earth Goddess.  It symbolizes the cycle of life and death as the Wheel of the Year passes.


OLD ONES -- A term used to encompass all aspects of the God and Goddess.

Disclaimer: None of these pictures belong to me.  I found them on Google.

A TINY LITTLE UPDATE

So it is almost Christmas and the end of the year. Time flew for me.  It felt like a blink of an eye and the year was half over.

So what am I planning to do.

I'm working on my A to Z Challenge for April.  Waiting for announcements.  And working my regularly scheduled job.  Hmm.  Oh, yeah, I'm going to be baking and cooking my brains out in the next few days.  Sigh.  Lots of food though.  Pie.  Nom, Nom, Nom.

I'm reading again.  So, I may actually get to my Goodreads pile.  Crossing fingers and toes on that one.  I know I just have to pick up a book from it, but they are like decoration and I don't want to disturb the aesthetics of it. Hee hee.

As for next year, I have no idea what is going to happen.

Other than that, I'm girding my loins (heh heh) and gearing up for Christmas.

Cheers everyone.  Hope your holidays are fab!

HALLOWEEN BLOG HOP 2014 -- SAMHAIN

SAMHAIN (pronounced sah-win, sow-in, sah-vin) is a Celtic word that means "summer end".

Blog that has Wheel of Year image

It is a the beginning of the Wheel of the Year and heralds the third and final harvest before winter.

In pagan and Wiccan religions, this is the time when the Goddess is in Her third aspect, the Crone.  She is symbolized by the waning moon.  It is said that the God dies before He is reborn at Yule, the Winter Solstice.  It is when those who have gone before are remembered.

It is believed that the veil between the worlds is thinned and that the dead could roam freely on the Earth.  One tradition during this time was called the Dumb (Silent) Supper.  As a sign of honor, a place was set at the table for the departed.  The plate was filled with food for their spirit guest.  The supper would be completely silent. It was believed that looking at the chair was bad luck.  Also, to placate any evil spirits roaming around, food was placed on the doorstep to ward them off.

Another tradition happened to be to wear a mask if one had to travel on that night.  It was to fool the spirits.

Where I found Pomona image

Even the Romans had similar traditions that were incorporated into Samhain.  Feralia -- when Romans commemorated the passing of the dead, and Pomona -- when the goddess of fruit and trees, Pomona, was honored.
Many use this time for divination.

As Catholicism spread, the church kept some of the practices from the original.  It was when All Soul's Day came about as well as the name All Hallow's Eve (Halloween) or All Saint's Day.

Interestingly Dia De Los Muertos has similar rituals as Samhain although it was an Aztec holiday.  It boasts of honoring the dead, spirit visitation, and the offering of food.

Originally it was a month long

Where my Google search found this image

celebration around August honoring the goddess Mictecacihuatl.  The Aztec were definitely not shy about the dead.  When Catholicism reached them, it was moved to the same time as Halloween.

HALLOWEEN IS COMING! BLOG HOP ANTICIPATION!

So next month is October and the best holiday (IMO) is coming up!  HALLOWEEN!  WOOT!

As I cannot stop myself from just going all out, I have signed up for the Halloween Blog hop.  Sara Snider is hosting it.  Clicky on her name and join up.

Write a story, post an image, or do just about anything really as long it's Halloween related.

The rules for this blog hop are:

1. Add your blog using the link tool found on Sara's Page.
2. Grab the button to put on your blog to help spread the word (optional).
3. On Halloween (Oct. 31), post your short story, poem, artwork, or whatever on your blog.
4. Visit other people’s blogs to see what they’ve posted.
5. Have fun!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Just want to wish everyone out there Happy Holidays and New Year.

It's the Year of the Horse by the Chinese, which begins January 31.  I'm a Snake myself.

Anywho,  good love, good food, good friends, and good wishes for all.