October was the eighth month of the old Roman calendar and was sacred to the goddess Astraea, daughter of Zeus and Themis. Deireadh Fommhair or an Damhair, the stag rut, was the Irish name for this month or the Gealach a ‘bhruic, Moon of the badger. Winterfelleth, “winter is coming,” was the Anglo-Saxon name. (George … Read more
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all. Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature. ~ Helen Keller I realize I haven’t spent as much time examining the ins and outs of the Houses this month. And that’s too bad, in a way, because the Ninth House is so … Read more
Hail! Journeyer of the Heavens, Queen of Brightness, King of Beauty! Gifts of gladness richly bringing, Autumn sheaves and red leaves’ fall. Generous be the heart within us, Open be our hands to all, Justice to be in equal measure, Harvest thankfulness our call. ~ Greeting to the Autumn Equinox Caitlín Matthews, A Celtic Devotional … Read more
People deserve…the truth. They deserve honesty. The best music, you can seek some shelter in it momentarily, but it’s essentially there to provide you something to face the world with. ~ Bruce Springsteen (Sun, Moon and Mercury in Libra) On this date, which is also the Equinox, the Sun enters the sign of Libra, fittingly, … Read more
Today is Ganesh Chaturthi, the festival that celebrates the birthday of the great Hindu God, Ganesh. Also known as Ganapati and Ganesha, He is the son of Shiva and Parvati. He is the Lord of success, destroyer of evils and remover of obstacles. He is also worshipped as the God of education, knowledge, wisdom and … Read more
For this is what America is all about. It is the uncrossed desert and the unclimbed ridge. It is the star that is not reached and the harvest that is sleeping in the unplowed ground. ~ Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th President of the United States, Sun and Moon in Virgo (Aug. 27, 1908) The Sun … Read more
Harvests are best gathered during the energies following the Full Moon. So for a kind of lunar Lughnasadh, I offer one of my favorites by the glorious Mary Oliver. Blessed be. Little Summer Poem Touching the Subject of Faith by Mary Oliver Every summer I listen and look under the sun’s brass and even into … Read more
Threshold Invocation for Lughnasadh from A Celtic Devotional: Daily Prayers and Blessings, by Caitlín Matthews To be spoken at the front door of the home on the eve of Lughnasadh (July 31), in the evening: Lady of the Land, open the door, Lord of the Forest, come you in. Let there be welcome to the … Read more
We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection. ~ Tenzin Gyatso, His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama (Sun in Cancer – July 6, 1935) Cancer is the sign of the Summer Solstice, the beginning of the warmest season of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. It is also the … Read more