From the Book of Shadows...................

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Dear All, The following extract is from the following URLs - 1) http://sillyhether.wordpress.com/2008/12/31/legends-and-lore-for-january/ 2) http://sillyhether.wordpress.com/2008/12/04/legends-and-lore-for-december/ 3) http://sillyhether.wordpress.com/2008/11/02/legends-and-lore-for-november/

Regards,Sreenadh=============================================

Legends and Lore for January

 

 

January 1

This day is sacred to the goddesses known as the Three Fates, the German goddess Bertha, the Morrigan, the Parcae, and the Japanese household gods. Many modern Witches and Wiccans around the world traditionally start off the new year with a spell for good luck and a ritual to bless the new year with peace, love, health, and prosperity for all. This is a traditional time for ending bad habits and beginning New Year’s resolutions. The first day of January was dedicated by the ancient Romans to the god Janus. Janus possesses two identical faces looking in opposite directions: one to the past, and the other to the future. He is a god of gates and doorways, and a deity associated with journeys and the beginnings of things.

 

January 2

The birth of the Pagan goddess Inanna has been celebrated annually on this day since ancient times. Inanna is the Sumerian queen of heaven and earth, and a deity who presides over both love and war. Every year on this date, the Perihelion of the Earth takes place. When this occurs, the planet Earth reaches the point in its orbit closest to the Sun. Many astrologers consider this to be a highly significant event. In ancient Egypt, a religious ceremony known as the Advent of Isis from Phoenecia was performed yearly on this date in honor of the goddess Isis.

 

January 3

On this day, an annual fertility ceremony known as the Deer Dances is performed by the Native American tribe of the Pueblo in the southwestern United States. The ceremony, which includes sacred ritual dances performed by shamans wearing deer headdresses, is centuries-old and dedicated to the great female spirit-goddess known as the Deer Maiden. In ancient Greece, a Pagan religious festival called the Lenaia was celebrated each year on this date in honor of Dionysus, the god of wine and fertility.

 

January 4

In Korea, the annual Sacrifice to the Seven Starts (Chilseong-je) is performed on this date at midnight. To receive good fortune and divine blessings, water and white rice are offered to the god who rules the constellation Ursa Major.

 

January 5

Twelfth Night and Wassail Eve (in England) heralds the end of Christmastide. In ancient Egypt times, it was believed that the waters of the mystical and sacred River Nile possessed special magickal powers on this date. On this date in the year 1918, renowned astrologer and author Jeane Dixon was born in Medford, Wisconsin.

 

January 6

On this date in the year 1988, Circle Sanctuary of Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, became legally recognized as a Wiccan Church by its local Township and County levels of government. Circle Sanctuary’s attainment of church zoning was a significant victory for Wiccans around the world, for it was the first time a Witchcraft group had been publicly sanctioned as a church by local government officials.

 

January 7

In the seventeenth century, it was customary on this day for a special Epiphany Cake to be baked with a coin in it. Whoever was lucky enough to receive the portion containing the coin was saluted by the family as a “king†or “queen†for the day. As part of the tradition, the “king†or “queen†would draw cross symbols on the ceiling with white chalk to drive out evil spirits and ward off misfortune.

 

January 8

In ancient Greece, Midwife’s Day (dedicated to the goddess Babo) was celebrated annually on this date, while an annual festival called Justica’s Day was celebrated by the early Romans.

In ancient times, this day was dedicated to the Norse goddess Ferya (or Freyja), who presided over both love and fertility.

 

January 9

On this date in the year 1989, Jamie Dodge (a Wiccan who had been fired from her job at the Salvation Army because of her Wiccan beliefs) won a lawsuit against her former employer for violating her First Amendment right to freedom of religion and unnecessary entanglement of government with religion.

On this date in the year 1880, “Old Dorothy†Clutterbuck was born in Bengal. She belonged to a hereditary Witch coven in the New Forest of England, and was the High Priestess who initiated Gerald B. Gardner into the Craft in 1939. She passed away in the year 1951.

 

January 10

The Feast of Dreams, a centuries-old ritual, is performed annually by the Native American Indian tribe of the Iroquois to celebrate their New Year, which occurs on this date. In rural England and Scotland, Plough Monday (the first Monday after Epiphany) occurs on or around this date. A plough is traditionally paraded through the streets and a ritual sweeping with brooms is performed to drive away evil spirits from the village.

 

January 11

In years gone by, an old ritual to ward off Witches was performed annually on this date in many fishing villages along the coast of Scotland. At sunset, a barrel of tar would be placed on top of a pole, set on fire, and allowed to burn throughout the night. Afterwards, charred pieces of it would then be used by the villagers and fisherman as protective charms. In ancient Rome, a festival called the Carmentalia was celebrated annually, beginning on this date and lasting until the fifteenth of January. The festival honored the Roman goddess Carmenta, a deity presiding over childbirth, whose priestesses cast the fortunes of children at the moment of their birth. Juturna, the ancient Italian goddess of pools and still waters, is honored each year on this day.

 

January 12

Each year on this date, a sacred solstice ritual called the Makara-Sankranti is celebrated by Hindus in India with saffron, songs of joy, and ritual baths in sacred rivers.

 

January 13

Saint Silvester’s Day. Evil spirits are traditionally driven away with clanging bells on this night by villagers in Urnasch, Switzerland, where the pre-Julian New Year’s Eve continues to be celebrated on this date. In pre-Christian Ireland, the thirteenth day of January was celebrated each year as the Feast of Brewing by the ancient and mysterious priests known as the Druids.

 

January 14

On this date in the year 1967, a psychedelic spiritual “pow-wow†called the Human Be-In took place in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. The event drew approximately 20,000 people (including Allen Ginsberg and Timothy Leary) and consisted of chanting, dancing, poetry readings, music, and celebrations of love and the unity of humankind. In Southern India, the three-day Pongal festival begins on this date each year to celebrate the January rice harvest, honor the great sun-god Surya, and give thanks to the spirits who bring the rainy season.

 

January 15

In ancient Rome, a sacred festival called the Feast of the Ass was celebrated each year on this date in honor of the goddess Vesta and the ass that saved her. Vesta presided over the hearth and her temple was lit by a sacred fire tended by six virgin priestesses known as the Vestal Virgins.

January 16

Each year on this date in the country of Indonesia, the fire-god Betoro Bromo is honored by Buddhist monks and pilgrims who gather at Mount Bromo. At the first stroke of midnight, offerings of food and flowers are cast into the volcano where the god is believed to dwell.

On this date in the year 1976, the famous astrologer and author known as Zolar died.

 

January 17

Wassailing the Apple Trees, a ritual dating back to old Celtic Britain, is held annually on this date (the eve of the old Twelfth Night). A traditional libation of cider is poured on the roots of apple trees while an old invocation is sung to the tree in order to ensure fertility and to drive away all evil-natured supernatural entities.

 

January 18

In the country of China, the kitchen-god Zao Jun is honored with prayers and offerings of sweet rice cakes each year on this night, which marks the end of the Chinese year. For luck, paper images of the god are burned and dried beans are thrown onto the roofs of houses.

 

January 19

Each year on this date, the Thorrablottar (also known as Husband’s Day) is celebrated in Iceland. In pre-Christian times, it was celebrated as Pagan festival in honor of the mighty god Thor, the red-bearded lord of lightning bolts and thunder.

 

January 20

On this date (approximately), the Sun enters the astrological sign of Aquarius. Persons born under the sign of the Water Bearer are said to be inventive, independent, unconventional, and often idealistic. Those born on this day, the cusp of Capricorn and Aquarius, are believed to make the best astrologers. Aquarius is an air sign and is ruled by the planets Saturn and Uranus.

On this date (approximately) in the year 2160, the Age of Aquarius will begin when the Sun moves into the 11th sign of the zodiac. According to many occultists and astrologers, the following two thousand years will be a Golden Age of spiritual enlightenment, mind power, world peace, love, and harmony. However, according to many prophets, the Age of Aquarius will also bring cataclysmic changes in the Earth and its atmosphere.

 

January 21

Saint Agnes’ Day. On the eve of Saint Agnes’ Day, according to ancient legend, an unmarried woman will see her future husband in a dream. Saint Agnes’ Day (named after the Roman Catholic child martyr who was beheaded in the year 304 A.D. for refusing to marry) is an ideal time for Witches to cast love spells and prepare love potions and charms. This day of the year is sacred to Yngona, an ancient goddess worshipped by the Danish people in pre-Christian times.

 

January 22

Festival of the Muses. Each year on this date, the invisible spirits that inspire and watch over all poets, musicians, and artists are honored and invoked with Goddess-inspired poetry, Pagan folk songs, music and dancing

January 23

A Pagan festival known as the Day of Hathor is celebrated annually on this date in Egypt to honor the ancient cow-headed goddess of heaven, beauty and love. A libation of cow’s milk is poured into the River Nile as prayers to the goddess are recited.

 

January 24

Ekeko, the Aymara Indian pot-bellied god of prosperity, is honored on this date with an annual fair called the Alacitas, which is held in La Paz, Bolivia. In Hungary, a Pagan purification known as the Blessing of the Candle of the Happy Women is performed annually on this date.

 

January 25

Good-luck rituals are traditionally performed during the Vietnamese Lunar New Year Festival (Tet), which takes place annually on or around this date. Offerings are made to ancient deities and ancestors, traditional feasts are prepared, and evil spirits are driven away with whistles, bells, and horns.

 

January 26

Each year on the second new moon after the winter solstice (which normally occurs on or around this time of the month), the traditional Chinese New Year begins and is celebrated for two consecutive weeks until the full moon. On the first day of the New Year, ancestral spirits are honored and houses are decorated with strips of red paper to attract good luck and ward off evil ghosts. A Lantern Festival and Dragon Parade traditionally take place on the last night of the New Year celebration.

 

January 27

On this date, the annual Day of Ishtar ceremony takes place to honor the ancient Assyrian/Babylonian goddess of love, fertility, and battle. Ishtar is identified with the ancient Phoenician goddess called Astarte.

 

January 28

In the Shetland Islands, a centuries-old fire festival known as Up-Helly-Aa is held each year on the last Tuesday of January (which normally falls around this date). The festival, which marks the end of the traditional Yuletide and pays tribute to the old gods and goddesses of the ancient Viking religion, climaxes with the torching of a replica of a Viking ship. The day ends with a traditional prayer to drive away evil entities from village homes.

 

January 29

On this day in the year 1688, famous mystic, scientists, and spiritualist-medium Emanuel Swedenburg was born in Sweden. His works had a major influence upon the secret societies of the eighteenth century, and a religion based on his mystical theological philosophy was founded in his name by his followers.

In the country of Vietnam, a mythical and centuries-old Parade of the Unicorns takes place each year on this date (approximately).

According to mythology, the ancient Pagan goddesses Irene and Pax were born on this day.

 

January 30

In ancient Rome, an agricultural festival called the Feriae Sementiva (Feast of Spring) was celebrated annually on this date with sacrifices to Ceres (the goddess of agriculture) and Tellus Mater (the goddess of the Earth and fertility), as well as other lesser gods and goddesses associated with agriculture. On this date in the year 1940, Z. Budapest (the founder and leader of the main branch of feminist Dianic Wicca) was born in Budapest. Among her many accomplishments, she founded the Susan B. Anthony coven (named after the famous suffragist), hosted a radio show in San Francisco, directed the Women’s Spirituality Forum in Oakland, and led a successful public hexing against a mass murderer.

January 31

Each year on or around this date, a sacred festival is held in the Katmandu Valley of Nepal in honor of the goddess Sarasvati, an ancient Indian deity who presides over all forms of education. As temples dedicated to her, offerings of food, flowers, and incense are made by faithful Hindus and students who seek her help on their school exams. In the courtyard of the Hanuman Dhoka, an ancient palace where the king is accompanied on this day by Nepalese officials, the annual rites of Spring begin with a traditional gun salute, followed by veneration ceremonies which are performed by the royal priest. In the Hawaiian Islands, a joyous flower-filled festival in honor of an ancient goddess associated with the narcissus flower is celebrated each year on this day; while in China, an annual festival honoring Kuan

Yin takes place.

Published in:

Book of Shadows

newson December 31, 2008 at 6:29 pm

Legends and Lore for December

 

 

December 1

In some parts of the world, the first day of December is the traditional time for young girls to perform the ancient art of cromniomancy (divination by onion sprouts) to find out the name of their future husband. To find out who your future husband will be, take some onions and upon each one carve or write a different man’s name. Place the onions near a fire and the man whose name is on the onion that sprouts first will be the one you marry.

 

December 2

In what is now known as Bodh Gaya, India, the world’s oldest and most sacred tree (planted in the year 282 B.C. and believed to be an offshoot of the Bodhi or Bo-tree that the Buddha sat under when he achieved enlightenment) is honored annually on this date by Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims with prayers, chants,

and brightly colored flags. On this day, an annual women’s festival called Hari Kugo (Broken Needles) takes place in the city of Tokyo. It commemorates women’s crafts and is dedicated to all patron goddesses of Japanese craftswomen.

 

December 3

In ancient Rome, secret women’s rites were performed annually on this date in honor of Bona Dea, the Good Goddess. All males were barred from the ceremonies, which were conducted by vestal virgins. In ancient Greece, this day was sacred to the goddess Cybele and also to Rhea, the Great Mother of the Earth.

 

December 4

On this date in ancient Rome, the goddess Minerva was honored with an annual festival. Minerva (the Roman counterpart of the Greek Athena) is a goddess of battle and also a patroness of the arts and wisdom. In West Africa, this day is sacred to the Yoruban god Chango. He is a god of lightning bolts, and the son of the deities Yemaya and Orungan.

 

December 5

In ancient Greece, an annual seaside festival (the Poseidea) was celebrated annually on this date to honor the sea-god Poseidon, consort of the Mother Goddess.

In Italy, the First Feast of Saint Lucia is held on this date each year. Before being Christianized into a Saint, she was originally worshiped as Lucina, a Pagan goddess of light who also presided over childbirth.

 

December 6

On this day in the year 1890, famous occultists and ritual magician Dion Fortune was born in Wales. Although Ms. Fortune never proclaimed herself to be a Witch, her numerous writings are popular among (and inspiring to) many modern Witches, Wiccans, and Neo-Pagans around the world. She died from leukemia

on January 8, 1987

 

December 7

On this date in ancient Greece, an annual rite called the Haloia of Demeter was performed. According to mythology, each year the goddess Demeter wanders the earth in search of her stolen daughter Persephone. The goddess’ sorrow brings Winter to the world and all trees and flowers cease to bloom; however, Spring returns when Persephone is allowed to temporarily leave the darkness of the Underworld and Demeter once again rejoices.

 

December 8

On this day, the birth of the ancient and powerful goddess of the sun (Amaterasu) is celebrated annually at Shinto temples throughout Japan. In Egypt, the Festival of Neith is celebrated annually on this date to honor the Earth-Goddess of the Delta.

 

December 9

The ninth day of the last month of the year (along with the sixth and seventh days) is considered to be an extremely unlucky time, according to Grafton in his Manuel (a sixteenth-century book of unlucky days as determined by professional star-gazers).

In Mexico, the healing virgin-goddess Tonantzin is honored on this day with an annual festival called the Fiesta of the Mother of Health.

 

December 10

On this night (approximately), Inuit hunters in the far north begin an annual five-day series of purification rites, followed by a propitiation ceremony under the full moon, for the souls of the animals they had hunted in the last year. The December Moon ceremony has been performed in the Arctic coastal regions of North America

for hundreds of years.

 

December 11

Day of Bruma. On this date, the ancient Roman goddess of the winter season was honored by Pagans in Italy with an annual festival. This day is also sacred to Arianrhod, the Snow Queen goddess,

and Yuki Onne.

 

December 12

The victories of good over evil and light over darkness are celebrated annually at sunset on this date (approximately) with the Zoroastrian fire festival of Sada.

In Mexico, the annual Our Lady of Guadalupe religious festival takes place on this day. It is a sacred day to the goddesses Coatlique, Tonantzin,

and the Black Madonna.

December 13

Saint Lucia’s Day. On this day, a candlelight festival is celebrated throughout Sweden. The first-born daughter of each family wears a flowing white gown and a crown of candles around her head, obviously in reference to the ancient Pagan symbols of fire and life-giving light. The daughter traditionally serves her mother and father breakfast in bed.

 

December 14

On this date in the year 1503, the famous French prophet and astrologer Michel de Nostradamus was born in Saint Remy de Provence. He experienced many psychic visions during his childhood, and he later studied the Holy Qabalah, astrology, astronomy, medicine, and mathematics. The first collection of his uncannily accurate visions, written in the form of rhymed quatrains, was published in the year 1555. Three years later, a second and larger collection of his propheciesâ€"reaching into the year 3979â€"was published. Nostradamus died on July 1, 1566

 

December 15

Halcyon Days. According to ancient legend, the seven days before the winter solstice and the seven days following it are a special time of tranquility and calm, due to the magickal powers of the halcyon (a fabled bird who nested on the sea and calmed the wind and the waves during the winter solstice). In Puerto Rico, the Yule Child is honored by a religious festival called Navidades, which begins annually on this day. It is celebrated until the sixth of January.

 

December 16

In Mexico, the Yule Child is honored by a religious festival called Posadas, which begins annually on this day. It is celebrated until the twenty-fourth of December.

This day is sacred to the Pagan wisdom-goddesses Athena, Kista, Maat, Minerva, the Shekinah, and Sophia. The Soyal ceremony is celebrated annually on this date (approximately) by the Native American tribe of the Hopi in the southwestern United States. The rites of the Soyal celebrate the return of the sun (Life) and commemorate the creation and rebirth of the Spider Woman and Hawk Maiden.

 

December 17

Saturnalia. The Roman god Saturn was honored in ancient times during this annual midwinter festival, which began on this date and lasted until the twenty-fourth of December. This was a week of feasting, merriment, gift-giving, charades, and the lighting of torches and candles.

 

December 18

On this day in Latvia, the birth of the god Diev and the rebirth of the Sun is celebrated annually with a four-day winter festival. Houses are festively decorated and traditional feasts are prepared to welcome the four gift-bearing celestial beings who are the heralds of the winter solstice. On the second day of the Saturnalia, the ancient Romans celebrated the Eponalia (a feast dedicated to Epona, the Celtic Mother-Goddess and a patroness of horses).

 

December 19

On the third day of the Saturnalia, the ancient Romans celebrated the Opalia, a feast dedicated to Ops (Abundance), the harvest goddess of fertility and success, and the consort of the god Saturn. This day was also sacred to the Roman fertility goddess Sabine. The Hindu goddess Sankrant is honored annually on this date (approximately) by a Hindu Solstice celebration called Pongol.

 

December 20

On this day in the year 1946, famous Israeli psychic Uri Geller was born in Tel Aviv. He is renowned for his psychokinetic ability to bend metal objects by stroking them with his fingers and to stop clocks simply by gazing upon them. His metal-bending and mind-reading abilities developed at the age of five when he was accidentally shocked by his mother’s electric sewing machine. He began his career as a full-time professional stage performer in 1969.

 

December 21

On the first day of winter (which normally occurs on or near this date), the Winter Solstice Sabbat is celebrated by Wiccans and Witches throughout the world. Winter Solstice (which is also known as Yule, Winter Rite, Midwinter, and Alban Arthan) is the longest night of the year, marking the time when the days begin to grow longer and the hours of darkness decrease. It is the festival of the Sun’s rebirth, and a time to honor the Horned God. (The aspect of the God invoked at this Sabbat by certain Wiccan traditions is Frey, the Scandinavian fertility god and a deity associated with peace and prosperity.) Love, family togetherness, and accomplishments of the past year are also celebrated. On this Sabbat, Witches bid farewell to the Great Mother and welcome the reborn Horned God who rules the dark half of the year.

 

December 22

On this date (approximately), the Sun enters the astrological sign of Capricorn. Persons born under the sign of the Goat are said to be ambitious, practical, loyal, and often reclusive. Capricorn is an earth sign and is ruled by the planet Saturn.

On this date in the year 1970, famous Wiccan authors Stewart and Janet Farrar founded their own coven. The Farrars, a husband and wife team, have written many popular Witchcraft books together.

 

December 23

In early times, a Pagan religious ceremony called the Laurentina was held in Rome each year on this date. It celebrated the recovery of light from the darkness of the winter solstice, and was dedicated to the goddess Acca Laurentia or Lara (the mother of the Lares). The demigod Balomain is honored annually by the Kalash people with a weeklong festival called the Chaomos, which begins on this date.

 

December 24

Christmas Eve. According to Finnish folklore, the ghosts of departed loved ones return home each year on this night. It is a Christmas Eve tradition in Finland and in many other parts of Europe for families to light white candles on the graves of their ancestors. According to superstition, if a man proposes to his beloved on Christmas Eve and she accepts, they will surely enjoy a happy and love-filled marriage.

 

December 25

Birthday of the Invincible Sun (Dies Natalis Invicti Solis). Before being Christianized as the Mass of Christ (Christmas), a festival honoring the god of the sun was celebrated on this day in ancient Rome. It was made a public holiday by the Emperor Aurelian in the year A.D. 272 and consisted of the

lighting of sacred bonfires. On Christmas Day, according to German folklore, a Yuletide Witch known as the Lutzelfrau flies through the sky on her broom, bringing mischief to mortals who fail to honor her with small presents. Another Yuletide Witch of German folklore is Perchta. In the southern regions of the country, it was an old Yuletide custom for children wearing masks and carrying besoms (Witch brooms) to go door to door (in “trick or treat†fashion) begging for gifts in the name of Perchta.

 

December 26

On this day, the first day of Yuletide begins. It continues until the Twelfth-day (January 6). The Junkanoo festival takes place annually on this day in the Bahama Islands. Old gods are honored and ancient magick is reinvoked as music, dancing, and costumed marchers fill the streets until the crack of dawn.

This day is sacred to various deities from around the world. Among them are Frau Sonne, Igaehindvo, the Star Faery, Sunne, and Yemaya.

 

December 27

On this day in the year 1959, Gerina Dunwich (eclectic Witch, professional astrologer, and author of many Witchcraft books, including the one you are now reading) was born in Chicago, Illinois under the sign of

Capricorn with a Taurus rising. The birth of Freya (the Norse goddess of fertility, love, and beauty) is celebrated on this day. Annual Pagan festivals in her honor are celebrated throughout the world by many Wiccans of the Saxon tradition

 

December 28

On this day, an annual festival of peace and spiritual renewal is celebrated in parts of China. Offerings are made to gods and spirits, and a paper horse containing the names of all the members of the temple is set on fire in the ancient Taoist belief that the rising smoke will take the names up to heaven.

 

December 29

During this period, the eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights (also known as Hanukkah or Chanukah) is observed by Jews throughout the world. On each night of the festival, one additional candle is lit on a ceremonial nine-branched candelabrum called a menorah. In ancient Greece, a Pagan religious festival called the Day of Nymphs was celebrated on this day in honor of Andromeda, Ariadne, and Artemis (the Greek counterpart of the goddess Diana).

 

December 30

On this date in the year 1916, Rasputin (a famous Russian mystic monk, occultist, and court magician) was assassinated by his enemy Prince Feliks Yusupov. Rasputin, who was drowned in the frozen Neva River, presaged his own death.

 

December 31

New Year’s Eve. The modern custom of ringing bells and blowing horns to usher in the new year at midnight is actually derived from the old Pagan custom of noisemaking to scare away the evils of the old year. In certain parts of Japan, young men put on grotesque demon masks and costumes made of straw and go door to door collecting donations of money, rice cakes, and sake. This traditional New Year’s Eve custom serves to drive out the demons of misfortune and ensure an abundant harvest for the new year.

Published in:

Book of Shadows

Wiccaon December 4, 2008 at 1:06 am

Legends and Lore for November

 

 

 

November, the eleventh month of the current Gregorian calendar and the third month of Autumn’s rule, derives its name from novem, the Latin word meaning “nine,†as November was the ninth month of the old Roman Calendar.

The traditional birthstone amulet of November is the topaz; and the chrysanthemum is the month’s traditional flower.

November is shared by the astrological signs of Scorpio the Scorpion and Sagittarius the Centaru-Archer, and is sacred to the following Pagan deities: Astarte, Calleach, Hathor, Kali, Maman, and Sekhmet.

 

November 1

On this day in ancient Rome, the harvest-goddess of fruit trees, orchards, and all fruit-bearing plants was honored with a festival called the Pomonia (Feast of Pomona) which marked the end of the growing season.

Many modern Witches celebrate the day after the Halloween Sabbat with a feast commemorating fruition, maturity, immortality and resurrection.

All Saints’ Day. This is one of the most magickal and powerful days of the year to practitioners of Voodoo, and a time to perform rituals for spiritual strength and protection against evil loas (spirit-gods).

In Latin America and Spain, the Day of the Dead is celebrated on this date with offerings of food to honor the spirits of deceased loved ones.

A festival known as Cailleach’s Reign is celebrated annually on this date by many Pagans throughout Ireland and Great Britain in honor of the ancient Celtic Crone-Goddess.

 

November 2

All Souls’ Day. In England, small offerings known as soul cakes are traditionally set out for the dead every year on this date.

According to folklore, this is considered to be an extremely unlucky day for wedding ceremonies. Those who are wed on All Souls’ Day are sure to be cursed with misfortune, illness, divorce, or an early death.

 

November 3

On this date in the year 1324, a Witch named Dame Alice Kyteler suffered death by fire in the first and most famous Witch trial to take place in Ireland. Nine others were arrested, found guilty, and sentenced to various punishments.

In Egypt, the final day of the Isia takes place on this day. This annual festival celebrates the rebirth of the god Osiris through the sacred and life-giving milk of Isis.

November 4

In ancient times, a Pagan festival honoring the Lord of Death was celebrated in England every year on this night (the Eve of Guy Fawkes Day). The bonfires and mischievous pranks associated with modern England’s Mischief Night are actually remnants of the old Pagan customs.

 

November 5

Every year on this date, young men gather in Shebbear, England, to turn a large red rock called the Devil’s Boulder. The centuries-old custom of turning the one-ton rock (which was flung into the village square by the Devil himself, according to English folklore) conjures up ancient magickal powers and brings peace and prosperity to the village.

 

November 6

On this day, the birth of Tiamat ( an ancient Babylonian goddess known as the Dragon Mother) is celebrated. According to mythology, Tiamat and her consort Apsu gave birth to all the gods of the world, and the earth and the heavens were created from Dragon Mother’s severed body.

November 7

Night of Hecate. In ancient Greece, a fire festival was held once a year on this night to honor the goddess Hecate.

Modern Witches invoke Hecate for protection and fertility, as she is both a protectress of all Witches and an ancient deity associated with fertility.

In the Hawaiian Islands, the ancient god Lono is honored annually on this day by the Hawaiian Harvest Festival. The Makahiki festival also takes place in Hawaii on this day.

November 8

In Haiti, farmers make offerings of yams to their family’s ancestral spirits and household gods every year on this day (approximately) in order to insure a bountiful harvest in the next year.

Hettsui No Kami, the kitchen-range goddess, is honored on this day in Japan with an annual Shinto festival called the Fuigo Matsuri.

November 9

In Thailand, a traditional witch-magick ritual is performed annually on this date. Banana peels and lotus leaves are made into little boats and filled with candles and various offerings to the gods (such as incense, coins, and gardenia flowers). Secret wishes are made as the “boats†are set adrift on a river, and if the candles keep burning until they are out of view, the wishes are said to come true.

November 10

On this date in olden times, Old November Eve was celebrated throughout the Scottish countryside. The goddess Nicnevin was honored with prayers and feasts, and it was believed that she rode through the air and made herself visible to mortals on this night.

On this date (approximately) in the year 1493, famous Hermetic philosopher and alchemist Paracelsus was born in Einsiedeln, Switzerland. (However, other sources give his date of birth as December 17, 1493.) Paracelsus possessed remarkable healing powers and believed in a universal natural magick. Contrary to many writings about him, he was not a sorcerer or a practitioner of ceremonial magick (in fact, he was known to be rather skeptical of the so-called Black Arts); however, he did believe in astrology and often used magickal astrological talismans (inscribed with planetary symbols) in his medical practices. He died a mysterious death in Salzburg in the year 1541.

 

November 11 Old November Day

In Ireland, the Faerie Sidhe is honored on this day with an annual Pagan Festival known as the Lunatshees.

A festival called the Day of the Heroes is celebrated annually on this day by Pagans and Wiccans in northern Europe. The ancient deities of the Norse mythos are honored with prayers and merry feasts.

On this day, the annual feast of Vinalia was observed by the ancient Greeks in honor of the wine-god Bacchus.

 

November 12

An annual festival called the Epulum Jovis in Capitola was celebrated on this date in ancient times in honor of Jupiter (the supreme god of the ancient Roman religion, identified with the Greek god Zeus) and the goddesses Minerva and Juno. Animal sacrifices were made at temples in the city of Rome and bonfires were set ablaze at sunset.

 

November 13

Back in medieval times, the thirteenth day after the Witches’ Sabbat of Halloween was considered a day of darkness, evil, and misfortune. It was believed to be a time when necromancers and sorcerers of the left-handed path summoned up evil spirits and demons to assist them in their practice of the Black Arts.

In some parts of the world, the old superstition persists that if the thirteenth day after Halloween falls on a Friday, all persons born on that day will possess the power of the evil eye.

 

November 14

On this date, an annual Druidic festival known as the Feast of the Musicians is celebrated by many Wiccans to honor the ancient Celtic gods of music. Traditional Pagan folk songs are sung around an open fire as various offerings are

cast into the flames.

At temples throughout India, children gather annually on this day to receive divine blessings from the Children’s Goddesses: Befana, Mayauel, Rumina, and Surabhi.

 

November 15

Ferona, an ancient goddess who presides over fire, fertility, and woodlands, is honored annually on this day with a Pagan festival called the Feronia.

In Japan, a centuries-old ritual for good health (Shichi-Go-San) is performed annually on this date in Shinto shrines. The ceremony involves children who have reached the ages of three, five, and seven. At the end, the children are given candy blessed and decorated with symbols of good fortune.

On this date in the year 1280, German alchemist and ceremonial magician Albertus Magnus died. According to legend, he discovered the Philosopher’s Stone and also created a supernatural zombie-like servant using natural magick and astrological science.

 

November 16

On this date (approximately), the annual Festival of Lights is celebrated in India to mark the Hindu New Year. Candles are lit to honor Lakshmi (the goddess who presides over wealth, prosperity, and sexual pleasures), and homes are decorated with ancient good-fortune ritual designs called kolams.

 

November 17

The last of three annual festivals of death is observed in certain regions of China on this day (approximately). Paper clothing and money labeled with the names of the dead are traditionally burned as offerings to ancestors in the spirit world.

On this date in the year 1907, famous occultists and author Israel Regardie was born in England. He belonged to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and was a onetime secretary of Aleister Crowley. He wrote numerous books which continue to be popular among Witches, Neo-Pagans, and practitioners of the occult arts. Regardie died in the year 1983.

November 18

Ardvi, a Persian goddess believed to the Mother of the Stars, is honored annually on this date with a sacred festival called the Ardvi Sura (The Day of Ardvi). The festival, which takes place under the nighttime stars, has been celebrated by the faithful in southwestern Asia since ancient times.

 

November 19

Warlock Day. According to medieval superstitious belief, the first stranger you meet on this day who is dressed in black from head to toe will be a warlock (a male Witch). Take care not to look him directly in the eyes; otherwise you will become bewitched.

November 20

On this night, when the Pleiades (a cluster of stars in the constellation of Taurus) become visible to the naked eye, native rituals and celebrations begin in Hawaii to mark the beginning of their harvest season and to honor and give thanks to the ancient god Lono.

 

November 21

In ancient times, a joyous Mayan festival honoring the god Kukulcan began each year on this date. The celebration lasted for several days and nights.

This day is also sacred to the Pagan gods Chango, Damballah, Quetzalcoatl, and Tammuz.

 

November 22

On this date (approximately), the Sun enters the astrological sign of Sagittarius. Persons born under the sign of the Centaur-Archer are said to be optimistic, enthusiastic, curious, and often outspoken and prone to exaggeration. Sagittarius is a fire sign and is ruled by the planet Jupiter.

 

November 23

On this day in England, Saint Clement (the patron of ironworkers) is honored with elaborate rituals. However, in ancient times, this day was celebrated with a Pagan feast in honor of the wizard-blacksmith of the Saxon deities.

In Japan, a rice harvest celebration called the Shinjosai Festival for Konohana-Hime is held yearly on this date. It is dedicated to the granddaughter goddess of the solar deity Amaterasu.

 

November 24

In Japan, the annual festival known as Tori-No-Ichi takes place on or around this date. Traditionally, special bamboo rakes decorated with symbols of good fortune are carried through the streets in order to attract benevolent spirits.

In ancient Egypt, the sacred goddesses of light and birth were honored and invoked annually on or around this day with prayers, libations, and the ritual burning of special lamps.

November 25

Windmill Blessing Day. In days of old, many millers in Holland would bless their windmills on or around this date each year by throwing a handful or two of flour into the wind as an offering to appease the mischievous invisible entities known as the Windmill Spirits.

 

November 26

On this day (approximately), annual manhood initiation rites are performed by young males in the Basari villages of Senegal. The centuries-old ceremonies are followed by a joyous celebration of dancing, singing, and athletic competition.

A centuries-old fire festival takes place every year on this day in Tibet. The festival is dedicated to the ancient goddesses who rule

over light and fire.

 

November 27

The Indian Mother-Goddess known as Gujeswari is honored on or around this date each year by Buddhists and Hindus in Nepal. Prayers are recited throughout the day, and a musical procession fills the streets with sacred songs after sunset.

In India, a religious festival called the Parvati-Devi takes place on this day each year. It honor the triple goddess known as the Mother of the Universe, whose three goddess aspects are Sarasvati (Maiden), Lakshmi (Mother), and Parvati (Crone).

 

November 28

Sophia, the ancient Greek goddess of wisdom and inner truth, is honored and invoked annually on this day by cants, libations, and secret Pagan rituals performed by those who seek to acquire arcane knowledge.

 

November 29

Each year on this night (according to ancient legend), vampires in Rumania are believed to rise up from their graves after a year-long sleep and walk the Earth in search of human blood. Garlic and crucifixes are hung on doors

and windows for protection.

In ancient Egypt, the Feast of Hathor as Sekhmet was held each year on this day. It honored the lion-headed goddess of battle, who was also the consort of the moon-god Ptah.

November30 Saint Andrew’s Night

In many rural villages in Germany, young women still perform traditional love-divinations on this night. Using various methods of fortune-telling, they read omens and dreams to find out about their future husbands and marriages.

On this date in the year 1942, Otter Zell (Pagan priest and the founder of The Church of All Worlds) was born in Saint Louis, Missouri.

Published in:

Book of Shadows

Wiccaon November 2, 2008 at 7:37 pm

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