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June June takes its name from Juno, the Roman goddess of love and marriage. Not surprisingly, June became the traditional month for marriage in Rome, and it continues to enjoy tremendous popularity for weddings today. Besides this June is the favored month for flower festivals, likely due to the abundance of earth's blossoms around this time of year. June's energies are focused on socialization and activity. It is a capricious month, filled with young love, romance, and the companionship of good friends. Any magick, aimed at enhancing ones relationships, communication skills, and the personal energy level necessary for maintaining both will be augmented by working during this month. |
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June 17 The Cleansing Lily (Japan) Dainichi-Nyorai Themes: Beauty; Cleansing; Protection; Spirituality; Weather Symbols: Lilies; Gold-colored Items; Light About Dainichi-Nyorai: This light-bearing goddess comes in answer to the Japanese people's prayers for sunlight. Having all the sun's power, Dainichi-nyorai embodies pure goodness, her name meaning "great illuminator." With this in mind, call upon this goddess at midyear to assist your quest for enlightenment and keep the road ahead filled with radiance. To Do Today: In Shinto tradition, today marks a time when people gather lilies as an offering to entreat the goddess to stop flooding rains. This is really a form of weather magick. If you need rain in your area, burn a lily, to banish rain, wave the lily in the air to move the clouds away! It is customary to anoint one's hearth (the stove) today with lily (or any floral-scented oil). This welcomes Dainichi-nyorai in all her radiant goodness into the heart of your home and the hearts of all those who live there. Wear something gold while doing this, or decorate your kitchen with a yellow or gold-toned candle. When you light the candle, whisper Dainichi-nyoria's name so she can live through that flame, warming every corner of your life. By the way, if you feel adventurous, lily buds are edible; they have a nutty taste. Try cooking them n butter and eating them to internalize all the positive energies of this festival and the goddess. |
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June 18 Father's Day (United States) Hermaphroditos Themes: Balance; Masculinity; Femininity; Honor; Reason; Leadership Symbols: Two-sided items; Yin/Yang Symbol Aboutn Hermaphroditos: This androgynous deity was once the son of Hermes, but he loved the nymph Salmakis so much that the lovers became of one body and soul, neither the male or female being discernible. In this form, Hermaphroditos reminds us that the Goddess is also God, blending the best of both sexes together into powerful, productive energy. To Do Today: At the midpoint of the year we take a moment's pause fromt he Goddess honor her consort and other half, the God, represented by fathers everywhere. Take time to thank the special men in your life and pamper them today. Ask Hermaphroditos to show you the goddess within them, and how god and goddess work together, making each person unique. In magick traditions, the god aspect is the conscious, logical force of the universe who offers us the attributes of leadership, resons, and focus. This persona and energy is part of the goddess--one can not be seperated from the other. This is a good day to look within yourself, find both aspects of the divine, and concentrate on bringing them into balance. If you're normally headstrong, back off a bit. If you're normally a wallflower, get daring! If you like to plan, become spontaneous--and so forth. Hermaphroditos will show you the way. |
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June 19 Emancipation Day (Texas) Maat Themes: Freedom; New Beginnings; Justice; Morality; Organization; Promises; Universal Law Symbols: Ostrich Feathers (or any feather) About Maat: In Egypt, Maat is the ultimae representation of fairness, justice, and truth. As the spirit of orderliness and legislation, she assists us by overseeing any legal matters, hearings, promises, and oaths to ensure harmony and honesty. In some Egyptian stories, a person's soul was weighed against Maat's feather to gain entrance to paradise. To Do Today: On June 19 in 1865, the slaves in Texas were finally told about the Emancipation Proclamation signed three years previously. While freedom was slow in coming, it finally arrived likely to part thanks to Maat's encouragement. For all of Maat's spells it's best to have a feather to use as a component and focal point. Change the color of your feather to suit the goal. Pick blue for true seeing (or to encourage honesty with yourself), white for pure promises, black and white for legal equity, and pale yellow to inspire a new beginning filled with Maat's keen insight. Bless the feather, using the following incantation (fill in the blank with your goal), then release it to the wind so the magick begins to move! Maat, on this feather light bring to me renewed insight. To my life_____ impart; make a home within my heart. |
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June 20 Bald Eagle Day (United States) Mother of all Eagles Themes: Freedom; Perspective; Overcoming; Health; Power; Destiny; Air Element; Movement Symbol: Feathers (not Eagles - gathering these is illegal) About Mother of all Eagles: On the warm summer winds, Eagle Mother glides into our reality, carries us about our circumstances, and stretches our vision. Among Native Americans, the Eagle Mother represents healing, her feathers often being used by shamans for this purpose. Beyond this, she symbolizes comprehension, finally coming to a place of joyfully accepting our personal power over destiny. To Do Today: On this day in 1982, President Reagan declared Bald Eagle Day to honor the American emblem of freedom. In Native American tradition, this emblem and the Eagle Mother reconnect us with sacred powers, teaching us how to balance our temporal and spiritual life on the same platter. Find a new large feather for Eagle Mother talismans, one different from those you gather for Maat, because the two have very different energies (check craft stops). Wrap the pointed end with cloth crisscrossed by leather thonging or a natural-fabric ribbon. Each time you cross the leather strings, say, _______ bound within; when released by wind, let the magick begin. Fill in the blank with the Eagle Mother attribute you desire, then have the feather present or use it in rituals or spells to disperse incense, thereby releasing its magick on the winds. |
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June 21 Cancer Begins (Various Locations) Lady of Regla Themes: Kinships; Protection; Kindness; Moon; Love; Devotion; Fertility; Relationships Symbols: Fish; Moon; Silver (lunar) or Blue Items (her favorite color); Crab About Lady of Regla: This West Indian fish mother swims in with summer rains as the bearer of fertility, family unity, prospective life mates, and othe traditionally lunar energies. Shown in art looking much like mermaid, the Lady of Regla is also the patroness of the astrological sign. To Do Today: In astrology, those born under the sign of Cancer have a great deal of compassion, desire famly closeness and stability, and are ruled by the moon, all of which characterize this goddess's energies to a tee. How you emphasize those powers depends on what you need. For harmony at home, add blue highlights to your decorating scheme, and wear pale blue clothing when having difficult conversations. Eat fish or crab today to digest a little extra self-love or empathy, or to encourage fertility in any area of your life. To spice up this magick, serve the fish with a bit of lemon juice--a fruit that emphasizes devotion and kinship. If you'd like to dream of future loves or get the Lady of Regla's perspective on a difficult fmily situation, leave her an offering of yams before you go to bed. According to local custom, this invokes Regla's favor and you will experience helpful night visions--so take notes! |
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June 22 Midsummer (Various Locations) Saules Mate Themes: Sun; Prayer; Protection Symbols: Sun; Fire; Yellow/Gold or Red Items; Horses; Birch About Saules Mate: Saules Mate comes to us from Indo-European tradition, her name meaning "sun." Indeed, with the sun reaching its highest point today, she becomes the center of our festivites. Saules Mate crosses the sky during the day in a carriage drawn by yellow horses, then travels the water by night in a golden birch boat, hanging a red scarf in the wind to give the sky it lovely color. To Do Today: In magick traditions, we stop for a moment on this day to mark the sun's halfway point through its annual journey. Traditionally, thisis a time to harvest magickal herbs, but do so before Saules Mate gets to bright in the sky, her heat diminishes the natural oils in the herbs. Remember to leave an offering for the goddess so she will empower these herbs--perhaps some ground birch wood tha tacts as plant mulch! Purify yourself by jumping the ritual fire (or a candle) today, then burn a wish in Saules Mate's fire to release it into her care today (for the southern quarter of the magick circle): Powers of the fire, reach ever higher. Saule Mate, bring your light; the power ignite. Salamanders prance in the magickal dance, By your power and my will, this scared space fill! |
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June 23 Rousalii (Romania) The Rousalii Themes: Humor; Protection; Weather; Fertility; Faeries; Growth Symbols: Water; Linen; Green Robes About The Rousalii: A group of ill-treated women in life, these goddesses often create mischief when they interact with humans, especially those with nasty dispositions. They do however, have a good side. The Rousalii know the dances that make plants and people grow and thrive, and sometimes they will teach them to humans. In literature, the Rousalii sometimes appear as water faeries, begging linen from passersby, which they use to make green robes for fertility rites. To Do Today: In Romania, people would tell you that it is best to stay home today and leave the Rousalii offerings of bread and salt to avert their impish ways. If it's windy, definitely stay home; this means the ladies are in a foul mood. To protect yourself, place wormwood under your pillow, pull the covers over your ehad, and stay put! On a less drastic level, wear something green to keep them happy and try this spell to encourage the Rousalii's growth and maturity in any area of your life: Take a little piece of linen (or cotton cloth) and dance with it in your hand, moving clockwise and saying, The dance of life, the dance of power, Rousalii, join me this magick hour! To______ bring growth and maturity; by your power this spell is freed! Fill in the blank with your intention. Tuck the swatch of cloth on your person, or close to the are that represents your goal. |
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June 24 Yam Festival (Nigeria) Inna Themes: Harvest; Offering; Protection; Promises; Justice Symbols: Yams; Harvested Foods About Inna: In Nigeria, Inna ensures an abundant yarn harvest for this festival, as well as good crops for farmers who honor her. During the summer months, she appears as a protectress who oversees our lands, homes, promises, and all matters of justice. Oaths taken in Inna's name are totally binding. To Do Today: Around the end of June, nearly every group in Nigeria celebrates the Yam Festival with offerings to the goddess and a feast of yams. This is a sacred crop here, and eating yams today will purify your body and spirit. If you can't find yams, try sweet potatoes instead, sprinkling them with a little brown sugar to ensure sweet rewards for your diligent efforts. To get the wheels of justice turning a little faster, forego the sugar and eat the potatoes steaming hot (heat represents motivating energy). People also traditionally practice yam divination today. You can try this yourself using any potato. Cut it in half the long way, then toss the two sides in the air while praying for Inna's insight. If one lands face up and to the face down, it is a good sign for your family or the entire community in which you live. The coming year will be filled with Inna's abundance and equity. To increase the meaning in this system, draw two personally significant symbols in the potato and see if either comes up! |
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June 25 White Nights (Russia) Hotogov Mailgan Themes: Sky; Tradition; Arts Symbols: Pale Light About Hotogov Mailgan: Between June 21 and June 29 the skies in Russia always appear light gray at night because of the northern location. The effect throughout St. Petersburg is very magickal casting unique shadows on the lavender, pink, and yellow pastel-colored buildings. To celebrate this beauty, the citizens enjoy traditional Russian ballets, theatrical performances, and music. So get out the theme music from Dr Zhivago, rent a ballet featuring Barishnikov, or cook yourself up some Russian dumplings (varnekey) and invite this goddess to join you. If you perform any magick today, try putting up some pastel-colored curtains around the space to filter the outside light so it suits Hotogov Mailgan. Or darken the room and use glow-in-the-dark stars to mark the magickal circle so you're literally surrounded by her power. Try taking a bubble bath and dotting the surface of the water with glitter to look like Hotogov Mailgan's night sky. Then sit, relax, an meditate, absorbing the hopeful, dreamy energy that her stars inspire in people everywhere. |
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June 26 Alaskan Whale Dance Sedna Themes: Thankfulness; Providence; Nature; Abundance Symbols: Water; an Eye; Fish About Sedna: The mother of the sea, which is sometimes called the "eating place" in northern climes, Sedna is a very important figure in Alaskan mythology as the provider of nourishment for both body and soul. In narratives, Sedna gave birth to fish, seals, polar bears, and whales, the life sustaining animals of this region. Artistic renderings show her as having one eye that sees all things in her domain. To Do Today: At this time of the year, fishermen in Alaska dance through town giving out whale meat. According to custom, this dance propitiates the spirits of the food-providing whales who have died in the previous year. It also ensures an abundance of food in the year ahead. Adapting this a bit, abstain from your favorite meat product today and ask for Sedna's blessing on the animals who provide your food year-round. Vegetarians can forego their favorite staple and ask Sedna to bless the earth's greenery instead! Eating fish, however, is perfectly suited to the occasion, as it will fill yo uwith Sedna's nourishment. Remember to eat thankfully! To keep a small token in your home that will continually draw Sedna's blessing to you, get a goldfish and name it after her! Each time you feed the fish you're symbolically giving an offering to the goddess. When you have a need, whisper it to the fish so Sedna hears you. |
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June 27 Sun Dance (Northcentral United States) Shakuru Themes: Theft; Divination; Sun; Truth; Magick Symbols: Sun; Gold/Yellow Items About Shakuru: Pawnee daughter of the moon and goddess of the sun, Shakuru joins summer celebrations by shining her light on today's ceremony. In Pawnee stories, Shakuru's son became the first man on earth, making her the mother of humankind. To Do Today: About this time of year the Plains Indians gather to welcome the sun and all its power. All manner of magickal practices take place during this rite, including divinations to uncover a thief or murderer using totemic practices. For our purposes this might translate into divining for a totem animal whom we can call on for guidance and energy in times of need. To do this you'll need a lot of animal pictures (cut from magazines or anywhere else you can find them). Make the images the same shape and size to ensure randomness. Sit quietly with these face-down before you and ask Shakuru to guide your hand. Don't move quickly, and wait until the paper below your hand feels warm, a sign of Shakuru's presence. Turn it over and see what animal it is, then read up on that creature in folklore collections to see what message it's bringing you. As much as possible, try to move clockwise today(imitating the natural movement of the sun through the sky). Walk through your house going to the right, stir your coffee clockwise, clean windows using clockwise strokes, and so forth. This honors Shakuru and draws the sun's blesings into your life. |
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June 28 Palio Festival (Italy) Rigantona Themes: Sports; Excellence; Magick; Fertility; Movement; Travel Symbols: Horse; Moon; White Items; Birds About Rigantona: A Roman/Italic form of Rhiannon, this goddess travels the earth on a swift white horse, a lunar symbol, sweeping us up to travel along and get everything in our lives moving! Stories portray Rigantona in the company of powerful magickal birds, and she also represents fertility. To Do Today: In Italy, people attend the Palio Festival, a horse race the started in the thirteenth century and has continued ever since as a time to show physical skill and cunning. It's a perfect place for Rigantona to shine. Any type of physical activity that you excel in will please Rigantona today and encourage her motivational energy in your efforts. Get out and take a brisk walk, swim, rollerblade. As you move, visualize yourself a top a white horse, the goddess's symbol, approaching an image of a specific goal. All the energy you expend during this activity generates magick for attainment. If birds fly into your life today, pay attention to the type of bird and its movements, because birds are Rigantona's messengers. Birds flying to the right are good omens, those moving to the left act as a warning of danger, and those flying overhead indicate productivity in whatever you try today. If any of these birds drops a feather, keep it as a gift from this goddess. |
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June 29 Mnarja (Malta) Tesana Themes: Harvest; Light; Fertility; Abundance; Hope; Beginnings; Growth; Opportunity; Restoration Symbols: Dawn; Red; Fruit About Tesana: In Etruscan, Tesana means "dawn." As the first pink rays of light begin to reach through the darkness, Tesana is there, offering the hope of a better tomorrow and the warmth of a new day. Through her steadfast attendance, the earth and its people bear life and become fruitful. To Do Today: Mnarja is the primary folk festival in Malta and originated as an orange and lemon harvest celebration. The name Mnarja means "illumination," and all the ritual fires ignited today symbolically keep Tesana's fertility burning. So, light a candle this morning at dawn's first light to welcome Tesana and invoke her assistance. Choose the color of the candle to reflect your goal; pink for hope, white for beginnings (a clean slate), and green for growth or restoration. If you like, also carve an emblem of your goal into the wax, leaving the taper to burn until it melts past the symbol (this releases the magick). In a similar prolific tone, the customary food to encourage Tesana's fertility and continuing good harvest today is rabbit. If this isn't meat you enjoy, make a rarebit instead; this was a substitute for costly rabbits in the Middle Ages. |
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June 30 Arretophoria (Greece) Antheia Themes: Promises; Friendship; Trust; Honor; Community; Love; Relationships Symbols: Gold-colored Items; Honey; Myrrh About Antheia: Since 800 B.C.E. Antheia has been known as the Greek goddess of marriage, companionship, and good council. Theses attributes manifested themselves in a triple goddess figure who flowered, sought a mate, and reached perfection. Today we ask her to bless our rites by flowering within our souls so we too can obtain spiritual perfection. To Do Today: In ancient Greece this festival of trust and friendship was held sometime between June and July. Each year, two maidens were given a special honey-laden diet and clothed in golden robes to take on a special trust. They delivered a package untouched to a secret place in a local temple, then spent the year in community service, never peeking inside the box. This sounds like a fun acitivity for couples or friends. Each person picks out a trust gift for the other and gives it to them to put in a special place, leaving it untouched for a year. The entire time the gift remains there unopened, Antheia will energize it and bless the people in that relationship, so don't get tempted to peek. Believe me when I say it's worth the wait. At the end of the year, don something gold, burn myrrh to create a scared space in which Antheia dwells, and open the gifts, explaining the significance of the items. I guarantee it's a present you'll never forget. |
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