The solar calendar shifts gear into the first Fire governed animal sign of the Yin Wood 乙 Snake ⺒ and Feng Shui energies adjust accordingly. May 5 also heralds the seventh solar term of Lixia 立夏 - 'Beginning of Summer', in the Chinese calendar system which commences 1½ months before comparative late Spring vibes in the Western Calendar. In the lunisolar calendar the fourth lunar month began under the New Moon on 1 May @ 10 Taurus. Known to the Ancient Chinese simply as 'Locust Tree' or 'Cherry blossom' month and depicted in paintings by the swallow and wisteria.
Read more6th Solar Term - Spring Showers (Gu Yu 穀雨)
The last Solar term of Spring is upon us. Indicated by the 6th solar term of Grain Rain or, Spring Showers as it’s also known in the N. Hemisphere, commencing on 20th April. Luna’s third swollen face of the Chinese year will be fullest on April 27th (AEST) at 7° Scorpio. Depicted in Chinese paintings by pairing a Crow with cherry blossom. And we’re currently at the mid-point of Water Dragon month, while in the western astrological system, the sun enters earthy Taurus season.
Read moreWitches Sabbath + Samhain + Beltaine
At sunset on Oct 31st, the transition point between two luminaries will exchange the baton from day to night. Forget midnight, it’s sunset that marks the close/ beginning of a Celtic day in their calendar. It’s Hallows Eve, (Halloween) a significant Celtic/Pagan festival marker and 1st of Nov. is Samhain. While those domicile in the S.H shall be celebrating Beltaine’s Eve, or as it’s more commonly known the Eve of May Day. To N.H folk it’s Celtic New Year’s Eve.
Both domiciles mark two major festivals or Witches Sabbaths; the beginning of Summer (S.H) and the beginning of the opposing season of Winter in the N. Hemisphere.
Read moreHAWTHORN - Fairy Tree + Cold Dew
Pictures of wild hawthorn bushes laden with red berries crept into my daily feeds and coincided with a previous blog on the Chinese 17th Solar Term of ‘Cold Dew’ - Huan Lu.
Read moreQing ming - 5th Solar Term Clear + Bright
The Vernal Equinox was but a fortnight ago. The 5th solar term commences on April 5th 2022 and we usher in the month of Chinese Wood Dragon. This Solar term is the only term whose first day is also a traditional Chinese festival, known as Qing Ming.
Read moreSpring Equinox - 4th Solar Term
For most folks the March (Vernal*) Equinox, has singular astronomical phenomenon; when the length of a day and night are said to be equal. To devotees of the Pagan Calendar, the equinoxes represent Mabon or Ostara festivals, held over a few days. And to the Ancient Asian forefathers of Chinese calendrical calculations, it also signaled more than a given day; it was the beginning of the fortnight long 4th Solar term commencing on 21 Mar 2023 @ 05:35am, Beijing.
And a New moon follows just hours afterward on 22 March @1:23am. And this lunation see the inserting of an intercalary (leap) month and an extended Rabbit month. The sun also enters a new astrological sign, kicking off the Aries season, the beginning of the Western Astrological Year.
Read moreMABON + OSTARA
No matter where you’re living on the globe, a cyclical change is occurring. Sept./Mar 21st/22nd every year marks the annual Equinox pairs; one marks the moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator – from North to South and vice versa at the time of the opposing. To devotees of the Pagan Calendar, it represents Mabon or Ostara, a time of year - not a singular date - on the Celtic Wheel of the Year.
Read moreMoon Musings
National Moon Day
On July 20th 1969 man took his first step on the moon - 52 years ago. Since 1971 it’s been commemorated as National Moon Landing Day. The two main luminaries in the sky - Sun and Moon, have preoccupied mankind since the dawn of time. With Moon lending its name in part to Monday, derived from Middle English Monenday, originally a translation of Latin, meaning "day of the Moon". In addition to being cognate with month and moon.
Read moreSamhain + Beltaine + Witches Sabbath
At sunset tonight, the transition point between two luminaries exchanging the baton, and a Celtic day will come to a close. It’s the eve of a Celtic/Pagan festival marker. Known by many names - those domicile in the N.H will be celebrating Walpurgis Night, Beltaine’s Eve or as it’s more commonly known the Eve of May Day. To S.H folk it’s Celtic New Year’s Eve or Samhain’s Eve.
Both domiciles mark two of the major festivals or Witches Sabbaths; the beginning of Summer and the beginning of the opposing season of Winter.
Read moreSamhain + Beltaine + Hemispheres
Samhain and Beltaine are intrinsically linked due to their polarity, standing opposite on the Celtic wheel of the year dial. The Wheel of the year marks eight Festivals which observe a combination of; the sun’s path on the ecliptic, agricultural cues, religious veneration as well as pagan and seasonal changes. But we must beat to our circadian rhythm, and honour the season that unfolds before us, regardless of the ‘date’ linked with the Wheel of the Year.
Read moreMaking the most of an Auspicious Day
How to use an Auspicious day.
Read moreAUTUMN IS COMING
Game of Thrones, may well have made famous the slogan “Winter is Coming”, but the Chinese Almanac (Tong Shu) can take credit for ‘Autumn is Coming’. Well, from a N. Hemisphere perspective at least.
Read moreSacred Festivals of the Year :: BELTAINE ✳︎ SAMHAIN
Marking Celtic Festivals, speaks to me on both professional and personal levels.
Beltaine and Samhain are Festivals that observe a combination of the sun’s path, agriculture, religious, pagan and seasonal markers. These cross quarter days are represented on a Celtic Wheel (Earth Wheel) which is divided into eight points of the year.
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