all-things-wicca

goddess names

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 06:04:19 +0100

Aphrodite (Greek) - The beautiful Goddess of love and fertility. No man could resist Aphrodite when she wore her magic girdle. Her name means foam born or risen from foam as she was birthed from the churning sea.

Arianrhod (Celtic) - Goddess of fertility, rebirth and the weaving of cosmic time and fate. The last aspect of her nature is contained within her name which means “silver wheel” or “round wheel,” suggesting her importance in the cycles of life. Other common spellings of her name are Aranhod and Arianrod.

Artemis (Greek) - An independent spirit, she is Goddess is of the hunt, nature and birth. There are several different theories about the origin of her name, one school of thought says it comes from an ancient word for “safe” and another argues that it means “strong limbed.” Either way the suggestion is that this maiden Goddess has the strength and ability to protect herself from any unwanted attention.

Athena (Greek) - Goddess of war and wisdom and domestic crafts. Plato believed her name meant "mind of God" whilst others suggest it comes an ancient word meaning “sharp.” Both these words point to Athena's great intellectual ability to see the true nature of a situation and to develop successful strategies.

Bast (Egyptian) - The famous cat Goddess, she protected pregnant woman and children. Bast was a very sensual Goddess who enjoyed music, dance and perfume. Her name comes from the bas jars used to store perfumes and ointments. Other versions of this Goddess name's include: Bastet, Baset, Ubasti and Pasht.

Ceres (Roman) - This Goddess of agriculture and grains name comes from the Indo European word root, ker meaning “to grow.” In turn her name has become the origin of our modern word cereal.

Ceridwen (Celtic) - Goddess of moon, magic, agriculture, nature, poetry language, music, art, science and astrology. She was also keeper of the cauldron. Her name means “chiding love.” Cerridwen, Caridwen, Kerritwen, Keridwen, Kyrridwen are other variations of her name.

Demeter (Greek) - Goddess of the harvest who possessed great knowledge of the best way to grow, preserve and harvest grain. She was also the devoted mother of Persephone. Her name reflects her nurturing personality as it means “earth mother” in Greek.

Diana (Roman) - Goddess of the hunt and wild animals. She later took over from Luna as the Roman Goddess of the moon, responsible for fertility and childbirth. Her name means "heavenly divine," reflecting her celestial role.

Eirene (Greek) - This Greek Goddess name means peace in her native language, expressing her diplomatic nature. Her name also often appears as Irene.

Eos (Greek) - A sunny natured Goddess whose name means dawn.

Epona (Celtic) - Protector of horses, donkeys, and mules. She was also an ancient fertility Goddess. Epona's Goddess name comes from the Gaulish word epos meaning "great mare."

Ereshkigal (Sumerian) - Goddess of Attalu, the land of the dead and ancestral memories. Her name translates as "great lady under the earth." Irkalla is an alternative name by which this Goddess is identified.

Freya (Nordic) - Goddess of love, beauty, fertility, war, wealth, divination and magic. Her name comes from the ancient Norse word for lady or mistress. There are several variations of the spellings of this Goddess name including: Freyja, Freyr and Freyja.

Frigg (Nordic) - Goddess of marriage, childbirth, motherhood, wisdom, household management and weaving and spinning. Her name means "beloved" in ancient Norse and is derived from fri "to love." She is also known as Frige, Friia, Frija and Frea.

Hathor (Egyptian) - This heavenly cow's areas of influence included music, dancing, joy and fertility. Her name translates as "house of Horus". Alternative names for this Goddess are Het-Hert, Hetheru, Mehturt, Mehurt, Mehet-Weret, and Mehet-uret,

Hebe (Greek) – Hebe’s name literally means youth or in the prime of life. She was one of the daughters of Zeus and Hera. Her role was to serve the nectar and ambrosia to the Gods and Goddesses that prevented them from aging.

Hekate (Greek) - Goddess of the wild places, childbirth and the crossroads. She is closely associated with magic and witchcraft. Her name is said to be derived from the Greek word hekas meaning "far off" describing her unworldly, shamanic nature. Also known as Hecate

Hella (Nordic) - The fearsome Goddess of the Nordic realm of the dead. Her name is derived from the word kel, meaning "to conceal." There are numerous spellings of her name including Halje Hell, Hel, Helle,Hela and Holle.

Hera (Greek) - Queen of the Olympians and Goddess of marriage and birth. The meaning of her Goddess name has been lost. One historian claims her name could be connected to the Greek word for seasons hora, suggesting she is ripe for marriage.

Hestia (Greek) - The domestic Goddess of the Greek Pantheon, she rules over the hearth and home. Her name comes from the Greek word estia meaning "she that dwells or tarries." This reflects the importance of the role that the ancient Greeks attributed to this Goddess in sacrificing her position as an Olympian to guard the fire and maintain a happy home.

Inanna (Sumerian) - Goddess of love, war, and fertility. Inanna was the personification of the morning and evening star. Her beautiful name means "lady of the sky." This Goddess is closely linked to Ishtar and Nin-anna.

Indunn (Nordic) - Goddess of youth and springtime. Her name means she who renews and has several alternative spellings including Indun, Iduna and Idhunna.

Iris (Greek) - Goddess of the rainbow and messenger to the Gods. Her name means rainbow in her native language.

Isis (Egyptian) - This famous Goddess has so many different aspects, her most important roles are as Goddess of life and magic. Isis’s name comes from the Egyptian word aset and means "she of throne" in other words the Queen of the Goddesses.

Juno (Roman) - Goddess of marriage, pregnancy and childbirth. She protected the finances of the citizens of Rome. Her name is mystery, it speaks of a contradictory role for this Goddess, before her alignment to the matronly, Greek Goddess, Hera. This is because her name is derived from the root yeu meaning "vital force" indicating a more youthful, maiden Goddess

Maat (Egyptian)- Goddess of truth, justice and balance. She prevented the creation from reverting to chaos and judged the deeds of the dead with her feather. This Goddess name stems from the word Mayet meaning “straight.” This reflects her unbending nature in upholding what is right and just.

Minerva (Roman) - Goddess of wisdom, medicine and crafts. Her name is linked to the Latin word mens which means "intellect," suggesting the intelligence and inventiveness of this ancient Goddess.

Morrigan (Celtic) - The terrifying crow Goddess associated with war and death on the battlefield. She was queen of phantoms, demons, shape-shifters and patroness of priestesses and Witches. Her name means "great queen" in the old Irish language. Morrigan was also known as Morgane, Morrígu, Morríghan, Mor-Ríoghain and Morrígna.

Nephthys (Egyptian) - Goddess of death, decay and the unseen. Her name speaks of her priestess role as it means "lady of the temple enclosure." Other variations of her title include Nebet-het and Nebt-het.

Nike (Greek) - This Greek Goddess name means victory, she represented success especially in the sporting arena which is why her name was chosen for a famous brand of sportswear.

Persephone (Greek) - Daughter of Demeter and Queen of the Underworld. She was also none as Kore reflecting the Maiden aspect of this Goddess. Other variations of her name include Persephoneia, Persephassa, Persephatta and Pherepapha

Pomona (Roman) – Pomona protected fruiting trees and gardens. Her name is derived from the Latin word pomus, meaning “fruit tree.”

Rhea (Greek) - The ancient Titan Earth Goddess, responsible for the fertility of the soil and women. The name is most likely a form of the word era meaning "earth", although it has also been linked to 'rheos' the Greek term for “stream.”

Selene (Greek) – Selene was the Titan personification of the moon, unsurprising then that her name means moon in Greek.

Seshat (Egyptian) - The great scribe and librarian Goddess who was responsible for accounting, architecture, astronomy, historical records and mathematics. Her Goddess name means "she who scibes." It is also appears as Safkhet, Sashet, Seshata, Sesat, Sesheta and Sheshat.

Themis (Greek) - Goddess of divine justice, order and customs. She also had the gift of prophecy. Her name simply means "law of nature" or "divine nature."

Venus (Roman) - Goddess and love and beauty. Her Goddess name has become synonymous with her role as the woman who all men desire.

Vesta (Roman) - Guardian of the sacred Flame. Vesta’s name and function is derived from the Greek Goddess Hestia

Wicca/ spells/ tradition

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 09:40:17 +0100

Consecration/Purification in Spells
Consecration is defined by the dictionary as to “dedicate formally to a religious or divine purpose.” Consecration must be practiced before any tool can be used in the practice of witchcraft. Consecration is a form of purification, and is done with salt, water and incense, which all stand for the five elements of nature – water, earth, fire, air and spirit. It is important that consecration to be used for witchcraft be done in a positive state of mind, as this incorporates the “spirit” part of the elements. Consecration is used in witchcraft to gain the approval of the God and Goddess for what they are about to practice.

Spell for Cleansing the body of Negative Energy
The following tools will be needed:
1 White Candle – this is representative of positive energy
1 Black Candle – this is representative of negative energy
1 Green Candle – this is representative of healing

Clear your mind and light the white candle. Say the following incantation:
“Mother Earth, Fire, Wind, Water and Spirit,
I ask thee to cleanse my body of all negative energies”

Light the black candle and say the same thing. After this light the green candle and say the following incantation:
“Mother Earth, Fire, Wind, Water and Spirit,
I ask thee to free and heal my body from all negative forces.
Blessed be!”
Sit back, and keep your mind clear for fifteen minutes. After this you should feel renewed and fresh.

Three Red Leaves Spell
This spell is used to protect the mind against things such as nightmares, negative thoughts and “invasions of evil”. First you must gather three red leaves from any tree, plant or bush. Lay them in a triangle on a flat surface. In the centre of the leaves, place an already lighted candle, and place a few drops of chrysanthemum oil on each leaf.

Say this incantation three times:
“Red leaves, gift from earth,
Birth to death and death to birth,
Keep all evil far away,
Day to night and night to day.”

Then extinguish the candle, and wrap the leaves in a white cloth or pouch. Place this near your bed within three feet of your head and it will stop all nightmares and negative thoughts.

Wicca originated with the human civilization itself. The fear of the unknown and its imagined role in making our day to day life easy or difficult, created witches and their craft. Even though witchcraft as such was practiced mainly by experienced and old women, men also practiced it. Wiccans were the mediators between the human beings and the mysterious super powers such as spirits and angels. When a witch succeeded in resolving the apparently mysterious problem of someone, the performance was termed as magic, a process that could not be easily explained away through any logical analysis. Wicca prayed to the higher powers or the spirits for help and guidance in resolving the problem by performing certain rituals and the whole process was called witchcraft.

Wicca, an earth based religion, was practiced in almost all the societies and cultures across the world according to local beliefs and traditions.

According to scholars of witchcraft, it was a belief system whose origin predates the majority of well known religions on this earth. It dates 40,000 years back to Paleolithic period. It has been evolving since then and its present form is quite different from what it was a thousand or five thousand years back. It did not probably have this name as well. Even different covens perform the witchcraft differently.

Archeological Discoveries

Archeological discoveries have revealed that people worshipped hunter god and fertility goddess during the Paleolithic period. This has been proved by the discovery of cave paintings which are estimated to be 30,000 years old. There is a painting that depicts a man with the head of a stag. In yet another painting, there is a pregnant woman standing in a circle with eleven other people. These relics go to prove that witchcraft is one of the oldest religions in the world. Wiccan view of God and Goddess aspect of the supreme creative force predates thousands of years before Christianity.

A Craft of the Wise

In the ancient times, Witchcraft was known as ‘craft of the wise’ as the wise persons were those who followed the path of nature and were in tune with its forces, had the knowledge of herbs and medicines, gave wise counsel and were held in high esteem as Shamanic healers and leaders in the village and community. They understood that nature was superior to human beings and that human beings were simply one of the many parts of nature, both seen and unseen that combine to form one whole. As Chief Seattle said, “We do not own the earth; we are a part of it.” They understood that what we take from nature or use, we must return in kind to maintain the balance and equilibrium. The modern man has, however, forgotten this and has paid the price in form of many ecological and environmental disasters.

Modern day Wicca

Unfortunately for the past several hundred years the image of the witch has been associated with the evil, heathenism and unrighteousness due to prejudices created by the Christian church. Of late people have started understanding and practicing witchcraft as the true religion of God and Nature. There is renewed interest in wicca and witches profess to believe and practice wicca with a sense of pride and confidence. The believers in New Age movement have understood witchcraft in its true perspective.

wiccan calendar

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 09:27:29 +0100

Feb 2^{nd -}Lughnasadh/Lammas (A Greater Sabbat and an Earth Cross-Quarter Day)

Seasonal Relevance's

The first harvest is brought in. Some flowers are already beginning to fade while the late bloomers are coming into their fullness. The new life that came in Spring is fast developing toward adulthood and we are beginning to see the outcomes of the fertile energies sewn earlier in the seasonal year.

Mythological Relevance's

This Sabbat is in honour of the Celtic Sun God Lugh and marks his life in sacrifice so that the fruits can ripen. He is a God of harvest and light.

Popular Rituals

Bake bread from many different grains to honour the harvest and celebrate the food of the Gods.

March 21^{st -}Autumn Equinox/Mabon (A Lesser Sabbat and a Sun Quarter Day)

Seasonal Relevance's

The second grain harvest is brought in and the hunt begins. There is an equal balance of light and dark, Summer and Winter, male and female.

Mythological Relevance's

There is equilibrium between male and female energies.

Popular Rituals

Save some ears of corn or grain from the harvest to make into a 'Brigid's Cross' at Imbolg and keep them safe within your home.

April 30^{th -}Samhain/All Hallows (A Greater Sabbat and an Earth Cross-Quarter Day)

Seasonal Relevance's

This is the time of the final harvest when Summer is already losing its power and people must prepare for the long winter ahead by preserving foods and slaughtering all but the animals which will be used for breeding next season's stock.

Mythological Relevance's

This is the most important Sabbat of the Wiccan faith. It is a sombre festival that celebrates the dead and marks the time when the veil between the world of the mundane and that of the Spirit is at its thinnest. It is the Wiccan New Year and at sunset, when neither the old nor new year exist and thus when time stands still, humans can commune with their ancestors and loved ones who have passed over.

Popular Rituals

While this Sabbat celebrates our relationship with our ancestors and with the dead, it is not a frightening or sad occasion. It is a time to feast on the last of the harvest and to make ready for the cold times ahead.

Lay an extra place or two at the feast table so that departed ancestors and spirits can share in the festivities.

Carve jack-o-lanterns from pumpkins to honour the Witches and other religious practitioners who have been persecuted for their faith.

Pay any debts, settle quarrels and prepare for a few weeks of quiet solitude and meditation.

June 21/22^{nd -}Winter Solstice/Midwinter/Yule (A Lesser Sabbat and a Sun Quarter Day)

Seasonal Relevance's

The longest night of the year and Winter is at its peak.

Mythological Relevance's

This festival marks the re-birth of the sun with the cyclic story of the death of the Holly King (the king of the waning year) and the re-birth of his son the Oak King (the king of the waxing year).

Popular Rituals

This is a time to look forward to the return of the light of the sun and the warmth that it brings. Although still cold, this time of year brings hope for a brighter future as we quietly celebrate the forthcoming warmth and prepare for the growth season to come.

Find a good size log and decorate it with Ivy, (traditionally also with Holly and Mistletoe; Holly because it is an evergreen and symbolises ongoing life while the white seeds of Mistletoe prevalent at this time of year symbolise the sacred seed of new life). Light the log with an unburnt piece of last year's Yule log to symbolise the kindling light of the re-born sun. Save a small piece of the log from burning to use to light next year's log and spread the ashes of the burnt log on the garden.

July 31^{st -}Imbolg/Candlemas (A Greater Sabbat and an Earth Cross-Quarter Day)

Seasonal Relevance's

Spring is on its way and we can very clearly see that the days have become longer and the warmth and light of the sun is returning. Imbolg comes from the ancient word meaning 'ewe's milk' and reminds us that this is lambing season. In addition, the grass is beginning to grow again and the Spring flowers are just beginning to come forth from the ground.

Mythological Relevance's

The time of the quickening. The baby Oak King is growing and the Goddess is a maiden once more. This Sabbat belongs to the fire Goddess Brigid, who presides over healing, the well springs and the hearth.

Popular Rituals

Because this time of year is synonymous with new life, new ideas and new beginnings it is particularly relevant for initiations and dedications. Even more, it is a purifying time of year when we should clear out the old things that have held us back and make room for brighter and healthier behaviours and actions for the growing season ahead.

Make a 'Brigid's Cross' from woven straw, hang it on your front door as a protective charm and burn the old one from last year.

Conduct rituals using candles to invoke the fire Goddess Brigid, and to symbolise the light of the longer days.

Sept 21^{st -}Spring Equinox/Ostara/Eostre (A Lesser Sabbat and a Sun Quarter Day)

Seasonal Relevance's

Spring has arrived and there is an equal balance of light and dark. Flowers are blooming, birds are nesting and all around, new life is bursting forth.

Mythological Relevance's

This Sabbat is named after the Saxon Goddess Ostara and this festival specifically marks an equal balance between male and female energies. The young Oak King courts the maiden Goddess.

Popular Rituals

Eggs a symbolic of new life and Wiccans use painted eggs to celebrate the wonderful eruption of new life all around them. Throw hard boiled, painted eggs high into the sky and as you do make a wish for the summer months ahead. The higher the egg goes, the more likely your wish will come true. Bury the fallen eggs to cement your wish.

Bake and eat Hot Cross Buns marked with an equilateral cross to symbolise all things equal.

Oct 31^{st -}Beltaine (A Greater Sabbat and an Earth Cross-Quarter Day)

Seasonal Relevance's

The summer begins and the warmth is welcomed.

Mythological Relevance's

This is a time of great fertility and is a fun filled time in marked contrast to the sober and sombre Sabbat of Samhain. It celebrates the sacred marriage of the Oak King and the Goddess and the consummation of that union. The fire God Baal is celebrated at this time as the God of light or 'The Bright One' while the Goddess Maya is also celebrated.

Popular Rituals

This is a true fertility festival with dancing round the Maypole (an ancient phallic symbol) to symbolise the sexual union between male and female energies.

Light a balefire with nine different types of wood (three pieces of each wood type) for the God Baal. Leap over the purifying flames and let them cleanse you of unwanted behaviours or openly state your desire and as you jump, let the flames take those desires to the skies to be fulfilled.

Dec 22^{nd -}Summer Solstice/Midsummerâ€™s Eve/Litha (A Lesser Sabbat and a Sun Quarter Day)

Seasonal Relevance's

The longest day of the year and Summer is at its height.

Mythological Relevance's

The Holly King is born of the Goddess and the Oak King dies. This symbolical cycle is repeated each year as new life takes over from old.

wicca

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 09:52:47 +0100

I am an ecclectic wiccan, ~ ecclectic means we take parts of different sides of wicca- new and old~ I shall blog on about things I find interesting, new things I love , old things I love - watch this space-

~wiccan candle colours~

Colors- bright or dark, deep or light, regardless of whether it's a royal blue or a brilliant yellow, color affects us.

It's a proven fact that colors have an affect on our intellect, and they invoke different emotional responses. Colors used in magick are similar in that they evoke a response, but keep in mind, response to color in an individual matter, so go with your instincts. The colors must have meaning to you.

The magick of colors can be used in many different ways, and the use of colors in magick is only limited to what you want to use the color for.

White

Always burn at least one white candle to symbolize and reinforce the contact with pure spirit. Elemental spirits, Angels, Gods of wisdom, divination and prophecy. Purification and cleaning on all levels, contact with higher self and spiritual helpers, aura-healing, truth seeking, consecration, spiritual enlightenment, protection against negativity, breaking curses, exorcism, meditation, divination, inpiration, and clairvoyance. White can be a replacement for any other color.

Yellow

Elemental air. Deities for trade, travel, knowledge and magick. Vitality, change, progress, contact, communication, and trade. Confidence, joy, cheerfulness, learning, knowledge, mental clarity, concentration, speaking and writing and visualization.

Gold

Sun-deities, solar energies, and masculine energy. Abundant self confidence, creativity, perfection, financial richess, success in investments, luxury, worldly power, magickal power, overcoming bad habits and addictions.

Orange

Deities of good luck and good fortune. Charm, kindness, encouragement, stimulation, optimism, success, abundance, prosperity, feast and celebration, achieving business goals, investments, success in legal matters.

Copper or Bronze

Love-goddesses, love and passion, positive relationships in love, friendship in business, career promotions, successful negotiations.

Red

Elemental fire, deities of love, passion, sexuality and war. Courage, will-power, determination, speed, assertivity, aggression, masculinity, independence, physical strength, sports, competition, conflicts, health, sexual attraction and potency, love and passion, fertility.

Magenta

Magnetism, the ability to attract or speed up results. Life purpose, life path.

Pink

Love-goddesses, softness and tenderness, romance, caring, nurturing, youth, peace, friendship, femininity, emotional love, emotional healing.

Green

Elemental earth and elemental water. Nature and fertility deities, Mother goddesses. Nature, fertility, growth, rejuvenation, recovery, healing, harvest and abundance, prosperity, harmony, balance, peace, hope, home, plants and animals.

Turquoise

Changes, intellectual and intuitive insights, inventions and originality, renewal, brotherhood, humananity.

Blue

Elemental water and elemental air. Deities of the sea and sky, truth and wisdom. Peace and tranquility, calmness, truth, wisdom, justice, counsel, guidance, understanding and patience, loyalty and honor, sincerity, devotion, healing, femininity, prophetic dreams, protection during sleep, astral projection.

Violet

Elemental spirits, angels, and Gods of divination and prophecy. Psychic abilities, divination, counter-acting negativity and black magick, reversing curses, psychic healing, psychic power, inspiration, meditation, spirituality, spiritual power, astral projection, third eye.

Brown

Elemental earth, stability, grounding, conservation, protection of household, family and pets, healing animals, finding lost objects, buildings, material increase, to make relationships solid, to increase decisiveness and concentration, to attract help in financial crisis.

Gray

Neutralizing negative influences, putting a halt to action.

Silver

Moon-goddesses, female energy, cycles, rebirth, reincarnation, healing of hormonal imbalances, emotional stability, remove or neutralize negativity, intuition, dreams, psychic abilities and psychic workings.

Black

Elemental earth, deities of the Underworld. Repel and banish evil and negativity, protection, breaking free from bad habits and addictions, deep meditation, opens up deep unconscious levels.

~wiccan colours~

candle colours used for.. or to help with -

brown- animals-comfort, security, centuring- candle diety- gaia, danu

indigo- restfulsleep, relaxationcandle diety- brigid

gold- wealth- generosity, prosperity, sun magic, deity candle- balor

silver- intution, dreams, cancelation, neutrality- no candle

dark blue- impulsviness- depression, change, create comnfusion-

...use with white candles to expel confusion- diety of white candle- dwynn

greenish yellow- sickness, cowardice, angery, jealousy, discord- no candle

blue black- wounded pridebroken bones, angelic protection. diety diantach

dark purple-caling on ancient ones, runes, government, diety of candle- magog

red- health, strength, physical energy, sexual love, passion courage, protection,

vitality, creativity- no candle

light red- deep affectionbut non sexual- candle of diety.. brittannia

pink- love romance, honour, morality. friendship, compassion, binding magic,

young females, candle diety epona

orange- general attration, energy, assertivness, endurance, encouragement,

adaptability, stimulation, sealing a spell diety candle- gubba