November 6
November 6, 2008
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 5
November 5, 2008
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 4
November 4, 2008
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 3
November 3, 2008
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 2
November 2, 2008
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 1
November 1, 2008
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 sabbath 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
November 1, 2008
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.
October 31
October 31, 2008
Halloween (also known as Samhain Eve, Hallowmas, All Hallow’s Eve, All Saint’s Eve, Festival of the Dead, and the Third Festival of Harvest).
Every year on this day, the most important of the eight Witches’ Sabbats is celebrated by Wiccans throughout the world with traditional Pagan feasts, bonfires, and rituals to honor the spirits of deceased loved ones. The divinatory arts of scrying and rune-casting are traditionally practiced by Wiccans on this magickal night, as in standing before a mirror and making a secret wish.
The last night of October was the ancient Celt’s New Year’s Eve. It marked the end of the Summer and the beginning of Winter (also known as the dark half of the year).
In many parts of the world, special cakes and food are prepared for the dead on this night.
In Ireland, a Halloween festival is celebrated annually for the ancient Pagan goddess Tara.
This day is sacred to the goddesses Cerridwen, Eurydice, Hecate, Hel, Inanna, Kali, the Morrigan, Nephthys, Oya, Samia, Sedna, Tara, and Vanadis. On this day in the year 1970, the Parks Department of New York granted the Witches International Craft Associates (W.I.C.A.) a permit to hold a “Witch-in”. The event was held in Sheep Meadow and more than one thousand persons attended.
October 30
October 30, 2008
Each year on this date, the Angelitos festival is held in Mexico to bless the souls of deceased children and to honor Xipe-Totec (the ancient god of death) and Tonantzin (the Guadualupe goddess of mercy).
On this day, write a secret wish on a piece of dried mandrake root. Burn it at the stroke of midnight in a fireproof container and then go outside and cast the ashes to the wind as you say thrice: “Spirits of fire, spirits of air; grant this secret wishing-prayer. Let the ashes of this spell, fix this midnight magic well.”
October 29
October 29, 2008
On this date in the year 1939, ceremonial magician and occult author Frater Zarathustra was born in Baltimore, Maryland. Frater founded the Temple of Truth in 1972 and was publisher and editor of the White Light (a magazine of ceremonial magic) from 1973 until it ceased publication in 1990.
On this day, the Native American tribe of the Iroquois celebrate their annual Feast of the Dead to honor the souls of departed loved ones.