December means ‘the tenth month’ although after the Roman King Numa Pompilius in ~700BC. Pompilius moved the beginning of the year from March and added January and February. The Anglo-Saxons called both December and January ‘Giuli’ (or Yules). Events in December Sinterklaas Egil Skallagrimsson’s Day Litha Kwanzaa Hanukkah Yule Born in December? Birthstone: Turquoise Flower: […]
The meaning of itches and their omens
Itching is sometimes thought of as one of the manifestations of the human body connected with omens and fortune. An itchy crown of the head You will have an advance in position. An itchy right cheek Someone is speaking well of you. An itchy left cheek Someone is speaking poorly of you. An itchy right […]
The meaning of flowers
There are very many superstitions and beliefs surrounding flowers, their meanings and properties. This post looks at only a few. Clover It is widely believed that finding a four-leafed clover brings good luck. If the finder hands the clover on to someone else than, it is sometimes said, that luck is further enhanced. Daffodil Daffodils […]
Mu and Wu – the question is wrong
Wu is the Chinese word which equates to Mu in Japanese or Korean. It means ‘none’, ‘not-being’ or ‘without’. The Mu koan In Zen Buddhism Mu is used to imply that the question being asked is wrong. The most studied Mu koan has a monk ask Zhaozhou, the Chinese Zen master, “Has a dog Buddha-nature […]
Gorgon
The most well known Gorgons are Medusa, Stheno and Euryale from Greek mythology. Medusa was mortal, transformed into a female form with venomous snakes for her hair by the goddess Athene. Stheno and Euryale were immortal. In the Iliad there is only one Gorgon who’s head was fixed to the centre of Aegis, the god’s […]
The meaning of the number 1
The number 1 is the symbol of unity. Whereas odd numbers are usually male (and even numbers female) the number 1 is considered to be neither and both. Adding the number 1 to an even number creates an odd number. Adding the number 1 to an odd number creates an even number. Personality traits of […]
The difference between Complementary medicine and Alternative medicine
There are important differences between complementary medicine and alternative medicine even though the terms are sometimes referred to in an interchangeable way. Complementary medicine Normally, complementary medicines are techniques and therapies which are designed to be used alongside your conventional medicine (the sort of remedy or direction you’ll get from your doctor). Examples of complementary […]
The eight sabbats – Wheel of the Year
Modern Wiccan draws the eight sabbats of the Wheel of the Year from the remains of older pagan calendars and research into the traditional ways. Sabbats are distinct from esbats. Esbats are normally coven meetings or smaller celebrations. Samhain Last/Blood Harvest, Ancestor Night, Feast of the Dead, Noson Calan Gaeaf The return of the Dark. […]
Birth flowers
Each of the twelve months of the Western calendar is associated with a flower. This allows us to work out which flower marks our birthday. Birth flowers January: Carnation (or Snowdrop) February: Violet March: Daffodil April: Tulip (or Daisy) May: Sunflower (or Lily of the Valley) June: Rose (or Honeysuckle) August: Lily (or Gladiolus) September: […]
Birthstones
Around the world different cultures have had access to different ranges of stones and as a result birthstone lists can be inconsistent. The following collection looks at four broad categories of birthstones; ayurvedic birthstones (influenced from old Indian tradition), modern birthstones (something of a marketing effort from the American association of jewellers), mystical birthstones (influenced […]
