The Ancient Whispers Newsletter

Welcome to the Ancient Whispers Newsletter, a multi-cultural newsletter with a little something for everyone of any creed or religion. Here you will find inspiring quotes, irreverent jokes, crafts, and most importantly, historical and/or religious scholarship. Every Wednesday a new edition should appear on this website with reminder emails sent out the night before to those who have opted to join one of the many forums and mailing lists to which I subscribe. If you wish to share this newsletter with others, please keep it intact with the original authors' names on all the articles. Any articles or sections, to which an author or URL is not affixed, were written by Candace (with the exception of the various jokes found herein).

Questions, comments, and topical requests are encouraged and should be posted to the AskCandace open forum at yahoogroups. I'd like to start a help column for the newsletter, so if you'd like to have your problem featured in a newsletter, let me know when you post.

September acquired its name as the seventh month of the old Roman calendar. Pomona, patroness of fruit and fruit-trees, was tutelary goddess of this month in which autumn begins.

September was Meán Fómhair in Ireland or an t-Sultainn, the fat time. All these names refer to the ripening harvest. The September moon is gealach an abachaidh, moon of ripening. Haligmonath, "holy month," was the month of September among the Anglo-Saxons. The Franks called this month Witumanoth, "wood month," for this when the majority of wood was gathered for the coming cold months. September is Shedding among the Asatru.

The first Full Moon is called the Fruit or Grain Moon, a name it shares with August. It shares the name Harvest Moon with October and Sturgeon Moon with August. It has been called the Singing, Wine Moon, and the Moon When Deer Paw the Earth.

Libra takes over from Virgo around September 23rd. Those born this month have the aster for their birth flower. The stone for Virgo and those born in September is the sapphire. Chrysolite and sardonyx are also listed as stones for those born in Septmeber. Libra’s birthstone is opal or tourmaline, and Libra is also linked to aquamarine, emerald, kunzite, moonstone, opal, peridot, and pink tourmaline. Amazonite, amber, carnelian, chrysocolla, citrine, and sapphire are other stones associated with Virgo

Lunar Holy Days

During China's Choyo-no-Sekku or the Kiku no Sekku, Chrysanthemum Day, chrysanthemum wine is drunk on the ninth day of the ninth moon to ensure long life. At the Chrysanthemum Doll Fete, lifelike clay figures are dressed in robes made of fresh chrysanthemums and arranged as parts of legendary and historical scenes. The celebration is also held to honor the poet T'ao Yuan-Ming who flavored the flower which only blooms in the autumn. After his death, he became the god of the flower.

Day of Going Forth of Isis

Obatala

halade mystai

Durga Puja

amendment denying tax-exempt status to Wiccan groups

Greater Eleusinian Mysteries

Greater Eleusinian Mysteries

Day of Willows

ton lampadon hemera

Confucius

Uroica

Iacchos

Osiris went forth to Abydos, Festival of Hapi

Gwynn ap Nudd

Heimdall

Greater Eleusinian Mysteries

Epidaurion Hemera

Meditrinalia

Marion Zimmer Bradley

October was the eighth month of the old Roman calendar and was sacred to the goddess Astraea, daughter of Zeus and Themis.

Deireadh Fóómhair or an Damhair, the stag rut, was the Irish name for this month or Gealach a 'bhruic, moon of the badger. Winterfelleth, "winter is coming," was the Anglo-Saxon name. The Franks called October Windurmanoth, "vintage month." Hunting is the Asatru name.

The first Full Moon is called the Hunter's Moon. This moon is also known as Shedding Moon, Ten Colds Moon, Ancestor Moon or the Moon of the Dead, and the Moon of the Changing Season. It shares the name Blood Moon with July and Harvest Moon with September.

The sun passes from Libra to Scorpio around October 23rd. Marigolds are for October children. Beryl, aquamarine, opal, or tourmaline are best for people born in October, and opal or tourmaline are also the birthstones of Libra, while topaz is the stone for Scorpio. Libra has connections to aquamarine, emerald, kunzite, moonstone, opal, peridot, and pink tourmaline, and other Scorpio stones include albite, aquamarine, emerald, garnet, green tourmaline, malachite, moonstone, obsidian, and ruby.

Winter Saturday and Winter Sunday is a two-day Asatru festival held at the end of the month to commemorate the end of winter.

Fides Pulbica

Plemo Choai

fertility of Min

eight Great Netjers appeared

Whether you already have an altar set up, or have not yet had the time or materials to begin, you may benefit from reading this article. It is not necessary to spend a lot of money on creating the focus of you magickal workings. All that you really need is conscious intent and your imagination.

An altar is a place of centering, the beginning of your will and its completion. It is the place in the physical world where your magickal workings and mind are set into motion. The altar is also a place of transformation. The goal is to alter your consciousness to connect with the divine.

Before you plan your altar and space, take a minute to think about why you are creating it. What is its purpose; why are you deciding to build this now? What kind of things will you be doing with it? Will it be used for ritual work, meditation, prayer? Do you have ritual tools, and will they sit on it? Will you dedicate it to any particular Deities/Elements? Keep in mind you can have more than one altar if you wish or one with many purposes.

Once you have completely thought out the reasons for creating your altar, begin to plan it. Decide where you want to place your altar. Will it be indoors or out? Will the altar stay in one place or will it be moved? Which direction will your altar face? Many people like to place their altar facing east because that is where the sun rises. If you need certain energy in your life, you may want to face your altar in that direction. Research and meditate on the elements before you begin; the corresponding choice will affect how you feel and how you use your altar.

Now for practical considerations, you must decide the dimensions of your altar and how it will be used. For a permanent altar, you must take into consideration your preferred position. Will you be standing, sitting, kneeling, or using a chair? You'll need the altar to be at a comfortable height. You'll also need a place to keep things handy (books, candles, incense, etc). You may decide to keep everything handy by having shelves or drawers on your altar or under it, or you may prefer keeping a cabinet or bookcase nearby. Think about this when designing your altar and space. Don't neglect safety, either. Be sure no hanging cloth or scarves can come into contact with open flames.

Your altar is the place where you hold rituals and keep or display your ritual tools. Though some altars seem to build themselves or spring up without conscious planning, others may be fashioned from nothing more than a large rock or from a TV tray or box. In short, it can be any flat surface as long as you don't mind getting wax on it. I use an ornate bookshelf with small, display shelves above and two larger storage shelves below. An altar may be fashioned from a cupboard, closet, dresser top, nightstand, china closet, coffee table, desk, or windowsill. Virtually any space can be an altar including porches and corners of your yard or garden. Just one decorative cloth can transforms an unattractive table or bench into a beautiful altar. Be inventive.

Depending on your space or living arrangements, it may be necessary to keep your altar small or portable. A permanent altar may be impracticable due to friends or family members, but if you use a minimum of items, you can set it up and take it down whenever you need. Using a cardboard box with small items is the simplest way of achieving this. Keep your tools and paraphernalia in the box when you are not using it, and simply turn the box over for a ready-to-use altar surface. If you can find a wood board about the same size as the box, you can place this on your over turned altar to make it sturdier. A flat-topped steamer trunk or hope chest can also be used as an instant altar, keeping your tools within when they are not in use. A placemat, scarf, or doilies can be used to further disguise the fact that your altar is something else when not in use. Use your creativity.

In addition to the altar you create for yourself within your home, you may also choose to make a sacred space for yourself out doors. If you already use the temporary box style of altar, it is a simple matter to take it out of doors and set it up where ever your feet may carry you. Otherwise, you may wish to set aside a second set of altar tools and keep them in a special bag to take with you when you plan on practicing outside.

You may want to include a length of rope to make a circle. While this isn’t necessary, it is convenient when specifying boundaries that you already have in place in your home but which are not evident outside. If you don’t use a rope to make your circle, you may still choose to make one using a stick. Of course you can define your circle with your athame, but drawing one or making one with the rope may help with your visualization.

If you have access to land which does not see a lot of traffic and where you feel your altar will not be disturbed, you may decide to set up a more permanent sacred space. In this case, you can define an outer circle with stones. You can plant trees, flowers, and other vegetation for decorative, magickal, or protective purposes. And you can make a more permanent altar.

When making your altar outdoors, obviously wooden tables and bookshelves are not an option. Instead, you will have work with materials that will stand up to weathering. Logs work, but are only temporary. They will begin to rot and grow fungus in wet weather, and they will attract burrowing bugs as all dead organic matter eventually does. Instead, try to work with stone whenever possible. Slate makes the perfect top stone for any altar, whether it’s placed directly on the ground, on a mound, or set on supporting stones, but let your imagination be your guide. Just be sure to take your tools with you when you leave. A secluded spot is no guarantee that no one will stumble upon your altar and meddle with it.

Your altar is your sacred space. That means only the tools you use for your spell casting or rituals should ever touch it. Don’t treat it as a casual piece of furniture. It is not a table for your used cup; it is a place of power. It should be kept clean of dust and detritus to be sure that its power remains undiluted. You may wish to perform a ritual cleansing once a month to keep the energies of your altar pure and free of negativity. A sloppy or ill-kept altar can also attract mischievous spirits by its mere existence, so take good care of it.

With Mabon just past and Samhain yet to come, you may wish to create an altar commemorating the changing of the season as well as the holiday season. If you do not yet have a sacred space designated as your altar, you may want to read this week’s article before planning out your Autumn Altar.

Some items on your altar will never need changing. These include your deity symbols and your tools. This does not mean that you cannot change other aspects of your altar to bring in aspects of the season.

The Autumn holy days are primarily harvest feasts. This means that most of your autumn decorations can come from your garden and the nearby woods or park. These walks can be an ideal way of including your children in the decoration of a family altar. Fall leaves or twigs with the leaves still attached, the nuts the trees are now dropping, or a spray of bright red berries are all perfect ornaments for your altar this time of year. Many autumn festivals occur at this time where you can purchase ears of corn, a small bundle of grains, or even a grain weaving. I’ve noticed in recent years, grain weavings have been appearing more frequently at local fairs at this time of year, but any autumnal crafts that you have created yourself are perfect for your altar.

Aside from grains, certain other items are almost universally accepted as autumn altar decorations. These include apples, gourds, acorns, pomegranates, pinecones, and autumn flowers. You might incorporate all of these into a cornucopia or add baskets full of them to your altar (depending upon its size). Bread, apple cider, beans and bean pods, and root vegetables are also symbols of the season. As the autumn festivals are also times to remember and honor the dead, pictures of deceases loved ones would not be out of place.

The altar clothes are another aspect of your altar you can change for the holidays. Autumn colors are mostly somber earth tones. Any shade between dark red and tan is fine. This includes a wide range of browns, orange, and darker yellows.

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Humor : Congratulations

On opening his new store, a man received a bouquet of flowers. He became dismayed however on reading the enclosed card. It expressed "Deepest Sympathy". While puzzling over the message, his telephone rang. It was the florist apologizing for having sent the wrong card. "Oh, it's alright." said the storekeeper. "I'm a businessman, and I understand how these things can happen." "But," added the florist, "I accidentally sent your card to a funeral party." "Oh, well what did it say?" ask the storekeeper. "'Congratulations on your new location'," was the reply.

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Who's Who in World Mythology : Atius Tirawa
For past articles and the bibliography, please go to the
Who’s Who Archive.

According to Pawnee mythology, Atius Tirawa (Tirawa Atius or Tirawa) is the Creator and “father spirit.” He is embodied in storms, and lightning is the flash of his eyes. He is an intangible, omnipotent spirit, saturating the universe with his being. Everything that occurs depends upon his will. All things depend upon him, and the Pawnee medicine men would invoke him in rituals. He can bring good luck or bad; give success or failure. It is said that he attempted to destroy the world with fire, which only the Flood prevented. He brought knowledge of fire, religious use of tobacco, tattooing, hunting and agriculture, and sacrifice.

Tirawa is also known as the 'arch of Heaven'. He created the sun, moon, and stars and dictated their paths, giving each of them part of his power. He ordered the Sun and Moon to marry, and their child was the first man. The Morning Star and Evening Star also married by his instruction, and their child was the first woman.

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Quote: Oliver Wendell Holmes
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

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The Magi's Garden: Briony
For past featured foliage and the bibliography, please go to the
The Magi’s Garden Archive.

Briony (Bryonia spp, B. alba, B. dioica) P

Folk Names: Bryony, Gout Root, Mad Root, Red Bryony, Snake Grape, White Bryony, Wild Bryony, Wild White Vine, Wood Vine; (B alba) Black-berries White Bryony, European Bryony; (B dioica) English Mandrake, Ladies’ Seal, Navet du Diable (French-Devil's Turnip), Tamus, Tetterberry, Wild Hops, Wild Nep, Wild Vine

Description: Briony is a climbing perennial found in the US and Europe, preferring moist areas. It is actually related to the cucumber, though I wouldn’t eat this representative of the family. It is highly poisonous. The fleshy root is dirty white and spindle shaped with milky juice. This juice is bitter and highly cathartic. It can be up to the size of a human head. The prickly stem can climb up to ten feet with spiral tendrils. The rough leaves are opposite and cordate-palmate with five lobes. Small, greenish-white or yellowish flowers grow in axillary corymbs from June to August, producing black pea-sized berries. Bryony dioica produces a red fruit. The berries are filled with a juice, unpleasant and putrid in odor, and contain three to six large seeds. These are grayish-yellow and mottled black.

Effects: strong
Planet: Mars, Saturn
Element: Fire
Associated Deities:

Traditions:
Briony comes from the Greek bryo, meaning to shoot forth or sprout. Possibly for this reason, and the size of the root, Briony is an acceptable substitute for mandrake. It is no less poisonous though, so be careful. Briony was considered a “wicked” herb during the Middle Ages. Some charlatans would dig up a young, thriving plant, leaving the lower root intact. They would affix a mold in the shape of a man to the root and rebury it to dig it up later and sell as mandrake.

Magic:
Like mandrake, briony is used for fertility and abundance. Money placed next to the root will increase so long as it left there. A folklore tradition existed in which it was suggest that briony be dusted over the food to increase female fertility, but considering the poisonous nature of the herb, I would not suggest this.

It may be hung in your house or garden to protect against the effects of bad weather. Another source says Julius Caesar used a wreath made from the plant as protection during a thunderstorm.

Known Combinations:
none known

Medical Indications: (Caution: The root is poisonous in large doses; approximately forty berries will kill an adult, and fifteen will kill a child. Bryony dioica especially contains dangerously poison resins.)
Parts used: root
Medicinally, briony has been used as a purgative. The dried root was administered for chest problems, and in Germany, the root was hollowed out and filled with beer. After one to two days, the beer was taken a teaspoon at a time for constipation.

Under the name Wild Nep, briony was considered an antidote for leprosy during the fourteenth century. I suppose if it killed you that would be one way to cure you of your disease.

Nutrition:
none

Mercantile Uses:
The berries have been used for dying, but specific details are not given. I would suppose the red berries would make a reddish dye, and the black ones might yield some grayish color.

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Cartoon

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Poem : Meditation on Statistical Method
J.V. Cunningham (1947)

Plato, despair!
We prove by norms
How numbers bears
Empiric forms,

How random wrong
Will average right
If time be long
And error slight,

But in our hearts
Hyperbole
Curves and departs
To infinity.

Error is boundless.
Nor hope no doubt,
Though both be groundless,
Will average out.

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Quote : Jared Sparks
When you talk, you repeat what you already know; When you listen, you often learn something.

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The Power of Stones: Augelite
For past articles and the bibliography, please go to the
Power of Stones Archive.

Augelite may be colorless, white, yellow, blue, or pink. It is not a well-known phosphate mineral, being difficult to recognize, especially when found as clear and colorless tiny crystals.

Augelite is useful in dispelling or isolating contrary and discordant attitudes. Sleeping with a piece will increase your chances of a peaceful night’s rest and reduce obstinacy. Augelite is also useful in ridding a new relationship of sabotaging memories from prior failed relationships.

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Humor : The Old Switcheroo

A woman went into a funeral home to make arrangements for her husband's funeral. Despite the fact he was wearing a brand new suit, she insisted that the director be buried in a dark blue suit. "Wouldn't it just be easier to bury him in the black suit that he's wearing?" he asked, but she insisted that it must be a blue suit and gave him a blank check to buy one. Coming back for the wake, she saw her husband was wearing a beautiful blue suit, just as she had requested. Overjoyed, she told the director how much she loved the suit, asking how much it cost. "Actually,” he said, “it didn't cost anything. The funniest thing happened as soon as you left. Another corpse was brought in, and this one was wearing a blue suit. I noticed that they were about the same size, and asked the other widow if she would mind if her husband were buried in a black suit. She said that was fine with her.” “So you changed the suits?” she asked. “No, I switched the heads."

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A Dreamer's Guide : Lottery to Lyre

For past articles and the bibliography, please go to the
Dreamer's Guide Archive.

Unknown enemies are around you if you were at all interested in the Lottery. You do not deserve success if you dreamed of a lottery, while playing the lottery indicates small risks ahead. Holding a lottery ticket promises good luck, but if you held it with a lover, you will have an unhappy experience. If the numbers were upside-down, you are associating with a worthless person. Attending a drawing means you will make money. If you won, good times are coming.

The Lotus is a symbol of love and romance. The scent presages ecstatic happiness.

An unpleasantly loud Loudspeaker augurs approaching worries. Recognition will be shown for your social or charity work if you adjusted the volume.

You will worry over your health if you saw a Louse, and an enemy will cause you aggravation.

You will live a happy life if you dreamed of being in Love, but if your love was rejected, you will have heart troubles. Being unsuccessful in love has the opposite meaning though; you will marry and live happily. If you dreamt of being loved or loved your work, you will have prosperity. Being in love with two people warns that your faith and confidence will be abused. Narcissism in a dream means the same upon waking however, vanity.

If you tried to make love to someone, you will be unhappy. Observing others engaged in intercourse predicts success of your current plans.

Happiness is foretold by writing Love Letters. You will receive good news if you read one, but tearing them up means unhappiness. Receiving many is a sign of good news, and if you saved love letters, some truth will be uncovered.

It is a suitable time to pursue love if you gave a Love Token, but if you received one, you are being deceived. Be cautious if other knew about the gift.

Lovely things brings good luck to all people associated with you. If you were lovely, happiness is promised.

A Lozenge foretells success in small matters. Eating them or throwing them away means you will be harassed by spite from the envious.

Being Lucky in business is an omen of insurmountable obstacles, and luck in love is a warning to be cautious in the area of intellect. If you are having a bought of bad lucky, a dream of being lucky indicates a reversal of fortune.

Very heavy Luggage is a sign of loss of money, but if it was light, you will receive money soon. You will overcome obstacles if the luggage was easy to handle. Family quarrels are heralded by losing your luggage.

Big disappointments are foretold by Lumber. If you had plenty, there will be unhappiness, and piles indicate an odious task. Buying means a lack of money. If you burned it however, you will receive unexpected money. Curved lumber augurs disgrace. You will make inevitable errors if you saw a lumberyard, bit if you owned one, do not allow others to make your decisions. Unwise actions and unhappiness is foretold by sawing lumber.

Ebony lumber means you will accomplish your goals through diligence. Sandal lumber warns that hesitating too much will sabotage your plans. You have false friends if you dreamt of cedar wood.

A Lunatic presages surprising news, but if you were one, you will have troubles. If you were in an asylum, there is danger in love. The destruction of an enemy is promised if you had a lunatic friend. Being friendly with lunatics foretells foolishness on your part.

Serious illness is augured by a dream of Lungs, especially if they were diseased. A sickness of the lungs is an omen of loss of property and health. Domestic loss is indicated if they were wounded, and removal means disappointment. You will suffer big losses if you spat up mucus.

Happy, lighthearted love is foretold by a Lute. If you played one, you will receive happy news from absent friends. Hearing a lute means pleasant work.

Luxury indicates misfortune in love. If your surroundings were luxurious, you will be humiliated. Your ego will win you many enemies if you showed off your luxurious possessions. If you lost your luxuries, beware of a debt problem.

You will live a long life if you thought you were Lying about something, but if others lied to you, your friends will cheat you. A spouse lying means you will suffer through your own foolishness, but children lying to their parents is a sign that you will realize your ambitions. If you lied to protect a friend, you will be unfairly criticized, but you will rise above it.

Lye means your honesty and integrity will be challenged.

A Lynx is a symbol of persecution and hidden hostility. If it was in a tree, you will discover the secret of an enemy, and if it was on the roof, you will live a long life. Killing a lynx means you will overcome your enemies.

Listening to a Lyre foretells innocent pleasures and companionship. Business will go smoothly. If you played one, you will have the undivided attention of the one you love.

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Quote : Raymond Lindquist
Courage is the power to let go of the familiar.

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