College of the Sacred Mists

Transcription

1 College of the Sacred Mists 2010 Calendar Celebrating the Wiccan tradition through the year May you never thirst!

2 College of the Sacred Mists & The Sacred Mists Tradition The Sacred Mists Tradition is one that comes from an eclectic Wiccan stance that incorporates Celtic and Faerie Traditions as well. This is something that gives our tradition a basis and structure but also allows the college and coven members to explore and work with whatever traditions and deities that they feel pulled to. Many work within this same Celtic framework on their own, but we also have members from across the globe as part of our family that work with Norse, Egyptian, Greco-Roman, Hindu and other traditions and pantheons as well as those that also incorporate Native American and Eastern shamanic elements to their personal practice. Sacred Mists gives us all a tradition with common ground as a coven but also allows us to feel free to explore where Spirit and our hearts call us. Sacred Mists encourages each member to be active in our Circle in order to help build confidence and help to create an environment of encouragement and community. The College of the Sacred Mists is committed to not just teaching the basics of Wicca and the Sacred Mists tradition but also to training strong, spiritual leaders in the Wiccan community who live their faith. By creating this interactive environment and through programs like our Mentoring Program and our personal approach to homework and studies, students gain more than just knowledge; students gain true experience with personal interaction. Our assignments are never automated or multiple choice, rather students work with the lessons on a personal level through both study and hands on experience and then have their work graded by someone that they can interact with and get help and advice from if needed. All assignments are graded based on both content and effort making the experience personal and different for each student. Students are not required to initiate into the Sacred Mists coven if they do not wish to. Some students come to us for the additional community and educational experience while being part of other covens and groves of other traditions on or offline. Students may take the First and Second Degree courses, as well as all extension courses, without being an initiate of our tradition. In order to progress to Third Degree or Eldership training one does need to be a tradition initiate. The Sacred Mists patron deities are Cerridwen and Cernnunos. In many of our rituals you will find them as our central focus when calling on the Goddess and God, though at different times of the year and during different Sabbats, other deities that are part of the Celtic pantheon are called into our ritual space. Many coming to the Sacred Mists from other groups or having had other Wiccan ritual experiences will find our rituals to be very familiar, especially our Esbat rituals, as we work with a ritual structure that is quite common, taking aspects of traditional Wiccan ritual and adding aspects more specific to Sacred Mists. Our Sabbat rituals always involve exploration of the specific point on the Wheel of the Year with deeper meaning, often delving into the Mysteries of the Goddess.

3 The Sacred Mists Tradition Sigil and Correspondences One of the images that you will see throughout this calendar and in most places where Sacred Mists is represented is our Sacred Mists Sigil. This image is a visual representation of our tradition. The image as shown above represents the Celtic Spiral Goddess, though here we see her winged which signified our work and connection to the Faerie realm and Faerie tradition. To her right and left we see crescent moons which represent the phases of growth as youth and wisdom as an elder, while the Goddess herself represents the fullness of adulthood. Together this also represents the three phases of the Goddess as Maiden, Mother and Crone, which we honor in our tradition s Sabbat rituals. Above the Goddess, as she raises her arms to the sky, we see a bolt of electricity. This represents our special and unique online medium of work and communication but also represents the energy that we create and send throughout the Universe together as a group. Behind the Goddess figure is the pentacle, our sacred spiritual symbol of the four earthly elements of earth, air, fire and water and the ethereal element of Akasha or Spirit. Around the pentacle is a beautiful circle of silver Celtic knotwork beset in white and surrounded by our coven color of midnight blue. Together these images create a sigil of power that connects each and every member of our large and growing school and coven to the Goddess as well as to one another. Through the use of this sigil we are able to tap into the collective power that we generate in our rituals and as a group, including through collective magickal efforts like our Healing Guild. It is a symbol of power as well as a symbol of our tradition. Some of our tradition correspondences include: God and Goddess: Cerridwen and Cerrnunos Colors: Midnight Blue, Black and Silver Stone: Lapis Lazuli We also have a coven tradition candle and coven tradition oil blend. Both create a very special scent which evokes the warmth and love of the Goddess and the Sacred Mists coven. The scent consists of misty veil of warm Tonka Bean, exotic Jasmine and deeply rich Himalayan Cedar. It is a scent like no other. You can find candles in pillar and votive sizes, as well as a blended magickal oil and incense in the Sacred Mists Tradition sent by visiting the Sacred Mists Shoppe at

4 College of the Sacred Mists Rituals and Events All year long the College of the Sacred Mists offers a variety of weekly and monthly events to keep students active and engaged in our community while giving them the chance to experience rituals, interact with other students in a live online classroom and allow students with certain skills the chance to expand their experience and share their abilities with others. Here is some of what the Sacred Mists online community has to offer. The Healing Guild Sacred Mists has a wonderful and active group of energy healers that meet several times a month to offer healing prayers and energies to those in the school and coven. These students are either experienced in certain healing techniques such as Reiki or crystal healing, or are just those interested in lending their energy to work at hand while learning about healing and growing in their practice. Come and join the Healing Guild for their monthly healing rituals! Sacred Mists Psychic and Divinatory Alliance (SMPDA) The SMPDA is made up of a collection of talented diviners from the Sacred Mists school and coven. The members of the SMPDA provide readings for students, free of charge, through both a continuous thread in our coven forums as well as a monthly live reading event. At the live reading events, students are able to receive free, private, live readings in one of our chat rooms with members of the SMPDA to help give answers and guidance through your most difficult of times. New Student Welcome Ritual Each month new students are welcomed into the Sacred Mists family through a very inspiring and moving ritual held each month. This ritual, which includes a beautiful meditation written by students of Sacred Mists, helps to make each new student and member of our circle feel at home and included in the magick we make as a family. The Merry Mists Inn (MMI) The MMI has magickal events that are fun and exciting almost every night of the week. There s the Sunday Brunch, Tuesday Teatime and Witches Gone Wild to name a few. The MMI offers wonderful opportunities to meet and socialize with Sacred Mists students and coven members! Looking for more Don t forget to also check out other weekly and monthly events including The Healthy Witches Chat, Ritual Etiquette Chat and The Story Den to name a few. Be sure to check out the Sacred Mists Circle Calendar in the Coven Forums for details, dates and times of events.

5 he el ic ree on hs The Celts divided their year into thirteen lunar months, each named after different tree that was sacred to them. With the way that their time was divided the year consisted of thirteen months, each lasting 28 days, for a total of 364 days. One system of the tree calendar, called the Beth-Luis-Nion Celtic Lunar Tree Calendar consists of 13 lunar trees and five solar trees. The lunar trees mark the moons and the months while the solar trees mark the seasonal points. There was one day that was considered an in-between time or a time out of time, and was considered a day to honor creation. It is thought that the timing of the months began with the full moon at Yule though some debate that the full moon closest to Samhain is more appropriate since Samhain marks the Celtic New Year. The source of the Celtic Tree Calendar is something that is highly debated among both contemporary Pagans and scholars. Some believe that the system dates back to the Druids, others believe it may actually predate the Druids. It is also largely believed to be a modern invention by Robert Graves. It s most likely that the truth of the source of the calendar system is somewhat a combination of old and new traditions based on the Celtic Ogham alphabet and the sacredness of the tress to the Druids. As part of our tradition in honoring the Celtic ways, both old and new, we have provided here are the 13 lunar trees are part of our 2010 calendar. Each month on the calendar is marked with the corresponding Ogham inscription as well. Here are some brief descriptions of the magickal properties of each tree month. Tree Month Timing Celtic Name Magickal Association Birch December 24 January 20 Beth (beh) Protection, Purification, creativity Rowan January 21 February 17 Luis (loush) Healing, personal empowerment, astral travel Ash February 18 March 17 Nion (knee un) Inner working, dream work, spiritual journeys Alder March 18 April 14 Fearn (fair un) Divination, increasing intuition, weather magick Willow April 15 May 12 Saille (Sahl yeh) Love, healing, growth, protection Hawthorn May 13 June 9 Huath (Hoh uh) Fertility, prosperity, love and marriage, business decisions Oak June 10 July 7 Duir (dur) Protection, strength, money, stability, success, good luck Holly July 8 Aug 4 Tinne (chihn uh) Preparation for the harvest, animal magick, prosperity Hazel August 5 September 1 Coll (cull) Spirit contact, manifestation, wisdom, dreams, divination Vine September 2 September 29 Muin (muhn) Inspiration, imagination, poetry, art, harvesting goals Ivy September 30 October 27 Gort (goert) Rebirth, protection, exorcism, past life journeys Reed October 28 November 24 Negetal (nyettle) Psychic work, magick with music, exploring the shadow side Elder November 25 December 23 Ruis (roo ish) Hope, calling back the light/sun, healing, creating peace

6 Whose woods these are, I think I know. His house is in the village though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow. ~ Robert Frost, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening ~ photo: Andris Daugovich

7 January 2010 Sunday Monday Tue esday Wednesday Thursday Frid day Saturday Correspondences for January: Color: white Herb: thistle Flower: snowdrop Stone: jet Tree: birch Animal: fox Theme: Endings and beginnings, protection. 1 New Year s Day Mercury Retrogradee Ends New Moon Solar Eclipse of Birch Ends of Rowan Begins Birthday of Zsusanna Budapest Full Wolf Moon College of the Sacred Mists

8 Most Holy Brighid, Excellent Woman, Bright Arrow, Sudden Flame; May your bright fiery Sun take us swiftly to your lasting kingdom. Brighid s Arrow invocation photo Marco Regalia

9 February 2010 Sunday Monday Tue esday Wednesday Thursday Frid day Saturday 1 2 Imb bolc Sacred Mists Imbolc Ritual Death of Gerald Gardner, 1964 New Moon of Rowan Ends of Ash Begins Birthday of Trish Telesco Birthday of Sybil Leek, Full Ice Moon Correspondences for February: Color: violet Herb: hyssop Flower: primrose Stone: amethyst Tree: cedar Animal: otter Theme: Attraction, love, forgiveness and growth. College of the Sacred Mists

10 Sweet water and warm sun bless us, Oh spring comes hope begins in us, Out come the leaves, up comes the grass, Oh seeds and eggs, Oh Ostara ~ Ivo Dominguez, Jr. Sweet Water, Warm Sun ~ photo Steffen Foerster

11 March 2010 Sunday Monday Tue esday Wednesday Thursday Frid day Saturday Birthday of the Golden Dawn, 1888 Birthday of Laurie Cabot New Moon of Ash Ends 18 of Alder Begins 19 Sacred Mists Ostara Ritual 20 Ostara Death of Scott Cunningham, Full Chaste Moon Correspondences for March: Color: pale green Herb: Irish moss Flower: daffodil Stone: aquamarine Tree: alder Animal: rabbit Theme: Balance within and without, planting. College of the Sacred Mists

12 As Above So Below Spirit And Matter In A Dance So Slow As Within So Without Great Mystery That Spirals In And Out Secret Glory, Hidden By Nothing Thrice Blessed, Thrice Called, Thrice Revealed ~ Ivo Domínguez Jr. Great Mystery ~ photo Fallenangel

13 April 2010 Sunday Monday Tue esday Wednesday Thursday Frid day Saturday Correspondences for April: Color: red Herb: dragons blood Flower: daisy Stone: garnet Tree: pine Animal: bear Theme: Releasing anger, creating opportunities of Alder Ends New Moon of Willow Begins Birthday of Margot Adler Mercury Retrograde Begins Earth Day 23 The Pentacle is officially adopted by the VA for markers and headstones, Full Growing Moon Birthday of Ed Finch Sacred Mists Beltanee Ritual College of the Sacred Mists

14 Heed the goddess when she calls Calls her children one and all. Celebrate the fire round Dance, drum and sing til the earth does pound. ~ Spiral Rhythm The Mother s Heart ~ photo David De Lossy

15 May 2010 Sunday Monday Tue esday Wednesday Thursday Frid day Saturday Correspondences for May: Color: pink Herb: mugwort Flower: foxglove Stone: malachite Tree: hawthorn Animal: leopard Theme: Intuition, connection to the faeries and nature. 1 Beltane Birthday of D.J. Conway Mercury Retrograde Ends of Willow Ends of Hawthorn Begins New Moon Birthday of Gwydion Pendderwen, Adoption of the Earth Religion Anti- Abuse Act, Full Hare Moon College of the Sacred Mists

16 We are one with the infinite sun forever and ever and ever. ~ Native American Chant ~ photo Harald Sund

17 June 2010 Sunday Monday Tue esday Wednesday Thursday Frid day Saturday of Hawthorn Ends of Oak Begins New Moon Birthday of Starhawk Litha Sacred Mists Litha Ritual 22 Witchcraft Act in England repealed, Birthday of Janet Farrar Full Dyad Moon Lunar Eclipse 27 Birthday of Scott Cunningham, Birthday of Stewart Farrar Correspondences for June: Color: orange Herb: meadowsweet Flower: lavender Stone: topaz Tree: oak Animal: butterfly Theme: Making decisions, taking responsibility. College of the Sacred Mists

18 photo Alexandr Tkachuk How sweet I roamed from field to field, and tasted all of summer s pride. ~ William Blake ~

19 July 2010 Sunday Monday Tue esday Wednesday Thursday Frid day Saturday Correspondences for July: Color: blue Herb: honeysuckle Flower: jasmine Stone: moonstone Tree: ash Animal: dolphin Theme: Dream work, meditation, water magick of Oak Ends of Holly Begins New Moon Solar Eclipse Birthday of Dr. John Dee, Rebecca Nurse hanged in Salem, MA, Full Mead Moon College of the Sacred Mists

20 photo Andrei Merkulov The grain to harvest s cutting falls, To make the bread for banquet halls. ~ Asleen O Gaea ~

21 August 2010 Sunday Monday Tue esday Wednesday Thursday Frid day Saturday 1 Lughnasadh 2 Sacred Mists Lughnasadh Ritual 3 4 of Holly Ends 5 of Hazel Begins New Moon Birthday of Edain McCoy Birthday of Charles Godfrey Leland Mercury Retrograde Begins Full Corn Moon Birthday of Raymond Buckland Correspondences for August: Color: gold Herb: chamomile Flower: sunflower Stone: carnelian Tree: hazel Animal: lion Theme: Friendships, gathering, making amends. College of the Sacred Mists

22 Upon the silver branch like bells, Hung the apples of the Goddess s well. And deep within each fruit on the tree, Was a symbol of Her mysteries. ~ Rowan Pendragon The Isle of Apples ~ photo Robert Illig

23 September 2010 Sunday Monday Tue esday Wednesday Thursday Frid day Saturday Correspondences for September: Color: brown Herb: copal Flower: lily Stone: peridot Tree: bay Animal: snake Theme: Release mental and spiritual clutter. 1 of Hazel Ends Death of Doreen Valiente, of Vine Begins New Moon Birthday of Silver Ravenwolf Mercury Retrograde Ends Death of Giles Corey in Salem, MA 1692 Bewitched debuts on TV, Mabon Sacred Mists Mabon Ritual 23 Full Harvest Moon of Vine Ends of Ivy Begins College of the Sacred Mists

24 For those who've gone before us And those who've gone before them We raise this cup in honor of your lives. And all that dwell in Shadow. ~ Deirdre Pulgram Arthen Ancestor Chant ~ photo juliaf

25 October 2010 Sunday Monday Tue esday Wednesday Thursday Frid day Saturday Correspondences for October: Color: black Herb: patchouli Flower: calendula Stone: apache tear Tree: elder Animal: owl Theme: Connecting with the Ancestors, divination New Moon Birthday of Selena Fox Full Blood Moon of Ivy Ends of Reed Begins 31 Samhain College of the Sacred Mists

26 Some leaves hang late, some fall before the first frost, So goes the tale of winter branches and old bones. ~ William Carlos Williams ~ photo Anna Chelnokova

27 November 2010 Sunday Monday Tue esday Wednesday Thursday Frid day Saturday 1 Sacred Mists Samhain Ritual New Moon Death of Gwydion Pendderwen, Release of the movie Harry Potter and the Sorcerer s Stone, 2001 Birthday of Israel Regardie, 1907 Aleister Crowley initiated into the Golden Dawn, Full Snow Moon 22 First pentacle marker granted to Sgt. Patrick Stewart in Nevada VA cemetery, of Reed Ends 25 of Elder Begins Correspondences for November: Color: grey Herb: cinquefoil Flower: chrysanthemum Stone: lapis lazuli Tree: cypress Animal: scorpion Theme: Transformation, reconnecting with deity. College of the Sacred Mists

28 Make Peace on Earth; Make Peace Within. At the Sun's Rebirth; And 'round the Wheel Again. ~Selena Fox Yule Peace Chant ~ photo thea0211

29 December 2010 Sunday Monday Tue esday Wednesday Thursday Frid day Saturday Correspondences for December: Color: blood red Herb: holly Flower: poinsettia Stone: bloodstone Tree: pine Animal: deer Theme: Death and rebirth, peace, light in the darkness Death of Aleister Crowley, 1947 New Moon First Gardnerian coven formed in America, Mercury Retrograde Begins Rider Waite tarot deck published, Yule Sacred Mists Yule Ritual Full Cold Moon Lunar Eclipse 22 of Elder Ends 23 Between Celtic Tree Months 24 of Birch Begins Birthday of Gerina Dunwich Janet and Stewart Farrar begin their first coven together, 1970 Mercury Retrograde Ends College of the Sacred Mists

30 2010 Dates To Remember Date Time Event Location College of the Sacred Mists

31 Notes, Names and Conacts College of the Sacred Mists