Category: Monthly Lore

September Flowers

8/7/2017

September, that month that presides over the last delicate days of summer and the first relief of Fall days. It is no surprise that the flowers chosen for this month are dainty and speak of endings and beginnings.

Asters, Forget-Me-Nots and
Morning Glories

The aster is a small flower that looks a lot like a daisy. Ancient Greeks made wreathes and placed the flower on the altars of all their Gods as a sacred offering. Asters have also been used to place on the graves of soldiers as a wish that things had turned out differently. They can be used to represent many other things, including: Love, Beginnings, Cleansing and Detoxifying, Connection to the Divine or Cosmic Realm, Doorways and Transitions, Gentleness, Psychic Abilities, and Protection.

Forget-Me-Nots get their common name from a German folktale about a knight and his lady strolling by the Danube. While walking the lady points out these beautiful flowers by the bank of the river and the knight goes to collect them for her. Sadly, the knight is swept away by the river and as his armor drags him down and away he tosses a collected bouquet to his lady love and calls out, “Forget me not!” As you can imagine with a story like that, the Forget-Me-Not flower is used to represent true love and remembrance. It can also represent staying true through obstacles or through time and distance. Forget-Me-Nots can add clarity and focus to memory and are useful in spells for fidelity.

The Morning Glory yields beautiful flowers that open to the sun in the morning and then fade and die by the end of the day. Meanwhile the plant is a perennial climbing vine that will aggressively attach itself to anything vertical to continue its growth. These characteristics contribute to a kind of duality of meaning sometimes attributed to the Morning Glory. This is why it can represent love or love in vain. The flowers can help represent awakening to the magic of life while the seeds can help with relaxation and when placed under a pillow can stop nightmares. Additionally, blue Morning Glories can be planted for peace and happiness. And the tenacity of the plant makes it an excellent candidate to use for success. Its root can be used as a substitute for High John the Conqueror root.

By Lady Rowyn
for our September 2017 newsletter

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Sources: http://www.flowermeaning.com/forget-me-not-flower-meaning/
http://www.flowermeaning.com/morning-glory-flower-meaning/
http://www.flowermeaning.com/aster-flower-meaning/
http://witcheslore.com/bookofshadows/herbology/the-mystery-of-flowers-and-plants/3649/
http://tesswhitehurst.com/the-magical-and-metaphysical-properties-of-flowers/
http://memberfiles.freewebs.com/81/39/52093981/documents/Encyclopedia%20of%20Magical%20Herbs%20-%20Scott%20Cunningham.pdf

July 2017 Newsletter

7/12/2017

JULY 2017 NEWSLETTER

Thank you for subscribing to Inner Circle Sanctuary's newsletter. Included is information about the month of July, links to our upcoming events sponsored by ICS, and how you can become a member.

WELCOME TO
INNER CIRCLE SANCTUARY'S
JULY NEWSLETTER

The highest and brightest day of the sun has passed, but we are in store for hotter weather because of the phenomenon called “The Lag of Seasons.” Like a pot of water put over a high flame, it still takes time for the water to reach its boiling point, as it will take the earth to feel the effects of the Midsummer sun. It’s the same reason why January and February are colder than December when Midwinter occurs. Here, in Las Vegas, for the past few weeks, our temperatures have already surpassed our historical highs for this time of year.

Read the EPA report on how climate change will affect Las Vegas in the future.

If you live in the USA, there is an EPA report for each state. Type "climate change epa + your state name” to see it. Some states put out there own reports which you might want to peruse as well.

QUINTILIS

The name of the month of July was changed from it’s original Quintilus via the Roman senate in 44BC to honor Julius Caesar after his brutal and untimely death. Similarily, the month of Sextilis was changed to honor Augustus, hence the name for the month of August.

For those that know a little Latin, the terms Quintilis and Sextilis actually mean Five and Six, respectively. The Roman calendar, before Julius Caesar, only had ten months with the sixty days of winter, where there was no work in the fields, unaccounted for. The year began in March (Martius, "named after Mars, the Roman god of war, who was also regarded as a guardian of agriculture” and ended in December (decem, meaning ten). This original calendar was “determined by the cycles of the moon and the seasons of the agricultural year.” We get the name “calendar” from ‘kalends’: the first of the month which occurred on the New Moon. The ‘ides’, or mid-month, were the full moons.

Read more about how our modern calendar came into being.
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/calendar/romancalendar.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_calendar
http://www.webexhibits.org/calendars/calendar-roman.html
https://www.livescience.com/45650-calendar-history.html

The Romans also gave us the names of the days of the week and anyone who has any romance language experience can see this. The names of the week are based on the Sun, Moon and the names of the five planets known to the Romans. While Saturday, Sunday, and Monday made it through to today’s modern English, the Anglo-Saxons replaced the other four with the names of their gods.

Inner Circle Sanctuary - Days of the Week

dies is believed to be derived from the Latin “from the Gods”

“Tuesday comes from Tiu, or Tiw, the Anglo-Saxon name for Tyr, the Norse god of war.

Tyr was one of the sons of Odin, or Woden, the supreme deity after whom Wednesday was named.

Similarly, Thursday originates from Thor's-day, named in honor of Thor, the god of thunder.

Friday was derived from Frigg's-day, Frigg, the wife of Odin, representing love and beauty, in Norse mythology.” ~ Encyclopedia Britannica

JULY LORE

July third begins the “Dog Days of Summer” that last until August 11. At this time, the sun shares the same space as Sirius, the Dog Star. Legend says the Dog Star conspired with the sun to make the days hotter. Others believed the hot weather caused dogs to go mad.

If the first of July be rainy weather,
It will rain, more of less, for four weeks together.
- John Ray, English Proverbs

Hot July brings cooling showers,
Apricots and gillyflowers.
- Sara Coleridge, Pretty Lessons in Verse

If ant hills are high in July,
Winter will be snowy.

JULY BIRTHSTONES

White Marble with Ruby

RUBY
Red has always been the color of fiery emotion, deep passion and fury. As a gemstone, the semi-transparent nature of this red, faceted stone seems to glow with an internal fire. Many cultures saw this stone as a“Stone of Kings”, in Sanskrit, it is known as Ratnaraj, “King of precious stones”. The Hindus believed that fine rubies offered to Krishna would ensure the givers rebirth as emperors and as such bring them peace, power, wealth and protection. The soldiers of the Burmese armies would install these stones in their flesh, granting them invincibility in battle. In the more modern day, the red fluorescence power of the ruby helped build the first working laser in 1960. Rubies are fine stones when used for work relating to passion and desire, as well as used in or worn for protection working.

Gonzaga Cameo

ONYX
Long thought to be a stone that brought sadness and depression, mined in China, the workers would not “willingly touch or own this gem for fear of bad dreams, misfortune, and loss of energy”. Traditional Onyx is black in color with multi colored bands, usually of red, brown, orange and white. The bands are straight in true onyx, and can be easily confused with Agate. Onyx has long been used in jewelry; Romans used these in seals and in Victorian England, mostly used in cameos. The stone was prized for its subtle, somber nature and basic black beauty. The negativity surrounding the stone is mainly in the user’s mind and can be used handily for protection and where negativity has been directed at you. If you are fair to the advances of unwanted adoration or sexual advances, noted Wiccan Scott Cunningham, describes onyx as useful for temporarily dampening the sex drive or containing energy of any kind.

JULY FLOWERS

WATER LILY
When you see a water lily, it’s hard not to conjure a dainty nymph dancing upon the water. Water Lily’s Latin classification is Nymphaeaceae (nim-fuh-see) inspired by the nymphs of mythology. Whether painted by Monet or serving as the national flower of Bangladesh (white) or Sri Lanka (blue), water lilies have represented rebirth, optimism, love, life, & creation. Throughout history and in several cultures, the Water Lily symbolizes many different things from healing to transmutation to passion to chastity. In magic, find the meaning you resonate with and utilize appropriately.

LARKSPUR
Larkspur has been memorialized in Greek myth as a memorial flower, as sky steps from heaven in Native American mythology, and as a patient bunny in Christian legend. For witches, larkspur is seen as a great protective ingredient for any spell regarding ‘Heroes’ like police, firemen, and soldiers or to honor them. Larkspur is said to protect against both corporeal (insects, pest invaders, etc) and non-corporeal beings (ghosts, malevolent spirits, etc.) when planted near the home or worn.

JULY ZODIAC SIGNS

Many of you will recognize some or all of these traits in the Cancers & Leos that come in and out of your lives. Some will have more of the positive traits and others will have more of the negative. If they are recognized, and if the person is willing, these tendencies can be changed. These prescriptions are not set in stone. And because of that, they are also, not an excuse for being a jerk. ~Atheona

CANCER
If you know someone born in July before the 22, their zodiac sign is Cancer, the crab. Traits for Cancer include:

tenacity and/or stubbornness
emotional and/or moody
sympathetic and compassionate and/or hypersensitive
persuasive and/or manipulative
friendly, outgoing, and talkative and/or gossipy or uncommunicative

Cancers are caretakers with great nurturing abilities who love and are loyal to their close friends and family. However, they don’t often reveal much of themselves.

LEO
If you know someone born in July on the 23rd or after, their zodiac sign is Leo, the Lion. Traits for Leos include:

Confidence and/or arrogance
ambitious and/or self-centered
humorous and/or dramatic
focused and/or inflexible
competitive and/or a sore loser

Leos are natural born leaders and love being the ‘king of the jungle’. However, if the accolades from being top boss suddenly dry up or turn, the disappointed roar of the Leo can be heard across the entire jungle.

UPCOMING EVENTS WITH INNER CIRCLE SANCTUARY

Pagan Bread Making - Inner Circle Sanctuary

Pagan Bread Making Demonstration &Tasting with ICS
Saturday, July 15 at 6 PM - 9 PM

Posts you may have missed from the event invite on Facebook:
The Magic of Bagels
The Tradition of Bread & Salt
The Bread Man at Lammas
Mark 'Going' or 'Interested' to get updates from the Facebook event invite

What You Need To Know About Tarot with ICS
Saturday, August 19 at 6 PM - 9 PM
Mark 'Going' or 'Interested' to get updates from the Facebook event invite

My So-Called Magical Life with ICS
Saturday, September 9 at 6 PM - 9 PM
Mark 'Going' or 'Interested' to get updates from the Facebook event invite

Samhain: Winter Has Come
Saturday, October 21 at 6 PM - 9 PM
Mark 'Going' or 'Interested' to get updates from the Facebook event invite

My So-Called Magical Life Event - Inner Circle Sanctuary

Samhain - Winter Has Come - Inner Circle Sanctuary

BLOG POSTS
FROM INNER CIRCLE SANCTUARY
YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

Midsummer 2017 Newsletter
Your Holy Day (Birthday)
3 Reasons To Have A Community Booth
At Pagan Pride Day
7 Reasons To Be A Vendor at Pagan Pride
Daniel's Magical Name

How To Become a Member of Inner Circle Sanctuary

Send us a message and we'll send you a few questions to start. Then, we'll make arrangements for a full interview, possibly two. Once the interview has been completed and discussed among the elders and you are accepted, your start date will be in a couple of weeks.
http://www.innercirclesanctuary.com/1st-degree-classes.html

If it has been a while since you've had classes with us, please contact us and we can assess where to go from there.
http://www.innercirclesanctuary.com/2nd-degree-classes.html

If you would like to attend a sabbat event, please send an inquiry and we will pair you with a current member to be your sponsor.

Message us on Facebook
Message us via Email

Stay Tuned for Inner Circle Sanctuary's Lughnasadh & August Newsletter!

ARTICLE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM:
Lord Rand
Lady Gwendolyn

SOURCES
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/calendar/romancalendar.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_calendar
http://www.webexhibits.org/calendars/calendar-roman.html
https://www.livescience.com/45650-calendar-history.html
http://www.livius.org/sources/content/plutarch/plutarchs-caesar/caesars-calendar-reform/
http://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/everyday-myths/time5.htm
https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/climate-change-nv.pdf
http://www.gia.edu
http://www.americangemsociety.com
http://www.witchipedia.com/herb:larkspur
http://www.flowermeaning.com/larkspur-flower-meaning/
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/what-does-a-water-lily-symbolize.html
http://wiccanbeauty.com/water-lily-a-beautiful-magical-water-flower-you-can-enjoy-as-a-fragrance-oil/
http://tesswhitehurst.com/the-magical-and-metaphysical-properties-of-flowers/
http://www.sacredwicca.com/language-of-flowers
http://www.witchipedia.com/herb:water-lily#toc5
http://www.gemsociety.com
http://www.jewelsforme.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Cunningham
‘The Crystal Bible: A definitive Guide to Crystals’ by Judy Hall
Larkspur, Cunningham, Scott, Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, Llewellyn Publications, Second Edition, 1984, 2016, page 152

PHOTOS
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delphinium#/media/File:Delph_1.jpg
http://www.yokota.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/941960/dog-days-of-summer/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/luigi_and_linda/5007629773
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tyr-brakteaten_fr%C3%A5n_Naglum,_Trollh%C3%A4ttan_(SHM_1164)_tecknad.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Del_av_hj%C3%A4lm_vendel_vendeltid_m%C3%B6jligen_oden.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thor,_siddende,_st%C3%B8ttet_til_sin_hammer.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Frigga_in_Myths_of_Northern_Lands_by_H_A_Guerber.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hot_August_Dog_In_Pool.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Natural_History_Museum_-_Corundum_(white_marble_with_ruby),_Burma.jpg
http://viola.bz/ancient-arts-of-glyptics/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nymphaeaceae#/media/File:Victoria_cruziana_flower.jpg
https://www.horoscopedates.com/zodiac-signs/cancer/
https://www.horoscopedates.com/zodiac-signs/leo/

News, Updates, & Information

September Flowers

Asters, Forget-Me-Nots and
Morning Glories

July 2017 Newsletter

February Tidbit: Finnish

February

February Amethyst

Inner Circle Sanctuary

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News, Updates, & Information

September Flowers

Asters, Forget-Me-Nots and​Morning Glories

July 2017 Newsletter

February Tidbit: Finnish

February

February Amethyst

Inner Circle Sanctuary

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Asters, Forget-Me-Nots and
Morning Glories