PaganFM! Almanac for August 10, 2008

 

WX

 

And Welcome to the PaganFM! Almanac. Today is August 10, 2008. It’s the 223rd day of the year.

 

The 2nd quarter moon is currently in Sagittarius. Mercury will enter Virgo at 6:51 am.

 

On this date in 1987, Laurie Cabot withdrew from the Mayoral Race in Salem. Founder of the Witches League of Public Awareness, she entered the race when the incumbent, Anthony Salvo was making derogatory remarks about Witchcraft. When he claimed that Robert Gauthier was a warlock, Laurie joined the race. She won a great deal of support, but more importantly, made the point that Wiccans and Witches were not evil, and had some political clout.

 

August 11 was the deadline for returning nominations, and Laurie dropped out of the race to pursue her business and to finish a book.

 

Monday is also the birthday of Edain McCoy, who authored such titles as Magick & Rituals of the Moon, The Witches’ Coven, Celtic Myth & Magick, Celtic Women’s Spirituality and many others, She was born on this date in 1957, became self-initiated in 1981, and was initiated into a large San Antonio coven in 1983.

 

On Tuesday, the moon is void of course at 5:04 am and enters Capricorn at 7:42 am.

 

Wednesday the 13th seems to be connected to Aradia de Toscano. Various accounts list this as her birth date in 1313, or as the date of her initiation into a Dianic witchcraft cult in 1326. Folklore states that Aradia was the founder of Stregheria, or Italian Witchcraft. Charles Leland, in the mid 1800’s had interviewed people in Italy who claimed to be witches and wrote about them in “Aradia, Gospel of the Witches” which was a foundational document for a great deal of Neo-pagan thought.

 

Stregheria and Aradia were further revived in 1994 with Raven Grimassi’s book “Ways of the Strega”.

 

On Thursday, the moon is void of course at 1:09 pm and enters Aquarius at 6:56 pm

 

Friday marks the birth of Charles Leland, whom we spoke a bit about a few moments ago.

 

Saturday sees a full moon at 5:16 pm. There will be a partial Lunar Eclipse beginning at 5:11 pm, (the second Lunar Eclipse of 2008) but it will not be visible from North America. However, should you wish to visit Europe or Africa, you’ll have a good view. Australia will see it begin before sunrise. It will also be partially visible in South America just after sunset.

 

Coming up on our calendar,