Christmas Eve under a firey LEO MOON will be heartfelt, loud, with a sense of innocence and childhood wonder, celebratory and upbeat, with big lavish dinners and presents.

Mercury in Sagittarius squares Neptune in Pisces, don’t talk politics and your judgment will be off about alcohol. Enjoy

ARIES

Your energy is still low with Mars in Pisces, use it to get in touch with your creative, sensitive, spiritual and compassionate side. On the 28/29 Mars conjunct Chiron in Pisces-you fight to defend your wounds or others this week. Spend time listening to your intuition and dreams. Addictions may be heavy right now. Come clean its a great time to admit your wounds and go to rehab.

TAURUS

You are in La La land for real. Many have found new loves after all the Retrogrades and are on a romantic high. It’s very creative and spiritual time. Venus in your solar…

By Frater S.C.F.V.

A fellow Magician named Michael recently shared that he had experienced his mother dying in his arms only a few days earlier. He had two Pentacles of Jupiter from the Key of Solomon that he had consecrated for her. He wanted to know if he had to deconsecrate the Pentacles now that she had passed on or if he could leave them on her Altar as he preferred to do.

Here was my response to him, based on my own experience, which I share here in case it might be able to offer some consolation and encouragement to others who may have also lost people for whom they cared very deeply:

I’m so sorry to hear about your mother, Michael. I cannot imagine what you must be feeling right now.

I can, however, encourage you with the news that there is no need to deconsecrate the Pentacles. …

By Frater S.C.F.V.

Balinese spirit offering photographed by Teri Genovese.

Introduction

One of the most common questions new Magicians who wish to work with spirits in traditional ways often ask is what kinds of offerings to make. This is a fantastic and very respectful and attentive question.  My esteemed colleagues have written a great deal on this important subject — see for example the amazing Ritual Offerings book from 12 practicing occultists including Aaron Leitch, Zadkiel, Frater Ashen Chassan, Brother Moloch, Joshua Gadbois, Denise Alvarado, Jason Miller, Nick Farrell, Sam Webster, Chic and Sandra Tabatha Cicero, and Gilberto Strapazon.

I cannot recommend this amazing book highly enough and what I have to share below are only a few humble footnotes from my own experience to add on to what they have already eloquently said there. Dr. Stephen Skinner, Joseph H. Peterson, Jake Stratton-Kent and others have offered many helpful pointers on the subject as well.

Offerings to…

By Frater SC.F.V.

Phase I – First Hour of Jupiter

Date: Thursday, December 20, 2018
Sun Phase: Dawn
Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous (151 degrees) in 0 degrees Gemini/cusp of Taurus
Mansion of the Moon: #5, al-Haqah
Planetary Day: Day of Jupiter
Planetary Hour: First Hour of Jupiter
Activities: Solomonic Ritual Bathing with Hyssop; Offerings to the Most High and to Saint Cyprian of Antioch; Crafting Jupiterian sympathetic bags; Solomonic Bell Sounding to the Spirits of the Quarters; Prayers of Intent; Inscribing the Vigil of Sachiel with his Sigil from the Heptameron; Tracing out the First Pentacle of Jupiter on the Tablet of Lights; Prayers, Psalms and Temple Closing. 

Today is a day of magic that has been nearly a year in the making.  Over the past months, I have been preparing for this ritual, updating and crafting new implements, learning from Saint Cyprian of Antioch and from my own…

Venus turned Retrograde on October 5th @ 10 degrees 50 minutes of Scorpio.

She just crossed that degree today December 18 indicating that yes love can breathe fresh air again. 

look back at all the heartbreak, losses, lovers who split, those who returned, and where you are now compared to then.

Values around love, sex, money, beauty, self-worth, death and control have shifted like earthquakes. You are not now who you were then. Venus went from Scorpio where it is deeply ensouled, can be deeply enshadowed, deeply troubled, obsessed, unconscious, driven by power and to be in control into Libra where Venus rules and it’s all about pleasing others, thinking of them, worrying about your social status obsessively, buying beautiful things, being a counselor, the hostess with the mostest, saying what people want to hear, and finding it fricking difficult to ever make up your mind.

There has been huge…