In Pure Spirit

Does Santa Claus have a meaning? Where does the origin of the Santa Claus story come from? As it happens the modern Santa is largely a blend of Saint Nick and Father Christmas from the United Kingdom. The name “Santa Claus” is from the German “Sinterklaas” and has changed over the years. This short video [...]

In the Northern Hemisphere tonight there will be a Harvest Moon. This is the full moon that happens to be closest to the autumn equinox and is special as the time difference between moonrise and successive evenings is shorter than usual. The Harvest Moon tends to be large and more colourful than other moons of [...]

The original celebration was not a Christian one. In Anglo-Saxon history the festival was originally for the goddess Ēostre, also sometimes written as Ēastre. Ēostre also gives her name to Eosturmonath, one of the months in the Anglo-Saxon calendar, and is believed to have been either a goddess of light or fertility. Experts who have [...]

The festival Féile na Marbh is Gaelic by tradition. In Scotland and Ireland it has become bundled into Samhain. The phrase “Féile na Marbh” is Irish for Festival of the Dead. In the past the festival itself could have lasted up to three days; beginning at the end of October. As a result Féile na [...]

Image by Leo Reynolds via Flickr Tropical dates: 22 December to 20 January Sidereal dates: January 15 to February 12 (approx) Representation: Goat’s head with fish tail Ruling planet and groupings: Saturn; feminine, cardinal and earth Associations: Colour: Dark colours Flowers: Pansy and ivy Gemstone: Amethyst Trees: Pine and willow Traits It is not uncommon [...]

Image by Per Ola Wiberg (Powi) via Flickr October means the eighth month. October was the eighth month in the year according to the old Roman calendar until January and February were added to the start of the year. The Old English name for October is Winterfylleth which is said to refer to the Winter [...]

Image by Getty Images via Daylife September means the seventh month. September is the month where many Christian denominations celebrate the Feasts of the Cross. The feast commemorates the cross used in the crucifixion of Jesus. The Anglo-Saxons called the month Haligmonað (holy month). Events in September Zhongqiu Jie (Moon Festival) Born in September? Birthstone: [...]

Image via Wikipedia Tropical dates: 23 July to 23 August Sidereal dates: 17 August to 16 September (approx) Representation: Lion’s tail Ruling planet and groupings: Sun; masculine, fixed and fire Associations: Colour: Gold and scarlet Flowers: Marigold Gemstone: Ruby Trees: Walnut and olive Traits Proud, generous and creative. Leonians often need to keep themselves in [...]

Image by euthman via Flickr August means Augustus Caesar’s month. Augustus Caesar completed the calendar reform started by Julius Caesar and also named a month after himself. Augustus became the first emperor of Rome after Julius was assassinated in 44 BC. Events in August The Feast of the Assumption Born in August? Birthstone: Peridot Flower: [...]

Originally cat charms were used to signify luck and are common today. The question is whether they represent good or bad luck.

The black cat, in particular, is sometimes seen as unlucky as it represents one of the forms Satan is believed to take as he stalks the Earth. Others will wear the black cat charm to specifically ward against bad luck.

The Romans took the fiercely independent nature of the cat and translated this to the concept of liberty. The ancient Egyptians associated the cat to the moon and drew connections between the dilation and contraction of cat eyes to the waxing and waning of the moon. Egyptian moon gods or goddesses would often be depicted with the wedjat eye in the full-moon disk over their head. The wedjat-eye, however, belonged to Re and was later associated with Thoth, rather than the cats.