◇ Category · Forces & Deities
Named faces of the forces. Gods, angels, demons, archetypes — cultural vocabularies for the same underlying currents. Click any face to reveal its full signature.
Named presences across traditions — grouped by the culture that grew them.
Queen Of The Underworld, The Maiden, Bringer Of Spring, Dread Persephone, She Who Returns
Spring, Death, Rebirth, Underworld Sovereignty, Transformation, Cycles, Dual Nature, Reclaimed Power
Black, Green, Purple, Spring Pastels
Obsidian, Jet, Emerald, Amethyst, Pomegranate Garnet
Pomegranate, Narcissus, Mint, Willow
Bat, Serpent, Deer
The High Priestess, Death, Judgement, Queen Of Pentacles
Monday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent
Ostara, Samhain, Mabon
Pomegranate, Spring Flowers, Grain, Honey, Acts Of Reclaiming Stolen Power, Honoring Cycles
Maiden abducted by Hades, ate pomegranate seeds, became Queen of Underworld. Returns to surface each spring. Transformation from victim to sovereign. Rules both spring and death—dual nature, neither diminishes the other.
Full entry →Lord Of The Wild, The Horned God, God Of Panic, Master Of The Forest, The Untamed
Nature, Sexuality, Wildness, Panic, Music, Shepherds, Untamed Instinct, Ecstasy
Green, Brown, Red, Earthy Tones
Moss Agate, Carnelian, Tiger Eye, Jade
Pine, Oak, Ivy, Cannabis, Patchouli
Goat, Ram, Rabbit
The Devil, The Emperor, King Of Pentacles
Tuesday, Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Beltane, Litha
Wine, Honey, Wild Flowers, Acts In Nature, Music Especially Pipes, Sexual Ecstasy, Dancing
Greek god of wild, shepherds, rustic music. Half-goat, plays pan pipes. Causes 'panic' when encountered unexpectedly. Represents untamed nature, wild sexuality, ecstatic states. Never fully civilized.
Full entry →The Fire-Bringer, Friend Of Humanity, The Forethought, Champion Of Mortals, The Bound Titan
Fire, Technology, Forbidden Knowledge, Rebellion For Humanity, Sacrifice, Craftsmanship, Forethought
Red, Gold, Orange
Citrine, Carnelian, Fire Opal, Sunstone
Bay Leaf, Cinnamon, Frankincense, Oak
Eagle, Fire Salamander
The Tower, The Chariot, Ace Of Wands
Sunday, Tuesday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Litha
Fire, Crafted Objects, Acts Of Teaching, Sharing Forbidden Knowledge, Wine, Acts Of Rebellion For Justice
Titan who stole fire from gods to give to humanity. Taught humans arts, technology, sacrifice. Punished by Zeus—chained to rock, eagle eating liver daily, regenerating nightly. Sacrifice for humanity's advancement. Rebellion for love.
Full entry →Primordial Night, Mother Of Darkness, She Whom Even Zeus Fears, The First Darkness
Night, Darkness, Primordial Chaos, Inevitability, Prophecy, Secrets, Power Before Gods
Black, Deep Purple, Midnight Blue, Silver
Obsidian, Black Tourmaline, Labradorite, Moonstone
Mugwort, Wormwood, Nightshade, Poppy
Owl, Bat, Black Bird
The Moon, Death, The High Priestess
Monday, Saturday
New Moon
Samhain, Yule
Dark Wine, Black Candles, Silence, Nighttime Meditation, Honoring Darkness, Secrets Kept
Greek primordial goddess, one of first beings to exist. Mother of Hypnos, Thanatos, the Fates, and other primordial forces. Even Zeus feared her and would not cross her. Represents night not as absence but as power. Darkness before creation. The inevitability that even gods respect.
Full entry →The Gorgon, She Whose Gaze Turns To Stone, Victim Become Weapon, The Protector Through Fear, Monster Made Sacred
Protection Through Monstrosity, Victim To Power Transformation, Petrifying Gaze, Serpent Wisdom, Sacred Rage, Apotropaic Magic
Green, Grey, Black, Stone Colors
Serpentine, Malachite, Obsidian, Petrified Wood
Snake Plant, Hemlock, Nightshade, Ivy
Serpent, Horse
The Tower, Nine Of Swords, Queen Of Pentacles
Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain
Snake Images, Stones, Mirrors, Acts Of Fierce Protection, Honoring Victims Who Became Powerful, Apotropaic Magic, Claiming Monstrosity As Power
In Hesiod she is a Gorgon by birth, daughter of Phorcys and Ceto; in Ovid's later Roman telling she is a woman violated by Poseidon in Athena's temple and transformed by Athena into a monster—snake hair, gaze turns to stone. Killed by Perseus. Head used as protection (aegis). Later retellings reclaim her as victim who became weapon, whose monstrosity is power, whose gaze protects. Symbol on shields—protection through fear.
Full entry →Mother Of The Harvest, Lady Of The Golden Grain, The Great Mother, Bringer Of The Seasons
Agriculture, Harvest, Grain, Fertility, Motherhood, The Seasons, Initiation, Grief, Nourishment
Green, Gold, Brown, Earth Tones
Emerald, Moss Agate, Jade, Green Aventurine, Aventurine
Wheat, Barley, Poppy, Mint, Sage
Pig, Serpent, Owl, Turtle
The Empress, The Star, The World
Friday
Full Moon, New Moon
Lughnasadh, Mabon, Ostara
Grain, Bread, First Fruits, Flowers, Milk, Honey, Barley Water
Demeter is the Greek grain mother whose daughter Persephone is taken to the underworld. She withholds the harvest until a bargain returns her for part of each year, which is why the world has seasons. Her myth is the founding story of loss, search, and the return that is never whole.
Full entry →The Sun, Charioteer Of The Day, The All-Seeing
The Sun, Light, Sight, Oaths, Truth, The Chariot, The Day
Gold, Yellow, White
Citrine, Sunstone, Amber, Golden Topaz, Clear Quartz
Bay Leaf, Frankincense, Cinnamon, St Johns Wort
Horse, Rooster, Hawk, Lion
The Sun, Strength, The Chariot
Sunday
Full Moon
Litha
Honey, Gold, Sunflowers, Bay Leaf, Wine
Helios drives the chariot of the sun across the sky and sees everything that happens beneath it, which is why oaths are sworn before him. He is the witness of the day rather than its ruler: in Greek telling the sun is his work, not his throne.
Full entry →God Of War, Bane Of Men, Lord Of The Spear
War, Battle, Courage, Rage, Conflict, Masculinity, Discord
Red, Black, Crimson, Iron Grey
Ruby, Garnet, Hematite, Red Jasper, Bloodstone
Dragon Blood, Nettle, Thistle, Wormwood
Boar, Vulture, Dog, Serpent
The Tower, Five Of Swords, The Chariot
Tuesday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
Samhain, Litha
Red Wine, Meat, Iron, Weapons, Blood Offerings Symbolic
Ares is the Greek god of war in its blood, noise and madness rather than its strategy — Athena's opposite number. He is the father of Fear and Terror, loved by Aphrodite, and disliked by nearly everyone else on Olympus, which is itself the point about how war was regarded.
Full entry →God Of Medicine, The Healer, Serpent-Bearer
Healing, Medicine, Physicians, Serpents, Resurrection, Dreams, Health
White, Green, Gold
Emerald, Green Aventurine, Clear Quartz, Jade
Sage, Rosemary, Lavender, Fennel
Serpent, Rooster, Dog
The Hierophant, The Star, Six Of Pentacles
Wednesday
Waning Gibbous, New Moon
Imbolc
Bread, Wine, Incense, Healing Acts, Cocks
Asclepius is the Greek god of medicine, taught by the centaur Chiron and killed by Zeus' thunderbolt for raising the dead. His sanctuary at Epidaurus was a healing hospital where the sick slept and received the god's dream-prescription, and his serpent-entwined staff is still the sign of medicine.
Full entry →God Of Desire, The First Born, Loosener Of Limbs
Desire, Attraction, Love, Union, Fertility, Longing, Beauty
Rose Pink, Red, White
Rose Quartz, Rhodonite, Carnelian, Moonstone
Rose, Jasmine, Apple Blossom, Damiana
Dove, Swan, Hare
The Lovers, The Empress, Two Of Cups
Friday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Beltane, Ostara
Roses, Honey, Wine, Poetry, Perfume
Eros is desire itself: in the oldest Greek telling one of the first powers to exist, and in the later telling the winged archer son of Aphrodite. The Roman Cupid is his equivalent, kept separately here; the two are one figure in different dress.
Full entry →Goddess Of The Hearth, First Of The Olympians, Keeper Of The Flame
The Hearth, The Home, The Sacred Flame, Hospitality, Continuity, The Centre
White, Gold, Red
Carnelian, Clear Quartz, Sunstone, Hematite
Bay Leaf, Rosemary, Wheat, Frankincense
Donkey, Crane
The Hermit, The Hierophant, The Empress
Sunday
New Moon
Yule, Imbolc
First Fruits, Bread, Wine, Olive Oil, Fire Kept
Hestia is the Greek goddess of the hearth, the first-born of the Olympians who gave up her throne to Dionysus and kept the centre of the house instead. She has almost no myths: her cult is a fire, a meal and the continuity of a household.
Full entry →Rainbow Messenger, Bearer Of Oaths, Lady Of The Many Colours
The Rainbow, Messages, Oaths, The Sea, Swiftness, Reconciliation
Rainbow, Pastel, Blue, White
Opal, Moonstone, Clear Quartz, Labradorite
Lavender, Fennel, Sage, Willow
Swallow, Dove, Peacock
The Lovers, The Magician, Temperance
Wednesday
Full Moon, Waxing Crescent
Ostara, Beltane
Honey, Wine, Flowers, Messages Delivered
Iris is the Greek goddess of the rainbow and the messenger of the gods, who carries oaths to the river Styx and serves as the bridge between Olympus and the world. Where Hermes is the cunning traveller, Iris is the arc itself: the visible road between two places.
Full entry →The Soul, Butterfly Woman, Bearer Of The Lamp
The Soul, Love, Initiation, Trials, Transformation, The Breath
White, Violet, Pale Blue
Moonstone, Clear Quartz, Labradorite, Amethyst, Spirit Quartz
Lavender, Rose, Sage, Chamomile
Butterfly, Serpent, Eagle
The Fool, The Lovers, The Star
Monday
Full Moon, Waxing Crescent
Ostara, Mabon
Rose, Spring Water, Honey, Lamps Kept
Psyche is the mortal woman who marries Eros unseen, loses him by looking, and wins her way back through four impossible tasks to become a goddess. Her name is the Greek word for soul and butterfly, which is the whole story: what is tested, transforms.
Full entry →God Of Death, The Gentle Twin, Reaper
Death, Endings, The Gentle End, Sleep, Release, Peace
Black, White, Grey
Obsidian, Onyx, Jet, Smoky Quartz
Asphodel, Poppy, Willow, Mugwort
Owl, Serpent, Butterfly
Death, The Hanged Man, Temperance
Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Mabon
Water, Poppies, Bread, Coins, Silence
Thanatos is the Greek personification of death, the twin of Sleep, and in the old telling a gentle and implacable figure rather than a punisher. He is the ending itself; the judging and the torturing belong to other gods.
Full entry →Queen Of Heaven, Lady Of Marriage, The Cow-Eyed
Marriage, Sovereignty, Women, Childbirth, Oaths, Kingship, Jealousy
White, Gold, Peacock Blue, Pomegranate Red
Pearl, Moonstone, Emerald, Clear Quartz, Rose Quartz
Pomegranate, Willow, Myrtle, Lavender
Cow, Peacock, Lion, Cuckoo
The Empress, The High Priestess, The Chariot
Monday
Full Moon, New Moon
Ostara, Litha
Pomegranate, Wine, Milk, Myrtle, Cakes
Hera is the Greek queen of the gods and goddess of marriage, whose myths are largely the story of a bond repeatedly broken by Zeus and repeatedly enforced by her. She is sovereignty and the cost of it, and the myth is honest about how badly she is served.
Full entry →Keeper Of The Winds, Lord Of The Islands, Master Of The Bag
The Winds, Weather, Sailing, Hospitality, Stewardship, The Islands
White, Grey, Blue
Clear Quartz, Labradorite, Sodalite, Angelite
Lavender, Fennel, Parsley, Sage
Eagle, Horse, Swallow
The Fool, Six Of Swords, The Chariot
Wednesday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Ostara, Mabon
Wine, Barley, Incense, A Meal Shared
Aeolus is the keeper of the winds, who hosts Odysseus and gives him a bag of contrary winds tied shut. His crew opens it, the ship is blown back, and the lesson is about patience: the wind was already lent, and it was impatience that lost it.
Full entry →Queen Of The Sea, Lady Of The Salt, Mother Of The Sea Beasts
The Sea, Salt Water, Sea Life, Marriage, Wealth Of The Deep, The Tides
Sea Blue, Green, White, Pearl
Pearl, Aquamarine, Larimar, Moonstone, Mother Of Pearl
Seaweed, Kelp, Rosemary, Lavender
Dolphin, Seal, Fish, Crab
The High Priestess, Ace Of Cups, The Star
Monday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Litha, Mabon
Salt, Pearls, Sea Water, Fish, Flowers Cast On The Water
Amphitrite is the Greek queen of the sea, a Nereid who married Poseidon and rules the deep with him, mother of Triton and of the sea's creatures. She is the sea as a settled kingdom rather than a wandering force.
Full entry →The Enchantress, Lady Of Aiaia, Mistress Of Drugs
Sorcery, Herbs, Transformation, The Island, Enchantment, Initiation, Poison
Purple, Green, Black, Gold
Obsidian, Moonstone, Malachite, Smoky Quartz
Mugwort, Wormwood, Henbane, Mandrake
Wolf, Lion, Pig, Hawk
The Moon, The High Priestess, The Devil
Monday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Litha
Wine, Honey, Barley, Herbs Grown, A Guest Fed
Circe is the enchantress of Aiaia who turns Odysseus' crew into swine and then, having been bested, becomes his teacher and host for a year. She is the ambivalent figure of the craft herself: dangerous, knowledgeable, and generous once the terms are clear.
Full entry →The Eldest Pleiad, Mother Of Hermes, Lady Of The Cave
Motherhood, The Mountains, Night, Caves, Hidden Growth, Spring
Green, Silver, White
Moss Agate, Moonstone, Aventurine, Clear Quartz
Fern, Sage, Mugwort, Lavender
Owl, Hare, Serpent
The High Priestess, The Star, The Fool
Wednesday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent
Beltane, Ostara
Milk, Honey, Spring Water, First Greens
Maia is the eldest of the Pleiades and the mother of Hermes, who bears him in a cave and finds him gone by morning to steal Apollo's cattle. She is the quiet mountain mother of a very unquiet child. Rome identified her with its own earth-goddess Maia, and May is named for one or the other — Ovid also derives it from the maiores.
Full entry →Shaper Of Dreams, Lord Of The Sleepers, The Winged One
Dreams, Sleep, Shapes, Illusion, Prophecy In Sleep, The Unconscious
Deep Blue, Violet, Black, Silver
Amethyst, Moonstone, Labradorite, Spirit Quartz
Mugwort, Poppy, Lavender, Chamomile
Owl, Bat, Moth
The Moon, The Star, Seven Of Cups
Monday
New Moon, Full Moon
Samhain, Yule
Poppies, Honey, Herbs For Dreaming, Silence
Morpheus is the god of dreams, the shaper who takes human form within them; he is attested only in Ovid, one of the thousand sons of Sleep, and one of three Ovid names for them, with Phobetor (Icelos) and Phantasos. He is the dream's own craftsman.
Full entry →The Gorgon-Slayer, Son Of The Golden Rain, Founder Of Mycenae
Heroism, Cunning, Liberation, The Gorgon, Flight, Fate, Protection
Gold, Bronze, White, Grey
Clear Quartz, Hematite, Tiger Eye, Pyrite
Bay Leaf, Sage, Nettle, Olive
Eagle, Serpent, Horse
The Chariot, The Fool, Strength
Wednesday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
Litha, Samhain
Wine, Bread, Incense, A Reflection Offered
Perseus is the hero conceived by Zeus as a shower of gold, who cuts off Medusa's head by watching her reflection rather than her face. He is the myth of strategy over strength, and the founder of Mycenae.
Full entry →The Maiden, Lady Of The Spring, Hera Of The Reeds
Maidenhood, Spring, The Water, Youth, Initiation Into Marriage, Growth
Green, White, Spring Pastels
Moonstone, Moss Agate, Pearl, Jade, Green Aventurine
Willow, Myrtle, Violet, Lavender
Cuckoo, Lamb, Swan
The High Priestess, The Lovers, The Star
Monday
Waxing Crescent, New Moon
Ostara, Beltane
Spring Water, Flowers, Honey, First Blooms
Hera the Maiden is the pre-marital aspect of Hera, worshipped at Stymphalia as Hera Pais beside Hera Teleia and Hera Chera; the annual bath that restored her virginity before her marriage to Zeus was at the spring Kanathos near Nauplia. She is kept as her own form because the cult and the stories around it differ from those of Hera the queen: this is the goddess of the threshold of marriage, not its enforcement.
Full entry →God Of Wealth, Giver Of Riches, The Blind One
Wealth, Abundance, The Harvest, Grain, Fortune, Blind Chance
Gold, Green, Brown
Citrine, Pyrite, Golden Topaz, Amber, Moss Agate
Wheat, Barley, Mint, Sage
Serpent, Ant, Horse
Ten Of Pentacles, The Empress, Nine Of Pentacles
Friday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Lughnasadh, Mabon
Grain, Honey, Wine, Coins, First Fruits
Plutus is the Greek god of wealth, son of Demeter and keeper of the cornucopia, who is blind - a deliberate cruelty in the myth, because he gives without regard to who deserves it. He is the wealth that grows from the earth rather than the wealth that is taken.
Full entry →The Shape-Shifter, Old Man Of The Sea, Keeper Of The Seals
Shapeshifting, Prophecy, The Sea, Seals, Change, Elusion, The Tides
Sea Blue, Green, Grey, Iridescent
Aquamarine, Labradorite, Opal, Moonstone, Pearl
Seaweed, Kelp, Rosemary, Sage
Seal, Octopus, Dolphin, Eel
The Moon, Seven Of Cups, The Chariot
Monday
Full Moon, New Moon
Litha, Samhain
Sea Water, Fish, Salt, Honey
Proteus is the old sea god who tends Poseidon's seals and knows everything, but will only answer if held fast while he turns into lion, serpent, leopard, boar, water and tree. He is change itself as an obstacle to knowledge.
Full entry →Herald Of The Deep, The Conch-Blower, Son Of The Sea
The Sea, Heralding, Storms, The Conch, Calming The Waves, The Tides
Sea Blue, Green, Black, Silver
Aquamarine, Larimar, Pearl, Moonstone, Labradorite
Seaweed, Kelp, Rosemary, Sage
Dolphin, Seal, Horse, Conch
The Chariot, Ace Of Cups, The Tower
Monday
Full Moon, New Moon
Litha, Mabon
Sea Water, Fish, Salt, Shells
Triton is the son of Poseidon and Amphitrite, the merman who blows a conch to raise or calm the sea. He is the sea's herald: the sound that tells you the water is changing.
Full entry →The West Wind, Bringer Of Spring, Lover Of The Flowers
The West Wind, Spring, Gentle Weather, Flowers, Sailing, The Afternoon
Pale Green, White, Light Blue
Clear Quartz, Jade, Green Aventurine, Moonstone, Opal
Rose, Hyacinth, Cowslip, Lavender
Swallow, Horse, Butterfly
The Lovers, Six Of Swords, The Star
Wednesday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Ostara, Beltane
Flowers, Honey, Wine, First Blooms
Zephyrus is the Greek west wind, the gentlest of the four, who brings spring and is the only wind Homer regularly calls favourable. He loves the flower-nymph Chloris, who becomes Flora in the Roman telling, and the two of them are the spring itself.
Full entry →The Wanderer, The Man Of Many Turns, Sacker Of Troy
Cunning, Endurance, The Voyage, Homecoming, Storytelling, Hospitality, The Sea
Yellow, White, Pale Blue
Clear Quartz, Labradorite, Aquamarine, Pyrite, Obsidian
Olive, Sage, Rosemary, Willow
Serpent, Swallow, Fox
The Fool, Six Of Swords, The World
Wednesday
Waning Gibbous, New Moon
Mabon, Litha
Incense, Honey, Flowers, Written Words
Odysseus is the Greek hero of the Odyssey, who takes ten years to get home from Troy by a series of escapes he mostly invents himself, and comes back to find his house occupied. He is the hero of endurance and craft rather than of strength, and his story is the oldest travel narrative in Europe.
Full entry →Sleep Itself, The Gentle Unmaker, Twin Of Thanatos, The One Who Loosens
Sleep, Dreams, Rest, Oblivion, Gentleness, The Night, Release From Pain
Black, Indigo, Silver, Violet
Moonstone, Sodalite, Amethyst, Labradorite, Selenite
Poppy, Moonflower, Chamomile, Lavender, Valerian
Owl, Bat, Dormouse
The Moon, Four Of Swords, Temperance
Monday, Saturday
Waning Gibbous, New Moon
Samhain, Yule
Poppy Seed, Honey, Milk, Silence, A Kept Bedtime, Rest Taken Without Guilt
Hypnos is Sleep itself, a son of Night in Hesiod's genealogy and the twin of Death, and the old telling calls the two of them gentle. He lives in a cave near the land of the Cimmerians where the sun never reaches, and the river Lethe runs through it. In the Iliad Hera bribes him with the hand of the Grace Pasithea to lull Zeus, and he does it, which is a reminder that sleep can be used. He is neither punisher nor rewarder: he is the loosening.
Full entry →The Distributor Of Dues, She Who Cannot Be Exceeded, Nemesis Of Rhamnous, The Wrath That Follows Hubris
Retribution, Due Measure, Hubris, Balance, Righteous Indignation, The Fall Of The Proud, Shame
Grey, Black, White, Gold
Onyx, Hematite, Black Tourmaline, Obsidian, Smoky Quartz
Nettle, Rue, Wormwood, Yarrow, Asphodel
Griffin, Serpent
Justice, The Tower, Judgement
Saturday, Tuesday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous
Mabon, Samhain
Dark Wine, Myrrh, A Debt Paid, An Apology Made Properly, The Thing Returned
Nemesis is the goddess who gives each person their due, and her particular target is hubris, the excess that thinks it can go unmeasured. Hesiod makes her a daughter of Night; at Rhamnous in Attica she had a great temple and a festival, and the statue there held an apple branch. She is not the shape of law, which is Themis, nor the verdict once spoken, which is Dike: she is the recoil the world makes when a limit is crossed.
Full entry →The Dawn, Rosy-Fingered, Sister Of The Sun, Bringer Of The Morning, The One Who Rises Early
Dawn, The Liminal Hour, Light, Youth And Beauty, Longing, Beginnings, The Morning Star
Pink, Gold, Rose, Saffron
Sunstone, Rose Quartz, Carnelian, Orange Calcite, Pearl
Saffron, Crocus, Rose, Daffodil, Hyacinth
Horse, Cicada, Swallow, Rooster
The Sun, The Star, The Lovers
Sunday
Waxing Crescent, New Moon
Ostara, Beltane
Saffron, Rose, Honey, The First Hour Of The Day, A Red Thread At Dawn
Eos is the dawn, daughter of the Titan Hyperion and Theia, who rises each morning from the edge of Ocean and draws the light up for her brother Helios. Her Homeric epithet is rhododaktylos, rosy-fingered, a formula repeated with the regularity of liturgy. She loved Tithonus and asked Zeus for immortality for him but forgot eternal youth, so he withered until he became a cicada; by the wind Astraeus she is mother of the four winds and of the morning star, and her mourning for her son Memnon is one of the oldest dawn-sorrow stories.
Full entry →The North Wind, The Thracian, The Cold One, Rouser Of The Sea
The North Wind, Winter, Storms, Cold, Swiftness, Abduction, Thrace
White, Grey, Blue, Black
Lapis Lazuli, Blue Lace Agate, Smoky Quartz, Onyx
Pine, Fir, Juniper, Cypress, Wormwood
Horse, Eagle, Wolf
The Tower, The Chariot, Five Of Wands
Saturday, Tuesday
Last Quarter, Waning Crescent
Yule, Imbolc
Red Wine, Iron, A Fire Kept Burning, A Meal Set Outside In Winter, The First Cut Of Wood
Boreas is the north wind, son of Astraeus and Eos and the most violent of the four brothers. He carried off Oreithyia, daughter of the Athenian king Erechtheus, to Thrace, where she bore the winged Boreads, Zetes and Calais, and their sister Chione. The Athenians credited him with wrecking the Persian fleet off Cape Sepias in 480 BCE and gave him a shrine by the Ilissus and a state cult, which is unusually formal footing for a wind. His Roman counterpart is Aquilo.
Full entry →The South Wind, The Rain-Bringer, The Late-Summer Wind, The Damp One
The South Wind, Rain, Heat, Late Summer, Fog, Harvest Damage, Moisture
Grey, Blue, Green, White
Ocean Jasper, Aquamarine, Blue Lace Agate, Moonstone
Mugwort, Willow, Reed, Kelp, Marshmallow
Frog, Heron, Swallow
The Star, The Moon, Six Of Swords
Monday, Saturday
Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter
Lughnasadh, Mabon
Rainwater, Wine, Grain From The Last Sheaf, A Libation Poured Into The Ground
Notus is the south wind, son of Astraeus and Eos, the one that comes up hot and wet and brings the late-summer storms. Hesiod's Works and Days counts him among the winds that ruin a harvest and warns the farmer about him, which is as much cult as he receives. He is the moisture of the south rather than a personality, and the Greek telling rarely gives him a myth of his own.
Full entry →The East Wind, The Warm Rain, The Unlucky Wind
The East Wind, Warm Rain, Spring Storms, The East, Shipping, Unpredictability
Pale Gold, Grey, Green, White
Clear Quartz, Citrine, Yellow Aventurine, Angelite
Olive, Sage, Lavender, Bay Leaf
Swallow, Dolphin, Hawk
Six Of Swords, The Fool, Two Of Wands
Wednesday, Thursday
Waxing Crescent, First Quarter
Ostara, Imbolc
Olive Oil, Wine, A Coin Thrown To The Sea, The First Of The Spring Rain
Eurus is the east wind, son of Astraeus and Eos and brother to Boreas, Notus and Zephyrus. Hesiod describes him as bringing warmth and rain, and he is the one of the four the poets mostly leave alone: no abduction, no love story, no sanctuary that we know of. In the Tower of the Winds at Athens he is carved as a young man carrying produce, which is the fullest picture of him that survives. His Roman counterpart is Vulturnus.
Full entry →Cupbearer Of The Gods, Goddess Of Youth, Wife Of Heracles, The Bloom
Youth, Bloom, The Cup, Forgiveness, Apotheosis, Service At The Table, Renewal
Gold, Pink, White, Green
Peridot, Rose Quartz, Green Aventurine, Amazonite
Apple, Violet, Primrose, Honeysuckle, White Rose
Eagle, Deer, Dove
The Star, The Empress, Ace Of Cups
Friday, Thursday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Ostara, Beltane
Nectar, Honey, Young Wine, A Shared Meal, Fresh Flowers
Hebe is the goddess of youth, daughter of Zeus and Hera, who pours nectar for the gods; Ganymede is said to have taken that place, though the two accounts are told side by side rather than resolved. After his apotheosis Heracles is given her as his wife, and in the Odyssey and the Theogony that marriage is how the hero's suffering is finally answered. She had a sanctuary and a grove at Phlius in the Argolid and a cult at Sicyon, more institutional footing than most personified powers receive.
Full entry →She Who Comes To The Woman In Labour, Goddess Of Childbirth, The Midwife Of The Gods, Lady Of Amnisos
Childbirth, Midwifery, Labour, The Threshold Of Birth, Protraction And Release, Women In Labour
White, Red, Silver, Pink
Moonstone, Rhodonite, Rose Quartz, Pearl, Morganite
Raspberry Leaf, Mugwort, Dittany Of Crete, Nettle, Chamomile
Dove, Serpent
The Empress, Ace Of Cups, The Sun
Monday, Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Ostara, Imbolc
Milk, Honey, Olive Oil, A Lamp Kept Lit, A Candle For A Difficult Birth
Eileithyia is the goddess who comes to a woman in labour and brings the child out, or holds it back: she is the power of the birthing hour itself rather than a patron of mothers in general. Hesiod makes her a daughter of Zeus and Hera, and Homer speaks of the Eileithyiai in the plural, which is the older shape of her. In the Heracles story Hera sends her to sit with crossed legs and delay the birth, and the trick is only broken by a ruse; the myth is honest about how little control the labouring woman is granted. Her name appears in Linear B as e-re-u-ti-ja at Amnisos in Crete, which makes her one of the oldest attested Greek deities of any kind.
Full entry →Justice, Daughter Of Zeus, One Of The Horae, The Way Of Zeus, The Maiden Who Left
Justice, The Verdict, Right Measure, Oaths, The Seasons, Civic Order, The Report To Zeus
White, Gold, Blue, Grey
Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz, Hematite, Sodalite, Onyx
Oak, Bay Leaf, Olive, Sage, Rosemary
Owl, Eagle
Justice, The Emperor, Judgement
Thursday, Saturday
Full Moon, New Moon
Mabon, Litha
Wine, Olive Oil, An Oath Kept, A Wrong Made Right, First Fruits
Dike is Justice, daughter of Zeus and Themis and one of the three Horae, the sisters who keep the seasons and the right order of things. Her particular work is the verdict: she is the one who reports to Zeus when a people have stopped judging rightly, and in Hesiod's telling that report is how a city earns its famine. She is not her mother, for Themis is the shape of what is fitting before any case is heard while Dike is the judgment once it is, and the Greeks kept the distinction. In later astronomy and Roman telling she becomes Astraea, the maiden who left the earth at the end of the golden age, and Justitia.
Full entry →Fortune, The Good Fortune, Lady Of The City, She Who Turns The Wheel, The Giver Of The Lot
Fortune, Chance, The Lot, Civic Prosperity, Abundance, The Turning Wheel, What Is Not Earned
Gold, Green, Purple, White
Citrine, Tiger Eye, Yellow Aventurine, Green Aventurine, Jade
Clover, Star Anise, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Sunflower
Dolphin, Swallow
Wheel Of Fortune, The Fool, Ten Of Pentacles
Thursday, Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Litha, Lughnasadh
A Coin Given Away, Wine, Incense, The First Share Of A Gain, A Lot Drawn And Accepted
Tyche is Fortune, and in the Greek world she is above all a city's fortune: every city had its Tyche, the power that decided whether the year went well, and the Hellenistic age gave her a mural crown to say so. Her parentage is given several ways, since Hesiod lists an Oceanid of the name while Pindar makes her a daughter of Zeus the Liberator, and the inconsistency suits a goddess of chance. She carries the horn of plenty, the rudder and the wheel, and in the Roman world she becomes Fortuna. In the Greek East she is also paired with Isis and with the fortune of the king, which is a political development as much as a religious one.
Full entry →The Sky-Bearer, He Who Holds The Heavens, The Enduring One, Father Of The Pleiades
Endurance, The Heavens, The Pillars, Astronomy, Mountain, Punishment, The Far West
Grey, Brown, Blue, Black
Granite, Lodestone, Hematite, Brown Jasper
Oak, Cypress, Juniper, Mistletoe, Pine
Ox, Bear, Eagle
The Hanged Man, The World, Strength
Saturday, Wednesday
Last Quarter, Waning Crescent
Yule, Mabon
Wine, Olive Oil, A Weight Carried For Someone Else, Incense, First Fruits
Atlas is the Titan son of Iapetus and Clymene, brother of Prometheus, condemned after the Titanomachy to hold up the sky, the heavens and not the earth, for eternity. He is father of the Pleiades and the Hyades and in some telling of Calypso, and Heracles meets him on the road to the Hesperides and takes the burden from him for a while. Perseus turns him to stone with the Gorgon's head and the Atlas mountains are the result, a local aetiology rather than the main myth. He is endurance without reprieve: the punishment is not pain but permanence.
Full entry →The World River, Father Of The Rivers, The Encircling One, Eldest Of The Titans
The Encircling River, Fresh Water, The Edge Of The World, Origins, Oaths, River Genealogy
Blue, Green, Grey, White
Aquamarine, Pearl, Ocean Jasper, Larimar, Blue Lace Agate
Seaweed, Kelp, Water Lily, Willow, Irish Moss
Serpent, Bull, Fish
The World, Ace Of Cups, King Of Cups
Monday, Thursday
New Moon, Full Moon
Litha, Mabon
Fresh Water Poured Into A River, Wine, Milk, A River Cleaned
Oceanus is the Titan who is the river encircling the world, the fresh water that rings the inhabited earth and from which all rivers and springs come. In Homer he is the origin of the gods, 'Oceanus, from whom all the gods are sprung', which cuts across the Hesiodic genealogy that makes him a son of Earth and Sky. He stayed out of the Titanomachy, and Aeschylus has Prometheus name him as the one Titan who did not move against Zeus. He is the boundary of the world rather than the sea inside it, which is why his offerings are fresh water and not salt.
Full entry →He Who Goes Above, Titan Of The High Light, Father Of The Sun, The High One
High Light, The Upper Air, The Sun, Solar Fire, The Measure Of The Year, Paternity Of The Luminaries
Gold, White, Yellow, Orange
Sunstone, Amber, Citrine, Golden Topaz, Clear Quartz
Sunflower, Bay Leaf, Saffron, Frankincense, Cinnamon
Horse, Eagle, Lion, Rooster
The Sun, The Emperor, Strength
Sunday
Full Moon, First Quarter
Litha, Ostara
Honey, Wine, Bay Leaf, Gold, A Thing Left In The Sun
Hyperion is a Titan, son of Earth and Sky and brother of Theia, and by her the father of Helios, Selene and Eos. His name means 'he who goes above' and in the early poets it works as a description of the sun's height rather than as a separate career. In Homer 'Hyperion Helios' is a fixed formula, which has left it genuinely uncertain whether the epic tradition knew one figure or two. He has no myth of his own: his importance is genealogical, and his domain is the light out of which sun, moon and dawn are parcelled to his children.
Full entry →Mother Of Apollo And Artemis, Lady Of Delos, The Gentle One, She Who Wandered
Motherhood, Childbirth, The Protection Of Children, Refuge, Wandering, The Palm And The Spring, Delos
White, Pale Blue, Green, Silver
Moonstone, Pearl, Selenite, Morganite, Clear Quartz
Olive, Willow, Mugwort, Sage, Lily
Wolf, Dove
The Empress, The Star, The Moon
Monday, Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Ostara, Litha
Milk, Honey, Olive Oil, White Flowers, A Refuge Given To Someone
Leto is the Titaness who, pregnant by Zeus, is driven across the world by Hera's refusal to let her give birth on any land that receives the sun, and who finally delivers Apollo and Artemis on the floating island of Delos after it is anchored. In the Iliad her Lycian episode at the Xanthos is one of the few places she acts on her own account. She is a mother but not a passive one: the Niobe story ends with her children killing Niobe's, and the cruelty of that is hers as much as her twins'. Delos became one of the great sanctuaries of the Greek world because of her.
Full entry →Victory, She Who Conquers, The Winged One, Bringer Of The Crown, Nike Apteros
Victory, Contest, Triumph, Glory, The Prize, Swiftness, Divine Favour In Battle
Gold, White, Red
Gold, Sunstone, Clear Quartz, Tiger Eye, Yellow Sapphire
Bay Leaf, Olive, Sage, Rosemary
Eagle, Horse
The Chariot, Six Of Wands, Strength
Thursday, Tuesday, Sunday
Full Moon, First Quarter
Litha, Lughnasadh
A Crown, Bay Leaf, A Libation Poured After A Win, A Laurel Kept, Thanks Given Out Loud
Nike is Victory, daughter of the Titan Pallas and of Styx, and sister of Rivalry, Strength and Force; Hesiod has her standing beside Zeus from the moment the Titans fall, which is the theology in one image. She is the victory rather than the war: she comes to the winner, crowns him, and is shown in flight because the moment is not meant to be held. Athens kept a temple to Athena Nike on the Acropolis and a famous statue of her without wings, Apteros, so that she could not fly away from the city. Her Roman counterpart is Victoria.
Full entry →The Spinner, One Of The Three Moirai, She Who Draws The Thread, Daughter Of Night
The Spun Thread, The Present Moment, Birth, Necessity, The Beginning Of A Life, Spinning, What Is Being Made Now
White, Silver, Grey, Blue
Clear Quartz, Moonstone, Selenite, Sodalite
Lavender, Nettle, Mugwort, Rosemary
Spider, Swan
The Fool, Wheel Of Fortune, Ace Of Pentacles
Monday, Wednesday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent
Yule, Imbolc
Spun Wool, A Thread Tied Deliberately, Water, Milk, Attention Given To The Present Moment
Clotho is the spinner among the Moirai, the three Fates, and her name comes from klothein, to spin. Hesiod gives two genealogies for the Moirai in one poem: in the Theogony they are born of Nyx without a father (217-222), and later they are daughters of Zeus and Themis, named Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos (901-906). Plato sets the three at the spindle of Necessity in the myth of Er, where Clotho sings of the present moment while her sisters sing of past and future (Republic 617c).
Full entry →The Allotter, She Who Assigns The Portion, One Of The Three Moirai, The Measurer Of The Thread
The Lot, Portion, Measure, What Has Been Assigned, The Past, The Weighing, The Length Of A Life
Grey, White, Blue
Hematite, Lapis Lazuli, Smoky Quartz, Onyx
Sage, Rosemary, Bay Leaf, Oak
Owl, Eagle
Wheel Of Fortune, Justice, Two Of Pentacles
Wednesday, Saturday
Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter
Mabon, Samhain
A Measured Portion, Bay Leaf, Wine, Water, An Account Of What Was Given And Taken
Lachesis is the allotter of the Moirai: she apportions the portion and the length of each life, and her name comes from lanchanein, to obtain by lot. Hesiod makes the Moirai daughters of Nyx in one genealogy (Theogony 217-222) and daughters of Zeus and Themis in another, where he names Lachesis second of the three (901-906). In Plato's myth of Er she holds the lots and the models of lives and sings of what has been (Republic 617c-e). Pausanias records altars of the Moirai at Olympia beside Zeus Moiragetes, the Zeus who leads the Fates (5.15).
Full entry →The Unturnable, She Who Cuts The Thread, One Of The Three Moirai, The Inflexible
The Cut, Death, The End, What Cannot Be Turned, The Future, Severance, Necessity
Black, Grey, White
Obsidian, Onyx, Jet, Smoky Quartz
Yew, Wormwood, Asphodel, Poppy
Serpent, Raven
Death, Judgement, The World
Saturday, Tuesday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
Samhain, Yule
Silence, Myrrh, Cypress Boughs, A Thread Cut Deliberately, A Death Honoured By Name
Atropos is the Moira who cuts the thread, and her name means not to be turned (a-trepein): the one who cannot be averted by prayer or sacrifice. Hesiod names her as the third of the Moirai, daughters of Zeus and Themis (Theogony 901-906), and Plato has her sing of what is to come (Republic 617c). She is not Hades and not Thanatos: death is a separate figure and an event, while Atropos is the ending of the spun thread itself.
Full entry →Splendour, The Radiant One, One Of The Charites, Wife Of Hephaestus, The Youngest Grace
Splendour, Radiance, Adornment, Beauty Of Form, The Glory Of A Thing, The Reciprocity Of Gifts, The Light On The Made Thing
Gold, White, Yellow
Golden Calcite, Sunstone, Citrine, Amber
Sunflower, Calendula, Marigold, Bay Leaf
Peacock, Swan
The Star, The Empress, Queen Of Wands
Sunday, Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Litha, Beltane
Honey, Olive Oil, Flowers, A Thing Made Well, Gold Leaf, Thanks Given Out Loud
Aglaea, splendour, is one of the Charites - the Graces - and Hesiod makes the three daughters of Zeus and Eurynome, an Oceanid, naming them Aglaea, Euphrosyne and Thalia (Theogony 907-911). In the same poem she is the youngest of the three and the wife of Hephaestus (945-946). Homer knows the Charites only as a group attending Aphrodite, and in Iliad 14 he gives Pasithea as one of them, so both names and number moved before Hesiod fixed them. Their great cult was at Orchomenus in Boeotia, for which Pindar wrote the fourteenth Olympian.
Full entry →Mirth, Good Cheer, Joy Of The Heart, One Of The Charites, The Gladness In The Feast
Mirth, Gladness, Festivity, Good Cheer, The Relief Of Sorrow, Kindness Of Manner, The Pleasure Of Company
Yellow, Gold, Pink
Citrine, Amber, Yellow Jasper, Sunstone
Chamomile, Lemon Balm, Marjoram, Mint
Dove, Swallow
Three Of Cups, The Sun, Nine Of Cups
Thursday, Friday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Litha, Ostara
Wine, Honey, Laughter Shared, A Meal Made For Others, Song, Flowers
Euphrosyne - good cheer, literally a well-disposed mind - is the second of the Charites named by Hesiod, daughter of Zeus and Eurynome with Aglaea and Thalia (Theogony 907-911). Like her sisters she has almost no independent myth: the Charites appear as attendants of Aphrodite, Apollo, the Muses and Hera, and as the returning of favour between gods and mortals. Their principal cult was at Orchomenus in Boeotia, where Pindar's fourteenth Olympian was written for them and where Pausanias describes the sanctuary (9.38).
Full entry →The Blooming One, Festivity, One Of The Charites, The Grace Of The Green Shoot, Lady Of The Feast
Bloom, Festivity, Abundance, The Green Shoot, Harvest Merriment, Hospitality, The Good Year
Green, Gold, White
Emerald, Green Aventurine, Jade, Moss Agate
Rose, Myrtle, Olive, Violet
Dove, Goat
The Empress, Three Of Cups, Ace Of Pentacles
Friday, Thursday
Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous
Beltane, Litha
First Fruits, Flowers, Wine, Honey, Milk, A Garland Worn
Thalia, blooming or abundance, is the third of the Charites named in Hesiod's Theogony, daughter of Zeus and Eurynome with Aglaea and Euphrosyne (907-911). She shares her name with the Muse Thalia, and the two are distinct figures: the Grace belongs to the Charites who attend Aphrodite, the Muse to the nine daughters of Mnemosyne. The Charites' principal cult was at Orchomenus in Boeotia, where Pindar wrote the fourteenth Olympian for them and where Pausanias saw the sanctuary (9.38).
Full entry →The Unceasing, Endless Anger, One Of The Erinyes, The One Who Does Not Sleep
Unceasing Anger, Vengeance, The Oath Broken, The Unfinished Quarrel, Relentlessness, The Inherited Curse, Punishment That Does Not Stop
Black, Red, Grey
Black Tourmaline, Obsidian, Garnet, Bloodstone
Nettle, Wormwood, Rue, Yew
Serpent, Hound
The Tower, Five Of Wands, Justice
Tuesday, Saturday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
Samhain, Mabon
Wineless Libations, Honey, Milk, Water, A Wrong Named Out Loud
The Erinyes are born, in Hesiod's Theogony, from the blood of Ouranos that fell on Gaia when Kronos castrated him, together with the Giants and the Meliai (183-187); the same poem also makes them daughters of Nyx. Alecto's name means unceasing, and she is the first of the triad named in Vergil's Aeneid (6.240, 12.845), the earliest source that names all three. The Iliad already invokes the Erinyes as the powers who take vengeance on anyone who swears a false oath (19.259-260).
Full entry →The Grudging, Jealous Rage, One Of The Erinyes, The One Who Keeps The Account, The Festering Wound
Grudging Anger, Envy, The Account Kept, Jealousy, The Wound That Festers, Resentment That Becomes Madness, The Settling Of Scores
Black, Grey, Green
Jet, Black Tourmaline, Hematite, Onyx
Wormwood, Rue, Nettle, Mugwort
Serpent, Hound
The Moon, Five Of Cups, The Devil
Saturday, Tuesday
Waning Gibbous, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Mabon
Wineless Libations, Water, Milk, A Grudge Written Out And Burned, Envy Named Honestly
Megaera, the grudging one, is one of the three Erinyes as Vergil names them (Aeneid 6.240, 12.845), the earliest source for the triad's names. The Erinyes themselves are older and usually nameless: Hesiod has them born from Ouranos' blood on Gaia (Theogony 183-187), and the same poem also makes them daughters of Nyx. Their work is the enforcement of oaths and of the claims of blood, which the Iliad invokes at 19.259-260, and Aeschylus stages them as the prosecutors of Orestes in the Eumenides of 458 BCE.
Full entry →The Avenger Of Blood, One Of The Erinyes, She Who Answers Murder, The Watcher At The Door, The Vengeance Of Kin
Murder Answered, Blood Guilt, The Law Of Kinship, The Oath, Madness Sent, The Punishment Of The Kinslayer, The Door That Does Not Open
Black, Red, White
Obsidian, Onyx, Jet, Smoky Quartz
Yew, Belladonna, Poppy, Asphodel
Serpent, Bat
Death, Ten Of Swords, Justice
Tuesday, Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Yule
Wineless Libations, Water, Milk, Honey, The Name Of The Dead Spoken, A Debt To The Dead Paid
Tisiphone, the avenger of blood, is one of the three Erinyes as Vergil names them (Aeneid 6.240, 12.845), and she is the one most closely tied to the answering of murder. The Erinyes are Hesiod's daughters of Ouranos' blood on Gaia (Theogony 183-187), and the Iliad already calls them the powers who punish a false oath (19.259-260). Aeschylus' Eumenides, produced in 458 BCE, dramatises the oldest claim on them: Orestes, pursued for his mother's death, is tried at the Areopagus and the Erinyes are given a cult there as the Semnai Theai.
Full entry →The Fair-Voiced, Leader Of The Muses, Muse Of Epic Poetry, She Who Attends Kings, The Eldest Of The Nine
Epic Poetry, Heroic Song, Eloquence, The Long Poem, The Memory Of Deeds, The Voice That Carries, The Craft Of The Maker
Gold, White, Blue
Golden Calcite, Citrine, Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz
Bay Leaf, Olive, Sage, Rosemary
Swan, Eagle
The Hierophant, Six Of Wands, King Of Wands
Sunday, Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Litha, Mabon
A Line Written And Read Aloud, Bay Leaf, Honey, Milk, Wine, The Naming Of A Source
Calliope is one of the nine Muses, daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, born in Pieria after nine nights; Hesiod names her first and calls her the chief of them all because she attends on worshipful princes (Theogony 79-80). She is the Muse of epic poetry and heroic song, and the later handbooks made her the mother of Orpheus by Oeagrus. The Muses were honoured as a college rather than individually, at their sanctuary on Helicon and in the Thespian festival of the Mouseia (Pausanias 9.29-30).
Full entry →The Proclaimer, Muse Of History, She Who Makes Famous, One Of The Nine Muses
History, The Record, Memory, The Naming Of Deeds, The Written Account, Fame, What Is Worth Keeping
White, Grey, Gold
Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz, Sodalite, Hematite
Bay Leaf, Rosemary, Sage, Oak
Owl, Eagle
The Hermit, Page Of Pentacles, The Hierophant
Wednesday, Saturday
Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter
Mabon, Samhain
The Writing Of An Account, Bay Leaf, Wine, Water, The Name Of Someone Forgotten Spoken
Clio, the proclaimer, is one of the nine Muses named by Hesiod (Theogony 77-79), daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne. She becomes the Muse of history in the Hellenistic and Roman handbooks, an association later readers found in Herodotus' proem, which invokes the Muses as a body and does not name Clio. Like her sisters she is a figure of collective cult, not an individual goddess: the sanctuary on Helicon and the Thespian Mouseia are the attested worship (Pausanias 9.29-30).
Full entry →The Lovely, The Desired, Muse Of Love Poetry, One Of The Nine Muses, She Of The Lyre'S Longing
Love Poetry, Lyric Desire, Erotic Verse, Longing, The Song That Woos, Tenderness, The Asked For Thing
Pink, White, Blue
Rose Quartz, Morganite, Pink Tourmaline, Pearl
Rose, Violet, Jasmine, Myrtle
Dove, Swallow
The Lovers, Two Of Cups, Ace Of Cups
Friday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Beltane, Ostara
A Poem Written And Given Away, Rose, Wine, Honey, Song
Erato is one of the nine Muses named by Hesiod (Theogony 76-79), daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, and her name carries the sense of the lovely and the desired. The allocation of a subject to each Muse is later than Hesiod; Erato becomes the Muse of love poetry and lyric desire in the Hellenistic and Roman lists, shown with a lyre. She was honoured as one of the college, at the Helicon sanctuary and the Thespian Mouseia (Pausanias 9.29-30).
Full entry →The Well-Pleasing, Giver Of Delight, Muse Of Lyric Song, She Of The Aulos, One Of The Nine Muses
Lyric Poetry, Song, The Flute, Music Itself, Delight, The Tuning, The Pleasure Of Sound
Blue, Silver, Green
Aventurine, Moonstone, Blue Lace Agate, Fluorite
Mint, Lavender, Rose, Violet
Swan, Nightingale
The Star, Three Of Cups, Ace Of Cups
Friday, Wednesday
Waxing Gibbous, First Quarter
Beltane, Litha
A Song Sung Aloud, Music Played Poorly And Sincerely, Honey, Wine, Water, A New String
Euterpe, well-pleasing, is one of the nine Muses named by Hesiod (Theogony 76-79), daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne. Her later domain is lyric song and the aulos, the double reed pipe, and she is shown with the instrument in Roman-era reliefs; the aulos itself belonged to the symposium, to the chorus and to tragedy. As with her sisters, the cult was collective - Helicon and the Thespian Mouseia (Pausanias 9.29-30).
Full entry →She Who Sings, Muse Of Tragedy, The Mask Bearer, The Chorus Leader, One Of The Nine Muses
Tragedy, The Tragic Chorus, Lament, The Heaviness Of A Life, The Mask, The Dramatic Cry, Catharsis
Black, Grey, Red
Black Tourmaline, Onyx, Garnet, Jet
Cypress, Yew, Rosemary, Poppy
Goat, Raven
The Hanged Man, Five Of Cups, Three Of Swords
Saturday, Tuesday
Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter
Samhain, Mabon
A Play Watched To The End, Cypress, Wine, Milk, The Naming Of A Grief
Melpomene is one of the nine Muses named by Hesiod (Theogony 77-78), daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, and her name is connected with singing and with the song that accompanies the dance. The assignment of tragedy to her is post-Hesiodic, made in the Hellenistic and Roman handbooks, and the tragic mask and club of Heracles belong to that later iconography. The Muses were worshipped as a college at Helicon and in the Thespian Mouseia (Pausanias 9.29-30), while tragedy itself was staged at Athens in the civic festivals of Dionysus.
Full entry →She Of Many Hymns, Muse Of Sacred Song, Keeper Of The Hymn, The Silent One, One Of The Nine Muses
Hymns, Sacred Song, Prayer, Rhetoric, Memory, The Gesture Of Silence, The Vow
White, Purple, Silver
Amethyst, Clear Quartz, Lapis Lazuli, Angelite
Frankincense, Myrrh, Sage, Rosemary
Bee, Dove
The High Priestess, The Hierophant, Nine Of Cups
Thursday, Sunday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Litha, Mabon
A Hymn Sung Or Said, Incense, Wine, Honey, Silence Kept, A Vow Made Plainly
Polyhymnia, she of many hymns, is named in Hesiod's list of the nine Muses (Theogony 78), daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne. Her domain of hymn, sacred song and - in some later accounts - rhetoric and memory belongs to the post-classical systematisation, and her most characteristic image is the finger laid to the lips. The Muses' cult was collective: the Helicon sanctuary and the Thespian Mouseia (Pausanias 9.29-30).
Full entry →She Who Delights In Dance, Muse Of The Choral Dance, Leader Of The Chorus, The Turning Foot, One Of The Nine Muses
Dance, The Choral Dance, Rhythm, The Body In Motion, Celebration, The Round, Grace Of Movement
Gold, Pink, White
Sunstone, Rose Quartz, Carnelian, Amber
Rose, Lavender, Marjoram, Violet
Crane, Swan
The World, Three Of Cups, Two Of Wands
Friday, Sunday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Beltane, Litha
Dancing Badly And Gladly, A Garland, Wine, Honey, Music Played For Others
Terpsichore, she who delights in the dance, is one of the nine Muses named by Hesiod (Theogony 78), daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, and the chorus is her element in a way it is not the others'. Her allocation to dance and choral song belongs to the later handbooks, and she is shown with the lyre and plectrum; the Greek chorus was itself a dancing and singing body, so the Muse of dance stands close to the root of what a Muse is. Cult was collective at Helicon and at the Thespian Mouseia (Pausanias 9.29-30).
Full entry →The Heavenly One, Muse Of Astronomy, She Who Looks Up, Keeper Of The Star-Roads, One Of The Nine Muses
Astronomy, The Stars, The Order Of The Heavens, The Measurement Of Time, Prophecy From The Sky, The High Thought, The Calendar
Indigo, Blue, Silver
Lapis Lazuli, Sodalite, Celestite, Clear Quartz
Sage, Rosemary, Lavender, Mugwort
Owl, Eagle
The Star, The Moon, The Hermit
Wednesday, Sunday
Full Moon, New Moon
Yule, Litha
A Chart Drawn By Hand, A Night Spent Watching, Incense, Wine, Honey, A Calculation Checked
Urania, the heavenly one, is one of the nine Muses named by Hesiod (Theogony 78), daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, and her domain of astronomy is a Hellenistic and Roman assignment. She is shown with a globe and a rod, and in late antique and Renaissance images with a compass, and she is invoked as the Muse of the ordered heavens rather than of divination. The Muses' cult was collective: Helicon and the Thespian Mouseia (Pausanias 9.29-30).
Full entry →The Blooming, Muse Of Comedy, She Of The Festive Song, The Merry One, One Of The Nine Muses
Comedy, The Festive Song, Bucolic Poetry, The Mask Of Laughter, The Happy Ending, Festivity, The Joke That Holds
Yellow, Green, Gold
Citrine, Green Aventurine, Yellow Jasper, Carnelian
Ivy, Vine, Rose, Mint
Goat, Swallow
The Fool, The Sun, Three Of Cups
Wednesday, Sunday
Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous
Litha, Ostara
A Comedy Watched, Wine, Ivy, A Joke Told Well, Laughter At Yourself
Thalia, blooming, is one of the nine Muses named by Hesiod (Theogony 77), daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, and she becomes the Muse of comedy and of festive, bucolic song in the later handbooks. She shares her name with one of the Charites, and the two are not the same figure: the Muse is a daughter of Mnemosyne, the Grace a daughter of Eurynome. The Muses were worshipped as a college at Helicon and in the Thespian Mouseia (Pausanias 9.29-30), while comedy was staged at Athens in the festivals of Dionysus.
Full entry →The Nymph Of The Echo, She Who Answers, The Voice Without A Body
The Returning Voice, Reflection, Repetition, Sound, The Last Word, The Given Back Word, Grief
Grey, Silver, Blue
Clear Quartz, Selenite, Labradorite, Sodalite
Mugwort, Lavender, Willow, Reed
Nightingale, Mockingbird, Bat
The Moon, The Hanged Man, Five Of Cups
Monday, Wednesday
Waning Gibbous, New Moon
Samhain, Litha
Water, Incense, Silence Kept, A Word Repeated Back, A Story Told To No One
Echo is an Oread, one of the mountain nymphs, and she exists almost entirely in one story. In Ovid she is a talkative nymph who keeps Juno talking while Zeus's other lovers escape; Juno curses her to have the last word and never the first, and she can only repeat what is said to her. She loves Narcissus, is rejected, and wastes away until only her voice and her bones remain, the bones turning to stone (Metamorphoses III.356-401). In Longus she is a nymph who sings and dances and is loved by Pan, who drives the shepherds mad until they tear her apart, and Earth keeps her songs (Daphnis and Chloe III.23).
Full entry →The Apportioners, The Three, Ladies Of Necessity, Spinner, Allotter And Unturnable
Necessity, The Allotted Portion, The Thread Of Life, Birth, Death, The Lot, What Cannot Be Changed
Black, Grey, White, Silver
Onyx, Obsidian, Hematite, Moonstone
Yew, Cypress, Mugwort, Nettle
Spider, Swan, Serpent
Wheel Of Fortune, Death, The World
Saturday, Monday
New Moon, Waning Crescent, Full Moon
Samhain, Yule
Spun Wool, A Thread Tied Deliberately, Wine, Milk, Honey, The Portion Accepted
The Moirai are the Apportioners, the three who give each person their portion: Clotho who spins, Lachesis who allots the lot, and Atropos who cannot be turned. Hesiod gives them two parentages in one poem - born of Night alone (Theogony 217-222) and later daughters of Zeus and Themis, to whom Zeus gave the greatest honour (Theogony 901-906). Plato sets them at the spindle of Necessity in the myth of Er, Clotho singing of the present while her sisters sing of past and future, and the souls drawing their lots before them (Republic X.617c).
Full entry →The Beautiful Youth, The Flower, Narcissus The Thespian
Beauty, Self Regard, The Reflection, Youth, The Flower, Self Loss, The Image
White, Pink, Green, Gold
Rose Quartz, Moonstone, Pearl, Clear Quartz, Jade
Narcissus, Rose, Myrtle, Poppy
Swan, Peacock, Moth
The Lovers, The Moon, The Empress
Friday, Monday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous
Ostara, Beltane
Flowers, Water, Wine, Narcissus Blooms, A Mirror Look Taken Deliberately
Narcissus is a Boeotian hero of Thespiae. In Ovid he is the beautiful son of the river Cephisus and the nymph Liriope, who scorns every lover, is made to fall in love with his own reflection in a spring and dies there, and the narcissus grows where he died (Metamorphoses III.339-510). Pausanias knows the place: the spring of Narcissus at Donacon in Thespian territory, where he says Narcissus looked in and did not understand that he saw himself - and calls the story stupid, since a grown man knows a reflection (9.31.7). Pausanias also records a second, less popular version in which Narcissus loved a twin sister who died (9.31.8).
Full entry →Mistress Of The Labyrinth, The Thread-Giver, Wife Of Dionysus, Lady Of Naxos
The Thread, The Way Through, The Labyrinth, The Dance, Marriage, Abandonment, The Deserted Bride
Red, White, Gold, Blue
Red Jasper, Rose Quartz, Lapis Lazuli, Moonstone
Ivy, Myrtle, Rose, Violet
Dove, Serpent, Swan
The Lovers, The Star, The Chariot
Friday, Monday
Full Moon, Waxing Crescent
Beltane, Litha
A Thread, Wine, Ivy, Honey, Bread, Dance
Ariadne is the daughter of Minos and Pasiphae, half-sister of the Minotaur, and the one who gives Theseus the thread and the way out of the labyrinth. He takes her from Crete and abandons her - at Naxos or on Cyprus, depending on the teller - and Dionysus finds her there and makes her his wife and immortal (Hesiod, Theogony 947-949); Homer's Odyssey has Artemis kill her instead (XI.321-325). Plutarch collects the disagreements, including Paeon of Amathus's Cypriot account of her death in childbirth on Cyprus (Theseus 20).
Full entry →The Singer, Founder Of The Mysteries, The One Who Went Down, Ruler Of Bistonian Pieria
Song, The Lyre, The Descent, Grief, Initiation, The Look Back, The Voice That Moves Stone
White, Blue, Gold, Black
Clear Quartz, Labradorite, Lapis Lazuli, Jet
Bay Leaf, Willow, Poppy, Rosemary
Nightingale, Swan, Lion, Serpent
The Magician, The Hanged Man, The Lovers
Wednesday, Friday
Waning Gibbous, New Moon
Litha, Samhain
Song, Wine, Honey, Bay Leaf, A Poem Said Aloud, A String Of The Lyre
Orpheus is the Thracian singer, son of the Muse Calliope and Oeagrus (Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 1.23-34), whose song moved trees and stones and who sailed with the Argonauts. His wife Eurydice died, he went down after her, and he lost her by looking back; Virgil tells it in the Georgics (IV.453-527) and Ovid in the Metamorphoses (X-XI). He was killed by Thracian women, and Pausanias - who doubts the descent and the Muse for a mother - records the tomb at Leibethra under Olympus and the oracle of Dionysus that foretold the city's fall when the sun should see his bones (9.30.4-11).
Full entry →The Craftsman, Master Of The Labyrinth, Ancestor Of The Makers, Maker Of The Wings
Craft, Making, The Labyrinth, Flight, The Workshop, Ingenuity, The Made Thing
Brown, Grey, Gold, White
Pyrite, Hematite, Lodestone, Clear Quartz
Oak, Cedar, Rosemary, Fennel
Falcon, Hawk, Partridge
The Magician, Eight Of Pentacles, Three Of Pentacles
Wednesday, Saturday
Waxing Crescent, First Quarter
Imbolc, Litha
A Thing Made Well, Bronze, Wine, Honey, A Tool Kept Sharp
Daedalus is the Athenian craftsman, son of Metion, who killed his nephew Perdix - the boy who had invented the saw - and fled to Crete, where he built the labyrinth, the dancing-floor that Homer names at Knossos (Iliad 18.590-592), and the wooden cow for Pasiphae. He made wings of feathers and wax for himself and Icarus, and Icarus flew too near the sun (Ovid, Metamorphoses VIII.183-235; Apollodorus, Epitome 1). Pausanias, who counts two surviving works of Daedalus in Boeotia and is sceptical about the rest, is the ancient reader who takes the attributions with a grain of salt (9.40.3-4).
Full entry →Hero Of Athens, Slayer Of The Minotaur, The Founder, Son Of Poseidon
The City, Founding, The Labyrinth, The Journey, Justice, The Boundary, The Hero
Red, Gold, White, Copper
Carnelian, Hematite, Pyrite, Clear Quartz
Olive, Oak, Sage, Rosemary
Bull, Dolphin, Serpent
The Chariot, Strength, The Emperor
Tuesday, Sunday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Mabon, Litha
Wine, Bread, Olive Oil, A Ram, First Fruits
Theseus is the hero of Athens: son of Aegeus and Aethra, or of Poseidon, raised at Troezen, who clears the road to Athens of its robbers, goes to Crete, kills the Minotaur with Ariadne's thread, and comes back to be king. He is credited with the synoecism, the joining of the villages of Attica into one city, and with the Oschophoria (Plutarch, Theseus 23-24); his later adventures - the Amazons, Helen, the descent with Peirithous - end in exile and death on Scyros. Plutarch's Life of Theseus is the continuous account, and it treats him as a founder with a civic cult rather than as a god.
Full entry →God Of Beginnings And Endings, The Two-Faced, Keeper Of Doors, Lord Of Transitions, He Who Looks Both Ways
Beginnings, Endings, Transitions, Doorways, Time, Duality, Seeing Both Directions
Silver, Grey, White, Black
Clear Quartz, Hematite, Labradorite
Oak, Bay Leaf, Holly
Ram, Cockerel
The World, Judgement, Two Of Wands
Saturday, Monday
New Moon
Samhain
Incense, First Fruits, Wine, Honoring Beginnings, Acknowledging Endings, Threshold Rituals
Roman god with two faces looking opposite directions—past and future, beginning and ending. God of doorways, transitions, time. Invoked at beginnings of ventures. January named for him. Represents that all beginnings are endings, all endings beginnings. Sees both directions simultaneously.
Full entry →Goddess Of The Hunt, Protector Of Women, Lady Of The Moon, Queen Of The Witches, Guardian Of The Wild, Maiden Huntress
Hunting, Moon, Wilderness, Childbirth, Protection, Virginity As Autonomy, Animals, Crossroads
Silver, White, Forest Green, Midnight Blue
Moonstone, Selenite, Pearl, Clear Quartz, Labradorite
Mugwort, Wormwood, Bay Leaf, Cypress, Hazel
Deer, Hound, Bear, Boar, Owl
The Moon, Temperance, Queen Of Wands
Monday
Full Moon, Waxing Crescent, New Moon
Litha
Honey, Milk, White Flowers, Silver, Acts Of Protection, Defending The Vulnerable, Time In Nature, Bow And Arrows
Roman goddess of the hunt and moon, equivalent to Greek Artemis. Virgin goddess who chose independence over marriage, protector of women and children. Leader of her nymphs, fierce huntress, and lunar deity. Known for protecting the vulnerable while punishing those who violate sacred boundaries. More accessible and protective than darker lunar deities, making her excellent for RHP (Right Hand Path) lunar work.
Full entry →The Sun, The Unconquered, Charioteer Of The Day
The Sun, Light, Victory, Oaths, The Day, Sovereignty, Healing
Gold, Yellow, White, Red
Citrine, Sunstone, Amber, Golden Topaz, Diamond
Bay Leaf, Frankincense, Sunflower, St Johns Wort
Horse, Eagle, Rooster, Lion
The Sun, The Chariot, Strength
Sunday
Full Moon
Litha, Yule
Honey, Wine, Gold, Sunflowers, Bay Leaf
Sol is the Roman sun, an old Italian god of the daylight who was later fused with the Greek Helios and then raised by the emperors into Sol Invictus, the Unconquered Sun whose birthday fell at the winter solstice. The separate feast of Sol Invictus is its own form here.
Full entry →Goddess Of The Hearth, Keeper Of The Sacred Flame, The Unchanging
The Hearth, The Home, The Sacred Flame, Hospitality, Purity, The State, Continuity, Bakers
White, Gold, Red
Carnelian, Clear Quartz, Sunstone, Hematite
Bay Leaf, Rosemary, Wheat, Frankincense
Donkey
The Hermit, The Hierophant, The Empress
Sunday
New Moon
Yule, Imbolc
First Fruits, Bread, Wine, Fire Kept, Salt Cakes
Vesta is the Roman goddess of the hearth, whose flame in the Forum was tended by six virgin priestesses and never allowed to go out. She has almost no mythology and almost no image: her cult is a fire, a duty and a continuity, and her presence is the household itself.
Full entry →God Of Desire, The Archer, Son Of Venus
Desire, Attraction, Love, Play, Longing, The Arrow
Rose Pink, Red, White
Rose Quartz, Rhodonite, Carnelian, Moonstone
Rose, Jasmine, Apple Blossom, Damiana
Dove, Swan, Hare
The Lovers, Two Of Cups, The Empress
Friday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Beltane, Ostara
Roses, Honey, Perfume, Poetry
Cupid is the Roman god of desire, the winged archer son of Venus, familiar from Apuleius as the lover of Psyche. He is the same force as the Greek Eros in Roman dress; both faces are kept here because the myths differ - the Greek primordial power and the Roman child of love.
Full entry →Goddess Of Flowers, Lady Of The Blooming, Mother Of Gardens
Flowers, Spring, Gardens, Pleasure, Youth, Fruit, Abundance
Pink, Green, Gold, White
Rose Quartz, Jade, Moss Agate, Carnelian
Rose, Lavender, Honeysuckle, Apple Blossom
Bee, Butterfly, Swallow
The Empress, Three Of Cups, The Star
Friday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Beltane, Ostara
Flowers, Honey, Wine, First Blooms
Flora is the Roman goddess of flowers and gardens, whose games the Floralia were celebrated with plays, beans and hares. She is the freshness of the year and the pleasure that comes with it, and she was given a public cult because the city wanted the season on its side.
Full entry →Goddess Of Fortune, Lady Luck, The Wheel
Fortune, Luck, Fate, Chance, Abundance, The Wheel, Timing
Gold, Blue, White, Green
Citrine, Moonstone, Aventurine, Pearl, Amber
Bay Leaf, Clover, Cinnamon, Nutmeg
Swallow, Dolphin, Horse
Wheel Of Fortune, The Star, Ten Of Pentacles
Thursday
Full Moon, First Quarter
Litha, Mabon
Coins, Wine, Incense, Flowers, Small Gambles
Fortuna is the Roman goddess of fortune, shown with a rudder, a globe and a wheel — the last of which turns without warning. She is not justice and not providence: she is the shape of chance, and Rome kept her temple because chance is a power worth respecting.
Full entry →Queen Of The Gods, Protectress Of Women, The Warner
Marriage, Women, Sovereignty, Warning, The State, Childbirth, Money
White, Gold, Peacock Blue, Red
Pearl, Moonstone, Emerald, Clear Quartz
Pomegranate, Myrtle, Lavender, Sage
Peacock, Goose, Cow
The Empress, The High Priestess, Justice
Monday
Full Moon, New Moon
Ostara, Litha
Pomegranate, Wine, Milk, Myrtle, Coins
Juno is the Roman queen of the gods, the protectress of women and marriage, and the goddess whose geese warned the city of an attack — which is why Rome minted its money in her temple and called it Moneta. She is Hera's Roman face and a civic power in her own right.
Full entry →Goddess Of Fruit, Lady Of Orchards, Keeper Of The Pruning Knife
Fruit, Orchards, Garden Craft, Abundance, Harvest, Patience
Green, Gold, Red, Brown
Jade, Moss Agate, Aventurine, Jasper
Apple, Rose, Sage, Mint
Bee, Serpent, Owl
The Empress, Nine Of Pentacles, The Star
Friday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Lughnasadh, Mabon
First Fruit, Apples, Cider, Flowers Of The Tree
Pomona is the Roman goddess of fruit and orchards, who tended her trees behind a fence and refused every suitor until Vertumnus changed shapes to win her. She has no great myth, only a craft: the tree that is pruned, grafted, waited for and harvested.
Full entry →Goddess Of Thresholds, Keeper Of The Hinge, Lady Of The Door
Thresholds, Doors, Hinges, Boundaries, Protection Of Children, The Home, Turning Points
White, Black, Red, Green
Hematite, Obsidian, Clear Quartz, Onyx
Hawthorn, Rosemary, Garlic, Frankincense
Owl, Dog, Serpent
The Fool, The High Priestess, Five Of Pentacles
Monday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Imbolc
Beans, Bacon, Milk, Door Offerings, Hawthorn
Cardea is the Roman goddess of thresholds and hinges, who protects the doorway and, in Ovid, the cradle — the power that decides what crosses. Her rites used hawthorn and beans, and her festival was the first of June.
Full entry →The Wealthy Father, Lord Of The Underworld, The Dark One
The Underworld, The Dead, Hidden Wealth, The Deep Earth, Oaths, Judgement
Black, Gold, Deep Red
Onyx, Obsidian, Jet, Hematite, Garnet
Asphodel, Cypress, Myrrh, Mugwort
Serpent, Black Ram, Owl
Death, The Devil, Judgement
Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Yule
Black Wine, Honey, Grain, Coins, Silence
Dis Pater is the Roman god of the underworld and of the wealth beneath the earth — the name is a contraction of dives, 'rich' — whose name was used to avoid naming the dead. He is Pluto's Roman face and the deep earth that gives and keeps.
Full entry →God Of The Wild, The Prophetic One, Lord Of The Wood
The Forest, Prophecy, Wild Things, Fertility, The Fields, Oracles, Panic
Green, Brown, Black
Moss Agate, Jasper, Aventurine, Obsidian
Oak, Fern, Mugwort, Thistle
Goat, Wolf, Stag
The Hanged Man, The Moon, The Devil
Saturday
New Moon, Full Moon
Samhain, Beltane
Wine, Milk, First Fruits, The First Of The Flock
Faunus is the Roman god of the forest and of prophecy, who gave oracles in dreams at his groves at Tibur and on the Aventine. His identification with the Greek Pan is where the word panic comes from; the name Faunus is not its root. He is the wild made vocal, and his Roman cult kept him at the edge of the fields.
Full entry →Lady Justice, The Blindfolded One, Keeper Of The Scales
Justice, Law, Fair Measure, Judgement, Oaths, Retribution
White, Blue, Gold, Grey
Lapis Lazuli, Hematite, Clear Quartz, Sodalite
Sage, Bay Leaf, Rosemary, Oak
Owl, Eagle, Lion
Justice, The Emperor, The Hierophant
Saturday
Full Moon, New Moon
Mabon, Yule
Incense, Wine, Oaths Kept, First Fruits
Justitia is the Roman personification of justice, shown with scales and a sword and later blindfolded, who measures without favour and executes the measure. She is not mercy and was never meant to be.
Full entry →The Purifier, Lady Of February, Mother Of The New Year
Purification, New Year, The Dead, Fertility, Spring Cleaning, Atonement
White, Black, Red, Green
Clear Quartz, Moonstone, Obsidian, Hematite, Pearl
Willow, Rosemary, Sage, Myrtle
Goat, Wolf, Owl
The High Priestess, Temperance, The Star
Monday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent
Imbolc, Ostara
Salt, Spelt, Beans, Water, Purification Offerings
Juno Februata is the purifying aspect of Juno whose month February is: the Februalia cleansed the city and the Feralia fed the restless dead before the new year began. She is fertility and atonement held together, which is why her rites always come before the planting.
Full entry →The Sower, Lord Of The Golden Age, Keeper Of The Seed
Sowing, Agriculture, Time, The Golden Age, Liberation, Discipline, Harvest
Black, Earth Tones, Gold
Obsidian, Hematite, Black Tourmaline, Onyx, Jasper
Cypress, Comfrey, Nettle, Willow, Wheat
Serpent, Raven, Ass
The Hermit, The World, Justice
Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Yule, Samhain
Grain, Wine, Honey, Cakes, Gifts At The Turning
Saturnus is the Roman god of sowing and of the golden age, who ruled Italy in the time before labour and whose festival, the Saturnalia, briefly turned the social order upside down. He is Kronos' Roman face and also the seed in the ground: time as the thing that buries and the thing that grows.
Full entry →The Unconquered Sun, Companion Of The Emperor, Lord Of The Sun'S Birthday
The Sun, Victory, Military Loyalty, The State, The Winter Solstice, Endurance
Gold, Red, White
Citrine, Sunstone, Amber, Golden Topaz, Garnet
Bay Leaf, Frankincense, Sunflower, Rosemary
Eagle, Horse, Lion, Rooster
The Sun, Strength, The Emperor
Sunday
Full Moon
Yule, Litha
Honey, Wine, Gold, Bay Leaf, Incense
Sol Invictus is the Unconquered Sun of the later empire, promoted by Aurelian and made the companion of the emperor, with a festival on 25 December that outlived the cult itself. He is the sun as public guarantee: the light that does not lose, adopted by whoever holds power.
Full entry →God Of Boundaries, The Stone That Does Not Move, Keeper Of The Limit
Boundaries, Limits, Property, Oaths, Endings, Neighbours, The Edge
Grey, Brown, White
Hematite, Jasper, Onyx, Clear Quartz, Obsidian
Sage, Rosemary, Oak, Thistle
Owl, Dog, Serpent
Five Of Pentacles, The Emperor, Justice
Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Imbolc
Grain, Honey, Wine, Cakes, Flowers At The Stone
Terminus is the Roman god of boundary stones, whose festival the Terminalia was the one day when even the neighbours' disputes were set aside and the stones were garlanded. Jupiter himself, the story goes, could not move a boundary stone to make room for his own temple.
Full entry →Mother Earth, The Great One, Lady Of The Fertile Ground
The Earth, Fertility, The Harvest, The Dead, The Underworld, Oaths, The Land
Green, Brown, Black, Earth Tones
Moss Agate, Jade, Emerald, Aventurine, Jasper
Oak, Wheat, Sage, Mugwort
Serpent, Bull, Boar, Bee
The Empress, The World, Ten Of Pentacles
Saturday
New Moon, Full Moon
Beltane, Mabon
Grain, First Fruits, Water, Seeds, A Pregnant Sow
Terra Mater, or Tellus, is the Roman earth mother who receives the seed and the dead alike. Her festival the Fordicidia sacrificed a pregnant cow for the fertility of the fields, and her temple was one of the oldest in Rome.
Full entry →Optimus Maximus, The Best And Greatest, Lord Of The Thunderbolt, Guardian Of The Oath, God Of The Roman State, He Who Stays The Line
Sky, Thunder, Oaths, Law, The State, Sovereignty, Victory, Counsel, The Triumph
Purple, Gold, White, Royal Blue
Sapphire, Lapis Lazuli, Amethyst, Turquoise
Oak, Sage, Cinnamon, Bay Leaf, Cedar
Eagle, Bull
Wheel Of Fortune, The Emperor, Temperance
Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Litha
White Bull, Wine, Honey, Grain, Incense, Gold, Oaths Kept
Jupiter (Iuppiter) is the Roman sky father and the head of the state religion: the god of the thunderbolt, of the oath and of the law that binds a people. His temple on the Capitoline, dedicated in the first year of the republic and shared with Juno and Minerva, was where the triumph ended and where Rome kept its covenant with the gods. His priest was the flamen Dialis, hedged about with taboos, and the Ides of every month were his.
Full entry →Father Mars, The God Of The March, Lord Of The War-Band, The Avenger, Guardian Of The Fields, Father Of The Wolf'S Sons
War, Agriculture, The Fields, Boundaries, Protection, Youth, The Army, Vengeance
Red, Iron Grey, Black, Bronze
Red Jasper, Garnet, Bloodstone, Hematite, Ruby
Nettle, Wormwood, Thistle, Dragon Blood, Garlic
Wolf, Woodpecker, Horse
The Tower, The Emperor, Death
Tuesday
New Moon, First Quarter
Samhain, Litha
Wine, Cakes, A Bull, The Spoils, Grain, Smoke
Mars is the Roman god of war and of the fields at once - the same god who broke the enemy defended the boundary of the farm, which is why his month opened the year of war and of sowing. He is the father of Romulus and Remus by the vestal Rhea Silvia, and his animals are the wolf that suckled them and the woodpecker that fed them. The March and the October Horse were his, the Salii danced his shields through the city, and his priest was the flamen Martialis.
Full entry →God Of Trade And Gain, The Herald, Bearer Of The Caduceus, Guide Of Souls, Patron Of The Market, Lord Of The Crossroads
Trade, Profit, Merchants, The Market, Eloquence, Travel, Messages, Thievery, Psychopomp
Orange, Yellow, Grey, Silver
Agate, Citrine, Green Aventurine, Carnelian
Lavender, Fennel, Mint, Parsley, Dill
Snake, Rooster
The Magician, The Lovers, The Hermit
Wednesday
Waxing Crescent, New Moon
Ostara
Coins, Wine, Incense, Honey, Milk, Water At The Crossroads
Mercurius is the Roman god of trade, gain and the market before he is anything else: his temple stood in the Circus Maximus, the merchants' guild kept him as patron, and the Ides of May was his day, when the dealers sprinkled their wares with water from his well. The herald's staff, the winged sandals and the office of guiding the dead came to him with the Greek Hermes, with whom he was identified early. He is the god of the deal and of the road the deal travels on.
Full entry →Goddess Of Wisdom, Lady Of The Craft, The Armed Maiden, Guardian Of The City, Mistress Of The Loom
Wisdom, Craft, Weaving, The Arts, War Counsel, Medicine, The City, Teaching
Grey, Silver, Blue, Olive
Lapis Lazuli, Sapphire, Clear Quartz, Sodalite
Olive, Sage, Lavender, Rosemary
Owl, Snake
Justice, The Hermit, Three Of Pentacles
Wednesday
Waxing Crescent, First Quarter
Ostara
Olive Oil, Wine, Incense, Honey, A Woven Cloth, The First Work Of A Craft
Minerva is the Roman goddess of craft, wisdom and the strategic side of war, one of the three gods of the Capitoline with Jupiter and Juno. Her own sphere is the made thing - wool, the loom, the tool, the poem, the medicine - and her festival, the Quinquatria of March, was the holiday of artisans and schoolchildren. The owl, the aegis and the Gorgon came to her with the identification with Athena.
Full entry →Mother Of Grain, Lady Of The Harvest, Foundress Of The Plebs, The Lawgiver, Mistress Of The Fields
Grain, Harvest, Growth, Law, The Plebs, The Boundary Of The Field, Initiation, Motherhood
Green, Gold, Brown, Earth Tones
Emerald, Moss Agate, Jade, Green Aventurine
Wheat, Barley, Poppy, Mint, Sage
Pig, Snake
The Empress, Nine Of Pentacles, The World
Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Lughnasadh, Mabon
Grain, Cakes, Wine, Milk, Honey, First Fruits, The First Sheaf
Ceres is the Roman goddess of grain and growth and the patron of the plebs: her Aventine temple, vowed in the Latin war and dedicated in the first years of the republic, was the political centre of the commoners, and her flamen and her games were the state's care for the harvest. The Cerealia of April was hers, and so was the boundary of the field. Her daughter is Proserpina, taken by Dis, and the search for her is the Roman account of the grain's descent and return.
Full entry →Lord Of The Waters, The Moist One, God Of The Sea, Neptune Of The Horses, Father Of The Deep
Fresh Water, The Sea, Springs, Horses, Sailors, Earthquakes, The Harbour
Deep Blue, Sea Green, Turquoise, Silver
Aquamarine, Pearl, Coral, Moonstone
Seaweed, Sea Salt, Kelp, Dulse
Horse, Dolphin
The Hanged Man, King Of Cups, The Moon
Monday
Full Moon
Litha
Wine, Salt, Spring Water, Honey, Incense, The First Catch
Neptune is the Roman god of water - springs, wells and running water before he is the god of the open sea - whose festival, the Neptunalia, fell in the driest heat of July, when the springs had to be kept alive. His temple stood in the Campus Martius by the Circus Flaminius, and as Neptunus Equester he was also Neptune of the horses, a Roman pairing of god and horse older than the Greek sea-god. The trident, the dolphins and the sea-palace came to him with Poseidon.
Full entry →Lord Of The Underworld, The Wealthy One, King Of The Dead, The Unseen, Lord Of The Hidden Grain
The Underworld, The Dead, Hidden Wealth, The Deep Earth, Oaths, Judgement, The Seed In The Ground
Black, Gold, Deep Red
Obsidian, Onyx, Jet, Smoky Quartz, Hematite
Asphodel, Cypress, Pomegranate, Yew
Dog, Snake
Death, Judgement
Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain
Black Wine, Honey, Coins, Grain, Silence
Pluto is the name Rome took from the Greek Plouton, 'the wealthy one' - the euphemism used because the lord of the dead was not named lightly. In Roman cult the same power is served as Dis Pater, whose altar stood in the Tarentum where the secular games were held, and who owns everything buried under the ground. He is the earth's dark half: the wealth that is mined and the seed that is buried before it grows.
Full entry →Lord Of Fire, The Smith, Keeper Of The Forge, The Fire That Is Bound, Lord Of The Volcano
Fire, The Forge, Metalwork, Volcanoes, Destruction By Fire, Craft, Transformation
Red, Orange, Bronze, Black
Fire Agate, Pumice, Obsidian, Pyrite, Carnelian
Cinnamon, Dragon Blood, Juniper, Ash
Fish
The Tower, Ace Of Wands, Three Of Pentacles
Tuesday
First Quarter
Litha
Wine, Incense, Iron, Fire, The First Piece Of A Craft
Vulcanus is the Roman god of fire - the fire of the hearth and the smithy, the fire under the earth, and the fire that gets out of hand - and his festival, the Volcanalia of 23 August, was kept at the height of the dry season, when the city's fires were most likely. His oldest shrine, the Volcanal, stood in the Comitium, and at the Volcanalia living creatures were thrown into the fire in place of human lives. The forge, the hammer, the lame smith and the marriage to Venus are Greek stories about Hephaestus, who was identified with him.
Full entry →God Of The Vine, Lord Of The Vintage, The Liberator, The Twice-Born, Giver Of The Cup
Wine, The Vine, Ecstasy, Liberation, The Vintage, Theatre, Initiation, Abundance
Purple, Green, Gold, Wine Red
Amethyst, Grape Agate, Fluorite, Carnelian
Grapes, Ivy, Vine, Fennel, Pine
Leopard, Goat, Bull
The Fool, The Devil, Nine Of Cups
Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Ostara, Mabon
Wine, Grapes, Honey, Milk, The First Pressing, Ivy
Bacchus is the name Rome gave to Dionysus, and under the older Roman name Liber Pater he was one of the three gods of the Aventine, with Ceres and Libera, whose temple was the plebeians' own. His festival, the Liberalia of 17 March, was when a boy put on the toga of a man, and the wine-cakes sold there were the day's offering. The Bacchanalia scandal of 186 BCE, when the senate suppressed the god's Italian mysteries by decree, is the moment the Roman state drew the line between its own Liber and the ecstatic Greek god.
Full entry →Queen Of The Underworld, The Spring That Returns, Daughter Of Ceres, Mistress Of The Dead, The Seed In The Dark
The Underworld, The Return Of Spring, The Dead, Marriage, The Seed, Initiation, The Harvest Of The Year
Red, Black, White
Pomegranate Garnet, Garnet, Onyx, Moonstone
Pomegranate, Narcissus, Asphodel, Poppy
Snake, Bat
The High Priestess, Death, The Moon
Monday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent
Ostara, Samhain
Pomegranate, Honey, Flowers, Milk, The First Bloom, The Last Sheaf
Proserpina is the Roman name of the daughter of Ceres, taken by the god of the underworld to be his queen and returned to her mother for part of each year - the Latin form of the Greek Persephone, and the Roman Libera of the Aventine triad under another name. Her altar stood with Dis Pater's in the Tarentum, the field where the secular games were held. Her coming and going is the year's own story of the seed, and in Roman cult she is known chiefly through her mother's grief and the harvest.
Full entry →Goddess Of War, Sister Of Mars, The War-Cry, Lady Of The Spear, The Bloody One
War, The Declaration Of War, Battle Fury, The Legions, Vengeance, The Spear Boundary
Red, Black, Iron Grey
Bloodstone, Red Jasper, Garnet, Hematite
Nettle, Yarrow, Wormwood, Rue
Wolf, Horse
The Tower, The Chariot, Five Of Swords
Tuesday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain
Wine, Incense, Iron, The Spear Oath, Smoke
Bellona is the Roman goddess of war and of the declaration of war: her temple in the Campus Martius stood outside the sacred boundary, where the senate received generals and foreign envoys, and in front of it the fetial priest hurled a spear into soil declared enemy ground to open a war. She is called the sister of Mars, and sometimes his consort, and she absorbed the old Sabine goddess Nerio. Her priests, the Bellonarii, cut their own arms in her service, and her day of blood fell in March.
Full entry →Goddess Of Victory, The Winged One, Bringer Of The Laurel, Lady Of The Triumph, The Unconquered
Victory, The Triumph, The Legions, The Laurel, Success, The Globe, Imperial Power
Gold, White, Red
Citrine, Topaz, Amber, Sunstone
Bay Leaf, Rosemary, Sage
Eagle, Horse
The Chariot, Six Of Wands, The World
Sunday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Litha
Wine, Incense, Laurel, Gold, The Taking Of The Laurel
Victoria is the Roman goddess of victory, whose temple on the Palatine was vowed in the Samnite war, and whose image stood on the standards of the legions. She is the Greek Nike given a Latin name and a Roman state, and she became the goddess of the emperor's own victories. The altar of Victory in the senate house was removed in 382 during the Christianisation of the empire, and the protest that followed is one of the last great statements of the old religion.
Full entry →The Moon, Lady Of The Night Sky, The Silver Chariot, Mistress Of The Tides, The Shining One
The Moon, The Night, The Month, The Calendar, Tides, The Lunar Cycle, Women
Silver, White, Pale Blue
Moonstone, Selenite, Pearl, Opal
Jasmine, Moonflower, White Rose, Mugwort
Horse, Hare
The Moon, The High Priestess
Monday
Full Moon, New Moon
Litha
Milk, Honey, White Flowers, Silver, Water
Luna is the Roman moon - the body in the sky and the goddess of it, one of the oldest Roman deities and counted by Varro among the select gods. Her temple stood on the Aventine, and her month and her phases shaped the calendar: the Kalends was originally the new moon and the Ides the full. Later Roman writers gave her the chariot, the horns and the Greek name Selene, and the poets' Luna is largely the Greek moon-goddess in Latin dress.
Full entry →Goddess Of The Dawn, The Rosy-Fingered, Bringer Of The Light, The First Hour, Opener Of The Day
Dawn, The First Light, Beginnings, The Hours, Wakefulness, The Morning Sky
Pink, Gold, White, Saffron
Coral, Rose Quartz, Amber, Sunstone
Saffron, Rose, Crocus, Jasmine
Cockerel, Swallow
The Star, The Sun, The Fool
Sunday
Waxing Crescent
Ostara
Honey, Milk, Flowers, Incense, Saffron
Aurora is the dawn in Latin - the common noun and the goddess at once, the first light of the day, who lives in the poets far more than in any cult. Roman poets gave her the Greek Eos's rosy fingers, her horses and her lovers, and it is Greek poetry that supplies almost all of her story. The Roman goddess who did have a dawn cult was Mater Matuta, and the two are not the same figure.
Full entry →Mother Of Abundance, Lady Of The Store, Mistress Of Plenty, Wife Of Saturn, Opener Of The Storehouse
Abundance, The Storehouse, The Harvest, Wealth, Hidden Resources, The Golden Age
Brown, Gold, Green, Earth Tones
Amber, Citrine, Moss Agate, Jasper
Wheat, Barley, Olive
Sow
The Empress, Ten Of Pentacles
Saturday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous
Lughnasadh, Mabon
Grain, First Fruits, Honey, Wine, Cakes
Ops is the Roman goddess of abundance and of the resources the earth holds - her name is the common noun for wealth and plenty. She is the wife of Saturn and the mother of the great gods, and her two festivals mark the year's turning: the Opiconsivia of 25 August, when the harvest was brought in and stored, and the Opalia of 19 December, when the store was opened in the season of the Saturnalia. Her shrine, Ops Consiva, was in the Regia, and the Vestals and the flamen Quirinalis served at her rites.
Full entry →Good Faith, The Bond, Fides Publica, Guardian Of The Oath, The Goddess Of The Given Word
Trust, Good Faith, The Oath, The Treaty, The Contract, Patronage, Credibility, The Pledged Word
White, Gold, Silver
Clear Quartz, Lapis Lazuli, Hematite, Onyx
Oak, Bay Leaf, Sage, Rosemary
Dove, Eagle
The Hierophant, Justice, Two Of Cups
Thursday, Sunday
Full Moon, New Moon
Mabon, Litha
A Promise Kept, Wine, Incense, First Fruits, The Writing Out Of An Agreement
Fides is the Roman personification of good faith - the pledged word, the treaty, the contract, and the loyalty owed between patron and client - and she is among the oldest of the virtues to be given a state cult. Tradition attributes her worship to Numa: Livy records that he established it and that the three flamines maiores were carried to her temple on the Capitol in a covered arched chariot, their right hands wrapped in white cloth to the fingers (Livy 1.21), and the fasti keep her sacrifice on 1 October. The temple, probably built by Aulus Atilius Calatinus and restored by Marcus Aemilius Scaurus in 115 BCE, displayed bronze tables of laws and treaties and was sometimes used for Senate meetings. Her Greek counterpart is Pistis.
Full entry →Duty To Gods And Kin, The Right Relation, Pietas Augusta, Guardian Of The Household, The Debt That Is Owed
Duty, Filial Devotion, The Honour Of Parents, The Worship Of The Gods, The Obligation Of Kinship, Patriotism, The Thing That Is Due
White, Gold, Brown
Hematite, Jade, Clear Quartz, Pearl
Oak, Olive, Rosemary, Bay Leaf
Stork, Dove
The Hierophant, Ten Of Pentacles, Six Of Cups
Thursday, Monday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Mabon, Yule
An Act Of Care For A Parent, Incense, Wine, First Fruits, A Duty Performed Without Being Asked
Pietas is the Roman personification of duty - above all the duty owed to the gods, to parents and to the city - and the virtue Virgil makes the defining mark of Aeneas, pius Aeneas. A temple of Pietas stood in the Forum Holitorium, vowed by Manius Acilius Glabrio at Thermopylae in 191 BCE and dedicated by his son in 181 BCE (Livy 40.34). Her iconography is the stork, the bird said to feed its aged parents, and the story told of her is the daughter who secretly nursed her father in prison (Valerius Maximus 5.4.7). Pietas Augusta belonged to the imperial cult, and the Greek equivalent is eusebeia.
Full entry →Excellence, Valour, Virtus Augusta, The Strength That Holds, The Goddess Of The Brave
Courage, Excellence, Valour, The Strength To Hold, Military Virtue, Public Service, The Worthiness Of The Deed
Red, Gold, Grey
Garnet, Carnelian, Hematite, Red Jasper
Oak, Bay Leaf, Thyme, Rosemary
Lion, Horse
Strength, The Chariot, Knight Of Wands
Tuesday, Thursday
First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous
Litha, Beltane
A Hard Thing Done Well, Wine, Incense, The Taking Of A Public Office, A Boast Told True
Virtus is the Roman personification of valour and excellence: the noun carries the sense of manliness, but the goddess is shown as a helmeted woman in Amazon dress, often with spear and parazonium. Her cult was bound to Honos. A temple of Honos alone was dedicated in 234 BCE by Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus after his Ligurian victory, and after his vow at Clastidium in 222 BCE Marcellus was refused permission to rededicate it to both gods, so a second cella was built for Virtus and the double temple was dedicated in 205 BCE (Livy 27.25.7-9; Valerius Maximus 1.1.8; Plutarch, Marcellus 28). The precinct stood outside the Porta Capena on the Via Appia and was later restored by Vespasian.
Full entry →Honour, The Public Esteem, Honos Et Virtus, The Reward Of The Deed, The God Beside Virtus
Honour, Public Esteem, The Reward Of Valour, Office, Reputation, The Crown, Public Recognition
Gold, White, Purple
Citrine, Golden Topaz, Amber, Clear Quartz
Bay Leaf, Rosemary, Sage, Oak
Eagle, Horse
Six Of Wands, The Emperor, King Of Pentacles
Thursday, Sunday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Litha, Mabon
Laurel, Wine, Incense, A Deed Publicly Acknowledged, Another Persons Due Named
Honos is the Roman personification of honour in the sense of public esteem - the recognition a deed earns - and he is a god of the state rather than a figure of story. A temple was dedicated to Honos alone in 234 BCE by Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus after his victory over the Ligurians (Cicero, De natura deorum 2.61), and after the vow at Clastidium in 222 BCE Marcellus' attempt to rededicate it to Honos and Virtus together was blocked by the pontiffs, who held that one cella could not be dedicated to two gods; a second cella was added and the double temple was dedicated in 205 BCE (Livy 27.25.7-9). It stood outside the Porta Capena and housed art looted from Syracuse.
Full entry →Hope, The Forward Look, Spes Augusta, The Trust That Waits, Lady Of The Coming Thing
Hope, Expectation, The Good To Come, The Petition Not Yet Answered, The Heir, The Waiting, Confidence In The Future
White, Green, Blue
Moonstone, Aquamarine, Green Aventurine, Clear Quartz
Rosemary, Lavender, Chamomile, Mint
Dove, Swallow
The Star, The Fool, Nine Of Cups
Monday, Thursday
Waxing Crescent, New Moon
Ostara, Imbolc
A Candle Kept Lit, Wine, Incense, The Naming Of What Is Hoped For, A First Step Taken
Spes is the Roman personification of hope, and her temple in the Forum Holitorium was built by Aulus Atilius Calatinus in the First Punic War, restored in 232 BCE, rebuilt after the fire of 213 BCE and restored again by Germanicus in 17 CE (Livy 24.47 and 25.7; six of its columns still stand in the church of San Nicola in Carcere). She is a civic personification rather than a mythic person: her business is expectation, including the expectation of an heir, and Spes Augusta put that expectation at the service of the imperial house. The Greek equivalent is Elpis, who in Hesiod's Works and Days alone remained in Pandora's jar (96-99).
Full entry →Safety, Health, Salus Publica, Salus Augusta, The Soundness Of The State
Safety, Health, Deliverance, The Welfare Of The State, Recovery From Illness, Public Wellbeing, The Greeting At The Door
White, Green, Gold
Clear Quartz, Emerald, Green Aventurine, Bloodstone
Sage, Rosemary, Yarrow, Chamomile
Serpent, Dove
Temperance, The Star, Four Of Swords
Wednesday, Monday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Imbolc, Ostara
Incense, Wine, Water, A Visit To The Sick, An Honest Account Of An Illness, A Recovery Acknowledged
Salus is the Roman personification of safety and health, and her temple stood on the Quirinal near the Porta Salutaris: it was vowed in 311 BCE by the consul Gaius Junius Bubulcus Brutus in the Second Samnite War, dedicated by him as dictator a few years later, and decorated with scenes of the war by Gaius Fabius Pictor. The cult was tied to the survival of the state as Salus Publica, and under the empire to the safety of the emperor as Salus Augusta, the object of the annual vows. Her Greek counterpart is Hygieia, and the healing serpent belongs to both.
Full entry →Concord, Harmony Of The Orders, Concordia Augusta, The Agreement That Holds, The Handshake Of The State
Concord, Agreement, The Settlement, Harmony Of The Orders, Marriage Concord, Civic Peace, The End Of Strife
White, Green, Gold
Clear Quartz, Moonstone, Jade, Lapis Lazuli
Olive, Rose, Lavender, Sage
Dove, Swallow
Two Of Cups, Temperance, The World
Friday, Thursday
Full Moon, First Quarter
Litha, Mabon
Wine, Incense, The Settlement Of A Quarrel, A Shared Meal, Olive Oil
Concordia is the Roman personification of agreement, in the household and in the state, and her temple in the Forum was vowed by Camillus in 367 BCE at the reconciliation of the patrician and plebeian orders (Livy 6.42). It was rebuilt by Lucius Opimius in 121 BCE after the killing of Gaius Gracchus, and Tiberius dedicated the temple of Concordia Augusta in 10 CE (Cassius Dio 56.25). She is associated from early on with Pax and with the Greek Homonoia, and her iconography is the clasped right hands, the cornucopia and the olive branch.
Full entry →Peace, Pax Augusta, The Peace Of The Prince, Lady Of The Ara Pacis, The Settled State
Peace, The Settled State, The End Of War, Prosperity, The Sealed Agreement, The Return Home, Quiet
White, Green, Gold
Jade, Green Aventurine, Clear Quartz, Pearl
Olive, Rose, Lavender, Rosemary
Dove, Swallow
The World, Four Of Swords, Two Of Cups
Friday, Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Litha, Mabon
Olive Oil, Incense, Wine, A Quarrel Actually Ended, A Welcome Home
Pax is the Roman personification of peace, cultivated by Augustus as Pax Augusta: the Senate voted the Ara Pacis Augustae in 13 BCE, it was consecrated on 30 January 9 BCE in the Campus Martius, and the day was kept as her festival. Vespasian built the Templum Pacis, dedicated in 75 CE, after the Jewish war, and Pax appears on imperial coinage with olive branch, caduceus and cornucopia. She is the Latin counterpart of the Greek Eirene and, like her, a civic personification rather than a figure of myth.
Full entry →Equity, The Fair Measure, Aequitas Augusti, The Even Balance, The Honest Scale
Equity, Fairness, Even Measure, The Honest Scales, Legal Equity, Proportionality, The Thing That Is Due
White, Gold, Grey
Lapis Lazuli, Hematite, Clear Quartz, Onyx
Sage, Bay Leaf, Rosemary, Oak
Owl, Eagle
Justice, Two Of Pentacles, Temperance
Thursday, Saturday
First Quarter, Full Moon
Mabon, Litha
An Honest Account, A Debt Paid, Incense, Wine, A Measure Checked
Aequitas is the Roman concept and personification of equity - fairness, even measure, the honest scale - and Cicero gives a tripartite account of it, dividing it into pietas toward the gods, sanctitas toward the dead and iustitia toward other people. As a divine personification she belongs to the vocabulary of the imperial cult, appearing as Aequitas Augusti on coins with scales and cornucopia, and aequitas was also a working principle of Roman law and of the mint's honest measure. She has no temple and no festival that we know of, and no mythology at all.
Full entry →Foresight, Provision, Providentia Augusta, The Look Ahead, The Care That Anticipates
Foresight, Provision, Anticipation, The Plan That Holds, Care For What Is Coming, The Store Against Winter, Imperial Foresight
Grey, Blue, White
Smoky Quartz, Lapis Lazuli, Onyx, Clear Quartz
Sage, Rosemary, Fennel, Oak
Owl, Ant
The Hermit, The Star, King Of Pentacles
Saturday, Wednesday
First Quarter, Waning Gibbous
Mabon, Samhain
A Plan Made And Written Down, Incense, Wine, First Fruits Stored, A Kindness Done In Advance
Providentia is the Roman personification of foresight and provision, an abstraction of the imperial cult with no mythology of her own; Cicero treats providentia as one of the components of prudentia, alongside memoria and intellegentia. She appears on imperial coinage as Providentia Augusta and in dedicatory inscriptions, and stands in the state's religious vocabulary for the foresight that provisioned the city and the dynasty. Her Greek counterpart is pronoia, and she is a civic personification, not a figure of myth.
Full entry →Lord Of Divine Words, Scribe Of The Gods, Master Of Magic, Keeper Of Time, The Measurer
Writing, Magic, Science, Judgment, Time, Moon Cycles, Sacred Knowledge, Divine Law
Blue, White, Silver, Green
Lapis Lazuli, Moonstone, Clear Quartz, Turquoise
Papyrus, Lavender, Mugwort, Sage
Ibis, Baboon
The Magician, The Hierophant, Ace Of Swords
Wednesday, Monday
Ostara
Written Knowledge, Papyrus, Silver, Acts Of Learning Teaching, Documentation Preservation, Mathematical Precision
Egyptian god of writing, magic, science, judgment. Weighs hearts against Ma'at's feather. Records all knowledge, maintains cosmic order through precise measurement. Later syncretized with Hermes as Hermes Trismegistus.
Full entry →The Powerful One, Lady Of Slaughter, Eye Of Ra, The Fierce, Destroyer And Healer
War, Healing, Plague, Divine Rage, Protection, Solar Fire, Transformation Through Destruction
Red, Gold, Crimson
Carnelian, Red Jasper, Sunstone, Bloodstone
Cinnamon, Dragon Blood, Frankincense, Myrrh
Lioness
Strength, The Sun, The Tower
Sunday, Tuesday
Full Moon
Litha
Red Wine Or Beer, Meat, Red Flowers, Gold, Acts Of Fierce Protection, Standing In Righteous Rage
Egyptian lioness goddess, Eye of Ra sent to destroy rebellious humanity. Ra flooded the ground with beer dyed red with ochre so that it looked like blood; she drank it, became drunk and forgot the slaughter, and was pacified as Hathor. Both destroyer and healer. Plague-bringer and plague-curer. Solar fire incarnate.
Full entry →Lady Of Bubastis, Eye Of Ra, Goddess Of Joy, Protector Of Home, The Fierce Lioness Who Became Cat
Protection, Joy, Music, Dance, Sexuality, Fierce Protection When Needed, Domestic Harmony
Gold, Green, Black
Tiger Eye, Cat Eye, Carnelian, Gold
Catnip, Valerian, Myrrh, Frankincense
Cat, Lioness
Strength, The Sun, Queen Of Wands
Sunday, Monday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Ostara, Litha
Catnip, Beer, Music, Dance, Caring For Cats, Acts Of Joy, Protective Acts
Egyptian goddess originally fierce lioness (Sekhmet aspect), evolved to domestic cat. Protector of home, pregnant women, children. Goddess of joy, music, dance, sexuality. Gentle and playful but becomes fierce lioness when protecting what she loves. Eye of Ra. Associated with perfume and ointments.
Full entry →Guardian Of The Scales, The Opener Of The Way, Lord Of The Sacred Land, He Who Is Upon His Mountain, Protector Of Tombs
Death, Mummification, Afterlife Guide, Protection Of Dead, Threshold Between Life And Death, Judgment
Black, Gold, White
Obsidian, Jet, Black Tourmaline, Lapis Lazuli
Myrrh, Frankincense, Cedar, Lotus
Jackal, Dog
Death, Judgement, The Hermit
Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain
Myrrh, Frankincense, Black Candles, Honoring The Dead, Acts Of Protection For Vulnerable, Assisting With Death Transitions
Egyptian jackal-headed god of death, mummification, afterlife. Guards tombs and cemeteries. Guides souls to judgment, weighs hearts against Ma'at's feather. Protector of the dead. Opened the way between worlds. Associated with embalming, preservation, proper burial. Later merged with Hermes as Hermanubis.
Full entry →Queen Of Heaven, Great Of Magic, Lady Of Ten Thousand Names, Throne Of Egypt, She Who Restored The Dead
Magic, Motherhood, Healing, Sovereignty, Resurrection, Protection, Wisdom Through Loss
Blue, Gold, Green, White
Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Moonstone, Carnelian
Lotus, Myrrh, Rose, Cedar
Cow, Scorpion, Kite Bird
The High Priestess, The Empress, The Star
Monday, Friday
Full Moon, New Moon
Ostara
Milk, Honey, Lotus Flowers, Myrrh, Acts Of Healing, Protecting The Vulnerable, Learning Magic
Egyptian goddess of magic, motherhood, healing. Resurrected Osiris through magic after Set dismembered him. Protected Horus through countless trials. Tricked Ra into revealing his true name, gaining ultimate magical power. Throne of Egypt incarnate. Spread throughout Greco-Roman world. Power through devotion and magical knowledge.
Full entry →The Avenger, Sky God, Lord Of The Two Lands, The Distant One, King Of Upper And Lower Egypt
Kingship, Sky, War, Protection, Sovereignty Reclaimed, Divine Right, Vengeance As Justice
Gold, Red, Blue, White
Lapis Lazuli, Carnelian, Tiger Eye, Falcon Eye
Frankincense, Myrrh, Lotus, Cedar
Falcon, Hawk, Lion
The Emperor, The Chariot, Strength
Sunday, Tuesday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Litha
Frankincense, Myrrh, Gold, Beer, Acts Of Justice, Protecting The Rightful, Reclaiming Stolen Sovereignty
Egyptian falcon god, son of Osiris and Isis. Avenged his father's murder by Set. Lost eye in battle, which became powerful protective symbol. Won kingship through trial. Represents rightful sovereignty reclaimed, divine kingship, protection. Sky god whose eyes are sun and moon. Pharaohs as living Horus.
Full entry →God Of Chaos, Lord Of The Desert, Storm God, The Necessary Disorder, Protector Of Ra
Chaos, Storms, Desert, Foreigners, Necessary Disorder, Strength, Protection Through Violence
Red, Black, Orange
Red Jasper, Bloodstone, Carnelian, Obsidian
Dragon Blood, Tobacco
Set Animal, Donkey, Pig, Oryx
The Tower, The Devil, Seven Of Swords
Tuesday, Saturday
Waning Gibbous, New Moon
Red Wine, Meat, Spicy Foods, Acts Of Necessary Disruption, Standing In Storms, Defending Against Chaos With Chaos
Egyptian god of chaos, storms, desert, foreigners. Murdered Osiris, fought Horus. Demonized in later periods but originally protective deity. Defended Ra's solar barque against Apophis nightly. Represents necessary chaos, disruption that prevents stagnation, strength through disorder. Not evil—necessary.
Full entry →Lady Of The House, Friend Of The Dead, Mourning Goddess, Shadow Of Isis, Protector Of The Night
Death, Mourning, Night, Transitions, Shadow Work, Protection Of Dead, Necessary Shadow
Black, Silver, Dark Blue
Obsidian, Moonstone, Jet, Smoky Quartz
Lotus, Myrrh, Willow, Lily
Kite Bird, Serpent, Night Creatures
The Moon, Death, Five Of Cups
Monday, Saturday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
Samhain
Myrrh, Lotus Flowers, Water, Acts Of Mourning, Honoring Shadows, Protecting The Dead
Egyptian goddess, sister of Isis, Osiris, Set. Married to Set but helped Isis restore Osiris. Mourning goddess who protects dead with Isis. Shadow to Isis's light—necessary darkness, grief witness, death companion. Represents that shadow serves, that mourning is sacred, that death needs witnessing.
Full entry →Goddess Of Truth, Lady Of Justice, The Feather Of Truth, Cosmic Order Itself, Balance Incarnate
Truth, Justice, Cosmic Order, Balance, Integrity, The Standard Itself, Rightness
White, Gold, Blue
Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz, Sapphire
Frankincense, Myrrh, Cedar
Ostrich, Vulture
Justice, Temperance, Judgement
Saturday
Full Moon
Ostara, Mabon
Feathers, Incense, Acts Of Truth Telling, Maintaining Integrity, Upholding Justice, Creating Balance, Honest Accounting
Egyptian goddess of truth, justice, cosmic order. The feather against which hearts are weighed in afterlife judgment. Not enforcer—the standard itself. Represents cosmic order, balance, truth as fundamental principle. Without Maat, universe falls to chaos. Pharaohs offered Maat to gods—offering of order, truth, rightness. She IS the measure.
Full entry →The Sun God, King Of The Gods, Creator Of All, Lord Of The Sky, The Great One, Father Of The Gods
Sun, Creation, Kingship, Order, Life Force, Divine Authority, Daily Renewal, Cosmic Order
Gold, Red, Orange, Bright Yellow
Carnelian, Sunstone, Tiger Eye, Topaz, Amber
Frankincense, Myrrh, Cinnamon, Acacia, Lotus
Falcon, Phoenix, Scarab Beetle, Serpent, Cat
The Sun, The Emperor, Judgement
Sunday
Full Moon
Litha
Gold, Incense Especially Frankincense, Bread, Beer, Honey, Sunflowers, Morning Prayers, Acts Of Creation
Supreme Egyptian sun god and creator deity. Born from the primordial waters, Ra creates himself and all existence. Travels across the sky by day in his solar barque, through the underworld by night. Embodies ma'at (cosmic order) and is king of all gods. The ultimate solar deity, representing life force, creation, and divine kingship. All pharaohs claimed descent from Ra.
Full entry →Lord Of The Underworld, The Green God, Judge Of The Dead, Lord Of Resurrection
Death, Rebirth, Resurrection, Fertility, Vegetation, The Underworld, Judgement, Kingship, Order
Green, Black, Gold, White
Emerald, Obsidian, Black Tourmaline, Green Aventurine, Jasper
Wheat, Barley, Myrrh, Cedar, Willow
Bull, Jackal, Hawk, Ram
Death, Judgement, The Hanged Man
Monday
New Moon, Full Moon
Samhain, Mabon
Grain, Bread, Beer, Myrrh, Green Plants, Water, Milk
Osiris is the Egyptian god of the dead, the murdered king reassembled by Isis and made ruler of the underworld. His death and return are the pattern of the inundation and the grain: what is cut down and buried comes back changed. He presides over the judgment of the dead in the Hall of Two Truths, where Anubis weighs the heart against Maat's feather.
Full entry →Lady Of The Sky, The Golden One, Mistress Of Joy, Lady Of Drunkenness
Love, Joy, Music, Dance, Beauty, Motherhood, The Milky Way, The Dead, Drunkenness
Gold, Turquoise, Red, White
Turquoise, Lapis Lazuli, Carnelian, Rose Quartz, Malachite
Myrrh, Rose, Jasmine, Lotus
Cow, Lion, Serpent, Hawk
The Empress, The Lovers, The Star
Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Beltane, Litha
Milk, Beer, Music, Dance, Mirrors, Myrrh
Hathor is the Egyptian goddess of love, joy, music and the Milky Way, and a mother-figure to the pharaoh. She is also the eye of Ra in her fierce form, and as Sekhmet she nearly destroys humanity before being made drunk on beer dyed red. She receives the dead as Lady of the West.
Full entry →The Hidden One, King Of The Gods, Lord Of The Two Lands
The Hidden, Kingship, The Air, Creation, The State, Mystery, The Poor
Yellow, White, Pale Blue
Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz, Citrine, Turquoise, Golden Topaz
Cedar, Myrrh, Sage, Frankincense
Ram, Goose, Bull
The Emperor, The Magician, The Sun
Sunday
Full Moon, New Moon
Litha, Yule
Bread, Beer, Incense, Water, Goose, Frankincense
Amun is the hidden god of Thebes who becomes king of the Egyptian gods and is fused with the sun as Amun-Ra. His name means the hidden one, he has no visible image, and the tradition insists that he hears the petitions of the poor, which is why he was loved rather than merely obeyed.
Full entry →The Traveller, Lord Of The Moon, Healer Of The King
The Moon, Travel, Healing, Time, The Crescent, Youth, Medicine
Blue, Silver, White
Moonstone, Selenite, Pearl, Labradorite, Clear Quartz
Myrrh, Chamomile, Sage, Lotus
Falcon, Baboon
The Moon, The Fool, Six Of Swords
Monday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Yule, Ostara
Bread, Beer, Incense, Water, Moon Cakes
Khonsu is the Egyptian moon god whose name means the traveller, who crosses the night sky as a falcon and whose crescent was associated with healing - the stories have him driving out demons and restoring a princess. He is the moon as a physician on the road.
Full entry →Lord Of Craftsmen, The Sculptor, Speaker Of Creation
Craft, Creation By Speech, Architecture, Smithing, The Heart, The Tongue, Order
Green, Brown, Black
Hematite, Pyrite, Turquoise, Lapis Lazuli, Jasper
Cedar, Myrrh, Sage, Frankincense
Apis Bull, Bull
The Magician, The Emperor, Eight Of Pentacles
Wednesday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent
Imbolc, Litha
Bread, Beer, Oxen, Fowl, Incense, Water, Wine
Ptah is the Egyptian god of craftsmen who creates by thinking with his heart and speaking with his tongue - the first creator in the tradition to work by word rather than by body. He is the patron of architects, sculptors and anyone who makes a thing to a plan.
Full entry →The Earth, Lord Of The Land, Father Of The Gods
The Earth, The Land, Kingship, The Dead, Minerals, The Body, The Goose
Green, Brown, Black
Jasper, Moss Agate, Aventurine, Hematite, Emerald
Wheat, Cedar, Myrrh, Sage
Serpent, Bull, Ram, Crocodile
The Emperor, The World, Ten Of Pentacles
Saturday
New Moon, Full Moon
Mabon, Samhain
Bread, Beer, Barley, Oxen, Fowl, Water, Incense
Geb is the Egyptian earth god, the land itself, who lies beneath Nut the sky and fathered Osiris, Isis, Set and Nephthys. He is the ground that holds the throne, the minerals and the dead, and the pharaoh sits on him.
Full entry →Midwife Of The Sun, Lady Of Birth, The Frog, She Who Is Present At The Delivery
Birth, The Midwife, The Frog, The First Breath, Germination, Resurrection, The Solar Child
Green, Blue, White
Moonstone, Jade, Green Aventurine, Pearl
Lotus, Papyrus, Blue Lotus, Chamomile
Frog, Tadpole
The Empress, The Sun, Ace Of Cups
Monday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent
Imbolc, Ostara
Water, Beer, Bread, Papyrus, Green Reeds
Heqet is the Egyptian frog goddess of birth. She is among the deities who assist at the king's birth and rebirth in the Pyramid Texts, and who put breath into the newly formed body in the Coffin Texts; in the Westcar Papyrus she is one of the four goddesses - with Isis, Nephthys and Meskhenet - who deliver the three future kings of the Fifth Dynasty. In the birth-houses (mammisi) of the Graeco-Roman temples she is present at the birth of the divine child, and her frog is among the common amulets of the living and the dead.
Full entry →Lady Of The Books, Keeper Of The Records, The Scribe
Writing, Measurement, Records, Astronomy, Architecture, Mathematics, The Library
Yellow, White, Pale Blue
Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz, Sodalite, Labradorite, Pearl
Papyrus, Sage, Cedar, Myrrh
Leopard
The High Priestess, The Hierophant, The Hermit
Wednesday
Waxing Crescent, New Moon
Imbolc, Mabon
Incense, Water, Bread, Ink, Papyrus
Seshat is the Egyptian goddess of writing, measurement and the archive, who records the years, the booty, the building plans and the king's reign on the leaves of the tree of life. She is the only figure who measures the ground for a temple with the king himself.
Full entry →The Air, He Who Holds Them Apart, Lord Of The Breath
Air, The Breath, Separation, The Space Between, Dryness, Light, The Winds
Yellow, White, Pale Blue
Clear Quartz, Angelite, Sodalite, Labradorite, Opal
Myrrh, Sage, Cedar, Lavender
Lion
The Fool, Six Of Swords, The Star
Wednesday
Waxing Crescent, First Quarter
Ostara, Litha
Bread, Beer, Fowl, Water, Incense, Myrrh
Shu is the Egyptian god of air and light, who stands between Geb the earth and Nut the sky holding them apart, and who separates the combatants in the myths. He is the space that makes room, and when he is tired the two crash together.
Full entry →Lord Of The Crocodile, He Who Rises From The Nile, Sobek-Ra, Lord Of The Marsh
Nile, Fertility, Military Valour, Crocodiles, Strength, Pharaonic Power, Protection From Drowning
Green, Gold, Black
Emerald, Green Aventurine, Moss Agate, Obsidian
Papyrus, Lotus, Cedar, Myrrh
Crocodile
The Emperor, Strength
Sunday, Monday
New Moon
Water, Beer, Meat, Green Stones, Acts Of Strength
Sobek is the Egyptian crocodile god, lord of the Nile, the marshes and their creatures, and a god of pharaonic power, fertility and military valour. He is 'he who makes the Nile rise', and is frequently merged with Ra as Sobek-Ra. His cult centres were Crocodilopolis (Shedet) in the Fayum and Kom Ombo, where he was worshipped beside Horus the Elder; live crocodiles were kept in his temples and mummified. The planetary and zodiacal values here are modern Hermetic readings, not ancient Egyptian ones.
Full entry →Lady Of The Scorpion, Mistress Of The Beautiful House, Lady Of The Breath Of Life
Protection, Venom, Healing, Funerary Care, Canopic Guardian, Marriage, Magic
Red, Black, Turquoise
Bloodstone, Obsidian, Red Jasper, Turquoise
Wormwood, Nettle, Rue, Frankincense
Scorpion
The Tower, Strength, Death
Tuesday
New Moon
Bread, Beer, Turquoise, Cool Water, Acts Of Protection
Serket is the Egyptian scorpion goddess, one of the four guardians of the canopic jars (she guards Qebehsenuef) and a protectress of both the dead and the living. Her name means 'she who causes the throat to breathe'; she is invoked against venom and for the breath of life, and is as much a goddess of healing and magic as of poison. Her best-known myth is the healing of the child Horus after a scorpion's sting, and she is one of the four goddesses who guard the coffin of Osiris. The planetary and zodiacal values here are modern readings.
Full entry →Lady Of The White Crown, Mistress Of Upper Egypt, The White Vulture
Kingship, Protection, Upper Egypt, Royal Power, Childbirth, Wilderness
White, Gold, Green
Pearl, Clear Quartz, Turquoise, Lapis Lazuli
Papyrus, Lotus, Acacia
Vulture, White Vulture
The Empress, The Emperor
Sunday, Monday
Full Moon
Bread, Beer, Milk, White Linen, Acts Of Loyalty
Nekhbet is the Egyptian vulture goddess of Upper Egypt, the White One, who with Wadjet the cobra forms the Two Ladies (nebty) of the pharaoh's titulary. She is a goddess of kingship and royal protection, shown as a white vulture hovering over the king with the shen ring of eternity, and she presides at royal births and coronations; her cult centre was Nekheb (el-Kab). The vulture goddesses of Egypt are Nekhbet and Mut; Ma'at's emblem is the ostrich feather, not the vulture.
Full entry →Mother Of The Gods, Lady Of Isheru, The Great Mother, Eye Of Ra
Motherhood, Kingship, Water, Sky, Protection, The Devouring One
Blue, White, Gold
Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Moonstone, Coral
Papyrus, Blue Lotus, Myrrh, Acacia
Vulture, Lioness, Cow
The Empress, The High Priestess
Monday
Full Moon
Water, Bread, Beer, Milk, Blue Lotus
Mut is the Egyptian mother goddess of Thebes, consort of Amun and mother of Khonsu, and 'Lady of Isheru', the crescent lake at Karnak. She is shown as a woman wearing the double crown and the vulture headdress, and could also take the form of a lioness (as Mut-Sekhmet) or a cow. She is a goddess of motherhood, of the waters and of royal power, and the Theban triad of Amun, Mut and Khonsu was the state cult of the New Kingdom. The planetary and zodiacal values here are modern readings.
Full entry →The Self-Created, Lord Of Heliopolis, The Complete One, Father Of The Gods, The Great God, Lord Of All
Creation, Self Generation, The Setting Sun, The Primeval Mound, Completion, Kingship, The End Of The Cycle, The Benben
Gold, Black, White, Blue
Carnelian, Sunstone, Lapis Lazuli, Gold
Frankincense, Myrrh, Cedar, Papyrus
Serpent, Bull, Lion, Ichneumon, Benu Bird
The Sun, The World, The Magician
Sunday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous
Litha, Mabon
Bread, Beer, Cool Water, Wine, Incense, Natron
Atum is the Heliopolitan creator, the first god, who emerged self-made on the benben mound out of the waters of Nun. He produced Shu and Tefnut - sneezed or spat out in the Pyramid Texts, masturbated in other accounts - and so began the Ennead. He is the evening sun, the 'Complete One' who receives the dead king and returns to the waters at the end of the cycle, and in the Book of the Dead he rises from chaos in serpent form.
Full entry →Lady Of Moisture, The Eye Of Ra, The Distant One, The Returning Lioness, Lady Of The Dew
Moisture, Rain, Dew, The Moist Air, The Eye Of Ra, The Return From Nubia, Fertility Of The Soil
Blue, Silver, White, Green
Moonstone, Pearl, Aquamarine, Clear Quartz, Turquoise
Lotus, Papyrus, Reed, Myrrh
Lioness, Cobra, Cat
The Moon, The Star, The High Priestess
Monday
New Moon, Full Moon
Imbolc, Ostara
Cool Water, Rain Water, Bread, Beer, Lotus Flowers, Incense
Tefnut is the goddess of moisture and the twin sister-wife of Shu, mother of Nut and Geb, and the second generation of the Heliopolitan Ennead. She is one of the goddesses who can act as the fiery Eye of Ra, and in the tale of the Distant Goddess she withdraws to Nubia in anger and is coaxed home - as a lioness, a cat, or the monkey Thoth becomes - amid music and rejoicing. Her return is the return of moisture, and her name probably imitates the sound of spitting, which belongs to the creation account.
Full entry →The Sky, Lady Of The Stars, Mother Of The Gods, She Who Swallows The Sun, The Great Sow, Mother Of The Stars, The Cow Of Heaven
The Sky, The Stars, The Night, Motherhood, The Coffin, The Suns Nightly Journey, Astronomy, The Ladder
Blue, Black, Silver, Gold
Lapis Lazuli, Sapphire, Moonstone, Clear Quartz, Pearl
Papyrus, Lotus, Myrrh, Frankincense, Acacia
Cow, Sow, Vulture
The Star, The High Priestess, The World
Monday
New Moon, Full Moon
Yule, Mabon
Cool Water, Libation Of Water, Bread, Beer, Incense, Myrrh
Nut is the sky itself, the woman covered in stars who arches over Geb and is held apart from him by Shu, and the mother of Osiris, Isis, Set and Nephthys. Each evening she swallows the sun and each dawn gives it birth again, and the stars are her body; the dead king enters her and becomes a star. She is also a cow, a sow suckling the stars, and the sycamore at the edge of the sky, and the inside of the coffin lid is painted with her.
Full entry →Lord Of The Fish And Birds Of The Marshes, Lord Of The River Bringing Vegetation, Father Of The Gods, Friend Of Geb, Bringer Of The Flood, Lord Of Neper
The Nile Inundation, Fertility, Silt, The Harvest, The Marshes, The Rivers Rise, Abundance
Blue, Green, Black, Gold
Aquamarine, Moss Agate, Green Aventurine, Lapis Lazuli, Pearl
Papyrus, Lotus, Blue Lotus, Wheat, Barley
Crocodile, Frog, Fish, Goose, Hippopotamus
Ace Of Cups, The Star, The Empress
Monday
Full Moon
Litha, Lughnasadh
Cool Water, Bread, Beer, Fish, Fowl, Lotus Flowers, First Fruits, Grain
Hapi is the inundation itself - the annual flood of the Nile, not the river - and the fertility it brings, shown as a man with a heavy belly and pendulous breasts, blue or green skinned, carrying produce or pouring water. He lives in a cavern near the First Cataract, his cult was at Elephantine where the nilometer was read, and he is 'lord of the fish and birds of the marshes' and friend of Geb, the earth the silt renews. In the New Kingdom he appears as a pair, Upper and Lower, tying the Two Lands together around the sema symbol.
Full entry →Protector Of Households, Guardian Of Mothers And Children, Master Of Music And Dance, The Fighter, Enemy Of All That Is Bad
Household Protection, Childbirth, Children, Sleep, Music, Dance, Sexuality, Apotropaic Magic, Snakes, Joy
Red, Black, Yellow, Green
Carnelian, Red Jasper, Tiger Eye, Obsidian, Amber
Garlic, Frankincense, Myrrh, Sage
Lion, Serpent, Monkey
The Fool, Strength, The Sun
Tuesday
Full Moon
Beltane, Litha
Beer, Wine, Music, Dance, Incense, Garlic, Bread
Bes is the dwarf god of the Egyptian household - apotropaic protector of mothers, children and sleepers, and patron of music, dance and sexual pleasure. He has no myth cycle and no temple: his power is in the image, and his full-face, ithyphallic figure appears on headrests, mirrors, feeding cups and magical wands, as tattoos on dancers, and in the birth chambers. He is shown with a lion's mane and a knife, tongue out, frightening off the spirits that threaten a house.
Full entry →The Great One, Lady Of The Birth House, Mistress Of Pure Water, Protector Of Mothers, She Who Is Great
Childbirth, Pregnancy, Protection Of Children, The Birth House, The Sa Amulet, The Northern Sky, Funerary Rebirth, The Hippopotamus
Blue, Green, Red, Black
Moonstone, Turquoise, Carnelian, Amazonite, Moss Agate
Lotus, Papyrus, Willow, Rose, Chamomile
Hippopotamus, Crocodile, Lion, Sow
The Empress, The Star, Queen Of Cups
Monday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Ostara, Beltane
Cool Water, Milk, Bread, Beer, Incense, A Sa Amulet
Taweret is the hippopotamus goddess who protects women in pregnancy and childbirth and stands at the birth house with Bes, holding the sa-amulet and a knife, pregnant herself, lion-legged and with a crocodile's tail. She has no myth cycle and no temple of her own; her power is carried on the ivory birth wands, the amulets and the household objects, and as 'Mistress of Pure Water' she also guards the dead into rebirth. In the late temple at Karnak she is one of the hippopotamus mothers of the sun, and she is not Ammit, the devourer.
Full entry →The Potter, Lord Of Elephantine, Lord Of The First Cataract, Fashioner Of Bodies, Lord Of Life, The Good Protector
Creation, Pottery, The Body And The Ka, The Nile Cataract, The Inundation, Fertility, Animals, Craft
Green, Brown, Blue, Gold
Jasper, Hematite, Turquoise, Moss Agate, Carnelian
Papyrus, Reed, Wheat, Barley, Myrrh
Ram, Bull, Goose
The Magician, The Emperor, Eight Of Pentacles
Saturday, Wednesday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent
Imbolc, Lughnasadh
Bread, Beer, Cool Water, Incense, Clay, First Fruits, Fish
Khnum is the ram-headed creator of Elephantine who fashions human bodies and their kas from clay on a potter's wheel and places them in the womb, and who regulates the inundation from the caverns of Hapi at the First Cataract. In the Famine Stela he appears to Djoser in a dream and promises the flood; at Esna he is the creator who made gods and animals, and women brought a potter's wheel to his temple in a fertility rite. His cult is early - Khufu's full name means 'Khnum is my protector'.
Full entry →Lady Of Sais, The Great Mother, The Ancient One, Lady Of The Bow, The Weaver, Mistress Of The Red Crown
Creation, War, Hunting, Weaving, The Loom, The Bow, Kingship, Funerary Protection, The Canopic Shrine
Red, White, Green, Black, Gold
Carnelian, Red Jasper, Turquoise, Bloodstone, Emerald
Papyrus, Reed, Myrrh, Sage
Bee, Serpent, Crocodile
The High Priestess, The Magician, The Chariot
Tuesday, Saturday
New Moon
Imbolc, Samhain
Bread, Beer, Wine, Incense, Red Linen, A Woven Cloth, First Fruits
Neith is the predynastic goddess of Sais in the Delta, shown with the red crown and crossed bows over a shield, a creator who existed before the world and a mother of gods - of Ra in some texts and of the crocodile Sobek in others. She is a war and hunting goddess and a patron of weaving, said to reweave the world daily on her loom, and she is one of the four goddesses who guard the coffin and the canopic shrine. Her cult at Sais and Esna lasted into the Roman period.
Full entry →Lady Of Buto, The Green One, Eye Of Ra, Protector Of The King, Lady Of The Papyrus, Mistress Of Lower Egypt, Lady Of Imet
Kingship, Protection, The Uraeus, Lower Egypt, The Papyrus, The Eye Of Ra, Nursing, The Two Ladies, Venom
Green, Red, Gold, Blue
Emerald, Malachite, Carnelian, Turquoise, Green Aventurine
Papyrus, Reed, Lotus, Myrrh
Cobra, Vulture, Ichneumon
The Emperor, Strength, The Sun
Sunday, Tuesday
Full Moon
Litha, Ostara
Bread, Beer, Wine, Incense, Green Papyrus, Milk, Cool Water
Wadjet is the cobra goddess of Buto in the Delta, the uraeus on the king's brow, the fiery Eye of Ra who spits at his enemies, and with the vulture Nekhbet one of the Two Ladies who hold the Two Lands. She is 'the green one' of the papyrus marsh, the nurse of the infant Horus at Chemmis, and the protector of the king and of women in childbirth. Her temple at Buto was famous, Greek writers called her Leto, and she is not the wedjat-eye amulet, which is Horus's eye.
Full entry →The Primeval Waters, Father Of The Gods, The Inert One, The Watery One, He Who Is In The Waters
The Primordial Waters, Chaos Before Form, Potential, The Abyss, The Ground Of Creation, The Inundation, Return
Black, Blue, Green, Silver
Lapis Lazuli, Aquamarine, Obsidian, Moonstone, Pearl
Lotus, Papyrus, Reed, Seaweed, Kelp
Frog, Serpent, Crocodile, Fish
The Fool, The High Priestess, The Moon
Monday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Yule, Samhain
Cool Water, Libation Of Water, Bread, Beer, Incense
Nun is the primordial water - the inert, formless abyss that existed before creation and out of which the benben mound and Atum rose. In the Hermopolitan Ogdoad he is the male of the pair Nun and Naunet, and from the Middle Kingdom he is 'the father of the gods'; the solar barque sails on him in the underworld. He is the substance of beginning rather than a god with a myth of his own.
Full entry →The Enemy Of Ra, Lord Of Chaos, The Great Serpent, Serpent From The Nile, The Evil Dragon
Chaos, Isfet, Opposition, The Serpent, The Dark, Dissolution, Earthquakes, The Danger Of The Night Journey
Black, Red, Green
Obsidian, Jet, Black Tourmaline, Serpentine, Onyx
Wormwood, Rue, Dragon Blood, Garlic
Serpent, Crocodile
The Tower, The Devil, Ten Of Swords
Saturday, Tuesday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain
A Wax Figurine Of The Serpent Bound And Burned, Spittle On The Written Name, Red Ink For The Execration, Trampling The Image, No Food Or Drink Is Offered
Apep is the great serpent of chaos who attacks the solar barque each night and is defeated by Ra with the help of Set and the other defenders; his movements were said to cause earthquakes and his battles storms. He is the enemy of Ma'at rather than a god with a cult, and the Egyptians fought him by ritual: the Books of Overthrowing Apep give instructions for making a wax model or a drawing of the serpent, spitting on it, mutilating it and burning it while the spells are recited.
Full entry →He Who Came Into Being, The Rising Sun, The Self-Created, Lord Of The Dawn, The Scarab
The Rising Sun, Rebirth, Becoming, Transformation, Self Creation, The Dawn, The Scarab, The Heart
Gold, Orange, Red, Black, Blue
Carnelian, Sunstone, Amber, Lapis Lazuli, Tiger Eye
Frankincense, Myrrh, Cedar, Cinnamon
Scarab Beetle, Beetle, Falcon
The Sun, The Fool, The World
Sunday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent
Ostara, Yule
Bread, Beer, Cool Water, Incense, A Scarab Of Faience
Khepri is the rising sun, the scarab-faced god who pushes the morning disk up out of the underworld as the beetle rolls its ball of dung. He is one of the three forms of the sun - Khepri at dawn, Ra at noon, Atum at evening - and the name means 'he who comes into being'; in the Amduat he takes the helm of the solar barque in the twelfth hour. The scarab amulet, including the heart scarab buried with the dead, carries his image and his promise of renewal.
Full entry →Lady Of The Cataract, The Embracer, Mistress Of Elephantine, Lady Of Sehel, The Nubian
The First Cataract, The Nile Flood, Lower Nubia, The Southern Border, Swift Water, Papyrus, Fertility, Blessing
Blue, Green, Gold, White
Aquamarine, Moss Agate, Turquoise, Pearl, Malachite
Papyrus, Reed, Lotus, Blue Lotus
Gazelle, Fish, Goose
The Star, Ace Of Cups, The Empress
Monday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Litha
Cool Water, Gold Given To The River, Bread, Beer, Fish, Lotus Flowers, Grain
Anuket is the goddess of the First Cataract and of Lower Nubia, worshipped at Elephantine and on the island of Sehel, where her temple stood and pharaohs from Sobekhotep III to Amenhotep II left dedications. She is the daughter of Khnum and Satet in the Elephantine triad, 'the Embracer' whose outstretched arms may figure the two branches of the Nile, and the flood is hers: when the river rose her festival began and the taboo on certain fish was lifted. Her name meant 'the embracer', and in the New Kingdom she was 'the Nubian'.
Full entry →Lord Of Armant, The Falcon, Horus Of The Strong Arm, Montu-Ra, Bull Of Armant, Lord Of Thebes
War, The Kings Vitality, The Bull, The Falcon, The Suns Heat, Victory, The Army, Thebes
Red, Gold, White, Black
Carnelian, Red Jasper, Falcon Eye, Sunstone, Bloodstone
Cinnamon, Dragon Blood, Myrrh, Frankincense
Falcon, Bull, Hawk, Lion
The Chariot, Strength, The Emperor
Tuesday, Sunday
Full Moon
Litha
Bread, Beer, Oxen, Fowl, Wine, Incense
Montu is the falcon war god of Armant, Thebes, Medamud and Tod, originally a manifestation of the scorching heat of Ra and later the embodiment of the king's conquering vitality. He is 'Horus of the Strong Arm', and he manifests as the Buchis, the white black-snouted bull of Armant; Montu-Ra was a supreme god in the Middle Kingdom, when the Theban kings took his name in Mentuhotep, 'Montu is satisfied'. Amun later displaced him as the god of Thebes.
Full entry →The Lotus, Lord Of Fragrance, The Beautiful One, The Youthful Sun, He Who Is At The Nose Of Ra
The Lotus, Fragrance, Perfume, Healing, The Primeval Lotus, Youth, Beauty, The First Light, Medicine
Blue, White, Green, Gold
Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Pearl, Moonstone, Blue Lace Agate
Blue Lotus, Lotus, Myrrh, Sandalwood
Lion, Falcon
The Star, Temperance, The Lovers
Friday, Monday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Ostara, Beltane
Lotus Flowers, Blue Lotus, Incense, Unguents, Honey, Wine, Bread
Nefertem is the blue lotus that rose out of the primeval waters, the first sunlight and the fragrance of the flower, and the beautiful youth who is the son of Ptah and, in the Memphite triad, of Sekhmet - or of Bastet in other texts. He is shown as a young man with a lotus on his head, or lion-headed with a falcon and a lotus above him, and he is 'the lotus at the nose of Ra', the smell of the flower that revives the sun and the dead. He is a god of healing and of the perfumer's craft.
Full entry →The Child Of Hathor, Lord Of The Sistrum, The Joy Of The Instrument, Beautiful Child Of Dendera, The Young Musician
Music, Joy, Childhood, The Sistrum, Dance, Festivity, The Sacred Instrument, Praise
Gold, Turquoise, White
Turquoise, Carnelian, Gold, Lapis Lazuli
Lotus, Papyrus, Saffron, Myrrh
Calf, Cow
The Sun, Three Of Cups, Page Of Cups
Friday, Sunday
Waxing Crescent, First Quarter
Ostara, Litha
Music Played Aloud, Sistrum And Rattle, Milk, Honey, Fresh Flowers, Dance, Childlike Play
Ihy is the child god of the sistrum: his name is the sound of the instrument itself, and he is shown as a naked child with the sidelock of youth, shaking the sistrum and holding the menat necklace. In the Ptolemaic and Roman temple texts of Dendera he is the child of Hathor and Horus of Edfu, and the festival of Ihy was the occasion on which Hathor's image travelled to Edfu. Egyptian sources say little else about him: he is the joy of the instrument in person, the child who makes the festival.
Full entry →The Lion, Lord Of The Slaughter, He Who Is True Beside Her, The Great Lion, Son Of Bastet, Protector Of The Sun Barque
War, Protection, The Lion, Righteous Fury, Vengeance, The Heat Of The Sun, Guardianship, The Devouring Of Chaos
Red, Gold, Black
Red Jasper, Carnelian, Garnet, Bloodstone
Cinnamon, Clove, Frankincense, Lotus
Lion, Lioness, Cat
Strength, The Chariot, Five Of Wands
Tuesday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous
Beltane, Litha
Red Wine, Cinnamon Incense, Carnelian, Acts Of Fierce Protection, Standing Between The Predator And The Prey, Lion Imagery
Maahes is the lion-headed god of war whose name means 'he who is true beside her' and who is the son of Ptah and of the feline goddess — Bastet at Bubastis, Sekhmet at Leontopolis — sharing their lion nature. His cult centred on Taremu (Greek Leontopolis) in the Delta and on Per-Bast, and he is shown with a knife and a lotus and called the protector of the sun barque who devours the enemies of order. His mythology survives largely as epithet and iconography rather than as narrative: the lion who guards the god and the king.
Full entry →Lady Of The Fertile Land, The Nourisher, Lady Of Harvests, She Who Rears, Mistress Of The Good Name, Lady Of Terenuthis
Harvest, Grain, Nourishment, Nursing, Fortune, The Good Name, The Cobra Protection, Birth, Plenty
Green, Gold, Copper
Emerald, Green Aventurine, Carnelian, Turquoise
Wheat, Barley, Grapes, Papyrus
Cobra, Snake, Goose
The Empress, Nine Of Pentacles, Ace Of Pentacles
Friday, Monday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Lughnasadh, Mabon
First Fruits, Grain, Bread, Beer, Milk, Grapes, The Speaking Of A Child Name, Acts Of Feeding People
Renenutet is the cobra goddess of grain and nourishment, whose name means 'she who rears', depicted as a cobra or as a woman with a cobra's head, and worshipped above all at Terenuthis in the western Delta. She nurses the child — in some texts the young king or Horus — and grants the 'good name' and good fortune, and the harvest festival in her name was one of the popular festivals of the Egyptian year. In the Greco-Roman period she is paired with Sobek and with the Agathodaimon serpent in the Fayum, and appears as Isis-Thermuthis.
Full entry →That Which Is Ordained, The Apportioner, Lord Of Fate, The Share Assigned
Fate, Destiny, The Allotted Portion, Fortune, The Moment Of Birth, The Decree, Prosperity
Grey, Black, Gold
Smoky Quartz, Onyx, Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz
Mugwort, Yarrow, Vervain, Myrrh
Owl, Swallow
Wheel Of Fortune, Justice, The Hermit
Saturday
New Moon, Last Quarter
Samhain, Mabon
Bread, Water, Beer, Incense, A Written Account Of Your Own Portion, Acceptance Of What Cannot Be Changed
Shai is the deification of fate — of what has been ordained — and his name means '(that which is) ordained'; he is a force as much as a person, and Egyptian texts speak as readily of 'a man's shai' as of the god. He appears in literary, wisdom and funerary texts from the Middle Kingdom onward, and most fully in Demotic and Greco-Roman material, as the portion allotted at birth and the destiny a person must live out; he can be feminine, Shait. In the Greco-Roman period he is identified with the Agathodaimon, the 'good spirit' of Greek and Demotic religion.
Full entry →The Opener Of The Ways, Lord Of Asyut, The Scout, Foremost Of The Divine Barque, He Who Goes Before The King
Opening The Way, Roads, Borders, War, Scouting, Funerary Rites, The Vanguard, The Guidance Of The Dead, The Standard
White, Grey, Red
Onyx, Hematite, Smoky Quartz, Black Tourmaline
Juniper, Cedar, Myrrh, Sage
Jackal, Wolf, Dog
The Chariot, The Fool, Six Of Swords
Tuesday, Wednesday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent
Yule, Ostara
Incense, Bread, Beer, The First Step Of A Journey, Clearing An Actual Path, Standing At The Front
Wepwawet means 'opener of the ways' and he is the jackal — or, to the Greeks, wolf — god of Asyut in Upper Egypt, shown on the first standard of the royal procession and at the prow of the sun barque, clearing the road for the king and for Ra. In the Osiris mysteries at Abydos he goes before the god, and that role in the funeral procession makes him a guide of the dead as well as a scout for the living. An inscription in the Sinai records that he 'opens the way' for King Sekhemkhet's victory, and his standard led the procession in life and in the funeral.
Full entry →Lord Of The East, Lord Of The Eastern Desert, The Falcon, Lord Of The Foreign Lands, Husband Of Khensit
The Eastern Border, The Desert, Turquoise And Copper, The Eastern Horizon, Protection From The East, Mining, The Sky
Red, Gold, Turquoise, Brown
Turquoise, Malachite, Carnelian, Gold
Frankincense, Juniper, Thyme, Myrrh
Falcon, Hawk
The Sun, The Chariot, Ace Of Wands
Sunday, Tuesday
Waxing Crescent, First Quarter
Ostara, Litha
Turquoise, Malachite, Frankincense, Bread, Beer, The First Light Of Dawn
Sopdu is the falcon god of the sky and of the eastern border regions, 'Lord of the East', whose cult centred on Per-Sopdu in the Delta and whose protection was sought in the Sinai mining country; he is the husband of Khensit. He is attested from the Old Kingdom, and Middle and New Kingdom inscriptions in the eastern desert invoke him as the guardian of Egypt's frontier against the Asiatics. His name is close to, but not the same as, that of Sopdet (Sirius), the star goddess, with whom he is constantly confused in modern lists.
Full entry →Lord Of Djedu, He Of Busiris, The Ancient One Of The Ninth Nome, Bearer Of The Crook And Flail
Kingship, The Crook And Flail, The Afterlife, Resurrection, The Fertility Of The Land, The Ancestral Dead
Black, Green, Gold
Obsidian, Jet, Green Aventurine, Gold
Wheat, Cedar, Myrrh, Frankincense
Bull, Ram
The Emperor, Death, Judgement
Thursday, Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Yule
Grain, Beer, Bread, Incense, Honouring The Ancestors, A First Harvest Sheaf
Andjety is one of the oldest Egyptian gods, the local god of Andjet — Djedu, which the Greeks called Busiris — in the ninth nome of Lower Egypt, shown with the crook and flail and the tall feathered crown that became the atef. Osiris absorbed him almost completely: by the Pyramid Texts of the later Old Kingdom Osiris is called 'Lord of Djedu' and wears Andjety's regalia, so that Andjety survives chiefly as the ancestor of Osiris's iconography. The Pyramid Texts also identify the dead king with Andjety in his ascent, which shows how old the claim is; the myth that went with him does not survive.
Full entry →She Who Sacrifices, The Lioness Of Esna, The Slaughterer, Lady Of Latopolis
War, The Slaughter Of The Enemy, Protection, Lioness Ferocity, The Southern Border, Motherhood, The Heat Of The Sun
Red, Gold, Black
Carnelian, Red Jasper, Garnet, Bloodstone
Cinnamon, Clove, Myrrh, Frankincense
Lioness, Lion
Strength, Queen Of Wands, The Chariot
Tuesday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous
Beltane, Litha
Red Wine, Cinnamon Incense, Acts Of Defence, Protecting The Household, Lioness Imagery
Menhit is a lioness war goddess who came into Egypt from Nubia, and her name means 'she who sacrifices' or 'she who massacres'. Her main Egyptian cult was at Esna (Greek Latopolis), where the Ptolemaic and Roman temple decoration makes her the consort of Khnum and the mother of Heka, and where she is a solar and tutelary goddess as well as a fighter. She is one of the many lioness deities — with Sekhmet, Bastet, Mut and Neith — with whom late Egyptian religion increasingly identified her.
Full entry →Lady Of The West, She Of The West, The Western Land, Mistress Of The Necropolis, The Welcomer
The West, The Necropolis, Death, The Welcome Of The Dead, The Setting Sun, The Tomb, The Threshold Of The Otherworld
Black, Gold, White
Obsidian, Jet, Onyx, Clear Quartz
Myrrh, Frankincense, Cypress, Lotus
Cow, Hawk
Death, The Moon, The Star
Saturday, Monday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
Samhain, Mabon
Cool Water, Bread, Beer, Incense, Honouring The Dead, A Place Set At The Table, The Naming Of The Dead Aloud
Imentet is the personification of the west — the land of the dead, where the sun sets — and her name is simply 'the West'; she is shown as a woman wearing the west hieroglyph on her head, standing at the edge of the tomb to receive the dead. She appears in New Kingdom tomb and coffin decoration and in the Books of the Underworld, welcoming the deceased and the setting sun, and in the Book of the Dead she is among the goddesses who greet the justified dead. She was early absorbed into Hathor and Isis, both of whom carry the title 'Lady of the West', so that most of her later appearances are as an aspect of one of them.
Full entry →Lord Of Eternity, He Of The Million Years, The Support Of The Sky, The Infinite, One Of The Ogdoad
Eternity, Infinity, The Number Million, Long Life, The Support Of The Sky, The Primordial Flood, Endurance
Blue, Black, Gold
Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz, Labradorite, Selenite
Lotus, Papyrus, Reed, Myrrh
Frog, Serpent
The World, Wheel Of Fortune, The Star
Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Yule, Samhain
Water, Incense, Bread, Beer, The Keeping Of A Long Vow, A Counting Of Years
Heh is the personification of infinity and eternity, one of the four male gods of the Ogdoad of Hermopolis, and his name originally meant 'flood' — the boundless water of Nun out of which the world was made. He is shown as a frog-headed man, or as a man carrying the notched palm rib that is the hieroglyph for 'a million years', and he and his female counterpart Hauhet (Hehet) support the sky. In the Book of the Dead and the Books of the Underworld he holds up the heavens and grants the king 'millions of years', and the kneeling Heh with his palm ribs was carved on royal furniture and amulets as a wish for countless years.
Full entry →Allfather, The Wanderer, Lord Of The Hanged, Master Of Runes, The One-Eyed, God Of War And Wisdom
Wisdom, War, Death, Poetry, Magic, Runes, Sacrifice For Knowledge, Shapeshifting
Grey, Blue, Black, Gold
Opal, Sapphire, Onyx, Jet
Mugwort, Wormwood, Ash, Yew
Raven, Wolf, Horse Sleipnir
The Hermit, The Hanged Man, The Magician
Wednesday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
Yule, Samhain
Mead, Poetry, Acts Of Seeking Wisdom, Sacrifice For Knowledge, Feeding Ravens, Writing Runes
Norse god who sacrificed his eye for wisdom, hung on Yggdrasil nine nights to gain runes. God of war, death, poetry, magic. Gathers einherjar in Valhalla. Wanderer in disguise seeking knowledge. Willing to sacrifice anything for wisdom.
Full entry →Lady Of The Vanir, Mistress Of Seidr, Chooser Of The Slain, Goddess Of Love And War, Owner Of Brisingamen
Love, Sexuality, Fertility, War, Death, Magic Seidr, Wealth, Sovereignty
Gold, Red, Green, Amber
Amber, Garnet, Emerald, Carnelian
Rose, Strawberry, Primrose, Birch
Cat, Boar, Falcon
The Empress, Strength, Queen Of Wands
Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Beltane, Litha
Mead, Honey, Amber, Gold, Strawberries, Acts Of Pleasure, Practicing Seidr Magic
Norse goddess of love, beauty, fertility, AND war, death, magic. Receives half the battle-slain in her hall Folkvangr. Taught Odin seidr magic. Owns Brisingamen necklace. Both lover and warrior—refuses to be only one.
Full entry →Queen Of Helheim, Ruler Of The Dishonored Dead, The Half-Corpse, She Who Holds The Forgotten
Death, Underworld, Dishonored Dead, Sovereignty Through Rejection, Necessary Darkness, Holding What Others Abandon
Black, White, Grey, Ice Blue
Jet, Obsidian, Hematite, Black Tourmaline
Yew, Elder, Hellebore, Nightshade
Hound, Wolf, Serpent
Death, The Devil, Five Of Pentacles
Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Yule
Dark Beer, Bread, Bones, Honoring The Forgotten Dead, Acts For Outcasts, Sitting With What Others Abandon
Norse goddess, daughter of Loki, cast into underworld by Odin to rule the dishonored dead. Half her body living, half corpse. Rules those who died of sickness, old age, not in battle—the 'unworthy' deaths. Made sovereign over what others rejected. Refused to release Baldr.
Full entry →The Trickster, Father Of Monsters, Shape Shifter, Necessary Chaos, Breaker Of Oaths
Chaos, Trickery, Change, Shapeshifting, Necessary Disruption, Breaking Stagnation, Cunning
Red, Orange, Green, Shifting Colors
Carnelian, Fire Opal, Labradorite, Moldavite
Mistletoe, Dandelion, Nettle, Fly Agaric
Serpent, Salmon, Fly, Mare
The Fool, The Magician, The Tower
Wednesday, Saturday
Waxing Crescent, New Moon
Samhain
Alcohol, Candy, Toys, Acts Of Clever Disruption, Jokes That Reveal Truth, Breaking Stagnant Patterns, Anything Unexpected
Norse trickster god, blood brother to Odin. Father of Hel, Fenrir, Jormungandr. Shapeshifter, gender-fluid (gave birth to Sleipnir as mare). Causes Ragnarok through necessary chaos. Neither good nor evil—catalyst for change. Bound and punished but essential to cosmic function.
Full entry →God Of Thunder, Protector Of Mankind, Wielder Of Mjolnir, Defender Of Asgard, The Thunderer, Friend Of The Common Folk
Thunder, Lightning, Protection, Strength, Courage, Fertility, Hallowing, Defense Against Chaos
Red, Silver, Blue, Electric White
Thunderegg, Hematite, Red Jasper, Blue Lace Agate
Oak, Thistle, Rowan, Houseleek, Vervain
Goat, Eagle, Bear
Strength, The Chariot, King Of Wands
Thursday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Litha
Mead, Beer, Bread, Meat, Iron, Acts Of Protection, Defending The Vulnerable, Physical Strength Training
Norse god of thunder, son of Odin, most popular among common folk. Protector of both gods and humans against giants and chaos. Wields Mjolnir, his mighty hammer, which hallows and protects. Known for immense strength, courage, and straightforward nature. Unlike many sky gods, Thor is accessible, relatable, and deeply beloved—a working god for working people. Super popular in modern Norse practice.
Full entry →The One-Handed, God Of Justice, Lord Of The Thing, Oath-Keeper
Justice, Law, Oaths, War, Sacrifice, Courage, The Assembly, Honour
Blue, Grey, Red
Hematite, Pyrite, Clear Quartz, Bloodstone
Oak, Nettle, Yarrow, Thistle
Wolf, Eagle, Hound
Justice, The Emperor, Five Of Swords
Tuesday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Yule, Samhain
Ale, Mead, Oaths Kept, Iron, Bread
Tyr is the Norse god of law, justice and the assembly, who put his hand in the wolf Fenrir's mouth as surety for a binding that could not hold him. When the wolf was bound, the hand was lost. He is the god who pays the price of the rule he upholds.
Full entry →Lord Of The Vanir, God Of Peace And Plenty, Rider Of Gullinbursti
Fertility, Peace, Prosperity, Harvest, Kingship, The Boar, Rain, Sunlight
Gold, Green, Brown
Amber, Citrine, Sunstone, Moss Agate, Golden Topaz
Wheat, Barley, Oak, Mistletoe
Boar, Horse, Stag
The Emperor, The Sun, King Of Pentacles
Friday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Yule, Litha
Bread, Ale, Boar Meat, Grain, Horses
Freyr is the Vanir god of fertility, peace and the harvest, who rules the rain and the sunlight and owns the ship Skidbladnir and the boar Gullinbursti. He gives away his sword for love of the giantess Gerd, which is why he is unarmed at Ragnarok.
Full entry →The Bright, The Beautiful, The Slain God, Lord Of Light
Light, Beauty, Innocence, Death And Return, Peace, Purity, Foretelling
White, Gold, Green
Clear Quartz, Sunstone, Selenite, Moonstone
Mistletoe, Chamomile, Lavender
Dove, Swan, Deer
The Sun, The Hanged Man, The Star
Sunday
Full Moon, New Moon
Yule, Litha
White Flowers, Mistletoe, Mead, Light
Baldur is the Norse god of light and beauty, invulnerable to everything except the mistletoe that Loki turned into a dart. His death is the first sign of Ragnarok, and his return is the first sign of the world after it — the god who comes back when everything else has ended.
Full entry →Queen Of Asgard, Lady Of The Hall, She Who Knows All Fates
Marriage, Motherhood, Fate, Weaving, Foreknowledge, The Household, Spinning
Yellow, White, Pale Blue
Moonstone, Pearl, Selenite, Clear Quartz, Amethyst
Mugwort, Lavender, Willow, Chamomile
Owl, Hare, Crab
The High Priestess, The Empress, The Star
Friday
Full Moon, New Moon
Yule, Ostara
Incense, Honey, Flowers, Written Words
Frigg is the Norse queen of Asgard, who knows every fate and tells no one - not even Odin, who has to hang on a tree to learn what she already carries. Her hall is Fensalir, her craft is spinning, and her grief for Baldur is the first crack in the world.
Full entry →Lord Of The Sea, God Of Wealth, Keeper Of The Harbours
The Sea, Seafaring, Wealth, Harbours, Fishing, Trade, The Wind
Blue, Silver, White
Aquamarine, Pearl, Larimar, Moonstone, Abalone
Seaweed, Kelp, Rosemary, Sage
Dolphin, Seal, Fish
Ace Of Cups, The Chariot, Ten Of Pentacles
Monday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Litha, Mabon
Water, Milk, Flowers, Fish
Njord is the Vanir god of the sea and of wealth, who came to Asgard as a hostage and stayed, and whose marriage to the giantess Skadi fails because neither will leave home. He is the harbour rather than the storm: the safe return and the profit that follows it.
Full entry →The Sun, Lady Of The Day, Driver Of The Chariot
The Sun, The Day, Light, Time, Warmth, Protection From Wolves
Red, Gold, Orange
Sunstone, Citrine, Amber, Golden Topaz, Clear Quartz
St Johns Wort, Bay Leaf, Sunflower, Frankincense
Horse, Eagle, Rooster
The Sun, Strength, The Chariot
Sunday
Full Moon
Litha, Yule
Fire, Wine, Incense, Meat
Sunna is the Norse sun, who drives the chariot of the day ahead of the wolf Skoll and does not stop until the world ends. She is the light as a daily act of endurance rather than a throne.
Full entry →The Moon, Counter Of The Nights, Brother Of The Sun
The Moon, The Night, Time, Counting, The Tides, Sleep, Cycles
Blue, Silver, White
Moonstone, Selenite, Pearl, Labradorite, Obsidian
Mugwort, Poppy, Lavender, Chamomile
Owl, Hare, Crab
The Moon, The Star, Temperance
Monday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Yule, Samhain
Water, Milk, Flowers, Fish
Mani is the Norse moon who guides the months and counts the nights, chased in turn by the wolf Hati. He takes two children from the earth to carry the moon's light, which is where the marks on the moon come from.
Full entry →Keeper Of The Apples, Lady Of Youth, The Renewing One
Youth, Renewal, Apples, Vitality, Memory, The Golden Age, Healing
Green, Brown, Black
Jade, Moss Agate, Amber, Citrine, Rose Quartz
Apple, Apple Blossom, Mugwort, Sage
Dove, Swan, Sparrow
The Star, The Empress, Nine Of Pentacles
Friday
Waxing Gibbous, First Quarter
Ostara, Litha
Grain, Bread, Water, First Fruits
Idun keeps the apples that keep the gods young, and when Loki lets her be carried off by the giant Thjazi the gods age in a single season until she is brought back. She is renewal held in trust: without her, everything that is old shows it at once.
Full entry →Lady Of The Golden Hair, Wife Of Thunder, Goddess Of The Harvest Field
The Harvest, Marriage, Fidelity, The Field, Gold, Growth
Green, Brown, Black
Golden Topaz, Amber, Citrine, Sunstone, Jasper
Wheat, Barley, Clover, Sage
Dove, Swan, Sparrow
The Empress, Nine Of Pentacles, The Sun
Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Lughnasadh, Litha
Grain, Bread, Water, First Fruits
Sif is Thor's wife, whose golden hair is cut by Loki as a prank and replaced by the dwarves with hair of real gold that grows. She is the harvest field: the thing that is damaged, repaired, and still grows.
Full entry →The World Serpent, The Encircler, Thor'S Bane
The Sea, Encircling, The Boundary, Fate, The Deep, Cycles, Ends
Blue, Silver, White
Obsidian, Black Tourmaline, Jet, Labradorite, Salt
Seaweed, Kelp, Asphodel, Mugwort
Dolphin, Seal, Fish
The World, Wheel Of Fortune, The Tower
Monday
New Moon, Full Moon
Samhain, Yule
Water, Milk, Flowers, Fish
Jormungandr is the serpent Loki's child, thrown into the sea by Odin, who grows until he circles the whole world and bites his own tail. He and Thor kill each other at Ragnarok, and his body is the boundary of everything that is.
Full entry →Mother Earth Of The North, Lady Of The Wagon, The Hidden One
The Earth, Fertility, Peace, The Wagon, The Grove, The Hidden, The Harvest
Green, Brown, Black
Moss Agate, Jade, Amber, Aventurine, Jasper
Oak, Wheat, Mugwort, Fern
Cow, Bull, Serpent
The Empress, The World, Nine Of Pentacles
Saturday
Full Moon, New Moon
Beltane, Mabon
Grain, Bread, Water, First Fruits
Nerthus is the earth mother of the northern tribes, kept in a sacred grove and carried in a covered wagon among her people once a year, after which the wagon, the grove and the slaves who washed her are drowned. Tacitus records her as the mother of the whole people, and her peace holds while she travels.
Full entry →Lady Of The Drowned, The Net, Wife Of The Sea
The Sea, Drowning, The Deep, Fishing Nets, The Dead At Sea, Greed, The Undertow
Blue, Silver, White
Pearl, Abalone, Mother Of Pearl, Labradorite, Obsidian
Seaweed, Kelp, Asphodel, Rosemary
Dolphin, Seal, Fish
The Moon, Death, The Hanged Man
Monday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Mabon
Water, Milk, Flowers, Fish
Ran is the Norse sea goddess who owns a net and takes the drowned to her hall beneath the waves, where they are feasted rather than punished. She is the sea's cold appetite: not evil, simply not negotiable.
Full entry →The Smith, Lord Of The Forge, Master Of The Wing
Smithcraft, The Forge, Craft, Revenge, Flight, Metal, Making
Red, Gold, Orange
Hematite, Pyrite, Magnetite, Obsidian, Lava Stone
Nettle, Thistle, Oak, Mugwort
Salamander, Boar, Bull
The Magician, The Tower, Eight Of Pentacles
Tuesday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Litha
Fire, Wine, Incense, Meat
Wayland is the smith of Germanic legend, hamstrung by king Nidud and forced to work, who kills the king's sons and makes their skulls into goblets before flying away on wings he forged himself. He is the craft as a form of revenge and escape.
Full entry →Lady Of The Slain, Chooser Of The Fallen, She Who Takes Half
War, The Slain, Seidr, Falconry, Sovereignty, Battle Magic, The Choosing
Red, Gold, Orange
Garnet, Carnelian, Amber, Ruby, Hematite
Nettle, Yarrow, Elder, Sage
Wolf, Boar, Vulture
Strength, The Chariot, Queen Of Wands
Friday
New Moon, Full Moon
Samhain, Litha
Fire, Wine, Incense, Meat
Freya the Warrior is Freyja in her battle aspect, who takes half the slain for Folkvangr and who taught seidr to the gods. She is kept as her own form because the magic and the war are read as a different working from the goddess of love and gold; this is a modern devotional aspect-form, not an attested separate goddess or ancient cult.
Full entry →Ski Goddess, Lady Of Thrymheim, The Bow-Woman, Shining Bride Of The Gods
Winter, Skiing, Bowhunting, Mountains, Snow, Independence, Vengeance, The Wild
White, Grey, Blue, Black
Obsidian, Jet, Snow Quartz, Clear Quartz, Black Tourmaline
Pine, Juniper, Yew, Birch, Moss
Wolf, Eagle, Bear, Elk
The Hermit, Queen Of Swords, The Hanged Man
Saturday
New Moon, Last Quarter
Yule, Samhain
Cold Water, Salt, Meat, Bread, Mead
Skadi comes armed to Asgard to avenge her father, the giant Thjazi, and accepts compensation instead: she may choose a husband by looking only at feet, and picks Njord, mistaking him for Baldr (Skaldskaparmal 56). The marriage fails over place - nine nights in her father's Thrymheimr against nine at his Noatun - and she goes back to the mountains to hunt on skis with a bow (Gylfaginning 23). She is the one who fastens the venomous serpent over the bound Loki (Gylfaginning 51; the prose close of Lokasenna).
Full entry →The Glorious One, Lord Of The Yew Dales, Winter'S Archer, He Of The Oath-Ring
Winter, Snow, Archery, Skiing, Single Combat, Oaths, Glory, The Hunt
White, Silver, Green
Clear Quartz, Snow Quartz, Moonstone, Amber
Yew, Juniper, Pine, Birch
Elk, Eagle, Wolf
The Chariot, The Fool, Knight Of Wands
Tuesday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Yule, Ostara
Ale, Bread, Arrows, Oaths Kept
Ullr is Sif's son and Thor's stepson; Gylfaginning 31 says he is such an archer and skier that no one can rival him, beautiful to look at and with a warrior's bearing, and that it is good to call on him in single combat. Grímnismál gives him Ydalir, the yew dales, a name that points to the bow because yew was the bow-wood. Atlakvida has oaths sworn at Ullr's ring, and Saxo's Gesta Danorum euhemerizes him as Ollerus, a wizard who rules in Odin's place for ten years.
Full entry →God Of Poetry, The Skald Of Asgard, Gold-Tongued, Bearer Of The Mead
Poetry, Eloquence, Skaldcraft, Speech, Praise, Memory, Inspiration
Gold, Silver, Blue
Amber, Carnelian, Lapis Lazuli, Sodalite
Mugwort, Sage, Mint, Meadowsweet
Raven, Swan, Swallow
The Magician, The Star, Ace Of Cups
Wednesday
Waxing Gibbous, First Quarter
Litha, Imbolc
Mead, Ale, Poetry, Honey
Snorri makes Bragi the god of poetry (Gylfaginning 26): son of Odin, famous for wisdom and eloquence and fair speech, and the husband of Idun. In Skaldskaparmal it is Bragi who tells the myths to Aegir, and in Lokasenna Loki mocks him as brave on the bench and backward in a fight. His name is the ordinary Old Norse word for a poem (bragr), which is why a poet can be called Bragi.
Full entry →The Watchman, Whitest Of The Gods, Guardian Of Bifrost, Lord Of Himinbjorg
Watchfulness, The Threshold, Sight, Hearing, Foreknowledge, The Sky, Beginnings, Order
White, Gold, Silver
Clear Quartz, Hawk Eye, Lapis Lazuli, Selenite
Juniper, Thyme, Sage, Ash
Ram, Horse, Eagle
The Hierophant, Judgement, King Of Swords
Sunday
Full Moon, First Quarter
Yule, Ostara
Ale, Bread, Salt, Incense
Heimdall keeps watch at Himinbjorg, where the burning bridge Bifrost meets the sky: Gylfaginning 27 says he needs less sleep than a bird, sees a hundred leagues by night as well as by day, and hears grass grow and wool on sheep. He owns the Gjallarhorn, is called the whitest of the gods and golden-toothed, and Hyndluljod makes him the son of nine sisters. At Ragnarok he sounds the horn, and he and Loki kill each other (Gylfaginning 51).
Full entry →The Silent God, He Who Avenges, Lord Of The Wood, The Strong-Shoed
Silence, Vengeance, Endurance, The Forest, Survival, Loyalty, The Wild
Black, Grey, Brown, Green
Obsidian, Jet, Smoky Quartz, Hematite
Yew, Ash, Oak, Moss, Fern
Wolf, Bear, Owl
Strength, Justice, King Of Swords
Saturday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
Yule, Samhain
Leather, Water, Bread, Ale
Vidar is Odin's son by the giantess Grid, called the silent As, and Gylfaginning 29 says the gods trust him in every danger. He wears the thick-soled shoe pieced together from the leather scraps of every shoemaker for ages, and at Ragnarok he sets that foot on Fenrir's lower jaw, tears the wolf's mouth apart and drives a sword into his heart (Gylfaginning 51; Voluspa). He survives the burning of the world and lives on in Vidi (Grímnismál).
Full entry →The Judge, Lord Of Glitnir, He Who Reconciles, The Seat Of Settlement
Justice, Reconciliation, Law, Peace, Arbitration, Truth, Counsel
Gold, White, Blue
Golden Calcite, Citrine, Sunstone, Clear Quartz, Jade
Sage, Rosemary, Meadowsweet, Bay Leaf
Eagle, Dove, Deer
Justice, The Emperor, The Hierophant
Thursday
Full Moon, First Quarter
Mabon, Ostara
Mead, Honey, Bread, Oaths Kept, Incense
Forseti is the son of Baldr and Nanna, and Gylfaginning 32 gives him the hall Glitnir, roofed with gold and silver, where he sits as judge: all who come to him with lawsuits go away reconciled, and he is the best of judges among gods and men. Grímnismál knows the hall and nothing else, and no narrative of him survives.
Full entry →Best Of Physicians, The Healer, Maiden Of Lyfjaberg, The Merciful
Healing, Medicine, Herbs, Mercy, Protection, Childbirth, The Sickroom
White, Green, Pale Blue
Moonstone, Clear Quartz, Amazonite, Jade, Green Aventurine
Comfrey, Calendula, Yarrow, Chamomile, Sage
Dove, Deer, Swan
Temperance, The Star, Ace Of Cups
Monday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Imbolc, Ostara
Water, Milk, Honey, Healing Herbs
Gylfaginning 35 names Eir third among the asynjur and says only that she is an extremely good physician; Skaldskaparmal 75 lists her among the valkyries instead. In Fjolsvinnsmal she is one of the nine maidens who sit with Menglod on Lyfjaberg, the healing hill, and the poem says that those who make offerings to them are guarded from sickness and peril.
Full entry →The Bowl-Bearer, She Who Stays, The Faithful, Wife Of The Bound God
Fidelity, Endurance, Devotion, Grief, Protection, The Vigil, Mercy
White, Blue, Silver
Pearl, Moonstone, Rose Quartz, Amber
Yarrow, Willow, Chamomile, Rose
Serpent, Dove, Swan
Queen Of Cups, Strength, The Hanged Man
Friday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous
Samhain, Yule
Water, Milk, Flowers, Incense
Sigyn is Loki's wife. When the gods bind him with the entrails of his son Nari and set Skadi's serpent over his face, she stands beside him with a bowl and catches the venom, and only when she must empty it does it fall on him and make the earth shake (Gylfaginning 50; the prose close of Lokasenna). That is nearly all the record gives: no myth of her own, and passing notice in the Prose Edda's kennings.
Full entry →The Grief-Bringer, She Who Bodes Harm, Mother Of Monsters, The Giantess Of Jotunheim
Shadow, Grief, The Wild, Monstrosity, Inheritance, The Outsider, Endings
Black, Red, Brown
Obsidian, Bloodstone, Garnet, Onyx, Jet
Wormwood, Henbane, Blackthorn, Yew
Wolf, Serpent, Raven
The Devil, The Moon, The Empress
Tuesday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Yule
Salt, Water, Bread, Ashes
Angrboda, the one who brings grief, is the giantess whom Gylfaginning 34 makes Loki's mate in Jotunheim and the mother of three: Fenrir, Jormungandr and Hel. Hyndluljod names her once as the mother of Fenrir by Loki; she has no myth of her own and no cult.
Full entry →The Great Wolf, The Bound One, Odin'S Bane, Son Of Loki
The Bound, Appetite, Destruction, Liberation, The End, Fear, The Uncontainable
Black, Red, Grey
Garnet, Bloodstone, Obsidian, Black Tourmaline, Onyx
Wormwood, Blackthorn, Henbane, Yew
Wolf, Raven, Hound
The Devil, The Tower, Ten Of Swords
Tuesday
New Moon, Full Moon
Samhain, Yule
Salt, Iron, Ashes
Fenrir is Loki's wolf-son by Angrboda, raised in Asgard until the gods' fear wins and they bind him with the dwarves' fetter Gleipnir, Tyr losing his right hand in the bargain (Gylfaginning 34). He breaks free at Ragnarok, swallows Odin, and is killed by Vidar (Gylfaginning 51; Voluspa).
Full entry →The Root-Gnawer, Dragon Of Niflheim, The Corpse-Biter, Gnawer At The Root
Decay, The Root, The Underworld, The Dead, Entropy, The Serpent, What Rots
Black, Green, Brown
Jet, Obsidian, Onyx, Coal, Hematite
Yew, Wormwood, Moss, Hemlock
Serpent, Eagle, Squirrel
The Devil, The Moon, Ten Of Swords
Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Yule
Salt, Ash, Cool Water
Nidhogg is the dragon at the root of Yggdrasil, gnawing it from below in Grímnismál and Gylfaginning 15, while the squirrel Ratatosk carries insults between him and the eagle at the tree's crown. Voluspa puts him at Nastrond, sucking the corpses of the dead, and sees him flying up from Nidafjoll with bodies in his feathers after the world has burned (Voluspa).
Full entry →Lord Of The Sea, The Brewer, Host Of The Gods, The Deep Hall
The Sea, Brewing, Hospitality, The Feast, The Deep, Tides, Wealth
Blue, Green, Silver
Aquamarine, Pearl, Coral, Blue Lace Agate, Salt
Seaweed, Kelp, Dulse, Mugwort
Whale, Seal, Fish
Ace Of Cups, King Of Cups, The World
Monday
Full Moon, New Moon
Litha, Mabon
Ale, Mead, Salt Water, Bread, Coins Thrown To Sea
Aegir is the sea, a giant who keeps a hall beneath the waves and hosts the gods at the feast where Loki's flyting happens (Lokasenna). He brews for them, and Thor has to fetch the giant Hymir's cauldron before there is ale enough for all (Hymiskvida); his wife is Ran and their nine daughters are the waves.
Full entry →Keeper Of The Well, The Wise One, Counselor Of Odin, The Speaking Head
Wisdom, Counsel, Memory, Oracle, The Well, Sacrifice For Knowledge, The Deep
Blue, Black, Silver
Amethyst, Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz, Sodalite
Mugwort, Sage, Ash, Yew, Wormwood
Raven, Owl, Eagle
The Hermit, The High Priestess, The Magician
Wednesday
New Moon, First Quarter
Samhain, Imbolc
Water, Mead, Silver, Incense
Mimir is the wise being whose well, Mimsbrunnr, lies under the root of Yggdrasil, and Odin leaves an eye there as the pledge for its wisdom (Voluspa; Gylfaginning 15). In the war between the Aesir and the Vanir he is sent as a hostage and beheaded, and Odin keeps the head, which speaks and gives him counsel (Ynglinga saga).
Full entry →The Earth, Mother Of Thor, The Ground Itself, The Wide One
The Earth, Fertility, Steadiness, The Ground, The Harvest, The Land, Motherhood
Green, Brown, Black
Moss Agate, Jade, Granite, Aventurine, Hematite
Oak, Wheat, Barley, Mugwort, Fern
Cow, Bear, Serpent
The Empress, The World, Nine Of Pentacles
Saturday
Full Moon, New Moon
Beltane, Mabon
Grain, Bread, Water, Milk
Jord is the earth herself, named as a goddess: the Prose Edda makes her Thor's mother by Odin, and the skaldic kennings call him Jord's son. The sources also name her Fjorgyn and Hlodyn, and her name is used throughout skaldic poetry simply as the word for land, so that the goddess and the ground are the same term.
Full entry →The Eldest Norn, Lady Of The Well, What Has Come To Pass, Keeper Of The Thread
Fate, The Past, Necessity, The Well, Memory, Time, The Thread
Grey, Black, Blue
Labradorite, Amethyst, Clear Quartz, Smoky Quartz
Yarrow, Mugwort, Ash, Yew
Raven, Owl, Swan
Wheel Of Fortune, The High Priestess, The Moon
Monday
New Moon, Last Quarter
Samhain, Yule
Water, Milk, Bread, Thread
Urd is one of the three Norns who come from the hall beneath Yggdrasil - Urd, Verdandi and Skuld - and decide the fates of people (Voluspa 20; Gylfaginning 15). They water the world tree from Urdarbrunnr, the well that carries her name, and the sources add that there are other norns as well, of different origins. Her name is the past tense of the verb to become: that which has come to pass.
Full entry →The Middle Norn, She Of The Present, What Is Coming Into Being
The Present, The Moment, Becoming, Fate, Weaving, The Turning Of The Thread
White, Grey, Green
Clear Quartz, Moonstone, Labradorite, Smoky Quartz
Yarrow, Mugwort, Vervain, Ash
Swan, Raven
Wheel Of Fortune, The High Priestess, Temperance
Wednesday, Monday
Waxing Crescent, First Quarter
Ostara, Litha
Water, Milk, Bread, Thread, An Act Done Now Rather Than Promised
Verdandi is the second of the three Norns who sit by the well Urdarbrunnr beneath Yggdrasil and 'lay down the fates' of people (Völuspá 20; Gylfaginning 15). Her name is the present participle of the verb verða, 'to become', so she is the one of the three whose tense is happening now, and the sources give her no story, no temple and no separate cult. The Norns are a collective, and Snorri adds that there are other norns besides these three, of different origins.
Full entry →The Youngest Norn, She Of What Shall Be, The Debt, Rider With The Valkyries
The Future, Necessity, Debt, What Is Owed, The End Of The Thread, Battle Fate
Black, Grey, Blue
Obsidian, Amethyst, Labradorite, Onyx
Yew, Mugwort, Wormwood, Ash
Raven, Wolf, Swan
Death, The Tower, Wheel Of Fortune
Saturday, Tuesday
Waning Crescent, Last Quarter
Samhain, Yule
Water, Milk, Bread, A Debt Actually Paid, Thread, A Thing Finished
Skuld is the third of the Norns, 'that which shall be', named with Urd and Verdandi in Völuspá 20 and Gylfaginning 15, and her name also carries the sense of 'debt' — what is owed. She has a second and separate role in Gylfaginning 36, where 'the youngest norn, Skuld' rides out with the valkyries to choose the slain, which is why she is sometimes counted among them. The sources give her no story of her own: her whole character is her name.
Full entry →Wife Of Baldr, Mother Of Forseti, The Grieving, Lady Of Breidablik
Grief, Fidelity, The Beloved Dead, Mourning, Devotion, Beauty
White, Pink, Silver
Moonstone, Rose Quartz, Pearl, Selenite
Rose, Chamomile, Lavender, Violet
Dove, Swan
The Lovers, The Star, Six Of Cups
Friday, Monday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous
Yule, Samhain
White Flowers, Mead, Milk, A Letter To The Dead, Tears Freely Given
Nanna is Baldr's wife and Forseti's mother (Gylfaginning 22), and when Baldr is killed she dies of grief at his funeral and is laid on the pyre with him; Hermóðr, riding to Hel, finds the two of them together there, and Hel allows that Baldr may return if all things weep (Gylfaginning 49). Saxo Grammaticus tells a very different, euhemerised version of the same triangle, in which Nanna is a mortal princess fought over by Balderus and Hotherus. She has no cult, no myth of her own, and no role outside Baldr's death.
Full entry →The Blind God, Slayer Of Baldr, The Unwitting Hand, Brother Of Baldr
Blindness, Darkness, The Unwitting Deed, Accident, Fate, Grief, The Dark Brother
Black, Grey, White
Obsidian, Smoky Quartz, Onyx, Jet
Yew, Mugwort, Wormwood, Mistletoe
Owl, Wolf
The Moon, The Fool, The Tower
Saturday, Monday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Yule
Dark Beer, Water, Incense, An Admission Of What You Did Without Knowing, A Mourning For The Harm You Caused
Höðr is Baldr's brother and the blind god who, guided by Loki, throws the mistletoe dart that kills him; Váli, Odin's son by Rindr, kills Höðr in turn (Gylfaginning 49). In Völuspá he is one of the two who come back after Ragnarok, dwelling with Baldr in the hall of the high one — the slayer and the slain reconciled at the end of the world. The blindness is Snorri's detail; the older poem knows the killing but does not explain the hand. Saxo's Hotherus is a euhemerised Danish hero, a different figure with the same name.
Full entry →The Bold, Odin'S Messenger, Rider Of Sleipnir, Son Of Odin
The Road To The Dead, Messages, Courage, The Embassy, The Return, Grief, The Attempt
Grey, Black, Silver
Smoky Quartz, Onyx, Clear Quartz, Hematite
Juniper, Mugwort, Yew, Ash
Horse, Raven
The Chariot, Six Of Swords, The Hermit
Wednesday, Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Yule
Mead, Water, Bread, A Message Delivered, A Courageous Errand Run
Hermóðr is Odin's son, called 'the Bold', who volunteers to ride to Hel to ransom Baldr: he takes Sleipnir, rides nine nights down through dark valleys to the bridge over Gjöll, and reaches Hel, where the goddess says Baldr may return if all things in the world weep for him (Gylfaginning 49). The errand fails because a giantess, Thökk — Loki in disguise — refuses to weep, and Hermóðr comes home with the ring Draupnir and no Baldr. Outside this one story he is named only as a son of Odin, and he has no cult.
Full entry →The Beautiful, Freyja'S Daughter, The Precious Thing, Treasure
Beauty, Preciousness, Treasure, Delight, Adornment, Youth
Gold, Pink, White
Gold, Pearl, Rose Quartz, Amber
Rose, Lavender, Apple Blossom, Vanilla
Cat, Swan
The Star, The Empress, Ace Of Cups
Friday, Monday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Beltane, Litha
Gold, Mead, Flowers, Something You Find Beautiful, An Act Of Adornment
Hnoss is the daughter of Freyja and Óðr, and Gylfaginning 36 says she is so fair that everything fair and precious is called hnoss — 'treasure' — after her. That single sentence, together with the notice of her sister Gersemi, is the whole of her attestation: she has no myth, no cult and no role, and she exists in the record as a name for beauty. The word survives in Norse poetry as a term for a treasure or jewel.
Full entry →Freyja'S Daughter, The Treasure, The Kept Thing
Treasure, Adornment, Beauty, Inherited Wealth, The Precious Kept Thing
Gold, Green, Copper
Amber, Citrine, Gold, Pyrite
Apple, Marigold, Oak, Lavender
Cat, Magpie
Nine Of Pentacles, The Empress, Ace Of Pentacles
Friday, Thursday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Beltane, Lughnasadh
Gold, Mead, Apples, A Kept Heirloom, Caring For Something Inherited
Gersemi is named in Snorri's Prose Edda as the daughter of Freyja and Óðr and the sister of Hnoss, her name meaning 'treasure' or 'jewel'. The attestation is a bare notice — no poem, no story, no cult — and she is generally treated with Hnoss as a pair of names for preciousness. There is no narrative, no ritual and no worship attached to her; she is one of the names Snorri lists among the goddesses.
Full entry →The Giving One, She Who Ploughs, The Virgin Goddess, The Foundress
Ploughing, Agriculture, Land, Founding, Virginity, Gifts, The Making Of A Country
Green, Brown, Gold
Jade, Moss Agate, Green Aventurine, Amber
Wheat, Barley, Clover, Apple
Ox, Bull, Swan
The Empress, Ace Of Pentacles, The World
Friday, Monday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent
Imbolc, Lughnasadh
Grain, Ale, Milk, Bread, Work Done On The Land, The First Furrow
Gefjon is the goddess who ploughed Zealand out of Sweden: in Gylfaginning 9, disguised as a wandering woman, she is given as much land as four oxen can plough in a day and night, yokes her four sons by a giant to the plough, and carves the island out of the mainland, leaving the lake that became Vänern behind. Ynglinga saga tells the same story in euhemerised form, with Gefjon among the women of Odin's line, and Snorri says that she is a virgin and that women who die unmarried become her handmaidens. Lokasenna 20 accuses her of having been bought with a jewel, which is the only hostile version.
Full entry →Frigg'S Handmaiden, Keeper Of The Casket, Bearer Of The Shoes, Keeper Of Secrets
Service, Counsel, Secrets, The Casket, The Shoe, Devotion, The Trusted Friend
White, Silver, Blue
Moonstone, Pearl, Selenite, Clear Quartz
Lavender, Chamomile, Vervain, Rosemary
Swan, Goose
The High Priestess, Nine Of Cups, Six Of Cups
Monday, Friday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Imbolc, Yule
Milk, Mead, Bread, A Secret Kept, A Service Done Without Credit
Fulla is one of the Ásynjur and Frigg's closest attendant: Gylfaginning 36 says she wears her hair loose with a golden ribbon, carries Frigg's casket, looks after her shoes and knows all her secrets. The Old High German Second Merseburg Charm names Volla among the sisters around Frija, which is the only other early attestation and shows that a cognate figure was known outside Scandinavia. She has no story of her own in the Eddas.
Full entry →Frigg'S Messenger, Rider Of Hofvarpnir, The Far-Flier
Messages, Travel Through Air, Errands, Speed, The Crossing Of Boundaries, Diplomacy
White, Blue, Silver
Clear Quartz, Selenite, Aquamarine, Moonstone
Lavender, Rosemary, Mint, Vervain
Horse, Swallow
The Chariot, Eight Of Wands, The Star
Wednesday, Friday
Waxing Crescent, First Quarter
Ostara, Litha
Mead, Milk, Bread, A Message Actually Delivered, A Swift And Honest Report
Gná is Frigg's messenger, sent into other worlds on her errands; she rides the horse Hofvarpnir, which goes through the air and over the sea, and Gylfaginning 36 quotes a verse in which the Vanir, seeing her fly, ask 'what flies there, what fares there, what glides in the air?' and she answers that she flies not but fares on Hofvarpnir, begotten by Hamskerpir with Garðrofa. Snorri adds that from her name comes the saying that anything which fares high in the air 'gnæfir'. That verse is the whole of her story: she has no myth and no cult.
Full entry →The Protector, Guardian Of The Sheltered, Frigg'S Shield, She Who Warns
Protection, Refuge, Warning, Shelter, The Defence Of The Vulnerable, Forewarning
White, Silver, Grey
Moonstone, Pearl, Black Tourmaline, Selenite
Mugwort, Vervain, Rosemary, Nettle
Swan, Hound
The Star, Seven Of Wands, The High Priestess
Monday, Saturday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Imbolc, Yule
Milk, Bread, Water, A Refuge Actually Given, A Warning Actually Spoken
Hlín is one of the Ásynjur whose office, in Gylfaginning 36, is to guard those whom Frigg wishes to save from danger, 'and from her name comes the saying that he hlins who is forewarned'. The name is also used in Old Norse poetry as a word for a woman, and in Völuspá 'Hlín's sorrow' is generally read as Frigg's grief for Baldr, so that Hlín is often treated as another name for Frigg. She has no story of her own.
Full entry →The Door-Keeper, She Who Refuses, The Advocate At The Thing, The Barred Gate
Refusal, Boundaries, The Door, Defence In Law, Denial, Exclusion, Advocacy
Black, Grey, Silver
Black Tourmaline, Obsidian, Onyx, Hematite
Blackthorn, Nettle, Rue, Yew
Hound, Serpent
The Emperor, King Of Swords, Two Of Swords
Saturday, Tuesday
Waning Crescent, Last Quarter
Samhain, Yule
Bread, Water, Salt, A Boundary Actually Held, A No That Was Spoken Plainly
Sýn is the goddess who keeps the door of the hall and shuts it against those who are not to come in; Gylfaginning 36 adds that in lawsuits she guards the cases of those who have right on their side, and that 'syn is set against it' is said when someone denies a thing. The name is the ordinary Norse word for refusal or denial, and it is also used in poetry as a word for a woman. She has no myth, no cult and no temple.
Full entry →The Aware, She From Whom Nothing Is Hidden, The Searching One
Awareness, Truth, Knowing, Scrutiny, The Uncovering Of What Is Concealed, Wisdom
White, Blue, Grey
Clear Quartz, Lapis Lazuli, Sodalite, Fluorite
Mugwort, Rosemary, Eyebright, Sage
Owl, Raven
The High Priestess, The Hermit, Ace Of Swords
Wednesday, Monday
Waning Gibbous, Full Moon
Samhain, Mabon
Water, Bread, Incense, The Thing You Have Been Not Saying, An Honest Answer To A Hard Question
Vör is one of the Ásynjur, 'so wise and searching that nothing can be concealed from her', and Gylfaginning 36 says that a woman becomes vör — aware, wary — of what she comes to know. The name is the ordinary Norse word for being aware, and it is also used as a poetic word for woman. She has no story, no cult and no role except as the personification of knowing.
Full entry →She Of SöKkvabekkr, The One Who Sees, Companion At The Golden Cups
Memory, Story, The Record, Deep Water, The Shared Cup, Witnessing, The Long View
Blue, Silver, Grey
Moonstone, Labradorite, Pearl, Blue Calcite
Mugwort, Willow, Elder, Vervain
Swan, Salmon
The High Priestess, The Hermit, Page Of Cups
Monday, Wednesday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous
Samhain, Yule
Water, Mead, Milk, A Story Told Aloud, A Record Kept, The Naming Of What Happened
Sága dwells at Sökkvabekkr, 'the sunken bank', and Grímnismál 7 says that Odin and Sága drink there every day, glad, from golden cups, while the cool waves flow over the place. Gylfaginning 36 lists her second among the goddesses and gives her the same dwelling and no office; that is all the sources say. Because her name is close to the word for a seeress and to the verb 'to see', she is often read as another name for Frigg — an inference, not an attested identity.
Full entry →The Valkyrie, The Shieldmaiden, The Awakened, Daughter Of Budli
Battle Fate, The Shield, The Oath, Love And Betrayal, The Awakened Will, Vengeance, Honour
Red, White, Gold
Garnet, Carnelian, Bloodstone, Ruby
Yarrow, Nettle, Rose, Ash
Raven, Wolf, Swan
The Chariot, Queen Of Wands, The Lovers
Tuesday, Friday
Full Moon, First Quarter
Beltane, Samhain
Mead, Red Wine, A Sharp Oath Kept, An Act Of Courage, A Wrong Avenged Justly, Armour Or Steel Cared For
Brynhildr is the valkyrie of the Völsung cycle: Völsunga saga and the Eddic poems (Sigrdrífumál, Brot af Sigurðarkviðu, Guðrúnarkviða I, Helreið Brynhildar) tell how she is woken by Sigurðr from a ring of fire, how he wins her and then, under a spell, wins her for Gunnarr instead, and how the deception ends with Sigurðr's death and Brynhildr's own on his pyre. In Sigrdrífumál the awakened valkyrie is named Sigrdrífa, and identifying the two is an old but not certain scholarly equation. The Nibelungenlied's Prünhilt is the German branch of the same tradition.
Full entry →The Dark Mother, Destroyer Of Illusion, She Who Devours Time, The Terrible, Liberation Itself
Destruction, Time, Death, Transformation, Liberation, Divine Rage, Ego Dissolution
Black, Red, Deep Blue
Obsidian, Garnet, Bloodstone, Black Tourmaline
Camphor, Red Hibiscus, Tobacco, Cannabis
Crow, Jackal, Serpent
Death, The Tower, The Devil, Five Of Pentacles
Tuesday, Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Red Hibiscus Flowers, Alcohol, Meat, Blood If Consensual, Acts Of Fierce Destruction Of Illusion, Standing In Your Rage
Hindu goddess of destruction, time, death. Born from rage to destroy demons. Dances on battlefield, destroys illusion through fierce love. Not evil—necessary destruction that precedes liberation. Mother who kills ego to free soul.
Full entry →Remover Of Obstacles, Lord Of Beginnings, Master Of Intellect, The Elephant-Headed, Guardian Of Thresholds
Obstacle Removal, Beginnings, Wisdom, Writing, Commerce, Education, Thresholds, Success
Red, Yellow, Orange, White
Carnelian, Citrine, Red Jasper
Durva, Turmeric, Sandalwood, Basil, Coconut
Elephant, Mouse
The Magician, The World, Ace Of Pentacles
Wednesday, Thursday
Waxing Crescent, New Moon
Modak Sweets, Coconut, Flowers, Incense, Acts Of Learning, Beginning New Projects, Removing Obstacles For Others
Hindu god with elephant head, remover of obstacles. Born from Parvati, beheaded by Shiva, restored with elephant head. Guards thresholds, invoked at beginnings. Patron of arts, sciences, intellect. Rides mouse showing power over obstacles.
Full entry →The Destroyer, The Transformer, Lord Of Dance, The Auspicious One, The Destroyer Of Worlds
Destruction, Transformation, Meditation, Yoga, Cosmic Dance, Asceticism, Creation Through Destruction
White, Blue, Ash Grey
Rudraksha, Clear Quartz, Moonstone
Cannabis, Datura, Bilva
Bull, Snake, Tiger
Death, The Tower, The Hermit
Monday, Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Bilva Leaves, Milk, Honey, Cannabis, Meditation, Yoga Practice, Acts Of Destruction Of Illusion
Hindu god of destruction and transformation. Part of Trimurti with Brahma and Vishnu. Performs cosmic dance (Tandava) creating and destroying universes. Meditates on Mount Kailash. Drinks poison to save world, turning throat blue. Married to Parvati. Represents that destruction enables creation, that transformation requires dissolution.
Full entry →The Invincible, Demon Slayer, The Inaccessible, Protector Of Cosmos, Mother Goddess Warrior
Protection, War, Motherhood, Demon Slaying, Cosmic Protection, Fierce Feminine Power, Riding Tiger
Red, Yellow, Gold
Ruby, Garnet, Carnelian, Tiger Eye
Marigold, Red Hibiscus, Tulsi
Tiger, Lion
Strength, The Chariot, The Empress
Tuesday, Sunday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Red Flowers, Incense, Food, Acts Of Protection, Defending The Vulnerable, Fierce Love In Action
Hindu warrior goddess created by male gods to defeat demon Mahishasura who couldn't be killed by man. Rides tiger, wields weapons from all gods. Protector of cosmos, destroyer of demons. Fierce mother energy—protective, powerful, unstoppable. Represents that feminine power can be warrior, that mothers protect fiercely.
Full entry →Goddess Of Fortune, Lady Of The Lotus, Bestower Of Abundance
Fortune, Prosperity, Abundance, Beauty, Fertility, Luck, Generosity, Lotus, Sovereignty
Red, Gold, Pink, White
Rose Quartz, Pearl, Emerald, Citrine, Moonstone
Lotus, Basil, Saffron, Turmeric
Owl, Elephant, Cow
The Empress, The Star, Ten Of Pentacles
Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Lotus Flowers, Rice, Honey, Milk, Gold, Sweets
Lakshmi is the Hindu goddess of fortune, beauty and abundance, who rose from the churning of the ocean and chose Vishnu as her consort. She is not a goddess of luck in the sense of accident: she attends where there is order, generosity and work already under way.
Full entry →Goddess Of Learning, Lady Of The River, Mother Of The Vedas, Bearer Of The Veena
Knowledge, Speech, Music, Learning, Rivers, Wisdom, The Arts, Purity
White, Yellow, Blue
Clear Quartz, Lapis Lazuli, Sodalite, Pearl, Amethyst
Lotus, Sage, Brahmi
Swan, Peacock, Fish
The High Priestess, The Hierophant, The Star
Wednesday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
White Flowers, Books, Music, Milk, Honey, Study
Saraswati is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, speech and music, and the river that bears her name. She is the consort of Brahma and the mother of the Vedas, and her white swan separates truth from falsehood the way milk is separated from water.
Full entry →The Creator, Lord Of Speech, Grandfather Of The Gods
Creation, Knowledge, Speech, Sacrifice, Fate, The Vedas
White, Gold, Red
Clear Quartz, Lapis Lazuli, Citrine, Pearl
Lotus, Sage, Basil, Brahmi
Swan, Goose, Bull
The Hierophant, The Magician, The Emperor
Thursday
Full Moon
Flowers, Ghee, Incense, Water, Study
Brahma is the Hindu creator, who speaks the Vedas and shapes the worlds, and who is born from the lotus that grows from Vishnu's navel. He is the least worshipped of the great three, and the tradition itself tells a story about why: he claimed a knowledge he did not have.
Full entry →The Preserver, Lord Of The Three Worlds, The One Who Takes Form
Preservation, Order, Dharma, Kingship, The Avataar, Mercy, The Ocean
Blue, Silver, White
Lapis Lazuli, Sapphire, Clear Quartz, Pearl, Emerald
Lotus, Basil, Sage, Turmeric
Garuda, Eagle, Boar, Serpent
The Emperor, The Hierophant, The World
Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Tulsi, Ghee, Rice, Flowers, Water, Sandalwood Paste
Vishnu is the preserver of the Hindu triad, who sleeps on the cosmic ocean and takes form whenever dharma collapses - fish, boar, dwarf, Rama, Krishna, and more to come. He is order maintained by repeated intervention rather than by force.
Full entry →The Sun, Lord Of The Day, The Seven-Horsed
The Sun, Light, Health, Sight, The Day, Kingship, Healing
Red, Gold, Orange
Ruby, Sunstone, Citrine, Amber, Golden Topaz
Lotus, Bay Leaf, Turmeric, Saffron
Horse, Eagle, Rooster
The Sun, Strength, The Chariot
Sunday
Full Moon
Water, Incense, Red Flowers, Fire
Surya is the Hindu sun, who rides a chariot of seven horses and whose worship is the daily greeting of the dawn. He is the physical sun and its witness: health, sight and the record of a day.
Full entry →The Power, The Great Goddess, The Energy Of The Gods
Power, Energy, Creation, The Divine Feminine, Liberation, Kundalini, Transformation
Violet, White, Gold
Ruby, Garnet, Moonstone, Obsidian, Clear Quartz
Lotus, Basil, Turmeric, Sage
Lion, Tiger, Serpent
Strength, The High Priestess, The Tower
Monday
New Moon, Full Moon
Red Flowers, Kumkum, Ghee, Rice, Honey, Lemon
Shakti is the divine feminine as power itself, the energy that animates every god, and in the tantric traditions the coiled force at the base of the spine that rises to meet consciousness. She is not one goddess among others but what makes them gods.
Full entry →The Dark One, The Divine Cowherd, Charioteer Of Arjuna
Love, Play, The Flute, Counsel, Dharma, The Gita, The Cowherds
Yellow, White, Pale Blue
Emerald, Pearl, Sapphire, Moonstone, Clear Quartz
Basil, Lotus, Turmeric, Saffron
Cow, Peacock, Parrot
The Lovers, The Chariot, The Hierophant
Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Butter, Honey, Milk, Tulsi, Fruit, Flowers
Krishna is the eighth avataar of Vishnu, raised among cowherds, who plays the flute, dances with the gopis, and finally counsels Arjuna on the field of battle in the Bhagavad Gita. He is love and duty in one figure, and the flute is the call.
Full entry →The Devoted, Son Of The Wind, Mender Of The Broken
Devotion, Strength, Service, Healing, Courage, The Monkey, Protection
Yellow, White, Pale Blue
Carnelian, Hematite, Clear Quartz, Garnet, Pyrite
Basil, Sage, Turmeric, Brahmi
Monkey, Langur
Strength, The Fool, Knight Of Wands
Tuesday, Saturday
New Moon, First Quarter
Sindoor, Chameli Oil, Bananas, Laddoo, Jaggery
Hanuman is the monkey god, son of the wind, who leaps to Lanka, carries a mountain of herbs to save a wounded prince, and serves Rama with a devotion so complete that he tears open his own chest to show him there. He is strength in service.
Full entry →Commander Of The Gods, The Spear, Son Of Shiva
War, Command, Youth, The Spear, Victory, Learning, The Peacock
Red, Gold, Orange
Ruby, Garnet, Hematite, Carnelian, Fire Agate
Basil, Sage, Turmeric, Nettle
Peacock, Rooster
The Chariot, Strength, Knight Of Wands
Tuesday
New Moon, First Quarter
Milk, Honey, Ghee, Banana, Jaggery, Panchamritam
Kartikeya is the son of Shiva and Parvati, born to command the divine army against the demon Taraka, and he wins the war with a spear. He is youth given authority, and his mount is the peacock and his sign the spear.
Full entry →God Of Desire, The Flower-Arrow, The Beautiful
Desire, Love, Beauty, Spring, The Arrows, Attraction, Pleasure
Yellow, White, Pale Blue
Rose Quartz, Carnelian, Rhodonite, Moonstone, Diamond
Rose, Jasmine, Saffron, Damiana
Parrot, Swan, Makara
The Lovers, The Empress, Two Of Cups
Friday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Honey, Flowers, Mango, Sugarcane, Sandalwood
Kama is the Hindu god of desire, who shoots flower-tipped arrows from a bow of sugarcane, and who was reduced to ash by Shiva's third eye for interrupting his meditation - and who returns as an aspect of the mind. Desire, in the tradition, is both a god and a thing to be seen through.
Full entry →The Red One, Lord Of Tuesday, The Auspicious
War, Strength, Land, Dispute, Energy, Fire, The Planet Mars
Red, Gold, Orange
Red Coral, Ruby, Carnelian, Garnet, Hematite
Basil, Sage, Turmeric, Nettle
Ram, Lion
The Tower, The Emperor, Five Of Swords
Tuesday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Red Flowers, Masoor Dal, Jaggery, Red Sandalwood, Copper, Kumkum
Mangala is Mars in the Hindu sky, born in some tellings from Shiva's sweat, the red planet and the lord of Tuesday, war and the owning of land. He is the fire that makes a claim and the effort of holding it.
Full entry →The Slow One, Lord Of Karma, Judge Of Deeds
Karma, Justice, Discipline, Delay, Sorrow, Time, The Planet Saturn
Green, Brown, Black
Sapphire, Hematite, Obsidian, Black Tourmaline, Amethyst
Sage, Nettle, Comfrey, Willow
Raven, Ass, Serpent, Vulture
Justice, The Hermit, The Devil
Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Sesame, Iron, Grain, Water
Shani is the Hindu Saturn, the son of the sun who does not look up when his father arrives and is given the lordship of time and karma in punishment or in consequence. He gives each person the fruit of their own actions, slowly.
Full entry →Lord Of Death, King Of The South, The First To Die
Death, Judgement, The Ancestors, The South, Dharma, The Dead, Restraint
Blue, Silver, White
Obsidian, Onyx, Jet, Smoky Quartz, Hematite
Mugwort, Poppy, Willow, Sage
Buffalo, Dog, Raven, Serpent
Death, Judgement, The Hanged Man
Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Sesame, Black Sesame, Rice, Water, Ghee
Yama is the first mortal to die, who then becomes the lord of the dead and the keeper of the road they travel, sitting in judgement in the south with his books and his messengers. He is not a punisher: he is the one who keeps the record.
Full entry →The Mountain'S Daughter, Consort Of Shiva, Mother Of Ganesha And Kartikeya
Marriage, Devotion, Fertility, Asceticism, Motherhood, The Mountains, Shakti
Red, Green, Gold
Moonstone, Rose Quartz, Emerald, Coral
Basil, Lotus, Turmeric, Sandalwood
Lion, Tiger, Cow, Parrot
The Empress, The High Priestess, The Lovers
Monday, Friday
Full Moon
Milk, Honey, Flowers, Fruit, Rice, Red Silk
Parvati is the Hindu goddess of marriage, devotion, fertility and the mountains: the daughter of the mountain king Himavan and the rebirth of Sati, who wins Shiva back through asceticism. She is the mother of Ganesha and Kartikeya and, as Mahadevi, one of the principal forms of Shakti; in her fierce aspects she is Durga and Kali. The planetary and zodiacal values here are modern Western readings, not the tradition's own.
Full entry →The Ideal King, Seventh Avatara Of Vishnu, Lord Of Ayodhya
Dharma, Kingship, Duty, Righteousness, Archery, Protection
Green, Gold, Blue
Ruby, Red Jasper, Sunstone, Carnelian
Basil, Turmeric, Sandalwood, Durva
Eagle, Monkey, Bear
The Emperor, The Chariot, Justice
Sunday
Full Moon
Rice, Fruit, Flowers, Water, Ghee
Rama is the seventh avatara of Vishnu and the hero of the Ramayana: the exiled prince of Ayodhya who rescues Sita from Ravana and rules as the model of dharma. His birthday is Ramanavami, his worship is central to Vaishnavism, and Ayodhya is his great pilgrimage site.
Full entry →Beloved Of Krishna, The Chief Gopi
Love, Devotion, Longing, Beauty, Bhakti, The Gopis
Blue, Gold, Pink
Rose Quartz, Emerald, Moonstone, Coral
Lotus, Jasmine, Basil, Turmeric
Parrot, Cow, Peacock
The Lovers, The Empress
Friday, Monday
Full Moon
Honey, Milk, Flowers, Fruit, Butter
Radha is the beloved of Krishna and the central figure of Radha-Krishna devotion, especially in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, where her selfless love (prema) is the model of the soul's relationship with God. The 12th-century Gita Govinda is her central poem, and Barsana and the Braj region are her pilgrimage sites.
Full entry →Goddess Of Pleasure, Consort Of Kama
Love, Pleasure, Desire, Beauty, Spring
Pink, Red, White
Rose Quartz, Emerald, Coral, Moonstone
Lotus, Jasmine, Basil
Parrot, Swan
The Lovers, The Empress
Friday
Full Moon
Honey, Flowers, Fruit, Sweet Rice
Rati is the Hindu goddess of pleasure and desire, the consort of Kama the god of love and the daughter of Daksha. When Shiva reduces Kama to ash with his third eye, Rati's grief moves him to restore Kama as a disembodied spirit; she is the model of devoted love in the Puranas.
Full entry →King Of Birds, Vehicle Of Vishnu, Devourer Of Serpents
Birds, Speed, Strength, Devotion, Serpents, The Sun
Gold, Green, Red
Ruby, Sunstone, Carnelian, Topaz
Basil, Turmeric, Sandalwood
Eagle, Falcon, Serpent
The Chariot, The Sun, Strength
Sunday
Full Moon
Rice, Fruit, Flowers, Ghee
Garuda is the king of birds and the vahana of Vishnu, born to Kashyapa and Vinata and the eternal enemy of the nagas, whom he devours. In the Mahabharata he wins amrita from the gods to free his mother from slavery. He is a symbol of speed, strength, devotion and the solar principle, and gives his name to the Garuda Purana.
Full entry →The Ferry Across, She Who Carries Across, The Blue Mother Of Tarapith, Second Of The Mahavidyas
Protection, Crossing, Liberation, Compassion, Speech, Fierce Grace, Siddhi
Blue, Indigo, Black, White
Lapis Lazuli, Sapphire, Black Tourmaline, Moonstone, Clear Quartz, Blue Lace Agate
Blue Lotus, Lotus, Tulsi, Durva, Brahmi
Lion, Serpent, Fish
The Star, The High Priestess, The Moon, The Hanged Man
Monday, Thursday
New Moon, Waning Crescent, Full Moon
Red Hibiscus, Fish, Meat, Alcohol, Sindoor, Bangles, Camphor
Tara is the second of the ten Mahavidyas in the tantric lists, and her name is glossed as Tarini, 'she who carries across' the ocean of samsara, though the ordinary Sanskrit word tara means 'star'. Her great living seat is Tarapith in Birbhum, Bengal, where the tantric saint Bamakhepa worshipped her and where meat, fish and alcohol are offered to this day. The Devi Mahatmya does not know the Mahavidyas as a set; their lists are tantric, and the tale of their emergence from Sati at Daksha's sacrifice is told in the Mahabhagavata and Brihaddharma Puranas.
Full entry →Beauty Of The Three Worlds, The Sixteen-Year-Old, Queen Of The Three Cities, Queen Of Queens
Beauty, Desire, Sovereignty, Non Duality, The Three Worlds, Bliss, Consciousness
Red, Pink, Gold, White
Ruby, Rose Quartz, Diamond, Pearl, Red Coral, Sunstone
Rose, Lotus, Saffron, Turmeric, Jasmine
Lion, Serpent, Deer
The Empress, The Lovers, The Sun, The World
Friday, Monday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Rose Flowers, Saffron, Kumkum, Sandalwood Paste, Sweets, Fruit, Lotus Flowers
Tripura Sundari - Lalita, Shodashi - is the third Mahavidya and the goddess at the centre of Sri Vidya. The Lalitopakhyana of the Brahmanda Purana tells how she arises from the fire of consciousness (Chidagni) to defeat the asura Bhandasura, and the Lalita Sahasranama is the thousand-name hymn of her tradition, with the Saundarya Lahari as its great devotional poem. She is the beauty of the three cities, the three states and the three worlds, and her diagram is the Sri Yantra.
Full entry →Queen Of The Worlds, Mistress Of The Fourteen Worlds, The Space Of The World, Fourth Of The Mahavidyas
Space, Maya, The Worlds, Sovereignty, Protection, The Akasha, Compassion
Red, Gold, White, Blue
Pearl, Moonstone, Clear Quartz, Citrine, Lapis Lazuli
Lotus, Jasmine, Sandalwood, Tulsi, Rose
Lion, Swan
The Empress, The World, The Star
Monday, Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Red Flowers, Rice, Coconut, Sweets, Fruit, Kumkum
Bhuvaneshvari is the fourth of the ten Mahavidyas, and her name simply means 'queen of the worlds' (bhuvana-ishvari). She has little narrative of her own: the tantras give her the rule of the fourteen worlds, the noose and goad that are sovereignty, and maya as her power of appearance. The Lalita Sahasranama praises her among the names of the one Devi, and she is the benign, world-shaped counterpart to the fierce Mahavidyas.
Full entry →The Fierce One, Goddess Of The Cremation Ground, Consort Of Bhairava, Fifth Of The Mahavidyas
The Cremation Ground, Fierce Grace, Kundalini, Liberation, Time, The Trident, Fearlessness
Red, Black, Deep Red
Rudraksha, Garnet, Ruby, Red Jasper, Obsidian, Hematite
Red Hibiscus, Hibiscus, Datura, Cannabis, Camphor, Tobacco
Jackal, Crow, Serpent
The Tower, Death, Strength, The Moon
Tuesday, Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Red Flowers, Camphor, Sindoor, Alcohol, Meat, Lemons, Incense
Bhairavi is the fifth Mahavidya, the fierce (bhairavi) consort of Bhairava, and in Bengal she is the goddess of the cremation ground, close to Kali in appearance and worship. The tantras describe her as Tripura Bhairavi, the terrible form of the beauty of the three cities, with the trident, the skull cup, the rosary and the book. She is a living tantric presence rather than a literary one: the Bhairavi Brahmani who instructed Sri Ramakrishna was a practising adept of this current, and the name also denotes a lineage office.
Full entry →The Self-Decapitated, She Whose Head Is Cut Off, Goddess Of Self-Offering, Sixth Of The Mahavidyas
Self Offering, The Severed Head, The Ego Cut, The Cremation Ground, Courage, The Pranic Force, Liberation
Red, Black
Red Coral, Garnet, Bloodstone, Ruby, Carnelian
Red Hibiscus, Hibiscus, Datura, Lotus, Cannabis
Lion, Serpent
Death, The Tower, The Hanged Man
Tuesday, Saturday
New Moon, Waning Gibbous
Red Flowers, Kumkum, Alcohol, Meat, Fish, Lemon, Sindoor
Chhinnamasta is the sixth Mahavidya in the common list, the goddess who has cut off her own head and holds it in her left hand while one stream of blood feeds the head and two feed her attendants, Dakini and Varnini. Her tantric reading is the offering of the head, the seat of the ego, and the vital force returned as nourishment; she is not a figure of self-harm but of self-offering. Her shrines include Rajrappa in Jharkhand, and she is close to the Buddhist Vajrayogini or Chinnamunda, a borrowing whose direction is debated.
Full entry →The Smoky One, The Widow, Goddess Of The Void, Seventh Of The Mahavidyas
Poverty, Loss, Emptiness, Widowhood, The Void, Liberation Through Absence, The Smoke
Grey, Black, Smoke Grey, Ash White
Onyx, Jet, Obsidian, Black Tourmaline, Smoky Quartz
Mugwort, Wormwood, Tobacco, Camphor, Nettle
Crow, Vulture, Jackal
The Hermit, The Moon, Five Of Pentacles, Death
Saturday, Tuesday
New Moon, Waning Crescent, Last Quarter
Black Sesame, Sesame Oil, Black Cloth, Rice, Incense, Ash
Dhumavati is the seventh Mahavidya, the smoke-coloured widow who rides a chariot with a crow banner and holds a winnowing basket. She is the goddess of poverty, loss, emptiness and the cremation ground, often identified with Alakshmi or Jyeshtha, the elder sister of Lakshmi, and her temple in Varanasi is one of the few dedicated to her. The tradition holds that she gives what the other goddesses cannot: liberation by showing that the world is empty.
Full entry →The Crane-Faced, She Who Paralyses, The Golden Goddess, Eighth Of The Mahavidyas
Stambhana, Paralysis, Victory Over Enemies, Speech Stopped, Stillness, Protection, Litigation
Yellow, Gold, Saffron Yellow
Citrine, Yellow Jasper, Tiger Eye, Sunstone, Golden Calcite, Yellow Sapphire
Turmeric, Saffron, Marigold, Mustard, Cinnamon
Crane, Lion
The Magician, Strength, Seven Of Swords
Tuesday, Wednesday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Yellow Flowers, Turmeric, Yellow Rice, Chana Dal, Saffron, Lemon, Yellow Cloth
Bagalamukhi is the eighth Mahavidya, the golden goddess of stambhana - the power to stop, paralyse and silence - shown holding a club and the tongue of a demon. Her name is glossed as 'she whose face is that of a crane' (baka), though the standard tantric image is a human golden face; the crane-headed figures are a later iconographic drift. Her chief living shrine is at Nalkheda in Madhya Pradesh, and she is invoked against enemies and litigation.
Full entry →The Outcaste Goddess, The Tantric Saraswati, The Minister Of Lalita, Ninth Of The Mahavidyas
Speech, Music, Learning, The Outcaste, The Leftovers, The Counsel, Boundary Crossing
Green, Emerald Green, Black
Emerald, Green Tourmaline, Jade, Moss Agate, Malachite
Tulsi, Holy Basil, Brahmi, Durva, Cannabis, Turmeric
Parrot, Elephant
The High Priestess, Queen Of Swords, The Magician
Wednesday, Friday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Uchchhishta, Leftover Food, Rice, Turmeric, Coconut, Red Flowers, Alcohol
Matangi is the ninth Mahavidya, the tantric Saraswati: goddess of speech, music and learning who is also the outcaste (matanga, chandala) and accepts ucchishta, leftover food. In Sri Vidya she is the Mantrini, the minister and counsellor of Lalita Tripura Sundari, and her emerald-green form holds the veena and the parrot. Because her worship deliberately crosses the purity rules, she is the Mahavidya most often sanitised by modern writers and most carefully hedged by the tradition.
Full entry →The Lotus, Goddess Of Prosperity, The Tenth Mahavidya, She Of The Golden Lotus
Prosperity, Abundance, Purity, The Lotus, Sovereignty, Generosity, Household Fortune
Red, Gold, Pink, White
Rose Quartz, Pearl, Emerald, Citrine, Moonstone, Coral
Lotus, Tulsi, Saffron, Turmeric, Basil
Elephant, Owl
The Empress, The Star, Ten Of Pentacles, The Sun
Friday, Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Lotus Flowers, Rice, Honey, Milk, Sweets, Gold, Kumkum
Kamala is the tenth Mahavidya and the tantric form of Lakshmi: the lotus, the goddess of prosperity, purity and sovereignty, whose worship is the tantric prosperity practice with its own mantra and yantra. The Narayani Stuti of the Devi Mahatmya already praises the Devi as present in every being as Lakshmi, and the Mahavidya Kamala gives that presence a vidya and a place among the ten. She is the benign, householder-facing close of the Mahavidya series.
Full entry →The First Avatara, The Fish, Saviour Of The Seeds, Lord Of The Flood
Preservation, Flood, The Seeds Of Life, Hidden Teaching, Water, Salvation, The Vedas
Blue, Silver, White
Pearl, Aquamarine, Moonstone, Blue Lace Agate, Coral, Mother Of Pearl
Lotus, Blue Lotus, Seaweed, Tulsi
Fish, Tortoise
The Moon, The Star, The Hermit
Monday, Thursday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous
Water, Rice, Flowers, Sesame, Coconut
Matsya is the first avatara of Vishnu, the fish who warns the Manu Satyavrata of the flood, tows his ark to safety and preserves the seeds of all beings, and in the Puranic tellings also recovers the Vedas from the asura Hayagriva. The flood story is older than the avatara: the Shatapatha Brahmana already tells of Manu and a fish who grows and warns him, and the identification with Vishnu comes later, in the Matsya Purana and the Bhagavata Purana.
Full entry →The Second Avatara, The Tortoise, The Support Of The Mountain, Bearer Of The Churning
Support, Endurance, The Churning Of The Ocean, Stability, Patience, The Tortoise, Hidden Strength
Green, Brown, Blue
Jade, Green Aventurine, Serpentine, Moss Agate, Amber
Seaweed, Lotus, Tulsi, Durva
Tortoise, Turtle, Serpent
The Hermit, Temperance, Strength
Saturday, Monday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Water, Rice, Coconut, Flowers, Ghee
Kurma is the second avatara, the tortoise who supports Mount Mandara on his back when the churning of the ocean begins to sink the mountain. The Bhagavata Purana's account of the samudra manthana (Canto 8) places him under the mountain while the gods and asuras pull the serpent Vasuki for a rope. The world-supporting tortoise is an older motif that the avatara absorbs, and the Kurma Purana is the text that carries his name.
Full entry →The Boar Avatara, Lifter Of The Earth, Slayer Of Hiranyaksha, Third Of The Dashavatara
The Earth, Rescue, Strength, The Boar, Battle, Restoration, Fertility
Brown, Red, Black
Red Jasper, Garnet, Carnelian, Tiger Eye, Bloodstone
Turmeric, Durva, Tulsi, Basil, Ginger
Boar, Pig, Serpent
Strength, The Emperor, Ace Of Pentacles
Tuesday, Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Rice, Ghee, Flowers, Water, Coconut
Varaha is the boar avatara who descends to lift the earth from the cosmic ocean after the asura Hiranyaksha carries her away, killing him in single combat. The Bhagavata Purana tells it in Canto 3, and the Varaha Purana expands it; the earth he lifts, Bhumi, becomes his consort and the mother of Naraka. The boar who raises the earth is older than the avatara - the Brahmanas tell it of Prajapati - and the Vaishnava telling is the later layer.
Full entry →The Man-Lion, The Fourth Avatara, Slayer Of Hiranyakashipu, Protector Of Prahlada
Protection, Fierce Avatara, The Man Lion, The Pillar, Justice, Courage, The Impossible
Red, Gold, Orange
Ruby, Red Jasper, Sunstone, Tiger Eye, Carnelian, Garnet
Turmeric, Tulsi, Durva, Red Hibiscus, Basil
Lion, Serpent
Strength, The Tower, King Of Wands
Tuesday, Saturday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous
Turmeric, Sindoor, Red Flowers, Coconut, Ghee, Honey
Narasimha is the fourth avatara, the man-lion who bursts from a pillar to kill the asura Hiranyakashipu, who by boon could not be killed by god, man or beast, indoors or out, by day or night, on earth or in the sky. The Bhagavata Purana tells the story in Canto 7, where Narasimha protects the boy Prahlada, the asura's own son, and kills Hiranyakashipu on his lap at twilight, on the threshold of the hall. The Ahobilam hills in Andhra Pradesh preserve his nine forms, and the pacified Lakshmi-Narasimha is the householder's form.
Full entry →The Dwarf Avatara, The Fifth Avatara, He Of The Three Strides, Upendra
Humility, The Three Strides, The Measure Of Things, Dharma, Kingship, The Dwarf, Cosmic Order
Yellow, White, Gold
Yellow Sapphire, Citrine, Topaz, Clear Quartz, Pearl
Tulsi, Durva, Basil, Turmeric, Barley
Elephant, Cow
The Fool, The Magician, The Emperor
Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Rice, Ghee, Flowers, Water, Sweets
Vamana is the fifth avatara, the dwarf who asks the asura king Bali for three paces of land and then covers the three worlds with them, the act the tradition knows as Trivikrama. The Bhagavata Purana tells it in Canto 8: Bali's guru Shukra warns him, Bali grants the gift anyway, and Vishnu takes the worlds but leaves Bali the netherworld and a boon. The three strides are Vedic - the Rig Veda already praises Vishnu's three steps - and the Vamana story is the Puranic narrative built around them.
Full entry →The Tenth Avatara, The Rider Of The White Horse, The Future One, Ender Of The Kali Yuga
The End Of The Age, Dharma Restored, Judgement, The White Horse, The Future, The Sword, Time
White, Silver, Red
White Quartz, Clear Quartz, Diamond, Moonstone, Pearl
White Rose, Jasmine, Tulsi, Durva, Sandalwood
Horse, Eagle
Judgement, Knight Of Swords, The Chariot
Saturday, Tuesday
New Moon, Last Quarter
White Flowers, Rice, Ghee, Water, Sweets
Kalki is the tenth and future avatara, the rider on the white horse Devadatta, born in the village Shambhala to Vishnuyasha and Sumati, who comes at the end of the Kali Yuga with a blazing sword to end the age of darkness and restore dharma. The Vishnu Purana (Book 4) and the Bhagavata Purana (Canto 12) describe his coming, and the Kalki Purana expands it into a full narrative. He has no great independent cult - the Kalki temple in Jaipur is an eighteenth-century foundation - and the tradition gives no date.
Full entry →Queen Of The Night, First Wife, Mother Of Demons, The Screech Owl, She Who Will Not Kneel, The First Severance
Sovereignty, Sexual Autonomy, Forbidden Knowledge, Wild Feminine, Severance, Night Magic, Refusal, Exile As Initiation
Red, Black, Deep Purple
Obsidian, Garnet, Red Jasper, Black Tourmaline
Mugwort, Damiana, Rose, Dragon Blood
Owl, Serpent, Wolf
The Tower, The Devil, Queen Of Swords, Eight Of Swords
Saturday, Monday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain
Red Wine, Pomegranate, Dark Chocolate, Blood If Consensual, Burning Contracts You Refuse, Art Depicting Rage, Speaking Your First No
Mesopotamian demon of the lilu class (Akkadian lilitu, Sumerian lil), a night spirit with no cult and no temple, first attested in Sumerian/Akkadian incantations and appearing in Isaiah 34:14 as 'lilit'. The 'first wife of Adam who refused submission' story is medieval: it first appears in the Alphabet of Sirach (c. 700-1000 CE) and is developed in the Zohar and later Jewish folklore. Demonized as a child-taker in amulet and incantation tradition; represents refusal to be subordinate and the claims of the exile.
Full entry →The Lightbringer, Morning Star, Bearer Of Illumination, The First Rebel, He Who Descended To Ignite
Illumination, Sovereignty, Forbidden Knowledge, Rebellion As Awakening, Descent As Tactic, Intelligence Freed, Self Authority
Gold, White, Electric Blue, Crimson
Clear Quartz, Diamond, Citrine, Pyrite
Frankincense, Bay Leaf, Cinnamon, Star Anise
Serpent, Peacock, Eagle
The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Magician
Friday, Sunday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Litha
Frankincense Burning, Written Knowledge Shared Freely, Acts Of Intellectual Rebellion, Teaching Others To Think Critically, Gold Coins, Light Itself
The fallen angel who brought light/knowledge to humanity. Christian tradition frames as ultimate evil; Gnostic/Hermetic traditions see as liberator. Never truly fell—descended strategically to ignite consciousness in creation.
Full entry →Queen Of Heaven, Lady Of The Morning And Evening Star, She Who Descends, The Red Goddess, Lady Of Battles
Love, War, Fertility, Sovereignty, Descent Journey, Death And Rebirth, Sacred Sexuality, Power Reclaimed Through Darkness
Red, Gold, Lapis Blue
Lapis Lazuli, Carnelian, Red Jasper, Rose Quartz
Rose, Myrrh, Cedar, Saffron
Lion, Dove, Serpent
The Empress, Strength, Death, The Star
Friday
Full Moon, New Moon
Ostara
Dates, Honey Cakes, Beer, Lapis Jewelry, Red Wine, Acts Of Descent Bravery
Descended to the underworld, stripped of all power at seven gates, killed by her sister Ereshkigal, resurrected three days later. Oldest recorded myth of descent-death-rebirth. Red Goddess archetype.
Full entry →The Scarlet Woman, Mother Of Abominations, The Great Whore, Rider Of The Beast, Lady Of The Cup, Sovereign Vessel
Sacred Sexuality, Dissolution Of Ego, Holy Desire, Taboo Breaking, Liberation Through Eros, Sovereign Feminine Power, Cup That Receives All
Scarlet, Crimson, Gold, Purple
Ruby, Garnet, Bloodstone, Star Sapphire
Rose, Damiana, Dragon Blood, Cinnamon
Serpent, Lion, Dove
Strength, The Empress, The Lovers, Ace Of Cups
Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Beltane
Red Wine, Roses, Acts Of Sacred Desire, Owning Your Wanting, Blood If Consensual, Poetry Of Longing, Claiming Forbidden Pleasure
Thelemic goddess emerging from Crowley's Enochian work. Represents sovereign feminine sexual power without shame. The cup that receives all experiences, transforms through sacred desire. Dissolution of ego through ecstatic union.
Full entry →Queen Of Witches, Keeper Of The Keys, Torchbearer, Guardian Of Crossroads, Lady Of The Night, Psychopomp
Witchcraft, Crossroads, Liminal Spaces, Necromancy, Protection, Keys And Thresholds, Moon Magic, Ghosts And Spirits
Black, Silver, Red, Saffron
Obsidian, Moonstone, Jet, Black Tourmaline
Mugwort, Wormwood, Garlic, Lavender, Yew
Dog, Serpent, Owl, Frog
The Moon, The High Priestess, The Hermit, Seven Of Swords
Monday, Saturday
New Moon, Full Moon
Samhain
Eggs, Garlic, Honey Cakes Left At Crossroads, Keys, Red Wine, Protective Acts For Vulnerable, Feeding Stray Dogs
Ancient goddess predating Greek pantheon, associated with magic, crossroads, liminal spaces. Guides souls between worlds. Protector of witches and magic practitioners. Triple goddess aspect sometimes present.
Full entry →Goddess Of Love, The Foam-Born, The Golden One, Queen Of Desire, Lady Of Cyprus, She Who Commands Hearts
Love, Beauty, Desire, Sexuality, Pleasure, Artistic Creation, Magnetism, Sovereignty Through Attraction
Pink, Green, Gold, Sea Blue
Rose Quartz, Emerald, Pearl, Jade, Copper Ore
Rose, Myrtle, Apple Blossom, Yarrow, Damiana
Dove, Swan, Dolphin, Sparrow
The Empress, The Lovers, Ace Of Cups, Two Of Cups
Friday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Beltane, Ostara
Roses, Honey, Wine, Seashells, Copper Coins, Acts Of Beauty Creation, Self Love Rituals, Claiming Your Desire
Born from sea foam when Kronos castrated Uranus—emerged fully formed, sovereign, irresistible. Married to Hephaestus, took Ares as lover. Commands desire itself, not subject to it. Beauty as power, not decoration.
Full entry →The Fallen Watcher, Teacher Of Weapons, Bearer Of Forbidden Knowledge, The Scapegoat, First Of The Watchers
Forbidden Knowledge, Metallurgy, Warfare, Cosmetics Adornment, Descent For Love, Sacrificial Scapegoat, Teaching Humanity
Red, Black, Bronze, Deep Crimson
Red Jasper, Bloodstone, Obsidian, Hematite
Dragon Blood, Tobacco, Wormwood, Nettle
Goat, Serpent, Crow
The Devil, The Tower, Five Of Swords, Knight Of Wands
Tuesday, Saturday
Waning Gibbous, New Moon
Samhain
Red Wine, Tobacco, Iron Objects, Teaching Forbidden Knowledge, Acts Of Defiance, Honoring The Scapegoated, Crafted Metalwork
Watcher angel who descended to teach humanity forbidden arts: metallurgy, weapons, cosmetics, writing. Bound and imprisoned as punishment. Used as scapegoat in Yom Kippur ritual. Descended for love of humanity, paid price.
Full entry →The Phantom Queen, Great Queen, Goddess Of War, She Who Washes The Bloodied, The Crow Queen
War, Fate, Death, Sovereignty, Prophecy, Shapeshifting, Battle Fury, Land Sovereignty
Black, Red, White, Grey
Obsidian, Bloodstone, Jet, Black Tourmaline
Yew, Mugwort, Blackthorn, Belladonna
Crow, Raven, Wolf, Eel, Cow
Death, The Tower, Five Of Swords, Queen Of Swords
Tuesday, Saturday
Waning Gibbous, New Moon
Samhain, Imbolc
Dark Beer, Red Wine, Blood If Consensual, Crow Feathers, Acts Of Fierce Sovereignty, Battle Training, Protection Of Land
Irish triple goddess of war, fate, death. Appears as crow on battlefield. Offers sovereignty to rightful king, destroys unworthy. Shapeshifter. Washes armor of those about to die. Prophecy and battle fury. Land sovereignty incarnate.
Full entry →Lady Of Wild Things, The Huntress, Protector Of Maidens, Goddess Of The Moon, She Who Shoots Straight
Hunting, Wilderness, Childbirth, Virginity Autonomy, Moon, Animals, Young Women, Fierce Independence
Silver, White, Green, Blue
Moonstone, Pearl, Clear Quartz, Silver
Mugwort, Wormwood, Cedar, Pine
Deer, Bear, Dog
The Moon, Temperance, Queen Of Wands
Monday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Yule
Silver, Honey Cakes, Wild Game, Protecting Wild Spaces, Arrows, Acts Of Fierce Independence
Greek virgin goddess of hunt, wilderness, moon, childbirth. Protector of young women. Fiercely independent, never married. Punishes those who violate sacred boundaries. Both gentle (childbirth) and fierce (hunter). Autonomy as sacred.
Full entry →Keeper Of The Cauldron, The Crone, Mistress Of Transformation, She Who Brews Wisdom, The White Sow
Transformation, Wisdom, Death Rebirth, Magic, Inspiration, Cauldron Mysteries, Initiation
White, Black, Silver, Deep Purple
Moonstone, Obsidian, Clear Quartz, Amethyst
Vervain, Ivy, Yew, Belladonna, Mugwort
Sow, Hare, Greyhound, Hawk
The High Priestess, Death, Temperance
Monday, Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Imbolc
Herbs, Beer Or Mead, Cauldron Work, Acts Of Transformation, Poetry, Study Of Mysteries
Welsh goddess with cauldron of wisdom and inspiration. Brewed potion for son, servant Gwion tasted three drops, transformed repeatedly fleeing her, she became greyhound/otter/hawk pursuing, finally swallowed him as grain, birthed him as Taliesin the bard.
Full entry →Lord Of The Abzu, God Of Wisdom, Creator Of Humanity, Master Of Magic, He Who Defied Divine Order
Wisdom, Magic, Water, Creation, Craftsmanship, Forbidden Knowledge Given To Humanity, Rebellion Against Divine Tyranny
Blue, Green, Silver, Turquoise
Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Aquamarine, Azurite
Lotus, Water Lily, Reed, Willow
Goat Fish, Ram, Serpent
The Magician, The Star, King Of Cups
Wednesday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Water, Beer, Fish, Lapis Jewelry, Acts Of Creation, Teaching Forbidden Arts, Defending Humanity From Tyranny
Sumerian god who created humanity from clay and divine blood. Warned Atrahasis about the flood, helping humanity survive when other gods wanted them destroyed. Gave forbidden knowledge to humans. Repeatedly defied divine council to protect his creation. Water and wisdom deity.
Full entry →The Horned One, Lord Of Wild Things, The Antlered God, Master Of Animals, Guardian Of The Forest Gate
Nature, Wild Animals, Fertility, Life Death Rebirth, Liminal Spaces, The Hunt, Masculine Wildness
Green, Brown, Gold, Forest Colors
Moss Agate, Jade, Malachite
Oak, Ivy, Pine, Holly, Mistletoe
Stag, Serpent, Ram, Bull
The Emperor, The Devil, King Of Pentacles
Saturday
Full Moon, New Moon
Beltane, Samhain, Yule
Antlers, Acorns, Grain, Mead, Spending Time In Wild Places, Honoring Animal Spirits, Forest Conservation
Celtic horned god associated with wild nature, animals, fertility, life-death-rebirth cycles. The name is securely attested only once, on the 1st-century Pillar of the Boatmen from Paris; everything else is iconographic (stag antlers, seated cross-legged, torque and serpent), and no myth of him survives. Lord of liminal forest spaces. The reading of him as the untamed masculine wild, and as the 'horned god' of modern witchcraft, is a modern synthesis rather than an ancient text.
Full entry →The Feathered Serpent, Lord Of Wind, Giver Of Knowledge, The Morning Star, Creator Of Humanity
Wind, Wisdom, Creation, Fertility, Forbidden Knowledge To Humanity, Self Sacrifice, Morning Star
Green, Gold, Turquoise, White
Jade, Turquoise, Emerald, Clear Quartz
Maize, Cacao, Amaranth, Tobacco
Serpent, Quetzal Bird, Jaguar
The Star, The World, The Magician
Friday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Ostara
Jade, Turquoise, Flowers, Cacao, Copal Incense, Teaching Knowledge, Acts Of Creation
Quetzalcoatl is the Mesoamerican feathered serpent, the wind (as Ehecatl) and the morning-star aspect of Venus, credited in the Nahua accounts with the creation of humanity from the bones of the ancestors, with agriculture, the calendar and writing, and the patron of the priestly arts; his morning-star aspect is properly Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, a distinct lord of the day. Narratives of his exile and promised return are traditional, but the later story that he was a white god whom the Mexica took for Cortes is a colonial construction and is not part of the tradition. Whether he opposed human sacrifice is contested: the reformed Tollan of Ce Acatl Topiltzin is presented that way in some tellings, but it is not a settled attribute.
Full entry →Lord Of The Underworld, The Rich One, The Unseen, King Of The Dead, Keeper Of Hidden Wealth
Underworld, Death, Hidden Wealth, Sovereignty In Darkness, Inevitable Truth, Transformation Through Descent
Black, Dark Purple, Gold, Deep Red
Obsidian, Onyx, Jet, Hematite, Gold
Cypress, Asphodel, Pomegranate, Yew
Serpent, Black Ram, Screech Owl
Death, The Devil, King Of Pentacles
Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain
Pomegranate, Dark Wine, Coins, Black Candles, Cypress, Honoring The Dead, Facing Inevitable Truths
Greek god of underworld, not death itself. Drew the lot for underworld kingship. Abducted Persephone, made her queen. Just ruler, inflexible but fair. Associated with hidden wealth (minerals, gems, metals from earth). The inevitable—what must be faced eventually. Rarely leaves underworld.
Full entry →The Exalted One, Lady Of The Flame, Keeper Of The Sacred Fire, Triple Goddess, Patroness Of Poets
Fire, Poetry, Healing, Smithcraft, Sacred Wells, Inspiration, Sovereignty
Gold, White, Red, Green
Carnelian, Sunstone, Clear Quartz, Amber
Oak, Dandelion, Blackberry, Heather
Snake, Cow, Swan
The Sun, The Empress, Ace Of Wands
Sunday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Imbolc, Ostara
Milk, Butter, Bread, Poetry, Creative Works, Tending Sacred Flames, Healing Acts
Celtic triple goddess of fire, poetry, healing, smithcraft. Tended perpetual sacred flame at Kildare. Associated with sacred wells and springs. Patroness of poets, healers, smiths. Later Christianized as St. Brigid but retained goddess attributes. Represents creative fire, inspiration, transformation through craft.
Full entry →God Of Wine, The Liberator, The Twice-Born, Bringer Of Ecstasy, Lord Of Madness
Wine, Ecstasy, Theater, Madness, Liberation, Breaking Boundaries, Ritual Madness, Transformation Through Ecstasy
Purple, Green, Gold, Wine Red
Amethyst, Grape Agate, Fluorite
Grapes, Ivy, Pine, Fennel
Leopard, Bull, Serpent, Dolphin
The Fool, Temperance, The Devil
Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Ostara, Mabon
Wine, Grapes, Ivy, Theater Performances, Acts Of Ecstatic Release, Dancing, Music
Greek god born from Zeus's thigh (twice-born). God of wine, ecstasy, theater, madness. Traveled teaching wine-making, gathering followers (maenads). Drives people mad who resist him. Represents liberation through loss of control, sacred madness, breaking of rigid boundaries. Theater as ritual, wine as sacrament, ecstasy as path.
Full entry →The Veiled One, Hag Of Winter, Bringer Of Storms, Shaper Of Mountains, The Divine Hag
Winter, Death, Sovereignty Of Land, Storms, Ancient Wisdom, Crone Power, Necessary Endings
Grey, White, Blue, Stone Colors
Granite, Clear Quartz, Hag Stones, Fossils
Heather, Gorse, Elder, Juniper
Deer, Mountain Goat, Crow, Wolf
Death, The Hermit, The Tower
Saturday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
Samhain, Yule, Imbolc
Stones, Ale, Oats, Silence, Respecting Winter, Honoring Endings, Time In Mountains
Celtic divine hag, goddess of winter and sovereignty. Shapes mountains with her hammer. Brings winter storms. Transforms between crone and maiden with seasons. Ancient beyond measure. Represents crone wisdom, necessary endings, harsh but just sovereignty of land itself. Not cruel—simply inevitable as winter.
Full entry →The Primordial Mother, Dragon Of Chaos, Mother Of All, Salt Water Goddess, She Who Birthed Gods
Primordial Chaos, Creation, Salt Water, Dragons, Mother Who Devours, Raw Creative Force
Deep Blue, Green, Silver, Black
Pearl, Aquamarine, Labradorite, Black Pearl
Kelp, Sea Salt
Dragon, Serpent, Sea Creatures
The Moon, The Tower, Death
Monday
New Moon, Full Moon
Salt Water, Sea Shells, Ocean Treasures, Honoring Primordial Chaos, Creating From Destruction, Acknowledging The Void
Babylonian primordial goddess, personification of salt water. Mated with Apsu (fresh water) to birth first gods. When her children disturbed her rest, she created monsters to destroy them. Slain by Marduk who created world from her body. Represents primordial chaos, creative force, mother who can become destroyer.
Full entry →Grandmother Spider, Weaver Of Reality, Creator Grandmother, She Who Thinks The World
Creation, Weaving Reality, Wisdom, Teaching, Trickster Wisdom, Connection, Fate
Silver, Grey, Earth Tones, Web White
Moonstone, Obsidian, Turquoise
Sage, Cedar, Tobacco
Spider
The Empress, The High Priestess, Wheel Of Fortune
Monday, Wednesday
All Phases
Cornmeal, Tobacco, Weaving, Creative Acts, Teaching Others, Honoring Connections, Respecting Spiders
Native American creator goddess who wove the world into being. Taught humans to weave, create, think. Trickster wisdom combined with creator power. Represents that reality is woven, that all things are connected, that creation comes from thought made manifest. Grandmother who teaches by showing.
Full entry →The Trickster, Sacred Fool, Chaos Teacher, Creator Through Mistakes, First Screw-Up
Trickery, Chaos, Teaching Through Mistakes, Sacred Disruption, Survival, Adaptability, Humor
Brown, Grey, Earth Tones, Wild Colors
Agate, Jasper, Carnelian
Sage, Tobacco
Coyote, Crow, Raven
The Fool, The Magician, The Tower
Wednesday
Waxing Crescent, Waning Crescent
Tobacco, Cornmeal, Food Scraps, Laughter, Mistakes Acknowledged, Acts Of Sacred Foolishness, Adaptability
Native American trickster deity who creates through mistakes and chaos. Sometimes creator, always disruptor. Teaches through making mistakes, getting caught, being foolish. Represents that chaos teaches, that mistakes are sacred, that humor is survival tool. Sacred fool who reveals truth through absurdity.
Full entry →God Of The Forge, The Divine Smith, Creator Of Wonders, The Lame God, Master Craftsman
Smithing, Fire, Craftsmanship, Technology, Beauty From Rejection, Creation Through Labor, Forge Magic
Red, Orange, Bronze, Gold
Carnelian, Fire Opal, Hematite, Pyrite
Cinnamon, Dragon Blood, Oak, Ash
Donkey, Dog, Crane
The Emperor, Ace Of Wands, Three Of Pentacles
Tuesday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Litha
Wine, Oil, Crafted Objects, Acts Of Creation, Honoring Craftspeople, Making Beauty From Pain
Greek god of forge, fire, craftsmanship. Cast from Olympus for being lame, twice. Created incredible works—Achilles' armor, Pandora, automatons, palaces. Married to Aphrodite (unfaithfully). Represents beauty created through labor, power found through rejection, that the rejected can create wonders. Forge as sacred space.
Full entry →The Shadow, Warrior Woman, Teacher Of Warriors, She Who Strikes Fear, The Dark One
Martial Arts, Warrior Training, Prophecy, Teaching Through Hardship, Fierce Feminine Warrior Path, Shadow Warrior Wisdom
Red, Black, Grey, Silver
Bloodstone, Obsidian, Red Jasper, Garnet
Thistle, Rowan, Yew, Wormwood
Raven, Wolf, Hawk
Seven Of Wands, Five Of Swords, Queen Of Swords
Tuesday, Saturday
Waning Gibbous, New Moon
Samhain
Weapons, Blood If Consensual, Acts Of Training, Teaching Others, Enduring Hardship, Mastering Fear
Celtic warrior woman who trained heroes including Cu Chulainn on Isle of Skye. Fierce teacher who demanded perfection through brutal training. Taught martial arts, prophecy, warrior wisdom. Represents that mastery requires hardship, that feminine can be warrior teacher, that shadow holds warrior wisdom.
Full entry →Yeye Omo Eja (Mother Of The Fish Children), Mother Of Waters, Owner Of The River Ogun, Queen Of The Sea (In The Diaspora)
The River Ogun, Waters, Motherhood, Children, Fishing, Women, Healing, The Sea In The Diaspora
Blue, White, Silver
Aquamarine, Moonstone, Pearl, Blue Lace Agate
Seaweed, Lotus, Water Lily
Fish, Dolphin, Sea Turtle
The Empress, The Star, Queen Of Cups
Monday, Saturday
Full Moon, New Moon
Watermelon, Molasses, White Flowers, Perfume, The First Catch
Yemoja is the orisha of the river Ogun in Yorubaland, the mother of the children of the fish (her name), and in the diaspora she becomes the mother of the ocean and of many orishas. In Cuba she is Yemaya, syncretised with the Virgin of Regla (7 September), and in Brazil she is Iemanjá, honoured at the sea and syncretised with Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes. The shift from river to ocean is a diaspora development, not a Yoruba one, and Olokun owns the deep sea in Yorubaland. The 'mother of all orishas' is diaspora theology, and the Brazilian and Cuban forms differ.
Full entry →Goddess Of Winds, Warrior Mother, She Of The Whirlwind, Guardian Of Cemeteries, Bringer Of Change
Winds, Storms, Transformation, Death Rebirth, Markets, Fierce Change, Warrior Feminine
Burgundy, Purple, Orange, Brown
Carnelian, Citrine, Amber, Red Jasper
Hibiscus, Grapes, Eggplant
Buffalo, Horse, Bison
The Tower, Death, Queen Of Swords
Wednesday, Friday
Waning Gibbous, New Moon
Eggplant, Red Wine, Purple Grapes, Acts Of Fierce Change, Standing In Storms, Honoring Ancestors
Yoruba goddess of winds, storms, transformation, death and rebirth. Warrior who fought alongside Shango. Guardian of cemeteries and gates of death. Marketplace goddess—commerce and exchange. Brings fierce change, sweeps away stagnation. Represents transformation as violent rebirth, winds that clear, death as transition.
Full entry →Goddess Of Wisdom, The Strategist, Protector Of Cities, Born From The Head, Virgin Warrior
Wisdom, Strategic Warfare, Craftsmanship, Justice, Defensive War, Civilization, Intellect As Power
Grey, Silver, Blue, Gold
Lapis Lazuli, Sapphire, Clear Quartz, Sodalite
Olive, Lavender, Sage, Cypress
Owl, Serpent, Spider
Justice, The Hierophant, Queen Of Swords
Wednesday
Waxing Crescent, First Quarter
Ostara
Olive Oil, Owl Images, Written Strategies, Acts Of Strategic Thinking, Defensive Protection, Craft Work, Wisdom Applied
Greek goddess born fully formed from Zeus's head. Goddess of wisdom, strategic warfare (not bloodlust), crafts, justice. Protector of Athens. Virgin goddess by choice. Represents sovereignty through intellect, defense over aggression, strategic thinking as power. Wisdom embodied, civilization protected through planning.
Full entry →Goddess Of Sweet Waters, Lady Of Gold, Mother Of Abundance, The Sweetness That Can Flood, Protector Of The Abused
Rivers, Love, Beauty, Fertility, Abundance, Sweetness That Becomes Fierce, Protection Through Love
Gold, Yellow, Orange, Amber
Amber, Citrine, Gold, Coral
Cinnamon, Orange, Sunflower
Peacock, Vulture, Fish
The Empress, Ace Of Cups, Nine Of Pentacles
Friday, Saturday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Honey, Oranges, Pumpkin, Gold Jewelry, Champagne, Cinnamon, Acts Of Beauty, Protecting The Abused, River Offerings
Yoruba goddess of rivers, love, beauty, fertility. Saved humanity when male Orishas failed—used sweetness and sensuality where force failed. Fiercely protective of women and children, especially abused. Sweet water that can become flood. Represents that gentleness holds power, that beauty is strength, that love can be fierce weapon.
Full entry →The Sabbatic Goat, Symbol Of Liberation, Union Of Opposites, As Above So Below, The Complete Being
Occult Wisdom, Union Of Opposites, Transcendence Of Binary, Sacred Androgyny, Liberation Through Paradox, Sovereignty Beyond Gender
Black, White, Grey, All Colors Unified
Obsidian, Clear Quartz, Labradorite
Cannabis, Mugwort, Wormwood, Datura
Goat, Serpent
The Devil, Temperance, The Magician
Saturday
New Moon, Full Moon
Samhain, Beltane
Incense, Wine, Acts Of Transcending Binary, Embracing Paradox, Occult Study, Liberation Work, Gender Sovereignty
Not ancient deity but powerful occult symbol emerging from Templar accusations, fully formed by Eliphas Levi. Goat-headed androgyne with torch between horns, one arm up (solve), one down (coagula). Breasts and phallus. Represents union of all opposites—male/female, light/dark, above/below, animal/divine. 'As above, so below.' Liberation through embracing paradox.
Full entry →Divine Wisdom, The Fallen Sophia, Feminine Face Of God, She Who Descended To Create, Wisdom In Exile
Divine Wisdom, Creation Through Fall, Feminine Aspect Of Divine, Wisdom Through Exile, Redemption, Gnosis
White, Silver, Blue, Purple
Moonstone, Pearl, Lapis Lazuli, Amethyst
Rose, Lotus, Lily, Sage
Dove, Serpent
The High Priestess, The Star, The World
Monday, Wednesday
Full Moon, Waxing Crescent
Ostara
White Flowers, Honey, Milk, Acts Of Seeking Gnosis, Feminine Divine Honoring, Wisdom Study, Redemption Work
Gnostic divine wisdom, feminine aspect of God. Fell from Pleroma (divine fullness) through desire to know/create independently. Her fall created material world (sometimes seen as error, sometimes as necessary). Seeks redemption and return. Parallel to Lucifer pattern—descent through desire for knowledge/creation. Wisdom in exile seeking return.
Full entry →Queen Of Heaven, Goddess Of War And Love, The Demonized Divine, Star Of The Morning, She Who Was Rebranded
Love, War, Fertility, Sovereignty, Power Stripped Through Demonization, Reclaiming What Was Stolen
Red, Gold, Purple, Star Silver
Ruby, Garnet, Carnelian, Star Sapphire
Rose, Myrrh, Frankincense, Cedar
Lion, Dove, Sphinx
The Empress, Strength, The Devil
Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Ostara, Beltane
Incense, Flowers, Wine, Acts Of Reclaiming Stolen Divinity, Honoring Demonized Feminine, Sovereignty Claiming, Rewriting False Narratives
Phoenician/Canaanite goddess of love, war, fertility. Worshipped widely across ancient Near East. Hebrew Bible demonized her as Ashtoreth. Christian demonology transformed her to Astaroth, male Duke of Hell. Represents systematic stripping of feminine divine power through rebranding as demon. Goddess → demon. Power → evil. Sovereignty stolen through narrative.
Full entry →Goddess Of Discord, Bringer Of Strife, The Excluded One, She Who Throws The Golden Apple, Catalyst Of Necessary Chaos
Discord, Strife, Productive Chaos, Necessary Disruption, Revealing Truth Through Conflict, Catalyst Energy
Gold, Black, Red, Chaotic Rainbow
Pyrite, Tiger Eye, Obsidian, Opal
Nettle, Thistle, Wormwood, Tobacco
Crow, Wasp, Serpent
The Tower, Five Of Swords, Seven Of Wands
Tuesday
Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter
Golden Apples, Acts Of Necessary Disruption, Truth Telling That Causes Conflict, Breaking False Harmony, Catalyzing Needed Change, Chaos Magic
Greek goddess of discord and strife. Excluded from wedding of Peleus and Thetis. Threw golden apple inscribed 'for the fairest' among goddesses. Led to Judgment of Paris, Trojan War. Represents necessary chaos, productive disruption. Not malicious—catalyst. Reveals truth hidden by false harmony. Discord that serves evolution. Chaos feminine that creates through conflict, not destruction.
Full entry →Baba Yaga, The Bone Mother, The Wild Witch, She Who Tests, Crone In The Hut On Chicken Legs
Tests Through Tasks, Crone Wisdom, Death, Transformation, Wild Feminine, Devouring Or Teaching, Threshold Guardian
Black, Red, White, Grey
Obsidian, Jet, Clear Quartz
Elder, Yew, Belladonna, Mandrake
Chicken, Cat, Crow
Death, The Hermit, The Moon
Saturday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
Samhain
Bread, Vodka, Respect, Completing Impossible Tasks, Honoring Crones, Respecting Tests, Gifts For Services Rendered
Slavic folklore figure (a witch of the tales, not a deity of the pre-Christian pantheon) living in hut on chicken legs surrounded by fence of bones. Flies in mortar, wielding pestle, sweeping tracks with broom. Tests heroes with impossible tasks. Those who complete them receive help. Those who fail—she devours. Crone trickster teacher. Not good or evil—necessary. Tests reveal worthiness. Guardian of thresholds to otherworld.
Full entry →Primordial Darkness, The Deep Shadow, Father Of Night'S Children, Lord Of The Underworld Entrance, The First Shadow
Primordial Darkness, Shadow, The Space Between, Underworld Passage, Darkness As Substance, Void Before Creation
Absolute Black, Charcoal, Void Color
Obsidian, Black Tourmaline, Jet, Apache Tear
Belladonna, Hemlock, Yew, Cypress
Raven, Black Dog
Death, The Devil, The Moon
Saturday
New Moon
Samhain
Darkness, Silence, Void, Shadow Work, Acknowledgment Of Darkness As Origin, Black Candles Extinguished
Greek primordial deity of darkness—emerged from Chaos alongside Nyx (Night). Together they produced Aether (Light) and Hemera (Day). Represents darkness as substance, not absence of light. The deep shadow, the void, the space between. Associated with underworld passages—darkness you travel through. Primordial masculine darkness paired with Nyx's night.
Full entry →King Of Demons, Prince Of Lust, Lord Of Wrath, The Destroying Angel, He Who Sees All Desires
Lust, Wrath, Forbidden Desire, Vengeance, Strategic Destruction, Sovereignty Through Appetite, Rage As Sacred
Red, Black, Crimson, Gold
Garnet, Ruby, Obsidian, Bloodstone
Dragon Blood, Damiana, Cinnamon, Patchouli
Serpent, Bull, Cock
The Devil, The Tower, Five Of Wands, Knight Of Wands
Tuesday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Beltane
Red Wine, Acts Of Righteous Wrath, Claiming Forbidden Desires, Strategic Destruction Of Obstacles, Gold, Tobacco, Owning Your Rage
Demon king in Judeo-Christian tradition, originally from Zoroastrian Aeshma Daeva. Associated with lust, wrath, vengeance. In Book of Tobit, kills seven husbands of Sarah before being bound. Represents desire and rage as sovereign forces, not sins. Left Hand Path ally for those reclaiming appetite and anger as sacred, not shameful.
Full entry →The Worthless One, Lord Without Master, King Of The Earth, He Who Needs No God, The Proudly Independent
Independence, Self Sufficiency, Earthly Power, Worthlessness As Freedom, Sovereignty Without Divine Approval, Material Mastery
Black, Green, Brown, Gold
Obsidian, Onyx, Tiger Eye, Pyrite
Patchouli, Vetiver, Oakmoss, Tobacco
Serpent, Goat, Wolf
The Devil, The Emperor, Ten Of Pentacles
Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Acts Of Self Sufficiency, Refusing Submission To Authority, Building Earthly Power, Black Candles, Earth, Claiming Worthlessness As Freedom
Hebrew term meaning 'worthless' or 'without value'—later personified as demon of independence and earthly power. Represents sovereignty without divine approval, self-sufficiency as highest value. Left Hand Path figure teaching that you need no master, no god, no external validation. Worthlessness becomes freedom when you refuse to be measured by others' standards.
Full entry →Venom Of God, The Poison Angel, Angel Of Death, The Red Serpent, The Accuser, Husband Of Lilith
Death, Poison, Serpent Wisdom, Accusation, Severity, Left Hand Of God, Necessary Destruction
Red, Black, Crimson
Bloodstone, Obsidian, Garnet, Red Jasper
Wormwood, Belladonna, Mandrake, Hemlock
Serpent, Dragon, Scorpion
Death, The Devil, The Tower, Ten Of Swords
Tuesday, Saturday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
Samhain
Red Wine, Acts Of Necessary Destruction, Serpent Imagery, Accepting Poison As Medicine, Iron, Acknowledgment Of Death As Teacher
Kabbalistic angel of death and poison, often identified with the serpent in Eden. Husband/consort of Lilith in some traditions. Represents severity, left hand of God, necessary destruction. The venom that can cure or kill. Associated with Mars and severity side of Tree of Life. Sometimes conflated with Lucifer or Satan. Teaches that death is teacher, that poison can heal, that destruction serves transformation.
Full entry →The Twisted Serpent, Dragon Of The Deep, Chaos Of The Waters, The Coiling One, Primordial Sea Monster
Primordial Chaos, The Deep, Untamed Waters, Chaos That Precedes Order, Envy, The Abyss
Deep Blue, Black, Green, Silver
Aquamarine, Labradorite, Obsidian, Pearl
Seaweed, Lotus, Water Lily, Kelp
Serpent, Whale, Dragon, Kraken
The Moon, Death, The Tower, Seven Of Cups
Monday
New Moon, Full Moon
Salt Water, Acts Of Embracing Chaos, Deep Sea Imagery, Acknowledging The Abyss, Pearls, Shells
Primordial sea serpent/dragon in Hebrew Bible and mythology. Chaos monster representing untamed waters before creation. In Job, creature so powerful only God can control it. Associated with envy in later demonology. Represents chaos that precedes order, the deep that cannot be tamed, primordial forces before structure. Left Hand Path figure teaching that chaos is origin, that some things should not be controlled.
Full entry →The Peacock Angel, King Of Angels, He Who Was First Created, The Unfallen
The Peacock Angel, Lord Of This World, Emanation Of God, Light, Nature, The Seven Angels, Blessing
Iridescent, Gold, Blue, Green, Rainbow
Peacock Ore, Opal, Labradorite, Gold
Frankincense, Myrrh, Saffron, Lotus
Peacock, Serpent, Dove
The Star, The Sun, The World
Wednesday, Sunday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Frankincense, Lamps At Sersal, Acts Of Reverence For Nature
Yazidi Peacock Angel, leader of the seven Divine Beings (heft sirr) whom God created before the world and entrusted with its affairs; an emanation of God, a good and benevolent angel who is neither fallen nor disgraced, who passed a test and made the cosmos from the Cosmic egg, and who is Lord of this world - responsible for all that happens in it, good and bad. His emblem is the peacock: its colours are the diversity of nature and its fanned tail the rays of the sun at dawn; the first Wednesday of Nisan (Sersal, the Yazidi New Year) is his descent to earth as light. The 'refused to bow to Adam', 'wept for thousands of years' and 'extinguished the fires of hell' narratives are foreign to Yazidism (attributed to later Muslim or Christian hands), and identifying him with Lucifer or Satan is a misconception that has fuelled centuries of persecution; Yazidis hold him to be no source of evil.
Full entry →The Destroyer, Angel Of The Abyss, King Of The Locusts, He Who Unmakes, Guardian Of The Bottomless Pit
Destruction, The Abyss, Apocalypse, Necessary Unmaking, Guardian Of Depths, Plague
Black, Grey, Ash, Void
Obsidian, Jet, Apache Tear, Smoky Quartz
Wormwood, Rue, Yarrow, Cedar
Locust, Vulture, Scorpion
Death, The Tower, Ten Of Swords
Saturday
New Moon
Samhain
Ashes, Acts Of Necessary Destruction, Letting Things Die, Acknowledgment Of Endings, Iron, Silence
Hebrew term meaning 'place of destruction'—later personified as Angel of the Abyss in Revelation. Guards bottomless pit, commands plague of locusts. Represents necessary destruction, apocalyptic unmaking, the destroyer who serves divine will. Teaches that some things must be completely unmade, that destruction can be sacred duty, that the abyss holds purpose.
Full entry →Prince Of Greed, Lord Of Material Power, The Golden One, Master Of Acquisition
Wealth, Material Power, Strategic Accumulation, Financial Sovereignty, Prosperity Magic, Greed As Force
Gold, Green, Purple, Black
Citrine, Pyrite, Gold, Tiger Eye, Green Aventurine
Cinnamon, Basil, Mint, Bay Leaf
Bull, Dragon, Crow
Ten Of Pentacles, Four Of Pentacles, The Devil, King Of Pentacles
Thursday, Friday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Gold Coins, Money, Acts Of Strategic Accumulation, Business Success, Financial Offerings, Green Candles
Aramaic term for wealth or riches—later personified as demon of greed and material power. Represents wealth as force, prosperity as power, strategic accumulation as skill. Left Hand Path ally for those building material sovereignty. Teaches that money is power, that financial independence enables freedom, that wealth itself is neither good nor evil but tool.
Full entry →Lord Of The Underworld, God Of War And Plague, The Scorched Earth, King Of The Dead, The Burning One
Underworld, War, Plague, Scorched Earth, Death, Necessary Destruction, Summer Heat That Kills
Red, Black, Burnt Orange, Ash Grey
Carnelian, Bloodstone, Obsidian, Red Jasper
Wormwood, Thistle, Nettle, Dragon Blood
Lion, Dog, Scorpion, Vulture
Death, The Tower, Five Of Wands, Ten Of Swords
Tuesday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
Litha
Red Wine, Burnt Offerings, Acts Of Necessary Destruction, Warfare Rituals, Iron, Acknowledging Death And Plague
Mesopotamian god of war, plague, and underworld. Married Ereshkigal and became king of the dead. Represents destructive aspect of sun—summer heat that scorches and kills. War god who brings plague, death, necessary destruction. Teaches that some destruction is natural, that heat can kill as well as nurture, that underworld needs king as well as queen.
Full entry →Queen Of Heaven, She Who Walks On The Sea, Mother Of The Gods, The Suppressed Consort, Lady Of The Sea, The Erased Goddess
Sea, Fertility, Motherhood, Sacred Trees, Suppressed Feminine Divinity, Consort Erased From Scripture, Reclaimed Sovereignty
Blue, Green, Silver, White
Aquamarine, Moonstone, Pearl, Turquoise
Myrrh, Cedar, Willow, Lotus
Lion, Dove, Serpent, Fish
The Empress, The High Priestess, Queen Of Cups
Monday, Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Ostara
Milk, Honey, Sea Water, Tree Plantings, Reclaiming Erased Feminine, Acknowledging Suppression, Honoring Sacred Trees
Canaanite mother goddess, consort of El (and possibly YHWH in early Hebrew practice). Systematically erased from Hebrew scripture through religious reforms. Sacred trees and poles destroyed. Represents feminine divinity suppressed by monotheistic patriarchy. Goddess whose worship was forbidden, whose consort relationship was erased, whose trees were cut down. Teaches about systematic erasure, reclamation of suppressed feminine, sovereignty stolen through narrative.
Full entry →Angra Mainyu, Spirit Of Destruction, The Lie, Lord Of Darkness, The Destructive Spirit, Opponent Of Ahura Mazda
Darkness, Destruction, Chaos, Necessary Opposition, The Lie, Winter, Death
Black, Dark Grey, Brown
Obsidian, Jet, Onyx, Black Tourmaline
Wormwood, Hemlock, Yew, Nightshade
Serpent, Wolf, Scorpion, Lizard
The Devil, Death, The Tower
Saturday
New Moon
Samhain, Yule
None Traditionally
Zoroastrian spirit of destruction and chaos—opponent of Ahura Mazda (good principle). Represents necessary darkness, destructive principle, the lie as opposed to truth. In dualistic Zoroastrianism, represents evil principle. In Left Hand Path interpretation, represents necessary opposition, darkness that enables light to be recognized, destruction that allows creation. Teaches that opposition serves evolution, that darkness has place, that destruction is part of cycle.
Full entry →Queen Of The Great Below, Lady Of Death, Ruler Of Irkalla, The Dark Sister, She Who Cannot Leave, The Forgotten Queen
Underworld, Death, Exile, Sovereignty Through Isolation, The Forgotten Feminine, Rage Of Abandonment, Necessary Darkness
Black, Dark Red, Grey, Bone White
Obsidian, Jet, Garnet, Smoky Quartz
Wormwood, Myrrh, Cypress, Pomegranate
Owl, Serpent, Dog, Vulture
Death, The Moon, Five Of Pentacles, Ten Of Swords
Saturday, Monday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain
Pomegranate, Black Wine, Honoring The Forgotten, Acknowledging Isolation, Witnessing Underworld Pain, Bone, Earth
Sumerian queen of underworld—Inanna's dark sister. Sent to underworld, cannot leave. When Inanna descends, Ereshkigal strips and kills her. Represents sovereignty through exile, power claimed in abandonment, the forgotten feminine. Rage of being left behind. Queen of those who cannot return. Teaches that some exile is permanent, that sovereignty can be claimed in darkness, that the forgotten hold power, that rage of abandonment is sacred.
Full entry →God Of Light, God Of Music And Poetry, God Of Healing, God Of Prophecy, The Radiant One, Leader Of The Muses
Light, Healing, Music, Poetry, Prophecy, Truth, Order, Civilization, Youth, Beauty
Gold, White, Bright Yellow, Silver
Sunstone, Citrine, Clear Quartz, Amber, Topaz
Bay Leaf, Sunflower, Chamomile, St Johns Wort, Frankincense
Swan, Raven, Wolf, Dolphin, Python
The Sun, The Magician, Ace Of Wands
Sunday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Litha, Ostara
Bay Laurel Wreaths, Honey, Wine, Gold, Music And Song, Poetry, Acts Of Healing, Sunflowers
Greek god of light, son of Zeus and Leto, twin of Artemis. Slayer of the Python at Delphi, establishing his oracle. God of rational thought, healing arts, music, and prophecy. Embodies civilized order, artistic excellence, and healing power. Accessible and benevolent solar deity who brings light, health, and inspiration to humanity.
Full entry →King Of The Gods, God Of The Sky, Lord Of Thunder, Father Of Gods And Men, Cloud-Gatherer, The Thunderer
Kingship, Thunder, Lightning, Justice, Law, Order, Hospitality, Oaths, Leadership, Authority
Royal Blue, Purple, White, Gold
Sapphire, Lapis Lazuli, Amethyst, Turquoise
Oak, Sage, Cedar, Bay Leaf, Mint
Eagle, Bull, Oak Tree
The Emperor, Wheel Of Fortune, King Of Wands
Thursday
Full Moon
Litha
Wine, Honey, Barley, Oak Leaves, Gold, Acts Of Justice, Upholding Oaths, Showing Hospitality
Supreme Greek god, ruler of Mount Olympus, king of gods and men. Overthrew his father Kronos to establish divine order. God of the sky, thunder, and lightning. Upholds justice, hospitality, and oaths. Despite his many myths of infidelity, he represents lawful authority, expansion, benevolence, and kingly power. Essential deity of the Greco-Roman world.
Full entry →Messenger Of The Gods, God Of Travelers, Trickster, Psychopomp, God Of Commerce, Master Of Boundaries
Communication, Travel, Commerce, Trickery, Boundaries, Transitions, Language, Magic, Alchemy, Thieves
Orange, Yellow, Silver, Multicolored
Agate, Citrine, Green Aventurine, Carnelian, Opal
Lavender, Fennel, Dill, Parsley, Valerian
Ram, Tortoise, Rooster, Hawk
The Magician, The Fool, Eight Of Wands
Wednesday
Waxing Crescent, New Moon
Ostara
Coins, Incense, Honey, Wine, Written Messages, Acts Of Cleverness, Helping Travelers, Crossroads Offerings
Greek messenger god, son of Zeus, psychopomp who guides souls to the underworld. God of boundaries, transitions, communication, commerce, and thieves. Invented the lyre, extremely clever and quick-witted. THE messenger deity, master of language and magic. Patron of travelers, merchants, and magicians. Associated with alchemy and hermetic wisdom (Hermes Trismegistus).
Full entry →Goddess Of Love, Goddess Of Beauty, Lady Of Desire, Mother Of Rome, Queen Of Pleasure, Bringer Of Victory
Love, Beauty, Desire, Pleasure, Sexuality, Fertility, Harmony, Attraction, Relationships, Art
Pink, Rose, Copper, Seafoam Green, White
Rose Quartz, Emerald, Malachite, Pearl, Jade
Rose, Myrtle, Apple Blossom, Yarrow, Vervain
Dove, Swan, Sparrow, Dolphin
The Empress, The Lovers, Two Of Cups
Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Ostara, Beltane
Roses, Honey, Wine, Chocolate, Copper, Mirror, Beautiful Art, Acts Of Love And Pleasure, Self Care
Roman goddess of love, beauty, and desire, equivalent to Greek Aphrodite. Born from sea foam, irresistibly beautiful, has power over all matters of love and attraction. Mother of Aeneas, ancestress of Romans. Embodies the power of desire, beauty, pleasure, and fertile love. Can't have Venus day without the goddess Venus herself! Essential venusian energy—softer and more accessible than Babalon or Inanna.
Full entry →Goddess Of The Moon, The Bright One, Driver Of The Moon Chariot, Lady Of The Night Sky, Titaness Of The Moon
Moon, Lunar Cycles, Night, Illumination, Time, Monthly Cycles, Gentle Magic, Dreams
Silver, White, Pale Blue, Lavender
Moonstone, Selenite, Pearl, Opal, Clear Quartz
Jasmine, Moonflower, White Rose, Gardenia, Lotus
White Horse, Ox, Owl
The High Priestess, The Moon, Queen Of Cups
Monday
Full Moon
Litha
Milk, Honey, White Flowers, Silver, Moonwater, White Candles, Nighttime Devotions, Watching The Moon
Greek Titaness and personification of the Moon itself. Daughter of Hyperion and Theia, sister to Helios (Sun) and Eos (Dawn). Drives her moon chariot across the night sky, bringing gentle lunar light. Known for her love of Endymion, whom she visits nightly. Represents the moon in its pure, personified form—gentle, illuminating, cyclical. More accessible and positive than Hecate's darker lunar aspects.
Full entry →God Of The Sea, Earth-Shaker, King Of The Ocean, Lord Of Horses, Tamer Of Horses, God Of Earthquakes
Ocean, Water, Earthquakes, Horses, Storms, Sailors, Navigation, Depth, Emotional Power, Hidden Realms
Deep Blue, Sea Green, Turquoise, White Foam
Aquamarine, Blue Calcite, Larimar, Blue Lace Agate, Pearl
Seaweed, Sea Salt, Lotus, Water Lily
Horse, Dolphin, Bull, Fish, Sea Creatures
The Chariot, King Of Cups, Seven Of Cups
Monday
Full Moon
Litha
Sea Water, Shells, Fish, Wine, Olive Oil, Model Ships, Coins Thrown To Sea, Beach Cleanup
Greek god of the sea, brother of Zeus and Hades, one of the three ruling gods. Commands all waters, causes earthquakes, created horses. Temperamental and powerful, reflecting the ocean's dual nature—giving life and destroying. Rules hidden depths and emotional realms. Essential deity for ocean work and water magic. Romans knew him as Neptune.
Full entry →Hearer Of Cries, Lady Of Compassion, Bodhisattva Of Mercy
Compassion, Mercy, Healing, Children, Seafarers, Protection, Suffering
White, Jade Green, Pink
Jade, Moonstone, Rose Quartz, Pearl, Clear Quartz
Lotus, Willow, Jasmine
Dragon, Crane, Turtle, Fish
The High Priestess, Temperance, The Star
Monday
Full Moon, Waxing Crescent
Incense, Flowers, Fruit, Water, Vegetarian Food
Quan Yin is the East Asian bodhisattva of compassion, the Chinese and Japanese form of Avalokiteshvara, who hears every cry in the world and delays her own liberation until all beings are free. She is usually shown in female form in East Asia, holding a vase of pure water and a willow branch.
Full entry →Mother Of All, The Deep-Breasted One, First Of The Gods
Earth, Creation, Fertility, Prophecy, The Land, Oaths, Primal Matter
Green, Brown, Black, Earth Tones
Moss Agate, Jade, Emerald, Aventurine, Obsidian
Oak, Sage, Mugwort, Fern
Serpent, Bull, Boar, Bee
The Empress, The World, The Hanged Man
Saturday
New Moon, Full Moon
Beltane, Mabon
Libation Of Water, Grain, First Fruits, Seeds, Returned Earth
Gaia is the Greek primordial earth, who comes into being at the beginning and bears the Titans, the Cyclopes and the monsters. She is both the ground and the first oracle, and her sanctuary at Delphi predates Apollo's.
Full entry →Long-Armed, Master Of All Arts, Lord Of Light, Spear-Bearer
Light, Skill, Craft, Kingship, Harvest, Oaths, The Spear, Storm
Gold, Red, White
Citrine, Sunstone, Amber, Clear Quartz
Oak, Ash, Wheat, Bay Leaf
Raven, Hawk, Horse, Hound
The Sun, The Magician, Ace Of Wands
Sunday
Full Moon, First Quarter
Lughnasadh, Beltane
Grain, First Harvest, Games And Contests, Craft Work, Ale
Lugh is the Irish master of every art, who arrives at the door of Tara and is admitted only when he names a skill no one else has. He kills his grandfather Balor with a sling stone and institutes the harvest games of Lughnasadh in memory of his foster-mother Tailtiu.
Full entry →Mother Of God, Queen Of Heaven, Theotokos, Star Of The Sea
Motherhood, Mercy, Intercession, Purity, Grief, Protection, The Sea, Comfort
Blue, White, Gold
Pearl, Moonstone, Clear Quartz, Aquamarine, Rose Quartz
Rose, Lily, Lavender, Myrrh
Dove, Lamb, Swan
The High Priestess, The Empress, The Star
Saturday
Full Moon, New Moon
Roses, Candles, Incense, Prayers, Water
Mary is the mother of Jesus, honoured across Christianity as Theotokos, Queen of Heaven and the compassionate intercessor. In folk practice she absorbs far older mother-goddess material — the sea, the rose, the star, the well — and is the figure people approach when they need mercy rather than judgement.
Full entry →The Spider, Keeper Of All Stories, Trickster Of The Crossroads
Story, Cunning, Wisdom, Speech, Trickery, Survival, The Crossroads
Black, Brown, Orange
Obsidian, Tiger Eye, Smoky Quartz, Black Tourmaline
Tobacco, Sage, Pepper
Spider, Turtle, Rabbit, Crow
The Magician, The Fool, Seven Of Swords
Wednesday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Stories Told, Tobacco, Rum, Food Shared, Trickster Games
Anansi is the Akan spider trickster who bought all the stories from Nyame by catching four impossible creatures, which is why tales are called Anansesem. Carried across the Atlantic by enslaved Akan people, he became the surviving trickster of the Caribbean and the American South, teaching by wit rather than by power.
Full entry →Silver Wheel, Lady Of The Wheel, Keeper Of Caer Sidi, Star-Crowned
The Moon, The Stars, Time, Fate, Sovereignty, The Sea, Reincarnation, The Wheel
Silver, White, Blue, Black
Moonstone, Pearl, Selenite, Labradorite, Clear Quartz
Mugwort, Willow, Lavender, Sage
Owl, Swan, Starling
The Moon, The Star, Wheel Of Fortune
Monday
Full Moon, Waxing Crescent, New Moon
Samhain, Yule
Silver, Moonlight, Water, White Flowers, Poetry
Arianrhod is the Welsh goddess of the silver wheel, whose castle Caer Sidi is the turning station of the stars and a place of the dead awaiting rebirth. In the Fourth Branch she is tested for virginity, bears two sons, and lays a destiny on one of them that he shall have no name, no arms and no wife of the race of earth — the story of a sovereignty that will not be taken.
Full entry →The Awakened One, Teacher Of Gods And Men, The Thus-Gone
Awakening, Compassion, Teaching, Mindfulness, Liberation, Equanimity, The Middle Way
Gold, Saffron, White
Clear Quartz, Lapis Lazuli, Jade, Amethyst
Lotus, Sage, Jasmine
Deer, Elephant, Serpent, Lion
The Hierophant, Temperance, The Hermit
Wednesday
Full Moon, New Moon
Flowers, Incense, Water, Fruit, Silence, Meditation
The Buddha is Siddhartha Gautama, who left a palace, sat down under a pipal tree and woke up, and then spent forty-five years teaching a path out of suffering rather than a doctrine about himself. He is not a god in the Buddhist account, and is venerated across traditions as the teacher of gods and men.
Full entry →King Of The Gods, Wielder Of The Thunderbolt, Lord Of The Storm
Storm, Lightning, Rain, Kingship, War, The Thunderbolt, The Heavens
Gold, Red, Blue
Diamond, Clear Quartz, Citrine, Sapphire
Sage, Basil, Lotus
Elephant, Eagle, Bull, Serpent
The Emperor, The Chariot, Ace Of Wands
Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Ghee, Incense, Rice, Praise, Soma Symbolic
Indra is the Vedic king of the gods, who splits the serpent Vritra with his thunderbolt and releases the waters. He is the storm and the rain and the drinker of soma, and in the later tradition he becomes the anxious king of a heaven that enlightenment surpasses.
Full entry →King Of The Gods, Slayer Of Tiamat, Lord Of Babylon, The Fifty Names
Kingship, Storm, Creation, Order, Justice, Magic, The Tablet Of Destinies
Gold, Red, Blue
Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz, Citrine, Hematite
Cedar, Juniper, Frankincense, Sage
Dragon, Bull, Lion, Eagle
The Emperor, The Tower, The Chariot
Thursday
Full Moon, New Moon
Yule, Litha
Beer, Bread, Cedar Wood, Incense, First Fruits
Marduk is the Babylonian king of the gods, who is given the fifty names after he kills Tiamat, splits her body into sky and earth, and makes the world from it. The Enuma Elish is his charter: order is not primordial, it is won from a corpse and held by a king.
Full entry →The Good God, Lord Of Great Knowledge, Father Of All, Club-Bearer
Kingship, Protection, Fertility, Wisdom, The Harvest, Hospitality, Music, The Club
Brown, Green, Gold
Moss Agate, Aventurine, Jasper, Amber
Oak, Barley, Mugwort, Sage
Boar, Bull, Horse
The Emperor, The Hierophant, King Of Pentacles
Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Lughnasadh, Samhain, Beltane
Porridge, Ale, Beef, Grain, Music
The Dagda is the Irish father of the gods, owner of the club that kills and revives, the cauldron that never empties, and the oak harp that orders the seasons. He is mocked in the stories and indispensable in them: the king who is also the host, the provider and the buffoon.
Full entry →Titan Of Time, Devourer, Lord Of The Golden Age
Time, Harvest, Fate, Kingship, The Golden Age, Binding, Cycles
Black, Lead Grey, Earth Tones
Obsidian, Hematite, Black Tourmaline, Onyx
Cypress, Nettle, Comfrey, Willow
Raven, Serpent, Horse
The Hermit, The Devil, Justice
Saturday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
Samhain, Yule
Grain, Wine, Honey, First Fruits Of The Harvest
Kronos is the Titan who rules the golden age and devours his children to stop a prophecy, until Zeus is hidden and returns to depose him. He is time as a force that eats what it produces, and his reign is remembered as both a paradise and a prison.
Full entry →Great Mother, Mother Of The Gods, Lady Of The Mountain
The Mother, Mountains, Wild Nature, Healing, Fertility, Sovereignty, Initiation
Green, Brown, Gold, Red
Jade, Moss Agate, Emerald, Aventurine, Black Tourmaline
Oak, Pine, Rosemary, Sage
Lion, Eagle, Bull
The Empress, The World, The Hanged Man
Saturday
Full Moon, New Moon
Beltane, Mabon
Pine Cones, Milk, Honey, Bread, Cymbals
Cybele is the Anatolian Great Mother adopted at Rome as Magna Mater, whose ecstatic rites were led by the galli and whose consort Attis castrated himself beneath a pine. She is the mountain and the wild, older and larger than the civic gods, and her worship at Rome was both official and frightening.
Full entry →The Sky, First Father, The Starry One
The Sky, Creation, The Stars, Fate, The First Order, Rain
Blue, White, Starry Black
Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz, Labradorite, Sodalite
Lavender, Sage, Mugwort, Frankincense
Eagle, Owl, Serpent
The Star, The Fool, The World
Saturday
New Moon, Full Moon
Yule, Litha
Libation, Incense, Stars Named, Silence
Ouranos is the Greek primordial sky, both the father and the ceiling of the first generation, who is castrated by his son Kronos at Gaia's urging. He is order in its oldest form: vast, generative and unable to survive its own children.
Full entry →Mother Of The Olympians, Lady Of The Flow, The Titaness Who Saved Zeus
Motherhood, Flow, The Earth, Fertility, The Great Mother, Protection Of Children
Green, Brown, White, Gold
Moonstone, Jade, Moss Agate, Pearl, Aventurine
Oak, Willow, Mugwort, Sage
Lion, Serpent, Cow
The Empress, The High Priestess, The World
Monday
Full Moon, New Moon
Mabon, Beltane
Honey, Milk, Grain, Flowers, Libation
Rhea is the Titaness who saves Zeus from being swallowed by giving Kronos a stone in his place, and so ends the old order. She is the great mother of the Olympians and the flow of things, and her Roman name is Ops.
Full entry →Lady Of Divine Order, The Oracle Of What Is Right, The First Law
Justice, Order, Custom, Prophecy, The Assembly, Oaths, What Is Right
White, Gold, Blue, Grey
Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz, Hematite, Sodalite
Sage, Oak, Bay Leaf, Rosemary
Owl, Eagle, Serpent
Justice, The Hierophant, The Emperor
Saturday
Full Moon, New Moon
Mabon, Yule
Wine, Incense, Oaths Kept, First Fruits
Themis is the Greek Titaness of divine order and rightful custom, who holds the oracle at Delphi before Apollo and sits beside Zeus in counsel. She is not the enforcer of law but the shape of what is fitting, prior to any code.
Full entry →The Beautiful Youth, Beloved Of Two Goddesses, The Dying God Of The Year
Beauty, Youth, Vegetation, The Year, Love, Death And Return, Desire
Red, Green, Rose Pink, Black
Carnelian, Rose Quartz, Garnet, Moss Agate
Rose, Myrrh, Poppy, Lettuce
Boar, Dove, Swan
The Lovers, Death, The Star
Friday
Full Moon, New Moon
Ostara, Samhain
Rose, Myrrh, Wine, First Greens, Incense
Adonis is the beautiful youth loved by Aphrodite and Persephone, killed by a boar and divided between the underworld and the upper world for half the year each. His gardens were pots of fast-sprouting seed, carried out and thrown away, which says what his cult thought of him.
Full entry →Beloved Of Cybele, The Self-Made Eunuch, The Pine God
Sacrifice, Resurrection, Devotion, The Pine, The Year, Ecstasy, Renunciation
Green, Red, White, Brown
Moss Agate, Jade, Garnet, Jasper
Pine, Rosemary, Sage, Moss
Boar, Bull, Eagle
The Hanged Man, Death, The Star
Saturday
New Moon, Full Moon
Ostara, Samhain
Pine, Bread, Milk, Blood Offerings Symbolic, Fasting
Attis is the consort of Cybele who castrates himself in a frenzy beneath a pine tree, dies and is mourned and rejoiced over in the spring rites of the Hilaria. His myth is the ancient pattern of the dying god and the cost of total devotion.
Full entry →The Strong Man, Doer Of The Twelve Labours, God Of Toil
Strength, Labour, Endurance, Protection, Heroism, Monsters, Redemption
Red, Gold, Bronze, Lion Gold
Ruby, Garnet, Hematite, Carnelian, Pyrite
Nettle, Thistle, Oak, Sage
Lion, Boar, Eagle, Snake
Strength, The Chariot, The Emperor
Tuesday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Litha, Samhain
Meat, Wine, Bread, Sweat Offered As Work, First Fruits
Hercules is the Greek Herakles in Roman dress: the strongest man alive, driven mad by Hera, and given twelve impossible labours as both punishment and redemption. He is the god of the work itself, and Rome loved him because the work is what a person has instead of a clean start.
Full entry →Wisdom Herself, The First Wife Of Zeus, The Swallowed Counsellor
Wisdom, Counsel, Cunning, Craft, Fate, The Deep Water
Blue, Silver, White
Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz, Sodalite, Pearl
Sage, Fennel, Lavender, Willow
Owl, Serpent, Dolphin
The High Priestess, The Hermit, The Magician
Wednesday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent
Imbolc, Mabon
Spring Water, Honey, Incense, Counsel Given
Metis is the Titaness of wisdom and cunning, Zeus' first wife, whom he swallows when he learns her second child will overthrow him. She counsels him from inside, and their daughter Athena is born from his head — wisdom that survives being consumed.
Full entry →Titaness Of The Fresh Water, Nurse Of The World, Mother Of Rivers
Fresh Water, Nursing, The Rivers, The Seas, Nourishment, The Wet Nurse
Blue, Silver, White, Green
Aquamarine, Pearl, Larimar, Moonstone, Clear Quartz
Seaweed, Willow, Lavender, Fennel
Fish, Dolphin, Swan, Otter
The High Priestess, Ace Of Cups, The Star
Monday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Imbolc, Mabon
Spring Water, Milk, Honey, Flowers On The Water
Tethys is the Titaness of the fresh water that feeds the world, wife of Oceanus and mother of the three thousand rivers. In the Iliad she nurses the young gods, and the sea itself is her descendant: nourishment before it becomes the deep.
Full entry →Father Of Monsters, The Hundred-Headed Storm, Last Child Of Gaia
Storms, Chaos, Monsters, Volcanoes, The Wind, Challenge To Order
Black, Red, Storm Grey
Obsidian, Hematite, Black Tourmaline, Pyrite, Lava Stone
Wormwood, Nettle, Thistle, Mugwort
Serpent, Eagle, Wolf, Dragon
The Tower, The Devil, Five Of Wands
Tuesday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Litha
Wine, Meat, Fire, Storm Water
Typhon is the hundred-headed storm-monster, last child of Gaia, who nearly defeats Zeus and is buried under Mount Etna, where his rage still makes the mountain smoke. He is the chaos that order had to fight rather than the evil that order had to judge.
Full entry →The Antlered Hunter, Lord Of The Wild, Keeper Of The Forest
The Hunt, The Forest, The Wild, The Stag, The Threshold Between Worlds, Vengeance, Leadership
Green, Brown, Black
Moss Agate, Jasper, Obsidian, Aventurine, Lava Stone
Oak, Fern, Mugwort, Thistle
Stag, Hound, Horse, Boar
The Devil, The Emperor, Five Of Wands
Saturday
Full Moon, New Moon
Samhain, Beltane
Grain, Bread, Water, First Fruits
Herne the Hunter is the antlered figure of English folklore, a royal huntsman who hangs himself on an oak in Windsor Forest and rides there after death. His earliest record is Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor (1597); the reading of him as an older horned lord of the hunt is a modern (Margaret Murray / Gerald Gardner) synthesis rather than an attested ancient cult, and he belongs to the wood rather than to the court.
Full entry →Lady Of The Dawn, Bringer Of Spring, The Rising Light
Dawn, Spring, The Equinox, Fertility, Hares, Eggs, New Beginning
Yellow, White, Pale Blue
Rose Quartz, Moonstone, Aventurine, Sunstone, Jade
Cowslip, Violet, Primrose, Daffodil
Hare, Dove, Swan
The Star, The Sun, The Fool
Sunday
Waxing Crescent, First Quarter
Ostara, Beltane
Eggs, Seeds, Flowers, Honey
Eostre is the Anglo-Saxon dawn-goddess whose name the Venerable Bede gives to the month of April (Eosturmonath); Bede is the only source for her. The spring-equinox festival and the hare and the egg are later and modern readings of the Easter customs rather than anything Bede attests: an old name given a new story.
Full entry →Lady Of The Horses, Protectress Of Riders, Keeper Of The Stables
Horses, Riding, The Stable, Travel, Fertility, The Land, Protection Of Animals
Green, Brown, Black
Amber, Carnelian, Jade, Moss Agate, Jasper
Clover, Wheat, Rosemary, Sage
Horse, Mare, Foal, Hound
The Chariot, Strength, Knight Of Wands
Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Beltane, Litha
Grain, Bread, Water, First Fruits
Epona is the Gaulish goddess of horses, adopted by Roman cavalry and given a shrine in every stable in the empire. She is the only Celtic deity with a festival in Rome, and she belongs to the horse rather than to the rider.
Full entry →Mother Of The Gods, Lady Of The Rivers, Ancestress Of The Tuatha
The Rivers, The Earth, Ancestry, Fertility, The Land, Wisdom, Motherhood
Blue, Silver, White
Moonstone, Jade, Pearl, Moss Agate, Aquamarine
Willow, Mugwort, Oak, Sage
Owl, Hare, Crab
The Empress, The High Priestess, The World
Monday
Full Moon, New Moon
Beltane, Mabon
Water, Milk, Flowers, Fish
Danu is the mother of the Tuatha De Danann, the Irish gods who take their name from her, and she is the river and the land at once. She is a presumed goddess: her only attestation is the name Tuatha De Danann itself, and even the motherhood and the rivers are later ascriptions rather than surviving narrative.
Full entry →The Great Queen, Lady Of The Horses, Patroness Of The Wrongly Accused
Horses, Sovereignty, The Otherworld, Endurance, Wrongful Accusation, Birds, Patience
Green, Brown, Black
Moonstone, Carnelian, Jade, Aventurine, Pearl
Clover, Lavender, Rosemary, Violet
Dove, Swan, Sparrow
The Empress, Strength, The Star
Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Beltane, Mabon
Grain, Bread, Water, First Fruits
Rhiannon is the Welsh great queen whose birds sing the dead awake, who is accused of murdering her son and made to carry visitors like a horse for seven years, until the boy is found and she is cleared. She is sovereignty, patience and the long vindication.
Full entry →Lady Of The Clearing, Foster-Mother Of Lugh, The First Harvest
The Clearing, Agriculture, The Harvest, Fosterage, Labour, The Land, Games
Green, Brown, Black
Amber, Moss Agate, Jasper, Citrine, Golden Topaz
Wheat, Barley, Oak, Sage
Pig, Serpent, Owl
Nine Of Pentacles, The Empress, Ten Of Pentacles
Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Lughnasadh, Mabon
Grain, Bread, Water, First Fruits
Tailtiu is the Irish queen who clears the plain of Breg for farming and dies of the labour, asking that her foster-son Lugh hold games in her memory. Those games are Lughnasadh, and the harvest feast is a wake for the person who made the field.
Full entry →Lady Of The Midsummer Fire, Queen Of The Sidhe, Goddess Of The Sun'S Height
Midsummer, The Sun, Love, Sovereignty, The Fairy Hill, Cattle, Abundance
Red, Gold, Orange
Sunstone, Carnelian, Amber, Citrine, Clear Quartz
St Johns Wort, Meadowsweet, Heather, Clover
Horse, Eagle, Rooster
The Sun, The Empress, The Star
Sunday
Full Moon
Litha, Beltane
Fire, Wine, Incense, Meat
Aine is the Irish goddess of the midsummer sun and of Knockainey hill, who is pursued by a mortal king and takes her revenge, and who is also the queen of the local sidhe. She is sovereignty in its double form: given, taken, and answered.
Full entry →Woman Of Flowers, The Betrayer, The Owl
Flowers, Created Life, Betrayal, Freedom, The Owl, Consequence, The Made Thing
Yellow, White, Pale Blue
Rose Quartz, Moonstone, Opal, Moss Agate, Jasper
Rose, Lavender, Primrose, Violet
Dove, Swan, Sparrow
The Lovers, The Moon, Three Of Swords
Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Crescent
Beltane, Ostara
Incense, Honey, Flowers, Written Words
Blodeuwedd is made from flowers by two magicians to be a wife for Lleu, and she falls in love with another man, conspires to kill her husband, and is turned into an owl for it. She is the created thing that becomes a person and is punished for the becoming.
Full entry →The High One, Lady Of The Heights, Tutelary Of The Brigantes
Sovereignty, The Heights, Victory, The Tribe, Healing, Springs, War
Red, Gold, Orange
Carnelian, Sunstone, Clear Quartz, Hematite, Amber
Heather, St Johns Wort, Oak, Clover
Horse, Eagle, Rooster
The Empress, Strength, The Chariot
Sunday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Imbolc, Litha
Votive Altars, Libation, Incense, Spring Water, Wine
Brigantia is the tutelary goddess of the Brigantes, the large tribal confederation of northern Britain, whose name means the high one and who is the land, the sovereignty and the war of a people at once. She is known from seven Latin votive inscriptions, in several of which she is identified with the Roman Victoria and once with Caelestis, and her Birrens relief carries the attributes of Minerva and Victoria; the link to the Irish Brigid is a cognate name whose closeness is disputed.
Full entry →Son Of The Sea, Rider Of The Waves, Keeper Of The Gate
The Sea, The Otherworld, Mist, The Gate, Hospitality, Gifts, Yew
Blue, Silver, White
Aquamarine, Pearl, Labradorite, Moonstone, Abalone
Seaweed, Kelp, Willow, Rosemary
Dolphin, Seal, Fish
The High Priestess, Ace Of Cups, The World
Monday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Samhain, Litha
Water, Milk, Flowers, Fish
Manannan mac Lir is the Irish sea god who rides the waves, owns the boat that goes where it is told, and keeps the gate between this world and the other. He is a host and a trickster-teacher rather than a warrior, and he takes a personal interest in the people who cross.
Full entry →The Thunderer, Lord Of The Wheel, Keeper Of The Storm
Thunder, The Storm, The Wheel, The Sky, Sacrifice, War, Time
Yellow, White, Pale Blue
Clear Quartz, Hematite, Pyrite, Magnetite, Obsidian
Oak, Mistletoe, Nettle, Juniper
Eagle, Stag, Bull
The Tower, Wheel Of Fortune, The Emperor
Thursday
Full Moon, New Moon
Litha, Yule
Incense, Honey, Flowers, Written Words
Taranis is the Gaulish thunderer, named by the Roman poets beside Esus and Teutates, and shown with a thunderbolt and a wheel. The wheel is the year turning and the bolt is what clears the way for it: the storm as a mechanism of time.
Full entry →The Thunderer, Lord Of The Oak, God Of The High Place
Thunder, Lightning, The Oak, War, Oaths, The High Place, Spring Storms
Yellow, White, Pale Blue
Clear Quartz, Hematite, Pyrite, Amber, Obsidian
Oak, Mistletoe, Nettle, Juniper
Eagle, Stag, Bull
The Tower, The Emperor, Ace Of Wands
Thursday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Litha, Ostara
Grain, Bread, Ale, Beef, Incense
Perun is the Slavic thunderer who fights the serpent Veles every spring and drives him back underground, releasing the waters and the year. His tree is the oak, his weapon the axe and the arrow, and oaths were sworn on his name because he enforces them.
Full entry →Lord Of The Waters, Keeper Of The Oath, The All-Seeing
The Waters, Oaths, The Cosmic Order, The Night Sky, Judgement, Rain, Binding
Blue, Silver, White
Lapis Lazuli, Aquamarine, Labradorite, Moonstone, Sapphire
Lotus, Sage, Willow, Fennel
Makara, Swan, Crocodile, Fish
Justice, The High Priestess, The World
Monday
Full Moon, New Moon
Water, Barley, Black Rice, White Flowers, Sesame, Coconut
Varuna is the Vedic lord of the waters and of the cosmic oath, whose spies traverse the sky and whose noose catches the perjurer. Older than the gods he keeps the order with, he becomes in later tradition the god of the ocean and of the west.
Full entry →The Fire, Mouth Of The Gods, Bearer Of Offerings
Fire, Sacrifice, The Hearth, Digestion, Transformation, The Priest, The Messenger
Red, Gold, Orange
Carnelian, Sunstone, Fire Agate, Amber, Garnet
Sage, Turmeric, Cinnamon, Bay Leaf
Wolf, Boar, Vulture, Ram
Ace Of Wands, The Magician, Strength
Tuesday
New Moon, First Quarter
Fire, Wine, Incense, Meat, Ghee
Agni is the Vedic fire, the mouth of the gods through whom every offering is carried, and the flame in the hearth and in the belly. He is the priest of the sacrifice and the sacrifice itself, and without him nothing reaches anyone.
Full entry →The Wind, Lord Of The Breath, Giver Of Life
The Wind, Breath, Air, Movement, Life Force, Storms, Speed
Yellow, White, Pale Blue
Clear Quartz, Angelite, Sodalite, Labradorite, Opal
Lavender, Fennel, Sage, Juniper
Deer, Horse, Eagle
The Fool, Six Of Swords, The Chariot
Wednesday
Waxing Crescent, First Quarter
Soma, Incense, Flowers, Water, Barley
Vayu is the Vedic wind and the breath of life, present in the storm and in the lungs, the father of Hanuman and of Bhima. He is movement itself: what leaves the body last and what arrives first.
Full entry →The Moon, Lord Of The Plants, Keeper Of The Night
The Moon, The Night, Plants, Soma, The Mind, Tides, Time
Blue, Silver, White
Moonstone, Pearl, Selenite, Labradorite, Clear Quartz
Lotus, Sage, Chamomile, Mugwort
Hare, Horse, Antelope
The Moon, The High Priestess, Temperance
Monday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Milk, Rice, Ghee, Honey, White Flowers, Curd
Chandra is the Vedic moon, the cup of soma and the lord of plants, whose waxing and waning is a story of the gods drinking him down and the sun restoring him. He rules the mind and the night and the growing of everything green.
Full entry →Lord Of Prayer, Teacher Of The Gods, The Great Sage
Counsel, Prayer, Wisdom, The Priest, Law, Prosperity, Teaching
Violet, White, Gold
Yellow Sapphire, Citrine, Sapphire, Clear Quartz, Amber, Topaz
Basil, Sage, Turmeric, Bay Leaf
Eagle, Stag, Bull
The Hierophant, The Hermit, The Sun
Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Incense, Light, Silence, Flowers, Turmeric, Banana, Chana Dal
Brihaspati is the Vedic lord of prayer and the teacher of the gods, who carries their petitions and gives them counsel - which they frequently ignore. He is the priest in the sense of the person who knows the words and the order they go in.
Full entry →Mother Earth, The Broad One, Mother Of The Gods
The Earth, Fertility, The Harvest, Motherhood, Abundance, The Soil, Patience
Green, Brown, Black
Moss Agate, Jade, Emerald, Aventurine, Jasper
Wheat, Basil, Turmeric, Sage
Cow, Bull, Serpent
The Empress, The World, Nine Of Pentacles
Saturday
Full Moon, New Moon
Ghee, Honey, Milk, Curd, Water, Barley, Flowers
Prithvi is the Vedic earth mother, the broad one, who is asked for permission and forgiveness in the daily rituals because she is trodden on. She is the ground as a mother who is owed an apology and rarely gets one.
Full entry →The Rain, Lord Of The Storm Cloud, Father Of Plants
Rain, The Storm, Fertility, The Thunder, Plants, The Seed, The Cloud
Blue, Silver, White
Aquamarine, Moonstone, Clear Quartz, Labradorite, Pearl
Lotus, Sage, Fennel, Willow
Bull, Cow, Horse
Ace Of Cups, The Tower, The Sun
Thursday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Water, Milk, Ghee, Barley, Soma
Parjanya is the Vedic rain-cloud and thunderer, who pours the seed into the earth and makes the plants grow, and who is withheld when the people break their agreements with the gods. He is fertility as weather.
Full entry →Great Divinity Of The Sun, The One Who Shines In Heaven, Ancestress Of The Emperors
The Sun, Light, The Heavens, Sovereignty, Weaving, Order, The Mirror
Red, Gold, Orange
Sunstone, Citrine, Clear Quartz, Amber, Golden Topaz
Sage, Bay Leaf, Sunflower, Turmeric
Horse, Eagle, Rooster
The Sun, The Empress, The World
Sunday
Full Moon
Rice, Sake, Water, Salt, Incense
Amaterasu is the Japanese sun goddess, ancestress of the imperial line, who withdraws into a cave when her brother ravages her weaving hall and is drawn out by music and a mirror. She is the light that can be lost by offence and returned by laughter.
Full entry →Lady Of The Moon, The Dweller In The Palace Of Cold, Keeper Of The Elixir
The Moon, Immortality, The Elixir, The Rabbit, Longing, The Autumn, Distance
Blue, Silver, White
Moonstone, Pearl, Selenite, Jade, Labradorite
Jasmine, Chamomile, Lotus, Mugwort
Hare, Toad, Owl
The Moon, The Star, The High Priestess
Monday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Mooncakes, Fruit, Incense, Water
Chang'e drinks the elixir of immortality meant for her husband and floats to the moon, where she lives in a cold palace with a rabbit who pounds medicine. Once a year he can visit her. She is immortality as separation rather than as triumph.
Full entry →Lord Of The Rice, Keeper Of The Foxes, The Prosperous One
Rice, Foxes, Prosperity, Sake, Smithing, Fertility, The Harvest, Abundance
Green, Brown, Black
Amber, Citrine, Golden Topaz, Jade, Moss Agate
Wheat, Sage, Turmeric, Bay Leaf
Fox, White Fox, Serpent
Ten Of Pentacles, The Empress, Nine Of Pentacles
Friday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Rice, Sake, Fried Tofu, First Fruits
Inari is the Japanese god of rice, foxes, prosperity and sake, worshipped at tens of thousands of shrines under red gates, whose messenger is the white fox. Inari changes form and sometimes gender across the shrines, which the tradition accepts without difficulty.
Full entry →The Earth, The Receptive, The Great Mother Of The I Ching
The Earth, Receptivity, The Harvest, Devotion, The Field, The Second Trigram, Support
Yellow, Brown, Ochre
Jade, Moss Agate, Aventurine, Jasper, Emerald
Wheat, Sage, Turmeric, Mugwort
Ox, Bull
The Empress, The World, Nine Of Pentacles
Saturday
New Moon, Full Moon
Incense, Tea, Rice, Fruit, Flowers, Rice Wine
Ki is the earth principle of the I Ching's second hexagram, the receptive, which carries and completes what the creative begins. She is the field rather than the seed, and the tradition is explicit that without her nothing lands.
Full entry →The Old Master, Keeper Of The Way, Author Of The Daodejing
The Way, Wu Wei, Simplicity, Sagehood, Stillness, The Uncarved Block, Softness
Blue, Silver, White
Jade, Clear Quartz, Moonstone, Obsidian, Labradorite
Lotus, Sage, Chamomile, Ginkgo
Ox, Water Buffalo, Crane
The Hermit, Temperance, The High Priestess
Monday
New Moon, Waning Gibbous
Incense, Flowers, Lamp, Water, Fruit, Tea
Laozi is the old master who leaves China on a water buffalo and is persuaded to write down the Daodejing at the pass - five thousand characters and then gone. In the religious tradition he is Lao Jun, a god; in the philosophical one he is a teacher who says the way cannot be taught.
Full entry →God Of Writing, The Scribe Of The Gods, Lord Of The Tablet
Writing, Wisdom, The Tablet, Fate, Messengers, Irrigation, The Harvest
Yellow, White, Pale Blue
Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz, Sodalite, Labradorite, Agate
Cedar, Myrrh, Sage, Papyrus
Serpent, Mushussu
The Hierophant, The Magician, The Hermit
Wednesday
Waxing Crescent, New Moon
Imbolc, Litha
Beer, Bread, Water, Incense, Honey
Nabu is the Mesopotamian god of writing and wisdom, son of Marduk, who holds the tablet of destiny and the stylus and writes down the fates decreed at the new year. He is the instrument by which a decision becomes a fact.
Full entry →The Sun, Judge Of The Gods, Lord Of Justice
The Sun, Justice, Law, The Scales, Truth, Travel, The Oracle
Red, Gold, Orange
Citrine, Sunstone, Lapis Lazuli, Amber, Golden Topaz
Cedar, Bay Leaf, Sage, Frankincense
Lion, Horse, Eagle, Bull
Justice, The Sun, The Emperor
Sunday
Full Moon
Litha, Yule
Beer, Bread, Dates, Incense, Water
Shamash is the Mesopotamian sun god who rises through the doors of heaven and judges, holding the saw of justice and the scales, and who gives the laws to Hammurabi. He sees everything and his light is a court.
Full entry →Lord Of The Moon, The Boat Of Heaven, Lord Of Wisdom
The Moon, Wisdom, The Calendar, The Boat, Fertility, The Measure, The Night
Blue, Silver, White
Moonstone, Lapis Lazuli, Pearl, Selenite, Labradorite
Myrrh, Cedar, Sage, Chamomile
Bull, Cow
The Moon, The High Priestess, The Hermit
Monday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Yule, Samhain
Milk, Ghee, Bread, Beer, Dates, Honey
Nanna, or Sin, is the Mesopotamian moon god who crosses the night sky in a reed boat and measures the months, the father of Shamash and Inanna. His crescent is the measure of time itself and his wisdom is the kind that comes from counting.
Full entry →Lord Of The Plough, Hero Of The Gods, Keeper Of The Canal
Agriculture, Irrigation, The Plough, War, The Thunderbird, Order, The Canal
Green, Brown, Black
Jasper, Hematite, Agate, Moss Agate, Magnetite
Wheat, Barley, Cedar, Sage
Lion, Eagle
The Emperor, The Chariot, Three Of Pentacles
Saturday
New Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Lughnasadh, Mabon
Barley, Bread, Beer, Sheep, Ghee, Dates
Ningirsu, or Ninurta, is the Sumerian god of the plough and the canal who defeats the monster Asag and then reorganises the wilderness into fields and waterways. He is the hero whose reward is infrastructure; his weapon is the talking mace Sharur and the lion-headed thunderbird Imdugud/Anzu is his emblem.
Full entry →Lord Of The Moon, The Crescent, Illuminator Of The Night
The Moon, The Calendar, Fertility, The Oracle, The Desert, Cattle, The Night
Blue, Silver, White
Moonstone, Lapis Lazuli, Pearl, Selenite, Agate
Myrrh, Cedar, Sage, Willow
Bull, Cow
The Moon, The Star, The High Priestess
Monday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Yule, Mabon
Milk, Ghee, Bread, Beer, Dates, Honey
Sin is the Akkadian moon god of the desert and the calendar, whose crescent lights the caravans and whose temple at Harran outlived the others by centuries. He is the measure of the month and the light that makes night travel possible.
Full entry →Lord Of The Star, The Bright One, Master Of The Wild Beasts
The Planet Jupiter, The Stars, The Wild, The Flock, War, Light, Abundance
Violet, White, Gold
Clear Quartz, Citrine, Lapis Lazuli, Agate, Amber
Cedar, Sage, Juniper, Bay Leaf
Bull, Stag, Lion
The Sun, The Star, Wheel Of Fortune
Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Litha, Imbolc
Beer, Bread, Meat, Dates, Honey, Barley
Sul, or Sulpae, is the Sumerian god of the bright planet and of the wild beasts and the flock, a protective figure who watches over herds and is invoked against the lion and the wolf. He is Jupiter seen from the desert: the brightest thing in the evening sky.
Full entry →The Abyss, The Sweet Water Beneath, The First Father
The Fresh Water, The Abyss, The Underground Ocean, Creation, The First, Sleep, Stillness
Blue, Silver, White
Aquamarine, Pearl, Labradorite, Moonstone, Clear Quartz
Seaweed, Kelp, Sage, Willow
Fish, Goat Fish
The Hanged Man, Ace Of Cups, The World
Monday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Yule, Samhain
Water, Barley, Bread, Beer, Dates
Apsu is the primordial sweet water beneath the earth, the first father who is killed by Ea and whose body becomes the world's foundations; his lament is what wakes Tiamat. He is the source and the silence, and the cosmos is built on him.
Full entry →The Warrior Maiden, Lady Of The Bow, Sister Of The Storm
War, The Hunt, The Bow, Love, Fertility, Vengeance, The Heights
Red, Gold, Orange
Ruby, Garnet, Carnelian, Hematite, Tiger Eye
Nettle, Thistle, Sage, Juniper
Wolf, Boar, Vulture
Strength, The Tower, Queen Of Wands
Tuesday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent
Litha, Samhain
Animal Sacrifice, Wine Libation, Incense, Votive Offerings
Anat is the Canaanite warrior goddess, sister of Baal, who kills Mot and wades in blood to bring her brother back, and who is also the goddess of love and the hunt. She is devotion with a weapon in its hand.
Full entry →The Shepherd, Beloved Of Inanna, The Dying God
Shepherding, The Flock, Fertility, The Seasons, Death And Return, Milk, The Grain
Green, Brown, Black
Moss Agate, Jade, Amber, Green Aventurine, Jasper
Wheat, Barley, Willow, Sage
Sheep, Lamb, Allalu Bird
The Empress, Death, The Star
Friday
Full Moon, New Moon
Lughnasadh, Samhain
Milk, Butter, Cream, Dates, Barley, Beer
Dumuzi is the Sumerian shepherd king loved by Inanna, who takes his place in the underworld for half of each year when she returns. His descent and return are the dying and reviving of the pasture, and the mourning rites of Tammuz outlasted Sumer by millennia.
Full entry →The Sea, First Of The Waters, Mother Of The Fish
The Sea, The Deep, The First Water, Salt, The Horizon, Generation
Blue, Silver, White
Aquamarine, Pearl, Larimar, Moonstone, Abalone
Seaweed, Kelp, Rosemary, Sage
Dolphin, Seal, Fish
Ace Of Cups, The Moon, The World
Monday
Full Moon, New Moon
Litha, Mabon
Water, Milk, Flowers, Fish
Thalassa is the Greek personification of the sea itself, older than Poseidon and paired with Pontus, the salt water as a first principle rather than a kingdom. She is what the sea was before it had a king.
Full entry →The Lord, Rider Of The Clouds, Lord Of The Storm
Storm, Rain, Fertility, Kingship, The Thunderbolt, The Harvest, The High Places
Yellow, White, Pale Blue
Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz, Hematite, Agate, Pyrite
Cedar, Sage, Juniper, Bay Leaf
Eagle, Stag, Bull
The Emperor, The Tower, Ace Of Wands
Thursday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Litha, Beltane
Bull Sacrifice, Wine Libation, First Fruits, Incense, Votive Offerings
Baal, or Hadad, is the Canaanite storm god who rides the clouds, defeats the sea and death, and is killed and restored by Anat. He is the rain that makes the land live and the king who holds the throne, and his title simply means lord.
Full entry →The Most High, Father Of The Gods, The Ancient One
The High God, Kingship, Counsel, The Assembly, Fatherhood, The Mountain, Wisdom
Violet, White, Gold
Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz, Obsidian, Agate, Hematite
Cedar, Sage, Myrrh, Frankincense
Raven, Ass, Serpent
The Emperor, The Hierophant, The Hermit
Saturday
Full Moon, New Moon
Animal Sacrifice, Wine Libation, Incense, First Fruits, Votive Offerings
El is the Canaanite high god, the ancient father who sits at the source of the rivers and gives judgement in council while Baal and Anat do the fighting. His name becomes the word for god in Hebrew, and his epithet the most high is carried into other traditions.
Full entry →The One Who Is, Lord Of Hosts, The Name That Is Not Spoken
Being, Covenant, Law, The Storm, Deliverance, The Name, The People
Violet, White, Gold
Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz, Sapphire, Hematite, Obsidian
Cedar, Hyssop, Myrrh, Frankincense
Raven, Ass, Serpent
The Emperor, The Hierophant, The World
Saturday
New Moon, Full Moon
Prayer, Torah Study, Tzedakah, Fasting, Temple Sacrifice, Incense, Pilgrimage
Yahweh is the god of Israel, whose name is written as four consonants and read as lord, who makes a covenant with a people and gives them a law. The tradition keeps him without a pantheon, without an image, and without a consort, which is the whole of what makes him different.
Full entry →The Christ, Son Of God, The Redeemer, Teacher
Salvation, Teaching, Sacrifice, Resurrection, Mercy, The Kingdom, The Logos
Violet, White, Gold
Clear Quartz, Pearl, Sapphire, Amethyst, Lapis Lazuli
Frankincense, Myrrh, Hyssop, Olive
Eagle, Stag, Bull
The Hanged Man, The Hierophant, The World
Sunday
Full Moon, New Moon
Bread And Wine, Prayer, Almsgiving, Fasting, Oil, Candles, Incense
Jesus of Nazareth is the central figure of Christianity, executed and proclaimed risen, and named Christ from the Greek for anointed. In the occult traditions he is read as the logos, the risen god of the mysteries, and the pattern of the dying and returning figure - which is how he appears here.
Full entry →Apostle To The Apostles, The Tower, First Witness Of The Resurrection
Witness, Anointing, Devotion, The Feminine Apostolate, Healing, Gnosis
Blue, Silver, White
Pearl, Moonstone, Rose Quartz, Clear Quartz, Selenite
Myrrh, Rose, Lavender, Hyssop
Owl, Hare, Crab
The High Priestess, The Star, The Lovers
Saturday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Prayer, Anointing Oil, Spikenard, Candles, Incense, Almsgiving
Mary Magdalene is the follower of Jesus who stands at the cross and is the first to see him risen, and whom later tradition wrongly conflated with the unnamed sinful woman who anoints Jesus in Luke and with Mary of Bethany. In the gnostic texts she is the disciple who understands most and is resented for it.
Full entry →The Radiant, Daughter Of The Prophet, Lady Of The House
Purity, Motherhood, Lineage, Grief, The Household, Suffering, Intercession
Blue, Silver, White
Pearl, Moonstone, Rose Quartz, Clear Quartz, Turquoise
Rose, Jasmine, Sage, Lavender
Owl, Hare, Crab
The High Priestess, The Empress, The Star
Friday
Full Moon, New Moon
Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving, Pilgrimage, Rosewater, Tasbih, Candles
Fatima is the daughter of the prophet Muhammad, wife of Ali and mother of the line that divides the Islamic world, who is remembered for her purity, her household and her grief. She is venerated rather than worshipped.
Full entry →The God, The One, The Merciful
The One, Mercy, Creation, Judgement, Sovereignty, The Unseen, The Names
Violet, White, Gold
Clear Quartz, Lapis Lazuli, Sapphire, Hematite, Pearl
Frankincense, Myrrh, Rose, Sage
Horse, Eagle, Rooster
The Emperor, The World, The Hierophant
Friday
New Moon, Full Moon
Prayer, Charity, Fasting, Pilgrimage, Recitation Of The Names, Silence
Allah is the Arabic word for God, used by Arabic-speaking Christians, Jews and Muslims alike, and in Islam the one without image, partner or pantheon, whose ninety-nine names describe rather than divide him. He is included as the one God of a living tradition, and the correspondences given here are reception.
Full entry →King Of Israel, The Psalmist, The Harp-Player
Kingship, Psalm, The Harp, Repentance, The Line, War, The City
Red, Gold, Orange
Clear Quartz, Citrine, Garnet, Lapis Lazuli, Amber
Cedar, Hyssop, Olive, Sage
Horse, Eagle, Rooster
The Emperor, The Chariot, The Hanged Man
Sunday
Full Moon, New Moon
Psalms, Prayer, Fasting, Repentance, Temple Sacrifice, Procession
David is the shepherd who kills Goliath, becomes king of Israel, takes another man's wife and loses the child, and writes the psalms that carry the whole emotional range of the tradition. He is the king who is also the poet and the penitent.
Full entry →The Wise King, Builder Of The Temple, Master Of The Spirits
Wisdom, Judgement, The Temple, The Spirits, The Seal, Kingship, The Book
Yellow, White, Pale Blue
Clear Quartz, Lapis Lazuli, Sapphire, Hematite, Agate
Cedar, Hyssop, Myrrh, Frankincense
Serpent, Swallow, Fox
The Hierophant, The Magician, The Emperor
Wednesday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Temple Sacrifice, Incense, Prayer, Fasting, Ritual Purity
Solomon is the king who asks for wisdom rather than wealth and gets both, builds the temple, and in the grimoire tradition binds seventy-two spirits into a brass vessel with a seal. His entry is the hinge between that tradition and the scripture.
Full entry →The Forerunner, Baptiser, Voice In The Wilderness
Baptism, Water, The Wilderness, Preparation, Prophecy, The Threshold, Austerity
Blue, Silver, White
Aquamarine, Pearl, Clear Quartz, Labradorite, Moonstone
Hyssop, Willow, Sage, Mugwort
Dolphin, Seal, Fish
Temperance, The Hermit, Ace Of Cups
Monday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent
Baptismal Water, Honey, Locusts, Prayer, Fasting, Bonfires
John the Baptist is the prophet of the wilderness who baptises in the Jordan and says he is the voice preparing a way, and who decreases so that another may increase. He is the threshold figure of the Christian story: necessary, and not the point.
Full entry →Our Lady Of Holy Death, The White Girl, The Bone Lady
Death, Protection, Deliverance, Justice, The Marginal, Healing, The Last Road
Green, Brown, Black
Obsidian, Onyx, Jet, Black Tourmaline, Garnet
Mugwort, Poppy, Rosemary, Sage
Serpent, Scorpion, Raven
Death, The Devil, Judgement
Tuesday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Candles, Flowers, Tequila, Cigarettes, Coins, Apples, Water
Santa Muerte is the Mexican folk saint of death, venerated from the mid-twentieth century and condemned by the Church, who is asked for protection, deliverance and justice by people with nowhere else to take it. She is death treated as an ally rather than an enemy.
Full entry →The Enchanter, The Prophet, Keeper Of The Prophecy
Prophecy, Enchantment, The Wild, Counsel, Shapeshifting, The Old Way, The Cave
Yellow, White, Pale Blue
Clear Quartz, Labradorite, Obsidian, Moonstone, Amethyst
Mistletoe, Oak, Mugwort, Sage
Serpent, Swallow, Fox
The Magician, The Hermit, The Fool
Wednesday
New Moon, Waning Gibbous
Samhain, Yule
Incense, Honey, Flowers, Written Words
Merlin is the Welsh prophet and enchanter who advises kings, raises and is undone by Nimue, and ends in a cave or a tower out of time. He is the old way's last counsellor, and his story is what happens to wisdom that belongs to the trees rather than the court.
Full entry →The First Witch, Daughter Of Diana, Teacher Of The Poor
Witchcraft, Rebellion, The Teaching, The Moon, The People, Liberation, The Gospel
Green, Brown, Black
Moonstone, Obsidian, Labradorite, Black Tourmaline, Clear Quartz
Mugwort, Rosemary, Willow, Sage
Owl, Hare, Crab
The High Priestess, The Devil, Strength
Monday
Full Moon, New Moon
Samhain, Ostara
Meal, Salt, Honey, Water, Wine, Moon Cakes
Aradia is the daughter of Diana in a nineteenth-century Italian witches' gospel, sent to earth to teach the poor the craft and to overturn their masters. Whether she is an older goddess or a modern invention is a live argument, and her entry records both readings.
Full entry →Queen Of Elphame, Sovereign Of The Sidhe, Lady Of The Green
The Fair Folk, The Sidhe, Sovereignty, Glamour, The Mound, The Bargain, The Otherworld
Violet, White, Gold
Moonstone, Clear Quartz, Labradorite, Green Aventurine, Opal
Lavender, Violet, Primrose, Mugwort
Owl, Hare, Crab
The Empress, The Moon, The Star
Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Beltane, Samhain
Incense, Light, Silence, Flowers
The Faerie Queen is the sovereign of the fairy mound, known in Scotland as the Queen of Elphame, who takes mortals as lovers, servants or musicians, and whose court is both beautiful and lethal. She is the otherworld as a kingdom with a ruler and a law of its own.
Full entry →Smoking Mirror, Lord Of The Night Sky, The Enemy Of Both Sides
The Night, The Obsidian Mirror, Fate, Kingship, Sorcery, Conflict, The Jaguar
Black, Red
Obsidian, Black Tourmaline, Jet, Smoky Quartz, Hematite
Tobacco, Mugwort, Wormwood, Sage
Jaguar, Raven, Serpent
The Devil, The Moon, The Tower
Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Litha
Tobacco, Copal Incense, Paper, Rubber, Obsidian, Autosacrifice Blood
Tezcatlipoca is the Aztec lord of the smoking mirror, the night sky, fate and sorcery, who loses a foot to the earth monster and rules the first age before Quetzalcoatl knocks him out of the sky. He is the mirror that shows you what you are, and he takes a price for the sight.
Full entry →Hummingbird Of The South, The Sun Of The Mexica, The War God
War, The Sun, The South, The Tribe, Sacrifice, Conquest, The Hummingbird
Red, Gold, Orange
Garnet, Ruby, Obsidian, Carnelian, Turquoise
Tobacco, Nettle, Sage, Yarrow
Horse, Eagle, Rooster
The Sun, The Chariot, The Tower
Sunday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent
Litha, Samhain
Autosacrifice Blood, Amaranth Dough, Copal Incense, Paper, Quail, Maize
Huitzilopochtli is the Aztec patron of the Mexica, the hummingbird of the south, born fully armed from his mother and killing his sister, who leads the people to their city and whose sun must be fed to keep rising. He is the god of a nation and of what nations do.
Full entry →Precious Flower, Lady Of The Flowers, Patroness Of Crafts
Flowers, Love, Craft, Weaving, Beauty, Pleasure, The Young
Green, Brown, Black
Rose Quartz, Jade, Turquoise, Carnelian, Moss Agate
Calendula, Rose, Mugwort, Sage
Dove, Swan, Sparrow
The Empress, The Lovers, The Star
Friday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Beltane, Ostara
Flowers, Copal Incense, Pulque, Cacao, Maize, Woven Cloth
Xochiquetzal is the Aztec goddess of flowers, love, weaving and craft, the patroness of the young and of everything made beautifully, and the figure who goes to the underworld and returns. She is pleasure as a craft rather than as an accident.
Full entry →Lord Of The Rain, He Who Makes Things Sprout, The Goggle-Eyed
Rain, The Storm, Fertility, The Mountains, The Water, The Harvest, Drought
Blue, Silver, White
Jade, Turquoise, Aquamarine, Moonstone, Malachite
Calendula, Sage, Willow, Mugwort
Eagle, Stag, Bull
Ace Of Cups, The Empress, The Tower
Thursday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Beltane, Litha
Copal Incense, Rubber, Paper, Maize, Marigold Flowers, Water, Quail
Tlaloc is the Aztec rain and storm god who lives on the mountain tops with the tlaloque, giving the maize its water and taking children into his paradise. He is the rain in both of its aspects, and the same hand gives the harvest and the flood.
Full entry →She Of The Jade Skirt, Lady Of The Waters, Patroness Of Birth
The Waters, Birth, The Rivers, The Sea, The Bath, Women, The Judgement
Blue, Silver, White
Jade, Aquamarine, Turquoise, Pearl, Moonstone
Willow, Sage, Calendula, Mugwort
Owl, Hare, Crab
Ace Of Cups, The Star, The High Priestess
Monday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Imbolc, Mabon
Water, Jade, Copal Incense, Paper, Maize, Flowers
Chalchiuhtlicue is the Aztec goddess of rivers, seas and birth, who presides over the day-sign and trecena of water and ended the fourth sun in a flood; she is the patroness of childbirth and of those who die in childbirth, though the steam bath (temazcal) belongs to Temazcalteci and Tlazolteotl rather than to her. She is water as the giver of life and the end of the world at once.
Full entry →The Sun, The Fifth Sun, He Who Goes Forth Shining
The Sun, The Present Age, Sacrifice, The Eagles, The Day, The Fifth
Red, Gold, Orange
Amber, Golden Topaz, Sunstone, Carnelian, Obsidian
Calendula, Tobacco, Sage, Yarrow
Horse, Eagle, Rooster
The Sun, Strength, The Chariot
Sunday
Full Moon, New Moon
Litha, Samhain
Autosacrifice Blood, Copal Incense, Paper, Quail, Flowers
Tonatiuh is the fifth sun of the Aztec cosmos, the age we are in, which was created by sacrifice and will end by earthquake. He is the sun of a counted age, and the counting is the whole of the Mesoamerican idea of time.
Full entry →Lady Of The Dead, Queen Of Mictlan, Keeper Of The Bones
Death, The Underworld, The Bones, The Festival Of The Dead, Guardianship, The Nine Levels
Green, Brown, Black
Obsidian, Onyx, Jet, Garnet, Hematite
Calendula, Mugwort, Poppy, Sage
Serpent, Scorpion, Raven
Death, The High Priestess, Judgement
Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Mabon
Copal Incense, Paper, Marigold Flowers, Food For The Dead, Pulque, Maize
Mictecacihuatl is the Aztec queen of Mictlan, the underworld, who guards the bones of the dead and presides over the festival that becomes the Day of the Dead. She died as a child in one telling and grew into the queen of the dead, which is a story about death as a place rather than a punishment.
Full entry →Lord Of Mictlan, Keeper Of The Ninth Level, The Bone Lord
Death, The Underworld, The Nine Levels, The Bones, The Owls, The Journey
Green, Brown, Black
Obsidian, Onyx, Jet, Black Tourmaline, Smoky Quartz
Mugwort, Poppy, Calendula, Sage
Serpent, Scorpion, Raven
Death, The Devil, The Hanged Man
Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Yule
Copal Incense, Paper, Rubber, Maize, Pulque, Autosacrifice Blood
Mictlantecuhtli is the Aztec lord of Mictlan, the nine-level underworld, a skeletal figure with an owl on his head who sets the tests the dead must pass and who is tricked by Quetzalcoatl for the bones of the ancestors. He is the road itself rather than the judge at the end of it.
Full entry →Prince Of Flowers, Lord Of Song, Patron Of The Games
Flowers, Song, Dance, Games, Pleasure, The Young, Ecstasy
Green, Brown, Black
Jade, Carnelian, Turquoise, Rose Quartz, Moss Agate
Calendula, Tobacco, Rose, Sage
Dove, Swan, Sparrow
The Sun, The Lovers, The Star
Friday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Beltane, Litha
Flowers, Cacao, Pulque, Tobacco, Copal Incense, Maize
Xochipilli is the Aztec prince of flowers, song, dance and games, whose statue sits cross-legged with his head tilted up and whose garden held the entheogenic plants. He is pleasure and art as a sacred office rather than a diversion.
Full entry →Mother Earth, Mother Of The World, The One Who Nourishes
The Earth, The Harvest, The Mountains, Fertility, The House, The Ancestors, The Offerings
Green, Brown, Black
Moss Agate, Jade, Aventurine, Jasper, Emerald
Wheat, Sage, Calendula, Mugwort
Serpent, Bull, Owl
The Empress, The World, Ten Of Pentacles
Saturday
Full Moon, New Moon
Coca, Chicha, Maize, Sweets, Incense, Llama Fat
Pachamama is the Andean earth mother who is present under every house and field and is honoured by giving her the first sip of every drink and the first of every harvest. She is not distant: she is the ground the offering is poured onto.
Full entry →The Sun, Ancestor Of The Inca, Lord Of The Day
The Sun, The Inca, The Harvest, Kingship, The Solstice, The Heights, Order
Red, Gold, Orange
Golden Topaz, Amber, Sunstone, Citrine, Pyrite
Calendula, Sage, Wheat, Tobacco
Condor, Eagle, Puma
The Sun, The Emperor, Strength
Sunday
Full Moon
Litha, Yule
Chicha, Maize, Coca, Gold, Llama Sacrifice
Inti is the Inca sun god and the ancestor of the Sapa Inca, whose temple in Cusco was covered in gold and whose festival at the June solstice is still kept in the Andes. He is the sun as a dynasty: the light that owns the highlands.
Full entry →Eshu-Elegbara, Lord Of The Crossroads, The One Who Carries The Offering, The Messenger Of Olodumare, Keeper Of Ashe
The Crossroads, Ashe, The Opening, The Ebo, Messengers, Trickery, Chance, The Door
Red, Black, White
Obsidian, Magnetite, Pyrite, Red Jasper
Pepper, Tobacco, Basil, Ginger
Goat, Rooster, Dog
The Fool, The Magician, Wheel Of Fortune
Monday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent
Kola Nut, Palm Oil, Coconut, Rooster, Smoked Fish, The First Portion
Eshu-Elegbara is the orisha of the crossroads, the messenger of Olodumare and the keeper of ashe, the power that makes a thing happen. He carries the ebo (offering) that a divination prescribes, and every rite salutes him first because he holds the opening; the Ifa odu and the oriki carry him. He is not Satan: the equation is a missionary and colonial misreading, and the Fon/Dahomey Legba is a cognate figure, not the same deity. In the Americas he becomes Elegua in Cuba (the child at the door, St Anthony of Padua) and Exu in Brazil, and the diaspora forms have their own emphases.
Full entry →Lord Of Iron, The Road-Opener, Patron Of Labour
Iron, Smithing, The Road, Labour, War, Technology, Justice, The Tools
Green, Black
Hematite, Magnetite, Pyrite, Garnet, Obsidian
Nettle, Tobacco, Pepper, Sage
Wolf, Boar, Vulture
The Chariot, Strength, Eight Of Pentacles
Tuesday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Palm Oil, Dog, Roasted Yam, Iron, Palm Wine, Kola Nut
Ogun is the Yoruba orisha of iron, the road, labour and the tools of every trade, who cleared the way between the orishas and the human world with a machete. He is the iron that makes civilisation possible and takes fingers for it.
Full entry →Owner Of The Ocean, Lord Of The Deep, The Boundless One
The Ocean, The Deep, Wealth, The Unknown, Dreams, The Unborn, The Drowned
Blue, Silver, White
Pearl, Aquamarine, Abalone, Labradorite, Mother Of Pearl
Seaweed, Kelp, Tobacco, Sage
Dolphin, Seal, Fish
The Moon, Ace Of Cups, The World
Monday
Full Moon, New Moon
Samhain, Mabon
White Cloth, White Flowers, Water, White Fowl, Kola Nut, Coconut
Olokun is the Yoruba orisha of the ocean and of everything beneath it: wealth, the unknown, the unborn and the drowned. The tradition does not settle whether Olokun is male or female or neither, and that is left open here rather than chosen.
Full entry →Mother Of The Sea Beasts, She Who Owns The Animals, The One At The Bottom
The Sea, The Sea Mammals, The Hunt, The Depths, The Combing, The Anger, The Provision
Blue, Silver, White
Abalone, Pearl, Labradorite, Obsidian, Moonstone
Seaweed, Kelp, Sage, Mugwort
Dolphin, Seal, Fish
The High Priestess, The Hanged Man, Ace Of Cups
Monday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Sea Water, Meat And Bone Morsels, Harpoon Heads, Taboo Keeping, Apology To The Animals
Sedna is the Inuit mother of the sea, who is thrown from a boat and whose fingers become the seals and whales; she lives at the bottom of the sea and withholds the animals when taboos are broken, until a shaman travels down to comb her hair. She is provision and prohibition in one figure.
Full entry →Lady Of The Volcano, She Who Shapes The Land, The Fire That Comes Out
Volcanoes, Fire, The Land, Creation By Eruption, Jealousy, The Road, The Dance
Red, Gold, Orange
Obsidian, Lava Stone, Garnet, Hematite, Fire Agate
Tobacco, Nettle, Sage, Calendula
Salamander, Boar, Bull
The Tower, Strength, The Chariot
Tuesday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Hula, Chant, Ohelo Berries, Plants, Sea Water
Pele is the Hawaiian goddess who comes from the sea and digs the craters of Kilauea with her digging stick in search of a home, making the island as she goes and fighting her sister. She is creation by eruption and the land that is still being made.
Full entry →The Bull-Slayer, Lord Of The Covenant, Invincible
The Covenant, The Bull, The Sun, Loyalty, Initiation, The Cave, Victory
Red, Gold, Orange
Carnelian, Sunstone, Garnet, Hematite, Clear Quartz
Bay Leaf, Frankincense, Sage, Nettle
Bull, Raven, Horse, Eagle
Strength, The Chariot, The Sun
Sunday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent
Litha, Yule
Bread, Water, Haoma, Incense, Bull
Mithras is the Persian god of the covenant who becomes, in the Roman mysteries, the figure who kills a bull in a cave while the sun and moon look on, and through whose blood the world is renewed. His cult was the soldier's religion of the empire, with seven grades of initiation and no women.
Full entry →The Corn Spirit, He Who Must Be Cut, The Dying And Rising Grain
The Grain, The Harvest, The Ale, Death And Return, The Land, The Work, The Song
Green, Brown, Black
Amber, Moss Agate, Jasper, Citrine, Golden Topaz
Wheat, Barley, Hops, Sage
Pig, Serpent, Owl
The Hanged Man, The Empress, Death
Friday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous
Lughnasadh, Mabon
Grain, Bread, Water, First Fruits
John Barleycorn is the English folk figure of the barley, who in the song is buried, cut, threshed and drowned and comes back as ale, cheerfully and in rhyme. He is the dying grain god in a folk song rather than a temple, and the song is the whole of his cult.
Full entry →The Navagraha Of Mercury, Lord Of Speech, Son Of Chandra
Mercury, Intellect, Speech, Commerce, Learning, Communication
Green, Yellow
Emerald, Agate, Citrine, Green Aventurine
Basil, Turmeric, Sandalwood, Durva
Parrot, Monkey
The Magician, The Hermit
Wednesday
New Moon
Green Cloth, Durva, Ghee, Sesame, Water
Budha is the Navagraha of Mercury in Vedic astrology, the son of Chandra (the Moon) and Tara, and the god of intellect, speech, commerce and learning. Wednesday (Budhavara) is his day, green his colour and emerald his gemstone; he is invoked for intelligence, communication and success in business.
Full entry →The Navagraha Of Venus, Guru Of The Asuras, Lord Of Love And Wealth
Venus, Love, Beauty, Wealth, Pleasure, Teaching, The Asuras
White, Pink, Gold
Diamond, Rose Quartz, Emerald, Opal
Lotus, Jasmine, Basil
Parrot, Swan, Cow
The Empress, The Lovers
Friday
Full Moon
White Flowers, Rice, Ghee, Sweets, Silver
Shukra is the Navagraha of Venus and the guru (preceptor) of the asuras, the divine teacher of the demons in the Puranas. He is the god of love, beauty, pleasure, wealth and fertility, invoked for marital happiness, prosperity and artistic success. Friday (Shukravara) is his day, white and bright colours are his, and diamond is his gemstone.
Full entry →The Shadow Planet, The Dragon'S Head, The Eclipse-Bringer
Eclipse, Illusion, Ambition, Obsession, Foreignness, Sudden Change
Black, Smoke, Blue
Onyx, Obsidian, Black Tourmaline, Hematite
Durva, Basil, Wormwood
Serpent, Vulture
The Tower, The Moon, The Devil
Saturday
New Moon
Black Sesame, Black Cloth, Iron, Mustard Oil, Durva
Rahu is the ascending lunar node, the shadow planet (chhaya graha) of Vedic astrology: the severed head of the asura who drank the amrita and was beheaded by Vishnu. The head and tail, Rahu and Ketu, swallow the sun and moon to cause eclipses. He is invoked for relief from the nodes' effects and for ambition, foreign travel and sudden change.
Full entry →The Shadow Planet, The Dragon'S Tail, The Liberator
Eclipse, Liberation, Detachment, Spirituality, Past Lives, Loss
Red, Smoke, Grey
Cat Eye, Onyx, Hematite, Obsidian
Durva, Basil, Wormwood
Serpent, Scorpion
Death, The Moon, The Star
Tuesday
New Moon
Sesame, Iron, Red Cloth, Mustard Oil
Ketu is the descending lunar node, the tail of the asura Rahu and the second of the shadow planets of Vedic astrology. He is the moksha-karaka, the significator of liberation, detachment, spirituality and past-life karma, invoked for spiritual insight and for relief from the nodes' effects.
Full entry →The Friend, Lord Of Contracts, God Of The Day
Friendship, Contracts, Oaths, Truth, The Day, Cosmic Order
Gold, White, Red
Ruby, Sunstone, Citrine, Topaz
Basil, Lotus, Durva
Eagle, Horse
The Emperor, Justice
Sunday
Full Moon
Ghee, Rice, Water, Incense
Mitra is one of the oldest Vedic gods, the god of friendship, contracts, oaths and the day, who with Varuna upholds rita (the cosmic order) - Varuna by night, Mitra by day. The Mitanni treaty of the 14th century BCE invokes him by name, and he is the Indian cognate of the Persian Mithra and, through the Hellenistic world, of Mithras.
Full entry →The Sky Father, Father Of The Gods
Sky, Fatherhood, Daylight, The Heavens, Progenitor
Blue, Gold, White
Lapis Lazuli, Sapphire, Amethyst, Clear Quartz
Oak, Basil, Sandalwood
Bull, Eagle
The Emperor, Wheel Of Fortune
Thursday
Full Moon
Ghee, Rice, Water, Incense
Dyaus Pita is the Vedic sky father, the husband of Prithvi (Earth) and father of the gods, the Indian cognate of Greek Zeus, Roman Jupiter and Germanic Tiwaz. Already fading by the time of the Rigveda, he survives chiefly in the compound Dyavaprithvi ('Heaven and Earth'), invoked as the universal parents.
Full entry →Supreme Sovereign Of The Celestial Bureaucracy, August Emperor Of Jade, Lord Of The Golden Palace, Heavenly Grandfather, Keeper Of The Register Of Merit
Sovereignty, Divine Order, Bureaucracy, Judgement, The Mandate Of Heaven, Rain And Harvest, Register Of Merit, Cosmic Administration
Gold, Yellow, White, Jade Green
Jade, Gold, Citrine, Yellow Jasper, Clear Quartz
Sandalwood, Lotus, Sage, Ginger
Dragon, Phoenix, Crane, Tiger
The Emperor, The Hierophant, Justice, The World
Thursday
New Moon, First Quarter
Incense, Three Cups Of Tea, Fruit, Vegetarian Feast, Paper Ingots, Sugarcane, The First Bowl Of Rice
The Jade Emperor is the supreme ruler of the Chinese celestial bureaucracy, the sovereign to whom the other gods report and from whom they hold office; the kitchen god reports to him before the New Year. He is not a creator in the strict sense, since the world is already made, and his work is administration: appointing gods, receiving memorials, keeping the ledgers of merit and of lifespan. The imperial cult was formalised by the Song court, which conferred the title Haotian Jinque Yuhuang Dadi in 1012 under Zhenzong and extended it under Huizong in 1116; the popular scripture Yuhuang jing sets out his cosmic role.
Full entry →Queen Mother Of The West, Golden Mother Of The Jade Pond, Mistress Of The Peaches Of Immortality, Mother Of The Immortals, Lady Of Kunlun
Immortality, Longevity, The West, Female Immortals, The Peaches, The Elixir, Yin Sovereignty, Cosmic Cycles
White, Jade Green, Gold, Purple
Jade, Moonstone, Pearl, Clear Quartz, Amber
Lotus, Ginkgo, Jasmine, Mugwort
Tiger, Leopard, Fox, Crane, Toad, Hare
The Empress, The Star, The High Priestess, The World
Friday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous
Peaches, Jade, Incense, Silk, Tea, Flowers, The First Ripe Peach
The Xiwangmu of the Shanhaijing (Classic of Mountains and Seas) is a wild figure with a leopard's tail, tiger's teeth and a crown of jade, who keeps the peaches of immortality at Kunlun and is attended by a three-legged crow, a hare and a toad. Through the Han and Six Dynasties she becomes the goddess of longevity and of the west, appearing on bronze mirrors and in the Huainanzi; by the Tang and Song she is the refined queen of the female immortals, and late imperial novels such as Xiyou ji put her peach banquet at the centre of the cosmos. She is the curator of immortality rather than its dispenser: the peaches ripen every three, six or nine thousand years.
Full entry →Martial Sage, Saintly Emperor Guan, Lord Of Loyalty And Righteousness, Great Emperor Who Subdues Demons, Protector Of The Sangha
Loyalty, Righteousness, Oaths, War, Just Reward, Protection, Brotherhood, Judgement Of Character
Red, Green, Black, Gold
Red Jasper, Carnelian, Bloodstone, Tiger Eye, Jade
Sage, Bay Leaf, Ginger, Pepper
Horse, Dragon, Tiger
Justice, The Chariot, King Of Swords, Strength
Tuesday
First Quarter, Full Moon
Incense, Tea, Rice Wine, Fruit, The First Cup Poured, A Written Oath Burned, Red Candles
Guan Yu (d. 220 CE) was a general of Shu Han whose career is recorded in Chen Shou's Sanguozhi; his defeat and execution by Sun Quan's forces made him a martyr of loyalty, and the state cult grew from the Tang through the Ming, when the Wanli emperor granted him an imperial title in 1594, and the Qing, which made him the Martial Sage (Wusheng) to pair with Confucius. The Tiantai patriarch Zhiyi is credited with converting him into a protector of the Dharma, and Buddhist temples venerate him as the Sangharama bodhisattva. Popular religion knows him as Guan Gong, the red-faced god of oaths, war and just gain.
Full entry →God Of Wealth, Marshal Of The Dark Altar, Perfected Lord Of The Golden Dragon, Lord Of The Five Directions Of Wealth
Wealth, Commerce, Prosperity, Trade, Luck In Money, Protection Of Shops, The Five Directions, Just Gain
Gold, Red, Black, Yellow
Pyrite, Citrine, Tiger Eye, Jade, Amber
Cinnamon, Ginger, Bay Leaf, Sage
Tiger, Toad, Horse
Ace Of Pentacles, Ten Of Pentacles, Six Of Pentacles, The Emperor
Thursday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Incense, Oranges, Rice Wine, Sweet Cakes, Paper Ingots, A Coin Kept From The First Sale, The First Banknote Of The Year
Caishen is a title more than a single god. The martial wealth god is Zhao Gongming, a Daoist marshal of the Dark Altar (Xuantan) with origins in plague-quelling, who was folded into the Ming novel Fengshen Yanyi and given the four attendants who make up the Five Directions of Wealth; the civil wealth god is usually Bi Gan, the loyal minister of the Shang, or Fan Li, the strategist who retired rich. He is welcomed on the fifth day of the first lunar month, when shops reopen, and his image stands at the counter with a black tiger and a heap of ingots.
Full entry →Empress Of Heaven, Holy Mother In Heaven, Queen Of Heaven, Protectress Of Seafarers, Lady Of Meizhou
The Sea, Seafarers, Safe Passage, Storms, Fishing Families, Children, Healing, The Tides
Red, White, Blue, Gold
Pearl, Coral, Moonstone, Aquamarine, Jade, Mother Of Pearl
Lotus, Seaweed, Kelp, Jasmine
Dragon, Fish, Turtle, Swallow
The Star, The Moon, Ace Of Cups
Monday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Incense, Tea, Fruit, Rice Wine, Flowers, A Lamp Lit For A Voyage
Mazu is the goddess of the sea, developed from Lin Mo (960-987), a woman of Meizhou Island in Fujian remembered for saving fishermen; the earliest datable record of her cult is a stele of 1150 at Shengdun in Putian. The Song and later dynasties heaped state titles on her, ending with Tianhou, Empress of Heaven, and her cult travelled with Fujianese sailors and emigrants to Taiwan, Southeast Asia and the whole maritime diaspora. Her birthday is the twenty-third day of the third lunar month and her ascension the ninth day of the ninth.
Full entry →Third Prince, Marshal Of The Central Altar, The Lotus-Born, Commander Of The Five Camps
Protection Of Children, Exorcism, Martial Valor, Refusal Of Authority, Transformation, Fire, The Five Camps, Youth
Red, Gold, Black
Carnelian, Red Jasper, Fire Opal, Bloodstone, Tiger Eye
Ginger, Cinnamon, Cayenne, Sage
Dragon, Phoenix
The Chariot, Knight Of Wands, Page Of Wands
Tuesday
New Moon, First Quarter
Incense, Firecrackers, Candy, Fruit, Red Candles, Small Toys
Nezha enters China as a Buddhist figure, Nata, son of Vaisravana, in Tang translations of the sutras, and is remade in the Ming Fengshen Yanyi as the third son of Li Jing who kills the Dragon King's son Ao Bing, gives up his own flesh to his parents to settle the debt, and is reborn from a lotus body given by his master Taiyi Zhenren. Xiyou ji uses him as a heavenly marshal. In Fujianese and Taiwanese popular religion he is Zhongtan Yuanshuai, the child commander of the five camps who leads the divine army against plague and ghosts.
Full entry →Great Sage Equal To Heaven, Handsome Monkey King, Victorious Fighting Buddha, Great Sage Of Qitian
Trickery, Freedom, Rebellion, Transformation, Mischief, Martial Prowess, The Untrained Mind, Perseverance
Gold, Red, Yellow, Black
Citrine, Tiger Eye, Clear Quartz, Pyrite
Ginger, Cinnamon, Sage, Ginkgo
Monkey, Dragon, Tiger
The Fool, The Magician, Seven Of Wands
Wednesday
New Moon, First Quarter
Incense, Fruit, Peaches, Candy, Rice Wine
Sun Wukong is the stone-born monkey of Wu Cheng'en's sixteenth-century novel Xiyou ji (Journey to the West), built on earlier Tang and Song storytelling and on older monkey and water-demon figures. He learns immortality, takes the Ruyi Jingu Bang from the Dragon King, erases his name from the registers of death, is pinned under the Five Elements Mountain by the Buddha after wrecking heaven, and becomes the Victorious Fighting Buddha at the end of the pilgrimage. The novel is fiction, but the cult of Qitian Dasheng, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, is a real and living one in Fujian, Taiwan and Chinese communities across Southeast Asia.
Full entry →One Of The Three Sovereigns, The First Sovereign, Lord Of The Eight Trigrams, Taihao, Inventor Of The Nets
The Eight Trigrams, Divination, Order, Marriage, Writing, Fishing And Hunting, The Calendar, Sovereignty
Black, Red, Yellow
Jade, Clear Quartz, Lapis Lazuli, Obsidian, Tiger Eye
Yarrow, Mugwort, Sage, Wormwood
Snake, Dragon, Turtle, Ox
The Magician, The Emperor, The Hierophant, Wheel Of Fortune
Saturday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent
Incense, Silk, Grain, Jade, Yarrow Stalks, The First Fish Of The Season
Fuxi is one of the Three Sovereigns, the culture hero credited in the Xici zhuan of the Yijing with drawing the eight trigrams from the patterns on the back of a dragon-horse that rose from the Yellow River, and with the nets, the marriage rite and the knotted cords that preceded writing. Han dynasty stone reliefs from the Wu Liang shrine show him with a human head and a serpent's tail, holding the carpenter's square, paired with Nuwa holding the compass. His cult belongs more to the divination tradition than to temple worship.
Full entry →Mender Of Heaven, Creatress Of Humanity, Smelter Of The Five-Coloured Stones, Sovereign Wa, The Ancient Goddess
Creation, Repair, The Sky, Clay And Shaping, The Five Colours, Cosmic Restoration, Craft, Sovereignty
Red, Yellow, Blue, White, Black
Jade, Agate, Turquoise, Aventurine, Jasper, Clear Quartz
Mugwort, Sage, Lotus
Snake, Turtle, Dragon, Phoenix
The Empress, The World, The Tower, The Star
Friday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous
Incense, Clay, Five Coloured Stones, Flowers, Grain, Silk
Nuwa is the goddess who repairs the sky after the catastrophe: in the Huainanzi, when the pillar of heaven is broken and the world is flooded and burning, she smelts five-coloured stones to patch the sky, cuts the legs of the great turtle Ao to prop up the four quarters, and restores order. The Huainanzi blames the rupture on Gonggong, though later accounts differ. The story of her shaping the first humans from yellow clay is later again, told in Ying Shao's Fengsu Tongyi of the second century CE.
Full entry →The Divine Farmer, Flame Emperor, One Of The Three Sovereigns, Teacher Of The Five Grains, Taster Of A Hundred Herbs
Agriculture, Herbal Medicine, The Plough, The Market, Tea, Healing, The Seasons, Poison And Its Antidote
Green, Red, Brown, Yellow
Moss Agate, Green Aventurine, Jasper, Jade, Amber
Ginger, Licorice, Turmeric, Sage, Mugwort
Ox, Bird, Snake
The Empress, The Hierophant, Ace Of Pentacles
Saturday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Grain, The First Harvest, Green Tea, Herbs, Rice Wine, Water From The Field
Shennong, the Divine Farmer, is one of the Three Sovereigns and the culture hero who taught the five grains, the plough and the market; the Huainanzi says he tasted the hundred herbs and met poison seventy times in a single day. The materia medica that bears his name, the Shennong Bencao Jing, was compiled around the first or second century CE, though the tradition attributes it to him. He is identified with the Yan Emperor, the Flame Emperor, and his death from a lethal herb is told as the price of the knowledge he gave away.
Full entry →The Male Who Invites, Father Of The Kami, Lord Of The Purification, First Sovereign Of The Islands
Creation, Purification, The First Ordering, The Boundary, The Islands, Fatherhood, Misogi, Life And Death
White, Blue, Gold, Black
Clear Quartz, Pearl, Jade, Selenite, Obsidian
Reed, Sea Salt, Sandalwood, Sage
Wagtail, Crane, Fish
The Emperor, The Fool, Judgement
Thursday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent
Water, Salt, Rice, Sake, Purification At The River, White Cloth
Izanagi and Izanami stand on the floating bridge of heaven and stir the primeval brine with the jeweled spear Ame-no-nuboko, and the brine that drips from it becomes the first island, Onogoro. The Kojiki and Nihon Shoki then have them circle a pillar and give birth to the islands, the sea, the rivers, the mountains and the kami of the land; when Izanami dies in childbirth and Izanagi follows her to Yomi, she becomes the ruler of the dead, and he flees and seals the pass with a boulder. His purification in the Tachibana River at Awagihara produces Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi and Susanoo.
Full entry →The Female Who Invites, Mother Of The Land, Ruler Of Yomi, Lady Of The Yellow Spring
Creation, Death, The Underworld, Childbirth, Grief, The Boundary, The Earth, Transformation
Black, White, Red, Yellow
Obsidian, Jet, Black Tourmaline, Onyx, Moonstone
Asphodel, Mugwort, Yew, Wormwood
Serpent, Owl, Toad
Death, The Moon, The High Priestess
Monday
Waning Gibbous, New Moon
Water, Salt, Rice, A Lamp In The Dark, Flowers At A Boundary
Izanami is the first woman and the co-creator of the islands with Izanagi; she dies giving birth to the fire kami Kagutsuchi and goes to Yomi, the land of the dead, where Izanagi follows her. The Kojiki has her warn him not to look at her; when he lights a torch and sees her decay, she is shamed and enraged, sets the hags of Yomi on him, and at the pass of Yomotsu Hirasaka vows to kill a thousand people a day, to which he answers that fifteen hundred will be born. She remains there as Yomotsu Okami, the ruler of the dead.
Full entry →The Impetuous Male, Storm Kami Of Izumo, Slayer Of The Eight-Headed Serpent, Lord Of The Sea Plain
Storms, The Sea, Heroism, The Harvest, The Outcast, Poetry, Expulsion, Grief As Weather
Black, Blue, Grey, Red
Obsidian, Black Tourmaline, Hematite, Aquamarine, Jasper
Reed, Sea Salt, Cedar, Pine
Serpent, Horse, Crane, Dragon
The Tower, The Chariot, Strength
Tuesday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Sake, Rice, Salt, Water, Pine Branches
Susanoo is the storm kami born from Izanagi's nose during his purification. In the Kojiki his endless weeping for his dead mother Izanami withers the mountains and the seas, and he is sent away; at Takamagahara he wreaks havoc, breaking the rice-field ridges, fouling the hall and flaying a piebald horse, and Amaterasu withdraws into the rock cave. Expelled again, he descends to Izumo, kills the eight-headed serpent Yamata no Orochi with sake and the sword Kusanagi, marries Kushinada-hime and builds the palace at Suga, where he composes the first waka. His descendants include Okuninushi, the master of Izumo.
Full entry →The Moon-Counting Kami, Lord Of The Night, Ruler Of The Moon
The Moon, The Night, The Calendar, Measurement, Separation, The Tides, Quiet, Estrangement
White, Silver, Black, Blue
Moonstone, Selenite, Pearl, Labradorite
Jasmine, Chamomile, Mugwort, Sandalwood
Crab, Hare, Owl
The Moon, The High Priestess, Two Of Swords
Monday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous
Water, Salt, Rice Dumplings, Sake, White Cloth, Incense
Tsukuyomi is the moon kami born from Izanagi's right eye during his purification at the Tachibana River, one of the three noble children, and in the Kojiki he is given rule over the night. The Nihon Shoki tells how, sent to wait on Uke-mochi, the goddess of food, he found her producing food from her nose, mouth and rectum, took it for pollution and killed her; Amaterasu was so appalled that she moved to another part of the sky, and that is why sun and moon are apart. The Kojiki transfers the same killing to Susanoo and Ogetsuhime.
Full entry →Kami Of The Bow And The War Cry, Protector Of The Realm, Great Bodhisattva Hachiman, Divine Patron Of The Minamoto, Kami Of The Emperor Ojin
War, Archery, Guardianship, The Imperial House, The Clan, Victory, Protection Of The Realm, The Bow And The Sword
Red, White, Black, Gold
Hematite, Red Jasper, Obsidian, Tiger Eye
Sage, Bay Leaf, Pine, Cedar
Dove, Horse, Hawk, Crane
The Chariot, King Of Wands, Strength
Tuesday
Full Moon, First Quarter
Rice, Sake, Salt, Water, The Release Of Living Creatures, A Bow And Arrows Left At The Shrine
Hachiman is the kami of war and archery whose oracle at Usa in Kyushu, in the eighth century, endorsed the great Buddha of Todai-ji, and who was identified with the deified Emperor Ojin. As Hachiman Daibosatsu, Great Bodhisattva Hachiman, he carried a bodhisattva title within the shinbutsu-shugo synthesis, and his cult became the patron cult of the Minamoto and of the samurai, with the great shrines at Usa, Iwashimizu and Tsurugaoka. His messenger is the dove, and his characteristic rite is the hojo-e, the release of living creatures.
Full entry →Buddha Of Infinite Light, Buddha Of Boundless Life (As Amitayus), Lord Of The Western Pure Land, Tathagata Of Sukhavati
Infinite Light, Pure Land, Devotion, Compassion, Longevity, Faith, The West
Red, Gold, White
Ruby, Red Coral, Amber, Golden Calcite
Lotus, Sandalwood, Saffron
Peacock, Swan
The Sun, The Star, The Hanged Man
Sunday
Full Moon, New Moon
Water, Flowers, Incense, Butter Lamps, Fruit, Saffron Water, Recitation Of The Name, Vegetarian Food
Amitabha, the Buddha of Infinite Light, is the central figure of the Pure Land sutras: as the bodhisattva Dharmakara he made a series of vows (forty-eight in the Longer Sukhavati-vyuha Sutra) to establish a land in which any being who calls on his name may be reborn and awaken there. That land is Sukhavati, the Land of Bliss, in the west; he is flanked by Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta, and in Tibetan practice he also appears as Amitayus, the red Buddha of long life, who is a distinct figure with his own ritual. Devotion to him is the basis of the East Asian Pure Land schools and of much Tibetan practice, and his image sits in the crown of Guanyin's statue.
Full entry →The Imperturbable, Buddha Of The Eastern Quarter, Lord Of The Vajra Family, Tathagata Of Abhirati
Mirror Like Wisdom, Immovability, Non Anger, Steadfastness, The East, Purification Of Anger
Deep Blue, White, Pale Blue
Lapis Lazuli, Sapphire, Azurite, Blue Lace Agate
Sandalwood, Juniper, Blue Lotus
Elephant, Snow Lion
The Emperor, Justice
Wednesday
New Moon
Water, Incense, Blue Flowers, Butter Lamps, Patience Under Provocation
Akshobhya, 'the Imperturbable', is the Buddha of the eastern quarter, whose pure land is Abhirati, and whose story is told in the Akshobhyatathagatasyavyuha Sutra: as a monk he vowed never to feel or show anger toward any being, and by that vow became the Buddha of the unshakable mind. In the five-Buddha mandalas he heads the vajra family in the east, and his wisdom is the mirror-like wisdom that reflects without distortion or preference. He is the deep blue figure with the left hand resting open in the lap and the right touching the earth, an image that points to the same gesture as the Buddha's own enlightenment under the bodhi tree.
Full entry →Great Sun Tathagata, The Illuminator, Buddha Of The Dharmakaya, Lord Of The Centre, Mahavairocana
Dharmakaya, Cosmic Buddhahood, Light, All Pervading Awareness, The Centre, Buddha Wisdom Itself
White, Gold, Clear Light
Clear Quartz, Diamond, Selenite, White Quartz
Sandalwood, Lotus, Frankincense
Dragon, Lion
The Sun, The World
Sunday
Full Moon
Light Lamps, Incense, White Flowers, Water, Gold Leaf
Vairocana, the Great Sun, is the Buddha of the centre in the five-Buddha mandala and the figure the esoteric schools take as the dharmakaya itself — the body of the teaching rather than a person in a heaven. He is the central deity of two foundational tantras, the Mahavairocana-abhisambodhi tantra and the Sarvatathagatatattvasamgraha (Vajrasekhara), and so of the Shingon and Tendai traditions in Japan, where the great bronze at Todai-ji in Nara is him. In the Avatamsaka (Huayan) sutra he is the cosmic Buddha whose body is the whole of reality, a vision that shaped Chinese Huayan and Japanese Kegon. The Tibetan schools give the place of a single primordial Buddha to Samantabhadra (Nyingma) or Vajradhara (Gelug) instead, which is a difference of scheme rather than a denial of Vairocana.
Full entry →The Jewel-Born, Buddha Of The Southern Quarter, Lord Of The Ratna Family, Tathagata Of The Jewel
Generosity, Abundance, Wisdom Of Equality, The South, Giving, Equanimity Among Beings
Gold, Yellow, Saffron
Citrine, Yellow Sapphire, Golden Calcite, Amber, Topaz
Saffron, Turmeric, Sandalwood, Cinnamon
Horse
The Empress, Six Of Pentacles
Thursday
Full Moon
Rice, Grain, Fruit, Incense, Gold Leaf, Acts Of Giving, Feeding The Poor
Ratnasambhava, 'the Jewel-Born', is the Buddha of the south in the five-Buddha mandala, yellow or golden in colour, seated with the right hand open in the varada mudra of giving and holding the wish-fulfilling jewel (cintamani) of the ratna family. His wisdom is the wisdom of equality (samata-jnana): the seeing that all beings are of one taste, which the tradition treats as the antidote to pride and to the grasping that ranks beings above and below. He is almost entirely a mandala Buddha — unlike Amitabha he has no independent sutra cult of his own, and his place in Buddhist practice comes through the tantric mandalas and the five-Buddha visualisations rather than through a scripture addressed to him.
Full entry →He Whose Success Is Never In Vain, Buddha Of The Northern Quarter, Lord Of The Karma Family, The Unfailing Accomplisher
Accomplishment, Fearlessness, Action, The North, Perseverance, Activity That Does Not Waste
Green, Dark Green, Teal
Emerald, Green Aventurine, Moss Agate, Jade, Malachite
Cedar, Juniper, Sage, Nettle
Garuda
The Chariot, Strength, Seven Of Wands
Tuesday
Full Moon
Incense, Green Flowers, Water, Butter Lamps, Completing A Hard Task
Amoghasiddhi, 'infallible success', is the Buddha of the north in the five-Buddha mandala, green in colour, the right hand raised in the abhaya mudra of fearlessness and the crossed vajra (vishvavajra) as his emblem. His wisdom is the all-accomplishing wisdom (krtyanushthana-jnana): the activity that does what is needed and leaves no residue, and he heads the karma family, seated on a garuda. Like Ratnasambhava he has almost no independent sutra cult and is met chiefly through the tantric mandalas, where his green north completes the set filled by Akshobhya's blue east and Amitabha's red west.
Full entry →Bodhisattva Of Wisdom, The Gentle Glory, Lord Of Transcendent Wisdom, The Youthful Prince, Wielder Of The Sword Of Prajna
Wisdom, Prajna, Discernment, Speech, Learning, Cutting Through Confusion, Teaching
Gold, Saffron, Blue
Lapis Lazuli, Sodalite, Clear Quartz, Amethyst
Sage, Rosemary, Sandalwood, Brahmi, Gotu Kola
Lion, Peacock
The Magician, The Hermit, Ace Of Swords
Wednesday
Full Moon
Incense, Flowers, Light, Books, Recitation Of The Prajnaparamita, Study, Teaching Others
Manjushri, 'gentle glory', is the bodhisattva who personifies prajna — the discriminating wisdom that sees through conceptual construction — and he is the interlocutor and teacher of wisdom across a large part of the Mahayana sutra literature, including the Prajnaparamita texts and the Gandavyuha. He is shown as a youth (kumara), a flaming sword in the right hand that cuts ignorance at the root and a volume of the Prajnaparamita on a lotus at his left shoulder, riding a lion. The tantric Manjushri-mula-kalpa gives him a large family of forms, including the wrathful Yamantaka, and Mount Wutai in Shanxi is his mountain in the Chinese and Japanese traditions; the Newar tradition of the Kathmandu valley credits him with draining the valley lake at Swayambhu.
Full entry →Bodhisattva Of Compassion, Lord Who Looks Down With Compassion, The Great Compassionate One, Hearer Of The Cries Of The World, Protector Of Tibet, Lord Of The Six Realms
Compassion, Mercy, Protection, Hearing Suffering, Liberation Of Beings, The Six Realms, Refuge
White, Red, Blue
Jade, Pearl, Moonstone, Clear Quartz, Lapis Lazuli
Lotus, Jasmine, Sandalwood, Willow
Dragon, Crane, Fish
Temperance, The Star, Six Of Cups
Monday
Full Moon, Waxing Crescent
Water, Flowers, Incense, Butter Lamps, Recitation Of Om Mani Padme Hum, Vegetarian Food, Acts Of Compassion
Avalokiteshvara, 'the lord who looks down with compassion', is the great bodhisattva of compassion of the Mahayana, and the twenty-fifth chapter of the Lotus Sutra — the Universal Gateway — is his chapter, setting out the thirty-three forms in which he appears to whatever being needs him. The Karandavyuha Sutra gives the mantra om mani padme hum and the six-syllable scheme that maps the syllables onto the six realms, and it places him in attendance on Amitabha, whose image he carries in his crown. His eleven-headed and thousand-armed forms arise in the Nilakantha and related tantras from the story that his head split with grief at the suffering he saw and Amitabha gave him eleven, and that the thousand arms with an eye in each palm grew from his resolve to reach every being at once. In Tibet he is Chenrezig, patron of the country and source of the Dalai Lama lineage; in China and Japan the same figure is venerated in a feminine form, Guanyin and Kannon.
Full entry →The Swift One, Mother Of Liberation, Lady Of The Midnight Rescue, Saviour Of The Eight Fears, Fierce And Gentle Mother
Swift Rescue, Protection, Fearlessness, Compassion In Action, Travel, The Eight Fears, Liberation From Danger
Green, Emerald Green, White
Emerald, Green Tourmaline, Jade, Moss Agate, Peridot
Blue Lotus, Lotus, Sandalwood, Rose, Jasmine
Lion, Peacock
The Star, Strength, The Chariot
Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Crescent
Green Flowers, Water, Incense, Fruit, Butter Lamps, Recitation Of Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha, Help Given To Someone In Fear
Tara, 'the star', is the principal female bodhisattva of Tibetan Buddhism — Drolma, the swift saviouress who answers fear immediately — and her most common scriptural source is the Tara-mula-kalpa with its twenty-one forms. Tibetan tradition tells two origins: that she was born from a tear Avalokiteshvara shed at the sight of the world's suffering, and that as the princess Jnanachandra she refused the monks' advice to pray for rebirth as a man, vowing instead to work for beings in a female body until samsara is emptied. Green Tara (Khadiravani Tara, the Tara of the acacia grove) is the active, boon-granting form, right hand open in the varada mudra and left holding the blue night lotus; White Tara is the long-life form, a distinct figure with her own practice.
Full entry →The Future Buddha, The Loving One, Lord Of The Tusita Heaven, The Coming Teacher
Future, Loving Kindness, Hope, Teaching To Come, The Tusita Heaven, Restoration Of The Dharma
Gold, Yellow, Pink
Citrine, Yellow Sapphire, Golden Calcite, Amber
Saffron, Sandalwood, Jasmine, Rose
Lion, Horse
The Hierophant, The Star, Judgement
Thursday
Full Moon
Flowers, Incense, Light, Water, Acts Of Friendship, Study Of The Dharma
Maitreya, 'the loving one', is the next Buddha of this world-age, now said to be teaching in the Tusita heaven and predicted to descend when the dharma has been forgotten; the prediction is given in the Maitreyavyakarana sutra and, for Metteyya, in the Pali canon. Because he is expected rather than arrived, his cult has taken two shapes: devotion aimed at rebirth in Tusita in order to study under him, and millenarian expectation of his coming, which has repeatedly become the language of social reform in East Asia. The Yogacara tradition holds that Asanga received five texts from him, and Tibetan monastic universities still study those works as Maitreya's. In Chinese folk religion the laughing Budai is widely called 'the Maitreya', and in Japan he is Miroku, a figure of distant hope.
Full entry →Bearer Of The Vajra, Lord Of Secrets, Protector Of The Tantras, One Of The Three Family Protectors, Commander Of The Yakshas
Power, Protection, Fearlessness, Wrathful Compassion, Guarding The Teachings, Removal Of Obstacles, Secret Mantra
Dark Blue, Black, Red
Obsidian, Black Tourmaline, Lapis Lazuli, Onyx, Hematite
Juniper, Cedar, Wormwood, Sage
Serpent, Lion, Garuda
Strength, The Tower
Tuesday
New Moon
Incense, Black Tea, Torma, Butter Lamps, Protecting Someone Who Cannot Protect Themselves
Vajrapani, 'vajra in hand', is the bodhisattva who embodies the power of the Buddhas — one of the eight great bodhisattvas and, with Manjushri and Avalokiteshvara, one of the three family protectors who stand for wisdom, compassion and power. His ancestry is visible in the texts: in the Pali canon the yakkha Vajirapani appears with a thunderbolt to press a questioner, which is Indra/Sakka's weapon and his disguise, and in Gandharan sculpture the club-bearing figure beside the Buddha is modelled on Herakles. In the tantras he becomes the guardian and compiler of the tantras themselves, and in the Guhyasamaja it is he who requests and protects the teaching. The wrathful blue-black form, vajra raised and a serpent knotted at the neck, is the one met in Tibetan protector practice.
Full entry →Universal Worthy, The All-Good, Lord Of The Vows Of Practice, Primordial Buddha (Nyingma), Protector Of The Dharma
Practice, Vows, Meditation, Primordial Awareness, The Dharmakaya, Dedication Of Merit, Conduct
Blue, White, Gold
Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz, Sodalite, Moonstone
Lotus, Sandalwood, Cedar, Jasmine
Elephant
The World, The Fool
Thursday
Full Moon
Water, Flowers, Incense, Light, Dedication Of Merit, Acting Well Toward Others
Samantabhadra, 'universal worthy', is the bodhisattva of practice and vows: his ten great vows — the Bhadracaryapranidhana — close the Gandavyuha and so the Avatamsaka sutra, and they are the model for the dedication of merit that ends nearly every Mahayana session. In Huayan, and in Chinese and Japanese Buddhism (Puxian, Fugen), he rides a six-tusked white elephant and flanks Vairocana with Manjushri, the pair standing for practice and wisdom. In the Nyingma school the same name, Kuntu Zangpo, is given to the primordial Buddha — the dharmakaya itself, depicted naked and blue, often in union with Samantabhadri — which is a different figure with the same name and a different job.
Full entry →Bodhisattva Of The Hell Realms, Earth-Store Bodhisattva, The Vow That Empties Hell, Protector Of Children And Travellers, Lord Of The Six Realms
The Dead, Hell Realms, Vows, Children, Travellers, Protection, Patience, The Earth
Gold, Yellow, White, Grey
Golden Calcite, Yellow Jasper, Amber, Smoky Quartz, Jet
Sandalwood, Jasmine, Lotus, Cedar
Lion
The Hermit, Judgement, The Hanged Man
Saturday
New Moon
Water, Flowers, Incense, Rice, Fruit, Butter Lamps, Caring For Children, Visiting Graves
Ksitigarbha, 'earth-store' or 'earth-womb', is the bodhisattva of the hell realms and of the dead, whose vows are set out in the Ksitigarbha Purvapranidhana Sutra and summarised in the line the tradition puts in his mouth: until hell is empty he will not become a Buddha. He is shown as a monk rather than a prince — shaven-headed, a wish-fulfilling jewel in one hand and a ringed pilgrim's staff (khakkhara) in the other — standing in the six realms rather than above them. In China he is Dizang, one of the four great bodhisattvas, with his mountain at Jiuhua Shan; in Japan he is Jizo, the roadside protector of children and travellers. He is not Yama and not a judge of the dead: he is the one who goes into the hells on their behalf.
Full entry →Perfection Of Wisdom, Mother Of The Buddhas, The Great Mother, Teacher Of The Tathagatas
Wisdom, Emptiness, The Perfection Of Wisdom, Motherhood Of Buddhas, Insight, The Heart Sutra, Seeing Through
White, Gold, Pale Blue
Clear Quartz, Moonstone, Sodalite, Lapis Lazuli, Selenite
Sage, Sandalwood, Brahmi, Lotus, Rosemary
Lion, Swan
The High Priestess, The Hermit
Thursday
Full Moon
Books, Incense, White Flowers, Light, Recitation Of The Heart Sutra, Study
Prajnaparamita is the Perfection of Wisdom personified: the sutras themselves praise her as the mother of all Buddhas, and the Prajnaparamita literature — the Ashtasahasrika, the Diamond Sutra and the Heart Sutra — is the Mahayana's foundational statement of emptiness. The Heart Sutra gives its dialogue to Avalokiteshvara teaching Shariputra, but the figure of Prajnaparamita as a goddess with her own iconography (four arms, books on lotuses, white, sometimes on a lion throne) develops in East Asian and Tibetan art from the eighth century onward, and in Tibetan practice she is closely paired with Manjushri. She is the personification of a text and of a way of seeing rather than a deity with an ancient cult, and the 'Mother' language is the literature's own.
Full entry →The Diamond Being, Lord Of The Vajra, Deity Of Purification, Bearer Of The Vajra And Bell
Purification, Confession, Clarity, Vows, The Mind Of Enlightenment, Remorse And Repair
White, Silver, Pale Blue
Clear Quartz, Moonstone, Selenite, Pearl, White Quartz
Sandalwood, Jasmine, Camphor, Lotus
Swan
Temperance, Judgement, The Star
Monday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous
Water, White Flowers, Incense, Light, Confession, Recitation Of The Hundred Syllable Mantra
Vajrasattva, the 'diamond being', is the Buddha of purification: white, a vajra held at the heart and a bell at the hip, seated on a moon disc, and in Tibetan practice the figure in whom the vajra lineage's transmission is concentrated — often counted as a sixth Tathagata completing the five-Buddha mandala. His hundred-syllable mantra, transmitted through the Yoga-tantra and Anuttarayoga cycles, is the standard means of confessing and purifying a broken vow, and the short form om vajrasattva hum is used across the schools. The four powers the practice requires — regret, reliance on the deity, the remedy of recitation, and the resolve not to repeat — are the tradition's own analysis of what confession is.
Full entry →Great Time, The Great Black One, Lord Of The Protectors, Dharmapala Of The Tantras, Guardian Of The Teachings
Time, Death, Protection, Wrathful Activity, Destruction Of Obstacles, Guarding The Dharma, The Cremation Ground
Black, Dark Blue, Red
Obsidian, Black Tourmaline, Onyx, Jet, Hematite
Juniper, Cedar, Wormwood, Mugwort
Crow, Tiger, Bear
Death, The Tower
Saturday
New Moon
Black Tea, Torma, Incense, Butter Lamps, Protecting The Teachings
Mahakala — 'great time', the Great Black One — is the chief of the Tibetan dharmapalas, the fierce protectors of the tantras, and in the traditions that hold him he is an emanation of Avalokiteshvara rather than a separate deity; the six-armed form (Shadbhuja) and the two-armed Bernakchen of the Karmapas are the two best known. In the Sakyapa he is Panjaranatha, the protector associated with the Hevajra tantra, and in the Guhyasamaja cycle he guards the mandala. He is depicted in the charnel grounds, black and garlanded with skulls, holding the skull cup and flaying knife, because the iconography displays what the practice cuts through. The name is also a Shaiva epithet, and in Japan the same character became Daikokuten, god of wealth — two developments distinguished from the Tibetan protector here.
Full entry →The Sea, Father Of ManannáN, The Swan-Father, Ancestor Of The Tuatha Dé
The Sea, Storms, Tides, Fatherhood, Grief, Ancestry, Kingship
Blue, Turquoise, Silver, White
Aquamarine, Pearl, Moonstone, Labradorite
Seaweed, Kelp, Willow, Reed
Swan, Seal, Fish
The High Priestess, Ace Of Cups, The Moon
Monday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous
Samhain, Litha
Sea Water, Milk, White Feathers, Bread, Silence Kept By The Shore
Lir is the sea itself: the word is the old Irish for sea (ler nominative, lir genitive), he is the father of Manannán mac Lir, and Cormac's Glossary of the ninth century already explains 'son of the sea' as the meaning of mac Lir. In Lebor Gabála he is one of the Tuatha Dé Danann and an ancestor figure, named Allod in some genealogies, and the Welsh Llŷr is his cognate. He is the father of the four swan children in the late romance Oidheadh Chlainne Lir.
Full entry →King Of The Tuatha Dé Danann, Of The Silver Hand, Bearer Of The Sword, The Blemished King
Kingship, Sovereignty, The Sword, Justice, Restoration, Blemish And Wholeness, War Leadership
Silver, White, Gold
Silver, Clear Quartz, Moonstone, Hematite
Oak, Ash, Mistletoe, Wheat
Horse, Hound, Eagle
The Emperor, Justice, King Of Swords
Thursday, Sunday
Full Moon, First Quarter
Samhain, Beltane
Silver, Bread And Ale, The First Share Of A Meal, Acts Of Fair Judgment, Care For The Wounded
In Cath Maige Tuired Nuada loses his hand to Sreng at the First Battle of Mag Tuired, and because an Irish king must be unblemished he cannot rule, so Bres takes the kingship for seven years. Dian Cécht and Creidne make him a silver hand, and Dian Cécht's son Miach later restores a hand of flesh and blood, after which Nuada is reinstated. He is killed by Balor at the Second Battle, and his sword is one of the Four Treasures brought from the four cities.
Full entry →Champion Of The Tuatha Dé, Sun-Faced, Father Of Ogham, Master Of Eloquence
Eloquence, Writing, The Ogham Script, Poetry, Learning, Champion Combat, Memory
White, Gold, Brown
Clear Quartz, Lapis Lazuli, Citrine
Hazel, Ash, Oak, Reed
Raven, Crane, Blackbird
The Magician, Page Of Swords, King Of Swords
Wednesday
Waxing Crescent, First Quarter
Imbolc, Lughnasadh
Written Work, Recitation, Ink And Quill, Hazel Nuts, A Poem Made And Given Away
Ogma mac Elathan is the Dagda's brother and the champion of the Tuatha Dé in Cath Maige Tuired, where he is set to carry firewood under Bres, later challenges Lugh by hurling a flagstone that normally took eighty oxen to move, and takes up the sword Orna. The Ogam Tract (In Lebor Ogaim) makes him the inventor of ogham, devised as a proof of his skill and as a speech for the learned rather than for rustics. His epithet Grianainech, 'sun-faced', is glossed in the Táin and Lebor Gabála, and the Gaulish Ogmios has been read as his cognate.
Full entry →Smith Of The Gods, Of The Trí Dé DáNa, Host Of The Feast, Owner Of The Glas Gaibhnenn
Smithcraft, The Forge, Weapons, Craft, Hospitality, Abundance, Immunity From Decay
Red, Orange, Black, Gold
Hematite, Pyrite, Garnet, Obsidian
Oak, Juniper, Holly, Nettle
Cow, Boar, Bull
The Magician, Eight Of Pentacles, King Of Pentacles
Tuesday
New Moon, First Quarter
Lughnasadh, Imbolc
Ale, Iron And Bronze Work, The First Thing Made By Hand, Bread Shared, Water From The Quench
Goibniu is the smith of the Tuatha Dé Danann and, with Credne the bronzesmith and Luchta the wright, one of the Trí Dé Dána, the three gods of craft. In Cath Maige Tuired he makes the weapons the Fomorians cannot match, is speared by Ruadán son of Bres and Brigid, and kills Ruadán with the same spear. He is also the host of the Feast of Goibniu (Fled Goibnenn), which in Acallam na Senórach and Altram Tige Dá Medar protects the Tuatha Dé from sickness and decay, and the owner of the Glas Gaibhnenn, the cow of abundance.
Full entry →Physician Of The Gods, The Swift Sure, Keeper Of The Well Of SláIne, Father Of Miach And Airmed
Healing, Medicine, Herbs, The Well, Surgery, Restoration, The Limits Of Cure
Green, White, Silver
Moss Agate, Green Aventurine, Jade, Clear Quartz
Yarrow, Comfrey, Mugwort, Vervain, Sage
Serpent, Hound, Swan
Temperance, The Star, The Hierophant
Wednesday, Monday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Imbolc, Beltane
Herbs, Water From A Healing Well, The Work Of Caring For The Sick, A Record Of A Remedy, Bandages Burned
Dian Cécht is the physician of the Tuatha Dé Danann in Cath Maige Tuired: he bathes the wounded in the well Sláine at Achad Abla, chanting with his sons Miach and Octriuil and his daughter Airmed, so that the hurt return to the next day's fighting, and he boasts that he can heal all but the decapitated. He makes Nuada a silver hand with Creidne; when Miach restores a hand of flesh and blood he kills his son out of professional envy, and later scatters the herbs Airmed has catalogued. An early Irish law tract on injury, Bretha Déin Chécht, is attributed to him.
Full entry →The Young Son, Lord Of Brú Na BóInne, The Dreamer, Lover Of The Swan
Love, Youth, Dreams, Poetry, Beauty, The SíD, Desire
White, Pink, Green, Gold
Rose Quartz, Moonstone, Emerald, Pearl
Apple Blossom, Rose, Hawthorn, Primrose
Swan, Hare, Crane
The Lovers, The Star, Two Of Cups
Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Crescent
Beltane, Imbolc
Apples, White Flowers, Honey, Sweet Music, Poems Of Love, Time Kept At A River Source
Aengus is the son of the Dagda and Boann, conceived and born within one lengthened day and fostered by Midir at Brí Léith; he wins Brú na Bóinne from his father by asking for it as a day's and a night's dwelling. Aislinge Óenguso, 'The Dream of Aengus', tells of his love for Caer Ibormeith, whom he finds as a swan and joins as a swan. He is Mac ind Óc, 'the young son', the persuasive and beautiful figure of the Mythological Cycle.
Full entry →Lord Of Brí LéIth, Foster-Father Of Aengus, Player Of Fidchell, The SíD-Host
The SíD, The Otherworld, Fidchell, Enchantment, Love, Transformation, Bargains
Green, White, Silver
Moonstone, Labradorite, Moss Agate
Hazel, Yew, Apple, Mistletoe
Swan, Raven, Stag
The Moon, The Lovers, Two Of Cups
Monday
New Moon, Full Moon
Samhain, Beltane
Honey, Ale, A Game Played With A Guest, White Flowers, Music
Midir of Brí Léith is a lord of the síd and the foster-father of Aengus Óg; in Tochmarc Étaíne, 'The Wooing of Étaín', he wins Étaín from her husband Eochaid Airem through a series of fidchell games whose stakes are set in advance, and the two leave together as swans. He appears among the Tuatha Dé Danann in Cath Maige Tuired, and his mound at Brí Léith (Ardagh) is named in the Dindshenchas. The tale survives in Lebor na hUidre and the Yellow Book of Lecan.
Full entry →The Battle Crow, One Of The MorríGna, Prophetess Of Slaughter, Washer At The Ford
War, Fear, Prophecy, Death, Confusion, The Crow, Fate
Black, Red, Grey
Obsidian, Jet, Bloodstone, Onyx
Yew, Blackthorn, Mugwort, Belladonna
Crow, Raven, Wolf
Death, The Tower, Three Of Swords
Tuesday, Saturday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
Samhain
Dark Ale, Crow Feathers, A Truth Spoken About A Death, Bread Left At A Boundary
Badb is the battle-crow of early Irish literature: in Cath Maige Tuired and Táin Bó Cúailnge she is one of the Morrígna, named with Macha and Nemain (or Anand, depending on the text), and Cormac's Glossary glosses badb simply as 'crow'. She is a battle-fury who brings panic and confusion to armies, a prophet of the slaughter, and she haunts the fords where a woman washes the harness of those about to die. A gloss in the Yellow Book of Lecan calls Mesrad Machae, 'the mast of Macha', the heads of slaughtered men, and describes the trio as raven-women who incite battle.
Full entry →The Sun Of Womanfolk, Queen Of Emain Macha, Horse-Lady, Bringer Of The Pangs
Sovereignty, The Land, Horses, Childbirth, Kingship, War, The Race, The Curse
Red, Brown, Black
Red Jasper, Bloodstone, Moss Agate, Carnelian
Oak, Apple, Nettle, Hawthorn
Horse, Crow, Mare
The Chariot, The Empress, Strength
Tuesday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous
Samhain, Lughnasadh
Oats, Ale, Bread, A Race Run In Good Faith, Honour Given To A Woman Who Rules
Macha is a name shared by several early Irish figures: the wife of Nemed, buried at Armagh (Ard Mhacha); Macha Mong Ruad, daughter of Áed Rúad and the only woman in the list of Tara's kings, who laid out Emain Macha with her neck-brooch; and the Macha of Noínden Ulad, the farmer Cruinniuc's wife, forced by the king of Ulster to race his horses while pregnant. She wins, gives birth to twins, and curses the men of Ulster to be as weak as a woman in labour in their hour of need. The Dindshenchas calls her 'the Sun of Womanfolk' and names her among the Morrígna.
Full entry →The Frenzy Of Battle, One Of The MorríGna, Sower Of Panic, Crow Of The Host
Panic, Frenzy, Battle Fear, Confusion, Prophecy, War
Black, Red, Grey
Obsidian, Jet, Onyx, Smoky Quartz
Belladonna, Blackthorn, Yew, Wormwood
Crow, Raven, Wolf
The Tower, Five Of Swords, The Moon
Tuesday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain
Dark Ale, Crow Feathers, The Name Of A Fear Spoken Aloud
Nemain is the battle-fury whose name means frenzy or venom, one of the Morrígna named with Badb and Macha in Cath Maige Tuired and in the Táin. In Táin Bó Cúailnge the Nemain is the panic that falls on armies and scatters them, and a gloss in the Yellow Book of Lecan counts her among the raven-women who incite battle. Apart from the battlefield she has almost no narrative: she is the terror of the host personified.
Full entry →Eponym Of Ireland, Goddess Of The Island, Keeper Of The Name, The Land'S Own Name
The Land, Sovereignty, The Island, Naming, Ancestry, The Earth
Green, Gold, Brown
Moss Agate, Jade, Emerald, Jasper
Oak, Wheat, Heather, Blackberry
Horse, Bull, Hare
The Empress, The World, Queen Of Pentacles
Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Beltane, Lughnasadh
Water Poured On The Ground, Bread, Flowers, The Names Of The Dead Spoken, Care For The Land
Ériu is the eponymous goddess of Ireland: in Lebor Gabála and the Milesian landing tale (Tochomlod mac Miled) she and her sisters Banba and Fótla meet the Sons of Míl at Inber Scéne, and each asks that the island be called after her, with Ériu's name prevailing and Éire deriving from it. She is one of the sovereignty figures of that pseudo-history, and in some genealogies she is the wife of Mac Gréine of the Tuatha Dé Danann. The name and the island are the same word, which is the whole of her myth.
Full entry →King Of The Fomorians, Of The Evil Eye, The Blighting Gaze, Grandfather Of Lugh
Blight, The Evil Eye, Tyranny, The Fomorian Host, Giant Strength, Fate
Black, Red, Grey
Obsidian, Jet, Onyx, Hematite
Yew, Wormwood, Belladonna, Blackthorn
Serpent, Crow, Boar
The Devil, The Tower, Ten Of Swords
Tuesday, Saturday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
Samhain
Salt, Dark Ale, A Black Stone Left At A Boundary, Acknowledgement Of A Blight
Balor is the Fomorian king of Cath Maige Tuired, whose single eye, opened by four men with a forked stick, blights whatever it looks at, and he kills Nuada in the battle. A prophecy said he would be killed by his own grandson, so he shut his daughter Ethniu in a tower on Tory Island; Cian reached her with the druidess Birog's help, and their son Lugh killed Balor with a sling stone that drove the eye out through the back of his head. Lebor Gabála also makes him the killer of Macha.
Full entry →The Beautiful King, King Of The Tuatha Dé, The Half-Fomorian, The Failed Host
Kingship, Beauty, Hospitality, Satire, Agriculture, Tribute, Exile
Gold, White, Green
Gold, Citrine, Agate, Jasper
Wheat, Barley, Apple, Nettle
Horse, Bull, Boar
The Emperor, Five Of Pentacles, The Hanged Man
Saturday, Thursday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous
Lughnasadh, Mabon
Bread, Ale, Butter, Milk, The Repair Of A Bad Rule
Eochu Bres is the beautiful son of Elatha of the Fomorians and Ériu of the Tuatha Dé, made king after Nuada loses his hand and married to Brigid. His reign is remembered for tribute and for the failure of hospitality - the knives at his table were never greased and no guest's breath smelled of ale - until Cairbre mac Étaine made the first satire in Ireland against him and the kingship fell away. Exiled, he led the Fomorians at the Second Battle and was spared by Lugh in exchange for teaching the Tuatha Dé to plough, sow and reap, and in the Dindshenchas Lugh kills him with poisoned milk drawn from wooden cows.
Full entry →Queen Of The Banshees, Of The Fair Hair, Lady Of Tonn ClíOdhna, The Wave Of Glandore
The Waves, The Sea, Otherworld Love, Music, Sleep, Death By Water, Lament
Turquoise, White, Blue, Silver
Pearl, Aquamarine, Moonstone, Abalone
Seaweed, Kelp, Water Lily, Irish Moss
Swan, Seal, Gull
The Moon, Ace Of Cups, The Star
Monday, Friday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous
Samhain, Litha
Sea Water, White Flowers, Song, Perfume, Shells
Clíodhna is a Munster otherworld woman: in Acallam na Senórach she is the daughter of the druid Gebann in Manannán's land, who elopes with Ciabhán and is lulled asleep by music and swept away by the great wave at Glandore, thereafter called Tonn Clíodhna, 'Clíodhna's Wave'. In the Book of Lismore's Voyage of Teigue she names herself daughter of Genann mac Treon of the Tuatha Dé Danann and gives three birds whose song heals and a cup that turns water to wine. Carrigcleena near Mallow is her rock, and later Munster folklore makes her queen of the banshees of Desmond.
Full entry →The Good Striker, The Hammer God, Lord Of The Mallet And The Pot, Companion Of Nantosuelta
Abundance, The Mallet, Boundaries, The Earth, The Underworld, Springs, Hospitality, Protection
Brown, Green, Gold
Moss Agate, Jasper, Jet, Amber
Oak, Willow, Hazel, Apple
Dog, Raven, Snake
The Emperor, Ace Of Pentacles, Nine Of Pentacles
Saturday, Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Lughnasadh, Mabon
Bread, Ale, Wine, Grain, A Boundary Stone Set, Water From A Spring
Sucellos, 'the good striker' from su- plus a stem for striking, is a Gaulish god known from about ten votive inscriptions and well over a hundred images, concentrated in the Rhône and Saône valleys and reaching the Rhineland, Britain and the Danube. He is shown as a bearded man in Gaulish dress with a long-handled mallet in one hand and a round-bellied pot in the other, sometimes with a raven, a dog or a snake, and often paired with the goddess Nantosuelta, as on the Sarrebourg altar's dedication Deo Sucello Nantosuelte. No myth of him survives: his character is disputed between a god of abundance and fertility and a god of the underworld, and he is partly assimilated to Roman Silvanus, with dedications naming him Sucellus Silvanus.
Full entry →The Wise Lord, Ohrmazd, The Uncreated Creator, Lord Of Asha, Bestower Of Khvarenah
Wisdom, Truth Asha, Creation, Sovereignty, Light, Order, The Good Creation
White, Gold, Blue, Violet
Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz, Diamond, Gold
Frankincense, Sandalwood, Myrrh, Sage
Eagle, Horse, Bull
The Emperor, Wheel Of Fortune, The Sun
Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Ostara
Prayer And The Manthras, Good Thoughts Good Words Good Deeds, Haoma, Milk And Water Libation, Sandalwood For The Fire, Acts Of Charity
Ahura Mazda, 'the Wise Lord', is the supreme god of the Gathas of Zarathushtra (Yasna 28-53) and of the later Avesta: uncreated, the source of asha (truth and cosmic order) against druj (the lie), and the maker of the good creation. The Avesta reaches him through the Amesha Spentas, the six 'bounteous immortals' who are at once his attributes and his agents, and the Pahlavi books (Bundahishn, Denkard) develop the cosmogony around him. Zoroastrian worship is aniconic, conducted before a sacred fire, and the winged disc or winged figure of Achaemenid reliefs is often called his image although the identification is disputed.
Full entry →The Strong, Undefiled One, Lady Of The Waters, She Of The Four Horses, Mistress Of Abundance, Queen Of The Healing Waters
Waters, Fertility, Healing, Purification, Abundance, The Seed Of Life, Protection In Childbirth
Blue, Turquoise, White, Silver
Moonstone, Pearl, Turquoise, Lapis Lazuli, Aquamarine
Lotus, Rose, Lily, Pomegranate
Horse, Dove, Swan
The Star, The Empress, Ace Of Cups
Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Imbolc
Water, Milk, Haoma, Pomegranate, White Flowers, Incense
Aredvi Sura Anahita is the great yazata of the waters, praised at length in Yasht 5 of the Avesta (the Aban Yasht) as a strong, undefiled and healing power who drives a chariot drawn by four horses - wind, rain, cloud and sleet - and grants boons to those who worship her. She is invoked with Ahura Mazda and Mithra in the inscriptions of Artaxerxes II (4th century BCE), and her temple cult is attested at Istakhr, while Strabo describes her shrines in Cappadocia and Armenia. Hellenistic writers identified her with Artemis (Artemis Persike), and later Persian usage names the planet Venus after her as Nahid.
Full entry →Lord Of The Covenant, Mithra Of The Wide Pastures, The Untiring One, Keeper Of The Oath, He Of The Thousand Ears
Covenant, Oaths, Justice, Light, Truth, Victory, Protection Of The Righteous, Social Order
Gold, Red, White
Carnelian, Sunstone, Ruby, Clear Quartz
Bay Leaf, Frankincense, Sage, Nettle
Horse, Eagle
Justice, Strength, The Chariot
Sunday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Mabon
Haoma, Milk, Bread, Incense, Fire Wood
Mithra is the Iranian yazata of the covenant (Avestan mithra, 'contract'), whose great hymn is Yasht 10 of the Avesta: he stands between the parties to an agreement, sees every breach with his thousand ears and ten thousand eyes, and rides ahead of the sun in a chariot of gold. He is named with Ahura Mazda and Anahita in the inscriptions of Artaxerxes II, and his cult spread through Anatolia and Commagene - where his name is fused with Apollo-Helios - into the Roman world, where he became the Mithras of the mysteries. The Roman Mithras is a separate development with its own entry.
Full entry →Good Mind, Good Thought, The Bounteous Immortal Of Cattle, Keeper Of The Sacred Cattle, Bahman
Good Mind, Right Thought, Wisdom, Cattle, Discernment, The Welcome Of The Soul, Memory
White, Yellow, Blue
Clear Quartz, Yellow Jasper, Agate
Sage, Frankincense, Basil
Cow, Ox, Bull
The Magician, The Hermit
Wednesday
First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous
Milk, Haoma, Barley, Incense
Vohu Manah ('Good Mind' or 'Good Thought') is the first of the Amesha Spentas, the bounteous immortals of the Gathas (Yasna 28-53), and in the Gathas he is the mind through which Zarathushtra receives his vision. In the later Avesta and the Pahlavi books he is the guardian of cattle, and he is the Amesha Spenta who greets the righteous soul at the Chinvat bridge. His day is Bahman, the second day of the Zoroastrian month, and the eleventh month carries his name; his opponent in the Pahlavi texts is Aka Manah, 'evil mind'.
Full entry →Best Truth, Best Righteousness, The Cosmic Order, Lord Of Fire, Ardwahisht
Truth, Cosmic Order, Righteousness, Fire, Justice, The Law Of Being
Gold, White, Red
Ruby, Sunstone, Fire Agate, Clear Quartz
Frankincense, Sage, Bay Leaf
Eagle, Falcon
Justice, The Sun
Sunday
Full Moon
Litha
Fire Wood, Frankincense, Haoma, Truthful Speech
Asha Vahishta ('Best Truth' or 'Best Righteousness') is the second of the Amesha Spentas, the hypostasis of asha - the truth, order and rightness of things that the Gathas set against druj, the lie. His creation in the later tradition is fire, and he is bound to the sacred fire of the Zoroastrian altar; the Pahlavi texts make him the opponent of the demon Indar. Asha is the Avestan continuation of the Indo-Iranian order that the Vedic hymns call rita.
Full entry →Desirable Dominion, The Wished-For Kingdom, Lord Of Metals, Shahrevar
Dominion, Sovereignty, The Good Kingdom, Metals, The Sky, Right Rule
Gold, Grey, Blue
Hematite, Gold, Silver
Frankincense, Oak, Sage
Eagle, Horse
The Emperor, Wheel Of Fortune
Thursday
First Quarter
Haoma, Incense, Frankincense, Good Governance
Khshathra Vairya ('Desirable Dominion' or 'Wished-for Kingdom') is the third of the Amesha Spentas, the hypostasis of the good sovereignty that Ahura Mazda will establish at the renovation of the world. His creation in the later tradition is the metals, and some Pahlavi texts add the sky, which is imagined as a stone vault; the Bundahishn pairs him against the demon Saurva, the lie of misrule. His day is Shahrevar, the fourth day of the month, and the sixth month, Shahrivar, carries his name.
Full entry →Holy Devotion, Holy Piety, Daughter Of Ahura Mazda, Lady Of The Earth, Spandarmad
Devotion, Piety, The Earth, Fertility, Faithfulness, Care Of The Land, Humility
Green, Brown, White
Jade, Emerald, Moss Agate
Wheat, Barley, Rose
Cow, Bee
The Empress, The Hierophant
Friday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent
Ostara
Milk, Grain, White Flowers, Haoma
Spenta Armaiti ('Holy Devotion' or 'Holy Piety') is the fourth of the Amesha Spentas and the one who is grammatically and mythically feminine; the Gathas and the later texts call her the daughter of Ahura Mazda (Yasna 45.4). In the Pahlavi tradition she is the earth itself, the guardian of the land, of fertility and of faithful care, and she is paired against the demon Naonhaithya. Her day is Sepandarmaz, the fifth day of the month, and the twelfth month, Spandarmad, carries her name.
Full entry →Wholeness, Perfection, Lady Of The Waters, Khordad
Wholeness, Integrity, Health, The Waters, Abundance, Completion, Healing
White, Blue, Silver
Moonstone, Pearl, Aquamarine, Clear Quartz
Lotus, Blue Lotus, Marshmallow
Fish, Swan
The World, Ace Of Cups
Monday
Full Moon
Water, Milk, Haoma, Frankincense
Haurvatat ('Wholeness' or 'Perfection', later Khordad) is one of the two Amesha Spentas who guard the physical creation, paired with Ameretat; in the Gathas the two are invoked together as the reward of the righteous. In the later tradition of the Bundahishn, Haurvatat is the lord of the waters while Ameretat is lord of plants, and at the Frashegird, the renovation of the world, they are the powers that make the creation whole and deathless. Her day is Khordad, the sixth day of the month, and the third month, Khordad, carries her name.
Full entry →Immortality, Deathlessness, Lord Of Plants, Amurdad
Immortality, Deathlessness, Plants, The Tree Of Life, Endurance, The Renovation
Green, Gold, White
Emerald, Jade, Peridot
Cypress, Olive, Myrtle
Serpent, Bull
The World, Ace Of Pentacles
Thursday
Full Moon
Litha
Haoma, Milk, Fruit, Fresh Plants
Ameretat ('Immortality' or 'Deathlessness', later Amurdad) is the Amesha Spenta paired with Haurvatat; the Gathas name the two together as the gift that awaits the righteous, and the later tradition makes Ameretat the lord of plants, as Haurvatat is lord of the waters. At the Frashegird, the renovation of the world, they are the powers by which the creation is restored to wholeness and death is undone. Her day is Amurdad, the seventh day of the month, and the fifth month, Amurdad, carries her name.
Full entry →The Obedient One, Hearer Of Prayer, Lord Of The Three Nights, The Strong One, Messenger Of The Good
Obedience, Hearing, Discipline, Prayer, Protection Of The Soul, The Three Nights, The Dawn Vigil
White, Yellow, Gold
Agate, Clear Quartz, Yellow Jasper
Frankincense, Rue, Sage
Cock, Dog
The Hierophant, Judgement
Wednesday
New Moon
Dawn Prayer, Haoma, Milk, Incense
Sraosha ('Obedience' or 'Hearing') is the yazata of attentive hearing and of the discipline of prayer, praised in Yasht 11 of the Avesta (the Srosh Yasht) as the strong, victorious one who was the first to offer sacrifice and who guards the soul for three nights after death. With Mithra and Rashnu he is one of the judges at the Chinvat bridge, and in the later tradition the cock that crows before dawn is his bird, waking the faithful to prayer. He is invoked in the daily liturgy and in the rites for the dead.
Full entry →The Victorious, Smiter Of The Lie, Lord Of The Ten Forms, Bahram
Victory, Heroism, The Smiting Of The Lie, Strength, Protection, The Ten Forms, Courage
Red, Gold, Orange
Carnelian, Garnet, Hematite, Red Jasper
Nettle, Bay Leaf, Rue
Boar, Horse, Camel, Raven
Strength, The Chariot
Tuesday
Waxing Gibbous, First Quarter
Haoma, Milk, Fire Wood, Incense
Verethragna (later Bahram) is the yazata of victory, whose hymn is Yasht 14 of the Avesta: he comes to the worshipper in ten successive forms - wind, bull, white horse, camel, boar, a youth of fifteen, raven, ram, buck and man - and in each he is the power that breaks the lie. He is the patron of the righteous fighter rather than of war as such, and the highest grade of Zoroastrian temple fire, the Atash Bahram, is named for him. His day is Bahram, the twentieth day of the Zoroastrian month.
Full entry →The Rain-Bringer, Lord Of The Star Sirius, The White Horse, Tir
Rain, The Star Sirius, The Waters, Seasons, Drought, The Harvest, The Calendar
White, Blue, Silver
Clear Quartz, Moonstone, Aquamarine
Lotus, Reed, Papyrus
White Horse, Fish
The Star, Temperance
Wednesday
Full Moon
Litha
Water, Milk, Haoma, Barley
Tishtrya is the yazata of the star Sirius and of the rains, whose hymn is Yasht 8 of the Avesta: as a shining white horse he fights the drought demon Apaosha, is weakened when the sacrifice is withheld and strengthened by the offering of haoma, and by his victory the waters flow and the harvest is assured. His festival, Tiragan, is kept in early summer and is bound up with rain and with the arrow-legends of Arash, and the star's cycle is one of the tradition's markers of the year. The Persian name Tir is also the name of the planet Mercury, but Tishtrya's own identity in the Avesta is the star, not a planet.
Full entry →The Name Of The 365 Heavens, The Great Archon, Ruler Of The Three Hundred And Sixty-Five, The Cock-Headed Serpent
The Number 365, Totality, The Heavens, The Sun, Amuletic Protection, Coincidentia Oppositorum
Gold, Red, Black
Gold, Hematite, Carnelian
Frankincense, Myrrh, Sage
Cock, Serpent, Lion
The Magician, Wheel Of Fortune, The Sun
Sunday
Full Moon
Litha
Frankincense, Gold Leaf, Engraved Stone
Abraxas (Abrasax) is the name at the centre of the Basilidian system reported by Irenaeus (Against Heresies 1.24): the Greek letters of Abrasax sum to 365, the number of the days of the year and of the heavens in that system, so that the name is the name of the whole year and of the power that governs it. From the second century the name crowds the Graeco-Egyptian magical gems, engraved on amulets beside a cock-headed, serpent-legged figure with a whip and shield and invoked with IAO and Sabaoth as a protective name of power. Carl Jung took Abraxas up in the Seven Sermons to the Dead (1916) as the god beyond good and evil, and through Hermann Hesse's Demian the figure entered modern occultism.
Full entry →The Demiurge, The First Archon, The Blind God, The Lion-Faced Serpent, The Jealous God
The Material Cosmos, False Creation, Ignorance, Arrogance, Imprisonment Of The Spark, The Archons
Black, Red, Brown
Onyx, Obsidian, Jet, Hematite
Wormwood, Yew, Nightshade
Lion, Serpent
The Devil, The Tower
Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
None Traditionally
Yaldabaoth is the demiurge of the Sethian gnostic texts, above all the Apocryphon of John (Nag Hammadi II,1 and its parallels), where Sophia produces him without her consort and he emerges from the waters as a lion-faced, serpent-bodied being who steals her light, makes the archons, and declares 'I am a jealous God, and there is no other god beside me'. In the Apocryphon he is also called Saklas ('fool') and Samael ('blind god'), and the Hypostasis of the Archons and On the Origin of the World retell the same myth with Norea and the serpent of Genesis. The Gnostics did not worship him: he is the false creator whose law holds the divine spark captive, and gnosis is the recognition that undoes him.
Full entry →The Fool, The Arrogant One, The Foolish One, Companion Of Nebro
Folly, Arrogance, False Claim To Godhead, The Archons, Ignorance, The Fashioning Of The Body
Red, Black, Brown
Obsidian, Onyx, Garnet
Wormwood, Nettle, Rue
Serpent, Lion
The Fool, The Devil
Tuesday
New Moon
None Traditionally
Saklas is the Aramaic-derived name ('fool') that the Sethian tradition gives the demiurge: in the Apocryphon of John and the Hypostasis of the Archons (Nag Hammadi II,1 and II,4) he is Yaldabaoth under another name, and in the Hypostasis the daughter of Sophia rebukes him with 'You have erred, Saklas'. The Gospel of Judas (Codex Tchacos, 2nd century) differs, making Nebro the demiurge and Saklas a second angel who comes out of the cloud with six angels of his own, and it is Saklas there who says 'Let us create a human being after our image.' The variability is the point: the gnostic texts reuse a small stock of names for the powers that made the world.
Full entry →The Apostate, The Angel Of The Cloud, The Demiurge Of The Gospel Of Judas, He Whose Face Blazed Like Fire
Apostasy, The Demiurge, The Archons, The Twelve Heavens, The Chaos Below, False Creation
Red, Black, Gold
Garnet, Obsidian, Bloodstone
Wormwood, Yew, Nettle
Serpent, Eagle
The Tower, The Devil
Saturday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
None Traditionally
Nebro is the name the Gospel of Judas (Codex Tchacos, 2nd century) gives the demiurge: when the twelve angels are made to rule over chaos and the underworld, an angel appears in the cloud with a face blazing like fire and a figure stained with blood, 'whose name was Nebro, which is translated apostate; others called him Yaldabaoth'. Nebro creates six angels and Saklas six more, and from them come the twelve angels who receive each a portion of the heavens and the rulers set over the chaos below. The name is usually derived from Nebruel or from Nimrod (Genesis 10:8-12), the 'mighty hunter before the Lord' whom the gnostics turned into an insult for the creator - a scholarly proposal, not something the text states.
Full entry →The First Aeon, The Forethought Of The Invisible Spirit, The Virginal Spirit, Mother-Father, The Womb Of The Pleroma
The First Aeon, Forethought, The Pleroma, Motherhood, Androgyny, Emanation, The Divine Image
White, Gold, Violet
Clear Quartz, Pearl, Sapphire
Rose, Lily, Lotus
Dove, Eagle
The High Priestess, The Star, The World
Monday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Ostara
None Traditionally
Barbelo is the first emanation of the Monad in the Sethian gnostic system, named in the Apocryphon of John (Nag Hammadi II,1 and parallels) as the Forethought of the Invisible Virginal Spirit: she is 'mother-father', the first aeon, who asks for and receives foreknowledge, and from her comes the Autogenes ('self-begotten') Christ. The Trimorphic Protennoia (Nag Hammadi XIII,1) speaks in her voice as the threefold first thought of the Pleroma, and the Gospel of Judas and Zostrianos invoke the 'aeon of Barbelo' as the highest realm. She is the divine feminine of the gnostic systems and the mother of the heavenly Christ, not a figure of cult.
Full entry →The Repentant Archon, Lord Of The Seventh Heaven, The Son Who Condemned His Father, He Who Sits Above The Archons
Repentance, The Seventh Heaven, Righteous Rule, The Throne And Chariot, Turning From The Father
Gold, Blue, White
Lapis Lazuli, Sapphire, Gold
Frankincense, Cedar, Bay Leaf
Lion, Eagle
The Emperor, The Chariot, Judgement
Thursday
Full Moon
None Traditionally
Sabaoth is the son of Yaldabaoth in the Hypostasis of the Archons (Nag Hammadi II,4) and On the Origin of the World (II,5): he repents of his father's work, condemns him, and is taken up by Pistis Sophia and enthroned above the archons in the seventh heaven, where the other rulers envy him. In On the Origin of the World he builds himself a great throne-chariot with four-faced cherubim and a multitude of angels, and is called a god of the powers. The name is the Hebrew 'Lord of Hosts' (tseva'ot), a title of the God of Israel reused by the gnostics for a redeemed archon, and it also appears on the magical gems beside Abrasax and IAO.
Full entry →Dux Bellorum, King Of The Britons, The Once And Future King, Pendragon, Bear Of Britain
Sovereignty, Kingship, War, The Warband, The Land, The Sword, The Round Table, Return
Gold, Red, White
Diamond, Clear Quartz, Granite, Lodestone
Oak, Mistletoe, Sage, Bay Leaf
Bear, Dragon, Boar, Eagle
The Emperor, The Chariot, King Of Swords, The World
Sunday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous
Litha, Samhain
A Story Told Aloud, A Candle At A Standing Stone, The First Pour Of The Night, A Sword Kept Clean, A Vow Written And Kept, Bread And Ale Shared
Arthur begins as a war-leader, not a king: the Historia Brittonum (ninth century) credits him with twelve victories including Mount Badon and calls him dux bellorum, and the Annales Cambriae record his last battle at Camlann in 537 where he and Medraut fell. Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae (c. 1136) turns him into a king who conquers Europe and is carried to Avalon, and the Welsh Culhwch and Olwen already puts him at the head of a named warband. Chretien de Troyes adds the court and the Grail, and Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur (1485) fixes the Round Table, Excalibur, and the once and future king.
Full entry →Queen Of Logres, Lady Of Camelot, The Queen Of The Round Table, Wife Of The Pendragon
Queenship, Marriage, Love, Sovereignty Of The Land, Fidelity And Breach, May Day, The Court
White, Gold, Green
Pearl, Moonstone, Rose Quartz, Emerald
Rose, Hawthorn, Lily, Meadowsweet
Horse, Dove, Hound
The Lovers, The Empress, Queen Of Cups
Friday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Beltane, Litha
A Rose Left On A Grave, A Truth Told About A Marriage, The First Cup At A Feast, A Candle For A Queen Who Was Blamed, A Garland Of May Flowers
Guinevere is already Arthur's queen in the earliest Welsh prose, Culhwch and Olwen, and in the twelfth-century Life of Gildas by Caradoc of Llancarfan she is abducted by Melwas of the Summer Country and rescued by Arthur. Chretien de Troyes' Chevalier de la charrette (c. 1177-81) writes Lancelot's love as the queen's service, and the Vulgate Lancelot-Grail (c. 1215-35) makes that love the crack that breaks the fellowship. Malory's Morte d'Arthur (1485) has her condemned to the stake, taken by Lancelot, and ended in a nunnery, and his image of her is the May ride with the court.
Full entry →The Best Knight In The World, Knight Of The Cart, Champion Of The Queen, Lord Of Joyous Gard
Martial Excellence, Courtly Love, Loyalty, Friendship, Penance, The Lake, Single Combat
White, Red, Silver
Diamond, Red Jasper, Moonstone, Clear Quartz
Rose, Sage, Bay Leaf, Willow
Lion, Horse, Swan
Knight Of Swords, The Chariot, The Lovers
Tuesday
Waning Gibbous, Full Moon
Beltane, Litha
A Weapon Kept In Condition, A Truth Told Before It Is Forced Out, A Candle For A Friend Betrayed, The First Drink Poured For Another, A Penance Actually Performed
Lancelot is a creation of Chretien de Troyes, who put him in a cart in the Chevalier de la charrette (c. 1177-81) to reach the abducted queen; the prose Vulgate Lancelot (c. 1215-35) gave him a full biography — stolen as an infant and raised by the Lady of the Lake, the love of Guinevere, the madness, and the failure at the Grail because of his sin. Malory's Morte keeps the love as the most famous and the most ill-fated, and ends him as a priest and then a monk, dying soon after the queen. In the early romances he is one knight at a court; in the prose cycle he is the centre of the world.
Full entry →Queen Of Avalon, The Enchantress, Sister Of The King, Eldest Of The Nine Sisters, Lady Of The Isle Of Apples
Sorcery, Healing, Avalon, Fate, Sovereignty, Shapeshifting, The Old Way, Death And Return
Black, Green, Silver
Obsidian, Moonstone, Jet, Black Tourmaline
Mugwort, Apple, Hawthorn, Yew
Raven, Serpent, Horse
The High Priestess, The Moon, Death
Saturday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
Samhain, Yule
An Apple Left On The Water, A Healing Given Without Being Asked, A Candle For A Sister Who Was Written As A Villain, The Name Of The Island Spoken Aloud, A Mending Of Something Broken
Morgan first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Vita Merlini (c. 1150) as Morgen, the eldest of nine sisters on the Isle of Apples who can fly through the air and heal wounds, and who receives the wounded Arthur after Camlann. The Vulgate Cycle makes her Arthur's half-sister, daughter of Igraine and Gorlois, and turns her into the court's enemy and the abductor of Lancelot; Sir Gawain and the Green Knight names her as the instigator of the beheading test. Malory knows both versions and gives her the barge that carries Arthur to Avalon. She is never one thing: the healer on the island survives alongside the adversary of the prose romances.
Full entry →Lady Of The Lake, The Maiden Of The Lake, Keeper Of Excalibur, The One Who Learned Merlin'S Craft
The Lake, Enchantment, The Handing Over Of Power, Prophecy, The Sword, The Old Way, Silence
Silver, Blue, White
Moonstone, Aquamarine, Clear Quartz, Pearl
Willow, Apple, Water Lily
Swan, Serpent, Horse
The High Priestess, The Star
Wednesday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Imbolc
A Sword Or Tool Given Away To Someone Who Will Use It, A Lesson Taught In Full, A Candle On A Shore, Silence Kept About Another Person S Secret, Water Poured Back Into Water
In the Vulgate Estoire de Merlin (c. 1215-35) Nimue is the daughter of the lord Dyonas who learns Merlin's craft and uses it to enclose him under a rock, or in a tower of air, so that he is lost to the world; the same cycle also has a Lady of the Lake who gives Arthur Excalibur and raises Lancelot. Malory calls her Nimue, has her bury Merlin under a stone, and marries her to Pelleas, so that she ends as a lady of Arthur's court. The earlier names are Niniane and Viviane, and the tradition never separates the lake, the sword and the enchantment into a single story.
Full entry →The Grail Knight, The Perfect Knight, The Chosen Of The Siege Perilous, Son Of Lancelot And Elaine
Purity, The Grail, Chastity, Chivalry Perfected, The Vision, Martyrdom, The Siege Perilous
White, Gold
Clear Quartz, Diamond, Pearl, Selenite
Lily, Rose, Frankincense
Dove, Swan, Lamb
The Star, The World, Judgement
Thursday
First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous
Litha, Ostara
A Fast Kept For A Reason, A Vow Of Continence, A Thing Given Away Rather Than Kept, A Candle For The One Who Did Not Come Back, Water And Bread At A Shrine
Galahad is invented by the Vulgate Cycle, in the Queste del Saint Graal (c. 1220s) written in a Cistercian milieu, as the illegitimate son of Lancelot and Elaine of Corbenic; he alone can sit in the Siege Perilous and draw the sword from the stone, and he alone achieves the Grail, with Percival and Bors, before his soul is carried to heaven. He is in neither Chretien nor the earlier Grail stories: his role was created by displacing Percival, because the new Grail demanded a virgin knight. Malory takes him over as the perfect knight whose chastity is the qualification.
Full entry →The Grail Knight, The Innocent Fool, Son Of The Widow Lady, King Of The Grail
Innocence, The Grail, The Unasked Question, Compassion, The Waste Land, The Fool, The Mothers Son
Green, White, Silver
Moonstone, Clear Quartz, Green Aventurine
Fern, Water Lily, Hawthorn
Horse, Hare, Falcon
The Fool, The Hermit, The Star
Monday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Ostara, Mabon
A Question Asked Aloud, A Meal Shared With A Stranger, A Mother Remembered, Bread And Water At A Crossroads, The First Thing You Notice Kept In Words
Percival is Chretien de Troyes' creation in the unfinished Perceval, ou le Conte du Graal (c. 1180-91): a boy raised in the forest by his mother who sees the grail procession at the castle of the wounded Fisher King, fails to ask the question that would heal him, and whose story breaks off there. Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival (c. 1200-10) completes the arc — he asks, he heals the king, he becomes Grail king — and the Welsh Peredur son of Efrog in the Mabinogion tells a related tale. The Vulgate Queste demotes him to a companion of Galahad, and Malory follows the Queste.
Full entry →Arthur'S Nephew, The Knight Of Courtesy, The Champion Of The Beheading Game, The Knight Of The Green Chapel
Solar Strength, Courtesy, The Beheading Game, Kinship, The Green, Oath Binding, Prowess, The Winter Threshold
Green, Gold, Red
Emerald, Green Aventurine, Jade, Moss Agate
Oak, Holly, Ivy, Bay Leaf
Horse, Boar, Hawk
The Chariot, Strength
Sunday
First Quarter, Full Moon
Yule, Beltane
A Promise Kept At The Appointed Place, A Green Thing Carried As A Reminder, The First Cut Of A Meal Given Away, A Candle At The Turn Of The Year, Courtesy Shown To Someone Who Cannot Repay It
Gawain is Gwalchmai in Culhwch and Olwen and the Welsh triads, Arthur's nephew and one of the three great warriors of the island. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (late fourteenth century, West Midlands) he accepts the beheading challenge, keeps the appointment at the Green Chapel, flinches once, and comes home wearing the green girdle as the badge of his one fault. The French romances give him a strength that rises to noon and falls after it, and a reputation that darkens until he is blamed for the war that kills Arthur; Malory inherits both versions.
Full entry →The Traitor, Regent Of Britain, He Who Falls At Camlann, The King'S Shadow
Treachery, Usurpation, Kin Slaying, Camlann, The Fall, Incest, Rebellion, The Shadow Of The King
Black, Red, Grey
Obsidian, Onyx, Jet, Hematite
Blackthorn, Yew, Nightshade, Wormwood
Raven, Wolf, Serpent
The Tower, Death, Ten Of Swords
Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Mabon
An Honest Account Of What You Broke, A Candle For The One The Family Could Not Hold, The Name Of A Dead Man Spoken Without A Verdict, A Thing Broken And Not Repaired, Silence At A Grave
Medraut is named only as falling with Arthur at Camlann in the Annales Cambriae (tenth century), with no hint that he was a traitor; the Historia Brittonum makes him Arthur's nephew. Geoffrey of Monmouth turns him into the regent who takes the crown and the queen while Arthur is across the sea, and Arthur kills him at Camlann and is himself mortally wounded. The Vulgate and Malory add the incest — Mordred is Arthur's son by his half-sister Morgause, conceived at the May feast — and the May-day massacre of the newborns meant to prevent the prophecy. The treason and the incest are later layers, not the earliest record.
Full entry →Goddess Of The Flowing Water, Lady Of Music And Eloquence, Bringer Of Wealth, The Only Goddess Among The Seven
Water, Music, Eloquence, The Arts, Wealth, Wisdom, The Rivers, Fortune
White, Blue, Gold
Pearl, Moonstone, Aquamarine, Mother Of Pearl
Lotus, Jasmine, Water Lily
Serpent, Swan, Fish
The High Priestess, The Star, Ace Of Cups
Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Sake, Rice, Salt, Fresh Water, Flowers, A Piece Of Music Actually Played, Coins Washed In Her Spring
Benzaiten is the Japanese form of the Indian goddess Sarasvati, carried through Chinese Buddhism as Biancaitian, and she keeps Sarasvati's office — rivers, speech, music, learning — while becoming a bringer of wealth: in the Edo period the characters of her name were rewritten from goddess of eloquence (弁才天) to goddess of fortune (弁財天). She is the only goddess among the Seven Lucky Gods, and she is identified with the snake deity Ugajin, which is why her shrines stand on islands and springs and keep a white serpent as her messenger. Her great shrines are Enoshima, Chikubu Island and Itsukushima, and the washing of coins in her spring water (zeniarai) at Kamakura is one of her most crowded living practices.
Full entry →Guardian King Of The North, He Who Hears Much, Bringer Of Wealth, Protector Of The Dharma
War, Guardianship, The North, Wealth, The Dharma, Kingship, Punishment Of Evil, Fortune
Gold, Red, Black
Tiger Eye, Hematite, Obsidian, Red Jasper
Cedar, Sage, Bay Leaf, Pine
Tiger, Horse, Serpent
The Emperor, The Chariot, Justice
Tuesday
First Quarter, Full Moon
Incense, Rice, Sake, Salt, A New Year Arrow, Fruit At The Temple Gate
Bishamonten is Vaisravana, one of the Four Heavenly Kings (Shitenno) who guard the cardinal directions in Buddhist cosmology, the king of the north and commander of the yakshas; in Japan he is also Tamonten, he who hears much, and the Shitenno-ji founded by Prince Shotoku in 593 is named for the four. He is shown in armour with a small pagoda in one hand and a spear in the other, standing on a demon, and from the medieval period he is also a god who distributes treasure, which is how he joined the Seven Lucky Gods as their only warrior. His cult is a living one at the great Shingon and Tendai temples and at the Bishamon halls of the old cities.
Full entry →God Of The Fishermen, The Laughing God, The Only Japanese-Born Of The Seven, Lord Of The First Catch
Fishing, Merchants, Good Fortune, The Sea, The First Catch, Laughter, The Household
Red, White, Blue
Pearl, Coral, Amber, Aquamarine
Seaweed, Kelp, Sea Salt
Sea Bream, Fish, Turtle
The Sun, Ace Of Pentacles
Thursday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
The First Catch, Sake, Rice, Sea Salt, A Sea Bream, The First Coin Of The Year
Ebisu is the only one of the Seven Lucky Gods with no continental origin: a Japanese god of fishermen and the market, often identified with Hiruko, the leech child born first to Izanagi and Izanami in the Kojiki and set adrift in a reed boat, and with the Izumo deity Kotoshironushi. Both identifications are traditional and neither is certain, and the etymology of his name is disputed. His head shrine is Nishinomiya in Hyogo, and the Ebisu-ko confraternities of the Edo period made him the god of the year's first catch; he is shown laughing, with a sea bream under one arm and a fishing rod in the other.
Full entry →God Of Wealth, Lord Of The Kitchen, The Mallet-Bearer, God Of The Earth
Wealth, The Kitchen, The Earth, Rice, The Hearth, Fortune, The Household, Abundance
Black, Gold, Red
Citrine, Pyrite, Jade, Tiger Eye
Wheat, Ginger, Cinnamon
Rat, Ox, Serpent
Ten Of Pentacles, The Emperor, Ace Of Pentacles
Thursday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Rice, Sake, The First Rice Of The Year, A Bowl Set At The Hearth, A Coin Kept In The House, Sweet Cakes
Daikokuten is the Japanese form of Mahakala (Dahei Tian), brought with Esoteric Buddhism in the Heian period, where he began as a fierce protector; by the medieval period he is a smiling god of wealth and of the kitchen, with a mallet that brings forth coins, rice bales to stand on and a sack of treasure. He was then identified with Okuninushi, the earth god of Izumo, through the shared characters 大黒 and 大国, an identification that is Japanese and medieval and not part of the Indian figure. He is one of the Seven Lucky Gods.
Full entry →The Cloth-Bag Monk, God Of Contentment, Patron Of Children And The Weak, An Incarnation Of Maitreya
Contentment, Abundance, Children, The Weak, Generosity, Divination, Laughter, The Road
Red, Gold, Brown
Citrine, Amber, Jade, Rose Quartz
Mint, Ginger, Lemon Balm
Ox, Crane, Cat
The Fool, The Sun, Nine Of Cups
Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Rice, Sweet Cakes, Tea, Fruit Given To A Child, A Coin Given Away, The First Bite Left For Someone Else
Hotei is the Japanese name of Budai, the cloth sack, a Chinese Chan monk called Qieci (d. 916 or 917) who lived at Fenghua near Ningbo, carried a sack through the market, laughed, foretold the weather, and left a verse at his death identifying himself as an incarnation of Maitreya, the future Buddha. In Japan he became Hotei, one of the Seven Lucky Gods, the patron of children, the weak and the poor, and a god of contentment and of divination, shown with the sack, a fan and a laughing face. The Western label the Laughing Buddha is a misnomer: he is not Shakyamuni, and the Chinese tradition knows him as Budai.
Full entry →God Of Longevity, The Old Man Of The South Pole, Keeper Of The Register Of Lifespans, The Sage Of The Southern Star
Longevity, Long Life, Health, Old Age, Wisdom, The Stars, The Register Of Lifespans
White, Gold, Grey
Jade, Amber, Clear Quartz, Smoky Quartz
Ginkgo, Licorice, Gotu Kola
Crane, Turtle, Deer
The Hermit, Temperance
Saturday
Waning Gibbous, Full Moon
Sake, Rice, Tea, A Meal Shared With An Elder, Incense At The New Year, Peaches Or A Peach Bun
Jurojin is the old man of the southern pole star, the star of long life — the Chinese Shouxing, the Old Man of the South Pole, identified with Canopus — who carries a staff and a scroll on which the lifespans of people are written, and is accompanied by a crane and a turtle. In Japan he is one of the Seven Lucky Gods, and the tradition often treats him and Fukurokuju as one old man or as two aspects of one, without settling the question. He is fond of sake, and his public practice is the New Year visit to the shrines of the seven.
Full entry →God Of Wisdom, God Of Longevity And Happiness, The High-Foreheaded One, Keeper Of The Three Blessings
Wisdom, Longevity, Happiness, Prosperity, The Stars, Learning, Fortune
White, Gold, Purple
Jade, Citrine, Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz
Ginkgo, Sage, Rosemary
Crane, Turtle, Deer
The Hermit, The Star
Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Tea, Rice, Incense, A Book Given Away, A Lesson Taught, Peaches Or A Peach Bun
Fukurokuju's name is the Japanese reading of the Chinese Fu-Lu-Shou — happiness, rank and long life — the three star gods of the popular pantheon, and he is shown as an old man with an enormously high forehead, a staff and a scroll, with a crane and a turtle. In Japan he is one of the Seven Lucky Gods and a god of wisdom as well as of long life, though his role overlaps so heavily with Jurojin's that the two are often one figure in practice. The tradition does not settle whether they are one god or two, and the uncertainty is part of the material rather than a gap to be filled.
Full entry →God Of Thunder, The Drummer Of The Storm, Lord Of The Thunder'S Sound
Thunder, Storm, Rain, Punishment Of Oaths, Exorcism, The Harvest, Awe
Red, Black, Blue
Meteorite, Obsidian, Hematite
Oak, Ash, Mugwort
Tiger, Serpent, Boar
The Tower, The Chariot
Tuesday
First Quarter, Full Moon
Incense, Sake, Rice, Salt, A Drum Struck Once, Silence At The First Thunder
Raijin is the thunder of Japanese art and popular religion, the red demon with a ring of drums who rolls across the sky; the Kojiki already knows eight thunder kami born from Izanami's body in Yomi, and the later figure owes much to the Chinese thunder god Leigong, from whom the drum ring and the drumsticks come. He is fixed in the Japanese imagination by the thirteenth-century guardian statues at Sanjusangendo in Kyoto and by the wind-and-thunder pair at temple gates such as Senso-ji's Kaminarimon. Thunder in Japan is kaminari, the sound of the kami, and he is that sound given a body.
Full entry →God Of The Wind, The Keeper Of The Wind Bag, The Breath Of The World
Wind, Storms, Breath, Travel, The Sea Roads, The Harvest, Change
Green, White, Blue
Clear Quartz, Aquamarine, Jade
Reed, Ash, Willow
Hawk, Crane, Horse
The Fool, Ace Of Swords
Wednesday
Waning Gibbous, New Moon
Incense, Sake, Rice, Salt, A Cloth Tied To A Branch, A Meal Eaten Outdoors
Fujin is the wind god of the Japanese pantheon, shown as a green or blue demon carrying a great bag of winds on his shoulders, and paired with Raijin at temple gates and in the Wind and Thunder Gods screen attributed to Tawaraya Sotatsu at Kennin-ji in Kyoto. The pairing and the bag come from the Chinese wind master Fengbo, but wind has its own Shinto kami, and the Kojiki's Shinatsuhiko is the wind itself rather than its ruler. He is honoured where the wind matters — at harbours, before a voyage, and by farmers at harvest — and he has no large independent cult.
Full entry →The Fifth King Of The Ten Courts, Judge Of The Dead, Lord Of The Fifth Court, King Yama
Judgement Of The Dead, The Underworld, The Ledger Of Deeds, Death, Oaths, The Seven Day Cycle, Justice
Black, Red, Blue
Obsidian, Onyx, Jet, Smoky Quartz
Mugwort, Poppy, Willow
Ox, Horse, Serpent
Death, Judgement, Justice
Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Incense, Paper Money, Fruit, Vegetarian Food, A Bowl Of Rice For The Dead, The Seventh Day Rite
Yanluo Wang is the Chinese form of Yama, absorbed into a bureaucracy of the dead: he is the fifth of the Ten Kings of Hell (Shidian), the judge before whom the dead are brought, and the underworld's registers and mirrors show each person their own life rather than hearing testimony. The Ten Kings are a Chinese development, attested from the Tang in apocryphal sutras and Dunhuang manuscripts, and their courts are keyed to the funeral cycle — the seventh, fourteenth and twenty-first days through the forty-ninth, then the hundredth day and the anniversaries. He is not the ruler of hell but one judge in a system that reports upward, and the whole apparatus is administered like a magistracy.
Full entry →The Demon Queller, King Of Ghosts, Protector Of The Door, The Failed Scholar
Exorcism, Protection Of The House, Ghosts, The Door, Illness, Duanwu, Justice, The Examination
Red, Black, Gold
Red Jasper, Bloodstone, Obsidian, Jet
Garlic, Mugwort, Wormwood, Rue
Bat, Tiger, Serpent
Strength, The Tower
Tuesday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Incense, Rice Wine, A New Door Print, Peach Wood, A Firecracker At The Threshold
Zhong Kui is the demon-queller of Chinese popular religion, a ghost who commands ghosts: his image is pasted on the door and the wall at the New Year and at Duanwu, the fifth day of the fifth month, to keep illness and malevolent spirits out. The best-known account is in Shen Kuo's Mengxi Bitan (Dream Pool Essays, 1088), which tells of the Tang emperor Xuanzong's dream of a small demon who had stolen his flute and a huge ugly ghost who seized it, naming himself Zhong Kui, a scholar of Zhongnan who had been failed at the examination, killed himself on the palace steps, and was buried with honour by the emperor; Xuanzong had him painted. The tale is Tang, and the attribution of the first painting to Wu Daozi is traditional rather than documented.
Full entry →Mother Of The Dipper, Sovereign Of The Nine Stars, Protectress In War And Disaster, Lady Of The Celestial Measure
The Big Dipper, The Nine Stars, Protection, Healing, Childbirth, Women Devotion, The Register Of Life, Disaster
White, Gold, Purple
Selenite, Moonstone, Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz
Lotus, Jasmine, Sandalwood
Boar, Dragon
The Star, The High Priestess
Monday
Full Moon, New Moon
Incense, Nine Lamps, Vegetarian Food, Flowers, Tea, A Lamp For Each Of The Nine Stars
Doumu, the Mother of the Dipper, is the Daoist goddess of the Big Dipper and of the nine stars that compose it — the seven visible and two hidden — and she holds the register of life and death that the Dipper governs. Her cult is attested from the Tang and Song, and she has a fixed place in Daoist liturgy, where the Dipper rites are among the most widely performed; she is identified with the Buddhist Marici (Molizhitian), and the boar-faced, boar-riding iconography belongs to that shared form. In Southeast Asia her devotion is bound up with the Nine Emperor Gods festival, which takes the ninth lunar month and keeps a vegetarian observance.
Full entry →Duke Of Thunder, Ancestor Of Thunder, Marshal Of The Thunder Department, The Beaked Drum-Master
Thunder, Rain, Punishment, Oaths, Exorcism, The Monsoon, Justice, The Harvest
Red, Black, Blue
Meteorite, Pyrite, Obsidian
Oak, Ash, Rue
Dragon, Rooster, Serpent
The Tower, Strength
Tuesday
First Quarter, Full Moon
Incense, Rice Wine, Rice, Salt, A Drum Beaten, The First Thunder Offering
Thunder has been a god in China since the Shanhaijing described the Leishen of the west as a dragon-bodied, human-headed being who drums on his own belly; by the Tang and Song he is Leigong, a beaked, clawed, winged figure with a ring of drums. The Song Daoist thunder rites (leifa), formalised in the Shenxiao movement patronised by Emperor Huizong in 1116, made him a marshal in a celestial Thunder Department that an ordained master could command, and the Leizhou peninsula in Guangdong keeps his great temple. The state cult and the thunder rites both treat him as the enforcer of oaths and the punisher of hidden crimes, which is why thunder is the sworn witness in a folk oath.
Full entry →Mother Of Lightning, Mistress Of The Mirrors, Consort Of The Thunder Duke, Lady Of The Flash
Lightning, Warning, Illumination, Rain, Sudden Revelation, Oaths, The Mirrors, Storms
White, Blue, Silver
Mica, Clear Quartz, Moonstone
Eyebright, Mugwort, Lavender
Dragon, Serpent
The Star, The Tower
Wednesday
First Quarter, Full Moon
Incense, Water, Rice, A Mirror Left At The Altar, Salt
Dianmu is the Mother of Lightning, the partner of Leigong, shown with a mirror in each hand — the flash is her mirrors. She belongs to the later popular and Daoist thunder tradition rather than to the classical sources, and popular storytelling supplies her origin: in one telling a woman struck by Leigong by mistake and restored by the Jade Emperor to be his companion, in another a widow punished for wasting rice. That aetiology — the lightning that comes before the thunder so that people can prepare — is a folktale explanation rather than doctrine, and the earliest layers of the Chinese thunder cult do not have her.
Full entry →Dragon King, Lord Of The Rain, King Of The Four Seas, Master Of The Water Courses
Rain, Rivers, The Sea, Wells, Storms, The Harvest, Water Courses, Treasure
Blue, Black, Green
Aquamarine, Blue Lace Agate, Pearl, Coral, Lapis Lazuli
Lotus, Seaweed, Reed, Kelp
Dragon, Fish, Turtle
Ace Of Cups, The Star
Monday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Incense, Rice Wine, Fruit, Tea, A Paper Boat, The First Fish, A Rain Prayer At The Well
The Dragon King is the Chinese sovereign of a body of water — a sea, a river, a lake, a well — and the four seas have four kings: Ao Guang of the east, Ao Qin of the south, Ao Run of the west and Ao Shun of the north, named in the Ming novel Xiyou ji and in the earlier popular scriptures. He gives rain on the warrant of heaven, and a dragon who fails the rainfall quota is punished: in Xiyou ji the Dragon King of the Jing River is beheaded for falsifying the rain. The state conferred aristocratic titles on dragon kings from the Tang onward, and local dragon kings multiplied at every spring and well, so that the Dragon King is a class of gods rather than one, approached in drought and before a voyage.
Full entry →Lord Of The Soil, The Earth God, Keeper Of The Local Register, The Landlord
The Local Land, Boundaries, The Village, The Household, The Local Dead, Wealth Of The Place, Harvest, Protection
Brown, Yellow, Red, Gold
Jade, Moss Agate, Hematite, Brown Jasper
Wheat, Patchouli, Moss
Tiger, Ox, Serpent
Ten Of Pentacles, Four Of Pentacles
Saturday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent
Incense, Rice Wine, Fruit, The First Fruits, A Bowl Of Rice, Three Cups Of Tea, A Sweet At The New Year
The Earth God is the smallest and most local deity of the Chinese pantheon: not the Earth itself but the god of one defined patch of ground — a village, a street, a field, a building site — who is the landlord of the place and keeps the register of its dead, reporting upward to the City God, who reports to the Jade Emperor. An altar to the soil is ancient, going back to the she altar of the Zhou, but the familiar Tudi Gong with a wife (Tudi Po) and a roadside shrine is a late-imperial popular development, and in Fujian and Taiwan he is also a god of money, which is why a business keeps him by the till. The second and sixteenth of every lunar month are his days, and his birthday is kept on the second day of the second month in much of Fujian and Taiwan.
Full entry →God Of Literature, Lord Of The Examinations, Patron Of Scholars, Lord Of Zitong, The Star Of Letters
Literature, The Examinations, Scholarship, Writing, Rank, Divination, Spirit Writing, Merit
Blue, White, Green
Lapis Lazuli, Sodalite, Fluorite, Clear Quartz
Rosemary, Sage, Gotu Kola
Carp, Crane
The Magician, The Hierophant
Wednesday
Waxing Crescent, First Quarter
A Brush, Incense, Cakes, Rice Wine, Tea, The First Page Of An Essay, A Name Written And Offered
Wenchang is the god of literature and of the imperial examinations, and his name is first an asterism — the six stars of the Wenchang constellation in the bowl of the Dipper — personified from the Tang and Song. The god of Zitong in Sichuan, a local deity with his own mountain and a snake-quelling legend, was identified with the Wenchang star god by imperial decree in 1316 under the Yuan, and that identification is the basis of the later cult. The moral tract attributed to him, the Wenchang dijun yinzhi wen (Treatise on Secret Merit and Retribution), whose extant form is usually dated to the Song or Ming, teaches that success in the examination is the reward of hidden virtue, and it was one of the most widely printed books of late imperial China.
Full entry →The Old Man Under The Moon, The Matchmaker Of Destinies, Keeper Of The Book Of Marriages
Marriage, Matchmaking, The Red Thread, Fate, Love, Weddings, The Book Of Marriages, Destiny
Red, Pink, White, Silver
Rose Quartz, Moonstone, Pink Tourmaline, Rhodonite
Rose, Jasmine, Vanilla
Magpie, Mandarin Duck, Butterfly
The Lovers, Two Of Cups
Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
A Red Thread, Sweet Wine, Flowers, Incense, A Name Written And Offered, Candy For The Matchmaker
Yue Lao is the old man under the moon who ties the feet of the couple destined for each other with a red silk cord and reads their names in his book; he enters literature in the Tang tale Dinghun dian (The Inn of the Fixed Match) in Li Fuyan's Xu Xuanguai Lu (c. 850), where a young man is told that his future wife is a three-year-old child, tries to have her killed, and marries her years later with the scar of his blow to identify her. He is a literary figure rather than a classical god — there is no ancient temple in the canonical record — but he is now one of the most popular objects of devotion for the young and unmarried, with shrines in Hangzhou and at Longshan Temple in Taipei among many others.
Full entry →The Yellow Emperor, First Of The Five Emperors, Ancestor Of The Huaxia, The Perfected Of The Nine Cauldrons
Civilisation, Sovereignty, Medicine, Invention, War, The Centre, The Earth, Immortality, Ancestorhood
Yellow, Gold, White
Jade, Yellow Jasper, Citrine, Amber
Turmeric, Ginger, Sage
Dragon, Bear, Phoenix
The Emperor, The Magician
Saturday
New Moon, First Quarter
Incense, Jade, Grain, Silk, Rice Wine, A Written Memorial, The First Grain Of The Harvest
The Yellow Emperor is the first of the Five Emperors in Sima Qian's Shiji (c. 100 BCE), a culture hero who defeats Chiyou at Zhuolu with the help of the drought demon Ba and is credited with the calendar, writing, the compass chariot, silk through his wife Leizu, and medicine, since the Huangdi Neijing is put in his mouth in dialogue with Qibo. He is also a Daoist immortal: the Shiji has him cast nine cauldrons at Mount Jing and ascend to heaven on a dragon, and the four silk manuscripts found at Mawangdui in 1973, which scholars have called the Huangdi sijing, show a body of political and cosmological doctrine attached to his name. The modern ancestor cult at Huangling in Shaanxi, with the public sacrifice on the third day of the third lunar month, is a twentieth-century development, from the joint sacrifice by the Kuomintang and the Communists in 1937 to the official rites revived from 2004.
Full entry →God Of Cattle, Lord Of The Wet Underworld, Guardian Of Oaths, Patron Of Magic And Poetry, Keeper Of The Boundary
Cattle, Wealth, Underworld, Magic, Divination, Poetry, Oaths, Wilderness, Boundary Crossing
Brown, Black, Green, Gold
Jet, Obsidian, Moss Agate, Pyrite, Amber
Fern, Willow, Mugwort, Ivy, Nettle
Bull, Serpent, Bear, Wolf
The Magician, The Hierophant, Ace Of Pentacles
Wednesday, Monday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Imbolc
Milk, Butter, Bread, Beer, Wool, Coins, The Last Sheaf Left In The Field For His Beard
Veles (Volos) is the chthonic Slavic god of the underworld and of cattle, called skotiy bog, 'cattle god', in the Primary Chronicle, where the Rus swear by Perun and Volos in the treaties with Byzantium (907-971). Comparison with Varuna and with the Baltic Velnias makes him a god of magic, poetry, wealth and oaths, guardian of the boundary between the living and the dead, whose violation he punishes by 'turning a man yellow' (probably jaundice). The storm-myth duel with Perun is a 20th-century reconstruction by Ivanov and Toporov, criticised from the 1980s and not accepted as a documented narrative.
Full entry →The Moist Mother, Spinner Of Fate, Lady Of Women'S Work, The Only Goddess Of The Kievan Pantheon
Moisture, Fertility, Spinning, Weaving, Women'S Work, Childbirth, Fate, Earth, Sheep
White, Blue, Green
Moonstone, Pearl, Jade, Clear Quartz
Nettle, Mugwort, Chamomile, Lavender, Rose
Sheep, Spider, Goose
The High Priestess, The Empress, Queen Of Pentacles, Ten Of Pentacles
Friday
Full Moon, New Moon
Imbolc, Lughnasadh
Bread, Cheese, Honey, Wool, Thread, Water
Mokosh is the only goddess among the seven idols Vladimir set up in Kiev in 980 in the Primary Chronicle, and she is named in 11th-14th century Russian sermons against paganism (the Slova i poucheniya) beside the vilas, with no narrative attached to her anywhere. Etymological reconstruction links her name to moisture (mokr-) and makes her a goddess of waters and fertility; later scholarship reads her as the ancestor of Mat Syra Zemlya, the moist earth, and in the Russian North of the demonised kikimora called Mokusha. The identification with the folk-Christian Paraskeva Pyatnitsa, the claim that she was Perun's wife, and Rybakov's 'Makosh' etymology are all contested reconstructions.
Full entry →The Giving God, The Sun, Grandfather Of The Rus
Sun, Light, Giving, Harvest, Wealth, Warmth, Daylight
Gold, Yellow, White, Orange
Sunstone, Amber, Citrine, Golden Calcite, Carnelian
Sunflower, Calendula, Saffron, Wheat
Horse, Eagle, Falcon
The Sun, Ace Of Wands, Ten Of Pentacles
Sunday
Full Moon
Litha, Ostara
Bread, Honey, Grain, Ale, First Fruits
Dazhbog is a solar god and one of the seven idols Vladimir erected in Kiev in 980 according to the Primary Chronicle, and one of the very few Slavic gods whose worship is attested across the Slavic lands. The Primary Chronicle's 1114 entry, following the Slavonic translation of John Malalas, makes him the son of Svarog and says he was called the Sun, and The Tale of Igor's Campaign calls the Rus 'Dazhbog's descendants'. Whether he was the sun itself, a giver of wealth, or a culture hero is disputed, because no narrative of him survives.
Full entry →The Heavenly Smith, Father Of Dazhbog, The Hephaestus Of The Slavs
Fire, Smithcraft, Forging, Metalwork, Craft
Red, Orange, Gold, Black
Hematite, Pyrite, Lava Stone, Magnetite, Meteorite
Juniper, Pine, Nettle
Eagle, Boar
The Magician, The Emperor, Eight Of Pentacles, Three Of Pentacles
Tuesday
Waxing Gibbous
Lughnasadh, Beltane
Iron, Beer, Bread, Firewood
Svarog is named in a single source, the Primary Chronicle's 1114 entry (following the Slavonic Malalas), where he is presented as the Slavic equivalent of Hephaestus and where tongs are said to have fallen from heaven in his reign so that men learned to forge weapons; the same passage makes Dazhbog his son. His name is bound up with fire, but the older reading of him as a sky-father rests on an etymology that modern linguistics rejects. Some scholars argue he was extrapolated from Svarozhits, the fire god of the Baltic Slavs, and never existed as an independent cult.
Full entry →The Black God, God Of Misfortune, The Dark Twin
Misfortune, Darkness, Ill Luck, Shadow, Night
Black, Grey, Red
Obsidian, Jet, Onyx, Black Tourmaline, Shungite
Wormwood, Belladonna, Henbane, Nightshade, Yew
Raven, Wolf, Serpent
The Devil, The Tower, Ten Of Swords
Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain
A Share Of Every Feast, Black Bread, Salt, Vodka, Silence
Chernobog is attested once, in Helmold of Bosau's 12th-century Chronica Slavorum: at their feasts the Slavs pass a bowl and call on the good god and the bad god, naming the bad one Diabol or Zcerneboch, 'the black god', who arranges adverse fortune. Every later source is derivative - Johan Lindner (c. 1530), Thomas Kantzow's Pomeranian chronicle (1538), Sebastian Münster's Cosmographia (1550), the Lusatian compilations - and the claim that he received human sacrifice comes from Kantzow, a hostile 16th-century chronicler, not from a pagan source. Scholars disagree whether he was a real Polabian god of misfortune or a learned gloss on the Christian devil.
Full entry →The White God, God Of Good Fortune, The Day Twin
Good Fortune, Daylight, Prosperity, Blessing, Order
White, Gold, Yellow
Clear Quartz, Selenite, White Quartz, Sunstone
Chamomile, St Johns Wort, Rosemary, Lavender, Wheat
Horse, Dove, Swan
The Sun, Judgement, Nine Of Pentacles
Thursday, Sunday
Full Moon
Litha, Ostara
Bread, Honey, Milk, Beer
Belobog has no reliable pre-Christian source: the name first appears in 16th-century writing, in Johan Lindner (c. 1530), Thomas Kantzow's Pomeranian chronicle (1538) and Sebastian Münster's Cosmographia (1550), each of them pairing a white god with Helmold's black one. Most scholars take him as a later invention formed by opposition to Chernobog, and some reject him outright; a minority treat the pair as an authentic Polabian dualism, and the 19th-century Slavic dualism that followed from it is not accepted as an element of Slavic religion. Any practice built on him is modern, and the honest reading is that the good god of the feast was never given a name we can recover.
Full entry →The Kin, Ancestor Of The Family, Apportioner Of Fate
Kin, Ancestry, Fate, Birth, Judgement, Lineage, Family
White, Brown, Grey, Gold
Granite, Fossils, Petrified Wood, Clear Quartz
Oak, Wormwood, Mugwort, Elder
Bear, Stork
The Hierophant, Wheel Of Fortune, Ten Of Cups
Saturday
New Moon, Full Moon
Samhain, Yule
Bread, Cheese, Honey, Mead, Porridge
Rod ('kin') is the East and South Slavic personification of family, ancestors and fate, named in 11th-14th century Russian sermons beside the Rozhanitsy, the birth-goddesses who apportion a newborn's lot, and honoured with a meal and the child's first haircut (postrizhiny). Some scholars, above all Rybakov, make him a creator god at the head of a Slavic pantheon; others, including Klejn and Zubov, deny he was ever a deity rather than a personified concept, and he is absent from Vladimir's 980 pantheon. Much of his modern 'supreme god' profile comes from Rodnovery and from the forged Book of Veles, not from the medieval sources.
Full entry →Lady Of Winter And Death, The Drowned One, Mother Of The Cold
Winter, Death, Frost, Dreams, Rebirth, Spring Banishing
White, Black, Blue, Grey
Clear Quartz, Jet, Obsidian, Moonstone, Salt
Yew, Elder, Willow, Wormwood
Raven, Wolf, Serpent
Death, The Moon, The Hanged Man
Saturday, Monday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
Samhain, Imbolc
Straw Effigy, Ribbons, Fire, River Water, Eggs
Marzanna (Morana, Morena) is the West Slavic winter and death figure whose straw effigy is carried out of the village on the fourth Sunday of Lent and drowned or burned, a rite the Synod of Poznań tried to forbid in 1420 with the words 'do not permit them to carry around the icon of Death and drown in puddles'. The 13th-century Czech Mater Verborum glosses her with Hecate, and Jan Długosz in the 15th century likened her to Ceres; the effigy is dressed as a bride or a crone according to region. Whether she was a goddess or a personification of winter death is disputed, and the modern date of 21 March was fixed only in the 20th century.
Full entry →The House Lord, Grandfather, Keeper Of The Hearth
Household, Hearth, Ancestors, Protection, Prosperity, Domestic Order, Threshold
Brown, Red, Gold, White
Hag Stones, Lodestone, Granite, Salt
Houseleek, Wormwood, Oak
Cat, Rooster, Snake
Four Of Pentacles, Ten Of Pentacles, The Emperor
Monday
New Moon
Yule
Porridge, Bread, Milk, Salt, A Place At The Table
The domovoi is the household spirit of Slavic folk belief, 'the one of the house', who lives behind the stove or under the threshold and is counted as the founding ancestor of the kin; the folklorist Kagarov read him as a miniature Rod. He is known from 19th-century ethnographic collection (Dal, Afanasyev) rather than from any medieval text, and he has a female counterpart, the domania, with cousins in the dvorovoi (yard), bannik (bathhouse) and kikimora. He is a spirit of one household, not a god of a pantheon: no temple, no priesthood, and no proper name of his own.
Full entry →Lord Of The Forest, The Forest One, Master Of The Wood
Forest, Hunting, Wild Animals, Shapeshifting, Lost Paths, Game
Green, Brown, Grey, Black
Moss Agate, Tree Agate, Petrified Wood, Serpentine
Fern, Moss, Pine, Lichen
Wolf, Bear, Owl, Hare
The Hermit, The Moon, King Of Wands
Wednesday
Full Moon, New Moon
Litha, Samhain
Bread, Salt, First Game, A Coin On A Stump, Vodka
The leshy is the tutelary spirit of the forest in Slavic folk belief, master of the game and of hunting, a shapeshifter who can match any man in size and stature and lead travellers in circles until they are lost; he has a wife, the leshachikha, and children, the leshonki. Nineteenth-century Russian ethnography (Dal, Afanasyev) records the beliefs, and he is sometimes compared with the West Slavic forest god Porewit. He is a forest being with a domain rather than a temple deity, and his attitude depends on how you treat the wood.
Full entry →The Thunderer, Sky Father, Lord Of The Weather, The Old Man Of The Sky
Thunder, Lightning, Rain, Weather, Fertility, Harvest, The Sky
Blue, White, Gold
Clear Quartz, Hematite, Thunderegg, Amber
Oak, Juniper, Rowan, Nettle
Bull, Eagle, Horse
The Tower, The Emperor, Ace Of Wands
Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Litha, Ostara
Beer, Bread, Grain, Mead, A Share Of The Harvest
Ukko, 'the old man', is the Finnish thunder and weather god, whose thunder and rain fertilise the fields; his weapons are the hammer and the axe, and a thunderstorm is still ukonilma, 'Ukko's weather'. Unto Salo derives him from the older Finnic sky god Ilmari, with strong Indo-European influence in the figure of Thor, and the name Ukko also serves in the runic songs as a general epithet for several gods. He is the sky god of the Kalevala, where the singer prays to him and he answers with weather, and he is the Finnish god whose cult is best attested in the incantations and in the later harvest customs.
Full entry →The Eternal Singer, Old And Wise, Maker Of The Kantele, Son Of Ilmatar
Song, Poetry, Words Of Power, Wisdom, Memory, The Kantele
Blue, White, Grey
Clear Quartz, Lapis Lazuli, Pearl, Labradorite
Birch, Pine, Rowan, Mugwort
Swan, Pike, Crane
The Magician, The Hierophant, The Star
Wednesday
Full Moon, Waxing Crescent
Litha, Yule
Song, Beer, Bread, Silver, A Poem Recited Aloud
Väinämöinen is the central hero of the Kalevala, an old and wise singer whose magical voice and kantele playing are the engine of the epic, and whose first runo makes him the son of Ilmatar, born after her centuries-long pregnancy in the sea. He is a demigod and culture hero rather than a god of a cult: no cult prayer addresses him, though Karelian and Ingrian incantations keep him as a primordial singer whose words are power. Elias Lönnrot compiled the Kalevala (1835, expanded 1849) from oral runic poetry collected in Karelia and Ingria, so the heroic Väinämöinen is partly the compilation's shaping of older shamanic material.
Full entry →Mistress Of Pohjola, Queen Of The North, The Old Woman Of The North
The North, Sorcery, Cunning, Captivity, The Sampo, Death
Black, White, Grey
Jet, Obsidian, Labradorite
Yew, Wormwood, Juniper, Mandrake
Wolf, Raven, Swan
The High Priestess, The Moon, The Tower
Saturday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
Samhain, Yule
Silver, Bread, Salt, Beer
Louhi is the mistress of Pohjola, the northland, in the Kalevala: she demands the Sampo as the bride-price for her daughter, sets the heroes impossible tasks, and in the later runos steals and hides the sun and moon inside a mountain. Older Finnic tradition probably knew a single figure, a ruler of the underworld and a goddess of death and disease, whom Lönnrot split into the queen Louhi and the blind Loviatar, daughter of Tuoni. She is a saga antagonist and a personified north, not a cult deity, and the 'goddess' reading belongs to the older reconstructed layer.
Full entry →King Of The Forest, The Grey-Beard, Lord Of The Game
Forest, Hunting, Game Animals, The Wild, Hunters Luck
Green, Brown, Grey
Moss Agate, Tree Agate, Serpentine, Petrified Wood, Jade
Pine, Spruce, Moss, Lichen
Bear, Elk, Wolf, Hare
The Emperor, The Hermit, Nine Of Pentacles
Thursday
Full Moon
Litha, Mabon
First Game, Salt, Bread, Beer, Silver Coin, Game Bones
Tapio is the Finnish forest god or spirit, called King of the Forest, with a beard of lichen and eyebrows of moss in the runic songs; hunters prayed to him before a hunt, and he is the husband of Mielikki, mistress of the forest, and the father of Tellervo, Tuulikki and Nyyrikki. In the runos his name often slides into Mielikki's or simply means 'forest', and several of his epithets are also used of the bear. He is a hunting deity of the eastern Finnish and Karelian tradition, known from the Kalevala and from collected incantations rather than from a temple cult.
Full entry →Master Of The Waters, The Sea God, Lord Of The Fish
Water, Sea, Lakes, Fishing, Fish, Sailing
Blue, Green, Silver
Aquamarine, Pearl, Coral, Mother Of Pearl
Reed, Water Lily, Kelp, Seaweed
Salmon, Pike, Seal, Otter
The Star, King Of Cups, Ace Of Cups
Monday
Full Moon, New Moon
Litha, Imbolc
First Fish, Silver, Beer, Bread, Salt
Ahti, called Ahto in the Kalevala so as not to be confused with the hero Ahti Saarelainen, is the Finnish water god, lord of lakes and sea, whose wife is Vellamo, mistress of the water. In fishing spells the two are asked to drive their 'cattle', the fish, into the nets, and the catch is his gift rather than a right. He is a master of the waters in the everyday sense of the fishing and sailing communities, not a remote cosmic power, and the tradition is carried by the spells and the runos.
Full entry →The Eternal Smith, Forger Of The Sampo, Maker Of The Sky Dome
Smithcraft, Forging, The Sky, Wind, Invention, Craft
Silver, Grey, Blue
Hematite, Lodestone, Pyrite, Meteorite
Juniper, Pine, Oak
Eagle, Bee
The Magician, Eight Of Pentacles, Three Of Pentacles
Wednesday
Waxing Gibbous
Lughnasadh, Beltane
Iron, Beer, Bread, Silver, The First Work Of A New Forge
Ilmarinen is the Finnic god and archetypal smith who forged the dome of the sky and the Sampo, and in the Kalevala he is the blacksmith-hero (seppä) who forges the Sampo as the bride-price for the daughter of Pohjola and later makes a golden bride. Scholars take him as the successor of the older West Uralic sky god and as a wind god, roles later partly taken over by Ukko, while the epic keeps him as the maker of impossible things. The loss of the Sampo in the epic is the parable attached to his craft: what is forged for possession is not kept.
Full entry →The Reckless One, The Merry Man, His Mother'S Son
Daring, Youth, Wooing, War, Recklessness, Resurrection
Red, Gold, Orange
Carnelian, Red Jasper, Garnet, Sunstone
Yarrow, Nettle, Juniper, Heather
Horse, Wolf, Hawk
The Fool, The Chariot, Knight Of Wands
Tuesday
Waxing Crescent
Beltane, Litha
Beer, Meat, Silver
Lemminkäinen is the Kalevala's reckless young hero, a composite of earlier shamanic figures (Kaukomieli, Ahti Saarelainen) who woos the daughter of Pohjola, boasts, and is killed and cut to pieces in the river of Tuonela; his mother rakes the river, reassembles him and brings him back with the honey of the gods. He is a hero and a shamanic traveller rather than a deity, and the story of his death and return is the epic's nearest thing to a resurrection. The material comes from Karelian and Ingrian oral poetry collected for Lönnrot's Kalevala, where the separate heroes were blended into one.
Full entry →Lord Of The Dead, Keeper Of Tuonela, Darkness Personified
Death, The Underworld, Darkness, The Dead, The River Of Tuonela
Black, Grey, Green
Jet, Obsidian, Onyx, Black Tourmaline
Yew, Nightshade, Belladonna, Hemlock
Swan, Raven, Wolf
Death, The Moon, The Hanged Man
Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain
Silence, Black Bread, Salt, Silver
Tuoni rules Tuonela, the Finnish land of the dead, with his wife Tuonetar; he is darkness personified and appears as an old man with three fingers on each hand and a hat of darkness. His children and household - Kipu-Tyttö, Tuonenpoika, Kalma and Loviatar - are the divinities of suffering and disease, and the dead cross his river, guarded by the swan. The sixteenth runo of the Kalevala sends Väinämöinen into his hall, where Tuonetar offers the beer of oblivion, and the runo's warning is that Tuonela is easy to enter and hard to leave.
Full entry →Mother Of The Nine Diseases, The Blind One, Daughter Of Tuoni
Disease, Plague, Pain, Blindness, Suffering
Black, Green, Grey
Jet, Obsidian, Onyx, Malachite
Henbane, Nightshade, Belladonna, Wormwood
Snake, Toad, Bat
The Tower, Ten Of Swords, Three Of Swords
Saturday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
Samhain
Salt, Bread, Silver, Bitter Herbs
Loviatar is the blind daughter of Tuoni who, in the forty-fifth runo of the Kalevala, is impregnated by the wind and bears nine sons, the nine diseases; she is the worst of Tuoni's children. Lönnrot split the older single northern death-power into Louhi and Loviatar, so the two are layers of one figure. The runo is also a healing charm: the diseases are named, cursed and driven out, which is the only way the tradition uses her.
Full entry →Daughter Of The Air, Mother Of The Waters, The First Mother
Creation, Air, Water, Primordial Motherhood, Birth, The Sea
White, Blue, Silver
Moonstone, Clear Quartz, Pearl, Selenite
Water Lily, Reed, Birch, Mugwort
Swan, Duck, Crane
The Star, The World, The High Priestess
Monday
Full Moon, Waxing Crescent
Ostara, Yule
Water, Silver, Song, Feathers
Ilmatar, 'daughter of the air', also called Luonnotar, is the Kalevala's primordial being: a virgin spirit who descends from the air into the sea, is made pregnant by the wind and the water, and drifts pregnant for centuries until a scaup's eggs break on her knee and become the sky, the earth, the sun and the moon. She is Väinämöinen's mother and the epic's creation figure, but not the object of any cult. Lönnrot built the first runo from scattered creation charms and folk cosmology rather than from a single inherited narrative, which is why the details vary between tellings.
Full entry →The Sky Father, The Highest, Lord Of Light And Prosperity
Sky, Light, Prosperity, Creation, Order, The Heavens
White, Blue, Gold
Clear Quartz, Lapis Lazuli, Sapphire, Diamond
Oak, Birch, Rowan, Mugwort
Horse, Eagle, Swan
The Emperor, The Hierophant, Four Of Wands
Thursday, Sunday
Full Moon
Litha, Yule
Bread, Beer, Honey, The First Cup Of The Feast
Dievas (Latvian Dievs, Old Prussian Diews) is the Baltic supreme sky god and a direct successor of the Proto-Indo-European *Dyēus: god of light, sky and prosperity, maker of the world, with two sons, the Dievo sūneliai or Dieva dēli, the heavenly twins. The evidence is the 16th-17th century reports (Jan Łasicki's De diis Samagitarum, the Jesuit relationes) and above all the dainos, and Gintaras Beresnevičius argues that by the historical period he was already a deus otiosus with no cult site of his own. Since Christianisation the same word is the ordinary Baltic name for God, an ambiguity that every modern use inherits.
Full entry →The Thunderer, Lord Of The Oak, Keeper Of Order
Thunder, Lightning, Storms, Rain, Fire, War, Law, Order, Fertility, Mountains, Oak
Blue, White, Red
Clear Quartz, Hematite, Amber, Thunderegg, Pyrite
Oak, Juniper, Rowan, Nettle
Bull, Goat, Eagle
The Tower, The Emperor, Ace Of Wands
Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Litha, Ostara
Beer, Bread, Iron, Oak Leaves, First Grain
Perkūnas (Latvian Pērkons, Prussian Perkūns) is the common Baltic thunder god, second only to Dievas: god of sky, thunder, lightning, storms, rain, fire, war, law, order, fertility, mountains and the oak. He strikes the devil (velnias) who hides under stones, in hollow trees and in the water, and the oaks split by lightning are his; his weapons are the axe and the hammer, and Thursday is his day. The sources are the 16th-17th century accounts (Łasicki, Praetorius) and the immense daina corpus rather than any temple text.
Full entry →The Sun, Mother Of The Sun'S Daughters, The Warm One
Sun, Light, Warmth, Fertility, Healing, The Day
Gold, Yellow, Red, White
Amber, Sunstone, Citrine, Carnelian, Golden Calcite
Sunflower, Calendula, Chamomile, Wheat
Horse, Bee, Eagle
The Sun, The Star, Ace Of Wands
Sunday
Full Moon
Litha, Ostara
Bread, Honey, Beer, A Share Of The Harvest, Amber
Saulė (Latvian Saule) is the Baltic sun and a goddess, not a metaphor: in the Lithuanian and Latvian dainos she is a mother with daughters (Saulės dukros, Saules meitas) who bathes, weeps, warms the orphan and rides across the sky. She is married to Mėnuo (Mēness, the moon) in the celestial-wedding cycle, and when he betrays her with the morning star Perkūnas cuts him - the waning moon is the wound. The material is overwhelmingly the daina corpus plus the 16th-17th century reports; no Baltic sun temple survives, and her cult image later merged with the Virgin Mary in Lithuanian folk Catholicism.
Full entry →The Moon, The Young Man, Groom Of The Sun
Moon, Night, Cycles, Time, The Night Sky
Silver, White, Blue, Black
Moonstone, Selenite, Pearl, Black Moonstone
Mugwort, Moonflower, Jasmine, Willow
Hare, Owl, Wolf
The Moon, The High Priestess, The Chariot
Monday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, New Moon
Yule
Silver, Milk, Honey
Mėnuo (Latvian Mēness, Old Prussian Menulis) is the Baltic moon, a male deity and the moon itself, whose waxing and waning the dainos explain through the celestial wedding: he marries Saulė, is unfaithful with the morning star (Aušrinė or Auseklis), and Perkūnas cuts him with a sword, which is why the moon wanes. He is one of the Dievo sūneliai, a son of Dievas, and a measurer of time and seasons rather than a ruler of the dead. The evidence is the daina corpus, not a cult archive, and the story exists in several regional variants.
Full entry →Lady Of Fate, The Apportioner, Patron Of Birth And Marriage
Fate, Luck, Birth, Marriage, Death, Childbirth, Destiny
White, Silver, Blue, Gold
Moonstone, Pearl, Amber, Clear Quartz
Mugwort, Chamomile, Lavender, Birch
Cuckoo, Stork, Bee
The High Priestess, Wheel Of Fortune, Ten Of Cups
Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Imbolc, Beltane
Bread, Honey, Beer, Silver
Laima (Lithuanian Laime) is the Baltic goddess of fate, pervasive in the Lithuanian and Latvian dainos: she attends childbirth and marriage, apportions the newborn's lot, and stands at death. In the Latvian system she is one of three fate goddesses with Dēkla and Kārta, each with her own sphere, and she takes part in the celestial wedding of Saulė's daughter. She is a living figure in Baltic folklore but has no narrative myth of her own and no known temple.
Full entry →The Morning Star, Daughter Of The Dawn, The Bright One
Dawn, Morning Star, Beauty, Youth, Love, Hope, New Beginnings, Health
White, Pink, Gold
Amber, Rose Quartz, Moonstone, Diamond
Rose, Jasmine, Lavender, Primrose
Lark, Swallow, Horse
The Star, The Lovers, The Sun
Friday
New Moon, Waxing Crescent
Ostara, Beltane
Bread, Honey, Flowers, Silver
Aušrinė is the Lithuanian goddess of the morning star (Venus), the counterpart of Vakarinė the evening star, described in the dainos as the daughter or attendant of Saulė and linked with beauty, youth, love, health and new beginnings; Lithuanian tradition makes her feminine, while the Latvian reflex Auseklis is a male god, one of the Dieva dēli and the groom of Saules meita in the celestial wedding. Her cult image later merged with the Virgin Mary after Christianisation, and the eight-pointed auseklis star is still the Latvian national symbol of the same figure. The name is etymologically kin to the Indo-European dawn goddess, and to Eos, Aurora and Ushas.
Full entry →Mother Earth, The Fertile Earth, Nourisher Of All
Earth, Fertility, Harvest, Motherhood, Death, Birth, The Soil
Green, Brown, Gold
Jade, Moss Agate, Amber, Salt
Wheat, Barley, Oak, Chamomile
Bee, Snake, Cow
The Empress, The World, Nine Of Pentacles
Friday
Full Moon
Lughnasadh, Beltane, Mabon
Bread, Beer, Honey, First Fruits, Salt, Grain
Žemyna (Latvian Zemes māte) is the Baltic earth goddess, the fertile earth itself, who nourishes every living thing and receives the dead back; the early modern reports of Baltic religion describe bread and beer offered to the earth, and the dainos call her mother. Her cult was among the most persistent after Christianisation and merged with the cult of the Virgin Mary, and she is the female counterpart of Žemėpatis, the earth-lord of the old sources. She is earth rather than a queen of the earth: the goddess and the ground are one thing, and that is why the offering goes into the ground.
Full entry →Lady Of The Hearth, The Holy Fire, Protector Of The Home
Fire, Hearth, Home, Family, Protection, Hospitality
Red, Orange, Gold, White
Fire Agate, Carnelian, Amber, Lava Stone
Juniper, Wormwood, Houseleek
Cat, Stork, Rooster
The Sun, Ace Of Wands, Queen Of Wands
Sunday
Full Moon
Yule, Imbolc
Bread, Salt, Water, Grain
Gabija is the Lithuanian spirit of the hearth fire, protector of home and family, named in Jan Łasicki's 1615 list of Lithuanian gods and richly documented in folklore: she is fed bread and salt, given a bowl of clean water to wash in, and laid to rest each night by covering the coals with ashes so the fire does not 'go walking'. She can appear as a woman in red or as a cat, stork or rooster, and offences against her - spitting, stamping, urinating on the fire - bring fire and ruin. She is a household spirit, not a temple deity, and the mother of the household is her keeper.
Full entry →The Trickster, The One Under The Stone, The Devil Of The Old Faith
Trickery, Chthonic Power, Hidden Wealth, Boundaries, The Wild
Black, Grey, Brown
Obsidian, Jet, Shungite, Fossils
Fern, Henbane, Wormwood, Nettle
Goat, Snake, Toad
The Devil, The Fool, Seven Of Swords
Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain
Bread, Salt, Silver, Vodka
Velnias (Latvian Velns) is the Baltic chthonic trickster whom Christianisation turned into the devil: he hides under stones, in hollow trees and in the water from Perkūnas' thunderbolt, and he stands behind the folk tales of hidden treasure, contracts and shape-shifting. Comparative scholarship connects his name with the Slavic Veles and both with a Proto-Indo-European *Welnos, but the Baltic figure is documented mainly in folklore and in the devil-tales of the Christian centuries. He is not a cult deity: no temple, no priest, no offering of devotion - only avoidance, warding and the occasional bargain.
Full entry →Lord Of The Double Ear, The Harvest Guest, God Of Increase
Harvest, Fertility, Increase, Grain, Prosperity, The Field
Gold, Green, Brown
Amber, Citrine, Moss Agate, Golden Calcite
Barley, Wheat, Hops, Clover
Bull, Bee
Nine Of Pentacles, The Empress, Ten Of Pentacles
Friday
Full Moon
Lughnasadh, Mabon
The Last Sheaf, Beer, Bread, Grain, Honey
Jumis is the Latvian and Lithuanian deity of the field and its increase, whose attribute is any doubled fruit - two corn stalks grown together on one root, or a double ear of grain. At harvest a few ears are bent to the ground and held there with stones so that his growth stays in the field through the winter, and at Miķeļi, the autumn equinox, the 'Chase of Jumis' (Jumja ķeršana) brings the caught ear home in procession to guarantee the next year's crop. Etymologies connect him with Yama and with double-faced Janus, and he is a harvest being of the field rather than a temple god, known from the dainas and the harvest customs.
Full entry →Our Lord The Flayed One, Lord Of The Spring, Patron Of The Goldsmiths, The Red Mirror
Spring Renewal, The Flayed Skin, Goldsmiths, Disease And Healing, Vegetation, Sacrifice, The East
Red, Gold, Yellow
Jade, Turquoise, Carnelian, Obsidian, Red Jasper
Maize, Amaranth, Tobacco, Sage
Eagle, Jaguar, Serpent, Quail
The Hanged Man, Death, The Sun
Sunday
Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Full Moon
Ostara, Beltane
Copal Incense, Maize, Amaranth, Quail, Gold, Pulque, First Fruits
Xipe Totec is the Aztec Our Lord the Flayed One, the god of spring renewal, of goldsmiths and of the shedding of skins. The Florentine Codex (Book 2) describes his veintena Tlacaxipehualiztli, in which captives were sacrificed, flayed, and their skins worn by priests and warriors for twenty days before being discarded - the seed leaving its husk, the year leaving its old coat. His cult is generally traced to the Pacific coast and the Yopi of Guerrero rather than to the basin of Mexico, and was adopted by the Mexica as one of the four Tezcatlipocas, the red one.
Full entry →Serpent Skirt, Mother Of The Gods, Mother Of Huitzilopochtli, She Of The Skirt Of Serpents
The Earth, Motherhood, Birth And Death, The Devouring Ground, The Serpent Skirt, The Stars Defeated, Sweeping
Black, Grey, Brown, Red
Obsidian, Jet, Onyx, Jade, Black Tourmaline
Agave, Mugwort, Wormwood, Tobacco
Serpent, Eagle, Jaguar, Owl
The Empress, Death, The Tower
Saturday, Monday
New Moon, Full Moon
Samhain, Imbolc
Copal Incense, Maize, Flowers, Paper, Water, Sweepings Of The Floor, Quail
Coatlicue, Serpent Skirt, is the Aztec earth mother, Teteo Innan, the mother of the gods. The Florentine Codex (Book 3) and the colonial histories tell how she was sweeping on Coatepec, the Serpent Mountain, when a ball of down fell from the sky; she tucked it into her breast and conceived Huitzilopochtli, and her daughter Coyolxauhqui led the four hundred Huitznahua to kill her for the shame - whereupon the child was born fully armed and cut them down. The great statue unearthed in 1790 and now in the Museo Nacional de Antropologia shows her decapitated, two serpent heads rising from her neck, wearing a necklace of human hearts and hands and a skirt of intertwined snakes: the earth that eats what it grows.
Full entry →Lady Of The Bells, Daughter Of Coatlicue, Leader Of The Four Hundred, The Dismembered
The Moon, The Stars, War, Dismemberment, The Defeated Daughter, Sacrificial Death, The Bells
Silver, White, Red, Blue
Moonstone, Silver, Turquoise, Obsidian, Clear Quartz
Mugwort, Jasmine, White Rose, Sage
Eagle, Rabbit, Serpent
The Moon, Ten Of Swords, The Tower
Monday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous
Samhain
Flowers, Copal Incense, Water, Bells, Paper, Turquoise, Song
Coyolxauhqui, She Painted with Bells, is the daughter of Coatlicue who led her four hundred brothers, the Huitznahua, to kill their pregnant mother and was killed and dismembered instead by Huitzilopochtli the moment he was born. The myth is told in the Florentine Codex (Book 3) and in the Cronica Mexicayotl. The Coyolxauhqui Stone, found in 1978 at the foot of the Huitzilopochtli shrine of the Templo Mayor, shows her exactly as the story leaves her: head, arms and legs scattered, bells on her cheeks.
Full entry →Cloud Serpent, Lord Of The Hunt, Patron Of The Chichimec, Lord Of The Milky Way, The Fire Drill
The Hunt, The Milky Way, Fire And The Fire Drill, War, The Chichimec, The Wilderness, The Stars
Red, White, Black
Obsidian, Red Jasper, Turquoise, Clear Quartz
Tobacco, Sage, Juniper, Cedar
Deer, Jaguar, Eagle, Serpent, Coyote
The Star, Knight Of Wands, The Chariot
Tuesday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Lughnasadh, Mabon
Tobacco, Arrows, Copal Incense, The First Kill Of The Hunt, Deer Bone, Pulque
Mixcoatl, Cloud Serpent, is the Aztec and Chichimec god of the hunt, of the fire drill and of the Milky Way, called Camaxtli in Tlaxcala and Huejotzingo where he was the chief god. The Leyenda de los Soles in the Codex Chimalpopoca makes him the one who drills the first fire and who, with his brothers, ambushes and kills the four hundred Mimixcoa; it also makes him the father of Quetzalcoatl on Chimalma, and then the victim of his own brothers Apanecatl, Zolton and Cuilton, whom Quetzalcoatl kills in turn. His veintena is Quecholli, the hunt month.
Full entry →The Evening Star, The Dog Who Guides The Dead, Twin Of Quetzalcoatl, The One Who Refused To Die
The Evening Star, The Journey Of The Dead, Dogs, Twins And Doubles, Monstrosity, The Ballgame, Fire And Lightning, Shapeshifting
Black, Red, Grey, Gold
Obsidian, Jet, Moonstone, Smoky Quartz, Amber
Mugwort, Datura, Tobacco, Wormwood
Dog, Axolotl, Serpent, Eagle
The Moon, The Lovers, The Fool
Monday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
Samhain
Water, Copal Incense, Maize, Pulque, Obsidian, Bones
Xolotl is the dog-headed twin of Quetzalcoatl, the evening star, the god of twins, doubles, monsters and the ballgame, and the guide who swims the river of the underworld with the dead. The Leyenda de los Soles in the Codex Chimalpopoca tells how, when the gods had to die for the fifth sun to move, Xolotl refused, wept until his eyes swelled, and hid himself as a double-stalked maize plant and then a double-stalked maguey and at last as the axolotl in the water, and was killed anyway - the axolotl still carries his name. Sahagun (Book 7) describes him as the evening star and the twin, and the dogs that were buried with the dead are his.
Full entry →Lord Of The Wind, The Breath That Clears The Road, He Of The Round Temple
Wind, Breath, The Roads Of The Rain Gods, Sweeping, The Sea Crossing, The Breath Of Life, The Cardinal Directions
White, Turquoise, Green, Blue
Turquoise, Jade, Clear Quartz, Blue Lace Agate
Maize, Tobacco, Cedar, Sweetgrass
Serpent, Quetzal Bird, Hummingbird, Heron
The Magician, The Star, Six Of Swords
Wednesday, Friday
Waxing Crescent, First Quarter
Ostara
Copal Incense, Tobacco, Water, Turquoise, Feathers, The Swept Road
Ehecatl is the wind, the breath of Quetzalcoatl and his aspect as the one who sweeps the road clear for the rain gods: the Florentine Codex and the Leyenda de los Soles have the wind go before Tlaloc's rain, and the gods breathe on the ground bones to make people. His temples are round so that the wind can go round them, as at Calixtlahuaca, and he is the patron of the day sign 1 Wind. The grimoire's quetzalcoatl entry already lists Ehecatl among that god's names, and this entry exists because the aspect was worshipped and addressed as its own lord.
Full entry →Obsidian Butterfly, Lady Of The Knife Wings, Star Demon, Mother Of The Mimixcoa
Obsidian, The Stars, The Tzitzimime, Infant Death, Sacrifice, War, The North, The Eclipse
Black, Red, Grey, Violet
Obsidian, Black Tourmaline, Jet, Onyx, Smoky Quartz
Wormwood, Mugwort, Datura, Poppy
Butterfly, Eagle, Jaguar, Owl, Serpent
The Tower, Death, The Moon
Saturday, Tuesday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain
Obsidian, Copal Incense, Black Paper, Water, Cacao
Itzpapalotl, Obsidian Butterfly, is a Tzitzimitl: one of the star demons who come down when the sun is eaten by an eclipse and who will come at the end of the present sun to devour the people. In the Leyenda de los Soles in the Codex Chimalpopoca she is among the Mimixcoa whom Mixcoatl-Camaxtli and his brothers ambush and kill, and she is burned; some tellings also make her the mother of the Mimixcoa, and modern studies link her with death in infancy. The Codex Borgia shows her with wings of obsidian blades, eagle or jaguar claws and a star about her head.
Full entry →Eater Of Filth, Lady Of Confession, Patron Of The Sweat Bath, Mother Of The Maize
Confession, Purification, Sexuality, The Filth, Disease And Cure, The Sweat Bath, Spinning, Motherhood
Red, Black, White, Brown
Obsidian, Jet, Carnelian, Red Jasper, Amber
Mugwort, Rose, Tobacco, Agave
Serpent, Vulture, Eagle, Jaguar
The Devil, Temperance, Judgement
Friday
Waning Gibbous, New Moon
Imbolc
Copal Incense, Maize, Water, Flowers, Sweat, Cotton, The Confession Spoken Aloud
Tlazolteotl, Eater of Filth, is the Aztec goddess who eats tlazolli - filth, rubbish, entanglement - and who therefore takes confession. The Florentine Codex (Book 1 and Book 6) describes the rite: the penitent spoke the whole account of their sexual and other transgressions to a priest who answered for the goddess, and the impurity was consumed; the confession was made once in a lifetime, usually in old age, and the sources say it was absolute. She is one of the Ixcuinan, the four sisters, is linked with the Cihuapipiltin, the women who died in childbirth, is the patron of the temazcal and of spinners, and in the Codex Borbonicus she is shown giving birth to Cinteotl.
Full entry →Two God, Lord And Lady Of Duality, Dweller In Omeyocan, The Pair Before The Gods
Duality, Creation, The Primal Pair, Omeyocan, The Source Of The Gods, The Thirteenth Heaven
White, Black, Gold, Silver, Violet
Clear Quartz, Diamond, Opal, Obsidian, Jade
Maize, Amaranth, Sage, Tobacco
Serpent, Eagle, Jaguar, Quetzal Bird
The Fool, The Lovers, The World
Sunday, Monday
New Moon, Full Moon
Yule, Litha
Copal Incense, Maize, Water, Flowers, Silence
The primordial pair Ometecuhtli, Two Lord, and Omecihuatl, Two Lady, dwell in Omeyocan, the thirteenth and highest heaven, and from them come the four Tezcatlipocas and so the whole pantheon. The Florentine Codex and the Leyenda de los Soles also call the pair Tonacatecuhtli and Tonacacihuatl, Lord and Lady of Our Sustenance. The single name Ometeotl is rare in the sources, and the unified supreme Ometeotl of the modern books is largely a twentieth-century synthesis associated with Miguel Leon-Portilla, which recent scholarship has challenged.
Full entry →Lord Of The Turquoise, The Old Fire, Lord Of The Year, He At The Navel Of The House
Fire, The Hearth, The Year, Time, Turquoise, The Centre, The New Fire, Rulership
Red, Gold, Turquoise, Yellow
Turquoise, Fire Agate, Carnelian, Sunstone, Obsidian
Copal, Cinnamon, Tobacco, Sage
Eagle, Serpent, Jaguar
The Emperor, The Sun, Ace Of Wands
Sunday
New Moon, First Quarter
Yule, Litha
Copal Incense, Fire, Turquoise, Maize, Pulque, Paper
Xiuhtecuhtli, Lord of the Turquoise, is the Aztec fire: the oldest of the gods, the Huehueteotl whose face is the wrinkled face of the hearth, the fire at the centre of the house and of the world, the lord of the year and of turquoise. The Florentine Codex and the Codex Borbonicus show him in his brazier with the turquoise diadem, honoured in the month Izcalli. At the end of every fifty-two-year cycle the New Fire was drilled on the chest of a sacrificed captive on the Hill of the Star, Huixachtitlan, and the people waited on the roofs to see whether it caught and the world would continue.
Full entry →Lord Of Maize, The Young Maize, Son Of The Earth
Maize, The Harvest, Sustenance, The Agricultural Year, Youth, Plenty
Yellow, Green, Gold, Brown
Yellow Jasper, Citrine, Golden Calcite, Jade, Amber
Maize, Amaranth, Beans, Sage
Quail, Serpent, Eagle, Rabbit
The Empress, Ace Of Pentacles, Six Of Pentacles
Friday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Lughnasadh, Mabon
Maize, Amaranth, The First Fruits, Copal Incense, Water, Pulque, Flowers
Cinteotl, also Centeotl, Lord of Maize, is the maize deity of the Aztecs, the dried ear still on the cob, the young maize standing in the field. The Florentine Codex makes him the son of Tlazolteotl and Piltzintecuhtli, born on the day sign 1 Flower, and the Codex Borbonicus shows Tlazolteotl giving birth to him; another tradition makes him the son of Xochiquetzal, and many specialists hold that he and Chicomecoatl, the ripe maize, are two faces of one complex. He is the fourth Lord of the Night and the lord of days numbered seven, and the maize is associated with the Pleiades.
Full entry →Heart Of The Mountain, The Jaguar Of The Cave, The Night Sun
The Mountain, The Cave, The Jaguar, Earthquakes, The Echo, The Night Sun, The Underworld
Black, Brown, Yellow, Grey
Obsidian, Jet, Smoky Quartz, Onyx, Pyrite
Mugwort, Cedar, Tobacco, Sage
Jaguar, Bat, Serpent, Owl
The Devil, The Moon, The Hermit
Saturday, Thursday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Yule
Copal Incense, Obsidian, Water, Maize, Tobacco
Tepeyollotl, Heart of the Mountain, is the jaguar of the cave and the earthquake, one of the aspects of Tezcatlipoca, shown in the Florentine Codex and the Codex Borgia with jaguar features and the smoking mirror. He is the darkness inside the hill, the roar that comes back off the rock, and the sun in its night journey under the earth. He is an aspect rather than a separate god, and the sources present him as a face of Tezcatlipoca turned toward the ground.
Full entry →Death Bat, Lord Of The Bat House, The One Who Took The Head
Bats, The Night, Decollation, The Underworld, Ordeal, Fear
Black, Grey, Red, Brown
Obsidian, Jet, Onyx, Black Tourmaline
Mugwort, Datura, Poppy, Nightshade
Bat, Owl, Vulture, Serpent
Death, The Moon, Five Of Swords
Saturday, Tuesday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain
Copal Incense, Obsidian, Black Paper, Water, Silence
Camazotz, Death Bat, is the bat of Xibalba in the Popol Vuh, the Kiche Maya account written in the sixteenth century: in the House of Bats, one of the six houses of ordeal, the brothers Hunahpu and Xbalanque are driven to shelter inside their blowguns, and Camazotz tears off Hunahpu's head, which the lords of Xibalba then use as the ball. The name is Kiche for death bat. He is a monster of a story, not a god with a temple, a priest or a festival.
Full entry →The Feathered Serpent, Lord Of Chichen Itza, Bringer Of The Itza
The Feathered Serpent, Kingship, Wind, Learning, The Founding Of Cities, The Return
Green, Turquoise, Blue, Gold, White
Jade, Turquoise, Obsidian, Clear Quartz, Emerald
Maize, Cacao, Tobacco, Vanilla
Serpent, Quetzal Bird, Jaguar, Eagle
The Magician, The Star, The World
Friday, Wednesday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Ostara, Litha
Maize, Cacao, Copal Incense, Jade, Turquoise, Flowers, Honey
Kukulkan is the Yucatec Maya feathered serpent, known from the books of Chilam Balam and the colonial Yucatec sources as the civilising founder who came from the west, ruled at Chichen Itza and Mayapan, and departed over the sea promising to return. The identification with the Central Mexican Quetzalcoatl is traditional in the colonial sources, but how far the two are one figure is debated by scholars and the entry does not settle it. At El Castillo the setting sun throws a shadow-serpent down the north stair around the equinoxes: the effect is real, while the claim that the pyramid was deliberately built to mark the equinox is a modern interpretation.
Full entry →Lady Rainbow, The Weaver, Patron Of Midwives, Lady Of The Moon
The Moon, Weaving, Childbirth, Medicine, The Sea, The Rainbow, Womens Craft
White, Silver, Blue, Turquoise, Red
Moonstone, Jade, Mother Of Pearl, Turquoise, Amber, Rose Quartz
Mugwort, Rose, Lavender, Sage
Rabbit, Serpent, Jaguar, Butterfly
The High Priestess, The Moon, The Empress
Monday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Imbolc, Ostara
Copal Incense, Cotton Thread, Maize, Water, Flowers, Jade, The First Weaving
Ixchel, Lady Rainbow, is the Yucatec Maya goddess of the moon, of weaving, of childbirth and of medicine, the wife of Itzamna, whose shrine on the island of Cozumel was a pilgrimage place for women. Diego de Landa and the colonial Yucatec sources describe her, and the codices show a moon goddess with a serpent headdress and, separately, an old woman with the tools of the loom. The equation of Ixchel with the codical figures called Goddess I and Goddess O - the young moon goddess and the old weaver - is a modern scholarly convention, and the figure the colonial sources give is a composite of several.
Full entry →Lord Of Rain, The Axe Bearer, He Of The Four Corners
Rain, Lightning, Thunder, The Maize, The Cenote, The Four Directions, Fertility
Blue, Turquoise, Green, Yellow
Jade, Turquoise, Blue Lace Agate, Clear Quartz
Maize, Tobacco, Copal, Water Lily
Serpent, Frog, Eagle, Jaguar, Quetzal Bird
The Tower, Ace Of Cups, The Star
Thursday
First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous
Beltane, Lughnasadh
Maize, Copal Incense, Water, Honey, Balche, Turkey, First Fruits
Chaac, Chaahk, is the Maya rain god, lord of lightning, thunder and rain, shown in the Dresden and Madrid codices with his axe and shell earrings and known as God B in the Schellhas classification. He is fourfold, one for each direction and colour, and the sacred cenote at Chichen Itza and the rain ceremony called cha'a chaak, still performed in Yucatan, are his. The equation with the Central Mexican Tlaloc is standard in the literature, but the two are distinct gods of distinct traditions.
Full entry →Lord Of Death, God A, He Of The Fleshless Face, Lord Of Mitnal
Death, The Underworld, Decay, The Day Sign Cimi, Disease, The Lowest Place
Black, Grey, White, Brown
Obsidian, Jet, Onyx, Black Tourmaline, Smoky Quartz
Mugwort, Poppy, Cypress, Wormwood
Dog, Owl, Vulture, Bat
Death, The Devil, Ten Of Swords
Saturday, Monday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain
Copal Incense, Maize, Water, Black Paper, Bone, Salt
Ah Puch, the rotten one, is the Maya death god, called Yum Cimil, Lord of Death, in the colonial Yucatec sources; in the codices he is the skeletal God A of the Schellhas classification, with a fleshless face, a distended belly and ornaments of bone, and he is the ruler of Mitnal, the lowest of the nine levels of the underworld in the colonial Yucatec account. Much of what is said about those nine levels and about the name Yum Cimil comes from Diego de Landa and the Yucatec dictionaries rather than from the pre-Conquest codices, and the entry keeps that distinction. He is a death god of the Maya pantheon, not a demon.
Full entry →Lord Of Heaven, Father Of The Gods, King Of The Gods, He Of The Eanna
The Sky, Heaven, Kingship, Authority, The Power To Decree, The Stars
Blue, Gold, White, Grey
Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz, Sapphire, Diamond
Cedar, Frankincense, Juniper, Sage
Bull, Eagle, Serpent
The Emperor, The Star, The World
Sunday, Saturday
Full Moon, New Moon
Yule, Litha
Beer, Bread, Water, Incense, A Bull, First Fruits
Anu, Sumerian An, is the sky itself and the highest authority of the Mesopotamian pantheon, the father of the gods, whose temple the Eanna, House of Heaven, stood at Uruk; the Sumerian and Akkadian god lists put him at the head of the triad with Enlil and Ea. He is remote: in the Gilgamesh epic he grants Ishtar the Bull of Heaven, in Atrahasis and in Enuma Elish the work is done by his descendants, and kingship descends from heaven at his gift. The other gods act under his authority; he does not act himself.
Full entry →Lord Wind, The Great Mountain, King Of The Gods, Holder Of The Tablet Of Destinies, Nunamnir
Wind, Breath, Authority, Fate, The Tablet Of Destinies, Kingship, The Flood, The Air
Silver, White, Blue, Gold
Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz, Hematite, Silver
Cedar, Juniper, Frankincense, Wormwood
Bull, Eagle, Lion
The Emperor, The Tower, Wheel Of Fortune
Thursday
Full Moon, First Quarter
Yule, Litha
Beer, Bread, Water, Cedar Wood, Incense, First Fruits, A Lamb
Enlil, Lord Wind, is the Sumerian god of the wind and of legitimate authority, king of the gods at Nippur where his temple the Ekur, House of the Mountain, stood. He holds the Tablet of Destinies, which the Anzu bird steals from him while he bathes and which Ninurta recovers, and in Atrahasis and in Gilgamesh XI it is Enlil who decrees the flood to end the noise of humanity and who is then rebuked for it by Ea. The Sumerian hymns call him the great mountain and the king whose word cannot be turned back.
Full entry →Lady Of The Foothills, Great Lady, Lady Of The Womb, She Who Fashions
The Earth, Birth, The Womb, The Mountain, The Clay, The Creation Of Humans, The Wild
Brown, Green, Red, White
Jade, Red Jasper, Turquoise, Amber, Mother Of Pearl
Wheat, Sage, Mugwort, Rose
Cow, Lion, Serpent, Eagle
The Empress, The World, Ace Of Pentacles
Monday, Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Ostara, Beltane
Beer, Bread, Water, Milk, Grain, Incense, Clay Figurines
Ninhursag, Lady of the Foothills, also Ninmah, Great Lady, Nintur, Lady of the Womb, and Mami or Aruru, is the Sumerian mother goddess who fashions human beings out of clay. In Atrahasis, Mami pinches off fourteen pieces of clay and places them in fourteen wombs, seven male and seven female; in the Gilgamesh epic it is Aruru who creates Enkidu. In the Sumerian myth Enki and Ninhursag she grows eight plants from her own body in Dilmun, Enki eats them and falls ill in eight parts, and she gives birth to the healing deities who cure each part. Her omega-shaped symbol marks her in the art.
Full entry →King Of The Evil Wind Demons, Son Of Hanbi, The Warding Head
The Wind, Fever, Plague, Apotropaic Protection, The Warding Of Lamashtu, The Protection Of Childbirth
Black, Red, Grey, Yellow
Obsidian, Jet, Onyx, Hematite
Garlic, Rue, Wormwood, Hyssop
Eagle, Lion, Dog, Scorpion, Serpent
The Devil, The Tower, Seven Of Wands
Tuesday, Saturday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
Samhain
An Amulet Or Figurine At The Threshold, Copal Or Asafoetida Incense, No Cultic Offering Is Attested
Pazuzu is a first-millennium BCE Mesopotamian apotropaic demon, the son of Hanbi and the king of the evil wind demons, who brings fever on the wind and is also the great opponent of Lamashtu. Bronze heads and plaques of him were hung in houses and worn by pregnant women, and the Lamashtu plaque sets him at the door driving her back. The sources are amulets and incantations; he has no temple, no priesthood, no festival and no mythology of his own beyond his parentage and his function. The figure became famous through the film The Exorcist, which is modern fiction.
Full entry →Daughter Of Anu, She Who Attacks The Childbed, The Lion-Headed
The Childbed, Infant Death, Disease, Night Terrors, The Wind, The Threat To The Newborn
Black, Red, Yellow, Grey
Obsidian, Jet, Black Tourmaline, Onyx
Wormwood, Rue, Garlic, Blackthorn
Lion, Snake, Pig, Dog, Scorpion
The Devil, The Moon, Three Of Swords
Tuesday, Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain
No Cultic Offering Is Attested, Apotropaic Incense At The Childbed, A Figurine Turned Face Outward
Lamashtu, Akkadian Lamashtum and Sumerian Dimme, is a female demon, called daughter of Anu in the incantations, who attacks women in labour and newborn children and is the target of a large first-millennium corpus of incantations and of the amulet plaques that bear her name. The Lamashtu incantations describe her lion head, the snakes in her hands and the piglet and whelp at her breast, and the Lamashtu plaque sets Pazuzu against her. She is not a goddess with a cult: the texts exist to drive her off, not to worship her.
Full entry →The Lion-Headed Eagle, Thief Of The Tablet Of Destinies, The Storm Bird
The Storm Wind, Theft, The Tablet Of Destinies, The Mountain, Monstrosity, Thunder
Black, Grey, Gold, Brown
Obsidian, Lapis Lazuli, Onyx, Pyrite
Cedar, Juniper, Frankincense, Wormwood
Eagle, Lion, Serpent
The Tower, Seven Of Swords, The Devil
Thursday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Litha
No Cultic Offering Is Attested, Incense At The Mountain Pass, A Figurine Turned Away
Anzu, Sumerian Imdugud, is the lion-headed eagle of Mesopotamian epic, the monstrous bird whose wings make the storm. In the Akkadian Anzu epic he steals the Tablet of Destinies from Enlil while the god is bathing, and the gods send Ninurta to bring it back; the Sumerian tale Lugalbanda and the Anzud Bird tells instead of Lugalbanda caring for the chick and being granted speed in return. He is a monster of narrative, not a deity with a cult.
Full entry →The Lord, Bel-Marduk, Lord Of Babylon, Lord Of The Gods
Lordship, Kingship, The Title Of The High God, The Patronage Of Babylon, Authority
Gold, Red, Blue
Lapis Lazuli, Gold, Clear Quartz, Hematite
Cedar, Frankincense, Juniper, Sage
Bull, Lion, Dragon
The Emperor, The Chariot, The World
Thursday
Full Moon, New Moon
Yule
Beer, Bread, Incense, Cedar Wood, First Fruits, A Bull
Bel is the Akkadian word belu, lord, used as the standing title of the high god: of Enlil at Nippur in the second millennium, and above all of Marduk at Babylon, where Bel-Marduk is the city's lord and the New Year recitation of Enuma Elish is his. The deuterocanonical Bel and the Dragon is a satire on his idol at Babylon, and at Palmyra in the Roman period Bel is a great god in his own right. The name is the same Semitic root as Baal, lord or owner, though the two belong to different traditions.
Full entry →Lord Of Grain, Father Of Baal, The Grain God
Grain, The Harvest, Fertility, The Earth, The Patronage Of Kings
Brown, Gold, Green, Blue
Amber, Jade, Red Jasper, Citrine
Wheat, Barley, Corn, Sage
Bull, Lion, Eagle
Ace Of Pentacles, The Emperor, Nine Of Pentacles
Saturday, Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Lughnasadh, Mabon
Grain, Bread, Beer, Olive Oil, Incense, First Fruits
Dagon, Ugaritic Dagan, is the West Semitic grain god, attested at Ebla and Mari in the third millennium and later at Terqa and Ugarit, where he is called the father of Baal; the Philistines adopted him at Ashdod, and 1 Samuel 5 tells of his image falling before the ark. The name comes from the Semitic root for grain, Hebrew dagan, and the notion that he was a fish-tailed merman rests on a mistaken etymology, Hebrew dag, fish, and on Milton and later fantasy rather than on any ancient source.
Full entry →The Sun, Lord Of Justice, Judge Of The Living And The Dead, He Who Rises From The Mountain
The Sun, Justice, Judgement, The Traveller, Divination, The Underworld Journey, Light
Gold, Yellow, White, Red
Gold, Citrine, Sunstone, Carnelian, Clear Quartz
Frankincense, Sage, Saffron, Cedar, Sunflower
Lion, Eagle, Bull, Horse
The Sun, Justice, The Emperor
Sunday
Full Moon, Waxing Crescent
Litha, Ostara
Beer, Bread, Dates, Incense, Water, A White Lamb, First Fruits
Utu is the Sumerian sun god, the Akkadian Shamash, the son of Nanna and Ningal and the brother of Inanna, who comes out of the eastern mountain, crosses the sky seeing everything and goes down into the underworld at night. His temples were the Ebabbar at Larsa and at Sippar, and he is the god of justice, of the traveller and of divination, the patron of the baru priests who read the signs. In the Gilgamesh epic he helps Gilgamesh and Enkidu against Humbaba and hears Gilgamesh's lament afterwards, and the Sumerian hymns call him the judge of the land.
Full entry →Lady Of The Wild Cows, The Wise One, Mother Of Gilgamesh, Queen Of Uruk
Motherhood, Dreams, Interpretation, Wisdom, The Wild Cow, Intercession, Kingship
White, Silver, Blue, Green
Moonstone, Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz, Mother Of Pearl
Rose, Sage, Mugwort, Cedar
Cow, Lion, Serpent
The High Priestess, The Empress, The Star
Monday, Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Imbolc, Beltane
Beer, Bread, Milk, Water, Incense, Dates
Ninsun, Lady of the Wild Cows, is the Sumerian goddess of Uruk, the consort of Lugalbanda and the mother of Gilgamesh. In the Standard Babylonian Gilgamesh epic she interprets her son's dreams, adopts Enkidu as her own son, and prays to Shamash to protect the two of them on the road to Humbaba's cedar forest. The Sumerian Gilgamesh poems and the later epic both treat her as the wise lady of the court who speaks for her son to the gods.
Full entry →Lady Of The Reed Stylus, Scribe Of The Gods, Lady Of The Tablet, Keeper Of The Accounts
Writing, The Scribal Art, Accounting, The Measuring Rod, Grain, The Harvest, Learning, The Edubba
White, Yellow, Green, Brown
Clear Quartz, Citrine, Jade, Hematite
Reed, Wheat, Barley, Sage
Cow, Serpent, Eagle
The Hierophant, The Hermit, Three Of Pentacles
Wednesday, Monday
Waxing Crescent, First Quarter
Lughnasadh, Mabon
Beer, Bread, Water, Dates, A Reed Stylus, Incense, A Tablet
Nisaba, also Nidaba, is the Sumerian goddess of writing, accounting and the scribal school, Lady of the Reed Stylus, who keeps the accounts of the gods and of the temple stores. The Sumerian edubba compositions - the tablet-house texts of the scribal school - praise her, and scribes poured libations to her; in the god lists she is paired with Haya, the god of the grain store. By the first millennium her scribal office had largely passed to Nabu at Borsippa, and some late texts go so far as to give her to him as a consort.
Full entry →The Great Physician, Lady Of Isin, She Who Makes The Broken Whole, The Great Doctor
Healing, Medicine, The Dog, The Scalpel, The Sick, Midwifery, The Restoring Of The Body
White, Green, Red, Gold
Carnelian, Clear Quartz, Moss Agate, Jade, Amber
Sage, Yarrow, Calendula, Marshmallow, Fennel
Dog, Serpent, Eagle
Temperance, The Star, Ace Of Cups
Wednesday, Monday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Imbolc, Ostara
Beer, Bread, Water, A Dog Figurine, Incense, Honey, First Fruits
Gula, also called Ninkarrak and Ninisina, is the Sumerian and Akkadian goddess of healing and medicine, the great physician, azugallatu, whose city was Isin and whose husband was Pabilsag, identified with Ninurta. Her animal is the dog, which licks the wound, and she is shown with the scalpel; the Sumerian and Akkadian hymns and incantations, including the self-praise in which she names her own powers, call on her to raise the sick from the bed. Small dog figurines were buried for her, and her son Damu is the child who is lost and looked for.
Full entry →Hero Of The Gods, Champion Of The Gods, Lord Of The Plough, The Avenger Of Enlil
War, The Hero, The Plough, Agriculture, The Storm Bird, The Mace, The Avenging Of The Father
Red, Black, Gold, Green
Lapis Lazuli, Hematite, Obsidian, Carnelian
Cedar, Juniper, Frankincense, Thistle
Eagle, Lion, Bull, Serpent
The Chariot, Strength, The Emperor
Tuesday, Saturday
Waxing Crescent, First Quarter
Lughnasadh, Litha
Beer, Bread, Incense, A Bull, First Fruits, Cedar Wood
Ninurta is the Sumerian and Akkadian god of war and of the plough, the son of Enlil and the hero of the gods. He recovers the Tablet of Destinies from the Anzu bird in the Anzu epic, and in the Sumerian Lugal-e he kills the mountain demon Asag and rearranges the landscape, with his speaking mace Sharur advising him. At Lagash he is Ningirsu, already in this grimoire, and in the late Babylonian astral theology his star is Saturn.
Full entry →Lord Of The Storm, The Bellowing One, He Of Karkar
Storm, Rain, Thunder, The Bull, The Flood, The Bellowing Wind, The Fertility Of The Fields
Blue, Grey, Black, White
Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz, Blue Lace Agate, Hematite
Cedar, Juniper, Thistle, Frankincense
Bull, Lion, Eagle, Horse
The Tower, The Chariot, Ace Of Wands
Thursday
First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous
Litha, Beltane
Beer, Bread, A Bull, Incense, Water, First Fruits, A Lamb
Ishkur is the Sumerian storm god, the Akkadian Adad and the West Semitic Hadad, the lord of rain, thunder and the bellowing wind, whose city was Karkar and whose consort was Shala. The Sumerian hymns and the Akkadian prayers praise him both as the rain that makes the grain grow and as the flood that takes the field, and his voice is the thunder. He is a distinct god from the West Semitic Baal-Hadad, though the two storm gods were identified in the first millennium.
Full entry →Sukkal Of Inanna, The Faithful One, She Who Holds The Seal, The One Who Went For Help
The Vizier, Messengership, Intercession, Loyalty, The Keeping Of The Way, The Gate
White, Blue, Silver, Gold
Lapis Lazuli, Silver, Clear Quartz, Jade
Cedar, Sage, Frankincense, Rose
Dove, Eagle, Serpent
The Magician, The Star, Six Of Wands
Wednesday
Waxing Crescent, First Quarter
Imbolc, Ostara
Beer, Bread, Water, Incense, A Seal Impression, First Fruits
Ninshubur is the Sumerian sukkal, the vizier or minister, of Inanna, addressed as female in the Sumerian sources although the office later passes to the male Papsukkal. In Inanna's Descent to the Netherworld it is Ninshubur who, when Inanna does not come back, goes in turn to Enlil, to Nanna and to Enki, refusing to give up, and it is at her asking that Enki gives the two creatures who revive Inanna. She is the model of the loyal servant whose persistence does the rescuing.
Full entry →Daughter Of Balor, Mother Of Lugh, The Prophesied, The Enclosed
Prophecy, Motherhood, Fate, The Enclosed Bride, Lineage, The Sea Cliff
White, Silver, Green
Moonstone, Pearl, Aquamarine, Clear Quartz
Apple, Lily, Willow, Mugwort
Swan, Horse
The High Priestess, The Moon, The Empress
Monday, Friday
Full Moon, New Moon
Imbolc, Beltane
Milk, Bread, Apples, White Flowers, The Protection Of A Child
Ethniu is the daughter of Balor of the Fomorians, shut away because a druid had foretold that her son would kill her father; in the Lebor Gabála Érenn (the Book of Invasions) Cian of the Tuatha Dé Danann reaches her with the help of the druidess Biróg, and she bears Lugh. The prophecy is fulfilled when Lugh kills Balor at the second battle of Mag Tuired (Cath Maige Tuired). She has no cult and no separate myth beyond this, and the tradition is not consistent about her name.
Full entry →Son Of Dian CéCht, Father Of Lugh, The Shapeshifter, Of The Tuatha Dé Danann
Lineage, Fatherhood, Shapeshifting, The Blood Debt, Vengeance, The Healing Line
Green, Silver, Red
Emerald, Clear Quartz, Bloodstone, Moonstone
Hazel, Ash, Yarrow, Plantain
Boar, Pig
The Magician, Five Of Swords, The Hanged Man
Wednesday, Tuesday
Waxing Crescent, New Moon
Lughnasadh, Samhain
Ale, Bread, Milk, A Skill Passed On, A Debt Acknowledged And Paid
Cian is a Tuatha Dé Danann warrior, the son of the physician Dian Cécht and the father of Lugh by Ethniu, Balor's daughter (Lebor Gabála Érenn). He is killed by the three sons of Tuireann, Brian, Iuchar and Iucharba, who come upon him alone and strike him down — the tale has him take another shape to hide and be killed anyway. His death is discovered, and Lugh then exacts the éric, the blood-fine, in the tale Oidheadh Chlainne Tuireann, 'The Death of the Children of Tuireann'.
Full entry →Pearl Of Beauty, Woman Of The SíD, Wife Of ManannáN, The Sea-Bird
Love, The Otherworld, Desire, Beauty, The Sea, Jealousy, Forgetting
White, Silver, Blue
Pearl, Moonstone, Aquamarine, Mother Of Pearl
Apple, White Rose, Water Lily, Seaweed
Swan, Heron
The Lovers, The Moon, Six Of Cups
Friday, Monday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Beltane, Samhain
Apples, Mead, White Flowers, Perfume, A Love Letter, Letting Go What Must Be Forgotten
Fand is a woman of the síd, daughter of Áed Abrat and wife of Manannán mac Lir, who appears to Cú Chulainn as a sea-bird and calls him to the Otherworld in Serglige Con Culainn, 'The Wasting Sickness of Cú Chulainn'. He goes to her and stays a month; when Emer comes with weapons, Fand agrees to go back to Manannán, who shakes his cloak of forgetfulness between her and Cú Chulainn so that neither remembers. It is one of the few Irish stories in which the Otherworld woman is given her own voice and her own grief.
Full entry →Niamh Cinn ÓIr, Daughter Of ManannáN, The Golden-Haired, Lady Of TíR Na NÓG
The Otherworld, Love Across Worlds, Youth, Beauty, The Sea, The Passage Of Time
Gold, White, Blue
Gold, Pearl, Moonstone, Amber
Apple, White Rose, Moonflower, Seaweed
Horse, Swan
The Star, The Lovers, Wheel Of Fortune
Friday, Monday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Beltane, Litha
Apples, Honey, Mead, White Flowers, A Thing Brought Back From A Journey
Niamh Cinn Óir, 'Niamh of the Golden Head', is the daughter of Manannán mac Lir who takes Oisín to Tír na nÓg, the land of the ever-young, in the Ossianic tradition; when he wants to return she warns him not to dismount, and when he does, three centuries fall on him at once. The story belongs to the later Ossianic lays rather than to the medieval saga stratum, and its best-known form is Micheál Coimín's Laoi Oisín ar Thír na n-Óg (1750).
Full entry →Son Of Fionn, Poet Of The Fianna, The Survivor, OisíN Of The Lays
Poetry, Memory, The Long Life, The Survivor Grief, The Otherworld, Song, The Past
White, Green, Grey
Clear Quartz, Moonstone, Amber, Labradorite
Hazel, Apple, Birch, Mugwort
Deer, Hound, Swan
The Hermit, The Star, Page Of Cups
Wednesday, Monday
Waning Gibbous, Full Moon
Samhain, Mabon
Honey, Bread, Milk, A Poem Made And Spoken, A Memory Written Down
Oisín is the son of Fionn mac Cumhaill and Sadb — a woman who had been turned into a deer, whence his name, 'little fawn' — and the poet of the Fianna, for whom the whole Ossianic cycle is named. Acallam na Senórach, 'The Colloquy of the Ancients', frames him as the old survivor who tells Saint Patrick about the Fianna after they are gone. In the later lays he goes to Tír na nÓg with Niamh and returns centuries later to find the Fianna dead, and when he touches the ground the years fall on him.
Full entry →Leader Of The Fianna, The Fair, The Wise, Keeper Of The Thumb Of Knowledge, Hunter Of The Wild
Wisdom, Hunting, Leadership, The Wilderness, Prophecy, Protection, The Warrior Band
Gold, Green, White
Amber, Citrine, Clear Quartz, Sunstone
Hazel, Rowan, Oak, Apple
Salmon, Deer, Hound, Hawk
The Emperor, The Sun, Knight Of Wands
Sunday, Tuesday
First Quarter, Full Moon
Beltane, Lughnasadh
Venison, Ale, Bread, A Hunt Undertaken Fairly, A Skill Learned To Mastery, The Sharing Of What Was Caught
Fionn mac Cumhaill is the leader of the Fianna in the Fenian cycle: his father Cumhall is killed by Goll mac Morna, he is raised in hiding by two women warriors, and he gains wisdom by burning his thumb on the Salmon of Knowledge while cooking it for the poet Finn Éces (Macgnímartha Finn, 'The Boyhood Deeds of Fionn'). He leads the warrior band through the tales of hunting and the Otherworld — Tóraigheacht Dhiarmada agus Ghráinne, Acallam na Senórach — and in most versions falls at the battle of Gabhra with the greater part of the Fianna, though later folklore keeps him sleeping until he is needed.
Full entry →Queen Of Connacht, The Intoxicating One, Mistress Of The Cattle Raid, Lady Of Cruachan
Sovereignty, War, Cattle, Wealth, Sexual Autonomy, Rivalry, The Raid, Queenship
Red, White, Gold
Carnelian, Garnet, Ruby, Bloodstone
Apple, Yarrow, Nettle, Meadowsweet
Cow, Bull, Horse, Raven
The Empress, Queen Of Wands, The Chariot
Friday, Tuesday
Full Moon, First Quarter
Beltane, Lughnasadh
Mead, Milk, Ale, Bread, Gold, The Claiming Of An Equal Share
Medb is the queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle and the instigator of Táin Bó Cúailnge, the Cattle Raid of Cooley: the raid begins because she will not be thought less than her husband Ailill, and the prize is the bull Donn Cúailnge. The Táin presents her as a human queen — imperious, sexually free and politically formidable — and she appears again throughout the cycle and in its aftermath. Some scholars read her as a euhemerised sovereignty goddess, a reading encouraged by the separate figure Medb Lethderg of Tara, but that is an argument about origins, not something the texts say.
Full entry →The Exiled King, Wielder Of Caladbolg, The Teller Of The TáIn, Champion Of Connacht
Kingship, Exile, Divided Loyalty, The Sword, Storytelling, Generosity, Vengeance
Red, Gold, Green
Carnelian, Garnet, Amber, Tiger Eye
Oak, Yarrow, Ash, Meadowsweet
Horse, Hound
The Emperor, King Of Wands, Six Of Swords
Thursday, Tuesday
Full Moon, Last Quarter
Lughnasadh, Samhain
Ale, Beef, Bread, A Generous Share Given, A Story Told Of The Dead
Fergus mac Róich is the former king of Ulster in the Ulster Cycle, tricked out of his kingship by Conchobar mac Nessa, who then goes into exile in Connacht and becomes Medb's champion and lover. He is the one who carries the Táin's story — the tale is framed as Fergus's recital to Ailill and Medb — and he wields the great sword Caladbolg, with which he cuts the tops off three hills. In the death-tale he is killed by Ailill's spear out of jealousy, though other accounts give a different killer, and his death is one of the losses the cycle mourns.
Full entry →The Hound Of Ulster, Son Of Lugh, Champion Of The Ulaid, The Tragic Hero
War, Heroic Frenzy, Single Combat, Skill, Youth, Death, Geis, Martial Excellence
Red, Black, White
Carnelian, Bloodstone, Garnet, Ruby
Yarrow, Ash, Nettle, Holly
Hound, Raven, Horse
The Chariot, Knight Of Wands, Death
Tuesday
Full Moon, First Quarter
Beltane, Samhain
Ale, Beef, Bread, Feats Of Skill Practised, Courage In A Just Fight, A Geis Honoured
Cú Chulainn is the champion of Ulster in the Ulster Cycle, conceived of Deichtine and the god Lugh in Compert Con Culainn and born as Setanta, taking the name Cú Chulainn when he kills the hound of Culann and offers himself as its replacement. He is trained by Scáthach, fights the whole of Táin Bó Cúailnge single-handed in his ríastrad or warp-spasm, and dies young at the hands of Lugaid and Erc, bound to a standing stone, in Aided Con Culainn. The Morrígan offers him her love, is refused, and becomes his enemy — a refusal that costs him.
Full entry →Deirdre Of The Sorrows, The Prophesied Beauty, The Exile Of The Sons Of Uisliu
Beauty, Prophecy, Grief, Doomed Love, Exile, The Broken Oath
White, Black, Red
Pearl, Moonstone, Ruby, Jet
Rose, Yew, Apple, White Rose
Swan, Raven
The Lovers, The Moon, Three Of Swords
Friday, Monday
Full Moon, Waning Crescent
Samhain, Beltane
White Flowers, Milk, Bread, A Grief Named Aloud, The Refusal Of A Bad Bargain
Deirdre is the heroine of Longes mac nUislenn, 'The Exile of the Sons of Uisliu', one of the Three Sorrows of Storytelling: a druid prophesies at her birth that she will be beautiful and bring ruin, Conchobar has her raised in seclusion to marry her, and she instead chooses Naoise. When the couple and the sons of Uisliu return under Conchobar's safe-conduct they are betrayed and killed, and Deirdre dies — of grief in some accounts, by her own hand against a rock in the saga's own ending. The story is a critique of kingship as much as a tragedy of love.
Full entry →Alaafin Of Oyo, Oba Ko So (The King Did Not Hang), Olukoso (Owner Of The Thunderbolt), Jakuta (Thrower Of Stones), Lord Of The Double Axe
Thunder, Lightning, Justice, Kingship, Drumming, Dance, Male Virility, Retribution
Red, White
Red Jasper, Carnelian, Garnet, Pyrite
Cayenne, Pepper, Tobacco, Plantain
Ram, Leopard, Rooster
The Emperor, Judgement, King Of Wands
Thursday
Full Moon, First Quarter
Amala, Ram, Bitter Kola, Red Cloth, Drumming, Dance, Plantain
Shango is the orisha of thunder, lightning and justice, and the tradition's own account of him is that he was a king of Oyo, one of the early Alaafin, deified after his death. The praise-name 'Oba ko so', 'the king did not hang', is the tradition's denial that he hanged himself: his followers said he ascended. The Ifa odu and the oriki (praise poetry) carry the account, and the double axe (oshe), the thunderstones (edun ara), the bata drum and the ram are the tradition's, not modern symbols. In the Americas he is also a king and a warrior, and the Lucumi and Candomble houses keep his cult with the drums.
Full entry →Orisa-Nla (The Great Orisa), Oba Ti O Ni Ala (King In White Cloth), The One Who Moulds Heads, The Father Of Peace
Creation Of Bodies, Whiteness, Peace, Wisdom, Justice, Patience, Albinism And Disability, Childbirth
White, Silver
Clear Quartz, White Quartz, White Howlite, Moonstone
White Rose, Lily, Chamomile, Coconut
Snail, Elephant, Dove, Python
Justice, Temperance, The Hierophant
Sunday, Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
White Cloth, Snail, Coconut, White Flowers, Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, White Chalk, Cool Water
Obatala is the orisha of creation, whiteness, peace and wisdom, and in the Ifa account Olodumare gave him the work of making the land at Ile-Ife with a chain, a snail shell of earth and a hen. He also moulds human bodies, and the tradition says he drank palm wine before one such moulding and made bodies that were deformed; his followers therefore abstain from palm wine, and he is the orisha of those born albino, blind or disabled. 'Orisa-nla' is his praise-name, and the white cloth, the snail (igbin), the staff and the cool water are the tradition's. In Cuba he is syncretised with Our Lady of Mercy (24 September).
Full entry →Eleri Ipin (Witness Of Destinies), Agboniregun, Ibi Keji Olodumare (Second To Olodumare), The One Who Knows The Way
Divination, Destiny, Wisdom, Truth, The Oral Corpus, Counsel, Memory, Patience
Green, Yellow
Jade, Green Aventurine, Clear Quartz
Coconut, Corn, Basil
Parrot, Tortoise, Rooster
The Hermit, Wheel Of Fortune, The High Priestess
Wednesday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
Kola Nut, Coconut, Corn, Palm Oil, Rooster, Truth Telling, The Study Of The Odu
Orunmila is the orisha of wisdom and the owner of the Ifa oracle, present at the allocation of destinies (ipin) and therefore called Eleri Ipin, the witness of destinies. He is not the giver of fate: he sees what was chosen and teaches what can be done about it, and the offering (ebo) that answers a reading is carried to Eshu. The Ifa divination system, with its 256 odu transmitted orally, was proclaimed a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity in 2005 and inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List in 2008. The babalawo is his priest, and the 'mano de Orula' is the Cuban initiation into his service.
Full entry →Baba Lu Aiye (Father, Lord Of The Earth), Lord Of The Earth, He Who Is Wrapped In Raffia, The One Who Owns The Disease
Smallpox, Epidemic Disease, Healing, The Earth, The Poor, The Outcast, Contagion, Purification
Brown, Purple, Black
Jet, Obsidian, Smoky Quartz
Broom, Sage, Tobacco
Dog, Goat, Vulture
Death, The Tower, The Hanged Man
Saturday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
Toasted Corn, Black Beans, Palm Oil, Burlap, Coins For The Poor, Care For The Sick
Obalauye, called Babalu Aye ('father, lord of the world'), is the orisha of smallpox and epidemic disease, of the earth and of the poor; the raffia that hides his face, the broom and the fly whisks are the tradition's. Smallpox shaped his cult, and the tradition's account is that he owns the disease and can be asked to withhold it. In Cuba he is syncretised with San Lazaro, the beggar of Luke 16 whose sores the dogs licked, not Lazarus raised from the dead, and 17 December is the feast. In Brazil he is Obaluaie, and the Afro-Brazilian and Cuban forms have their own emphases.
Full entry →Ode (The Hunter), Lord Of The Forest, The One Who Never Misses, The Solitary Hunter
Hunting, The Forest, Justice, The Bow And Arrow, Skill, Provision, The Chase, Divination
Green, Yellow, Brown
Tiger Eye, Green Tourmaline, Moss Agate
Fern, Cedar, Sage
Deer, Hawk, Parrot
Justice, The Chariot, Knight Of Wands
Wednesday
Waxing Crescent, First Quarter
Smoked Fish, Honey, Game Meat, The First Catch, Justice For The Wrongly Accused
Oshosi is the orisha of the hunt and of the forest, the hunter whose arrow does not miss, and one of the warrior orishas who guard a house. In Cuba he is Ochosi, received with Elegua, Ogun and Osun, and associated with the prison and the capture of the guilty; in Brazil Oxossi is the hunter and king of the forest of the Ketu nation, with a different emphasis. The tradition's stories make him a hunter who lives in the forest and shares the hunt with Ogun, and the bow, the arrow and the game are his. The forest is not a backdrop: it is the orisha's house.
Full entry →Owner Of The River Oba, The Senior Wife, She Who Gave Her Ear, Oba Who Owns Parrot Tail Feathers
The River Oba, Marriage, Loyalty, Sacrifice, Loss, Stability, The Bonds Of Marriage, Fresh Water
Blue, Purple, White
Moonstone, Aquamarine, Pearl
Water Lily, Lotus, Reed
Parrot, Fish, Water Snake
The Lovers, Five Of Cups, Queen Of Cups
Friday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous
Parrot Feathers, River Water, Fish, Palm Oil, A Kept Vow
Oba is the orisha of the River Oba, whose source lies near Igbon where her worship began; in the nineteenth-century wars her cult moved to the more secure town of Ogbomoso, where she is praised as 'Oba, who owns parrot tail feathers and fights on the left'. She is the senior wife of Shango, and the best-known story has a co-wife, usually Oshun, convincing her to cut off her ear to feed Shango, after which he drives her away and she becomes the river. William Bascom studied the variants across West Africa, Brazil and Cuba, and found that her priest at Ogbomoso did not recognise the popular version; in the Odu Ifa she 'lends her ear' by listening, and it is this that ties Shango to her.
Full entry →Owner Of The Grave, Mother Of The Cemetery, She Who Receives, Yewa Of The River
The Cemetery, Death, The Grave, The Earth That Receives, Burial, The End Of Things, Silence, Fresh Water
White, Black, Grey
Jet, Onyx, Obsidian
Asphodel, Yew, Mugwort
Owl, Vulture, Black Goat
Death, The Moon, The Hanged Man
Saturday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
White Flowers, Cold Water, Ashes, A Grave Tended, The Naming Of The Dead
Yewa is the orisha of the cemetery and of death, and the Yewa River in Ogun State is hers; the Yewa (formerly Egbado) people take their name from the river and from her. In Cuba she is one of the orishas of the cemetery, and her cult there is small and specific. The tradition's account is not a ruler of an underworld but the grave itself, the earth that receives, and she is approached at burial and in the tending of graves.
Full entry →The Ancient Grandmother, The First, Owner Of The Mud, She Who Was Before
The Primordial Mud, Creation, Death, The Beginning And The End, Water And Earth, The Wisdom Of Age, The Ancestors, Healing
Purple, White, Grey, Brown
Moonstone, Jet, Labradorite
Water Lily, Lotus, Mugwort
Frog, Snail, Owl
The High Priestess, Death, The World
Monday
New Moon, Full Moon
White Flowers, Water, Mud From The River, White Cloth, The Care Of Elders
Nana Buruku is the ancient grandmother of the Afro-Brazilian orisha complex, of Jeje (Ewe-Fon) origin rather than Yoruba, associated with the primordial mud from which human beings were made and with death and the return to the earth. In Brazilian Candomble she is Nana, the oldest of the orishas, and she is syncretised with Saint Anne, the grandmother of Christ, a Catholic frame imposed on the Jeje tradition. She is sometimes said to be the mother of Obaluaie, and the Brazilian houses differ on her relations and her colours.
Full entry →The Supreme Being, Olorun (Owner Of The Sky), Eleda (The Creator), Olofin (The Ruler), The Source Of Ase
The Supreme, Creation, Destiny, The Sky, The Source, The Unknowable, The Allocation Of Destinies, Ase
White, Gold, Blue
Clear Quartz, Diamond, White Quartz
White Rose, Coconut, Corn
Dove, Eagle
The Emperor, The Hierophant, The World
Sunday
Full Moon, New Moon
The Good Character, White Cloth, Cool Water, The First Fruit, Truth
Olodumare is the supreme being of Yoruba religion, the source of ase and the one who allocates each person's destiny (ipin); the orishas are the emissaries through whom he is reached, and Ifa calls Orunmila 'second to Olodumare'. The names Olorun (owner of the sky), Eleda (creator) and Olofin (ruler) are related and are not always distinguished, and the tradition does not fix Olodumare's gender. There is no possession cult and no image of Olodumare, and the ethical core of the tradition is iwa pele, good character.
Full entry →The Hunter Of Ilobu, Owner Of The Erinle River, The One Who Sank Into The Earth, Healer Of The Waters
The Erinle River, Hunting, Healing, Herbal Medicine, The Forest, Provision, The Town Of Ilobu
Blue, Green, Brown
Moss Agate, Aquamarine, Serpentine
Water Lily, Kelp, Sage
Fish, Deer, Otter
The Star, Ace Of Cups, The Hermit
Monday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Fish, River Water, Honey, Herbs, The First Catch
Erinle was a great hunter, sometimes described as a herbalist or farmer, who conducted the first Olobu to the site of Ilobu and protected the town from invasion; one day he sank into the earth near Ilobu and became the river that bears his name, a tributary of the Osun. His shrines hold smooth round stones from the Erinle River, and his cult is found in towns across the former Oyo Empire. In Cuba he is Inle, and in Brazil Oxossi Ibualamo, and the diaspora forms have their own emphases. The hunter, the healer and the river are one account in the tradition.
Full entry →Owner Of The Herbs, The One-Legged, The One-Eyed, The Bird On The Iron Staff
Herbs, Plant Medicine, The Forest, Healing, The Knowledge Of Leaves, Ase Of Plants, Secrecy, The Wild
Green, Brown
Moss Agate, Jade, Green Tourmaline
Mugwort, Nettle, Sage, Tobacco
Bird, Snake, Parrot
The Magician, The Hermit, The Star
Wednesday
New Moon, Waning Crescent
Leaves, Palm Oil, Honey, The Naming Of Plants, A Garden Tended
Osanyin is the orisha of herbs and plant medicine, the owner of the leaves and of the ase in them; the tradition gives him the knowledge of plants and the herbalist's calling. He is depicted with one leg and one eye and carries an iron staff with a bird at the top, and the tradition does not agree on why he is one-legged. In Cuba he is Osain, and the herbal knowledge is initiatory rather than public. The forest is his house and the leaves are his people.
Full entry →The Deified King Of Shaki, Lord Of The Wilderness, The Volcano (In The Diaspora), The Father Of Shango (In Cuban Tradition)
The Wilderness, Fire, The Volcano, The Desert, Strength, The Monoliths Of Shaki, The Untamed, Paralysis
Red, Brown, Black
Lava Stone, Obsidian, Garnet
Cactus, Nettle, Tobacco
Bull, Ram
The Tower, Strength, The Emperor
Tuesday
First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous
Ram, Palm Oil, Roasted Yam, Fire, The First Harvest
Aganju is the deified warrior king of Shaki in Oyo State, and the massive monoliths of Shaki are his physical manifestation. In the oral traditions he is linked to Shango as Shango's nephew and the son of Ajaka, and both are deified Alaafin who once ruled Oyo; Cuban tradition instead makes him Shango's father. In Cuba he is Aggayu Sola, a volcano deity syncretised with Saint Christopher, and in Candomble he is a quality of Xango (Xango Aganju). The volcano is a diaspora development: there are no active volcanoes in Yorubaland.
Full entry →Lord Of The Farm, Owner Of The Field, The Farmer, Lord Of The Harvest
Agriculture, The Farm, Yams, Harvest, Fertility Of The Soil, The Hoe, The First Fruits, The Earth
Green, Brown, Yellow
Moss Agate, Jade, Brown Jasper
Corn, Wheat, Beans
Ox, Goat, Rooster
The Empress, Three Of Pentacles, Seven Of Pentacles
Saturday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Yams, Corn, Palm Oil, The First Fruit, A Share Of The Harvest
Orisha Oko is the orisha of agriculture and of the farm, the owner of the field and the one offered the first fruits of the harvest; the hoe and the yam are his. In Cuba he is Oricha Oko, syncretised with San Isidro Labrador (15 May), the farmer saint, and his cult there is small and rural. The tradition's account is that the field must be worked before it is blessed, and the first fruits belong to him. He is one of the orishas who own the earth.
Full entry →The Sacred Twins, Taiwo And Kehinde, The Two Who Came Together, The Pair Who Must Be Greeted
Twins, Children, Joy, Protection Of Children, The Doubling, The First And Second Born, The Ere Ibeji, Fortune
Red, White, Blue
Coral, Turquoise, Amber
Corn, Honey, Cinnamon
Parrot, Monkey, Dove
The Lovers, Two Of Cups, The Sun
Wednesday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Cooked Beans, Corn, Honey, Toys, Care For Twins, The Ere Ibeji Fed And Dressed
Ibeji are the sacred twins of Yoruba tradition: twins are believed to be sacred and are granted protection by Shango, and the Yoruba country has one of the highest rates of twin births in the world. Taiwo is born first, but Kehinde sends him to test whether the world is fit before he follows, so Kehinde is reckoned the elder. If a twin dies, the parents have an ere ibeji carved and care for it as the living child, dressing and feeding it. In the diaspora they are syncretised with Saints Cosmas and Damian.
Full entry →The Creator, Lord Of The Water Of Life, One Of The Four Great Akua, The Giver Of Fresh Water
Fresh Water, Creation, Procreation, Life, Springs, The Uplands, The Water Of Life, Sunlight
White, Blue
Clear Quartz, Aquamarine
Water Lily, Lotus
Fish, Freshwater Eel
The Emperor, The Magician, The Star
Sunday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Fresh Water, Kava, Taro, The First Of The Harvest
Kane is one of the four great akua of the Hawaiian tradition, with Ku, Lono and Kanaloa, the god of fresh water, procreation and life. In the Kumulipo and the mo'olelo he is the creator and the bringer of the water of life, and the creation traditions make him the one who formed the human body; he is paired with Kanaloa in some traditions, the two travelling together and opening springs. The Hawaiian Kane is cognate with the Polynesian Tane, but the Hawaiian figure is its own. The religion was outlawed after the 1819 'Ai Noa and suppressed by missionaries, and it is being revived.
Full entry →Lord Of The Deep Ocean, Companion Of Kane, Owner Of The Octopus, One Of The Four Great Akua
The Ocean, The Deep, The Underworld, Cephalopods, Navigation, The Water Beneath The Water, The Conch, The Dead
Blue, Black
Black Pearl, Labradorite, Abalone
Seaweed, Kelp
Octopus, Shark, Whale
The Moon, The Hanged Man, Ace Of Cups
Monday
Full Moon, New Moon
Sea Water, Fish, Octopus, The First Catch, Salt
Kanaloa is one of the four great akua of the Hawaiian tradition, the god of the ocean and of the underworld, often paired with Kane; the two travel together in the traditions, and the octopus (he'e) is his kinolau. The Kumulipo pairs him with Kane, and the mo'olelo give him the deep sea and the realm of the dead. He is the Hawaiian cognate of Tangaroa and Ta'aroa, but the Hawaiian figure is distinct from the Maori and Tahitian ones. Nineteenth-century missionary writers sometimes equated him with the devil, a Christian reading the tradition does not support.
Full entry →Kukailimoku (The Snatcher Of The Islands), Lord Of War, The Fisherman, The Canoe Builder
War, Fishing, Canoe Building, The Forest, Chiefly Power, The Ki'I Images, Human Sacrifice In History, The Many Forms
Red, Black
Obsidian, Hematite, Lava Stone
Nettle, Tobacco, Fern
Shark, Boar, Hawk
The Chariot, Strength, The Emperor
Tuesday
New Moon, First Quarter
Fish, Kava, Red Cloth, The First Catch
Ku is one of the four great akua of the Hawaiian tradition, the god of war, fishing and canoe building, and he has many named forms, among them Kukailimoku and Ku-ka-ohia-Laka. He is a major figure in the Kumulipo, and he was the patron of Kamehameha I, whose war temple received human sacrifice in the pre-Christian period. The ki'i images are his, and the fishing and the canoe are as much his as the war. The 1819 'Ai Noa ended the kapu system and the old cult, and the modern revival is the tradition's own.
Full entry →Lord Of The Makahiki, The God Of Rain And Harvest, Lono-I-Ka-Makahiki, The Returning One
Agriculture, Rain, Fertility, Peace, The Makahiki Season, Pigs, The Harvest, The Return
Green, Yellow
Peridot, Moss Agate, Citrine
Coconut, Banana, Plantain
Pig, Boar
The Empress, The Sun, Nine Of Pentacles
Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Pig, Kava, Taro, The First Fruits
Lono is the Hawaiian akua of agriculture, rain and fertility, and the Makahiki is his season: four lunar months of harvest, tribute, games and a truce that begins with the rising of the Pleiades (Makali'i) around November. Lono-i-ka-makahiki is his form, and the pig, the taro and the first fruits are his. Captain Cook arrived at Kealakekua in 1779 during the Makahiki and was received with Lono's rites; whether he was taken for the god is disputed (Marshall Sahlins argues yes, Gananath Obeyesekere no), so the entry does not state it as fact. The Makahiki has been revived in the late twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
Full entry →The Hog Child, The Pig Man, The Kupua Of The Uplands, The One Who Turns The Lava To Soil
Fertility, The Uplands, Pigs, Shapeshifting, Trickery, Rain, The Kukui Tree, Seduction
Green, Brown
Moss Agate, Jade, Lava Stone
Fern, Banana, Moss
Pig, Boar, Triggerfish
The Fool, The Empress, Strength
Friday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Kava, Roasted Pig, Kukui Nuts, Sweet Potato
Kamapua'a is a Hawaiian kupua, a shape-shifting demigod, the hog child of Hina and Kahikiula, associated with Lono and particularly with Maui and Oahu. The Pele stories have variant versions: in some they are enemies who divide the districts, in others they are lovers and he turns her lava rock into fertile soil, and he can take the forms of a pig, a kukui tree, a fern and the humuhumunukunukuapua'a. Beckwith's Hawaiian Mythology (1940) and Kame'eleihiwa's A Legendary Tradition of Kamapua'a (1996) are the usual sources. The pig is his, and the uplands are his.
Full entry →The Sea Sister, She Whose Eyes Are The Sea, The One Who Sends The Tides, The Older Sister Of Pele
The Sea, The Tides, The Surf, The Deep, Sibling Rivalry, The Ocean Claim On The Land, The Wave, The Family
Blue, Green, White
Black Pearl, Aquamarine, Coral
Seaweed, Kelp, Sea Salt
Shark, Octopus, Sea Turtle
The Moon, The Tower, Queen Of Cups
Monday
Full Moon, New Moon
Sea Water, Salt, Fish, The First Catch
Namakaokaha'i is an akua of the sea and the older sister of Pele in the Hawaiian Pele family, a daughter of Ku-waha-ilo and Haumea. When Pele takes Namaka's husband 'Aukelenuia'iku, the sisters become enemies, and Namaka sends the tides to overwhelm Pele's land; she is the sea that contests the volcano's new land. In Thrum's Kaua'i tradition she is also the chiefess of the Mu and Menehune when they are summoned to build a watercourse. The name means 'the eyes of Kaha'i', and the family genealogy is the tradition's.
Full entry →Inspiration Of The Hula, Lady Of The Kuahu, The One Who Moves The Dancer, Goddess Of The Forest Growth
Hula, Dance, Inspiration, The Forest, Growth, The Kuahu Altar, The Lei, The Dance Protocol
Green, Yellow
Peridot, Jade, Moss Agate
Fern, Jasmine, Ginger
Bird, Moth
The Star, The Empress, The Sun
Friday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Lei, Hula, Maile, The First Dance, Flowers
Laka is a Hawaiian akua of hula and of forest growth; the hula altar (kuahu) is built for her with the lama, maile and a'ali'i, and she is the inspiration that moves the dancer. The name Laka covers more than one figure in Hawaiian tradition: also a male patron of hula, Ku-ka-ohia-Laka, and a voyaging hero, Laka son of Wahieloa. 'Laka the goddess of hula' is therefore one figure among several, and the entry does not merge them. Emerson's Unwritten Literature of Hawaii (1909) and Beckwith's Hawaiian Mythology (1940) are the usual sources.
Full entry →The Trickster Demigod, The Fisher Of Islands, The Snarer Of The Sun, The Fire Thief
Trickery, The Sun, The Sea, Fishing Up Islands, Fire, The Hook, The Culture Hero, The Clever One
Red, Orange
Sunstone, Obsidian, Coral
Coconut, Banana, Fern
Eel, Bird, Fish
The Fool, The Magician, The Sun
Wednesday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
The First Fish, Fire, Kava, The Story Told
Maui is the Polynesian culture hero and demigod who snares the sun to lengthen the day, fishes the islands up from the sea with his hook Manaiakalani, steals fire from Mahuika, and dies trying to win immortality from Hine-nui-te-po; the versions differ between Hawai'i, Aotearoa and the Cook Islands. In Hawai'i the island of Maui is named for him, and he is a kupua, a demigod, not an akua to be worshipped. The Disney film Moana is a modern retelling and not a source. Grey's Polynesian Mythology (1855) and Beckwith's Hawaiian Mythology (1940) are among the usual written sources.
Full entry →Lord Of The Sea, Father Of Fish, The Creator (In Some Islands), The Deep
The Sea, Fish, The Ocean, Creation In Some Islands, The Deep, Voyaging, The Shell, The Fishing Grounds
Blue, Black, White
Pearl, Aquamarine, Coral, Abalone
Seaweed, Kelp, Sea Salt
Fish, Shark, Whale, Octopus
The Moon, The World, Ace Of Cups
Monday
Full Moon, New Moon
Fish, Sea Water, The First Catch, Kava
Tangaroa is the Maori god of the sea and of fish, a son of Ranginui and Papatuanuku who went to the sea when his parents were separated; in Samoa the cognate Tagaloa is the creator, and in Tahiti Ta'aroa is the creator who made the world from a shell. The same Polynesian root names different figures in different island traditions, and the entry does not merge them. The sea and its fish are his, and the canoe and the fishing ground are the practice. Grey's Polynesian Mythology (1855) is among the usual written sources for the Maori account.
Full entry →Tane Of The Forest, Tane-Nui-A-Rangi (Great Tane Of The Sky), Father Of The Birds, The Separator
The Forest, Birds, Trees, The Separation Of Rangi And Papa, The Making Of The First Woman, Light, The Sky, The Forest Protocol
Green, Blue
Jade, Green Tourmaline, Moss Agate
Fern, Oak, Pine
Bird, Kereru
The Emperor, The Star, The Sun
Thursday
Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon
Feathers, The First Fruit Of The Forest, Kava, A Tree Planted
Tane is the Maori god of the forest and birds, Tane-mahuta, the son of Ranginui and Papatuanuku who led his brothers to separate their parents and so let light into the world. He is Tane-nui-a-Rangi, and he formed the first woman, Hine-ahu-one, from earth and gave her life. The tradition is recorded in Grey's Polynesian Mythology (1855) and in Maori oral tradition, and the forest has its own protocols (rahui, kaitiakitanga). The Hawaiian Kane is a cognate name but a distinct figure.
Full entry →The Sky Father, Ranginui, The One Above, The Weeping One
The Sky, The Heavens, Rain As His Tears, The Stars, The Father, Grief, Separation, The Cosmos
Blue, Black, Grey
Lapis Lazuli, Celestite, Sodalite
Mugwort, Juniper
Eagle, Albatross
The Emperor, The Star, The Hanged Man
Sunday
Full Moon, New Moon
Rain, The First Fruit, A Karakia, The Stars Named
Ranginui is the sky father of the Maori cosmogony, who lies above Papatuanuku the earth mother; their children live in the darkness between them until Tane separates them, and Rangi's grief at the separation is the rain and the dew. The account is recorded in Grey's Polynesian Mythology (1855) and in Maori oral tradition. The sky and the stars are his, and the rain is his tears. He is the father of the gods and of the people in the genealogy.
Full entry →The Earth Mother, Papa-Tu-A-Nuku, The Land, The One Below
The Earth, The Land, Birth, Burial, Agriculture, The Placenta, The Ancestors, Nurturing
Brown, Green, Black
Jade, Moss Agate, Jasper
Fern, Moss, Mugwort
Kiwi, Earthworm
The Empress, The World, Ten Of Pentacles
Saturday
New Moon, Full Moon
The First Fruit, A Tree Planted, The Placenta Returned To The Land, Food From The Garden
Papatuanuku is the earth mother of the Maori cosmogony and the land itself, who lies beneath Ranginui; their children are separated by Tane, and the land is the mother of the people. In Maori, whenua means both the land and the placenta, and the placenta is returned to the land. The relationship to the land is held by specific iwi and hapu as tangata whenua, not by humanity in general. The account is recorded in Grey's Polynesian Mythology (1855) and in Maori oral tradition.
Full entry →The Moon Woman, Hina Of The Tapa, The Woman Who Went To The Moon, Mother Of Maui (In Some Traditions)
The Moon, Women Work, Tapa And Weaving, Childbirth, The Tide, The Eel, The Cycles, The Moonlight
White, Silver
Moonstone, Pearl, Mother Of Pearl
Water Lily, Lotus, Jasmine
Eel, Sea Turtle
The High Priestess, The Moon, The Star
Monday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Tapa Cloth, White Flowers, Water, The First Of The Weaving
Hina is a widespread Polynesian figure rather than one goddess: in Hawai'i she is the moon and the mother of Maui, in Maori tradition Hine-te-iwaiwa is the goddess of women's arts and childbirth, and in Tahiti Hina is the woman who left for the moon. The names and stories differ by island, and the entry does not merge them. The moon, the tapa and the tide are her work. Beckwith's Hawaiian Mythology (1940) and the Maori sources record the separate figures.
Full entry →Anishinaabe Culture Hero, The Great Rabbit, The Trickster, Grandson Of Nokomis
Trickery, Culture Hero, The Earth Diver Creation, Naming, Teaching, Survival, The Anishinaabe People, The Winter Stories
Brown, White
Agate, Jasper, Clear Quartz
Tobacco, Sweetgrass, Cedar, Sage
Rabbit, Hare, Turtle
The Fool, The Magician, The World
Wednesday
Waxing Crescent, Waning Crescent
Tobacco, The Story Told, Food Shared, The First Berries
Nanabozho, also called Nanabush, is the Anishinaabe (Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi) culture hero and trickster, the Great Rabbit, who survives the flood and sends the animals to dive for earth, names the plants and animals, and teaches the people by his mistakes. The stories were recorded by Henry Rowe Schoolcraft in Algic Researches (1839), and Longfellow used them, with the name changed to Hiawatha, in The Song of Hiawatha (1855), which is a misattribution. Nanabozho is a manitou and a culture hero, not a deity to be worshipped, and he is distinct from the Cree Wisakedjak and the Wabanaki Glooscap. In Anishinaabe practice the stories are told in winter.
Full entry →Mi'Kmaq Culture Hero, The Transformer, Maker Of The Land, The One Who Left
Transformation, The Land, The Hunt, Teaching, The Wabanaki, The Bay Of Fundy, Protection, The Return
Grey, Blue, Green
Granite, Jasper, Clear Quartz
Cedar, Sweetgrass, Tobacco, Spruce
Beaver, Moose, Eagle
The Magician, The Emperor, The World
Thursday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Tobacco, The Story Told, The First Hunt, A Good Deed
Glooscap, or Kluskap, is the culture hero of the Mi'kmaq and the wider Wabanaki confederacy (Maliseet, Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, Abenaki), who shapes the land, hunts the giant beaver, and makes the world fit for the people. The Mi'kmaq stories were collected by Silas Tertius Rand in Legends of the Micmacs (1894), and Rand's Victorian framing is not the tradition's own. The tradition has him leaving when the Europeans came, with a promise to return, and the land formations of the Bay of Fundy are his. He is a culture hero and transformer, not a deity.
Full entry →The Thunder Beings, Wakinyan, Animikii, The One Who Brings The Rain
Thunder, Lightning, Rain, The Storm, Power, Protection, The Sky, The Hunt In The Northwest Coast
White, Yellow, Black
Thunderegg, Turquoise, Obsidian
Sage, Tobacco, Sweetgrass, Cedar
Eagle, Hawk
The Tower, Strength, The Sun
Thursday
First Quarter, Full Moon
Tobacco, The First Storm, Cedar, The Story Told
Thunderbird is a being, or a class of beings, in many North American nations: the Lakota Wakinyan, the Anishinaabe Animikii, and the Kwakwaka'wakw, Haida and Tlingit thunderbird of the Northwest Coast. In the Plains he is associated with thunder, rain and war; on the Northwest Coast he is a giant bird who hunts whales. The traditions do not describe one single pan-Indian figure, and some nations speak of the thunder beings in the plural. The New Age 'Thunderbird' as a spirit guide is a modern composite.
Full entry →Lakota Trickster, Spider, The One Who Is Always Hungry, He Who Is Tricked By His Own Tricks
Trickery, Hunger, Greed, Teaching By Bad Example, The Spider, Storytelling, Cautionary Tales, Vanity
Black, Brown
Obsidian, Onyx, Smoky Quartz
Sage, Tobacco
Spider, Crow
The Fool, The Devil, Seven Of Swords
Wednesday
Waning Crescent, New Moon
Tobacco, The Story Told, Food Shared, A Lesson Learned
Iktomi is the spider trickster of the Lakota, a figure of the oral tradition who is greedy, vain and easily fooled, and whose stories are told as cautionary tales. Zitkala-Sa collected and retold them in Old Indian Legends (1901), a literary retelling by a Lakota writer rather than a neutral ethnography. He is not a deity and is not worshipped, and the lesson is the point of the story. The winter telling is the tradition's frame.
Full entry →Lakota Sacred Being, Ptesan Win, The Woman Of The Pipe, The One Who Brought The Seven Rites
The Sacred Pipe, The Seven Rites, Peace, Prayer, The Buffalo, The People, The Promise Of Return, The Ceremony
White, Red
White Howlite, Clear Quartz, Moonstone
Sweetgrass, Sage, Cedar, Tobacco
Buffalo, White Buffalo, Eagle
The High Priestess, The Hierophant, The World
Sunday
Full Moon, New Moon
Tobacco, The Pipe Kept, Sage, The Seven Rites
Ptesan Win, White Buffalo Calf Woman, is the Lakota wakan being who came to the people, taught the seven rites and gave them the sacred pipe (chanunpa), then left, promising to return. The account is recorded in Black Elk's The Sacred Pipe (1953, as told to Joseph Epes Brown) and in the Lakota oral tradition. She is a sacred being, not a deity to be invoked for favours, and the pipe is central to Lakota ceremony. The later white buffalo births are read by many Lakota as a sign, not as a proof.
Full entry →Dine Sacred Being, Asdzaa Nadlehee, The One Who Becomes New Again, Mother Of The Hero Twins
The Seasons, Renewal, Womanhood, Puberty, The Hero Twins, The Earth, The Sun, Healing
White, Turquoise, Yellow
Turquoise, White Howlite, Moonstone
Corn, Sage, Tobacco, Cedar
Eagle, Hummingbird
The Empress, The World, The Sun
Sunday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Corn Pollen, White Corn, Tobacco, The Kinaalda Kept
Asdzaa Nadlehee, Changing Woman, is the central female sacred being of the Dine (Navajo) emergence tradition: raised by First Man and First Woman, mother of the Hero Twins by the Sun, she becomes young and old with the seasons. The four-day Kinaalda puberty ceremony is modelled on her first change, and she is the mother of the people. The narrative is given in the Dine bahane' (see Paul Zolbrod's 1984 translation) and in the ceremonial literature. She is a sacred being, not a goddess.
Full entry →Hopi Katsina, The Flute Player, The Humpbacked One, The Katsina Of Fertility
Fertility, Rain, Agriculture, Music, Trickery, Travel, The Seeds, The Katsinam
Turquoise, Red, Yellow
Turquoise, Coral, Jet
Corn, Sage, Tobacco
Butterfly, Hummingbird
The Fool, The Magician, The Sun
Wednesday
Waxing Crescent, Full Moon
Corn, Corn Pollen, Tobacco, Music
Kokopelli is a Hopi katsina, a spirit being in the Hopi katsinam, the humpbacked flute player associated with fertility, rain and agriculture. He also appears among the Zuni and other Pueblos, and the flute-player petroglyphs of the Southwest are widespread and not all Kokopelli. The figure was popularised in the late twentieth century as a decorative 'Southwest' motif, which is not the Hopi tradition. The katsinam are not costumes or mascots.
Full entry →Mother Of The Waters, The Water Mother, The Beautiful One, The One Who Gives Wealth
Water, Wealth, Fertility, Healing, Beauty, The Foreign, The Unexpected Fortune, The Market
Blue, White, Gold
Pearl, Aquamarine, Coral
Seaweed, Lotus, Water Lily
Snake, Fish, Crocodile
The Star, The Empress, Ace Of Cups
Monday, Friday
Full Moon, New Moon
White Flowers, Perfume, Jewelry, White Cloth, Coins
Mami Wata is a water spirit of West, Central, East and Southern Africa and of the Atlantic diaspora, not a Yoruba orisha; the name is a creole form of 'mother water'. Henry John Drewal traces her to fifteenth-century African encounters with European mermaid imagery, and her iconography was reshaped in the mid-nineteenth century by a European chromolithograph of the snake charmer Nala Damajanti, and later by Hindu prints brought by Indian merchants. She is a spirit of wealth, beauty, fertility and healing, and she is related to Caribbean and South American water spirits such as Lasiren in Haiti and Mae d'Agua in Brazil. The colonial trade and the slave trade are part of her history, not background to it.
Full entry →Titaness Of Memory, Mother Of The Muses, The Rememberer, Lady Of The Spring Of Memory
Memory, Remembrance, The Remembered Word, Oral Tradition, The Past Held Present, The Naming Of Things, The Mother Of The Muses
Silver, White, Blue, Indigo
Clear Quartz, Moonstone, Lapis Lazuli, Selenite, Amber
Rosemary, Sage, Bay Leaf, Olive, Willow
Bee, Swan, Elephant
The High Priestess, Six Of Cups, The Hierophant
Monday, Wednesday
Full Moon, Waxing Gibbous
Samhain, Yule
Honey, Milk, Water, Bay Leaf, A Name Spoken Aloud, A Story Retold
Mnemosyne is a Titaness, named among the six daughters of Earth and Sky in Hesiod's Titan list (Theogony 135), and the mother of the nine Muses, whom she bears to Zeus after nine nights in Pieria; Hesiod calls the Muses a forgetting of ills and a rest from sorrow (Theogony 53-64, 915-917). At Lebadeia her spring stood beside the spring of Forgetfulness, and the man going down to the oracle of Trophonius drank from Lethe first and then from Memory so that he would remember what he saw (Pausanias 9.39.7-8). The Orphic gold tablets send the dead soul to the spring of Memory instead.
Full entry →The Water Of Forgetfulness, Daughter Of Strife, Lady Of Oblivion, The River That Erases
Forgetting, Oblivion, The Erasure Of Memory, The Threshold, Relief, Sleep, The Second Death
Black, Blue, Grey, Indigo
Obsidian, Onyx, Jet, Moonstone
Poppy, Willow, Mandrake, Asphodel
Fish, Serpent, Bat
The Moon, The Hanged Man, Death
Monday, Saturday
Waning Crescent, New Moon, Last Quarter
Samhain, Mabon
Water, Milk, Honey, Silence, A Name Given Up
Lethe is a river, a place and a power of forgetting at once. Hesiod makes her one of the children of Strife (Theogony 226-227), a sharp genealogy: forgetfulness is born of quarrel. In Plato the souls in the myth of Er camp beside the river of Forgetfulness, the Ameles, and drink, and lose what they were (Republic X.621a-c); Virgil has the souls drink from Lethe before they are born again (Aeneid VI.703-751). At Lebadeia the water of Forgetfulness was drunk first and the water of Memory second, before the descent to Trophonius (Pausanias 9.39.7). The Orphic gold tablets warn the soul away from her.
Full entry →Mother Of The Graces, Daughter Of Ocean, The First Queen Of Olympus, The Wide-Ruling
The Waters, Creation, The First Order, Motherhood, The Graces, The Sea, Beauty
Blue, White, Silver, Green
Aquamarine, Moonstone, Pearl, Mother Of Pearl, Lapis Lazuli
Seaweed, Kelp, Lotus, Willow
Serpent, Dove, Fish
The Empress, The High Priestess, Ace Of Cups
Friday, Monday
Full Moon, New Moon
Ostara, Beltane
Water, Milk, Honey, Wine, A Dance
Eurynome is two figures under one name, and they are not the same being. In Hesiod she is an Oceanid, one of the daughters of Oceanus and Tethys (Theogony 358), who bears the three Graces to Zeus - Aglaea, Euphrosyne and Thalia (Theogony 907-911). In the Pelasgian cosmogony that Orpheus sings in Apollonius Rhodius she is the first queen of Olympus: she and Ophion hold the sway of snowy Olympus before Cronus and Rhea, and are thrown down into the waves of Ocean when the stronger pair take over (Argonautica 1.496-511).
Full entry →Righteous Man, Builder Of The Ark, Prophet Of The Flood, The Planter Of The Vine
The Flood, The Ark, Righteousness, Covenant, Survival, The Seed Kept, The Rainbow
Blue, White, Grey, Green
Aquamarine, Moonstone, Lapis Lazuli, Clear Quartz, Jade
Olive, Grapes, Cedar, Hyssop
Dove, Raven, Lion, Sheep
The World, Ten Of Cups, The Star
Sunday
Full Moon, New Moon
Prayer, Wine, First Fruits, A Promise Kept, A Living Creature Cared For
Noah is the righteous man of Genesis whom God tells to build an ark, who takes his family and the animals through the flood, sends out the raven and then the dove that comes back with an olive leaf, and receives the covenant of the rainbow (Genesis 6:9-9:17). After the flood he plants a vineyard, drinks, and curses his son Ham's line (9:20-27). In the Quran he is a prophet, Nuh, who preaches for centuries and whose own son drowns (Surah 11, Hud 11:25-48; Surah 71, Nuh).
Full entry →The Far-Away, The Flood Survivor, The One Made Immortal
The Flood, Survival, Immortality, The Ark, The Far Place, The Tale That Is Told, The River Mouth
Blue, Grey, Black, White
Lapis Lazuli, Aquamarine, Obsidian, Clear Quartz
Cedar, Willow, Reed, Barley
Dove, Raven, Swallow, Lion
The World, The Star, Six Of Swords
Monday, Saturday
Full Moon, Waning Gibbous
Water, Beer, Bread, Incense, The Story Told
Utnapishtim is the flood survivor of Gilgamesh XI. Warned by Ea, he builds a cube-shaped boat, takes aboard his family, his craftsmen and the animals, rides out the seven-day flood, and when the waters fall sends out a dove, a swallow and then a raven that does not come back. He lands and makes sacrifice, the gods smell it and crowd round, and Enlil - who had not wanted him saved - blesses him and his wife and makes them immortal, to live far away at the mouth of the rivers (Gilgamesh XI). Gilgamesh comes to him at the end of the epic to ask about death, and is given the plant of life and loses it to a snake.
Full entry →The Judeo-Christian-Enochian hierarchy — archangels, choirs, demons, fallen watchers.
Who Is Like God
Rank: Archangel Prince Of Heavenly Hosts · Tradition: Jewish, Christian, Islamic
Protection, Courage, Truth, Justice, Warrior, Defender
Protection, Courage, Truth Speaking, Justice, Banishing, Cutting Cords
Protection Magic, Courage Work, Cutting Energetic Cords, Justice Seeking, Banishing Evil, Warrior Rituals, Exorcism
Full entry →Strength Of God
Rank: Archangel Messenger · Tradition: Jewish, Christian, Islamic
Messages, Dreams, Clarity, Guidance, Prophecy
Communication, Prophetic Dreams, Clarity, Artistic Inspiration, Guidance
Communication Magic, Dream Work, Prophecy, Clarity Seeking, Artistic Inspiration, Messenger Work
Full entry →God Heals
Rank: Archangel Healer · Tradition: Jewish, Christian
Healing, Travel, Knowledge, Protection, Medicine
Healing, Safe Travel, Knowledge Seeking, Protection Of Travelers, Medical Wisdom
Healing Magic, Safe Travel Spells, Knowledge Acquisition, Medical Magic, Protection During Journeys
Full entry →Light Of God
Rank: Archangel Illuminator · Tradition: Jewish, Christian
Wisdom, Prophecy, Light, Alchemy, Illumination
Wisdom, Prophecy, Illumination, Earth Magic, Alchemical Transformation
Wisdom Seeking, Prophecy, Earth Magic, Illumination Work, Alchemy, Revelation
Full entry →Throne Beside God
Rank: Archangel Highest Scribe · Tradition: Jewish, Kabbalistic
Records, Sacred Geometry, Children, Ascension, Scribe
Record Keeping, Sacred Geometry, Child Protection, Spiritual Ascension, Divine Knowledge
Akashic Records Access, Sacred Geometry Work, Child Protection, Ascension Work, Geometric Magic
Full entry →Brother
Rank: Archangel Prayer Carrier · Tradition: Jewish, Kabbalistic
Prayers, Music, Grounding, Manifestation, Earth
Prayer Carrying, Musical Inspiration, Grounding, Manifestation, Earth Connection
Prayer, Music Magic, Grounding, Manifestation, Earth Connection
Full entry →Beauty Of God
Rank: Archangel Illuminator · Tradition: Jewish, Christian
Beauty, Wisdom, Illumination, Art, Creativity
Beauty Recognition, Artistic Inspiration, Wisdom, Illumination, Creative Flow
Beauty Magic, Artistic Inspiration, Wisdom Seeking, Illumination, Creativity Enhancement
Full entry →He Who Sees God
Rank: Archangel Divine Love · Tradition: Jewish, Christian
Love, Compassion, Finding, Relationships, Heart
Love Attraction, Relationship Healing, Finding Lost Items, Compassion, Heart Opening
Love Magic, Relationship Work, Finding Lost Objects, Compassion Cultivation, Heart Healing
Full entry →Righteousness Of God
Rank: Archangel Mercy · Tradition: Jewish, Christian
Mercy, Forgiveness, Transformation, Freedom, Violet Flame
Forgiveness, Mercy, Transformation, Freedom From Past, Violet Flame Transmutation
Forgiveness Work, Mercy Seeking, Transformation Magic, Freedom Rituals, Violet Flame Work
Full entry →Secret Of God
Rank: Archangel Divine Mysteries · Tradition: Jewish, Kabbalistic
Mysteries, Magic, Secrets, Divine Knowledge, Alchemy
Mystery Revelation, Magical Knowledge, Esoteric Understanding, Alchemical Wisdom, Secret Teaching
Magic Learning, Mystery Revelation, Divine Knowledge Access, Manifestation, Esoteric Study
Full entry →Help Of God
Rank: Archangel Death · Tradition: Jewish, Islamic
Death, Transition, Comfort, Afterlife, Grief
Death Transition, Grief Comfort, End Of Life Support, Soul Guidance, Transformation
Death Rites, Grief Work, Transition Rituals, Comfort Magic, Ancestor Connection
Full entry →Grace Of God
Rank: Archangel Divine Grace · Tradition: Jewish, Christian
Grace, Moon, Intuition, Beauty, Divine Feminine
Divine Grace, Moon Magic, Intuition Enhancement, Feminine Power, Beauty Recognition
Grace Cultivation, Moon Magic, Intuition Development, Feminine Power Work, Beauty Magic
Full entry →Speed Of God
Rank: Archangel Of Time · Tradition: Jewish, Christian, Kabbalistic
Time, Solitude, Discipline, Karma, Stillness
Time Keeping, Discipline, Solitude, Karmic Vision, Endurance
Time Magic, Discipline Work, Karma Work, Protection In Solitude, Ending Cycles
Full entry →Covering Of God
Rank: Archangel Of Benevolence · Tradition: Jewish, Kabbalistic
Benevolence, Abundance, Justice, Expansion
Abundance, Generosity, Justice, Expansion, Protection Of The Poor
Prosperity Magic, Justice Work, Generosity, Expansion, Protection
Full entry →Beholder Of God
Rank: Archangel Of Understanding · Tradition: Jewish, Kabbalistic
Understanding, Discernment, Silence, Contemplation
Understanding, Discernment, Contemplation, Karmic Sight, Receptivity
Contemplation, Discernment, Study, Karma Work, Silence
Full entry →Rank: First Sphere Highest · Tradition: Jewish, Christian
Holy, Fire, Love, Worship, Purity
Divine Love, Purification By Fire, Worship, Holy Presence
Purification, Divine Connection, Worship, Holy Fire Work
Full entry →Rank: First Sphere · Tradition: Jewish, Christian
Knowledge, Guardian, Wisdom, Sacred
Divine Knowledge, Protection, Wisdom, Sacred Space Guarding
Knowledge Seeking, Sacred Space Protection, Wisdom, Guardian Work
Full entry →Rank: First Sphere · Tradition: Jewish, Christian
Justice, Authority, Stability, Divine Law
Justice, Divine Authority, Stability, Cosmic Order
Justice Magic, Stability, Divine Law Alignment, Cosmic Order
Full entry →Rank: Second Sphere · Tradition: Jewish, Christian
Authority, Regulation, Mercy, Leadership
Divine Authority, Angelic Regulation, Mercy Channeling, Leadership
Leadership Magic, Authority Work, Mercy Seeking, Organization
Full entry →Rank: Second Sphere · Tradition: Jewish, Christian
Miracles, Courage, Grace, Valor
Miracle Working, Courage Granting, Natural Law Governance, Grace
Miracle Seeking, Courage Work, Grace Cultivation, Signs
Full entry →Rank: Second Sphere · Tradition: Jewish, Christian
Warfare, Protection, Demons, Borders
Demon Fighting, Spiritual Warfare, Protection, Border Guarding
Demon Banishing, Protection Magic, Spiritual Warfare, Exorcism
Full entry →Rank: Third Sphere · Tradition: Jewish, Christian
Nations, Cities, Leadership, Guardianship
Nation Guarding, Leadership Guidance, Organizational Protection, City Watching
Nation Magic, City Protection, Leadership Work, Group Magic
Full entry →Rank: Third Sphere Middle · Tradition: Jewish, Christian, Islamic
Message, Protection, Authority, Revelation
Messenger, Protection, Authority, Healing
Invocation, Protection, Healing, Communication
Full entry →Rank: Third Sphere Lowest · Tradition: Jewish, Christian, Islamic
Guardian, Messenger, Daily Life, Protection
Guardianship, Message, Comfort, Protection
Protection, Guidance, Communication, Comfort
Full entry →Rank: Enochian Regent · Tradition: Enochian, Dee Kelley
Air, Intellect, East, Communication
Intellectual Power, Communication, Air Magic, Eastern Mysteries
Air Magic, Intellectual Work, Communication Magic, Enochian Calls
Full entry →Rank: Elemental King · Tradition: Enochian, Dee Kelley
Air, Intellect, East, Communication, King
Intellectual Power, Communication, Air Magic, Eastern Mysteries
Air Magic, Intellectual Work, Communication Magic, Enochian Calls
Full entry →Rank: Elemental King · Tradition: Enochian, Dee Kelley
Fire, Will, South, King, Passion
Will, Passion, Fire Magic, Southern Mysteries
Fire Magic, Will Work, Courage, Enochian Calls
Full entry →Rank: Elemental King · Tradition: Enochian, Dee Kelley
Water, Emotion, West, King, Intuition
Emotion, Intuition, Water Magic, Western Mysteries
Water Magic, Dream Work, Healing, Enochian Calls
Full entry →Rank: Elemental King · Tradition: Enochian, Dee Kelley
Earth, Body, North, King, Stability
Stability, Embodiment, Earth Magic, Northern Mysteries
Earth Magic, Grounding, Protection, Enochian Calls
Full entry →Rank: King · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Invisibility, Cunning, Strategy, Power
Invisibility, Cunning, Strategy, Revelation Of Secrets
Invisibility Work, Strategic Planning, Revealing Secrets, Power Acquisition
Full entry →Rank: Duke · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Earthquakes, Languages, Return, Destruction
Language Learning, Finding Runaways, Causing Disruption, Destroying Status
Language Learning, Finding Lost People, Disruption Magic, Removing Obstacles
Full entry →Rank: Prince · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Divination, Finding, Past, Future, Good Nature
Divination, Finding Lost Things, Past Life Recall, Future Sight
Divination, Finding Treasures, Lost Item Recovery, Past Future Knowledge
Full entry →Rank: Marquis · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Necromancy, Dead, Liberal Arts, Communication
Necromancy, Soul Communication, Liberal Arts Knowledge, Death Wisdom
Necromancy, Communicating With Dead, Learning Liberal Arts, Soul Work
Full entry →Rank: President · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Healing, Disease, Mechanics, Transformation
Healing, Disease Knowledge, Mechanical Arts, Shape Transformation
Healing Magic, Causing Disease To Enemies, Learning Mechanics, Transformation Work
Full entry →Rank: Duke · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Theft, Familiars, Thieves, Temptation
Acquiring Familiars, Theft Assistance, Thief Protection, Temptation
Acquiring Spirit Familiars, Theft Work, Temptation Magic, Thief Blessing
Full entry →Rank: Marquis · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Past, Future, Reconciliation, Love, Wolf
Divination, Reconciliation, Procuring Love, Revealing Past Future
Reconciliation Magic, Love Work, Divination, Mending Relationships
Full entry →Rank: Duke · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Animals, Understanding, Divination, Treasures
Animal Communication, Divination, Finding Treasures, Reconciliation
Animal Magic, Pet Communication, Treasure Finding, Divination
Full entry →Rank: King · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Knowledge, Arts, Sciences, Dignity, Power
Teaching Arts Sciences, Revealing Secrets, Granting Dignities, Binding Spirits
Learning Arts Sciences, Secret Revelation, Status Acquisition, Binding Magic
Full entry →Rank: President · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Healing, Philosophy, Logic, Herbs, Star
Healing, Philosophical Knowledge, Herbal Wisdom, Logic
Healing Work, Studying Philosophy, Herbalism, Acquiring Familiars
Full entry →Rank: Duke · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Divination, Honor, Dignity, Reconciliation
Divination, Honor Granting, Reconciliation, Answer Revelation
Divination, Gaining Honor, Reconciliation, Question Answering
Full entry →Rank: Prince · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Love, Lust, Passion, Desire, Nakedness
Love Inflaming, Lust Inducing, Passion Magic, Desire Revelation
Love Magic, Lust Spells, Passion Work, Sex Magic
Full entry →Rank: King · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Love, Lust, Fierce, Commanding
Love Procurement, Passionate Desire, Commanding Presence
Love Magic, Commanding Desire, Passionate Relationships
Full entry →Rank: King · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Lust, Wrath, Treasures, Geometry, Astronomy
Mathematical Knowledge, Astronomy, Geometry, Treasure Finding, Invisibility
Learning Sciences, Finding Treasures, Invisibility, Acquiring Power
Full entry →Rank: King · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Favors, Dignities, Power, Deception
Political Power, High Office, Favor Procurement, Familiar Granting
Political Magic, Gaining Office, Acquiring Favor, Power Work
Full entry →Rank: Prince · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Astronomy, Herbs, Stones, Knowledge
Astronomical Knowledge, Herbal Wisdom, Stone Properties, Teaching
Astronomy Study, Herbalism, Crystal Magic, Learning
Full entry →Rank: Marquis · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Warrior, Strength, Truth, Hope Of Heaven
Warrior Strength, True Answers, Faithful Service, Hope Of Redemption
Warrior Magic, Truth Seeking, Faithful Service, Strength
Full entry →Rank: Duke · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Thoughts, Emotions, Manipulation, Knowledge, Faces
Thought Reading, Emotion Manipulation, Teaching, Vision Granting
Thought Reading, Emotion Influence, Learning Arts, Scrying People
Full entry →Rank: Earl · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Justice, Thieves, Stolen Goods, Punishment
Recovering Stolen Goods, Revealing Thieves, Justice, Punishment
Recovering Theft, Revealing Criminals, Justice Magic, Punishment
Full entry →Rank: Emperor Prime Minister · Tradition: Grimoire, Non Goetic
Light, Knowledge, Sovereignty, Rebellion
Forbidden Knowledge, Illumination, Sovereignty, Rebellion Inspiration
Knowledge Acquisition, Sovereignty Work, Illumination, Rebellion
Full entry →Rank: Prince President · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Love, Hate, Philosophy, Necromancy, Knowledge
Emotion Manipulation, Philosophical Knowledge, Necromancy, Teleportation
Love Hate Magic, Philosophy Study, Spirit Consecration, Swift Travel
Full entry →Rank: Earl · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Love, Storms, Truth, Lying
Love Magic, Storm Raising, Truth Speaking When Bound, Deception
Love Work, Weather Magic, Truth Seeking, Storm Magic
Full entry →Rank: Duke · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Fire, Destruction, Wit, Answers
Wit Granting, True Answers, Fire Magic, Destruction
Wit Enhancement, Truth Seeking, Fire Magic, Destruction Work
Full entry →Rank: Prince · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Truth, Divinity, Faithful, Divination
Truth Telling, Divine Knowledge, Divination, Protection From Deception
Truth Seeking, Divine Knowledge, Divination, Protection Magic
Full entry →Rank: Marquis · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Rhetoric, Languages, Favor, Sea Monster
Rhetoric, Language Mastery, Reputation, Cunning
Rhetoric Study, Language Learning, Reputation Magic, Communication Enhancement
Full entry →Rank: Duke Earl · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Necromancy, Philosophy, Dead, Music
Necromancy, Philosophical Knowledge, Soul Summoning, Music
Necromancy, Philosophy Study, Summoning Dead, Music Magic
Full entry →Rank: President Earl · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Bloodshed, Invisibility, Knowledge, Manslaughter
Knowledge, Invisibility, Bloodshed, Arts Teaching
Learning Arts, Invisibility, Baneful Magic, Knowledge Acquisition
Full entry →Rank: Prince · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Swiftness, Finding, Theft, Speed
Extreme Speed, Transportation, Finding Lost Things, Theft Recovery
Swift Manifestation, Finding Lost Items, Instant Transportation, Speed Magic
Full entry →Rank: Earl · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Theft, Destruction, Reconciliation, Cities
Theft, Destruction, Divination, Reconciliation
Theft Magic, Destruction Work, Divination, Reconciliation
Full entry →Rank: Marquis · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Poetry, Sciences, Hope, Phoenix
Poetic Knowledge, Scientific Teaching, Hope Of Redemption, Transformation
Poetry, Learning Sciences, Transformation, Redemption Work
Full entry →Rank: Earl · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
War, Towers, Warriors, Ammunition
Fortification, Warfare, Warrior Sending, Ammunition
Protection Fortification, Warfare Magic, Sending Warriors, Defensive Magic
Full entry →Rank: King President · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Alchemy, Transformation, Wit, Transmutation
Alchemy, Transmutation, Wit Granting, Transformation
Alchemy, Transformation Magic, Gaining Wisdom, Transmutation
Full entry →Rank: President · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Astrology, Sciences, Familiars, Treasures
Astronomical Knowledge, Liberal Arts, Familiar Granting, Treasure Finding
Astrology Study, Learning Liberal Arts, Acquiring Familiars, Treasure Finding
Full entry →Rank: King Earl · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Divination, Discovery, Towers, Storms
Divination, Discovering Hidden Things, Building Fortifications, Weather Magic
Divination, Finding Witches, Fortification Magic, Destruction Magic
Full entry →Rank: Duke · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Necromancy, Wealth, Wisdom, Eloquence
Necromancy, Wealth Granting, Wisdom, Eloquence
Necromancy, Wealth Magic, Gaining Wisdom, Eloquence Enhancement
Full entry →Rank: Marquis Earl · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Languages, Rhetoric, Favor, Knowledge
Language Mastery, Rhetoric, Favor Procurement, Servant Finding
Language Learning, Rhetoric Study, Gaining Favor, Finding Servants
Full entry →Rank: Duke · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Alchemy, Divination, Dignities, Gold
Alchemy, Transmutation, Divination, Dignity Granting
Alchemy, Divination, Gaining Status, Transmutation
Full entry →Rank: Duke · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Divination, Sciences, Liberal Arts, Fallen
Divination, Liberal Arts, Fall Knowledge, Science Teaching
Divination, Learning Liberal Arts, Understanding Fall, Science Study
Full entry →Rank: Duke · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Astronomy, Liberal Arts, Knight, Horse
Astronomical Knowledge, Liberal Arts, Familiar Granting, Teaching
Astronomy Study, Liberal Arts Learning, Acquiring Familiars, Education
Full entry →Rank: Duke · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Love, Lust, Peace, Gentleness
Love Causing, Lust Inspiring, Peaceful Nature, Gentleness
Love Magic, Passion Work, Peaceful Relationships, Gentle Love
Full entry →Rank: King · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Divination, Hidden Things, Treasures, King
Divination, Discovering Hidden Things, Treasure Finding, Truth Telling
Divination, Finding Treasures, Discovering Secrets, Truth Seeking
Full entry →Rank: Earl President · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Astronomy, Liberal Arts, Herbs, Stones
Astronomical Knowledge, Liberal Arts, Herbal Wisdom, Stone Knowledge
Astronomy Study, Liberal Arts Learning, Herbalism, Crystal Magic
Full entry →Rank: Prince Earl · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Divination, Wit, Boldness, Courage
Divination, Wit Granting, Boldness Granting, Courage
Divination, Gaining Wit, Courage Work, Boldness Enhancement
Full entry →Rank: Marquis · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Archery, Battles, Wounds, Warfare
Archery Skill, Battle Causing, Wound Inflicting, Warfare
Archery Magic, Causing Battles, Baneful Wounding, Warfare Magic
Full entry →Rank: Duke · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
War, Warriors, Love, Divination
War Knowledge, Warrior Love, Hidden Discovery, Future Divination
War Divination, Gaining Warrior Favor, Discovering Secrets, Military Magic
Full entry →Rank: Duke · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Love, Lust, Sterility, Passion
Love Causing, Lust Inspiring, Causing Barrenness
Love Magic, Passion Work, Fertility Prevention
Full entry →Rank: Duke · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Herbs, Stones, Transportation, Knowledge
Herbal Knowledge, Stone Properties, Instant Transportation, Natural Magic
Herbalism, Crystal Magic, Astral Travel, Teleportation Magic
Full entry →Rank: Duke · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Love, Women, Treasures, Divination
Love Procurement, Divination, Treasure Finding, Women'S Love
Love Magic, Divination, Treasure Finding, Women'S Favor
Full entry →Rank: President · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Animals, Waters, Debate, Future
Animal Understanding, Water Knowledge, Debate Skill, Future Sight
Animal Magic, Water Magic, Debate Winning, Divination
Full entry →Rank: President Earl · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Prophecy, Reconciliation, Past Present Future, Counsel
Prophecy, Reconciliation, Past Present Future, Counsel
Prophecy, Reconciliation, Past Present Future, Counsel
Full entry →Rank: Marquis · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Rhetoric, Arts, Sciences, Lost Dignity, Courage
Rhetoric, Arts, Sciences, Lost Dignity, Courage
Rhetoric, Arts, Sciences, Lost Dignity, Courage
Full entry →Rank: President · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Logic, Ethics, Herbs, Stones, Long Life, Treasure
Logic, Ethics, Herbs, Stones, Long Life, Treasure
Logic, Ethics, Herbs, Stones, Long Life, Treasure
Full entry →Rank: President · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Building, Architecture, Destruction, Familiars, Deception
Building, Architecture, Destruction, Familiars, Deception
Building, Architecture, Destruction, Familiars, Deception
Full entry →Rank: Duke · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
The Sea, Winds, Drowning, Shipwreck, Restraint
The Sea, Winds, Drowning, Shipwreck, Restraint
The Sea, Winds, Drowning, Shipwreck, Restraint
Full entry →Rank: Duke · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
The Waters, Ships, Putrefaction, Cure, Wounds
The Waters, Ships, Putrefaction, Cure, Wounds
The Waters, Ships, Putrefaction, Cure, Wounds
Full entry →Rank: Marquis · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Building, Fortification, Wounds, Familiars, Cure
Building, Fortification, Wounds, Familiars, Cure
Building, Fortification, Wounds, Familiars, Cure
Full entry →Rank: Marquis · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Theft, Sight, Hearing, Understanding, Finding, Familiars
Theft, Sight, Hearing, Understanding, Finding, Familiars
Theft, Sight, Hearing, Understanding, Finding, Familiars
Full entry →Rank: Earl · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Astrology, Geometry, The Arts, Moving The Body, Grave Light
Astrology, Geometry, The Arts, Moving The Body, Grave Light
Astrology, Geometry, The Arts, Moving The Body, Grave Light
Full entry →Rank: Duke · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Love, Friendship, Past Present Future, Reconciliation
Love, Friendship, Past Present Future, Reconciliation
Love, Friendship, Past Present Future, Reconciliation
Full entry →Rank: President · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Wisdom, Transmutation, Wine, Water, Instruction
Wisdom, Transmutation, Wine, Water, Instruction
Wisdom, Transmutation, Wine, Water, Instruction
Full entry →Rank: Duke · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Geometry, Liberal Arts, The Waters, Baths, Hidden Things
Geometry, Liberal Arts, The Waters, Baths, Hidden Things
Geometry, Liberal Arts, The Waters, Baths, Hidden Things
Full entry →Rank: Knight · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Astrology, Philosophy, Rhetoric, Logic, Chiromancy, Familiars
Astrology, Philosophy, Rhetoric, Logic, Chiromancy, Familiars
Astrology, Philosophy, Rhetoric, Logic, Chiromancy, Familiars
Full entry →Rank: King · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Prophecy, Invisibility, Wit, Past Present Future
Prophecy, Invisibility, Wit, Past Present Future
Prophecy, Invisibility, Wit, Past Present Future
Full entry →Rank: President · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Liberal Sciences, Divine Secrets, Shapechanging, Illusion
Liberal Sciences, Divine Secrets, Shapechanging, Illusion
Liberal Sciences, Divine Secrets, Shapechanging, Illusion
Full entry →Rank: Marquis · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Astrology, The Stars, Transmutation, Dignity, Friendship
Astrology, The Stars, Transmutation, Dignity, Friendship
Astrology, The Stars, Transmutation, Dignity, Friendship
Full entry →Rank: Duke · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Philosophy, Mechanics, Handicrafts, Skill
Philosophy, Mechanics, Handicrafts, Skill
Philosophy, Mechanics, Handicrafts, Skill
Full entry →Rank: President · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Hidden Treasure, Serpents, Familiars, Answers
Hidden Treasure, Serpents, Familiars, Answers
Hidden Treasure, Serpents, Familiars, Answers
Full entry →Rank: Marquis · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Discord, Destruction, Caution, The Wolf
Discord, Destruction, Caution, The Wolf
Discord, Destruction, Caution, The Wolf
Full entry →Rank: Duke · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Prophecy, Past Present Future, Destruction, Protection, Fire
Prophecy, Past Present Future, Destruction, Protection, Fire
Prophecy, Past Present Future, Destruction, Protection, Fire
Full entry →Rank: Marquis · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Geometry, Astronomy, Measurement, Birds, Transformation
Geometry, Astronomy, Measurement, Birds, Transformation
Geometry, Astronomy, Measurement, Birds, Transformation
Full entry →Rank: Marquis · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic, Lost Things, Soldiering
Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic, Lost Things, Soldiering
Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic, Lost Things, Soldiering
Full entry →Rank: Duke · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Music, The Trumpet, Familiars, Sound
Music, The Trumpet, Familiars, Sound
Music, The Trumpet, Familiars, Sound
Full entry →Rank: Marquis · Tradition: Grimoire, Goetic
Herbs, Stones, Birds, Familiars, Divination
Herbs, Stones, Birds, Familiars, Divination
Herbs, Stones, Birds, Familiars, Divination
Full entry →Rank: Leader Of Watchers · Tradition: Book Of Enoch
Forbidden Knowledge, Leadership, Fall, Giants
Forbidden Knowledge, Leadership, Binding Oaths, Teaching Forbidden Arts
Forbidden Knowledge, Leadership Magic, Binding Oaths, Angelic Rebellion
Full entry →Rank: Leader Of Watchers · Tradition: Book Of Enoch
Warfare, Weapons, Sorcery, Scapegoat
Warfare Knowledge, Weapon Creation, Sorcery, Sin Bearing
Weapon Magic, Sorcery, Warfare Strategy, Cosmetics Magic
Full entry →Rank: Watcher · Tradition: Book Of Enoch
Astrology, Lightning, Stars, Forbidden Knowledge
Astrological Knowledge, Lightning, Star Wisdom, Divination
Astrology, Lightning Magic, Star Magic, Forbidden Divination
Full entry →Rank: Watcher · Tradition: Book Of Enoch
Astrology, Constellations, Signs, Stars
Astrological Knowledge, Constellation Wisdom, Sign Reading, Star Magic
Astrology, Constellation Magic, Sign Interpretation, Star Wisdom
Full entry →Rank: Watcher · Tradition: Book Of Enoch
Moon, Lunar Courses, Forbidden Knowledge
Lunar Knowledge, Moon Magic, Lunar Timing, Forbidden Teaching
Moon Magic, Lunar Timing, Moon Divination, Forbidden Lunar Arts
Full entry →Rank: Watcher · Tradition: Book Of Enoch
Sun, Solar Signs, Forbidden Knowledge
Solar Knowledge, Sun Magic, Solar Timing, Forbidden Solar Arts
Solar Magic, Sun Divination, Solar Timing, Forbidden Solar Wisdom
Full entry →Rank: Watcher · Tradition: Book Of Enoch
Counter Spells, Curse Breaking, Forbidden Knowledge
Counter Magic, Curse Breaking, Enchantment Dissolving, Protective Arts
Counter Spells, Curse Breaking, Protection, Enchantment Removal
Full entry →Depth-psychological archetypes — each with its light aspects and shadows.
Courage, Determination, Self Sacrifice, Growth
Hubris, Recklessness, Savior Complex, Martyrdom
Leaving Comfort Zone For Transformation
Courage, Overcoming Obstacles, Transformation, Victory
The Chariot, Strength, The Sun
Hercules, Perseus, Thor
Full entry →Wisdom, Guidance, Truth, Mentorship
Dogmatism, Manipulation, Ivory Tower, Condescension
Seeking And Sharing Truth
Wisdom, Guidance, Truth Seeking, Teaching
The Hermit, The Hierophant
Odin, Thoth, Merlin
Full entry →Nurturing, Protection, Abundance, Unconditional Love
Smothering, Possessiveness, Manipulation, Martyrdom
Nurturing And Protecting Life
Fertility, Protection, Abundance, Nurturing
The Empress
Demeter, Isis, Gaia
Full entry →Creativity, Humor, Change, Breaking Patterns
Deception, Malice, Chaos, Irresponsibility
Disrupting Order For Transformation
Change, Chaos Magic, Breaking Patterns, Humor
The Fool, The Magician
Loki, Anansi, Coyote
Full entry →Wholeness, Power, Authenticity, Depth
Projection, Denial, Destructiveness, Shame
Integrating Rejected Parts
Shadow Work, Integration, Power Reclamation, Wholeness
The Devil, The Moon
Hades, Kali, Hel
Full entry →Intuition, Emotion, Creativity, Receptivity
Moodiness, Manipulation, Irrationality, Possession
Integrating Feminine Principle
Intuition, Creativity, Emotion, Receptivity
The High Priestess, The Star
Sophia, Psyche
Full entry →Logic, Action, Structure, Assertion
Aggression, Rigidity, Domination, Coldness
Integrating Masculine Principle
Action, Structure, Logic, Assertion
The Emperor, The Magician
Apollo
Full entry →Innocence, Potential, Curiosity, Independence
Naivety, Dependency, Arrested Development
Discovering Self And World
New Beginnings, Potential, Independence, Curiosity
The Fool, Page Of Cups
Artemis, Persephone
Full entry →Nurturing, Creation, Unconditional Love, Protection
Smothering, Martyrdom, Guilt, Manipulation
Nurturing And Sustaining Life
Nurturing, Creation, Protection, Fertility
The Empress, Queen Of Pentacles
Demeter, Isis
Full entry →Wisdom, Truth, Transformation, Liberation
Bitterness, Destructiveness, Clinging, Fear
Wisdom Through Endings
Wisdom, Endings, Transformation, Death Work
Death, The Hermit
Hecate, Kali, Baba Yaga
Full entry →Courage, Discipline, Protection, Justice
Aggression, Ruthlessness, Violence, Cruelty
Defending And Fighting For Values
Courage, Protection, Strength, Justice
Strength, Seven Of Wands
Ares, Sekhmet, Tyr
Full entry →Passion, Connection, Intimacy, Appreciation
Obsession, Jealousy, Dependency, Lust
Connecting Deeply With Life
Love, Passion, Connection, Beauty
The Lovers, Two Of Cups
Aphrodite, Eros
Full entry →Manifestation, Skill, Transformation, Power
Manipulation, Trickery, Illusion, Hubris
Mastering Will And Manifestation
Manifestation, Transformation, Will, Magic
The Magician
Hermes, Thoth, Hecate
Full entry →Purity, Trust, Optimism, Faith
Naivety, Denial, Victim, Dependency
Maintaining Trust In Goodness
Purity, Trust, Faith, Innocence
The Fool, The Star
Resilience, Realism, Independence, Empathy
Victim, Cynicism, Distrust, Abandonment
Finding Belonging And Trust
Resilience, Survival, Independence
Five Of Pentacles
Dionysus, Hephaestus
Full entry →Compassion, Service, Generosity, Nurturing
Martyrdom, Enabling, Self Neglect, Guilt
Serving And Helping Others
Healing, Compassion, Service
Six Of Cups, Queen Of Cups
Quan Yin, Brigid
Full entry →Curiosity, Growth, Truth Seeking, Adventure
Restlessness, Dissatisfaction, Escapism, Perfectionism
Searching For Meaning And Truth
Truth Seeking, Journey, Growth
The Hermit, Eight Of Cups
Odysseus, Buddha
Full entry →Transformation, Clearing, Rebirth, Liberation
Violence, Nihilism, Chaos, Cruelty
Destroying Old For New
Endings, Banishing, Transformation, Clearing
Death, The Tower
Shiva, Kali, Hel
Full entry →Creativity, Expression, Innovation, Vision
Perfectionism, Narcissism, Grandiosity, Self Doubt
Bringing Vision Into Form
Creation, Manifestation, Art, Innovation
The Empress, Ace Of Wands
Brahma, Brigid
Full entry →Leadership, Order, Responsibility, Wisdom
Tyranny, Rigidity, Domination, Manipulation
Creating Order And Leading
Authority, Order, Leadership, Structure
The Emperor, King Of Pentacles
Zeus, Jupiter
Full entry →Freedom, Revolution, Liberation, Authenticity
Destruction, Chaos, Self Sabotage, Criminality
Breaking Chains And Freeing Self
Liberation, Breaking Patterns, Revolution
The Tower, The Devil
Prometheus, Lucifer
Full entry →Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Teaching
Dogmatism, Detachment, Arrogance, Analysis Paralysis
Seeking And Sharing Wisdom
Wisdom, Knowledge, Teaching, Truth
The Hierophant, The Hermit
Athena, Thoth, Saraswati
Full entry →Adventure, Discovery, Freedom, Courage
Aimlessness, Alienation, Self Centeredness, Addiction
Discovering New Territories
Exploration, Discovery, Freedom, Courage
The Fool, Knight Of Wands
Hermes, Artemis
Full entry →Joy, Humor, Playfulness, Perspective
Cruelty, Mockery, Avoidance, Superficiality
Finding Joy And Humor
Joy, Humor, Perspective, Lightness
The Fool
Dionysus
Full entry →Belonging, Equality, Authenticity, Down To Earth
Mediocrity, Loss Of Self, Passive, Cynical
Belonging And Contributing
Belonging, Community, Authenticity
Ten Of Pentacles
Self Mastery, Wholeness, Authority, Wisdom
Tyranny, Isolation, Burden, Rigidity
Ruling Self And Realm
Sovereignty, Self Mastery, Wholeness, Authority
The World, The Emperor
Healing, Compassion, Wholeness, Service
Wounded Healer, Martyrdom, Savior Complex, Burnout
Healing Self And Others
Healing, Transformation, Compassion
Temperance, The Star
Asclepius, Brigid, Quan Yin
Full entry →Wonder, Innocence, Potential, Spontaneity
Immaturity, Dependency, Tantrums, Entitlement
Maintaining Wonder And Potential
Wonder, Potential, Rebirth, Joy
The Sun, Page Of Cups
Horus
Full entry →Guidance, Wisdom, Teaching, Empowerment
Control, Living Through Student, Rigidity, Guru Complex
Guiding And Initiating Others
Guidance, Teaching, Initiation, Wisdom
The Hierophant, The Hermit
Merlin, Athena
Full entry →Adaptability, Transformation, Flexibility, Evolution
Deception, Instability, No Core Self, Manipulation
Adapting And Transforming
Transformation, Adaptability, Shapeshifting, Change
The Moon, Seven Of Cups
Proteus, Loki
Full entry →Protection, Provision, Structure, Guidance
Tyranny, Absence, Rigidity, Control
Taking Responsibility For Others
Protection, Authority, Provision, Structure
The Emperor, The Hierophant
Zeus, Odin, Jupiter
Full entry →Sovereignty, Dignity, Diplomacy, Abundance
Vanity, Rivalry, Coldness, Manipulation
Claiming The Throne Without Losing The Self
Sovereignty, Dignity, Alliance, Abundance
The Empress, Queen Of Wands, Queen Of Cups
Hera, Freyja, Juno
Full entry →Order, Justice, Legacy, Stewardship
Tyranny, Grandiosity, Rigidity, Isolation
Ruling What One Has Built
Sovereignty, Justice, Legacy, Order
The Emperor, King Of Wands, King Of Pentacles
Zeus, Odin, Jupiter
Full entry →Intuition, Receptivity, Threshold Knowledge, Service
Secrecy, Gatekeeping, Dissociation, Spiritual Bypass
Serving The Mystery Without Owning It
Divination, Threshold Work, Devotion, Dream Work
The High Priestess, The Moon
Isis, Hecate, Sophia
Full entry →Ritual Skill, Mediation, Teaching, Integrity
Dogmatism, Hierarchy, Hypocrisy, Control
Holding The Form For Others
Ritual, Blessing, Teaching, Mediation
The Hierophant, The Magician
Thoth, Odin, Hermes
Full entry →Courage, Humility, Learning, Transformation
Impatience, Pretension, Fear Of The Threshold, Premature Claim
Passing Through The Gate And Being Changed
Initiation, Learning, Courage, Transformation
The Fool, The Magician, Judgement
Hermes, Thoth, Hecate
Full entry →Resilience, Self Reliance, Clarity, Rebirth
Bitterness, Victimhood, Homelessness, Revenge
Leaving Or Being Driven Out And Finding A New Ground
Release, Survival, Identity, Return
The Hermit, The Hanged Man, Six Of Swords
Loki, Lilith, Odysseus
Full entry →Complementarity, Loyalty, Self Knowledge, Cooperation
Rivalry, Envy, Codependence, Split Self
Meeting The Self In Another
Reconciliation, Self Knowledge, Partnership, Mirror Work
The Lovers, Two Of Cups, Six Of Cups
Apollo, Artemis, Hermes
Full entry →Empathy, Healing, Humility, Service
Martyrdom, Rescue, Projection, Burnout
Healing Through The Wound Rather Than Despite It
Healing, Empathy, Service, Shadow Work
The Star, Temperance, The Hanged Man
Asclepius, Brigid, Chiron
Full entry →6 collections, 803 entries. Every one of them is in the index, where each entry has its own page and shows what it points at and what points back at it.