The rise of the constellation Aquarius indicates the beginning of the planting/harvest cycle coinciding as it did with the annual flooding of the Nile in ancient Egypt. This association with Spring is borne out in our time by our celebration of Groundhog Day. Aquarius is a time of awakening from the hibernation of Capricorn: A time when we look around us to see how we can bring our lives into better alignment with the future goals of humanity. Aquarius is an Air sign and therefore has yang or masculine energy.

The monthly installment of The Great Astrological Light Bulb Joke:

Q. How many Aquarians does it take to change a light bulb?

A. Well, you have to remember that everything is energy, so....

Note: I have no idea who originally wrote this. Erika sent it to me years ago and I still think it’s as funny as it is insightful!
 

Inga's Celebration Calendar

January 19th The Sun enters the 30 degree portion of the space-time continuum we know as Aquarius.

January 25^th is a full moon in Leo: To learn more about actively using the Moon's energy in your life, see The Moon Through the Signs and Moon Phases. These guides are located in our Library.

February 2^nd is Groundhog Day and Candlemas:

If Candlemas day be fair and bright,
Winter will have another flight
If Candlemas day be clouds and rain,
Winter is gone, and will not come again.

-- E. Holden

February 2nd is Groundhog Day, a Canadian and American tradition. The groundhog, or woodchuck, comes out of his hole after winter hibernation to look for his shadow. If he sees it, there will be six more weeks of bad weather. If he cannot see his shadow because of clouds, Spring is coming. He is supposed to go back into hibernation if more winter is ahead and stay above ground if Spring is near. Unfortunately, statistical evidence does not support this tradition. Did you see the movie "Groundhog Day" with Bill Murray? Well, here are Punxutawney Phil's official websites:

http://www.punxsutawneyphil.com/

www.groundhog.org

February 4th is the First Friday of the month and the Dunthor Open House!: Click here to see details below.

February 8^th is a New Moon: To learn more about actively using the Moon's energy in your life, see The Moon Through the Signs and Moon Phases. These guides are located in our Library.

February 9^th is the Chinese New Year and Ash Wednesday: The year of the Rooster.

February 14^th is St Valentines Day: This is another instance of the Christian church adding a new overlay of meaning to an existing holiday. The 14th of February was Rome's feast of Juno, Goddess of Marriage and the Queen of the Gods. This was the day when marriages and betrothals were performed. The 15th of February was the Roman holiday of Lupercalia. Lupercal refers to the cave in which the she-wolf suckled Romulus and Remus, the future founders of Rome. It was at the Lupercalia in 44 BC when Mark Antony, dressed as a reveler, approached Julius Caesar with the Laurel wreath of kingship. Julius Caesar rejected the offer at that time.

During the reign of Claudius II, a series of unpopular military campaigns were underway. "Claudius the Cruel" was having difficulty finding motivated soldiers and blamed this on his fellow Roman's love of home and married life. So, he outlawed marriage. Saints Valentine & Marius went about the communities marrying couples in secret and were apprehended and martyred as a result. Saint Valentine became the patron saint of those who love under duress.

February 18^th The Sun Enters Pisces

Stone of the Sign - Pietersite

This pendant is made with sterling silver wire wrapped around the most beautiful pietersite freeform cab I have seen in a while. Pietersite is about change. According to tradition, it resonates with Aquarius. Aquarius can elevate us above personal interest to impersonal ideal. The swirling colors and natural chatoyancy represent the power to change one’s life. Silver is a conductor of energy and is said to aid in communication because it improves the transmission of nerve impulses. According to tradition, it is a good metal for healing purposes because it is in tune with the body. Silver can reduce anxiety and help you to relax when solving problems. It is believed to help conduct the energy of stones into your body and auric field.

On sale this month for 65.00 USD.

Click here to see this item and more in my Jewelry Catalog.

To learn more about how to use Gemstones in your daily life, see "What Gemstones Should I Wear?" guide in our Library.
 

Inga's Space

Well, it happened. When Mom and Freddy the cat were here for Christmas, Freya accepted Mom as a pack member. Mom can now pet Freya with no grumbling from Her Blackness whatsoever. Here is a picture of Mom and Freya at Tiger Mountain in Newcastle and one of Freddy on the couch.

We have been watching A Complete History of Britain by Simon Schama, a Professor at Columbia who specializes in European cultural and environmental history and the history of art. There are 15 episodes:

This series brilliantly covers Roman Britain, the Norman Conquest, the struggles of the Henrys and Richards, Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots, the Scottish rebellions and the English Civil Wars, the American Revolution, the growth of the British Empire, Queen Victoria, the Industrial Age, and Winston Churchill. I highly recommend these and you can rent them from Netflix. Here is a review from the New Republic. -- Inga Duncan Thornell >^..^<

Letters from our Readers

We think of this newsletter as a community forum. You, our friends and clients, are welcome to participate. We celebrate diversity and we'll print whatever you send in be it Wiccan, Christian, Pagan, New Age, etc., as long as it reflects Love. You may choose a one-time holiday to write about or have a regular column. We'll give you space and a byline! Please send in your own book reviews, ideas for rituals, ideas about stones, your journal excerpts, your experiences and most of all, ask us questions. We love answering questions!

What’s up people? In the last two months, I have received nothing but quotes! Here they are…

"Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much." --Oscar Wilde

"The game of life is the game of boomerangs. Our thoughts, deeds, and words return to us sooner or later with astounding accuracy." --Florence Shinn (author of The Game of Life)

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves and wiser people are so full of doubts." -- Bertrand Russell

"Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric." -- Bertrand Russell

"Everything is vague to a degree you do not realize till you have tried to make it precise." -- Bertrand Russell

"I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong." -- Bertrand Russell

For more quotes from Bertrand Russell, 1872 - 1970, an English author, mathematician, & philosopher, click here to visit "The Quotations Page".

The Monthly Dunthor Open House

Please come join in the community that has been created over the years with the friends we've made through Inga's Earth Magic. You'll find insight, sharing, healing and fellowship and you are most welcome. 

• When: The 1st Friday of every month. Please join us for dinner. We start eating around 7 PM. Or join us for dessert later on!
• Where: Our place (click on LIBRARY in the navigation bar at the top of the screen and then MAP ROOM for directions)
• What to bring: Just your enthusiasm and love! There's a big pot of pasta on the stove, salad, bread and plenty of microbrews and red wine. If you have specific preferences, please bring whatever you'd like.
• How long: Until the good conversation ends! If you'd like, you can spend the night on one of the couches with the kitties or bring your sleeping bag and mat and camp out on the floor of Inga's office.
• RSVP: Just let us know in advance via e-mail or phone if you are coming and if you are bringing guests so we don't run out of food or beer!

The Duncan Domain

My recent energies have been diverted into completing the trip journal for my 2004 motorcycle ride to Crater Lake, Lassen Volcanic and Yosemite National Parks in Oregon and California with friends and brothers. I figured I better get that trip wrapped up before the ride to Alaska comes up in June of 2005. I do enjoy telling stories and wrapping them around the pictures. A dear friend of mine paints pictures to express her creativity and it just dawned on me that my personal website work is how I express mine. Click here to take a look. Yeah, I know, I'm a bit slow at times to catch on but I do eventually get there in the end. I'm definitely more tortoise than hare. – Scott Bruce Duncan */:-)

New and Updated Pages on our Website

E-Commerce stuff!

Click on this link to visit the Amazon home page. If you buy a product through this link, Amazon will pay Inga's Earth Magic a referral fee that we'll use to help offset the cost of our web page. Thanks in advance!
 

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