Image Via NASA: NASA/Scientific Visualization Studio/Michala Garrison; Eclipse Calculations By Ernie Wright, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
So, we hear there’s a total eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024. You might have heard something about it already. Well, we would be remiss not to chime in on safety.
The path of totality refers to complete darkness as the moon aligns with the sun and the shadow turns day into night for a short time. The width of the shadow is about 150 miles. The total duration of the totality will be somewhere between 3 and four minutes depending on the location.
The moon’s shadow will cut a swath from central Mexico through the central SUA and into the Canadian Maritimes, hence the name the Great North American Eclipse of 2024.
The ever-amazing Witch and astrophysicist Dr. Debra Burris who recently authored Weather Magick (coincidentally available in paperback on April 8) told The Wild Hunt, “I would like to encourage people not to try to photograph the eclipse or video it with their phone just experience it. Just be there. Don’t look at it through a lens. Look up. Soak it up.”
Looking at an eclipse with the naked eye, but especially with a lens augmenting the sunlight, can be dangerous to your eyesight.
NASA underscored the point:
It is never safe to look directly at a partially or uneclipsed Sun without proper eye protection. Only during the brief moments of totality during a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely covers the Sun, can you look directly at a solar eclipse without eye protection.
NASA suggests finding groups with experience and special telescopes with protective lenses. They also note that solar viewers are needed to view the eclipse directly: ” Safe solar viewers are thousands of times darker and ought to comply with the ISO 12312-2 international standard. NASA-affiliated eclipse events are available here.
TWH will be sharing some eclipse magick insights on Monday.
The Planet Mercury via NASA
One more celestial reminder: Mercury entered retrograde on April 1, 2024, in the sign of Aries. Astrologically, Mercury is associated with communication, technology, travel, and intellect. When Mercury is retrograde, it’s believed that these areas of life may be influenced in various ways. Astrologers tell us that during Mercury retrograde periods, there can be misunderstandings, communication breakdowns, delays, technological glitches, and other disruptions. As a result, many individuals choose to be more cautious in their communication, travel plans, and decision-making during a mercury retrograde event.
Congratulations to the Aquarian Tabernacle Church of Wicca (ATC) on another successful Spring Mysteries Festival. By all accounts, it was legendary!
Congratulations to the Sacred Space Conference! We heard it was an amazing event!
Several members of the Wild Hunt team were able to make it to Sacred Space.
“Goodness, it was a wonderful event!” said Sheri Barker, a TWH columnist. She connected with Clio Ajan, another TWH columnist, “I have enjoyed reading Clio’s work on The Wild Hunt for a long time, but it was an absolute thrill to listen to her speak at the Sacred Space Conference this year. I attended her lecture, ‘Exploring the Juxtaposition of the Arranged Marriage of Death Midwifery and Prison Ministry/Chaplaincy in 2024.’ ”
She added, “Clio is a knowledgeable, passionate speaker who engaged with her audience in such a way that there was more conversation than lecturing happening. I was delighted to catch sight of her powerful humanitarian spirit in person.”
Sheri Barker & Clio Ajana [Photo courtesy of Sheri Barker]
Nathan Hall, a columnist here at The Wild Hunt and author of Path of the Moonlit Hedge: Discovering the Magick of Animistic Witchcraft said “This year’s Sacred Space conference was a great experience, as always. That they were able to pull off such an event with an unexpected venue change and make it feel seamless from the attendee-side speaks to the solid nature of the board and volunteers.”
Barker also said that she was able to meet with Gail Wood, author, teacher, HPS/Elder and Tarotist. Among Wood’s books is The Shamanic Witch: Spiritual Practice Rooted in the Earth and Other Realms.
Sheri Barker & Gail Wood [Photo courtesy of Sheri Barker
“Still road-weary from traveling, I was settling in for my first-ever lecture at Sacred Space, Irene Glasse’s “Deities, Discernment, and Managing Messages.” I was people-watching the crowd before Irene started speaking, and I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw my old friend, Gail Wood, seated across the room,” Barker said. “I had not seen Gail since 2009! What a joy to be able to hug my dear friend, and spend time together throughout the conference. Peopling does not come easy to me, and while I went to the conference for the academic experience, making new friendships and celebrating treasured ones was an unexpected bonus.”
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Announcements
Drew MacEwan is a Heathen artist who shared this with The Wild Hunt, ” This document is a set of printable master pages for you to use to build your own grimoire or book of shadows. Print as many as you need of each sheet and keep them in a binder for ease of organization. The main pages note the time, date, and conditions as well as participants and intent. Also included are pages to detail your working and altar set up. Additionally, there are correspondence pages so you can start creating your magical reference library.” The document is a free offering and something that might be helpful to offer in a training circle.
Upcoming Events
The Monthly EBSAT meeting: Monday, April 8th at 8:00 PM Eastern Time (7 PM Central Time / 6 PM/Mountain Time / 5 PM Pacific) and last 30 minutes
IshtarFest is back: June 1 & 2, 2024!
TWH received word that “We are continuing Ishtarfest as an international virtual conference.” This year’s theme is “Passion & Strength: Sheroes & Heroes.” The content of this festival is Sumerian/Mesopotamian-based so that we can immerse ourselves and learn about our pagan roots in the fertile crescent. You do not have to be a practitioner of Mesopotamian/Sumerian Reconstructionism, though you will meet some at this festival for sure. The festival is open to all who wish to learn more about religious practices, myths, and beliefs 5000 years ago.
The organizers wrote: ” We have so many new presentations for you. There are opportunities for additional presentations.
Interested? Please submit a proposal.
This is Inanna and the gods of Mesopotamia; their passions run deep. In addition to traditional spirituality, feel free to explore deeper aspects of sexuality and body-positive empowerment. No nudity, but otherwise, let your imagination wander.
We encourage you and/or your group to write a class, a ritual, a cooking demonstration, perform music, or present any themed spiritual offering surrounding Sumerian mythology and culture.”
This is a virtual festival visit their website for additional information.
Circle Sanctuary’s Pagan Spirit Gathering (PSG) is one of America’s oldest and largest Nature Spirituality festivals. Since 1980, PSG has been bringing together Pagans of many paths and places to create community, celebrate the summer solstice, and commune with nature in a sacred environment.
Registration is now open for the 2024 Pagan Spirit Gathering, a national weeklong celebration of Summer Solstice, being held June 16-23 in south central Missouri, USA. This year’s theme is Resonating Radiance.
Pagan Spirit Gathering, also known as PSG, brings together Pagans of many paths and places to create and live in a magickal village community. The Gathering includes rituals, workshops, concerts, merchanting, bonfires, drumming, candlelight labyrinth, Pagan Leadership Institute, life passages programs, and other activities. Learn more & register
The Delmarva Pagan Pride Festival will be offered June 30th, 2024 rain or shine at the Dover, DE outdoor Legislative Mall. This incredible day of classes, music, ritual, and shopping is offered to the community at no cost but we do encourage bringing a canned good donation for the local food bank which can be dropped off at the information desk. Please see our Facebook page for guest announcements and schedule releases. All are welcome, hope to see you there!
The Mystic South Conference announced that the sixth annual event will take place July 26-28, 2024! Mystic South is filled with workshops, educational abstract presentations, rituals, community building, and much more. With the backdrop of the grand city of Atlanta, be a part of our celebration of the diversity of the peoples and religious practices, both past and present, that make up the Southern US region.
The conference also announced that their tickets are on sale. Get your tickets now and, get some for your friends, your neighbors, or just some random person you met on the street!
Tarot of the Week by Star Bustamonte
Deck: Medieval Mischief Tarot, by Riccardo Gil Ferraro, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
Card: Major arcana XVIII (18), The Moon
The next seven days it might be pertinent to wait until all the facts are in before making decisions or rendering judgment on matters at hand. Unresolved issues and fears from the past have the ability to unduly influence reactions, rather than taking a measured and metered approach in response.
Conversely, past illusions have the potential to be exposed or revealed, provided that anxieties and fears have been addressed. There is also likely to be a focus on listening to your intuition and trusting your gut feelings regardless of what is being said by others.
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