Eugene The Eclectic Wiccan's blog: "Valentines Day"

The following is a fairly good ritual for the Upcomiong Full Moon which falls this year on March 3rd (3-3). Although there are many who would argue with me, I would in the STRONGEST terms caution against using this or anybody's else's ritual verbatim. You have to make it your own. The imagry and symbolism must be something that creates an emotional response in you. Hey, what can I say,,, I am eclectic - LOL Blessings, Eugene March Full Moon Ritual Moon of the Wind Setup Items needed for this ritual include: A besom broom or a bundle of twigs, straw or heather; Six gemstones or crystals to use in place of candles for the altar. One in each color for directions/elements according to your tradition. Two white quartz or purple amethyst for the Goddess and God. Background March is a time to make ready for spring. Waters run freely from snowmelt, and bright yellow daffodils beckon the sun’s warmth. Nights are still tinged with frost, but it is time to begin preparations for spring; time to clear away winter’s rubble from the garden and from your life, both physical and spiritual. The ash, which is a tree for part of this month, is one of the traditional materials for a besom broom along with birch and willow. Besoms are used frequently in fertility rituals and handfasting ceremonies. Associated with the element water, they not only sweep physical dirt from an area that is to be made sacred, but also psychic dirt and negative energy. Alder, the other tree of March, provides strength and courage to clear away things from your life and to start fresh. In this time of clearing away and making ready for spring, use your besom to symbolically remove negativity from your life. Action begins with intention: tonight send the intention to clear out anything that may be holding you back or preventing you from growing in some way. The Ritual With your broom touching the floor, walk around the perimeter of your circle while saying: In the earth life is stirring, Winter’s gone, now awake, To the rhythm of the quickening, Bring life forth and magic make. When you return to where you started, say: By the magic of this besom, sacred is this space decreed. After speaking, place the gemstone or crystal on the altar for each respective direction and deity. Spirits of Earth, I beckon ye from the North. You have sustained me through the winter. I now ask that you help me stretch and grow. Join me under Luna’s watchful gaze. Spirits of Air, I beckon ye from the East. With your mighty winds of March I ask that you blow away the staleness of winter. Join me under Luna’s watchful gaze. Spirits of Fire, I beckon ye from the South. Purify my heart and life as I clear away the remnants of winter. Join me under Luna’s watchful gaze. Spirits of Water, I beckon ye from the West. Bathe me in your cleansing streams as I prepare for the months ahead. Join me under Luna’s watchful gaze. I beckon ye Dagda, Great Lord of All. As spring gains a firm foothold I ask that you help me prepare my path ahead through the coming months. Join me under Luna’s watchful gaze. I beckon ye Dana, Great Lady of All. As the warmth of spring approaches I ask that you help me open my heart to receive your guidance. Join me under Luna’s watchful gaze. Hold your broom in front of you with both hands, handle pointing up. Raise it so your hands are at chest level and the brush is resting gently on the floor. Close your eyes and draw earth energy up through your body and through the broom. Feel it come up through your spine to your heart center and through the besom, along your arms to your heart. Feel this strong connection of your energy, Mother Earth’s energy, and the spirit of the besom. Feel this combine into one smooth flow. Give thought to what you need to remove and clear away from your life. Spring is almost here and it is time to make ready for new spiritual growth. Just as you clear a garden for the new season, so too must you clear you soul and psyche. When you have fixed your mind on the things that need removal, open your eyes. Move to the center of your circle and raise the besom above the altar. Walk around the altar with your broom raised above it. When you get back to where you started, draw your besom up, over your head in an arch and down to the floor. Sweep along the floor from the center and out to the edge of your circle. With each motion visualize that you are casting out the things you want to remove from your life. Once you reach the edge of the circle begin sweeping around the perimeter as you chant: Besom broom of power and light, Cast out darkness; set to flight Things unwanted that hinder me, This is my will; so mote it be. When it feels appropriate, bring the chant and movement to a halt. Use your usual method for grounding energy. Face each direction, respectively, while speaking. Face the altar for the Goddess and God. The stones or crystals placed on the altar can remain there. Dana, Great Lady of All, thank you for your guidance in removing that which is unwanted and unneeded from my life. Thank you for your presence in my circle this night. Stay if you will; go if you must. I bid thee farewell. Dagda, Great Lord of All, thank you for your help in sweeping away negative energy from my life. Thank you for your presence in my circle this night. Stay if you will; go if you must. I bid thee farewell. Spirits of West, of Water, thank you for washing away that which is unneeded in my life. Thank you for your presence in my circle this night. Stay if you will; go if you must. I bid thee farewell. Spirits of South, of Fire, thank you for burning away that which is unwanted in my life. Thank you for your presence in my circle this night. Stay if you will; go if you must. I bid thee farewell. Spirits of East, of Air, thank you for blowing away that which is unneeded in my life. Thank you for your presence in my circle this night. Stay if you will; go if you must. I bid thee farewell. Spirits of North, of Earth, thank you for removing that which is unwanted in my life. Thank you for your presence in my circle this night. Stay if you will; go if you must. I bid thee farewell. Star light; star bright It is time to take flight. Besom sturdy held upright, Off I go through dark of night. Blessed be. Copyright - A Year of Ritual Llewellyn - Sandra Kynes Found Online at http://www.kynes.net/ritual/ritual-mar.htm

Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day -- and its patron saint -- is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men -- his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured. According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl -- who may have been his jailor's daughter -- who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France. While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial -- which probably occurred around 270 A.D -- others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus. To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at the sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would then sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification. The boys then sliced the goat's hide into strips, dipped them in the sacrificial blood and took to the streets, gently slapping both women and fields of crops with the goathide strips. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed being touched with the hides because it was believed the strips would make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city's bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage. Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D. The Roman 'lottery' system for romantic pairing was deemed un-Christian and outlawed. Later, during the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February -- Valentine's Day -- should be a day for romance. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting, which was written in 1415, is part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England. Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois. In Great Britain, Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. By the end of the century, printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine's Day greetings. Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in America. According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.) Approximately 85 percent of all valentines are purchased by women. In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia. Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages (written Valentine's didn't begin to appear until after 1400), and the oldest known Valentine card is on display at the British Museum. The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap". FOUND at http://www.history.com/

Did You Know? There are many opinons as to who was the original Valentine, with the most popular theory that it was a clergyman who was executed for secretly marrying couples in ancient Rome. In any event, in 496 A.D., Pope Gelasius set aside February 14 to honor St. Valentine. Through the centuries, the Christian holiday became a time to exchange love messages and St. Valentine became a patron saint of lovers. In the 1840s, Esther Howland, a native of Massachusetts, is given credit for sending the first Valentine cards. The spirit of love continues as valentines are sent with sentimental verses and children exchange valentine cards at school. Looking for Love - 188 million Valentine's Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine's Day the second-most popular greeting-card-giving occasion. (This total excludes packaged kids valentines for classroom exchanges.) (Source: Hallmark research) - Over 50 percent of all Valentine's Day cards are purchased in the six days prior to the observance, making Valentine's Day a procrastinator's delight. (Source: Hallmark research) - Research reveals that more than half of the U.S. population celebrates Valentine's Day by purchasing a greeting card. (Source: Hallmark research) - There are 119 single men (i.e., never married, widowed or divorced) who are in their 20s for every 100 single women of the same ages. Corresponding numbers for the following race and ethnic groups are: Hispanics: 153 men per 100 women Asians (single race): 132 men per 100 women (This ratio is not significantly different from that for Hispanics or non-Hispanic whites.) Non-Hispanic whites (single race): 120 men per 100 women Blacks (single race): 92 men per 100 women (The numbers of black men and women in this age group are not significantly different from one another.) - There are 34 single men (i.e., never married, widowed or divorced) age 65 or older for every 100 single women of the same ages. Corresponding numbers for the following race and ethnic groups are: Hispanics: 38 men per 100 women Non-Hispanic whites (single race): 33 men per 100 women Blacks (single race): 33 men per 100 women Asians (single race): 28 men per 100 women (Note: None of the ratios for the individual groups differ significantly from one another nor from the ratio for all people age 65 or older.) - 904: The number of dating service establishments nationwide as of 2002. These establishments, which include Internet dating services, employed nearly 4,300 people and pulled in $489 million in revenues. Be Mine - 2.2 million marriages take place in the United States annually. That breaks down to more than 6,000 a day. - 147,300 marriages are performed in Nevada during 2005. So many couples "tie the knot" in the Silver State that it ranked fourth nationally in marriages, even though it's total population that year among states was 35th. - The estimated U.S. median ages at first marriage for women and men are 25.3 and 27.1 respectively, in 2005. The age for women rose 4.2 years in the last three decades. The age for men at first marriage is up 3.6 years. - Men and women in northeastern states generally have a higher median age at first marriage than the national average. In Massachusetts, for example, women were a median of 27.4 years old and men 29.1 years of age at first marriage. States where people typically marry young include Utah, where women were a median of 21.9 years and men, 23.9 years. - 57% and 60% of American women and men, respectively, are 15 or older and currently married (includes those who are separated). - 72%: The percentage of men and women ages 30 to 34 in 2005 who had been married at some point in their lives - either currently or formerly. - 4.9 million opposite-sex cohabitating couples maintained households in 2005. These couples comprised 4.3 percent of all households. Candy is Dandy! - 1,241: The number of locations producing chocolate and cocoa products in 2004. These establishments employed 43,322 people. California led the nation in the number of such establishments with 136, followed by Pennsylvania with 122. (Source:http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/cbptotal.html) - 515 locations produced nonchocolate confectionary products in 2004. These establishments employed 22,234 people. - The total value of shipments in 2004 for firms producing chocolate and cocoa products was $13.9 billion. Nonchocolate confectionery product manufacturing, meanwhile, was a $5.7 billion industry. - 3,467 Number of confectionery and nut stores in the United States in 2004. Often referred to as candy stores, they are among the best sources of sweets for Valentine's Day. - The per capita consumption of candy by Americans in 2005 was 25.7 pounds. Candy consumption has actually declined over the last few years; in 1997, each American gobbled or savored more than 27 pounds of candy a year. Flowers - The combined wholesale value of domestically produced cut flowers in 2005 for all flower-producing operations with $100,000 or more in sales was $397 million. Among states, California was the leading producer, alone accounting for nearly three-quarters of this amount ($289 million). - The combined wholesale value of domestically produced cut roses in 2005 for all operations with $100,000 or more in sales was $39 million. Among all types of cut flowers, roses were third in receipts ($39 million)to lilies ($76.9 million) and tulips ($39.1 million). - There were 21,667 florists nationwide in 2004. These businesses employed 109,915 people. Jewelry - There were 28,772 jewelry stores in the United States in 2004. Jewelry stores offer engagement, wedding and other rings to lovers of all ages. In February 2006, these stores sold $2.6 billion worth of merchandise. (This figure has not been adjusted for seasonal variation, holiday or trading day differences or price changes). The merchandise at these locations could well have been produced at one of the nation's 1,864 jewelry manufacturing establishments. The manufacture of jewelry was an $9 billion industry in 2004. Found at http://www.history.com