Liber ab Anima (The Book of Soul)^205
upon by Venus and which celebrates not only romantic love, but also the passion that a
bit of wine often inspires.
In modern day Wicca, this is manifested in our liberal views on human sexuality.
Sex is pleasure and pleasure is good. Remember, it is that drive for sex that has pre-
served the human race during its exodus from Africa, making it possible for originally
dark-skinned people to move north into parts of the world with less ultraviolet radia-
tion. It was sexual selection, the lust that causes folk to select their mates, that changed
the dark skin that protects from ultraviolet radiation into light skin that in northern
areas protects from the degenerative results of rickets.The Wiccan Soul Screams for Family and Community
The second day of every Greek month is sacred to Agathos Daimon (Agathadaimon
in Egypt), or ‘Good Spirit.’ Monthly offerings included flowers, rice pudding, honey,
butter, and the sweet things in life in conjunction with the more personal celebration of
individual ancestry. On Boedromion 5, the Genesia was celebrated much the same
way, but in grander annual style. The practice of honoring these ancestors and Agathos
Daimon are said to bring good luck and fortune, indicating the ancient Greeks saw a
clear connection between personal prosperity and the family structure, and that a great
portion of one’s wealth can be found in one’s ancestors. Additional Greek celebrations
of community are found in the Synoikia on Hekatombaion 15 and 16, and the
Metageitnia on Metageitnion 7. On this the Romans were in great agreement, cel-
ebrating community at the Campitalia, one of the first festivals of Januarius and the
Fornacalia from Februarius 5 to 7, which honors local community.
The last day of the Greek month, the dark moon, is sacred to Hecate. The last
three days are sacred to the deities of the Underworld, where our departed ancestors
are. When we consider the connection between the prosperity of humanity and the
riches found in the Earth, we see clearly why the ancient Greeks marked the beginning
and ending of each of their months with celebrations of our departed loved ones. Their
soul screamed for family so loudly that their actions insured that even departed mem-
bers of the family are heard.
On this, too, the Romans were in great agreement as demonstrated with the
Parentalia from Februarius 13 to 21 and the Quirinalia on Februarius 17. If not for
community, could we have migrated all this way?The Wiccan Soul Screams for Life, Mirth, and Revelry
Even if we set aside the fact that each and every Wiccan ritual incorporated nu-
merous symbolic Great Rites to mark the very nature of our religion as one which
praises life, we see the Festival of Anna Perenna on Martius 15 at which one is chal-
lenged to drink a glass of wine equal to the number of years one hopes to live.s WB Chap 11.p65 205 7/11/2003, 5:55 PM