Days of the Week

Why are 7 days in a week?

The seven-day week had its origin in the Babylonian ancient civilization. 

The culture of those who lived in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) was one of the world’s most prominent around 1,000 and 2,000 BC before Greece and Rome dominion. 

As outstanding astronomers, Babylonians came up with a calendar intended to predict the movement of the moon as well as its transition between each phase: full, waning half, new and waxing half. 

Whereas Earth and Sun help us identify days and years, the whole moon cycle sheds light on months. 
That is because it takes approximately 28 days (plus 1 or 2-day arrangement) for the moon to go through the 4 phases. 
And how long each of them take? 

Yes: 7 days.

Furthermore, the number 7 had been tied down to a certain mysticism. 

As you already know, astronomy and astrology were considered enthusiastic fields of study by Babylonians. 
They then resorted to a sort of horoscope to assign each of the 7 days to the 7 planets visible to the naked eye:

The Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn.

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF THE SEVEN-DAY NAMES?

Following Ancient Mesopotamia example, both Greeks and Romans named the days of the week according to their Pagan gods.

The prominence of deep-rooted religious beliefs made these people believe that gods ruled the destiny of us mortals. 

In this sense, assigning days to their names was envisioned as a noble tribute in the hope of ensuring an immaculate life journey.

Those gods corresponded to the classical planets (Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn) detected by night-time sky differences, plus the Moon and the Sun (which were rated pagan gods).

The Naming of the Days

The Greeks named the days week after the sun, the moon and the five known planets, which were in turn named after the gods Ares, Hermes, Zeus, Aphrodite, and Cronus. 
The Greeks called the days of the week the Theon hemerai "days of the Gods". 
The Romans substituted their equivalent gods for the Greek gods, Mars, Mercury, Jove (Jupiter), Venus, and Saturn. (The two pantheons are very similar.) The Germanic peoples generally substituted roughly similar gods for the Roman gods, Tiu (Twia), Woden, Thor, Freya (Fria), but did not substitute Saturn.

Sunday -- Sun's day

Middle English sone(n)day or sun(nen)day
Old English sunnandæg "day of the sun"
Germanic sunnon-dagaz "day of the sun"
Latin dies solis "day of the sun"
Ancient Greek hemera heli(o)u, "day of the sun"

Monday -- Moon's day

Middle English monday or mone(n)day
Old English mon(an)dæg "day of the moon"
Latin dies lunae "day of the moon"
Ancient Greek hemera selenes "day of the moon"

Tuesday -- Tiu's day

Middle English tiwesday or tewesday
Old English tiwesdæg "Tiw's (Tiu's) day"
Latin dies Martis "day of Mars"
Ancient Greek hemera Areos "day of Ares"

Tiu (Twia) is the English/Germanic god of war and the sky. He is identified with the Norse god Tyr.

Mars is the Roman god of war.

Ares is the Greek god of war.

Wednesday -- Woden's day

Middle English wodnesday, wednesday, or wednesdai
Old English wodnesdæg "Woden's day"
Latin dies Mercurii "day of Mercury"
Ancient Greek hemera Hermu "day of Hermes"

Woden is the chief Anglo-Saxon/Teutonic god. Woden is the leader of the Wild Hunt. Woden is from wod "violently insane" + -en "headship". He is identified with the Norse Odin.

Mercury is the Roman god of commerce, travel, theivery, eloquence and science. He is the messenger of the other gods.

Hermes is the Greek god of commerce, invention, cunning, and theft. He is the messenger and herald of the other gods. He serves as patron of travelers and rogues, and as the conductor of the dead to Hades.

Thursday -- Thor's day

Middle English thur(e)sday
Old English thursdæg
Old Norse thorsdagr "Thor's day"
Old English thunresdæg "thunder's day"
Latin dies Jovis "day of Jupiter"
Ancient Greek hemera Dios "day of Zeus".

Thor is the Norse god of thunder. He is represented as riding a chariot drawn by goats and wielding the hammer Miölnir. He is the defender of the Aesir, destined to kill and be killed by the Midgard Serpent.

Jupiter (Jove) is the supreme Roman god and patron of the Roman state. He is noted for creating thunder and lightning.

Zeus is Greek god of the heavens and the supreme Greek god.

Friday -- Freya's day

Middle English fridai
Old English frigedæg "Freya's day"
composed of Frige (genetive singular of Freo) + dæg "day" (most likely)
or composed of Frig "Frigg" + dæg "day" (least likely)
Germanic frije-dagaz "Freya's (or Frigg's) day"
Latin dies Veneris "Venus's day"
Ancient Greek hemera Aphrodites "day of Aphrodite"

Freo is identical with freo, meaning free. It is from the Germanic frijaz meaning "beloved, belonging to the loved ones, not in bondage, free".

Freya (Fria) is the Teutonic goddess of love, beauty, and fecundity (prolific procreation). She is identified with the Norse god Freya. She is leader of the Valkyries and one of the Vanir. She is confused in Germany with Frigg.

Frigg (Frigga) is the Teutonic goddess of clouds, the sky, and conjugal (married) love. She is identified with Frigg, the Norse goddess of love and the heavens and the wife of Odin. She is one of the Aesir. She is confused in Germany with Freya.

Venus is the Roman goddess of love and beauty.

Aphrodite (Cytherea) is the Greek goddess of love and beauty.

Saturday -- Saturn's day

Middle English saterday
Old English sæter(nes)dæg "Saturn's day"
Latin dies Saturni "day of Saturn"
Ancient Greek hemera Khronu "day of Cronus"

Saturn is the Roman and Italic god of agriculture and the consort of Ops. He is believed to have ruled the earth during an age of happiness and virtue.

Cronus (Kronos, Cronos) is the Greek god (Titan) who ruled the universe until dethroned by his son Zeus.

Happy Friday

 

It’s a New Moon

Saying “NO”

How hard can it be? 

It's only a two letter word, yet it is so uncomfortable for some people.

The word is NO and it seems so difficult to say, but it's really important to learn, if you want self respect and freedom.

Saying no is a basic human right.

People seem to wait until it's too late to avoid the discomfort of saying no.

If you make yourself clear ahead of time, letting it be known for instance, you don't go out weeknights, you aren't available to baby sit on weekends, you don't loan money...etc...there won't be as many situations to make you feel stressed, guilty or fearful. 

The other issue that we see, is this unnecessary need to explain yourself.

Instead of just saying a definite "No,"people try to explain the "No" and that just makes everything worse.

When you are busy explaining yourself, you personify uneasiness and you look like you're desperate, looking for any nod of approval, rambling on with unnecessary half apologies.

Saying "No" means sometimes people are going to be disappointed and upset with you. 

Honestly, that’s their problem.

But it’s ok, allow them the right to be upset and allow yourself the right to say no, instead of making promises you don't really want to make.

All this saying “no” business may be uncomfortable and you may even feel guilty, perhaps that's why people give in as soon as they feel uncomfortable guilt.

Allowing the uncomfortable to weaken you sends unsteady and unstable messages to everyone, including yourself.   

So, feel the guilt, be uncomfortable, experience it. 

You'll discover that the more you do it the easier it gets, and when you do say yes, the yes carries a lot more meaning.

Suggestions for Saying No.

Be direct, “no, I can’t” or “no, I don’t want to.”

Don’t apologize or feel you need to explain yourself.

Don’t lie. Lying will make you feel guilty—and you don't want to feel guilty.

Remember that it is better to say no now than to resent it later.

Have good manners,“Thanks for asking.”

Don’t tell people “You'll think about it” if you don’t want to do it. 

Remember that your self-worth does not depend on others.

We don't have to be all things to all people.

So, there it is.

If you are struggling with this issue, hope this post was helpful.

Besides, saying “NO” is a great protection spell.