This Week in Magick: 2/2 - 2/8

✨ THIS WEEK IN MAGICK ✨

Feb 2nd - Feb 8th, 2026

The Snow Moon in Leo peaked Saturday night, but this week rides the waning fire. The moon moves from Waning Gibbous toward Last Quarter (February 9), releasing what the Full Moon illuminated. This is disseminating energy. Integration. Distribution. Taking what you saw under the full moon and breaking it down for others to use.

But the week's real power is threshold work. We're standing in the doorway between winter and spring across three ancient calendars.

JAPAN THROWS BEANS AT DEMONS

February 3rd is Setsubun, the night before Risshun (the first day of spring in the traditional Japanese lunar calendar). This isn't a cute folk tradition. It's an exorcism. Families throw roasted soybeans at demons (oni) while shouting "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" ("Demons out! Luck in!"). The beans symbolically blind the demons and drive misfortune from the home.

After the bean throwing, you eat one bean for every year of your age (plus one extra for luck). Some families hang roasted sardine heads on holly branches outside their doors because demons hate the smell and the spiky leaves. The whole ritual is about purification before the new year, because in the old calendar, Risshun (February 4) was New Year's Day.

There's also Ehomaki, the silent sushi ritual. You eat an uncut sushi roll (seven ingredients representing the Seven Lucky Gods) while facing the year's lucky direction (South-Southeast slightly South in 2026) and making a wish. You eat the whole thing in silence without cutting it, because cutting it would sever your luck.

Setsubun marks the division of seasons. The liminal moment when demons slip through.

The Japanese know: you defend the threshold or you lose the house.

ROME CROWNS CONCORDIA

Meanwhile, February 5th is the Dies Natalis of the Temple of Concordia on the Capitoline Hill in Rome. Concordia is the goddess of harmony, agreement, and marital concord. Her temple was built after civil strife, a literal architectural prayer for peace. This is also the date ancient Romans marked as the first day of spring, the moment agricultural work resumed after winter.

Concordia's magic isn't passive peace. It's the hard work of reconciliation. The deliberate choice to build together instead of tearing apart. In a week when we're throwing beans at demons and purifying thresholds, Concordia reminds us: after you drive out what doesn't belong, you have to actively create what does.

WANING MOON WORK

The Waning Gibbous phase (February 2-8) is for teaching, sharing, and giving away what you learned under the Full Moon. This is distribution energy. The Full Moon in Leo showed you where to step forward, where to be seen, where to stop dimming yourself.

Now you share that medicine. You teach it. You model it.

This phase is also perfect for releasing ego attachment. Leo's shadow is performance, validation-seeking, making everything about you. As the moon wanes, release the need for applause. Keep the creative fire. Lose the need for everyone to see it burn.

WORK WITH IT

For the Waning Moon (all week): Journal what the Full Moon in Leo revealed. What did you see about yourself? Your creative power? Your leadership? Now ask: who needs to hear this? How can you teach it? Share one insight with someone who's struggling where you just broke through.

For Setsubun (February 3): Perform mamemaki, the bean-throwing ritual. Open your front door at dusk. Throw roasted soybeans (or any beans) out the door while shouting "Demons out! Luck in!" Slam the door. Then eat one bean for each year of your age, plus one. If you want the full ritual, make or buy a seven-ingredient sushi roll, face South-Southeast slightly South, make a wish, and eat the whole roll in silence. No cutting. No talking until it's done.

For Risshun (February 4): This is the traditional Japanese New Year. Set intentions for the agricultural/creative year ahead. What are you planting? What do you want to grow? Write it down. Plant actual seeds if you can.

For Concordia (February 5): This is reconciliation magic. If there's a relationship that needs repair, a conflict that needs resolution, a bridge that needs building, offer to Concordia. Light a white candle. Speak your intention for harmony aloud. Then do one concrete thing to build that bridge. Send the message. Make the call. Extend the hand.

TOOLS FOR THE JOURNEY

Roasted soybeans (or any dried beans) for Setsubun / holly branches and sardines (or strong-smelling herbs) for threshold protection / Seven-ingredient sushi roll for Ehomaki / White candles for Concordia / Seeds (literal or metaphorical) for Risshun planting / Journal for waning moon integration work / incense for ancestor offering

P.S. The candles, herbs, and obscure magical supplies we stock? That's what funds this newsletter and all the other free resources we put out. No ads, no sponsors, no diluted content. Just practitioners supporting practitioners. Every purchase you make keeps real occult education accessible. We deeply appreciate you for that. 🕯️