July is the seventh month in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The ancient Romans called the month Quintilius and it was the 5th month of their calendar until the formation of the Julian calendar. The name was changed to July in honor of Julius Ceasar who was born the 12th day of the month.
Other names for the month include the Anglo-Saxon names Haymonath and Maedmonath. The old Japanese calendar (before 1185) called July (approximately) minazuki The month of No water.
End of Oak Tree Month, beginning of Holly Tree Month, the Celtic Tree Calendar.
First Nations, end of Woodpecker Month, Start of Salmon Month
Contents
Fun Facts about July
The Dog Days of Summer begin July 3
July Correspondences
- The birthstone for the month of July is the Ruby
- The birth flower for July is the Larkspur or the Water Lily
- Those born in the first part of July, before about the 21st will be born into the sign of Cancer. Those born in the second part of July will be Leos.
Folklore About the Month of July
July is considered an unlucky month for a wedding
If the ant hills are high in July, it means a hard winter is coming.
Some weather divination rhymes from the British Isles
If the first of July by rainy weather
‘Twill rain more or less for four weeks together.
St Swithin’s Day if there is rain,
For forty days it will remain
St Swithin’s Day if it be fair
For forty days it rains no more (St Swithin’s Day is July 15)
Magick for July
It’s not hard to miss the fact that there are so many “Independence Days” in the month of July. This can lead one to suppose that it’s a good month for work relating not only to independence and overcoming oppression, but also to the formation of groups or organizations (and nations) for the benefit of its members.
Moon magick
The Full Moon in July is called variously; the buck moon or the thunder moon in Eastern North America, the Ripe Cherry Moon in the Great Plains region of North America, the Giant Cactus Moon in the North American Southwest, the Killer Whale Moon in Western Canada the mead moon or the hay moon in Great Britain.
Depending on where it falls in the month, the full moon will be in Aquarius(early) or Pisces (late) and the new moon in Cancer (early) or Leo(late).