It’s hump day!

Okay, I know that joke is way old, but it’s actually kind of interesting. To start out our Wednesday Coorespondence, let’s have a brief discussion of the history of the name of the day, as always. The English word for Wednesday also comes from Germanic roots, in Old English known as Woden’s Day (or the Day of Woden technically). During Roman conquests and assimilation, Woden/Odin was equated with Mercury. He is one of the most revered deities throughout pre-Christian religions and is a god of wisdom, healing, death, knowledge, battle, and writing. A great many things are attributed to him.

Now, in Romance languages, all derived from Latin, we have words such as mercredi and miércoles, which are named for the god/planet Mercury. How fitting that the middle of the week is named for the fast-moving planet and the god of travel.

The fun part of all this hump day stuff is that, in other Scandinavian and Germanic languages such as Icelandic (mithviku), German (mittwoch), and Finnish (keskiviikko), the word for Wednesday more or less means “mid-week.” So, yes, Wednesday is literally hump day!

Wednesday is a day ruled by the mind. It is a day perfect for communication, mental challenges and strengthening, and travel. It is also a fun day for good-natured pranks! In chakra healing, the anahata and vishudda (heart and throat chakra) are associated with this day, because through both your heart and your throat we communicate. In many Hindu practices, Wednesdays are auspicious for starting new ventures in business and education. In all cultures it is truly a day of communication and the mind.

Keep in mind too that Wednesday is ruled by a second planet, Uranus.

The deities I’ve listed below are deities that are represented in some way by wisdom, communication, crafts, travel, air or sky, and/or tricksters.

For spellwork and prayer, seek answers and help in legal matters, travel, education, and wisdom.

Animals; hawk, lion (Hinduism), owl, swan or ibis, tortoise

Colors; gray, green, orange, purple, yellow, silver, white, mixed colors

Crystals; amber, aventurine, citrine, mercury, zinc

Elements; air

Energies; business, chance, communication, creativity, education, fortune, luck, swiftness, travel, work, writing

Foods; lavender (as edible herb)

Goddesses; Athena, Seshat, Saraswati

Gods; Hermes, Lugh, Odin, Ogma, Tenjin, Thoth, Vitthal, Wenchang Wang