Thursday
The day of Jupiter and of Thor, of gurus and Sai Baba in India, and of the lucky number in the Western scheme.
Thursday is the day of the thunder god and of the greatest planet. In Western magic it belongs to Jupiter, the planet of expansion, law and abundance. The English name is Thor's day, and in India it is Guruvar, the day of the teacher, with its own long list of vows.
Jupiter and Thor
Jupiter, Roman Jove, was king of the gods and the planet of the good fortune and the law, so Thursday in occult handbooks is the day for prosperity, success, legal matters and generosity. Its colours are blue and purple, its metal tin, and its number four. In Germanic lands the Romans' Jove corresponded to Thor, the thunderer, whose hammer was worn as a pendant and was a protective sign; the day was Donar's day in German, which became Donnerstag. Thor's hammer amulets are among the best-known Viking-age finds.
Guruvar and Sai Baba
In Hindu astrology Thursday belongs to Brihaspati, the teacher of the gods and the planet Jupiter, and the day is for gurus, teachers and learning. Many people fast and wear yellow, and offer chana dal and turmeric to Vishnu. Thursday is also the day for devotees of Sai Baba of Shirdi, who hold weekly prayers and processions, and of Dattatreya and the saint Raghavendra Swami. Monday and Thursday were the traditional days for the public reading of the Torah in Jewish communities and for voluntary fasting, a pattern that goes back to antiquity.
Maundy Thursday
The Thursday before Easter, Maundy Thursday, has its own folk beliefs in Europe. In German-speaking lands it is Green Thursday, when green food is eaten and eggs laid on the day are believed to have special qualities. Church bells fall silent from the evening until Easter, and in some countries children are told that the bells have flown to Rome.
Born on a Thursday
The Akan name for a boy born on Thursday is Yaw, and for a girl Yaa. In Burma the day belongs to the rat, and in Thailand the colour is orange. The English rhyme says Thursday's child has far to go.
Also part of it, and being written: Thursday (The day and its names.), Thor (The Norse thunder god.), Jupiter (The Roman king of the gods.), Brihaspati (The teacher of the gods in Hindu belief.), Sai Baba of Shirdi (The saint honoured on Thursdays.), Maundy Thursday (The Christian day and its customs.).
Written by the EveryJaadu desk with AI assistance. Customs differ by community and family, and are described here as tradition, not instruction, and with no claim that they work. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.