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June (summer Solstice)
Jun 12, 2008
June

Ah, the season of summer is upon us. The garden is in full swing now, so why not take advantage of the flowers and plants that are available to us and work a little magic with the spirits of nature and the tides of the moon as we celebrate this lush and fertile season of summer. We have three prime days for summertime magic this month: the flower moon on June 18th, the summer solstice on June 20th, and the old midsummer's eve, which is celebrated at dusk on June 24th.

For a flower Moon celebration, you can easily incorporate any white or pink blooming flowers in the garden. The rose is a prime flower for summer magic - some traditions even call the June Full Moon the Rose Moon. Try white roses to honor the Moon and the Lady, pink roses to promote friendship and gentle affection, or red roses to work a sultry summertime spell for love.

Work the following Full Moon spell outdoors. Sprinkle some fresh rose petals all around you in a circle. Use white petals to honor the Moon Goddess, red for desire and passion, and pink petals for the fun and joy of being in a romantic relationship. Repeat the following verse, and save a handful of petals to close out the spell:

On this the night of the Full Flower Moon,
I ask the Goddess to grant me a boon.
White flower petals for the lady, and red petals for desire,
pink petals for joy and the fun they inspire.
Now increase romance, send loving passion to me,
By rose petals and the power of three times three.

Now look up to the Full Moon, blow the Goddess a kiss, and toss the remaining rose petals up as high as you can. Leave the petals where they fall, and know that romance is on its way.

To celebrate the Summer Solsitce, try working with the cheerful sunflower. Just as you'd expect, this flower has the planetary aspects of the Sun, and in the language of flowers it symbolizes success, fame, and riches. Imagine a Sabbat celebration with golden candles and tall stems of yellow sunflowers arranged across the work area. Light the golden candles and turn to face the Sun. Announce out loud your goals for a successful life. Then repeat the following verse three times:

On this, the longest day and shortest night,
I work to bring my hopes and dreams to light.
Like a golden sunflower, I turn to face the Sun,
Grant me success and happiness, and let it harm none.

Allow the candles to burn in a safe place until they go out on their own. Let the sunflowers dry out and then let the birds have the seeds as a snack.

For Midsummer's Eve, you could try you hand at fairy magic. Fairies love fragrant flowers like roses and blooming herbs. And don't forget those ferns! Ferns are sacred to the fairy folk, and adding a few fern fronds to your Midsummer bouquets is a sure way to honor the power of the fairy kingdom. Your daisies, yarrow, and lavender should be blooming now, so put those blossoms together and weave a little flower fascination for luck and prosperity in the coming year. Create a small flower bouquet and tie it together with pretty ribbons. Now take the fairy bouquet and go to a place in nature and repeat the following charm:

At this time of Midsummer's Eve, the Fae are all around,
On this ancient day it's said, fairy magic shall be found.
This bouquet all wrapped in ferns, I offer you as a token,
Grant my request for good luck and health, as this charm is spoken.

Be sure to leave that little bouquet outdoors for the fairies. Allow Nature to reclaim it. I send you my best wishes for a most magical summer!

Ellen Dugan - Llewellyn's Witches Calender for 2008


June 21 -- Summer Solstice -- Litha
Also known as: Alban Heruin (Druidic)

Although the name Litha is not well attested, it may come from Saxon tradition -- the opposite of Yule. On this longest day of the year, light and life are abundant. At mid-summer, the Sun God has reached the moment of his greatest strength. Seated on his greenwood throne, he is also lord of the forests, and his face is seen in church architecture peering from countless foliate masks.

The Christian religion converted this day of Jack-in-the-Green to the Feast of St. John the Baptist, often portraying him in rustic attire, sometimes with horns and cloven feet (like the Greek Demi-God Pan)

Midsummer Night's Eve is also special for adherents of the Faerie faith. The alternative fixed calendar date of June 25 (Old Litha) is sometimes employed by Covens. The name Beltane is sometimes incorrectly assigned to this holiday by some modern traditions of Wicca, even though Beltane is the Gaelic word for May.

Traditional Foods:
Garden fresh fruits and vegetables are made into a variety of dishes and eaten by Pagan's who choose to celebrate this day.

Herbs and Flowers:
Mugwort, Vervain, Chamomile, Rose, Honeysuckle, Lily, Oak, Lavender, Ivy, Yarrow, Fern, Elder, Wild Thyme, Daisy, Carnation.

Incense:
Lemon, Myrrh, Pine, Rose, Wisteria.

Woods Burned:
Oak

Sacred Gemstone:
Emerald

Special Activities:
An Ideal time to reaffirm your vows to the Lord and Lady or your dedication to following the old traditions.

Litha - Summer Solstice

When the Sun is at its peak in the sky at our Summer Solstice, Earth is a close as possible to the sun. Litha is the ancient Germanic name for summer and the time to celebrate its warmth. This important time in the solar year is when the Oak King, God of Light, hands over reign to the Holly King, God of Darkness, who rules from this point forward for the other half of the year.

At this time when light will begin to wane, decorate your altar and house with sunflowers. Place honey on you altar to represent life's sweetness. Light the same gold candle for a short time for four or five nights over this period. On the last evening, after the candle is safely snuffed, wrap what is left of it in yellow or gold colored cloth with sunflower seeds. Tie the parcel with a yellow ribbon and keep it somewhere safe for protection and good fortune until next Litha.

Make a sunflower solstice cake decorated with yellow icing and sunflower seeds to share with your friends over a glass of mead. Enjoy time outdoors, allowing the Sun to warm you body as you relax, walk, or read. Bid farewell to the Sun god for a few months and be assured, he will return.

by Emely Flak - the Witches Datebook - 2008


Sagittarius Moon

With Pluto and the Full Moon in the same degree as final aspect, this is an excellent time to bring new infulences into your life. The Moon goes void-of-course four hours after the Full Moon, so time the ritual accordingly. Sagittarius is the sign associated with the vast scope of the universe, grasping the big picture, expansiveness. Step out of your ruts, expand you point of view, study something new, or embark on a new path.

Rather than a formal ritual, plan a small, symbolic amount of work at the exact moment of Full Moon. Start a book on the study of Qabala astrology, or any subject you've been meaning to get around to. Start that new project, even if that just means laying out the pattern for a new robe or beginning to sand a new wand. If retail stores are open at the Full Moon, consider shopping for materials for you new magical project or technique.

Since one characteristic of Sagittarius is biting off more than you can chew, be careful to pick a realistic project. Plan to read one book not a dozen. If you go shopping, consider your finances carefully. Be realistic about how much time, money, and energy you can devote to your new endeavor.

by Magenta Griffith - the Witches Datebook - 2008
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Posted: Jun 12, 2008 5:00pm

 
 
 
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Martha Inglis-McKenzie
female, age 33, single, 4 children
Hanover, Ontario, Canada
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