Giving Thanks at Sacred Mabon

With the Sacred Sabbat of Mabon (the Pagan Thanksgiving) falling late in the month, the early, eager energies of September are too often ignored.

The focus is often on filling the cellar – in fact, and metaphorically – in preparation for the coming cold. It is important to remember that the first three weeks of September’s light provide us with a unique opportunity for personal reflection. It is a time for most children to return to school, for birds to begin their migration, for leaves to begin a spectacular plumage change all of their own, and for sun lovers to squeeze the last sizzling, golden rays into their outdoor activities.

Why not take time to reflect and give thanks, before the hectic months of change overtake you? It is my favorite time of year, and always strikes a very spiritual chord in me.

As a Solitary Practitioner of Wicca, my Pagan beliefs are religious, nor secular, and can be summed up as:

"Bide the Wiccan laws ye must, in perfect love and perfect trust...Mind the Threefold Law ye should – three times bad and three times good...Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill – an it harm none, do what ye will."

Mabon, (pronounced MAY-bun, MAY-bone, MAH-boon, or MAH-bawn) falls on September 23 this year, at the time of the Autumnal or Fall Equinox. It is a sacred Sabbat celebrated by Wiccans and other Pagans who honor the turning of the Wheel of the Year. It is the time to seek balance, as the Wheel is at its half-way point around the Eternal Circle.

This Sabbat can also be known as: the Second Harvest Festival, Feast of Avalon, Cornucopia, Wine Harvest, the Fall Equinox, Harvest Home, the Autumnal (or Autumn) Equinox, Festival of Dionysus, Alban Elfed (Caledonii, Druidic), Winter Finding (Teutonic), or Equinozio di Autunno (Strega).

The full moon closest to the Autumn Equinox is called the Harvest Moon, and farmers would harvest their corps by this moonlight as part of the Second Harvest celebration.

It is the time when the harvest is winding down. The fields are nearly empty, because the crops have been plucked and stored for the coming winter. Mabon is the mid-harvest festival, and it is when we take a few moments to honor the changing seasons, and celebrate the second harvest. For many Pagan and Wiccan traditions it is a time to give thanks for the things we have, whether it is abundant crops, or all other life’s many blessings.

Depending on your individual spiritual path, there are many different ways to celebrate Mabon, but typically the focus is on the second harvest aspect, or the balance between light and dark. This, after all, is the time when there is an equal amount of day and night. While we celebrate the gifts of the earth, we also accept that the soil is dying. We have food to eat, but the crops are brown and going dormant. Warmth is moving behind us, while the cold lies ahead.

The leaves begin to turn from green to brilliant reds and yellows, animals start to migrate, and the harvest is underway. The Autumn Equinox divides the day and night equally, and we all take a moment to pay our respects to the impending dark. We also give thanks to the waning sunlight, as we store our harvest of this year's crops.

The Druids call this celebration, Mea'n Fo'mhair, and honor the The Green Man, the God of the Forest, by offering libations to trees. Offerings of ciders, wines, herbs and fertilizer are also appropriate at this time. Wiccans celebrate the aging Goddess as she passes from Mother to Crone, and her consort, the God, as he prepares for death and re-birth.

Here is my personal prayer that I have written to honor the beloved Green Man, whom is a central figure and focus of my own spiritual path:

Robin of the Greenwood Glen,
Lord of the Forest thou hast always been.

My lips a song to praise,
My cup a toast to raise.

Hail and Hearty the Oak King is,
Now more than ever I am truly his.

So mote it be!

Mabon is considered a time of the Mysteries. It is a time to honor Aging Deities and the Spirit World. Considered a time of mystical balance, it is when we stop and relax and enjoy the fruits of our personal harvests, whether they be from toiling in our gardens, working at our jobs, raising our families, or just coping with the hussle-bussle of everyday life.

Various other names for this holiday, considered a Lesser Wiccan Sabbat are: The Second Harvest Festival, Wine Harvest, Feast of Avalon, Equinozio di Autunno (Strega), Alben Elfed (Caledonii), or Cornucopia. The Teutonic name, Winter Finding, spans a period of time from the Sabbat to October 15th, Winter's Night, which is the Norse New Year.

At this festival it is appropriate to wear all of your finery and dine and celebrate in a lavish setting. It is the drawing to and of family as we prepare for the winding down of the year at Samhain (Halloween). It is a time to finish old business as we ready for a period of rest, relaxation, and spiritual reflection.

The Science of the Equinox

Two days a year, the Northern and Southern hemispheres receive the same amount of sunlight. Not only that, each receives the same amount of light as they do dark – this is because the earth is tilted at a right angle to the sun, and the sun is directly over the equator. In Latin, the word equinox translates to "equal night."

The autumn equinox takes place on or near September 21, while its spring counterpart falls around March 21. If you're in the Northern hemisphere, the days will begin getting shorter after the autumn equinox and the nights will grow longer – in the Southern hemisphere, the reverse is true.

Global Traditions

The idea of a Harvest Festival is nothing new. In fact, people have celebrated it for millennia, all around the world. In ancient Greece, Oschophoria was a festival held in the fall to celebrate the harvesting of grapes for wine. In the 1700's, the Bavarians came up with Oktoberfest, which actually begins in the last week of September, and it was a time of great feasting and merriment, still in existence today. China's Mid-Autumn festival is celebrated on the night of the Harvest or Barley Moon, and is a festival of honoring family unity.

Giving Thanks

Although the traditional American holiday of Thanksgiving falls in November, many cultures see the second harvest time of the fall equinox as a time of giving thanks. After all, it's when you figure out how well your crops did, how fat your animals have gotten, and whether or not your family will be able to eat during the coming winter. However, by the end of November, there's not a whole lot left to harvest. Originally, the American Thanksgiving holiday was celebrated on October 3, which makes a lot more sense agriculturally.

Thanksgiving was originally celebrated on October 3. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln issued his "Thanksgiving Proclamation", which changed the date to the last Thursday in November. In 1939, Franklin Delano Roosevelent adjusted it yet again, making it the second-to-last Thursday, in the hopes of boosting post-Depression holiday sales. Unfortunately, all this did was confuse people. Two years later, Congress finalized it, saying that the fourth Thursday of November would be Thanksgiving, each year.

Symbols of the Season

The harvest is a time of thanks, and as has been said, also a time of balance – after all, there are equal hours of daylight and darkness. While we celebrate the gifts of the earth, we also accept that the soil is dying. We have food to eat, but the crops are brown and going dormant. Warmth is behind us, cold lies ahead.

Some Mabon symbols:


— Mid-autumn vegetables, like squashes and gourds
— Apples and anything made from them, such as cider or pies
— Seeds and seed pods
— Baskets, symbolizing the gathering of crops
— Sickles and scythes
— Grapes, vines, wine

Any of these items can be used to decorate home or an altar at Mabon.

Feasting and Friends

Early agricultural societies understood the importance of hospitality, as it was crucial to develop a relationship with neighbors, because they might be the ones to help if your family ran out of food. Many people, particularly in rural villages, celebrated the harvest with great deals of feasting, drinking, and eating. After all, the grain had been made into bread, beer and wine had been made, and the cattle had been brought down from the summer pastures for the coming winter. Celebrate Mabon with a feast – the bigger, the better.

Magick and Mythology

Nearly all of the myths and legends popular at this time of the year focus on the themes of life, death, and rebirth. Not much of a surprise, when you consider that this is the time when the earth begins to “die” before winter sets in.

Demeter and Her Daughter

Perhaps the best known of all the harvest mythologies is the story of Demeter and Persephone. Demeter was a goddess of grain and of the harvest in ancient Greece. Her daughter, Persephone, caught the eye of Hades, god of the underworld. When Hades abducted Persephone and took her back to the underworld, Demeter's grief caused the crops on earth to die and go dormant. By the time she finally recovered her daughter, Persephone had eaten six pomegranate seeds, and so was doomed to spend six months of the year in the underworld. These six months are the time when the earth dies, beginning at the time of the autumnal equinox.

Inanna Takes on the Underworld

The Sumerian goddess Inanna is the incarnation of fertility and abundance. Inanna descended into the underworld where her sister, Ereshkigal, ruled. Erishkigal decreed that Inanna could only enter her world in the traditional ways, by stripping herself of her clothing and earthly possessions. By the time Inanna arrived, Erishkigal had unleashed a series of plagues upon her sister, killing Inanna. While Inanna was visiting the underworld, the earth ceased to grow and produce. A “vizier” or sorcerer, restored Inanna to life, and sent her back to earth. As she journeyed home, the earth was restored to its former glory.

Modern Celebrations

For contemporary Druids, this is the celebration of Alban Elfed, which is a time of balance between the light and the dark. Many Asatru groups honor the fall equinox as Winter Nights, a festival sacred to the Goddess Freyr.

For most Wiccans and Pagans, this is a time of community and kinship. It's not uncommon to find a Pagan Pride Day celebration tied in with Mabon. Often, PPD organizers include a food drive as part of the festivities, to celebrate the bounty of the harvest and to share with the less fortunate.

Those who celebrate Mabon give thanks for their many blessing, and they take time to reflect on the balance within their lives, honoring both the darkness and the light.

Mabon Correspondences

Symbolism: Second Harvest, the Mysteries, Equality and Balance.

Symbols: Wine, gourds, pine cones, acorns, grains, corn, apples, pomegranates, vines like ivy, dried seeds, and horns of plenty.

Herbs: Acorn, benzoin, ferns, grains, honeysuckle, marigold, milkweed, myrrh, passionflower, rose, sage, solomon's seal, tobacco, thistle, and vegetables.

Foods: Breads, nuts, apples, pomegranates, and vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and onions.

Animals/Mythical Creatures: Dogs, wolves, stag, blackbird, owl, eagle, birds of prey, salmon, goat, Gnomes, Sphinx, Minotaur, Cyclops, Andamans and Gulons.

Gemstones: Yellow agate, carnelian, yellow topaz, sapphire, lapis lazuli, and amethyst.

Incense/Oil: Pine, sweetgrass, apple blossom, benzoin, myrrh, frankincense, jasmine, sage wood aloes, black pepper, patchouli, cinnamon, clove, and oak moss.

Colors/Candles: Brown, green, orange, red, deep gold, scarlet, yellow, russet, maroon, all autumn colors, purple, blue violet and indigo.

Tools/Symbols/Decorations: Indian corn, red fruits, autumn flowers, red poppies, hazelnuts, garlands, grains especially wheat stalks, and colorful, fallen leaves, acorns, pine and cypress cones, oak sprigs, pomegranate, statue/or figure to represent the Mother Goddess, Mabon wreath, vine, grapes, gourd, cornucopia/horns of plenty, burial cairns, apples, marigolds, harvested crops, burial cairns, rattles, the Mysteries, sun wheel, all harvest symbols.

Goddesses: Modron (Welsh), Bona Dea, Land Mother, Aging and Harvest Deities (the Triple Goddess aspect), Persephone, Demeter/Ceres, Morgan (Welsh- Cornish), Snake Woman (aboriginal), Epona (Celtic-Gaulish), Pamona (Roman), and the Muses (Greek).

Gods: Mabon ap Modron (Welsh), Sky Father, Wine Gods, Aging Gods, John Barleycorn , the Wicker-Man, the Corn Man, the Green Man, Thoth (Egyptian), Hermes, Hotei (Japanese), Thor, Dionysus (Roman), Bacchus (Greek) and all wine deities.

Essence: Beauty, joy; fullness of life, harvest of the year's desires, strength, laughter, power, prosperity, equality, balance, appreciation, harvest, protection, wealth, security, self-confidence, and reincarnation.

Dynamics/Meaning: Death of the God, assumption of the Crone, balance of light and dark; increase of darkness, grape harvest, and completion of the harvest.

Purpose: The Second Harvest Festival, new wine pressing/making preparation for winter and Samhain (Halloween), rest after labor, Pagan day of Thanksgiving, honoring the spirit world, and celebration of wine.

Rituals/Magick: Celtic Festival of the Vine, prosperity rituals, introspection, rituals which enact the elderly aspects of both the Goddess and the God, and past life recall.

Customs: Offerings to land, preparing for cold weather, bringing in harvest, cutting willow wands (Druidic), eating seasonal fruit, leaving apples upon burial cairns and graves as a token of honor, walking in wild places and forests, gathering seed pods and dried plants, fermenting grapes to make wine, picking ripe produce, stalk bundling, fishing, and on the nearest full moon (Harvest Moon) harvesting corps by moonlight.

Foods: Cornbread, wheat products, bread, grains, berries, nuts, grapes, acorns, seeds, dried fruits, corn, beans, squash, roots (i.e. onions, carrots, potatoes, etc), hops, sassafras, apples, pomegranates, carrots, onions, potatoes, roast goose or mutton, wine, ale, and cider.

Herbs: Myrrh, thistle, tobacco, oak leaf, hazel, mums, hops, acorns, marigold, rose, sage, milkweed, Solomon's seal, aster, fern, honeysuckle, benzoin, myrrh, passionflower, pine and cedar, ivy, hazel, and hops.

Element/Gender: Water/male.

Threshold: Evening.

Activities: Making wine, gathering dried herbs, plants, seeds and seed pods, walking in the woods, scattering offerings in harvested fields, offering libations to trees, adorning burial sites with leaves, acorns, and pine cones to honor those who have passed over.

Spellworkings: Protection, prosperity, security, and self-confidence. Also those of harmony and balance.

A Mabon Ritual

As previously detailed, Demeter and Persephone are strongly connected to the time of the Autumn Equinox. When Hades abducted Persephone, it set in motion a chain of events that eventually led to the earth falling into darkness each winter. This is the time of the Dark Mother, the Crone aspect of the Triple Goddess. The goddess is bearing this time not a basket of flowers, but a sickle and scythe. She is prepared to reap what has been sown.

The earth dies a little each day, and we must embrace this slow descent into dark before we can truly appreciate the light that will return in a few months.

Difficulty: Average
Time Required: Varied

Here's What to Do:

01. This ritual welcomes the Dark Mother, and celebrates that aspect of the Goddess which we may not always find comforting or appealing, but which we must always be willing to acknowledge. Decorate your altar with symbols of Demeter and her daughter – flowers in red and yellow for Demeter, purple or black for Persephone, stalks of wheat, Indian corn, sickles, baskets. Have a candle on hand to represent each of them – harvest colors for Demeter, black for Persephone. You'll also need a chalice of wine, or grape juice if you prefer, and a pomegranate.

02. If you normally cast a Sacred Circle, or call the Quarters, do so now. Turn to the altar, and light the Persephone candle.

Say:

The land is beginning to die, and the soil grows cold.
The fertile womb of the earth has gone barren.
As Persephone descended into the Underworld,
So the earth continues its descent into night.
As Demeter mourns the loss of her daughter,
So we mourn the days drawing shorter.
The winter will soon be here.

Light the Demeter (Goddess) candle, and say:

In her anger and sorrow, Demeter roamed the earth,
And the crops died, and life withered and the soil went dormant.
In grief, she traveled looking for her lost child,
Leaving darkness behind in her wake.
We feel the mother's pain, and our hearts break for her,
As she searches for the child she gave birth to.
We welcome the darkness, in her honor.

03. Break open the pomegranate (it's a good idea to have a bowl to catch the drippings), and take out six seeds. Place them on the altar.

Say:

Six months of light, and six months of dark.
The earth goes to sleep, and later wakes again.
O Dark Mother, we honor you this night,
And dance in your shadows.
We embrace that which is the darkness,
And celebrate the life of the Crone.

04. Take a sip of the wine (grape juice), and savor the taste upon your lips. If you are doing this rite with a group, pass it to each person in the circle.

As each person drinks, they should say:

Blessings to the Dark Goddess on this night, and every other.

05. As the wine/grape juice is replaced upon the altar, hold your arms out in the Goddess position, and take a moment to reflect on the darker aspects of the human experience.

Think of all the goddesses who evoke the night, and call out their names:

Demeter, Inanna, Kali, Tiamet, Hekate (Note: she is my personal Dark Mother, and I talk to her daily,) Nemesis, and Morrighan.
Bringers of destruction and darkness,
I embrace you tonight.
Without rage, we cannot feel love,
Without pain, we cannot feel happiness,
Without the night, there is no day,
Without death, there is no life.
Great Goddesses of the night, I thank you.

06. Take a few moments to meditate on the darker aspects of your own soul. Is there a pain you've been longing to get rid of? Is there anger and frustration that you've been unable to move past? Is there someone who's hurt you, but you haven't told them how you feel? Now is the time to take this energy and turn it to your own purposes. Take any pain inside you, and reverse it so that it becomes a positive experience. If you're not suffering from anything hurtful, count your blessings, and reflect on a time in your life when you weren't so fortunate.

07. When you are ready, end the ritual in your established fashion.

[You may wish to tie this rite into a celebration of the Harvest Moon.]

Harvest or Barley Moon

September brings us the Harvest or Barley Moon, which occurs on Sept. 12 this year, sometimes referred to as the Wine Moon or the Singing Moon. This is the time of year when the last of the crops are being gathered from the fields and stored for the winter. There's a chill in the air, and the earth is slowly beginning its move towards dormancy as the sun pulls away from us.

Moon Correspondences:

Colors: Browns and greens, all earth tones.

Gemstones: Citrine, chrysolite, peridot, and bloodstone.

Trees: Bay, larch, and hawthorn.

Goddesses: Demeter, Brighid, Freyja, and Vesta.

Herbs: Wheat, valerian, witch hazel, and skullcap.

Element: Earth.

This is a month of hearth and home, which is the domain of the Goddess Vesta. Spend some time preparing your environment for the upcoming chilly months. If you don't already have one, why not set up a hearth or kitchen altar for those times when you're cooking, baking and canning. Use this time to clear out clutter – both physical and emotional – before you have to spend the long winter days inside.

The following are examples of Mabon Prayers:

Hail! Hail! Hail!
The grapes have been gathered!
The wine has been pressed!
The casks have been opened!
Dionysus and Bacchus,
watch over our celebration,
and bless us with merrymaking!
Hail! Hail! Hail!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Equal hours of light and darkness
we celebrate the balance of Mabon,
and ask the gods to bless us.

For all that is bad, there is good.
For that which is despair, there is hope.
For the moments of pain, there are moments of love.

For all that falls, there is the chance to rise again.
May we find balance in our lives,
as we find it in our hearts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The harvest is ending, the earth is dying.
The cattle have come in from their fields.
The earth's bounty has been laid before us.
We give thanks to the gods for this abundance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The following are examples of prayers to the Dark Goddess:

Day turns to night,
and life turns to death,
and the Dark Mother teaches us to dance.

Hekate, Demeter, Kali, Nemesis, Morrighan, Tiamet –
Bringers of destruction,
You who embody the Crone.

I honor you as the earth goes dark,
and as the world slowly dies.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This incantation calls upon the goddess Morrighan, who is a Celtic deity of battle and sovereignty. As a goddess who determined kingship and land holdings, she can be called upon for assistance in protecting you, your pets, your property and the boundaries of your land. If you’ve been burglarzied lately, or are having trouble with trespassers or vandals, this prayer comes in particularly handy.

You may wish to make this as martial, loud and vigorous as possible, with lots of banging drums, clapping, and even a sword or two thrown in as you march around the boundaries of your property. (Perhaps this also works because your neighbors will be convinced that you are dangerous, and a little crazy, no?)

Hail Morrighan! Hail Morrighan!
Protect this land from those who would trespass upon it!
Hail Morrighan! Hail Morrighan!
Guard this land and all those who dwell within it!
Hail Morrighan! Hail Morrighan!
Watch over this land and all contained upon it!
Hail Morrighan! Hail Morrighan!
Goddess of battle, great goddess of the land,
She who is the Washer at the Ford, Mistress of Ravens,
And Keeper of the Shield,
We call upon you for protection.

Trespassers beware! The great Morrighan stands guard,
And she shall unleash her displeasure upon you.
Let it be known that this land falls under her protection,
And to do harm to any within it is to invite her wrath.
Hail Morrighan! Hail Morrighan!
We honor and thank you this day!
Hail Morrighan! Hail Morrighan!

~~~~~~~~~

[Note: The following ritual was written by the fabulous Marie Bruce, who has been called the Official Witch of the U.K.]

As this is the time of Persephone, the following ritual calls upon her for assistance in our protection magic. Persephone is Queen of the Underworld, and she rules over the Dark Season. Her fruit, as already mentioned, is the pomegranate.

Purpose of the Ritual: To call on Persephone for protection.
What you need: Two pomegranates, a knife, your pentacle.

01. Take the pomegranates to your altar and light the candles, calling on the powers of Persephone.

02. Cut each fruit in half, putting the four pieces on your pentacle to charge with power.

03. The Number Nine is sacred to the Goddess, so repeat the following chant nine times:

Sweet Persephone, enchantress, queen;
Protect me from harm, seen and unseen.
Protect me from theft, fire and flood;
Protect me from those who mean no good.
Keep me safe in your season of dusk;
Grant me the wisdom to know who to trust.
Protect me at work, protect me at home;
Keep safe my abode of earth, wood and stone.
I bury your fruit in the depths of earth’s womb;
Weave now my safety at the magical loom.
So mote it be!

04. Extinguish the candles, and bury the four pomegranate halves at the four corners of your property.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Here are some other dates of importance in September

05: Labor Day. Spend some time today thinking about your work. If you are dissatisfied with your current job, make a list of what you could do differently so that work would be meaningful for you. Light a green candle that you have dressed with oil of pine. Fold your work list into a tiny square and pass it through the candle smoke. Now wrap the square in a dollar bill and place it in a green bag with an agate and the Three of Pentacles tarot card. Sleep with this bag under your pillow for thirteen nights.

12: Full Moon – Harvest Moon. The Harvest Moon is sometimes referred to as the Wine Moon or the Singing Moon. This is the time of year when the last of the crops are being gathered from the fields and stored for the winter. There's a chill in the air, and the earth is slowly beginning its move towards dormancy as the sun pulls away from us.

It is also referred to as Moon of Siduri, the Heavenly Barmaid. The Full Moon in Pisces illuminates the cosmic river of souls, the collective unconscious, and the powers of prophecy. Siduri is the bartender who offers food and drink (and sympathy, generosity, and kindness) to weary souls on the path to the cosmic river. Her mythic role is critical. After visiting Siduri, souls are refreshed and ready to journey to the afterlife.

We are all travelers of the road of life, and sometimes need a place to sit, have a drink and find a compassionate shoulder to lean on. Sympathy requires listening without judging, supporting without telling someone what to do and easing the long and weary road by sharing food and drink.

The Solitary Practitioner can embody Siduri's role during this Full Moon by feeding a widow, listening sympathetically or giving to a charity. A Coven ritual may include filling a special chalice with drink and passing it around the circle. Members can take turns serving food or pouring drinks. Offer prayers for the weary to find comfort, for the hungry to be fed, and for departing souls to journey in safety. Have sympathy for one another and listen without judging. Pass a tip glass for Siduri and donate the proceeds.

12: Chinese Moon Festival. The Festival of Chang O, on the full moon nearest the autumnal equinox, the Chinese people pay homage to the moon goddess Chang O. Some Chinese celebrate this day as the moon's birthday.

19: The Fast of Thoth, this day-long fast honors the Egyptian god of wisdom and magick.

21: International Day of Peace. Carve a peace symbol into a white candle. Fill a small dish with a little dirt from outside and place the candle on top. Relax and focus on the energy of peace. Hold your cupped hands near the candle and visualize very bright light coming down from above, entering the crown of your head, going down to your heart, through your arms, out your hands, and into the candle.

Light the candle, close your eyes, and see this white light of peace spread to the hearts of all people. See all humans everywhere filled with love and existing harmoniously with one another. Believe that this is our future. See if you can get your friends to do it too. The more people who do this spell, the better.

21: The Feast of the Divine Life, this ancient Egyptian feast honored the great goddess in her three-fold aspect as Mother (Creator), Daughter/Maiden (Renewer), and Dark Mother/Crone (the Absolute).

21: Sun enters Libra.

23: Mabon, the time of the Autumnal/Fall Equinox.

23: Michaelmas is a medieval, pagan holiday, which the was turned into a Christian celebration as “Michaelmas,” a feast in honor of the Archangel Michael.

It is thought that the Roman Catholic Church at some point considered assigning the quarter dates to the four Archangels, since they had assigned the cross quarters to the four gospel-writers. Making the Vernel Equinox a holiday called “Gabrielmas” was taken into consideration in honor of the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary on Lady Day.

23: Ostara (Southern Hemisphere).

27: New Moon.

May your Mabon be blessed and merry, and your hearts and spirits be filled with the abundance of this Second Harvest. Let us look ahead to the darkening of the year with excitement, honoring the God for the warmth of his passing life, and the Goddess for her cold beauty and dark strength that will empower the Wheel to Turn until the Earth is once again reborn.

— Danu’s Daughter

Celebrate the Wanning Days of Summer

It is the time of the sacred Sabbat of Lughnasadh, or Lammas, which falls this year on Aug. 1in the Northern Hemisphere, while Pagans who live in the Southern Hemisphere are celebrating the Sabbat of Imbolc, so here’s wishing everyone has a very blessed holiday season.

[Imbolc is at the opposite side of the Wheel of the Year, celebrating the spark of light that was born at Yule and has become a flame to warm people and the land.]

Today also begins the sacred month of Ramadan for our Muslim brothers and sisters in the North Hemisphere, while it begins tomorrow in the Southern Hemisphere. I wish them a memorable and spiritually rewarding time of faith and renewal.

According to the Holy Koran regarding Ramadans:

O you who believe, fasting is decreed for you, as it was decreed for those before you, that you may attain salvation. (2:183)

Ramadan is the month during which the Quran was revealed, providing guidance for the people, clear teachings, and the statute book. Those of you who witness this month shall fast therein.... (2:185)

For those reading this who are not Pagan, it might seem strange to mention a different faith in this blog, which is primarily devoted to Wiccan practices. As a Wiccan, I honor all beliefs and faith paths, even atheists who do not believe in the existence of a Sacred Other or Sacred Others.

Before describing this joyous Sabbat, it is important to restate what is the platform of my Wiccan faith:

"Bide the Wiccan laws ye must, in perfect love and perfect trust...Mind the Threefold Law ye should – three times bad and three times good...Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill – an it harm none, do what ye will."

Lughnasadh, or Lammas, means the funeral games of Lugh (pronounced Loo), referring to Lugh, the Irish sun god. However, the funeral is not his own, but the funeral games he hosts in honor of his foster-mother, Tailte. For that reason, the traditional Tailtean craft fairs and Tailtean marriages (which last for a year and a day) are celebrated at this time.

This day originally coincided with the first reapings of the harvest. It was known as the time when the plants of spring wither, and drop their fruits or seeds for our use, as well as to ensure future crops.

As autumn begins in later weeks, the Sun God enters his old age, but is not yet dead. The God symbolically loses some of his strength as the Sun rises farther in the South each day, and the nights grow longer.

The Christian religion adopted this theme and called it “Lammas,” meaning 'loaf-mass,' a time when newly baked loaves of bread are placed on the altar. An alternative date, which fell around Aug. 5 (Old Lammas), when the sun reaches 15 degrees in Leo, is sometimes employed instead of Aug. 1, by certain Pagan Covens.

In the Celtic Ogham, August is the Month of the Vine (muin), whose fruit has been used for centuries to make wine. The vine itself is symbolic of joy and euphoria, and in the past wine was often drunk as part of Ritual to enhance divination and vision quests.

This month’s Full Moon is the Wyrt (Corn or Barley) Moon, closely linked to the Goddess and the Green Man, and falls on Aug. 13.

In mid to late August, we celebrate the beginning of the Wyrt or Corn Moon. This moon phase is also known as the Barley Moon, and carries on the associations of grain and rebirth that we saw back at Lughnasadh. August was originally known as Sextilis by the ancient Romans, but was later renamed for Augustus (Octavian) Caesar. Some Native American tribes knew that the sturgeon of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain were most readily caught during this Full Moon, for them it was the Full Sturgeon Moon. Others called it the Green Corn Moon or the Grain Moon.

Day of Hekate

On the same day as this month’s Full Moon, is the Day of Hekate, the Dark Mother. She is the Goddess of the Crossroads, a Triple Goddess, representing the Crone Aspect of our Mother.

Hekate is primarily a goddess of the Underworld, holding dominion over death and rebirth. This is meant both in the literal sense and in the metaphorical as well. For life is filled with many deaths and rebirths aside from that of the flesh. Because of this the Dark of the Moon especially is her time of the month, since it is a time of endings and beginnings, when what was is no more, and what will be has yet to become.

Hekate guards the limenoskopos (the doorstep), for she is a goddess of liminality and transition. Of being on and crossing boundaries. This includes not only the boundary between life and death, but any boundaries, such as those between nature and civilization, waking and sleep, sanity and madness, the conscious and the subconscious minds. Indeed, any transition can be said to be her domain.

As such she is also goddess of the crossroads, where the paths of one's life fork and a person must choose which future to embark upon. In ancient times these were believed to be special places where the veil between the worlds was thin and spirits gathered.

In the ancient world a crossroad was a point where three roads met to form a "Y"-shaped intersection. It was believed to be a place where spirits gathered, including those of the Underworld and those of Fate. It is also a metaphor for the divergence of possibilities in an individual's future. Their life will bring them to the crossroad along one of the roads, and they will be met with a branching, where they must choose one path or the other to continue onward. As goddess of transitions, Hekate rules this place where the roads separate and differing futures are possible.

Hekate is often portrayed as a three torch-bearing female figures standing in a circle looking outward, with their backs joined so that they are in fact one being. This exhibits her dominion over the triple-crossroads and her ability to see in all directions simultaneously. The road a person had come from, and the directions they might take in the future. These hektarion (or hekataion) were placed at crossroads. Their earliest forms consisted of a pole upon which three masks were hung, with one facing each road. In more recent times these became statuary, sometimes of three figures standing with their backs to a central pillar, other times a similar portrayal without the column in the center. Typically, devotees often left her gifts of grain at these markers.

[Note: The Romans knew Hekate as Triva, which means "where the three roads meet."]

Hekate is also the goddess of psychological transformation. Her Underworld is the dark recesses of the human subconscious as well at that of the Cosmos. Many have accused her of sending demons to haunt the thoughts of individuals. What they fail to understand is that the demons are not hers, but their own. By the light of her twin torches Hekate only reveals what is already there. These are things which the person needs to see in order to heal and renew. However, if they are not prepared for the experience of confronting their Shadow then it can truly feel like they are being tormented. Hekate is not motivated by cruelty, nor is she seeking to harm. But her love can be tough love. She will prompt a person to face the things that they must, whether they like it or not.

Then and now Hekate is a goddess of Witchcraft and those who walk between the worlds. In the ancient world she was the patroness of those magicians – often women and the transgendered – who practiced magick, herbalism, and religion outside of the boundaries of the established temples and civil authorities of Greece. This is one reason she and her followers have often been feared and reviled. They stand with at least one foot outside of the conventional world.

Hekate is my personal Goddess to whom I am deeply devoted. Here are the prayers I say in her honor daily:

“To she who leads us into the cave of our own darkness, and brings us back to the light of our true being.”

And,

“Hear her words children, worship and be glad, for if you seek Her, She will be with you always. She was with you in the beginning, and shall be at the end.”

And,

“Dark Mother, Dark Mother, You walk with me like no other!”

I also repeat the following at dawn and at dusk, reversing the language depending on the time of day:

“At the gate of (dawn/dusk) I stand, Hekate Dark Goddess on either hand.
Guard me with you magick power,
Guide me through the Crossroads hour.
From the (glory/beauty) of the (night/light) to the (beauty/glory) of the (light/night),
In the name of the Ancient She and He,
So mote it be,
Now and forevermore,
Tod estu.”

I truly look forward to her Feast Day each year, as I owe her a great debt and much love for all she has brought and taught me throughout my life.

Lughnasadh General Correspondences

Traditional Foods: Apples, Grains, Breads and Berries.
Herbs and Flowers: All Grains, Grapes, Heather, Blackberries, Sloe, Crab Apples, and Pears.
Incense: Aloeswood, Rose, and Sandalwood.
Sacred Gemstones: Carnelian, Citrine, and Tiger Eye.

Special Activities

As summer passes, many Pagans celebrate by remembering its warmth and bounty in a feast shared with family, friends or Coven members. As a Solitary Practitioner, I do not belong to a Coven, so my religiously open-minded family and friends attend the feast.

As a devotion, you might want to save and plant the seeds from the fruits consumed during the feast or ritual. If they sprout, grow the plant or tree with love and as a symbol of your connection with the Lord and Lady. Walk through any fields and orchards you live near, or spend time walking or sitting by springs, creeks, rivers, ponds and lakes reflecting on the bounty and love of the Lord and Lady. If you have access to an ocean, the beach and its rocks overlooking the waves can be especially spiritual at this time of year.

A Prayer and Ritual to Celebrate Lughnasadh

“Oh Lady, your breast is the field. Inanna, your breast is your field.
Your broad field pours out plants, your broad field pours out grain.
Water flows from on high for your servant.
Bread flows from on high for your servant.
Pour it out for me Inanna. I will drink all you offer.”

Bake a loaf of bread making sure to honor the source of the flour as you work the dough. Shape the loaf into the figure of a man or a woman and give your grain-person a name such as Lugh or Demeter.

If you have a garden add something you've grown to the loaf. Bread combines the elementals of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water to become a substance that has nourished and sustained people since the first discovery of grain. Bread combines seeds from the Earth (flour and salt), with Water and Air (yeast the secret, airborne traveler, sacred changer of the Gods), adding Fire to bake. Suddenly, from those four ancient, basic elements: Bread.

If you don't wish to bake bread, consider making corn bread, muffins or even popping popcorn. It is the important to honor the harvest, and the baking process allows us to mindfully enter the sacred by being fully aware of our intentions.

In many parts of the world, it is traditional to make a “corn dolly,” out of cornstalks/husks from the late season harvest. If you decide to do this, as you work on her, think of what you and your family and friends have “harvested” this year. If you are like most people, you have brought both the positive and negative into your life. This is the perfect time to reflect on your life as a whole, deciding if there are aspects you wish to change.

Traditions

— Place an ash leaf under your pillow for prophetic dreams.
— Decorate sheaves of grain with flowers or ribbons.
— Eat and drink in the name of the Goddess and God. Begin with a prayer of thanks for the bounty laid before you.
— Leave offerings of bread to the Faerie Folk.
— Honor the pregnant Goddess and the waning energy of the Sun God by offering them bread and wine.
— Hang crystals, faceted glass and sun catchers in the windows of your house to deflect unwanted energy and to create dancing rainbow colors in your home.
— Sacrifice unwanted habits and things from your life by throwing symbols of them into the Sabbat fire. Prayer scrolls can contain written descriptions of offerings, or they can be doodled or drawn representations. Thus, they can include symbols or words, whatever makes the most powerful emotional connection/association for you.

Detailed Lughnasadh Correspondences

Goddesses – Anat, Blodeuwedd, Ceres, Cerridwen, Demeter, Isis, and Sif.
Gods – Adonis, Hercules, Tammuz, Lugh, Odin, Loki, and Baal.
Colors – Orange, gold, yellow, citrine and gray.
Candle Colors – Golden yellow, orange, green or light brown.
Stones – Yellow diamonds, adventurine, sardonyx, peridot and citrine.
Animals – Roosters, calves, and stags.
Mythical Creatures – Phoenix, griffins, centaurs and speaking skulls.
Plants – Corn, rice, wheat, rye, oats and ginseng.
Herbs – Acacia flowers, aloes, calendula, cornstalks, cyclamen, fenugreek, frankincense, heather, hollyhock, myrtle, oak leaves, sunflower, and vervain.
Incense – Aloes, rose, rose hips, rosemary, chamomile, passionflower, frankincense and sandalwood.
Foods – Homemade breads, corn, potatoes, berry pies, barley cakes, nuts, wild berries, apples, rice, roasted lamb, acorns, crab apples, summer squash, turnips, oats, all grains, and all First Harvest foods.
Traditional Drinks – Elderberry wine, ale and meadowsweet tea.

Recipes

Apricot Wine

1 pound dried apricots
4 quarts warm water
6 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups raisins
1 Tablespoon minced ginger
2 lemons, thinly sliced
2 oranges, thinly sliced
1/2 cup yeast

Preparation:

Wash the apricots in several batches of water and then dry them and cut in halves. Place in a large crock and pour on the warm water, reserving 1/2 cup, which is then used to dissolve the yeast. Stir in the sugars, fruit, raisins and ginger. Then add the dissolved yeast and mix well. Cover and let stand for 30 days, stirring the mixture every other day. After 30 days, strain the mixture and bottle.

Lughnasadh Incense

1 part oak bark
1/4 part pine resin
A few drops oak moss oil
2 parts red sandalwood
1 part cedar wood
A few drops cedar oil
3 parts frankincense
1/2 part sunflower petals

Summer Pudding

6 cups berries
1 cup sugar
Loaf of white bread, one or two days old

Preparation:

Wash the fruit and leave in a bowl with the sugar overnight. The next day, put the contents into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Gently simmer for 2 or 3 minutes., there should be lots of juice.

Cut the loaf into 1/4 " thick slices and remove the crusts.

Cut a circle from one slice of the bread slightly larger than the bottom of a 34-ounce pudding dish and place in position. Cut wedges of bread to fit around the sides of the bowl. If there are any gaps push in small pieces of bread.

Pour half of the fruit and juice mixture, cover with bread cut to shape and add the remainder of fruit and juice.

Cover the top with a couple slices of bread, trimming off the excess to make a nice, neat finish to the pudding.

Place a plate on top and weigh it down with two or three cans of food. Leave in the refrigerator for a day or two.

When serving, run a thin, flexible knife between the pudding and the bowl to loosen it. Place a serving dish upside down on top of the bowl Quickly turn it over and remove the bowl. Serve with lots of whipped cream.

Barley Mushroom Soup

5 cup vegetable broth
1 cup uncooked barley
1/2 pound of mushrooms (use morels or enoki for a woodsy flavor)
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup chopped, fresh carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cloves minced fresh garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Bring the vegetable broth to a low rolling boil on the stove and then reduce heat. Add the mushrooms, onions, carrots and celery, and allow to simmer for ten minutes. Add the barley and garlic, cover and simmer for another hour.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Lughnasadh Corn Fritters

1 can corn
1 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp salad oil
Additional oil for frying

Preparation:

Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, eggs and salad oil in a bowl until the batter is smooth. Add the can (or 1 cup of fresh) corn kernels and mix well. Heat 1/4 " of salad oil in a frying pan and drop fritters by level tablespoon full into the hot oil. Fry until golden, turning once. Drain and serve.

Here are some other August dates of note:

— Aug. 9; Festival of Sol Indigis, the Roman sun god.
— Aug. 13; The Vertumnalia, the Festival of Vertumnus, the Roman god of seasons, gardens and orchards.
— Aug. 13; Day of Hekate.
— Aug. 13; Full Moon Wyrt (Corn) Moon
— Aug. 15; Festival of Torches – Nemoralia
— Aug. 17; The Portunalia, or the Festival of Portunes, the Roman god of gates, doors and harbors. At this festival, people would throw keys into the fire in order to bless them.
— Aug. 19; The Vinalia, the Festival of Jupiter, who was the primary Roman god.
— Aug. 21; Festival of Consus, the Roman god of good council.
— Aug. 21; Sun enters Virgo.
— Aug 23; The Volcanalia, the Festival of Vulcan, the Roman god of fire (from which we get the word Volcano.)
— Aug. 25; The Opiconsivia, the Harvest Festival of Ops, the Roman goddess of harvest.
— Aug 29; New Moon.

As always, any Sabbat is the perfect opportunity to offer thanks to the Goddess and God through sacred sex. If you are a consenting adult, take your partner, or just yourself, and shout your thanks in the perfect expression of ectasy.

— Danu’s Daughter

June and the Joyous Summer Soltice of Litha

One of the most enjoyable holidays in the pagan calendar is the Summer Solstice, or Litha, which is a time for celebration of the abundance of the Earth, and is also a time to prepare for the darkening months to come.

June will also mark a Solar AND Lunar Eclipse, so rejoice in the unique qualities of this season.

Litha is one of the four solar festivals (the two solstices, and the two equinoxes) or sabbats, observed by many Wiccan and Pagan traditions, based on the Celtic year. In folklore, these are referred to as the four 'quarter-days' of the year, and modern Wiccan and Witches call them the four 'Lesser Sabbats', or the four 'Low Holidays.' The Summer Solstice is one of them.

Litha is also known as Midsummer, occurring when the sun is at its apex on June 21 in the Northern Hemisphere. In Celtic lore, the Summer Solstice is one of two times each year that the battle between the Holly and Oak Kings occurs.

This folk tradition is a tale of the seasons, in which the light half of the year, represented by the Oak King, and the dark half, represented by the Holly King, wage war against each other in a natural magick bid for supremacy. This epic battle takes place at the summer and winter solstices.

The Oak King is seen as the ruler of the year between the Winter and Summer Solstices, while the Holly King rules from the Summer to Winter Solstices. It is the Oak King’s victory that is celebrated at Litha. But while the Oak King may be in charge of things at the beginning of June, by the end of Midsummer he has been defeated by the Holly King who will begin to bring about the dark half of the year, to shorten the length of daylight and replace the current warmth with a growing cold. Thus it is that the holly (tinne) is the sacred tree of June.

I love the symbolism that Wiccans understand from this amazing battle, that in every darkness there is an element of light, and in every light there is an element of darkness. Understanding this basic teaching of the Wheel of the Year better prepares those who follow this path to handle the ups and downs of existence as a natural part of life.

The famous, fabulous witch Marie Bruce of England, has written a wonderful Grass is Greener Spell that underscores this wisdom. Light a white candle then say:

"Discontent I will not feel
For satisfaction I will strive
Greener grass is never real
I am happy with my life!
So mote it be."

Allow the candle to burn for 15 minutes, then snuff it out. Repeat it daily until you feel more content with your life.

Humanity has been celebrating the triumph of light over the darkness since ancient times. On the Wheel of the Year, Litha lies directly across from Yule, the shortest day of the calendar year. This battle between the seasons is so significant that in many Pagan circles it is even acted out in some Litha celebrations.

It addition is at Litha, like Samhain (Halloween,) that the veils between the worlds are wondrously thin, that the portals between "the fields we know" and the worlds beyond stand enticingly open. As a result, it is an excellent time for rites of divination, and is also the strongest time to work all types of faery magick.

The most famous bard of them all, William Shakespeare, associated Midsummer with witchcraft in at least three of his plays. A Midsummer Night's Dream, Macbeth, and The Tempest all contain references to the special magick on the night of the Summer Solstice.

Even though Litha and Yule are classified as low or lesser sabbats (holidays,) they are generally celebrated with more reveling, zeal and merriment than any other holidays on the wheel, except perhaps Samhain (Halloween).

The joyous rituals of Litha celebrate the verdant Earth in high summer; abundance, fertility, and all the riches of Nature in full bloom. This is a madcap time of strong magic and empowerment, traditionally the time for handfasting (weddings) and for communication with the spirits of Nature. One fairly common custom in covens/groves is for women to walk skyclad (naked) through gardens to ensure continued fertility.

Those who celebrated Litha in the past did so wearing garlands or crowns of flowers, and of course, their millinery always included the yellow blossoms of St. John's Wort. The Litha rites of the ancients were boisterous communal festivities that included dancing, singing, storytelling, pageantry and feasting occurring by the village bonfire, and a torch-lit procession through the village after dark.

The Litha Sabbat is a time to celebrate both work and leisure, it is a time for children and childlike play. It is a time to celebrate the ending of the waxing year and the beginning of the waning year, in preparation for the harvest to come. Midsummer is a time to absorb the Sun's warming rays and is also another fertility Sabbat, not only for humans, but also for crops and animals. Wiccans consider the Goddess to be heavy with pregnancy from the mating at Beltane – and much honor is given to Her. The Sun God is also celebrated as the Sun is at its peak in the sky. Wiccans celebrate His approaching fatherhood – honor is also given to Him.

The faeries abound at this time and it is customary to leave offerings – such as food or herbs – for them in the evening.

Although Litha may seem at first glance to be a masculine observance and one which focuses on Lugh, the day is also dedicated to the Goddess, and Her flowers are the white blossoms of the elder. [FYI: In Irish mythology Lugh was a divine hero who led the Tuatha Dé Danann – who became the fey – against the Fomorians who were led by his grandfather Balor. Lugh killed Balor by shooting a stone into his giant eye.]

Here are just a few other names Litha is also known as: Summer Solstice, Alban Hefin; Sun Blessing; Gathering Day; Feill-Sheathain; Whit Sunday; Whitsuntide; Vestalia; Thing-tide; and St. John's Day.

Wiccan celebrants are commonly associated with Litha, but the holiday is celebrated by ancient religions around the world on every continent who believe in gods and goddesses of fertility and magick. It is thought the word, Litha, may have come from the Saxon tradition.

As mentioned, Shakespeare's romantic comedy, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" has drawn attention to this time of year and captivated audiences since about 1596. Pagans believe that midsummer dreams are more lucid during this time, and as has been said, believe it is a good time to commune with all sprites and faeries.

Litha takes place after the crops have been planted and before the harvest has begun. Pagans believe that Litha is the right time to harvest magical, healing herbs and to make love potions. As a result, Litha became associated with the ideal time for weddings, scheduled between the planting and harvesting. Traditional June weddings still occur around this time.

Litha also celebrates fertility and strength. Foods with fresh vegetables, drinks made with herbs and flowers and incense of different types such as lemon, myrrh and pine, are used in many Litha celebrations.

Edain McCoy explains this magickal season from her book, Celtic Myth and Magick:

"Midsummer is the time when the sun reaches the peak of its power, the earth is green and holds the promise of a bountiful harvest. The Mother Goddess is viewed as heavily pregnant, and the God is at the apex of his manhood and is honored in his guise as the supreme sun.

But don't overlook the Celtic Sun Goddesses in your celebration. The Celts are one of several cultures known to also have female deities to reperesent the power of the sun. The Celtic languages are some of the very few in which the names for the "sun" are feminine nouns, which attests to the one-time prominence of these Goddesses. A number of the myths surrounding these ladies of light have been preserved. Among the most well-known are Sul (Anglo-Celtic), Dia Griene (Scottish), the Princess of the Sun (Breton), and Grian and Brid (Irish).

Just as the Holly and Oak Kings battles for supremacy at Yule, this ever-repeating fight is reenacted at Midsummer, this time with the Holly King, as king of the waning year, victorious."

Litha has been a source of contention among modern Neo-Pagan and Wiccan groups because it has not been established whether Midsummer was celebrated by the ancients. While there's scholarly evidence to indicate that it was indeed observed, Wicca founder Gerald B. Gardner wrote that the solar festivals (the solstices and equinoxes) were actually added later and were imported from the Middle East. Regardless, most Wiccans and Neo-Pagans celebrate Litha.

Nearly every agricultural society has marked the high point of summer in some way. It is at this time that the sun reaches its zenith. In the Southern Hemisphere, the Summer Solstice occurs in December. It is the longest day of the year, and the point at which the sun seems to just hang in the sky without moving – in fact, the word "solstice" is from the Latin word solstitium, which literally translates "sun stands still." In ancient days the progression of the sun was marked and recorded. Stone circles like Stonehenge were actually oriented to highlight the rising of the sun on the precise day of the Summer Solstice.

Litha Legends

Because Litha is a celebration that has been observed for centuries in one form or another it is no surprise that there are numerous myths and legends associated with it.

It is believed in parts of England that if you stay up all night on Midsummer's Eve, sitting in the middle of a stone circle, you will see the Fey. But be careful – carry a bit of rue in your pocket to keep them from harassing you, or turn your jacket inside out to confuse them. If you have to escape the Fae, follow a ley line, and it will lead you to safety.

[FYI: Rue has a long history of use in both medicine and magick, and is considered a protective herb in both disciplines. The hardy evergreen shrub with yellow flowers is mentioned by writers from Pliny to Shakespeare and beyond, as an herb of remembrance, of warding and of healing. Early physicians considered rue an excellent protection against plagues and pestilence, and used it to ward off poisons and fleas. A Modern Herbal refers to the plant's 'disagreeable odor and flavor,' but in truth, the bitterness of the leaves is only evident in large doses. In smaller amounts, it imparts a pleasant, musky flavor to cream cheeses and light meats. Rue was once believed to improve the eyesight and creativity, and no less personages than Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci regularly at the small, trefoil leaves to increase their own. The legend of rue lives on in playing cards, where the symbol for the suit of clubs is said to be modeled on a leaf of rue. There are concerns that rue is poisonous and can cause violent gastric reactions when taken in large doses. In addition, some people are highly sensitive to the plant's oils and can develop a severe rash when they are exposed to it and then the sun.]

Ley Lines

Ley lines were first suggested to the general public by an amateur archaeologist named Alfred Watkins in the early 1920’s. Watkins was out wandering around one day in Herefordshire and noticed that many of the local footpaths connected the surrounding hilltops in a straight line. After looking a map, he saw a pattern of alignment. He posited that in ancient times, Britain had been crossed by a network of straight travel routes, using various hilltops and other physical features as landmarks, needed in order to navigate the once densely-forested countryside.

Watkins' ideas weren't completely new. Some fifty years before Watkins, an archaeologist named William Henry Black suggested that geometric lines connected monuments all over western Europe.

The idea of ley lines as magical, mystical alignments is a fairly modern one. One school of thought believes that these lines carry positive or negative energy. It is also believed that where two or more lines converge, you have a place of great power and energy. It is believed that many well-known sacred sites, such as Stonehenge, Glastonbury Tor, Sedona and Machu Picchu sit at the convergence of several lines.

There are a number of academics who dismiss the concept of ley lines, pointing out that geographic alignment doesn’t necessarily make the connection magical. After all, the shortest distance between two points is always a straight line, so it would make sense for some of these places to be connected by a straight path. On the other hand, when our ancestors were navigating over rivers, around forests, and up hills, a straight line might not have actually been the best path to follow. It is also possible that because of the sheer number of ancient sites in Britain, that the "alignments" are simply chance coincidence. Ri-ight!

Litha Fires

People believed that the Litha fires possessed great power, and that prosperity and protection for oneself and one's clan (family) could be earned merely by jumping over the Litha bonfire. It was also common for courting couples to join hands and jump over the embers of the Litha fire three times to ensure a long and happy marriage, financial prosperity and many children. Even the charred embers from the Litha bonfire were believed to have possessed protective powers – they were charms against injury and bad weather in harvest time. The embers were commonly placed around fields of grain and orchards to protect the crops and ensure an abundant reaping. Other Litha customs included carrying an ember of the Litha fire home and placing it on one's hearth and decking one's home with birch, fennel, St. John's Wort, orpin, and white lilies for blessing and protection.

In England, rural villagers built a big bonfire on Midsummer's Eve. This was called "setting the watch," and it was known that the fire would keep evil spirits out of the town. Some farmers would light a fire on their land, and people would wander about, holding torches and lanterns, from one bonfire to another. If you jumped over a bonfire – presumably without lighting your pants on fire – you were guaranteed to have good luck for the coming year.

After your Litha fire has burned out and the ashes gone cold, use them to make a protective amulet. You can do this by carrying them in a small pouch, or kneading them into some soft clay and forming a talisman. In some traditions of Wicca, it is believed that the Midsummer ashes will protect you from misfortune. You can also sow the ashes from your bonfire into your garden, and your crops will be bountiful for the rest of the summer growing season.

In addition:

— Residents of some areas of Ireland say that if you have something you wish to happen, you "give it to the pebble." Carry a stone in your hand as you circle the Litha bonfire, and whisper your request to the stone – "heal my mother" or "help me be more courageous," for example. After your third turn around the fire, toss the stone into the flames.
— Sunwheels were used to celebrate Midsummer in some early Pagan cultures. A wheel – or sometimes a really big ball of straw – was lit on fire and rolled down a hill into a river. The burned remnants were taken to the local temple and put on display. In Wales, it was believed that if the fire went out before the wheel hit the water, a good crop was guaranteed for the season.
— In Egypt, the Midsummer season was associated with the flooding of the Nile River delta. In South America, paper boats are filled with flowers, and then set on fire. They are then sailed down the river, carrying prayers to the gods. In some traditions of modern Paganism, you can get rid of problems by writing them on a piece of paper and dropping them into a moving body of water on Litha.

Gods and Goddesses

For contemporary Wiccans and Pagans, this is a day of inner power and brightness. Find a quiet spot and meditate on the darkness and the light both in the world and in your personal life. Celebrate the turning of the Wheel of the Year with fire and water, night and day, and other symbols of the triumph of light over darkness.

Litha is a great time to celebrate outdoors especially if you have children. Take them swimming or just turn on the sprinkler to run through, and then have a bonfire or barbeque at the end of the day. Let them stay up late to say goodnight to the sun, and celebrate nightfall with sparklers, fire flies, storytelling, and music.

Here is a sampling of the Gods and Goddesses from around the world associated with the Summer Solstice:

Amaterasu (Shinto): This solar goddess is both the sister of the moon deity, and the storm god of Japan. She is known as the goddess "from which all light comes." She is much loved, and is known for her warmth and compassion. Every year in July, she is honored with public celebrations throughout Japan.

Aten (Egypt): Known an aspect of Ra, Aten was not depicted as an anthropomorphic being (like most of the other ancient Egyptian gods), but is represented by the disc of the sun, with rays of light emanating outward.

Apollo (Greek): The son of Zeus by Leto, Apollo is a multi-faceted god. In addition to being the god of the sun, he also presides over music, medicine and healing. He is also identified with Helios. As his worship spread throughout the Roman empire and into the British Isles, he took on many of the aspects of the Celtic deities, and is seen as a god of the sun and of healing.

Hestia (Greek): This goddess watches over domesticity, the home and the family. She was given the first offering at any sacrifice made in the home. Publicly, local town halls were shrines for her – and when new settlements were formed, a flame from their public hearths were taken to new villages from the old ones in her honor.

Horus (Egyptian): Horus was one of the solar deities of the ancient Egyptians. He was honored as rising and setting daily, and is also associated with Nut, the sky god. Horus later became associated with the more famous sun god, Ra.

Huitzilopochtli (Aztec): This warrior god of the ancient Aztecs was a sun god and the patron of the city of Tenochtitlan. He battled with Nanahuatzin, an earlier solar god. Huitzilopochtli fought against darkness, and required his worshipers to make regular sacrifices to ensure the sun's survival over the next fifty-two years, which is coincides with the sacred number recorded in Mesoamerican myths.

Juno (Roman): She is also called Juno Luna and blesses women with menstruation. The month of June was named for her. She is the patroness of marriage, and her month remains an ever-popular time for handfastings (weddings.)

Lugh (Celtic): Similar to the Roman god Mercury, Lugh was known as a god of both skill and the distribution of talent. He is sometimes associated with Midsummer because of his role as a harvest god, and during the Summer Solstice when the crops are flourishing and are waiting to be plucked from the ground at Lughnasadh.

Sulis Minerva (Celtic, Roman): When the Romans occupied the British Isles, they took the aspects of the Celtic sun goddess, Sulis, and merged her with their own goddess of wisdom, Minerva. The resulting combination was Sulis Minerva, who watched over the hot springs and sacred waters in the town of Bath.

Sunna or Sol (Germanic): Little is known about this Norse goddess of the sun, but she appears in the poetic eddas as the sister of the moon god.

The following chants and prayers celebrate the different aspects of Litha. Feel free to modify them to suit the needs of your own tradition:

Prayer for the Garden
By Patti Wigington

Small plants, leaves and buds,
growing in the soil.
O fiery sun, may your rays of
light and warmth
bless us with abundance,
and allow these plants to blossom
with life.

A Prayer for the Beach
By Patti Wigington

O mother ocean, welcome me in your arms,
bathe me in your waves,
and keep me safe
so that I may return to land once more.

Your tides move with the pull of the moon,
as do my own cycles.
I am drawn to you,
and honor you under the sun's fiery gaze.

Prayer to the Sun at Litha
By Patti Wigington

The sun is high above us
shining down upon the land and sea,
making things grow and bloom.

Great and powerful sun,
we honor you this day
and thank you for your gifts.

Ra, Helios, Sol Invictus, Aten, Svarog,
you are known by many names.

You are the light over the crops,
the heat that warms the earth,
the hope that springs eternal,
the bringer of life.

We welcome you, and we honor you this day,
celebrating your light,
as we begin our journey once more
into the darkness.

A Fourth of July Prayer
By Patti Wigington

Gods of liberty, goddesses of justice,
watch over those who would fight for our freedoms.
May freedom be given to all people,
around the world,
no matter what their faith.

Keep our soldiers safe from harm,
and protect them in your light,
so that they may return to their families
and their homes.

Goddesses of liberty, gods of justice,
hear our call, and light the sky,
your torch shining in the night,
that we may find our way back to you,
and bring people together, in unity.

Blessing Besom

Litha is the season of great solar energy. A great project is to put together a blessing besom, especially since sweeping is one of the best ways to make a space sacred and clean. After making it, use it to physically cleanse your home, then hang it up to keep positive energy flowing.

To make a blessing besom, you'll need the following: A broom – either make your own, or purchase one at a craft store; ivy or vines; flowers and herbs; ribbons; and small bells.

Wrap the ribbons and ivy loosely (allow some pliance) around the handle of the broom. Next, add sprigs of herbs and flowers beneath the ribbons as desired. Once done, tie a few small bells onto the broom, so that it makes a pleasant sound when used. In many cultures, bells are used as noisemakers to frighten away evil spirits or negative energies.

If you like, you may consecrate the blessing besom the same as any other magical tool. Use it to sweep around your home, starting near a window or a door, and working in a deosil (clockwise) direction. As you do so, you may wish to chant something like this:

Sweeping, sweeping, 'round the room,
Blessings from this cleansing broom.
From floor to ceiling, and all between,
May this space be fresh and clean.
Sweeping good energy here to me,
As I will, so it shall be.

Correspondences

Here are just a few magickal correspondences (items that amplify specific natural energies) associated with Litha:

Purpose : Rededication to the Lord and Lady, beginning of the harvest, honoring the Sun God, honoring the pregnant Goddess.

Dynamics/Meaning: Crowning of the Sun God, death of the Oak King, assumption of the Holly King, end the ordeal of the Green Man.

Tools, Symbols and Decorations: The sun, oak, birch and fir branches, sun flowers, lilies, red/maize/yellow or gold flower, love amulets, seashells, summer fruits and flowers, feather/flower door wreath, sun wheel, fire, circles of stone, sun dials and swords/blades, bird feathers, and the Witches' Ladder. (FYI: A Witches’ Ladder is similar to a prayer bracelet or Rosary in other faiths. It is generally a string comprised of 40 beads, or a cord of 40 knots, which some Wiccans or witches use for magick. The beads or knots enable a practitioner to concentrate on repeated chants or incantations without having to keep count, thus enabling the practitioner to focus all his or her attention or will on the desired goal.)

Colors: Blue, green, gold, yellow and red.

Customs: Bonfires, processions, all night vigils; singing, feasting, celebrating with others; cutting or gathering divining rods, dowsing rods and wands; herb gathering; handfastings (weddings); Druidic gathering to collect mistletoe in oak groves; needfires, leaping between two; women walking naked through gardens to ensure continued fertility; honorign the Mother's fullness, richness and abundance; placing garlands of St. John’s Wort placed over doors/ windows and a sprig in the car for protection.

Goddesses: Mother Earth, Mother Nature; Venus, Aphrodite, Yemaya, Astarte, Freya, Hathor, Ishtar; all Goddesses of love, passion, beauty and the sea, and pregnant, lusty Goddesses; Green Forest Mother; Great One of the Stars; and Goddess of the Wells.

Gods: Father Sun/Sky; Oak King, Holly King; King Arthur; all Gods at peak power and strength.

Rituals/Magicks: Nature spirit/fey communion, planet healing, divination, love and protection magicks. The battle between the Oak King – God of the waxing year – and the Holly King – God of the waning year, which can be acted out in a ritual play, or scenes from the Bard’s (an incarnation of Merlin) "A Midsummer Night’s Dream," rededication of faith, and rites of inspiration.

Astrologically, the sun is entering Cancer, which is a water sign. Midsummer is not only a time of fire magick, but of water as well. Now is a good time to work magick involving sacred streams and holy wells. If you visit one, be sure to go just before sunrise on Litha, and approach the water from the east, with the rising sun. Circle the well or spring three times, walking deosil, and then make an offering of silver coins or pins.

Animals/Mythical Beings: Wren, robin, horses, cattle, satyrs, faeries, firebird, dragon, and thunderbird.

Gemstones: Lapis lazuli, diamond, tiger’s eye; and all green gemstones, especially emerald and jade.

Herbs: Anise, mugwort, chamomile, rose, wild rose, oak blossoms, lily, cinquefoil, lavender, fennel, elder, mistletoe, hemp, thyme, larkspur, nettle, wisteria, vervain ( verbena), St. John’s Wort, heartsease, rue, fern, wormwood, pine, heather, yarrow, oak and holly trees.

Incense/Oil: Heliotrope, saffron, orange, frankincense and myrrh, wisteria, cinnamon, mint, rose, lemon, lavender, sandalwood, and pine.

Foods: Honey, fresh vegetables, lemons, oranges, summer fruits, summer squash, pumpernickel bread, ale and mead, and carrot drinks.

Sun worship is a custom that has gone on nearly as long as mankind itself. In North America, the tribes of the Great Plains saw the sun as a manifestation of the Great Spirit. For centuries, the Sun Dance has been performed as a way to not only honor the sun, but also to bring the dancers visions. Traditionally, the Sun Dance was performed by young warriors.

According to historians, Sun Dance preparation among most of the Plains peoples involved a lot of prayer, followed by the ceremonial felling of a tree, which was then painted and erected at the dancing ground. All of this was done under the supervision of the tribe's shaman. Offerings were made to show respect to the Great Spirit.

The Sun Dance itself lasted for several days, during which time the dancers abstained from food. On the first day, prior to beginning the dance, participants often spent some time in a sweat lodge, and the painted their bodies with a variety of colors. Dancers circled the pole to the beat of drums, bells, and sacred chants.

The Sun Dance was not held solely to honor the sun – but was also a way of testing the stamina of the tribe's young, unblooded warriors. Among a few tribes, such as the Mandan, dancers suspended themselves from the pole with ropes attached to pins that pierced the skin. The young men of some tribes lacerated their skin in ritualized patterns. Dancers kept going until they lost consciousness, and sometimes this could go on for three to four days. Dancers often reported having a vision or a spirit walk during the celebration. Once it was over, they were fed, bathed, and – with great ceremony – smoked a sacred pipe in honor of the Great Spirit's manifestation as the sun.

However you choose to celebrate the Summer Solstice, as a Litha Rite or some other Midsummer holiday, make it joyous. Try to celebrate outside in the open air if possible, with good company. Feast, dance, sing and enjoy the abundance of nature. Drinks to share at Litha include honey mead, elderflower wine or a cordial. Decorate your home or an outdoor celebration with blue and red ribbons, holly, oak leaves, reeds, wild roses and cultivated red roses, along with any yellow or red flowers.

Whatever you do, be sure to remember to cleave to your partner with love and the sexual abandon that only this time of wild magick inspires!

Here are June's Correspondences in Overview:

Herb of the Month - Mugwort
Stone of the Month - Moonstone
Rune of the Month - Wunjo
Tarot Card of the Month - The Lovers
Correspondence of the Month - Elements
Spell of the Month - Protection

Important June Dates:

June 1, 5:03 p.m. - New Moon, 5:16 p.m. Solar Eclipse

We may all be eager to feel the light, airy energy of the New Moon in Gemini at 11 degrees, which happens on June 1. Also happening is a power-boost of a Solar Eclipse (which occurs during the New Moon phase). A sacred gateway of energy is opening up for those willing to tune in.

The sacred gateway, signified by a Solar Eclipse as an opening, is similar to a fresh chapter in a journal or book. This doorway is for you to venture onto new adventures - to be open and curious about life. There is much to write or new things to read and understand. It can be an interesting, energizing and exciting time, as this Solar Eclipse in Gemini is brimming with new beginnings. We may just want to talk about experience of living life - things that really matter and are of value, not just skimming the headlines and partaking in useless gossip. We must take a look around our lives and realize we must use our power to make proper, healthy choices so we can create long-lasting happiness.

Saturn in Libra is making a harmonious aspect to the Sun and Moon in Gemini now. Tangible manifestations and the ability to create and justify ideas are possible. We are more focused on completing our actions rather than how we present them to other people. Saturn in Libra offers a steadfast supportive energy to this Solar Eclipse and New Moon in Gemini. If you do have planets situated in your natal chart within 9-14 degrees in Airs signs: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius - you may feel super good and possibly productive. We will enjoy variety in life now or engage in friendly conversations with interesting people. Things may happen quick and fast now and anything is possible. It may feel like a wild ride with life swirling and magick happening. Solar Eclipses tend to symbolize outer world changes while Lunar Eclipses electrify the inner world, which will happen on June 15.

All other signs can appreciate the themes and issues coming up. Everyone can partake in creating a sacred space and clear intention around the sector of life where the Eclipse takes place. Saturn and Pluto make a wide yet tense connection during this Solar Eclipse/New Moon in Gemini, reminding us to get serious and be the responsible party in bringing change to long-standing issues in relationships and perhaps even in the professional sector of life. Move past old limitations and know that you can and will overcome the adversity.

Birthday Surprises!

For those whose Birthdays land on June 1, know that you can have a powerfully charged up year ahead to learn, share and network.

The Solar Eclipse and New Moon in Gemini invites us to lighten the mood, be open, curious and embrace the variety in life.

June 15, 4:12 p.m. - Lunar Eclipse, 4:14 p.m. - Full Moon

The Moon of Aradia

This Sagittarius Full Moon is also a total lunar eclipse. Eclipses open up conduits of magickal and spiritual energy. Some believe that souls enter and exit through the shadows of eclipses. Eclipses can stir up other kinds of energies and events, some quite inconvenient. Under pressing circumstances, the practitioner must learn to "think like a Witch."

Aradia, Queen of the Witches, has powers to share and teach this special kind of thinking. Witches don't panic! They react in magickal ways that transform circumstances through will and intent. The sacred ciccle and true name are anchors that help put on the witchy thinking cap, and the singing sword of focused intent puts thoughts into motion.

If the solitary practitioner is confronting difficulties under this Full Moon, take time to review the people and elements of the situation. Put on the witchy thinking cap, pick apart the problem, and look carefully at all the pieces. What kind of spells, charms, and devotional prayers, and rituals are potential magickal solutions? Covens can post these questions as a group. Eclipses are good for changing and banishing troubling circumstances.

~ Elizabeth Hazel in Llewellyn's 2011 Witches' Datebook

June 19 - Father's Day

You Taught Me How to Love You

You taught me how to love you by
The way that you loved me;
And by your unseen sustenance,
To see what you could see.

You gave to me through who you were
The gift of what I am.
Your pride in me is now my pride;
Your faith, my caravan.

Your life does not conclude with death,
Nor will it end with mine,
For all the lives I touch, you touch,
And so on through all time.

~ Nicholas Gordon

June 21 - Midsummer/Litha/Summer Solstice

Litha Correspondences in More Detail:

Element/Gender - Fire/male.

Threshold - Evening/dawn.

Herb of the Month: Mugwort (Air/Venus, Gender - Feminine)

Parts Used: The whole herb
Magickal Properties: Travelers Protection
Divination, Uses: Harvested at the Full Moon, this is carried for protection when traveling long journeys, used as a tea to enhance psychic powers or rub the leaves on the forehead and on the divination tool to increase clairvoyance.

Stone of the Month: Moonstone

Great for divination. Many people keep a moonstone with their tarot cards for increased psychic ability. It is helpful in dieting and maintaining a youthful appearance. The moonstone is love drawing and helpful for reconciliation. Moonstone is a gently protective stone, and is extremely useful in protection while traveling by water.

Rune of the Month: Wunjo (W or V is equated with joy, comfort, and pleasure.)

Wunjo stands for fellowship, harmony, prosperity; ecstasy, glory, spiritual reward, but is also associated with the the possibility of going "over the top." However, if restrained, the meaning is generally success and the recognition of worth.

Wunjo Reversed or Merkstave is equated with stultification, sorrow, strife, alienation, delirium, intoxication, possession by higher forces, impractical enthusiasm, and even raging frenzy, or berzerker.

Tarot Card of the Month: The Lovers

The Lovers represent a new breath of life. They symbolize love, devotion and spiritual friendship. Positively associated with desire, a new lover, relationships, physical attraction, love, sex, and commitment. Negatively associated with lust, moral lapse, temptation, indecision, separation, failed love affair, and emotional loss of control.

Correspondence of the Month: Elements

Earth - Earth is the element that rules the north and that is most stable and dependable. It represents abundance, prosperity, and wealth, and is creative but in a practical, physical manner. Earth is that which sustains all life and on which the other elements rest. Types of magick: gardening, grounding, magnet, image, stone, tree, knot, binding. These types of spells should be preformed when the moon is in one of the astrological signs governed by this element: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn.

Air - The element of Air rules the east and is associated with mental processes and the mind. It is creative and is that which causes magickal intentions to manifest. It is also associated with higher consciousness and wisdom, divination, and purification. Types of magick: divination, concentration, prophecy, visualization, wind magick, karma. These types of spells should be performed when the moon is in one of the astrological signs governed by this element: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius.

Fire - The element of Fire rules the south and is associated with change and passion. It is both physical and spiritual, being related to sexuality and to divinity. Fire magick is quickly manifested and filled with primal energy. Types of magick: candle, storm, time. These types of spells should be performed when the moon is in one of the astrological signs governed by this element: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius.

Water - The element of Water rules the west and is associated with the subconscious mind, intuition, and emotions. As the primal substance of life, it is symbolized by the womb and is related to fertility. Types of magick: magick involving the sea, snow or ice, mirror, magnet, rain, cleansing and purification. These types of spells should be performed when the moon is in one of the astrological signs governed by this element: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces.

Spell of the Month: Protection

What you need:

White candle
Protection incense
Photo or respresentation of your loved one(s)

Light the incense. Place the candle on top of your photo(s) and light it. Envision a protective white light surrounding your loved ones and say:

"O Goddess, protect my loved ones every day, as they sleep and as they play,
Help them to always smile bright, and keep them safe in Your loving light.
Protect them from harm and from all they fear,
For they are the ones that I hold dear.
I thank the Goddess for helping me,
I trust in Her aid,
So mote it be."

Let the candle and incense burn down.

— Danu’s Daughter