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

April Showers Lead to May's Beltane: Part I

Apparently, I decided to play an April Fool's Day joke on myself — I am posting this on April 3!

The name "April" is derived from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love who was known to the Romans as Venus.

The "Kalends" of April are sacred to Venus, as is the entire month. [Note: Kalends is the name the Romans gave to the first day of the month. The Kalends was the day of the new moon. While the Kalends were always the first day of the month, the other two named days, the Ides and the Nones, were not always on the same day of the month. The Kalends was on the new moon, the Ides on the full moon, and the Nones between the two. The longest period of the month fell between the full moon and the Kalends.]

The month would begin with the Veneralia, public games, called ludi, which would be held in honour of Venus. This day was also known as All Fools Day to the Romans, and they would spend the entire day celebrating with comic hillarity, doing things backwards, wearing women's clothes, dancing in the streets, and generally carrying on in the most good-natured but absurd way possible. This is one of the few Roman holidays that has preserved some of its original character, under the modern name April Fool's Day.

As a Solitary Practitioner of Wicca, I observe the holidays (Sabbats in honor of the gods, and Esbats in honor of the goddesses) as the Wheel of the Year turns. I follow these basic laws, which can be consolidated 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."

May's Eve

The Sacred Sabbat Beltane officially begins at sunset on April 30. Although most celebrations don't get into full swing until May 1, most Wiccans and Pagans acknowledge May's Eve in some fashion.

On the eve of Beltane the Celts build two large fires, created from the nine sacred woods, in honor of Summer. The tribal herds were ritually driven between them, so as to purify and protect them in the upcoming year. The fires celebrate the return of life and fruitfulness to the earth. Celebration included frolicking throughout the countryside, dancing the Maypole, leaping over fires, and "going a maying". It was customary for young lovers to spend the night in the forest.

On May's Eve people would tear branches from a Hawthorn tree and decorate the outside of their homes. The Hawthorn, or Whitethorn, is the tree of hope, pleasure, and protection. The strong taboo for breaking Hawthorne branches, or bringing them into the home was traditionally lifted on May Eve.

A nice tradition to start is a modernization of that ancient one. Take equal lengths of white and silver ribbons, then tie them in a bow around one of the lower branches of a tree, preferrably a Hawthorn. Do this at sunset, and focus on the beautiful tree, then ask the Goddess for Her blessings.

Beltane

As a fun and meaningful Sabbat, I am going to present the Beltane rituals in Part II of this post. In this post, I am presenting the basics of the holiday.

The word "Beltane" literally means "bright" or "brilliant fire," and refers to the bonfire lit by a presiding Druid in honor of the proto-Celtic god variously known as Bel, Beli, Balar, Balor or Belenus. It has been suggested that Bel is the Brythonic Celt equivalent to the Goidelic Celt god Kernunnos.

The third of the two Celtic fire festivals, Beltane was a celebration of the return of life and fertility to the world, and was celebrated on or around April 30, athough in these later years has become more commonly celebrated on May 1 ("May Day").

Beltane is sometimes referred to as Cetsamhain which means "opposite Samhain." Beltane was the last of the three spring fertility festivals, and the second major Celtic festival. Beltane, and its counterpart Samhain (Halloween), divide the year into its two primary seasons, Winter and Summer.

Beltane was the time of sensuality revitalized the reawakening of the earth and all of her children. It was the time when tribal people celebrated with joy the vivid colors and vibrant scents of the season, tingling summer breezes, and the rapture of summer after a long dormant winter. It was customary that Handfastings (Marriages), for a year and a day, take place at this time.

Another custom was to leap over the Beltane bonfire. Young people jumped the fire for luck in finding a spouse, travelers jumped the fire to ensure a safe journey, and pregnant women jumped the fire to assure an easy delivery.

Beltane Love Potion

This is the only magickal ritual that I'm presenting in this post because this Potion should be made under the full moon before Beltane. This April's Full Moon falls on the 18th.

What you will need:

A single white candle
A bowl or chalice
A crystal (preferably rose or clear quartz)
A red or pink rose bud and petals
Spring water
Rose or jasmine water (optional)
Vodka
Decanter with top or seal
 If possible, cast your circle in a place outdoors (or if indoors, hopefully next to a window with a view of the Full Moon.) If bad weather/cloudy skies present an obstacle, use a candle flame instead.

Holding the bowl or chalice full of pure spring water, catch the reflection of the Moon (or candle flame) within. Call to the Goddess Aphrodite, or any other diety that represents love to you, to send Her Divine Essence flowing into the water along with the moonlight. Concentrate on what perfect love means to you and instill your own essence into the water by blowing gently upon it.

Next, add rose petals and buds to the water. Add the crystal that you´ve held up to the moonlight to consecrate to a Goddess of Love. A touch of rose or jasmine water would be nice, but is not necessary.

Pour your water into a beautiful decanter and add an equal portion of Vodka to seal the Potion. Keep this Potion in a dark space out of the sunlight - for the magickal properties of the Night are required for it to remain potent.

Use this potion to annoint candles and magickal writings — Love Spells. Use it like a perfume to attract a perfect love to you. Add a few drops to your own drink for the same effect, and naturally, it is important NOT to use this Potion in any manipulative manner, as it would be a violation of the basic Wiccan laws.

— Danu's Daughter

Let Ostara Re-Awaken Your Pagan Spirit!

March is a very magickal, verdant month for Wiccans and Pagans and many other faith paths because of the expectation of the emergence of Spring, which has been a focal point of spiritual and secular celebrations for millennium.

For Pagans, it is one of the most exciting times of the year because of the Spring Equinox, which we celebrate with the Sabbat of Ostara, signaling the re-awakening of the Earth after the long slumber of late Fall and the deepening coldness of Winter. It is the core knowledge — faith — of Pagans that the Earth was not dead, but merely asleep and gathering its strength to burst forth with beauty and fertility.

In addition to Ostara, there are a lot of other days in March that provide opportunities to honor the Goddess and God, too. Each important date will be discussed below.

Spring is almost here, and as a resident of the North Eastern U.S., I am beyond thrilled because it has been the coldest and snowiest on record! True to the tradition, March has roared in here like a lion, and if we're really lucky, it will roll out like a lamb.

I look ahead to Ostara, on March 20 (it generally falls on the 20th or the 21st depending on the year) to celebrate the greening of the earth and fertility of all life. It is the time of the vernal equinox if of you live in the Northern Hemisphere, and it's a true marker that Spring has come. There are many different ways you can celebrate this holy Sabbat, depending upon your chosen tradition.

Most Pagans and Neo-Pagans agree its origins lie in the early Easter story as a Springtime sacrificial festival named after the Saxon Goddess Eostre, in which became "Ostara." With the celebration of this Spring festival, it is not surprising to find so many versions and legends with the accompanying twists and turns throughout most of the world, including German and Eastern European customs, and even in Asian and early Aztec rituals.

There are always so many ways to interpret the times and tides of nature, and all of our earliest ancestors who followed the Wheel of the Year would naturally observe and feel the fertility and literally visceral call of Spring that is present in every living creature. Ostara answers that call — to celebrate the Awakening Earth at the Spring Equinox!

The Ostara story is told through a variety of customs — through the foods we prepare and the manner in which we prepare our homes and gardens for the coming activities of spring and then summer. Ostara is a highly creative time — limited only by your willingness to try new spells, rituals and recipes.

March 4: 2:46 p.m. — New Moon

Pisces dominates this New Moon. There are five planets in the twelfth sign of the zodiac, immersing us in this subtle water sign – the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Mars and Uranus along with the asteroid, Chiron.

Where ever Pisces falls in your chart deserves your full attention on this lunation because if you have unfinished business there, now is the time to address it. If there ever was an ideal time to quietly sort through the matters of the house Pisces rules in your chart, this is it. Once the Aries volume starts cranking up, that’s it, folks! Remember Jupiter leads the way into Aries with Mercury following him on March 9 and the biggie, Uranus, on March 11.

Speaking of Jupiter in Aries, he is part of a small triangular formation with Mars in Pisces at the apex and the waning square to Pluto in Capricorn as the base. This gives Mars in Pisces far more edge than he usually has and normally mild mannered types could surprise their friends and co-workers by standing up for themselves and speaking out in defense of their cherished compassionate values. Pisces is often the champion of the underdog and those who cannot defend themselves. Besides most Pisces folks often have a Scorpio or three for back up, not to mention friends in high places (Pluto in Capricorn).

Pisces is often underestimated because they are chameleons, happy to show others the face they want to see while keeping far more to themselves. It has been said Pisces has a bit of all the signs within them and that’s why they are so good at blending in. Whimsical, amusing, generally kind and as tough as nails is a fair description of your average Pisces.

Saturn in Libra is in conjunction with the New Moon, providing support with reservations. Libra and Pisces are generally pretty friendly but they do have different priorities. Saturn in Libra is committed to fairness and equity from an intellectual perspective while the New Moon in Pisces illuminates the need for compassion first and foremost. Both parties can be satisfied though because compromise is in both Libra and Pisces vocabularies.

Venus is newly arrived in cool, detached Aquarius and forms no major aspects at this time. Venus in Aquarius can be described as faithful but not rigid and not given to jealousy. Love is more of an intellectual exercise than expression of passion under this influence. Besides, most of us will be too busy taking care of old business to make time for romance right now anyway.

This is a very focused New Moon chart with Saturn in Libra as the leading planet of a Bowl Pattern, making it easier than usual for normally languid Pisces to step up and get things done. Just remember to be kind and forgiving of others as you bustle around wrapping up all those loose ends!

March 8: Mardi Gras

In medieval times, a similar-type festivity to that of the present day Mardi Gras was given by monarchs and lords prior to the Christian Lent, in order to ceremoniously conscript new knights into service and hold feasts in their honor.

The landed gentry would also ride through the countryside rewarding peasants with cakes (thought by some to be the origin of the King Cake), coins (perhaps the origin of present day gifts of Mardi Gras doubloons) and other trinkets.

In Germany, there still remains a Carnival similar to that of the one held in New Orleans. Known as Fasching, the celebrations begin on Twelfth Night and continue until Shrove Tuesday.

To a lesser degree, this festivity is still celebrated in France and Spain. A Carnival season was also celebrated in England until the Nineteenth Century, originating as a type of "renewal" festival that incorporated fertility motifs and ball games which frequently turned into riots between opposing villages, followed by feasts of pancakes and the imbibing of alcohol.

The preparing and consumption of pancakes on Shrove Tuesday (also known as "Pancake Day" or "Pancake Tuesday" and occurring annually between February 2 and March 9, depending upon the date of the Christian Easter) is a still a tradition in the United Kingdom, where pancake tossing and pancake races (during which a pancake must be tossed a certain number of times) are still popular.

One of the most famous of such competitions, which takes place in Olney, Buckinghamshire, is said to date from 1445. It is a race for women only and for those who have lived in the Parish for at least three months. An apron and head-covering are requisite. The course is 415 yards and the pancake must be tossed at least three times during the race. The winner receives a kiss from the Ringer of the Pancake Bell and a prayer book from the local vicar. "Shrove" is derived from the Olde English word "shrive," which means to "confess all sins."

March 13: 2:00 a.m. — Daylight Savings Time Begins

Remember to set your clocks forward (Spring Forward-Fall Back) one hour.

March 15 — The Ides of March

In ancient Rome, the calendar year began on March 15. The 15th of each of month was known as the ides, from a Latin word that indicates division of a month. At any rate, back in 44 b.c., the legendary emperor Julius Caesar summoned members of the Senate to meet in the Theater of Pompey on March 15. Previously, a soothsayer had warned Caesar to "beware the ides of March," but since not much had happened that day, Caesar felt confident attending a Senate session. After all, the men of the Senate were loyal to him, so how much harm could he possibly come to?

Unfortunately, Caesar had enemies within his own Senate, and upon his arrival, several members of a group known as the Liberatores fell upon him and stabbed him to death. Some notable names were in the group, particularly Gaius Cassius Longinus and Marcus Junius Brutus, the son of Caesar's lover. They claimed that their actions were not treasonous, but in fact tyrannicide.

In 1599, when Shakespeare wrote his famous play, he made sure to include the seer's cautionary line about being wary on the date, and thus the term "beware the ides of March" has come to bring about a sense of impending doom. He also attributed an equally famous line to the dying emperor, "Et tu, Brute? Then fall, Caesar."

Falling just a week or so before the Ostara holiday, some members of Religio Romana celebrate an ides ritual each month, because the ides are sacred to the god Jupiter.

In the U.S., the ides often coincide with windy or very unpredictable and powerful weather. I can remember watching the limbs of trees being whipped about, and feeling the life force of the planet so strongly in my body that I wanted to run around wildly, too!

March 17: St. Patrick's Day

While St. Patrick's day is not officially recognized as a "National" Holiday, it is certainly one of the most recognized celebrations in the U.S. Celebrations began in Boston, MA in the year 1737. Irish immigrants missed their home country and with the help of the Catholic Church they came to honor the arrival of Spring with the legend of St. Patrick bringing Christianity to Pagan Ireland.

As the legend goes, St. Patrick was born in Kilpatrick Scotland in 387. His real name was believed to be Macwyn Succat. His parents were of Roman high rank. At 16, he was captured by Irish Marauders and sold as a slave to chieftain Milchu in Dalaradia. Milchu was a Druidical High Priest, leaving Patrick to tend sheep in the fields. Patrick remained in captivity for 6 years.

He learned the Celtic language as well as all the facets of Druidism. However, as he remained a slave, he grew in his belief in Christianity and prayed to the Christian God. Finally, one day he fled, traveling 200 miles and boarded a ship and sailed to Britain.

Patrick stayed in Britain for 18 years bring Christianity to various cultures through war and conquering lands. Pope Celestine allowed Patrick to return to Ireland and bring Christianity to the country and named him "patritius" derived from "ater civium" meaning "father of the people." A legend says that St. Patrick chased all the snakes out of Ireland. With Ireland being an island, there actually were no snakes to begin with. Patrick's chasing out the snakes is in reference to chasing out the Druid's, Ireland's indigenous religion.

As the legend continues, in 433, Patrick fought in Ireland with the Druids and was able to infiltrate the culture since he knew the language of the ancient pagan religion. Legend has it that St. Patrick died on the 17th of March 460 and this is the reason he is honored on this date. However, the Spring Equinox occurs anywhere from the 19th to the 22nd of March. Celebrating St. Patrick's day on the 17th was actually symbolic of the famous legend where Patrick arrived on Tar hill and lit the ritual fire before the Druid priests arrived and overtook the site.

Another symbolic act of Patrick overtaking Ireland's Druid heritage involves his use of the Shamrock (three-leaf clover). It is said that Patrick used the clover to explain the Trinity of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. However, the shamrock (Persian word for three-leaf clover), known as a "Seamroy" to Ireland, was a symbol used in Druidism to explain the three faces of the Goddess found in the Moon: Maiden, Mother, and Crone.

All the symbols used in St. Patrick's Day celebration are pagan in origin. The wearing of the green is associated with Ireland's green fields and nickname "Emerald Isle." The Leprechaun is the face figure of the Faeries known in Ireland.

The legend of the Leprechauns is that they know all the secrets of hidden treasures. Their affiliation with shoe-making, rainbows, and pots of gold is really symbolic of them being earth elemental spirits. They are the spirits that take raw material to work and shape it into something useful for humans. Trolls are the raw materials, found in their raw state, in their original locations.

Leprechauns are one of the many tribes belonging to the Faerie gods known to pagan Ireland. They live in the Land of Faeries known as "Tir Non Og" which lies in the West. The Irish originally called all faeries the Tuatha de' Danann, a pantheon of gods from which Lugh and Danaan were a part, and are my personal sacred pantheon. Other such faerie gods include the high king "Fin Bheara." He is known to be skilled a the game of chess and running the hunt.

There are also the Banshee, angels of death. They are beautiful women in white or sometimes seen as old hags. They can be heard before seen because they are mournful. Their responsibilities are actually like guardian angles in that they help the deceased reach their designation. There are variety of others including: Lhiannon Sidhes (The faerie sweethearts), Phookas, Fir Darrig, Merrows (Faerie mermaids), Roanes (The Seal People), and the Glaistigs (Female Water Spirits).

Each family has his/her own protective Faerie spirit according to ancient Ireland and Druid tradition. These family spirits are cared for, fed, and given gifts. to do this strengthens the spirit and in time one can actually communicate with his/her spirit faerie. Among other things, one can learn the dame of his/her family spirit faerie and acquire favors.

The myth of finding gold at the end of the rainbow contains hidden meanings because in ordinary reality there is not end of a rainbow. Rainbows are circular. They are created by water particles in the sky. A rainbow can only be seen in the morning and late afternoon when the sun is closer to the horizon. The rainbow will be found opposite the sun. To see a rainbow, the seeker must be between the sun and the area of the sky where the water particles reside. It is hard to see the full circle of the rainbow because in order to see the rainbow at all, we can only see it from an angle. It is not visible straight on perpendicular. IF one can solve the puzzle of the rainbow being circular and how a pot of gold can be at the end of a circle when there is no end to a circle, then he/she will achieve the winnings of a pot of gold.

March 19: 1:10 p.m. — Full Moon
Stonehenge Moon

Casting a circle creates sacred space to worship, meditate, heal, create and commune with the spiritual realms. The Full Moon in Virgo occurs just before Ostara. Ancient henges, temples and ziggurats feature archways that frame the light from the rising sun on Spring Equinox.

Although modern Pagans haven't built the next Stonehenge, gatherings begin with a circle-casting ritual to create sacred space that is oriented to and defined by the cardinal directions, just like the ancient henges.

The solitary practitioner may wish to obtain a floor mat and paint a cross on it. Orient the cross to the points of the compass and meditate on each quadrant's elemental association and symbols.

At the coven gathering, dedicate gifts to each directional element as the circle is cast. In particular, honor the East and the equinoctial rising Sun. Emphasize that the circle is a sacred space where coven members have gathered to encounter the divine, to rise above their daily selves and connect with the seasons, the pulse of the turning Earth, the light of the revolving Moon. This bond is at the heart of Pagan and Earth spirituality.

March 20, 6:21 pm – Ostara/Spring Equinox

Ostara Correspondences

Animals/Mythical Creatures — Unicorn, merpeople, Pegasus, rabbit/Easter bunny, chicks, swallows, snakes
Gemstones — Rose quartz, moonstone, amethyst, aquamarine, bloodstone, red jasper
Incense/Oil — African violet, lotus, jasmine, rose, magnolia, sage lavender, narcissus, ginger, broom, strawberry
Colors/Candles — Gold, light green, grass green, robin’s egg blue, lemon yellow, pale pink, anything pastel
Tools/Symbols/Decorations — Colored eggs, baskets, green clothes, shamrock, equilateral cross, butterfly, cocoons, sprouting plants; violets, lily, spring wildflowers, new clothes, lamb, hare/rabbit
Goddesses — Eostre (Saxon Goddess of Fertility), Ostara (the German Goddess of Fertility), Kore, Maiden, Isis, Astarte (Persia, GrecoRoman), Ishtar (Babylonian), Minerva (Roman), Youthful Goddesses. Faerie Queen, Lady of the Lake (Welsh-Cornish), the Green Goddess
Gods — Hare, Green Man, Youthful Gods, Warrior Gods, Taliesin, Lord of the Greenwood (English), Dagda (Irish), Cernunnos (Greco-Celtic), Pan (Greek), Adonis (Greek)
Essence — Strength, birthing, completion, power, love, sexuality, embodiment of spirit, fertility, opening, beginning
Dynamics/Meaning — The God comes of age, sexual union of the Lord & Lady, sprouting, greening, balance of light and dark
Purpose — Plant and animal fertility, sowing
Rituals/Magick — Spellcrafting, invention, new growth, new projects, seed blessing
Customs — Wearing green, new clothes, Celtic bird festival, egg baskets coloring eggs, collecting birds eggs, bird watching, egg hunts, starting new projects, spring planting
Foods — Light foods, fish, maple sugar candies, hot crossed buns, sweet breads, hard boiled eggs, honey cakes, seasonal fruits, milk punch, egg drinks
Herbs — Acorns, celandine, tansy, cinquefoil, crocus, daffodil, dogwood, Irish moss, ginger, honeysuckle, iris, jasmine, rose, hyssop, linden, strawberry, violets
Element/Gender — Air/male
Threshold — Dawn

Every year at Ostara, everyone begins chatting about a goddess of spring known as Eostre. According to the stories, she is a Teutonic goddess associated with flowers and springtime, and her name gives us the word "Easter," as well as the name of Ostara itself.

However, if you start to dig around for information on Eostre, you'll find that much of it is the same. In fact, nearly all of it is Wiccan and Pagan authors who describe Eostre in a similar fashion. Very little is available on an academic level. So where does the Eostre story come from?

Eostre first makes her appearance in literature about thirteen hundred years ago in the Venerable Bede's Temporum Ratione. Bede tells us that April is known as Eostremonth, and is named for a goddess that the Anglo-Saxons honored in the spring. He says:

"Eosturmonath has a name which is now translated "Paschal month", and which was once called after a goddess of theirs named Eostre, in whose honor feasts were celebrated in that month.

After that, there's not a lot of information about her, until Jacob Grimm and his brother came along in the 1800's. Jacob said that he found evidence of her existence in the oral traditions of certain parts of Germany, but there's really no written proof.

Interestingly, Eostre doesn't appear anywhere in Norse mythology, in the poetic or prose Eddas, so one could make the argument that she's not a Norse goddess at all... but she could certainly have belonged to some other tribal group in the Germanic areas. It's fairly unlikely that Bede, who was a scholar as well as a Christian academic, would have just made her up. However, it's equally possible that Bede simply misinterpreted a word at some point, and that Eostremonth was not named for a goddess at all, but for some other spring festival.

So, did Eostre exist or not? No one knows. Some scholars dispute it, others point to etymological evidence to say that she did in fact have a festival honoring her. Regardless, she has come to be associated with modern-day Pagan and Wiccan customs, and certainly is connected in spirit, if not in actuality, to our contemporary celebrations of Ostara.

The Sabbat

As Spring reaches its midpoint, night and day stand in perfect balance, with light on the increase. The young Sun God now celebrates a hierogamy (sacred marriage) with the young Maiden Goddess, who conceives. In nine months, she will again become the Great Mother. It is a time of great fertility, new growth, and newborn animals.

The next full moon (a time of increased births) is called the Ostara and is sacred to Eostre the Saxon Lunar Goddess of fertility (from whence we get the word estrogen, whose two symbols were the egg and the rabbit).

The Christian religion adopted these emblems for Easter which is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox. The theme of the conception of the Goddess was adapted as the Feast of the Annunciation, occurring on the alternative fixed calendar date of March 25 Old Lady Day, the earlier date of the equinox. Lady Day may also refer to other goddesses (such as Venus and Aphrodite), many of whom have festivals celebrated at this time.

Embrace Ostara as a point of balance in your life, a moment in time where both dark and light and night and day are in harmony before the light is victorious and carries us on to the bounty of summer pleasures. Ostara is packed with rituals, spells, recipes, crafts, and customs to celebrate the awakening earth.

Rituals and Ceremonies

Depending on your particular tradition, there are many different ways you can celebrate Ostara, but typically it is observed as a time to mark the coming of Spring and the fertility of the land. By watching agricultural changes — such as the ground becoming warmer, and the emergence of plants from the ground — you'll know exactly how you should welcome the season.

Below are some suggested rituals. I will not address foods, because they are so varied and well-known, they are based on Spring flavors, and lost of sweets! Remember, make this Sabbat (and all Pagan celebrations, for that matter) uniquely yours. Change any of the elements to adapt them to your faith paths, and have a blessed Ostara!

Ostara Spells

The Spring Equinox, called Ostara by most Pagans and Wiccans, is a day of perfect balance between night and day, darkness and light, slumber and awakening. Many craft traditions, covens, and solitaries have devised their own rituals for awakening Mother Earth at this time. Many of these can be traced back to England.

One common practice is to walk through a natural area, tap the earth three times with a staff or wand, and make a joyful noise to welcome the Goddess's return. This ritual is performed three times in keeping with the sacred number of many of the Pagan sects from western European countries. Now is not only a good time to awaken Mother Earth, but also to awaken ourselves.

To awaken your own body, mind, and soul to spring's rebirth, give back to Mother Earth some of the things we've taken from her. Plant a tree, herb garden, or flowers. Feed her animals and birds.

Sex is always a great way to celebrate any Wiccan Sabbat, but it is especially appropriate on Ostara. Take time to have a very special, and sacred union with your partner, and give thanks for the glories of being so alive – so very alive – in each other's arms. As a sex-positive bisexual woman, no Ostara celebration would be complete with a truly orgasmic celebration! (For variety, you can always have your blessed encounter privately outdoors where you will not be discovered.)

As you do any of these things, consecrate your offering or activity by saying:

Mother Earth,
Goddess we walk upon,
May my gifts be of value
Even after I'm gone.
Today, while I'm here,
May my offering be,
An act of love
for you from me.

Sabbat Rite

Ostara is a time of equal parts light and dark. At Mabon, we have this same balance, but the light is leaving us. Today, six months later, it is returning. Spring has arrived, and with it comes hope and warmth. Deep within the cold earth, seeds are beginning to sprout. In the damp fields, the livestock are preparing to give birth. In the forest, under a canopy of newly sprouted leaves, the animals of the wild ready their dens for the arrival of their young. Spring is here.

Difficulty: Average
Time Required: Varied

Here's How:

For this ritual, you'll want to decorate your altar with symbols of the season. Think about all the colors you see in nature at this time of year — bright daffodils, crocuses, plump tulips, green shoots — and incorporate them into your altar. This is also a time of fertility in the natural world — the egg is the perfect representation of this aspect of the season. Symbols of young animals such as lambs, chicks, and calves are also great altar adornments for Ostara.

In addition, you'll need the following:

Three candles — Yellow, green, and purple
A bowl of milk
A small bowl of honey or sugar

Perform this ritual outside if at all possible, in the early morning as the sun rises. It's spring, so it may be a bit chilly, but it's a good time to reconnect with the earth. If your tradition normally requires you to cast a circle, do so now.

Begin by taking a moment to focus on the air around you. Inhale deeply, and see if you can smell the change in the seasons. Depending on where you live, the air may have an earthy aroma, or a rainy one, or even smell like green grass. Sense the shift in energy as the Wheel of the Year has turned.

Light the green candle, to symbolize the blossoming earth. As you light it, say:

The Wheel of the Year turns once more,
and the vernal equinox arrives.
Light and dark are equal,
and the soil begins to change.
The earth awakes from its slumber,
and new life springs forth once more.

Next, light the yellow candle, representing the sun. As you do so, say:

The sun draws ever closer to us,
greeting the earth with its welcoming rays.
Light and dark are equal,
and the sky fills with light and warmth.
The sun warms the land beneath our feet,
and gives life to all in its path.

Finally, light the purple candle. This one represents the Divine in our lives — whether you call it a god or a goddess, whether you identify it by name or simply as a universal life force, this is the candle that stands for all the things we do not know, all those things we cannot understand, but that are the sacred, the mysteries in our daily lives.

As you light this candle, focus on the Divine around and within you. Say:

Spring has come! For this, we are thankful!
The Divine is present all around,
in the cool fall of a rain storm,
in the tiny buds of a flower,
in the down of a newborn chick,
in the fertile fields waiting to be planted,
in the sky above us,
and in the earth below us.
We thank the universe* for all it has to offer us,
and are so blessed to be alive on this day.
Welcome, life! Welcome, light! Welcome, spring!

Take a moment and meditate on the three flames before you and what they symbolize. Consider your own place within these three concepts — the earth, the sun, and the Divine. How do you fit into the grand scheme of things? How do you find balance between light and dark in your own life?

Finally, blend the milk and honey together, mixing gently. Pour it onto the ground around your altar space as an offering to the earth**.

As you do, you may wish to say something like:

I make this offering to the earth,
As thanks for the many blessings I have received,
And those I shall some day receive.

Once you have made your offering, stand for a minute facing your altar. Feel the cool earth beneath your feet, and the sun on your face. Take in every sensation of this moment, and know that you are in a perfect place of balance between light and dark, winter and summer, warmth and cold — a time of polarity and harmony.

When you are ready, end the ritual – or, if you are a consenting adult, move to the next delicious step, Sacred SEX!

Tips:

* Instead of "the Universe", feel free to insert the name of your patron deity or the gods of your tradition here.
** If you're doing this rite indoors, take your bowl of milk and honey and pour it in your garden, or around your yard.

Protect Your Home and Family

The not-so-humble egg is arguably the most pervasive symbol of the worlds spring festivals, Ostara included. Within its shell is contained all the archetypal connections humanity has ever held with life, death, and life renewed. This eternal cycle of rebirth at spring is a major theme in the spring holidays of virtually every one of the worlds religions, from the most ancient Pagan expressions of spirituality to the most modern sects of Christianity.

How did the egg — particularly the chicken egg — get appointed to this lofty position of symbolizing a universe full of new life? Like many of our modern holiday customs, the eggs place in spring spiritual rites is derived from the way our ancestors observed the natural world around them and honored their deities through these natural occurrences. With modern refrigeration, factory farming, and a fast-moving global marketplace making a variety of food abundant to us year round, its hard for us to fully comprehend that food was once a seasonal commodity that as impossible to obtain when the natural conditions allowing it to be produced were unavailable.

The eyes of a laying hen and the amount of light she receives are the components responsible for her ability to produce eggs. A hen lays eggs when the retina, the part of the eye that captures light and images, is stimulated for periods of twelve hours or more by sunlight. When that light stimulation ends, so does her laying cycle. Because fire, the only source of light for our ancestors, was not a strong enough light to fool the hens retina, there were no fresh eggs for a full six months out of every year.

Though the scientific connection between light stimulation and laying cycles would be not known for many more centuries, their laying pattern was still reliable. Hens could be counted on to begin producing fresh eggs at the spring equinox and cease producing them around the autumnal equinox, a holiday period associated with dying and death and imagery opposite that of Ostara. As the world bloomed and greened anew each Ostara, the abundance of fresh eggs made them a natural symbol of new life.

In Asia, red-colored eggs are on occasion offered at funerals and births to symbolize the natural cycles of life, death, and rebirth. In the Ukraine, eggs called krashanka sometimes dyed in shades of bright yellow are eaten to celebrate the rebirth of the sun. More elaborate eggs, called pysanky, are decorated to use as talismans of fertility, prosperity, and protection. In places as diverse as west-central Africa and the southern Appalachian Mountains of the U.S., eggs are buried near cemeteries to encourage reincarnation.

Protective Egg Charm

What you need:

An egg (or several, one for each member of your family)
A mini spell candle in white, green or yellow

Traditionally cinquefoil leaf and dogwood are used as a filling, but you can vary this depending on where you live and your personal protective arsenal of herbs. Take an egg and, by poking small holes at each end of it, empty it out.

Light your candle, and when it has gone down at least halfway, fill the egg with your protective herbs, then seal the holes with wax from your candle.

Decorate the egg with symbols from Runes or other symbols of protection, and the names of each member of your family or you can leave it natural. Gather a nice basket full of fresh grass and flowers, and display it prominently.

our home, family and property will be protected.

Rabbit in the Moon

February 3 marked the beginning of the Chinese Year of the rabbit, and since Ostara is coming up, it's a good time to look at how the "Ostara bunny" came to be. As has been said, the name for this Ostara actually comes from that of the Teutonic lunar Goddess, Eostre.

Her chief symbols were the bunny for fertility and because the Ancient Ones who worshiped her often saw the image of a rabbit in the full moon and the egg representing the cosmic egg of creation.

It is commonly believed that this is where the customs of "Easter Eggs" and the "Easter Bunny" originated, but if you dig deeper you'll find Rabbit Lore going back to the Pre-Aztec Era

Rabbit Moon

The Moon Rabbit (also called the Jade Rabbit) lives on the moon. Dating back as far as 278 BC and based on pareidolia that identifies the markings of the moon as a rabbit. The story exists in many cultures, particularly in East Asian folklore, where it is seen pounding in a mortar and pestle.

In Chinese folklore, it is often portrayed as a companion of the moon goddess Chang'e, constantly pounding the elixir of life (immortality) for her; but in Japanese and Korean versions it is just pounding the ingredients for rice cake.

A famous poet of the Tang Dynasty period, Li Bai, relates how: "The rabbit in the moon pounds the medicine in vain" in his poem "The Old Dust " about a White Rabbit in the Moon making the elixir of immortality.

In the poem, a monkey, an otter, a jackal, and a white rabbit resolved to practice charity on the day of the full moon (Uposatha), believing a demonstration of great virtue would earn a great reward.

When an old man begged for food, the monkey gathered fruits from the trees and the otter collected fish, while the jackal wrongfully pilfered a lizard and a pot of milk-curd.

The rabbit, who knew only how to gather grass, instead offered its own body, throwing itself into a fire the man had built. The rabbit, however, was not burnt. The old man revealed himself to be the God and, touched by the rabbit's virtue, drew the likeness of the rabbit on the moon for all to see. It is said the lunar image is still draped in the smoke that rose when the rabbit cast itself into the fire.

Similar legends occur in Mexican folklore, where people also identified the markings on the moon as a rabbit.

According to an Aztec legend, the god Quetzalcoatl, then living on Earth as a man, started on a journey and, after walking for a long time, became hungry and tired. With no food or water around, he thought he would die. Then a rabbit grazing nearby offered himself as food to save his life. Quetzalcoatl, moved by the rabbit's noble offering, elevated him to the moon, then lowered him back to Earth and told him, "You may be just a rabbit, but everyone will remember you; there is your image in light, for all men and for all times."

Another Mesoamerican legend tells of the brave and noble sacrifice of Nanahuatzin during the creation of the fifth sun. Humble Nanahuatzin sacrificed himself in fire to become the new sun, but the wealthy god Tecciztecatl hesitated four times before he finally set himself alight to become the moon.

Due to Tecciztecatl's cowardice, the gods felt that the moon should not be as bright as the sun, so one of the gods threw a rabbit at his face to diminish his light. It is also said that Tecciztecatl was in the form of a rabbit when he sacrificed himself to become the moon, casting his shadow there.

A Native American (Cree) legend tells a different variation, about a young rabbit who wished to ride the moon. Only the crane was willing to take him.

The trip stretched Crane's legs as the heavy rabbit held them tightly, leaving them elongated as crane's legs are now. When they reached the moon Rabbit touched Crane's head with a bleeding paw, leaving the red mark cranes wear to this day. According to the legend, Rabbit still rides the moon to this day.

Lucky Rabbit Spell

An Olde English custom is to repeat: "Rabbits-rabbits-rabbits" before going to sleep on the last day of the month to bring prosperity and luck to you and your home. The following describes this practice.

HARE OR RABBIT: SAYING AT CHANGE OF MONTH – 1920 'Folklore' 319. According to several correspondents in the 'Westminster Gazette' (Spring of 1919) the following belief is common in many parts of Great Britain, with local variants: To secure good luck of some kind, usually a present, one should say 'Rabbits' three times just before going to sleep on the last day of the month, and then 'Hares' three times on waking the next morning.1982 Woman c.50 (Stockton-on-Tees, Co. Durham)

The first words you say for a lucky month are 'white rabbits.' If you can remember to say that 12 times a year, you'll have a very lucky year...If you say 'black cats' on the last night of the month and 'white rabbits' the next morning, you will get a present before the month is out." From "A Dictionary of Superstitions" (Oxford University Press, Oxford & New York, 1989).

March 30, 3:48 pm to April 23, 5:04 am - Mercury Retrograde

Mercury will go retrograde in the sign of Aries on March 30th and will be in that sign the entire period of its retrograde journey. If there was a zodiacal hot spot this would be it. As Mercury does its retrograde dance in Aries, it will be accompanied by Jupiter and Uranus and joined by Mars on the 2nd and Venus on the 21st.

Even the Sun and Moon will join in at the New Moon on the 3rd. We can expect many Aries themes to be highlighted. Some of them might be: Independence, hot-headedness, anger, individuality, identity and much more.

Aries is a fire sign and means to burn up whatever is in the way of new growth. On the positive side think, ‘crocus’ on the negative side think, ‘aggression.’

The truth is that everything needs a push to get born. This is true for babies and democracies as well as fruits and vegetables of all sorts not to mention ideas. Aries is a sign that likes to go at life head first.

The interesting thing about the New Moon is that it will be exactly opposite Saturn. This suggests that for every action there is a consequence. Mercury retrograde seriously seconds that concept. So think before you act but don’t be overly passive. Change is inevitable just consider the consequences first.

Days on which to pay special attention to Aries themes are the 3rd because of the New Moon (consider the consequences of all intentions); 9th when Mercury conjuncts the Sun (be still and listen to your heart); 11th when Mercury conjuncts Jupiter (temper opinions with wisdom); and the 19th when Mercury conjuncts Mars (act impulsively now, pay later).

— Danu's Daughter