William Carlos Williams It was June, and the world smelled of roses.
We hung dried lavender and rosemary above our entrances for good luck, we always left a Jack O’ Lantern out at Samhain – a Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest season – and we put up mistletoe and a tree during the winter season. Every time I receive a new tattoo when I complete a milestone in my life (just like my ancestors would have done) I reclaim that part of my heritage that was lost through the years.
Any deities of the sun, harvest, animals, fertility, and the earth are worshiped at this time. Also, when I perform my ritual I like to listen to music, my favorite song for this occasion is “Litha” by Lisa Thiel. She is the author of Daily Spellbook for the Good Witch, Wicca Practical Magic and The Daily Spell Journal. The God is celebrated as the Sun is at its peak in the sky and we celebrate His approaching fatherhood – honor is also given to Him.The wonderful mystic, historian and author Caitlín Matthews suggests that we stand under the noon-time sunlight and observe how our shadow is nearly invisible. Mother Nature is heavily pregnant waiting to give birth in winter.
I run my fingers over the ink on my body and I can feel the blood of my ancestors flowing through my veins. The light of the summer' refers to how the sunlight is cast as wide as it will ever be. Many still choose to celebrate this way. The Summer Solstice is called Midsummer or Litha in some medieval and Craft traditions; and Alban Hefin or Alban Heruin in the Celtic and Druidic traditions. On the Summer Solstice, my ancestors would have celebrated Litha, a pagan holiday.
The summer solstice or midsummer is when Pagans celebrate the bounty of earth and the power of the sun. I usually leave out berries and mini muffins in my flower garden.
Inspiring Enchantment & Illumination with Tarot & Intuitive GuidanceThe word “solstice” literally means “standing-still of the sun.” It comes from the fact that the sun’s apparent path across the sky moves upward, from December to June, and seems to stop at its highest level above the southern horizon on this date.
It was important to put aside staple foods for the coming months because it would be long before anything fresh grew again. Under the big waxing Moon tonight may A lovely, lovely post, Beth, with tons of great information! It is common for pagans to listen to music and dance; I encourage anyone who attends a celebration to partake in the dancing as it is an instrumental part of religious observance and it is believed to bring about magic upon the earth.If you want to perform a Litha ritual on your own, here’s how you can do that.Set up your altar with your supplies however you see fit for summertime, then invoke the four elements (earth, air, fire, water) and the Sun God and Mother Nature. The Oak King and Holly King meet once again for their battle to see who will…Samhain is a Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter or the "darker half" of the year.
Known as Litha in the … I grew up in Alabama in the heart of the Bible Belt, so as one might guess, I had a traditional Southern Christian upbringing.
The rays of the sun are the brightest and warmest. In Many Witches pick their herbs and worts either on Midsummer’s Eve (last night) or today, as this is the time when they are thought to be at their peak of light and warmth. It was cast into the midsummer bonfires in Scotland, and placed over the doors of houses and farm buildings for its protective powers. I “officially” converted to paganism when I was 14 years old.Everything about life during the time of my Celtic ancestors revolved around nature. Since the Celtic year was based on both lunar and solar cycles, it is possible that the holiday was celebrated on the full moon nearest the midpoint between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. The days are longer and it's shining hot and bright in the sky. They're beautiful, meaningful or just fun. It is Summer, it is the solstice the crowd is cheering, the crowd is laughing in detail permanently, seriously without thought. Blessings of the Solstice to you, sister-friend!And happy First Full Day of Summer to you, dear Rose!This week, we may pause and ask ourselves, how do we get from the wish to the fulfillment?