We just got back from Ohio visiting family and so there was lots of laundry to do, housework to catch up on and work to finish. Oh and motorcycles to buy...let's just say CJ had a good Father's day.
I need to stop with the excuses though. It's so easy to get caught up in life and sometimes the things that should be a priority, like spirituality, seem to fall to the wayside.
Did you go to a celebration? What about a simple ritual at home? That is what I am planning for tonight!
This is the time to gather loved ones close and celebrate community. The Summer Solstice a Sabbat known for huge gatherings; huge Covens reconnecting, family reunions, and even block parties all seem to manifest during this time of the year.
What will you be doing this Litha? We'll be gone most of the week--going to visit CJ's family, but we'll be back in time for Full Moon and Litha; I just haven't planned anything yet.
I really need to get over my fear of flying because I really would love to visit Stonehenge, just once, before I die.
There, of course, was a beautiful celebration Summer Solstice this year again at Stonehenge.
"Pagans and partygoers drummed, danced or gyrated in hula hoops to stay awake through the night, as more than 35,000 people greeted the summer solstice Sunday at the ancient stone circle of Stonehenge.
Despite fears of trouble because of the record-sized crowd, police said the annual party at the mysterious monument was mostly peaceful.
"It's the most magical place on the planet," said antique salesman Frank Somers, 43, dressed in the robes of his Druid faith.
"Inside when you touch the stones you feel a warmth like you're touching a tree, not a stone. There's a genuine love, you feel called to it," he said."
I keep telling myself, one day I'll walk on that sacred ground, one day...
Read more and see more photos
I was supposed to attend a Litha celebration with the folks I met at Ostara - a pagan shop in a town near where I live. Unfortunately I missed the gathering.
We just began the huge project of finishing our basement. We want the kids to have a place to play and hang out while I work during the day. I also wanted to have a nice laundry room, so we are adding that into the mix.
I wish I hadn't had to miss the Litha celebration but I had to prioritize my goals. I will definitely try to make the next gathering.
The travels of the sun were marked and recorded. Stone circles such as Stonehenge were oriented to highlight the rising of the sun on the day of the Summer Solstice.
Interestingly, there's always been a question about whether or not Midsummer was truly celebrated by the ancients. While there's scholarly evidence to indicate that it was indeed observed, there were suggestions made by Gerald Gardner, the founder of modern Wicca, that the solar festivals (the solstices and equinoxes) were actually added later and imported from the Middle East. Regardless of the origins, many modern Wiccans and Pagans do choose to celebrate Litha every year in June.
In some traditions, Litha is a time at which there is a battle between light and dark. The Oak King is seen as the ruler of the year between winter solstice and summer solstice, and the Holly King from summer to winter. At each solstice they battle for power, and while the Oak King may be in charge of things at the beginning of June, by the end of Midsummer he is defeated by the Holly King.
This is a time of year of brightness and warmth. Crops are growing in their fields with the heat of the sun, but may require water to keep them alive. The power of the sun at Midsummer is at its most potent, and the earth is fertile with the bounty of growing life.
Source: About.com
I actually found this *recipe* online last year and tried it myself. It's awesome and since Litha is this month I thought I'd share!
Now, I suggest using a mortar and pestle to blend and powder the herbs when making incense. There are different ways to make incense. You can make stick or cone incense but that's a bit more involved. The easiest kind to make uses loose ingredients, which are then burned on top of a charcoal disc or tossed into a fire.
This recipe is for loose incense. As you mix and blend your incense, focus on the intent of your work. Since Litha is all about the sun and its strength, this is a fiery and powerful incense.
You will need:
- 3 parts myrrh
- 1 part apple blossoms
- ½ part bay leaves
- ½ part cinnamon bark
- 1 part chamomile flowers
- 1 part lavender flowers
- 2 parts mugwort
- ½ part rosemary
Store your incense in a tightly sealed jar. Make sure you label it with its intent and name, as well as the date you created it. Use within three months, so that it remains charged and fresh.
Here are some fun things you can do to celebrate Litha:
- Tie a sprig of Rowan, a sprig of Rue, and three flowers of St. John's Wort with red thread and hang over the door.
- Make amulets of protection out of herbs such as Rue and Rowan. If you make new amulets each year you can dispose of the old in the midsummer fire.
- Create a pouch for psychic dreams (Mugwort and Bay Leaves in a cloth of Lavender, blue, or yellow and sewn with red thread) and place under your pillow.
- Soak Thyme in olive oil, then lightly anoint your eyelids to see Faery folk at night.
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