Saturday Something - Litha / Midsummer, Correspondences / Associations

Litha Correspondences / Associations
from The Sacred Grove

Date: June 20-23 (varies according to the position of the Sun).
Names: Summer Solstice; Midsummer; Litha (Wiccan); Alban Hefin (Druidic); nti Raymi (Incan); Feast of the Sun (Aztec); Celtic New Year, according to some; St. John's Day/Festival of Saint John the Baptist (Christian).

Sacred To:

• Gods: Horned Gods; Oak Kings; Sun Gods; Baldur; Mars; Nergal
• Goddesses: the Midsummer Bride, the lion-guarded Queen of the Year; Aine of Knockaine; Kupala; Mother Nature; Aphrodite Erycina, Aphrodite of the Heather, the nymph-goddess of Midsummer; Astarte/Anatha, the Love and Death, Goddess of Midsummer; Vesta, for whom fires were lit at Midsummer.

Foods: fresh vegetables, summer fruits, pumpernickel bread, ale and mead.
Incense: frankincense, lemon, myrrh, pine, rose and wisteria.
Candles: blue, green, gold, red, yellow, bright colors, pastels.
Gemstones: all green stones (emerald and jade).
Celebrating: abundance, fertility, virility, the beauty and bounty of Nature. It is a good time for empowerment, for strong magic and male rituals, for handfastings and communing with Nature Spirits, for workings of consummation or culmination. The door to the Faery Realm is said to open on Midsummer Night, and twilight to be the best time for faery magic. Celebrate Mid-Summer with fire and singing and feasting, with all-night vigils and torch lit processions. Weave green boughs and crowns of flowers. Dance around a bonfire. Decorate your altar with candles and flowers. Perform the Great Rite in the fields. Erect a Midsummer Tree. Set a fire wheel ablaze (being mindful of fire safety, of course). Walk naked or ride a broomstick through fields as a fertility charm. Draw down the Sun. Drink mead or use it for offerings. Make honey cakes or cornbread with honey butter for the feast.
Tools: wand, athame, sword, spear, staff ... all the phallic ones.
Plants: all flowers, roses, heather, oak, St. John's Wort, MugWort, St. John's Flower. St. John's Wort symbolizes the Wiccan festival of Summer Solstice. A plant was hung up in the house for each member of the family. The remaining plants were bundled, tied to a pole, and set up where grain would be brought at the next harvest. Farmers prayed to the goddess Kupole for a good harvest. The bundle of herbs, called the Kupole, represented her. Heather is the Midsummer Tree of the Summer Solstice. Aphrodite Erycina, Aphrodite of the Heather, mated with the sacred king atop a mountain then killed him by tearing out his genitals. St. John's Flower/St. John's Blood/Mouse-eared Hawkweed (Hieracium pilsoella) was uprooted with gold coins on Midsummer Eve in Germany and Bohemia. Celts, Druids and Scandinavians gathered mistletoe at Midsummer. White elder flowers are sacred to the White Goddess at Midsummer. Orpane/Midsummer Men (Sempervivum telephium, a variety of houseleek) was gathered on Midsummer Eve along with sprigs of red sage and used to divine the fate of lovers.
Fire: Midsummer fire was considered the fire of heaven.
Bonfires:: Bonfires are kindled for health, fertility, love, sacrifice or purification. There is a long European tradition of lighting bonfires at Midsummer, especially of oak wood and in high places. Twin bonfires were common. Smoke of the green oak, burned on Midsummer Eve fires, is painful and gives inspiration to those who dance between the twin sacrificial fires. In some places a  Midsummer Tree was used to kindle the bonfire.
Health: The Midsummer bonfire was thought to drive away the dragon that causes disease.
Fertility: The ashes of the bonfire were scattered as a fertility charm. Moroccans and Algerians threw incense and spices on their Midsummer bonfires all night, invoking divine blessings on the fruit trees. In parts of England the Midsummer fires were lit in the fields to bless the apples. Midsummer bonfires were jumped over to make flax grow as high as the people could jump. In some parts of Germany young people jumped over Midsummer bonfires to make the flax or hemp grow tall.
Sacrifice: Basques burned vipers in wickerwork panniers on Midsummer Day. Firewheels: Firewheels symbolize the sun at its highest point. They were usually rolled down a hill into water, simulating the course of the sun. Midsummer Charms: The charred embers from a Midsummer bonfire are potent magic, charms against injury and bad weather. They are placed in fields or around trees for agricultural fertility, placed in meadows and atop houses to protect them. People in some parts of France held branches of nut trees when they jumped the Midsummer bonfire. These branches were then hung over the doors of cattle stalls. On the Isle of Man blazing gorse was carried several times around folded cattle on Midsummer Eve. St. John's Wort, gathered on Midsummer Eve, is worn as an amulet or hung up over doors or windows as a charm. Gathered naked that night, it is used for fertility. Mugwort has magical powers when gathered on Midsummer Eve. A Mugwort garland woven at Midsummer, worn as a crown or used for viewing the bonfire through, was a charm to ensure that you would have no headaches or eye pain that year. Mugwort was sometimes thrown on the Midsummer bonfire. The French wove garlands of it at Midsummer for protection against ghosts, magic, bad luck and disease for that year. In Bohemia, fir cones gathered before sunrise on Midsummer Day were believed to confer invulnerability. Wild thyme collected on Midsummer Day in Bohemia was used to fumigate trees as Solstice as a fertility charm, to make them grow well. Fennel was hung on doors on Midsummer Eve in medieval times to ward off evil spirits. Ferns generally reproduce via spores, but it was believed that fern seed was magical at Midsummer. Gathered on Midsummer Eve by spreading a white cloth below it, so as not to touch it with the hands, fern seed was believed to confer invisibility and the ability to understand the language of animals. Bohemians believed that fern seed bloomed with fiery golden blossoms on Midsummer Eve, and that the person who climbed a mountain holding it would find a vein of gold and see the treasures of the earth shining with a bluish light. Oil of St. John was a decoction of mistletoe that had been gathered on Midsummer Eve. It was believed to heal all wounds made with cutting instruments. In Sweden the Midsummer mistletoe was attached to the ceiling of the house, horse stall or manger to render the Troll powerless to inflict harm on people or animals. In Italy young singles gathered around a standing stone at Midsummer, the boys wearing green ears of grain and the girls wearing flax flowers, to leave plants on the stone. The affections of a couple were believed to last as long as the plants stayed fresh upon the dolmen.
Divination: Nettles were planted or put into water on Midsummer Eve in Sicily. The way they were found on Midsummer Day, blooming or fading, was an omen, especially as to fortune in love. In Moselle, France a good vintage was expected if the Midsummer Eve fire wheel was still aflame when it rolled into the river. In Italy wheat and barley were sown in small pots a few days before Midsummer. Each pot represented a specific person. Fortune and good luck were believed to come to those whose grain had sprouted well by Midsummer Day, bad luck to those whose grain had not.
Midsummer Trees: Maj Stanger, Swedish Midsummer trees, were made from tall, straight spruces with their branches stripped off. Wood was sometimes attached so that the trees represented a man with his hands on his hips. The Midsummer tree was decorated by village maidens with leaves, flowers, strips of cloth and gilt eggshells. A large vane or flag was placed on top. Bohemian Midsummer trees were made of fir or pine and decorated by girls with flowers, garlands and red ribbons. The bonfire was kindled of the tree that night, the garlands tossed back and forth across the blaze by boys and girls. Couples held hands and jumped over the embers three times. Singed garlands were saved to burn in the hearth during thunderstorms, or fed to sick or calving cows.
Death of The Sacred King: We have evolved and no longer practice blood sacrifice of any sort, but the ritual murder of the sacred king was once a solemn European vegetation rite of Midsummer. He was not a king as we understand that term in modern times but rather the embodiment of male virility, a Hercules figure. He was crowned with roses and wreathed with myrtle, enjoyed the favors of the queen/priestess, but Midsummer was when he felt the stab of the thorns and his rule came to an end. The sacred king's sacrificial death ensured the fertility of the crops and the survival of the tribe. The ekingi was symbolically beheaded as a part of the Bohemian Midsummer vegetation ceremonies. He wore a tree bark robe decorated with flowers, a bark crown bedecked with branches and flowers, a mask, and had ferns on his feet. He carried a hawthorn switch for a scepter and was accompanied by young people wearing bark  girdles who carried wooden swords and willow bark trumpets. There was a chase through the village followed by a mock trial. If the king was found guilty, several hats would be placed atop his head so that they could be chopped off when he knelt down.
Global Rites:

• Incan: Inti Raymi, the Feast of the Sun, marked Winter Solstice in the southern hemisphere. To celebrate make libations of chicha (maize beer). Make offerings to the Sun. Kindle new fire from the sun, with a mirror.
• Egyptian: In some parts of ancient Egypt the somber rites of the presentation of the first sheaf of harvest wheat to Min took place at Midsummer.
• Phoenician: Dirges were sung for the child Linus at Midsummer during the flax harvest.
• Native American: Sun Dances
• German: Latzman, the Lazy Man of Midsummer Day festivities, was a conical or pyramidal wickerwork frame covered with fir sprigs.
• Irish: Torches made of bundled reeds were carried on Midsummer Eve.
• Serbian: Birch bark torches were lit on Midsummer Eve and carried around the sheepfolds and cattle stalls. The people then climbed up into the hills, where the torches were allowed to go out.
• Austrian/Bavarian: Boys decked out in green fir branches went from house to house with a group of young people to collect wood for the Midsummer bonfire.

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Saturday Something - Summertime Moon and Astrology Gardening

Summertime Moon and Astrology Gardening
by Ravenna Morgan

The Moon's magnetic force pulls all that contains water: the tides of our oceans, the blood and fluids of our bodies, and all plant life - it lets you know when to sow, when to gather, and when to weed. By learning to flow with the rhythm of the Goddess we are ensuring the best crops, herbs and flowers and this in turn will resonate within us to create a connection with Mother Earth such as we have never known before, it will enrich us spiritually, emotionally, physically and mentally.

The Moon travels through each one of the Zodiac signs about once a month - she stays in one sign about 2 1/2 days before moving on to the next one. It's never wise to plant on the day of the New Moon or Full Moon. The waxing and waning process of the moon can be divided into the four phases of new moon, first quarter moon, full moon, and last quarter moon. In each phase, certain plants have the best chances for growth.

A moon that is waxing increases in light from a new moon to a full moon. A waxing moon, which is increasing in light, will be beneficial for plants growing above the ground. The first week is especially good for crops that have their seeds on the outside, such as asparagus, broccoli, celery, cabbage and spinach. The second week (between the 1st quarter and the Full Moon) is best for crops that produce seeds on the inside, like peppers, tomatoes, peaches, cucumbers and melons.

A moon that is waning decreases in light from a full moon until the next new moon. Plant root crops such as potatoes, peanuts, carrots and onions, bulbs, perennials, and biennial plants during a waning moon. Harvesting also should be done during a waning moon. To encourage your lawn to grow fast, cut it during new or first quarter moon. To encourage it to grow more slowly, cut it during a full or last quarter moon.

Charts are available that tell you what phase and what Zodiac sign the Moon is in at any given time. The following is a guide. Planting & Garden Care by the Zodiac:

Aries is a dry & barren time; plant onions, hot peppers & garlic, kill weeds deter unwanted insects.

Taurus is a moist and productive time; plant root crops such as turnips, potatoes, carrots.

Gemini is a dry and barren time - a good time to pinch tips from plants to stop unwanted growth, fork up and aerate the soil, pull weeds.

Cancer is the most moist and fertile time of all. Watch those seeds germinate! Time to irrigate, to graft, and to transplant new seedlings.

Leo is the driest and most barren time. No planting, pruning of vines or trees should be done. This is the best time to kill weeds and deter unwanted insects.

Virgo is a moist, but barren time, a time to weed, tie up vines, clean your garden tools and do all the garden maintenance jobs that have been waiting.

Libra is a moist and reasonably productive time, good for planting ornamental flowers or sowing flower seeds.

Scorpio is a very moist and productive time. This is the best time for fertilizing your garden; good for planting too - especially vines.

Sagittarius is a dry and barren time - this is not the time to plant or prune.

Capricorn is a reasonably productive time and is good for planting root crops such as carrots and potatoes.

Aquarius is a dry & barren time, no good for planting, but take the time to rake the soil and get rid of weeds.

Pisces is a moist and very productive time, excellent for the growth of fruits and berries, and to fertilize the garden. Good for short, quick growth and deep roots, and for planting bulbs.

Copyright Ó Nerys Purchon (AKA Ravenna Morgan). Permission is granted to share this article with others, provided you do so in it's entirety and include this copyright statement.

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from `this blog.

Saturday – Starting Midsummer Stuffs :)

Goddess of The Week For Midsummer: Goddesses of Beauty and Love
By Anita

Suggested Mantra: Magic Wishes

The wheel turns, and Midsummer, or Summer Solstice, celebrates the longest day of the year. The earth is juicy, rich, fertile and magic - the perfect time to empower wishes with Goddess Energy.

Suggested Affirmation:

• I have a healthy life rich with high purpose
• I have wealth to give others as it is given to me
• At my center there is a incandescent fire
• My creativity is energized
• Today is my chance to be healthy
• My vital energy resurfaces naturally
• I embrace life in its absolute fullness

Related Essences:

• Honeysuckle
• Cypress
• Frankincense
• Lemon
• Myrrh
• Pine
• Rose

Related Gemstones:

• all green stones especially emerald and jade

Midsummer, the Summer Solstice, arrives when the earth has reached the midpoint on her journey around the sun. The earth is awash with fertility at this time, her energy is peaking as she prepares to give us away to the journey into Autumn - from this time on, the daylight hours will begin to shorten again. In the past, bonfires were leapt to encourage fertility, purification, health, and love. Goddesses of abundance and fertility, power and order, love and beauty are typically invoked to increase midsummer magic. Goddess energy celebrated at this time include Aphrodite, Freya, Hathor, Ishtar, Venus, and others.

Tonight is a magical time for wishes, especially those of the heart...traditionally it is a time to lie with your lover, or: Seeing as the earth is at her ripest and most fertile, this is a good time to conceive your divine child you have been waiting for. If you are single, it is a good time to cast a love spell. If you are broken-hearted or experiencing unrequited love, write your feelings down with red ink on white paper. Smear it with honey, fold it gently and burn it in the flames, saying:

"I give my sorrow to the flames,
The Goddess of Fire consumes my pain.
It is done."

For protection in the coming year, jump over a campfire or a candle anchored in the earth. Or, if you live near the sea or a river, bay, brook or lake, practice sand and water magic (water being the source of life). Draw a symbol in the sand describing what you hope to achieve, then let the tide carry it to the Goddess for an answer. Alternatively, float a flower with your kiss on it - traditionally a rose - into the waves to carry your wish home. Decorate your home with summertime flowers, love amulets, seashells and summer fruits. Sprinkle aromatic potpourri along window sills, and use green, blue and yellow candles as you bless each morning with:

I open my ears
That I may hear the wisdom of my ancestors.
I open my eyes
That I may see with vision and clarity.
I open my mouth
That I may speak with gentle intelligence and compassion.
I open my heart
That I may love and be loved.
I open my arms
To receive the bountiful gifts of the Lady.
Blessed be this day.

-source unknown

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from `this blog.

Friday Form A Circle – Beltane Fertility Ritual To Have a Child

Fertility A Child Born To Us
This ritual requires both parents participation

Materials Needed:

• a small apple shaped bowl
• A starfish
• Soil from Mother Earth
• Milk (preferably fresh, unprocessed.. but store bought will do if you can't obtain fresh milk)
• A seed (any kind)
• Wooden Matches
• A pink candle if you wish for a girl, a light blue candle if you wish for a boy

Cast your circle and invite Goddess to join you.
The woman say aloud: (add each thing to the apple as you speak it)

To the image of the sacred apple I add the following:
A starfish from the waters of life
Soil from Mother Earth
Milk to symbolize the nectar of a mother's breast
A seed for growth, new life and fertility
(light a match and touch it to the contents)
A flame for the fire that burns within and the spark of creation

Place the pink/blue candle in your cauldron, as you light it say aloud:

Within my cauldron I light this (pink/blue) candle
To represent the Maiden, the Mother, the Crone
And the (daughter/son) of my heart.
Goddess, I ask of thee
Grant to us fertility
Sperm join egg and blessed it be
(man's name)'s babe to be born from me
With harm to none
New love to many
So mote it be

Allow the candle to burn, gaze into the flame and visualize yourself holding your child in your arms as long as possible. If the candle goes out, the man should relight it, if not, allow it to continue burning on its own. When you are ready, have the man take the apple bowl & matches in his hands. Open a doorway in your circle and proceed outside. Both the man and woman should kneel in a private place on the property as the woman digs a small hole into the ground. The man then says aloud: (as he places the contents of the apple into the hole)

Goddess please join us here in this place
From the image of the sacred apple,
I place the following within Mother Earth:
A starfish from the waters of life
Soil returning to Mother Earth
Milk to symbolize the nectar of a mother's breast – May it also feed the land
A seed for growth, new life and fertility
(he lights a match and places it in the hole)
A flame for the fire that burns within and the spark of creation
Within the cauldron burns this (pink/blue) candle
To represent the Maiden, the Mother, the Crone and the (daughter/son) of my heart.
Goddess, I ask of thee
Grant to us fertility
Sperm join egg and blessed it be
(woman's name)'s babe to be fathered by me
With harm to none
New love to many So mote it be

(the man then replaces the removed soil to refill the hole)

He should now thank Goddess. Return to your circle, both of you again giving thanks to the Goddess. Allow the candle to burn out. Close the circle and make love.

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from `this blog.

Friday Form A Circle – Beltane Ritual

Beltane Ritual
Adapted from a Ritual found at
Lady Bridgte’s Wiccan Ways 
Original written by Lady Bridget and Lady Therese 1997

Cleanse area with besom.
Cast the circle in your usual manner.
Cleanse and bless the participants in your usual manner.

(Please note – I have set up the circle with the associations I use. If you feel differently, if you follow generally accepted principles, you would then want to rearrange the directional/elemental associations to suit your belief system). Also, it seems a good place to note that I work with dragons whenever possible, and when I perform ritual, I call dragons for protection. Again, if this is not your path, and you aren’t familiar with dragon, you should probably replace the invocation of the dragons with whatever protective beings you work with regularly.

Invoke Dragons

East - Earth

All Hail to thee, Dragons of the East, keepers of the powers of earth. Guarding the womb of the Earth Mother, dark protectors of the new seed. The shelter of the stag and the new born fawn. Carpet of fallen leaves be our bed. The soil that is the flesh, the mountain that is the breast, and the earth that is the bone of the world. We call you now to aid us in our rites. So Mote It Be.

South - Fire

All Hail to thee, Dragons of the South, the powers of fire. Keepers of the spark of lust which leads to all Creation, the Sacred Fire of Life. Guarding the Flame of power, burning bright, giving guidance in the night. Love is the inner spark, the light that burns without flicker, the amber glow within. We call you now to aid us in our rites. So Mote It Be.

West - Water

All Hail to thee, Dragons of the West, Keepers of the powers of water. The tides of the ocean, where all life began, the rivers and streams that feed and nourish the earth. When we thirst, let your tears fall upon us as gentle rain. Thou art guardian to the dark sea from which all life comes, and unto which all life returns. We call you now to aid us in our rites. So Mote It Be.

North - Air

All Hail to thee, Dragons of the North, Keepers of the powers of air. Guardians of the gentle breezes that soften winter's chill and the cleansing force of the gale winds. Oh, ye of the South Wind, place of storms and breath of life. In the coolness of the breeze we hear your sighs, and in the rushing of the wind. We call you now to aid us in our rites. So Mote It Be.

(At this time the dragons have been called in and we now prepare to call upon the Gods and Goddesses. We have called upon a Goddess and God from each direction for this ritual.)

IInvoking the Goddesses and Gods

(face east)

Oh Father Gods of death and hunting, Cernunnos, Ra, and Herne. Even as you dwell within the temple of death, so you dwell within the Secret Seed, seed of the grain, seed of the flesh, hidden of the earth. For you are He who is the gatekeeper at the end of time, we hear the thunder of your hooves upon the shore. You are He whom all must face at the appointed hour, yet you are not to be feared, for you are father, brother, lover and son. We ask that you join us if for but a moment to witness our rites and bless your hidden children. Blessed Be.

(face south)

Oh Warrior Gods of protection and virility, Osiris, Llew, Pan. Oh laughing God of the greenwood, with your pipes and cloven hooves, shepherd of creatures free and wild. Beyond the doorway of time and out into the night, in search of mystery and the wonder of light. Crackling with energy under our skin, red lion roaring, pulses racing, we are open - Come in! Join us, if for but a moment, to witness our rites and bless your hidden children. Blessed Be.

(face west)

Oh, Goddesses of all beginnings, Cybele, Astarte, Yameya, Isis, be among us now in your aspect as Maiden of the Forest and Sea. The fair one who brings joy and new life to break the winter's stillness and silence. Oh virgin child of sunrise, wild mistress of the hunt, Artemis of the mountains, and Aphrodite of the oceans, we ask that you join us if for but a moment to witness our rites and bless your hidden children. Blessed Be.

(face north)

Oh Goddesses of nurturing and fulfillment, Bridget, Demeter, Cerridwen, Diana. In full knowledge of the seed that you bear, we await your life, your freedom, and your light, as part of all light that flows eternally. You, the mirror of the whole kindred, of star, of stone, and of greenwood tree. Turn life's great wheel and make us ever better from life to life to life. We ask that you join us if for but a moment to witness our rites and bless your hidden children. Blessed Be.

(At this time it is appropriate if you wish to do a maypole dance to go ahead to this section on erecting the pole and doing the dance. If the dance is to be done at another time, then go straight on to the lighting of the Bel fires.)

High Priestess - Before we begin this glorious age old dance of the maypole, it is customary to bless and consecrate both the pole, which is the representation of the God's regenerative life force, the phallus, and the earth, which represents the fertility of the Goddess, the vagina.

Consecrating the Earth

(dig the hole now if it is not already there.)
(pour a libation of oil or wine into the hole)

High Priestess: Earth Mother, may this offering prepare you to receive this symbol of your consort, our Lord.

Consecrating the Pole

(the men bring the pole in, marching in a rhythmic manner, two steps forward, and rock one step back, as is usual in a courtship! It is also appropriate for them to grunt. They turn the pole over to the High Priest)

High Priest: Blessed be this tree, vehicle of our Lord, which shall soon enter our Mother the Earth.

(at this time all ladies come forward and rub the oil all over the pole, chanting is appropriate, as are other more suggestive sounds! Each person then comes forward and ties a ribbon to the end of the pole, the color of the ribbon should have significance to the person. The pole is then erected into the earth, with as much flourish and noises as is deemed appropriate to those present.)

High Priestess: This is a time for joy and a time for sharing. The richness of the soil accepts the seed, and now is the time that seeds should be spilled. Togetherness brings joy and abundance fills the Earth. Let us celebrate the planting of abundance. All of you friends look upon the pole, seeing in your mind's eye the pure life force rising through it from the earth, blossoming overhead, and cascading down through us...flowing out from us to the Lady's world beyond...Look...and see Life!

(start the music, and dance the maypole! For directions, see the intro file)

(can now light the Bel fires)

High Priest- Now, as in ages past, it is the pleasure of the Lord who longs for the touch of His Lady, to light the Bel fire, as a signal to all, that this is the season of Beltane! Tis spring now, and the time for all of field and forest to be fertile!

(he lights the fire, and the High Priestess comes up to him holding a long green scarf)

High Priestess - Now, as in ages past, it is the pleasure of the Lady to arouse the passions of the Lord, to cause the sap in the trees to rise, to cause the very breath of the earth to sigh in anticipation!
(she teases him with the scarf)
Come, my Lord, and let us be together once again!

(she drops the scarf at his feet and quickly walks or runs away, not too fast. The HP picks up the scarf and follows her, she does not allow him to catch her too quickly, and if possible, other young ladies block his way. Finally after traversing the circle at least 3 times, he catches her and they kiss.)

(the HPS then hands the scarf to another young lady, who goes around the circle till she sees a man she likes, and drops the scarf at his feet, he then chases her in the same manner. This can go on as long as wanted.)

(Can do the Great Rite now, or after jumping the fire.)

High Priest - The Bel fires are a symbol also of purifying energy, and also the energy of the fertility of this season.

"Nine woods in the Bel fire go
Burn them fast and burn them slow"
Oak for the God
Birch for the Goddess
Fir for birth
Willow for death
Rowan for magic
Apple for love
Grapevine for joy
Hazel for wisdom
And Hawthorne for purity and for the May.

(at this time dance the spiral dance, chant, sing, and jump the fire.)

(can do the Great Rite now, if not done after the scarf chase.)

Thank The Gods & Goddesses

(face east)

Great Gods of Death and Hunting, Cernunnos, Ra, and Herne. Grant us the promise of renewal, that through death we are reborn. You reign supreme within your lands. Give us fair woodlands and green fields, blossoming orchards and ripening fruits. Your seed that is sown in spring will become the flower of the harvest. As Nature flourishes, so also do we. All upon the Earth is at one with the Divine Union, the fruit of magic. As you leave, fill our hearts with light and love. Blessed Be.

 

(face south)

Great Gods of protection and virility, Osiris, Llew, Pan. Grant us your determination and bravery. Prince of twilight, pearl grey warrior, with a silver foot, go silently as long as the moon shall rise and the star shall turn. For we are ever a star, to us is given the secret of the Winged Flame. Oh, keeper of the Sacred Forest, as you leave, fill our hearts with light and love. Blessed Be.

 

(face west)

Great Goddesses of all beginnings, Cybele, Astarte, Yameya, Isis. Grant that our beginnings be fertile and fruitful. The beauteous Sacred Queen in the full knowledge that times of joy shall return always, as lusty as before. Virgin Queen of the Sea, and of the desert, and rain, and of the deepest untouched forest. As you leave, fill our hearts with your light and love. Blessed Be.

(face north)

Great Goddesses of nurturing and fulfillment, Bridget, Demeter, Cerridwen, Diana. Grant us your patience and guiding wisdom. Both within and without, fill our souls with rebirth, that we may walk a little further, reach a little higher, that we may strive for the far horizon. Thou art the the cauldron of inspiration and the womb of the immortal mother, and as you leave, fill our hearts with light and love. Blessed Be.

(We have a simple prayer at this point which states that we have honored the Great Ones, your group can do something similar here, or skip right to dismissing the quarters.)

Dismissing The Dragons

East - Earth

Hail to thee, Dragons of the North, Keepers of the powers of earth. We thank thee for the stability in our lives which grounds us and gives us strength. Rock of life, salt and granite, ever-living, blessed planet, green grass, and leafy tree, vines as trailing hair, may you bring peace back in to the world. We bid thee Hail and Farewell, as you depart to your mighty realms, and harm ye none on your way. So Mote It Be.

South - Fire

Hail to thee, Dragons of the South, Keepers of the powers of fire. We thank thee for the flame of passion, and the cleansing Balefire. Blessed warmth give comfort and brightness and strength. Though these flames of the material world be darkened, they shall ever burn in the worlds beyond. We bid thee Hail and Farewell, as ye depart to your mighty realms, and harm ye none on your way. So Mote It Be.

West - Water

Hail to thee Dragons of the West, Keepers of the powers of water. We thank thee for the life- giving nourishment you have given to Mother Earth and the crops. Soft is the rain that gently falls upon the fields beneath, it patters down so gently that it hardly bends a leaf. We bid thee Hail and Farewell, as you depart to your mighty realms, and harm ye none on your way. So Mote It Be.

North - Air

Hail to thee, Dragons of the North, Keepers of the powers of air. We thank thee for life-giving breath, and the wings of our thoughts, wishes, and dreams. As you blow the staleness of winter away, help us fill our lungs with the freshness of clear skies and clear minds. We bid thee hail and Farewell, as ye depart to your mighty realms, and harm ye none on your way. So Mote It Be.

Open the circle.

Group Hugs!!

Bibliography

"A Witches Bible Compleat" by Janet and Stewart Farrar
"Wicca for the Solitary Practitioner" by Scott Cunningham
"Magickal Rites from the Crystal Well" by Ed Fitch

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader’s personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Friday Form A Circle - Seed Blessing and Indoor Planting Ritual

Unfortunately for me, this is a ritual I, personally would never attempt. Not only do I not have a green thumb, I have a decidedly black thumb. Yeah, some witch I am! I kill mint! You know, mint…most people drop a small clipping in their yard, on the way into the house and two weeks later have a yard overrun with mint. Not me! I try to grow it & it dies. Every plant I even so much as touch dies! Well, that’s not entirely true…if I want it to go away, like the wild onions which essentially made up the front yard at our old house, they will reproduce and spread rapidly. Yes, it sounds an exaggeration, but really, it’s not. Even my co-workers who sit near me have learned to keep their plants from dangling over the top of their cubicles into mine, as the part that finds itself on my side of the wall soon starts to turn brown & wither….oh well, such is life :) I am relegated to buying what herbs & plants I need, or convincing Hunny to grow them – he has a very green thumb, but very little free time to take advantage…Anyways just because I can’t do it, doesn’t mean you can’t, so here goes :)

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(Get your very own sig tags that you, too, can customize! I found this one at Eye4Expression)

* Seed Blessing and Indoor Planting Ritual *
adapted from rituals in Silver RavenWolf's To Light a Sacred  Flame &
Pauline Campanelli's Wheel of the Year
from RainForest – (unfortunately this link is dead, but I did find it also posted at Earth Witchery which seems to be just chock-full of good information :)

Seeds that were gathered at Mabon or that you have purchased in packets can be blessed and started indoors at Ostara. This ritual should be conducted in the dark, as we are asking the Mother to bring the seed's light from the darkness of the warming earth.

You will need:

• Seeds
• Flower pots
• Soil
• A green marker
• Popsicle sticks (optional)
• Four candles, one for each of the four quarters
• Priapic Wand (an oak wand with an acorn or pine cone tip)

Place your supplies on the altar. Cast a circle by walking clockwise, with index finger pointing down, saying:

"Creation flows from the arms of our Mother Goddess.
Creation flows from the strength and light of our God.
Creation is the mission of the human spirit.
From my lips the oath was sworn,
From my hand the circle is born
The earth, the air, the fire, the water
Return, return, return.
And the gifts of the land return.
Behold the circle is cast."

Ask special blessings from each Quarter as you call them. Lighting candle at North, say: ***

"Elements of the North;
Rich earth, comforting soil
Bless this ritual with your gifts."

Lighting candle at East, say:

"Elements of the East;
Sweet breath, carrier of gentle spring rain,
Bless this ritual with your gifts."

Lighting candle at South, say:

"Elements of the South;
Caressing sun, warming creation,
Bless this ritual with your gifts."

Lighting candle at West, say:

"Elements of the West;
Pure water, transformation energy
Bless this ritual with your gifts."

Using the priapic wand, tap each seed packet three times, saying:

"Now is the dark half of the year passing
Now do the days grow light, and the Earth grow warm
I summon the spirit of these seeds
Which have slept in darkness
Awaken, stir, and swell
As you are planted in the Earth
To grow and bring forth new fruit.
Blessed be!"

As each seed is blessed, visualize that particular plant in full bloom or full fruit. At this point, you may charge the seeds with blessings you hope to "sow" in the year ahead -- things like wisdom, prosperity, understanding, or certain magical skills. Next, draw the Birkana rune

(a B with points instead of curves),

the rune of new beginnings, on the Popsicle sticks or on the flower pots. Add soil. Plant the seeds and water. Thank the Goddess and God. Dismiss the Quarters and close the circle. Tend your seeds carefully in the coming weeks. If desired, plant the seedlings outdoors when the danger of frost has past.

***As I’ve said before, these are not the directional associations I use. If you choose to follow it as written, and it works for you, that’s fine :) If I were to do this ritual as laid out, it would be ineffective, because I don’t believe the direction/element associations are correct, and Magic is funny that way. Your beliefs influence the outcome of everything you do, very strongly. Therefore, you must do what works for you to be effectual. This is one of the reasons any good mentor or teacher will make very clear that using a pre-written spell or ritual isn’t the way it’s done. Don’t get me wrong, it may very well work, but not necessarily as you want it to, and rarely as well as it would if you “tailor” it and add your own touches…

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions / recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog

Monday Make An – Egg Shell Mosaics

Eostare, Ostara, Easter, no matter what you call it, almost all celebrations of the upcoming holiday involve eggs. Usually hard boiled eggs. Which are yummy, but can also be a bit messy, especially with little ones involved! And trying to tell your witchlet to “be careful not to get eggshells everywhere, because they’re a b*^ch to clean up” tends to have little to no effect on the actions of said witchlet. Who cares about cleaning up the mess when they’re 2 or 3 or 17…or male…(with my anal retentive, neat-freak Hunny being a notable exception to that last category…)
But! “be careful with those shells, because we’re going to use them to do a craft & make a beautiful mosaic you can keep forever!” might have a bit more effect. Theoretically. (on the witchlets, but probably not the males…).
Anyway, with that in mind we have today’s craft idea :)

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* Egg Shell Mosaics *
From ShadoeRose <

You will need:

• Colored egg shells
• Construction paper
• Pencil, crayon, or marker
• Glue
• Your imagination

How to proceed: Carefully peel the shells from the colored eggs. Remove the membrane from the inside of the shell (otherwise, it will smell over time). The shell pieces should be large enough to handle, and small enough to lay mostly flat when placed on paper. Group like colors together. Draw an outline for the mosaic on the construction paper (this may be necessary for younger children, or if you can't complete the project in one sitting). You may want to use Sabbat-appropriate designs, or just whatever takes your fancy. Coat the mosaic area with glue. Place eggshells on the glue in the patterns you desire. Allow the glue to dry.

Friday Form A Circle - * Satrina's Solitary Ostara Ritual *

* Satrina's Solitary Ostara Ritual *
written by Satrina J. Starlight; this had a link with it, but it’s dead :( If this is yours, and you have a site, let me know, I’ll link ya!

Preparation: For decorating the altar use dyed eggs and pink and green ribbons or streamers. Prepare the altar with the God and Goddess candles and the supplies for casting the circle. Include a soil-filled cauldron, a sword, a small shovel, a small pot, a few seeds of your favorite flower or herb, a Corn Dolly, and a Grape Dolly. The Corn Dolly should be dressed in white. The Grape Dolly should be dressed in green. The cauldron should be placed in front of the altar. Begin by casting the circle. Say:

Here I am on this day, Ostara, Lady Day, Rite of Eostre,The Vernal Equinox, And the first day of the planting season. I am here to understand life, death, and rebirth,and to give reverence to those who have endured each

Bow your head to think about how Ostara fits in one of the three groups above and how it fits in the Wheel of the Year. Say:

I stand at the gate between the living and the dead on this night when both light and dark are equal. I am here to witness the union of my Goddess, Mother Earth, the waxing Lady of the Moon,and of our God, Green Man, the waxing Lord of the Sun. Conception. . . a necessary transition on the Wheel of the Year

Lay the Dollies next to each other on the pillow. Say:

Now is the time of the Great Rite between the beloved Maiden, one of the three faces of my Goddess,and her consort, the beloved Sun King,one of the three faces of my God. I watch as the Goddess is impregnated by the God with the seeds of conception

Unite the blade of the sword with the depth of the cauldron symbolizing the Great Rite. Leave the sword standing. Hold the God candle and mingles the flame with the Goddess candle. Replace these on the altar and set them closer than they were before. Say:

The Elder Gods wish to bestow upon us the gift of knowledge.Thus they shall speak

Hold the Grape Dolly and Corn Dolly up high, one in each hand. Say:

These wise words are their gifts. 'There is a time for every purpose under the heavens above. Now is the time to sow that which will be reaped come fall and winter. Now is the time of the conception of the Divine Child which is necessary to keep the Wheel of the Year turning. As I plant these seeds of child and harvest, each dependant upon the other, the Wheel of the Year turns, the land also ready to take to it seeds.It is now your time to begin your sowing of seeds, material, spiritual, and symbolic, to ready you for the coming seasons.' So mote it be.

Place the Dollies closer to each other on the pillow. Say:

The Gods have shown me the way. Now, on this day of Ostara, at this time of planting and beginning, I shall sow my own seeds for the coming seasons.

Use the small shovel to transfer soil from the cauldron to the small pot. As you are plating the seeds, you should be thinking about your goals as though they were the seeds. You can now conclude the ritual. Say:

May these newly planted seeds material, spiritual, and symbolic, bring to me plentiful fruits and bounties.

Close the circle. Serve yourself hard boiled eggs, honey cakes, and eggnog. You can leave the cauldron and sword on the altar until Beltane to remind you of the seeds sewn on this day. Also leave plastic colored eggs to remind you of the conception of the Divine Child.

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Thursday This Is Your Spell – Getting Pregnant Spell

The upcoming Ostara holiday is all about fertility, so in that vein…

Getting Pregnant Spell

You will need the following:

• ace of wands,
• 10 of cups,
• the SUN,
• something for a baby you bought specifically for this ritual (a bib, a small blanket...etc.....),
• 9 red candles.

Light the candles and lay out the tarot cards one by one.
Visualize yourself finding out your pregnant, staring at a positive pregnancy test. Repeat the following:

With these cards and with this spell
I call upon the good and helpful powers.
I desire to start a family
I desire energy and love to continue.
This small item (hold up the baby item)
Is the token of the commitment
We are ready to make.
We are ready to love our children
We are ready to teach our children
And we are ready to have our children
So it is - so it shall be!

Seal this spell with kisses and hugs followed by the actions necessary to start a family. Seashells represent fertility. She can create a small seashell altar in her bedroom. If she wants to add a deity, I'd use the Goddess of Willendorf. Any round and fertile/pregnant goddess will work, and there are many!

Holed stones are also symbols of fertility. Have her carry one her person or have her wear one around her neck as a charm.
Placing one by the bed or between the matters is also good.

Eat healthy! Diet plays an extreme part in fertility. Use visualization.

She must be relaxed. Also, studies show that when the man and woman climax together the woman has a higher chance of conception.

Full moons... In tribal times and pre-electricity, women would ovulate around the Full Moon and menstruate around the Dark or New Moon. One way to get yourself onto this cycle is to start paying more attention to the phases of the moon and also going out under the moon for even a minute or two.

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions / recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.