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Rite and Ritual

John Conlin September, 2010

Mabon, the Autumnal Equinox

“And now we stand here, within the shadows of the Fall.

Let me hold you just once more, so I can try to remember it all.

Sing to me my love this day. Sing to me as I fade away,

back to the shadows, where I’ll dream of you.”

With my eyes closed I alone stand apart from my coven sisters and brothers and feel the last waning light of the Autumnal Equinox’s setting Sun fade away. I know that the tops of the old conifers I stand beneath still bask in Summer’s last light, as the forest floor begins to hear the shadows awaken. The dance between shadow and light is always present and ever changing as the seasons we recognize ebb and flow around the Wheel. There are fleeting moments though when we are able to witness and truly feel the energies shift. I am sure that each of us has a special and sacred marked time upon the Wheel’s turning, that calls more deeply to the spirit within us. For me, this is that moment and with each passing year I am blessed to glean something more meaningful. It is said that the true journey of the witch is the path walked alone. I think about that as I stand within the forest envisioning the God. I can see the Lord of the Forest holding the Goddess, looking into her eyes, trying to understand how his seemingly endless time with Her has passed. He hears the ravens calling his name, reminding him that all things must change and that the Earth is waiting for him to return. “You can not out run the turning of the Wheel”, she whispers, “for the Wheel, it turns strong.” “The shadows within await your fires return to open the way for their claim upon the land”, she paused staring into his eyes.  “I need your fire to embrace the deep dark of the Earth and re-ignite the energy that lies hidden within all that shall soon fall back.” “It is your light that shall push forth the veil of the Crone I must become to rule the night”, the Goddess continued.  “Remember my consort that the Wheel still strongly turns back toward you and your days will come again. Until those days though, know that I will walk though forest and field cloaked in my dark mantle and set them afire with your colors to honor your sacrifice”, she passionately finished. The Lord of the Forest kissed her one last time as his tears fell to the earth and turned to walk away. The ravens grew silent in the trees that lined the edge of the worn path as the God began walking into the west and listened to the Goddess sing. With each step he faded further from this realm, until like the setting Summer Sun, he was but a memory.

The Goddess now stands alone. As this first night deepens I see her tears wash away the aspect of the Mother and summon forth the dark wisdom of the Crone. In my eyes, Her total transformation will take a while longer, until the heavy grey clouds gather and the smell of damp decay drifts over the forest floor. Until the shadows creep across all those forgotten by the Sun and the trees’ splendor fades to gloom, only then, when Her walks grow evermore long pushing night into the day, will she stand fully as the Crone.

As I slowly make my way out of the forest and back to our Circle, these are the thoughts and visions that stir my spirit. No matter how many times I enact this ritual, I am moved to tears. This is the only ritual of the year where I am not present when our ceremony is closed. After casting the complete Circle, calling to the Quarters and honoring the Goddess and the God we talk about all that has transpired since Imbolc. We talk about our Summer experiences and what we are looking forward to regarding the rest of the harvest. Then we ask to feel what the Goddess and God of Nature experience and do our best to reenact the visions I described earlier. When the moment comes, I ritually open a small door in the Circle and walk away. As I leave I trail a long piece of black cord behind me attached to the altar. When I have disappeared into the dark, my wife pulls back the black cord and opens the small pouch that I secured to my end. I have never seen this next part of our ritual but I have been told by those within our Circle that it is beautiful. My wife then sheds her red shawl as she pulls the dark veil from the pouch and places it over head. She turns back to face the Circle and says,” know you this, the God is dead. Let us keep his fire sacred within each of us until he is reborn at Yule. As it is willed, so mote it be”, she ends. For all that is given, something must be returned. There is always a cycle, a sacred journey of energy that moves through all, entwined with the dance of shadow and light. Mabon, to me, is so truly reflected in the movements of Nature. I see it in the way the Sun’s light now falls more soft and golden within the forest. I see it in the slowly dying Chinook salmon who have kept their long promise and returned home to give back all that remains of them. I see it all around me when I take the time to be still, to breathe, to remember to see with open eyes and to listen……….

“The Wheel turns and I feel my fire has burned away

I feel the Earth holding me tight

I know the Crone will rule through the night

And I know the Wheel still slowly turns,

Back to me to make me burn,

With the love I forever hold for thee.”

Blessed be

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Mabon

Administrator September, 2010

MAY-bon, MAY-bun, MAY-bone, MAH-boon or MAH-bawn, – Lesser Sabbat – Fall/Autumn Equinox, September 21-23
Michaelmas (September 25th, Christian), Second Harvest Festival, Witches’ Thanksgiving, Harvest Home (Anglo-Celtic), Feast of Avalon, Wine Harvest, Festival of Dionysus, Cornucopia, Equinozio di Autunno (Strega), Chung Chiu (China), Night of the Hunter, Alban Elfed “The Light of the Water”(Caledonii/ Druidic-celebrates Lord of the Mysteries), Winter Finding (Teutonic, from Equinox ’til Winter Night or Nordic New Year, Oct 15th.)

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

Purpose:
Second harvest festival, new wine pressing/making preparation for winter and Samhain, rest after labor, Pagan day of Thanksgiving, honoring the spirit world, celebration of wine.

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

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

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

Symbols of Mabon:
wine, gourds, pine cones, acorns, grains, corn, apples, pomegranates, vines such as ivy, dried seeds, and horns of plenty.

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

Herbs & Plants of Maybon:
Acorn, aster, benzoin, cedar, ferns, grains, hazel, honeysuckle, hops, ivy, marigold, milkweed, mums, myrrh, oak leaf, passionflower, pine, rose, sage, solomon’s seal, tobacco, thistle, and vegetables.

Foods of Mabon:
Breads, nuts, apples, pomegranates, cornbread, wheat products, grains, berries, grapes, acorns, seeds, dried fruits, corn, beans, squash, roots (ie onions, carrots, potatoes, etc), hops, sasssafras, roast goose or mutton, wine, ale, & cider.

Incense & Oils of Mabon:
Pine, sweetgrass, apple blossom, benzoin, myrrh, frankincense, jasmine, sage wood aloes, black pepper, patchouly, cinnamon, clove, oak moss, & sage.

Colors/Candles of Mabon:
Red, orange, russet, maroon, brown, gold, deep gold, green, orange, scarlet, all autumn colors, purple, blue, violet, & indigo.

Stones of Mabon:
Sapphire, lapis lazuli, yellow agates, carnelian, yellow topaz, & amethyst.

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

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

Spellworkings and Rituals of Mabon:
Protection, security, and self-confidence. Also those of harmony and balance. Celtic Festival of the Vine, prosperity rituals, introspection, rituals which enact the elderly aspects of both Goddess & God, past life recall.

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

Goddesses:
Modron (Welsh), Bona Dea, Land Mother, Aging & Harvest Dieties: the Triple Goddess-Mother aspect, Persephone, Demeter/Ceres, Morgan (Welsh- Cornish), Snake Woman (aboriginal), Epona (Celtic-Gaulish), Pamona (roman), the Muses (greek)

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

Element/Gender:
Water

Threshold:
Evening

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Rite and Ritual

John Conlin August, 2010

Lughnasadh and the Moon of August

“I remember I held you, up high on the mountain’s side.

As I looked out over the land, all your magick filled my eyes.

I hear the ravens call my name, reminding me everything must change.

For the Earth, she lays waiting for me.”

This month I stand between the Summer Solstice and the Autumnal Equinox. It is a moment upon the Wheel that seems to defy my ability to discern the turning changes still taking place. The morning air is warm and sweet. I can see and feel a richness of the land. The bounty of Summer’s end is now ripened and ready to be savored within the lazy last days before the turn to Fall. The forest around me is so quiet as the Sun’s light peaks over the tree covered ridge. An occasional bird briefly sings but their calls now sound more like a contented sigh than anything else. Although I realize the Wheel must still be turning at the same speed, it surely does not feel that way to me. All around me there is a deep stillness. As if the forest was trying to take one last nap in the light before the shadows of the Fall claim their place, pushing Summer back into dark memory. Not yet though I think to myself as I pick some grapes and a few plums before heading down to the river. Slowly, as I breathe in the warm morning air, I step further away from the mundane allowing my senses to align with the natural world. The deeper I step, the clearer the subtle changes that mark Lughnasadh and this Moon become. I can see that the light, ever so slightly, has a hint of darker gold within it. There are spider webs everywhere, commanded by large garden spiders and adorned with the empty carcasses of the less fortunate. The moss on the trees is now dry and brittle. The once vibrant green has now faded toward a more sage like gray as it yields to August’s heat. My steps are noisy as the parched ground beneath my feet crackles under my steps. There are no more wildflowers in the small clearings and the few bees I see seem frustrated by their disappearance. Making my way down to the river I notice there is an osprey sitting upon one of the large branches reaching out from a shoreline tree. The river is at its lowest levels of the year now and although she is a little off colored from glacial melt, the water is too low to provide any decent cover for the fish. As a result, the ospreys and kingfishers are now having their day but even they seem relaxed. I finish making my way down to the river and head over to one of my favorite rocks. It has been scoured smooth and partially hollowed by the river’s rage but at this time of the year it makes a comfortable vantage point for observing. I set down my backpack, pulling out some water and sit on the cool rock. The morning Sun has not yet reached this spot and for a few minutes longer I am within the shade of the large trees. I think about the coming of Lughnasadh and the traditional start of the harvest season as I bite into one of the plums I picked earlier. I close my eyes, remembering the mornings I first saw the blossoms appear and then the initial signs of the fruit to come. For all things given there is an equal amount of energy given back, returned to the source for the Circle to flow and be complete. I remember the baby birds I found beneath the tree that had fallen from their nest to be returned to the Earth. Sitting quietly, the Sun now embracing me, I can see the ebb and flow of energy around that tree as the Wheel turned, the seasons changed and the Circle spun. The Sun is warm but now in August not nearly so direct and it feels gentle upon my tanned skin. I open my eyes, looking around and notice a heron fishing just upstream from where I sit. I watch him catch a few fish and wonder how much harder it will be for him to be so successful once the rains return in a short while. The native people call the moon of August the Full Sturgeon Moon, for it is one of the best times to catch these large fish. Others call it the Grain Moon, the Fruit Moon, the Full Red Moon for the reddish tint it takes on rising through the sultry haze of late Summer, as well as the Moon when all things ripen. They all have their connections and depending upon ones own relative perceptions a stronger or lesser personal relevance. I simply call it the Moon of Harvest, for it marks the first hint of noticeable transition the seemingly endless days toward those requiring a more structured and responsible effort. Not yet though I remind myself as I walk over to one of the larger pools in the river. This is one of the few times during the year when Fire and Water are gently entwined. The energies between the two seem closer and for a short time the river is refreshingly cool and not freezing cold. As I drift in the pool and then sit at its edge I think about everything I harvest from this world around me. Not just those things I physically consume but all that I take, borrow and use along my journey. Do I return or give back anything close to what I take?  While I sit there in the river, wondering, I see the first Chinook salmon of the season to make it this far up river. She is a large female, her fins torn and tattered from her long promised journey. She has come to spawn and then give back all that she has left, returning what she has harvested along her way.  Once again I am awed by Nature’s magickal perfection and as I head back home I have a deeper understanding of this moment upon the Wheel.

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Lughnasadh

Administrator August, 2010

(Loo-nas-ah) Major Sabbat (High Holiday) – Fire Festival August 1, 2

Other Names: Lunasa (meaning August), Lughnasaad, Lughnasa Celtic),First Harvest, August Eve, Feast of Cardenas, Feast of Bread, Tailltean Games(Irish), Teltain Cornucopia (Strega), Ceresalia (Ancient Roman) Harvest Home, Thingtide (Teutonic), Lammas (Christian). Laa Luanys, Elembious, Festival of Green Corn (Native American)

Animals and Mythical beings: Griffins, Basilisks, Roosters, Calves, Centaurs, Phoenix

Gemstones: aventurine, citrine, peridot, sardonyx, yellow diamonds, citrine

Incense and Oils: wood aloes, rose, rose hips, rosemary, chamomile, eucalyptus, safflower, corn, passionflower, frankincense, sandalwood

Colors: red, orange, golden yellow, green, light brown, gold, bronze, gray

Tools, Symbols, and Decorations: corn, cornucopias, red, yellow flowers, sheaves of grain (wheat, barley, oats), first fruits/vegetables of garden labor, corn dollies, baskets of bread, spear, cauldron, sickle, scythe, threshing tools, sacred loaf of bread, harvested herbs, bonfires, bilberries, God figures made of bread or cookie dough, phallic symbols

Goddesses: The Mother, Dana (Lugh&’s wife & queen ), Tailltiu (Welsh-Scottish), Demeter (Greek), Ceres (Roman grain goddess .. honored at Ceresalia), the Barley Mother, Seelu (Cherokee), Corn Mother, Isis (Her birthday is celebrated about this time), Luna (Roman Moon Goddess), other agricultural Goddesses, the waxing Goddess

Gods: Lugh (Celtic, one of the Tuatha De Danaan), John Barley Corn, Arianrhod’s golden haired son Lleu (Welsh God of the Sun & Corn where corn includes all grains, not just maize), Dagon (Phoenician Grain God), Tammuz/ Dummuzi (Sumerian), Dionysus, plus all sacrificial Gods who willingly shed
blood/give their life that their people/lands may prosper, all vegetation Gods & Tanus (Gaulish Thunder God), Taranis (Romano-Celtic Thunder God), Tina, (Etruscan-Thunder God), the waning God

Essence: fruitfulness, reaping, prosperity, reverence, purification, transformation, change, The Bread of Life, The Chalice of Plenty , The Ever-flowing Cup , the Groaning Board (Table of Plenty)

Meaning: Lugh’s wedding to Mother Earth, Birth of Lugh; Death of Lugh, Celtic Grain Festival

Purpose: Honoring the parent Deities, first harvest festival, first fruits grains & drink to the Goddess in appreciation of Her bounty, offering loaves of sacred bread in the form of the God (this is where the Gingerbread Man originated)

Rituals and Magicks: astrology, prosperity, generosity, continued success, good fortune, abundance, magickal picnic, meditate & visualize yourself completing a project you’ve started

Customs and Activities: games, the traditional riding of poles/staves, country fairs, breaking bread with friends, making corn dollys, harvesting herbs for charms/rituals, Lughnasadh fire with sacred wood & dried herbs, feasting, competitions, lammas towers (fire-building team competitions), spear tossing, gathering flowers for crowns, fencing/swordplay, games of skill, martial sports, chariot races, hand-fastings, trial marriages, dancing ’round a corn mother (doll)

Foods: loaves of homemade wheat, oat, & corn bread, barley cakes, corn, potatoes, summer squash, nuts, acorns, wild berries (any type), apples, rice, pears, berry pies, elderberry wine, crab apples, mead, crab, blackberries, meadowsweet tea, grapes, cider, beer

Herbs: grain, acacia, heather, ginseng, sloe, cornstalks, cyclamen, fenugreek, aloes, frankincense, sunflower, hollyhock, oak leaf, wheat, myrtle

Element: Fire

Gender: Female

Threshold: Noon

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Lughnasadh

Administrator July, 2010

(Loo-nas-ah) Major Sabbat (High Holiday) – Fire Festival August 1, 2

Other Names: Lunasa (meaning August), Lughnasaad, Lughnasa Celtic),First Harvest, August Eve, Feast of Cardenas, Feast of Bread, Tailltean Games(Irish), Teltain Cornucopia (Strega), Ceresalia (Ancient Roman) Harvest Home, Thingtide (Teutonic), Lammas (Christian). Laa Luanys, Elembious, Festival of Green Corn (Native American)

Animals and Mythical beings: Griffins, Basilisks, Roosters, Calves, Centaurs, Phoenix

Gemstones: aventurine, citrine, peridot, sardonyx, yellow diamonds, citrine

Incense and Oils: wood aloes, rose, rose hips, rosemary, chamomile, eucalyptus, safflower, corn, passionflower, frankincense, sandalwood

Colors: red, orange, golden yellow, green, light brown, gold, bronze, gray

Tools, Symbols, and Decorations: corn, cornucopias, red, yellow flowers, sheaves of grain (wheat, barley, oats), first fruits/vegetables of garden labor, corn dollies, baskets of bread, spear, cauldron, sickle, scythe, threshing tools, sacred loaf of bread, harvested herbs, bonfires, bilberries, God figures made of bread or cookie dough, phallic symbols

Goddesses: The Mother, Dana (Lugh&’s wife & queen ), Tailltiu (Welsh-Scottish), Demeter (Greek), Ceres (Roman grain goddess .. honored at Ceresalia), the Barley Mother, Seelu (Cherokee), Corn Mother, Isis (Her birthday is celebrated about this time), Luna (Roman Moon Goddess), other agricultural Goddesses, the waxing Goddess

Gods: Lugh (Celtic, one of the Tuatha De Danaan), John Barley Corn, Arianrhod’s golden haired son Lleu (Welsh God of the Sun & Corn where corn includes all grains, not just maize), Dagon (Phoenician Grain God), Tammuz/ Dummuzi (Sumerian), Dionysus, plus all sacrificial Gods who willingly shed
blood/give their life that their people/lands may prosper, all vegetation Gods & Tanus (Gaulish Thunder God), Taranis (Romano-Celtic Thunder God), Tina, (Etruscan-Thunder God), the waning God

Essence: fruitfulness, reaping, prosperity, reverence, purification, transformation, change, The Bread of Life, The Chalice of Plenty , The Ever-flowing Cup , the Groaning Board (Table of Plenty)

Meaning: Lugh’s wedding to Mother Earth, Birth of Lugh; Death of Lugh, Celtic Grain Festival

Purpose: Honoring the parent Deities, first harvest festival, first fruits grains & drink to the Goddess in appreciation of Her bounty, offering loaves of sacred bread in the form of the God (this is where the Gingerbread Man originated)

Rituals and Magicks: astrology, prosperity, generosity, continued success, good fortune, abundance, magickal picnic, meditate & visualize yourself completing a project you’ve started

Customs and Activities: games, the traditional riding of poles/staves, country fairs, breaking bread with friends, making corn dollys, harvesting herbs for charms/rituals, Lughnasadh fire with sacred wood & dried herbs, feasting, competitions, lammas towers (fire-building team competitions), spear tossing, gathering flowers for crowns, fencing/swordplay, games of skill, martial sports, chariot races, hand-fastings, trial marriages, dancing ’round a corn mother (doll)

Foods: loaves of homemade wheat, oat, & corn bread, barley cakes, corn, potatoes, summer squash, nuts, acorns, wild berries (any type), apples, rice, pears, berry pies, elderberry wine, crab apples, mead, crab, blackberries, meadowsweet tea, grapes, cider, beer

Herbs: grain, acacia, heather, ginseng, sloe, cornstalks, cyclamen, fenugreek, aloes, frankincense, sunflower, hollyhock, oak leaf, wheat, myrtle

Element: Fire

Gender: Female

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Rebel Rede

Hoi Sum July, 2010

Modern Sabbats

Last month on June 21st we celebrated the summer solstice, the longest day of sunlight in the year. There are many traditions, symbols, and meanings associated with each sabbat within the wheel of the year, and Litha (aka Midsummer or the summer solstice) is no different. While Litha is considered a lesser sabbat it is still a time of great celebration for many witches and Pagans. Litha falls during the summer, which for many means it is the perfect time for a family sabbat celebration. Kids are out of school and many parents starting to plan out their family vacations. In the ancient times the summer season was a time of rest and fun. Summer meant the harvest was planted and steadily growing. In modern times the season holds much of the same meaning. We may not literally plant all of our food during the spring, but summer time is still traditionally a time of days off and lots of fun in the sun. We hold many of the same sabbat traditions and symbolism as our ancestors, but we might not always have such a nature-based focus this modern age.

Not only to we live in a modern era that is somewhat removed from nature thanks to a dependency on technology and electronics. In addition to these modern distractions, what many Pagans forget is the seasons are not the same for everyone. The weather and plants associated with each season varies depending on where you live. While I do think the nature-based focus and symbolism of each sabbat is very important, I try to also focus on the spiritual and emotional meanings of the sabbats. The nature based meanings of sabbats are not always the same for everyone. For example many Pagans love Yule because it means the days are about to get lighter and warmer-it means spring is approaching. I do not hold Yule in that same positive light though because I live in a desert. For those of us who live in an area that does not have traditional seasons spring might not be a good thing. For me Yule means the days are going to be getting lighter and warmer which means the scorching hot weather of spring and summer are on the way. It means gone are the beautiful days of cool comfortable winter weather. This is probably not the opinion of someone who lives in a cold snow filled region though.

Just because I do not get excited for the end of winter, as Yule symbolizes, does not mean that Yule is not special or important to me. This holds true for all of the sabbats, including last month’s summer solstice. Summer solstice for me may have included temperatures well above a hundred degrees (Fahrenheit), but that is not what I chose to focus on. For me the summer solstice was less about the celebration of the sun (it tends to be our enemy here in the desert) and more about the celebration of my friends, magick, and the Divine. The summer solstice whether un-comfortably hot or not, is still a time for Pagans and witches to get together with other like-minded friends and family. I got to have my first summer solstice with my new coven and that was really special for me. I also got to go to attend a solstice party with my co-workers, and the party was put on by one of my non-Pagan co-workers. My co-workers know I am Pagan and they thought it would be a fun new thing to do (to host a Solstice party and celebration). This was a huge deal in my eyes because it means Paganism and witchcraft is being more accepted in the general population! While it is very important to connect to nature during the wheel of the year, it is also important to find our own modern meanings in the sabbats. What do the sabbats mean to you? Do you think the sabbats mean something different to us then they did to our ancestors?

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Airmid’s Cauldron

Summerwynd and Celticmoon July, 2010

Honey Muffins – Great for Ritual use

1 C. Milk

½ C. Strained Wildflower Honey

½ C. Raw Sugar

3 C. Oat Flour

3 t. Baking Powder

¾ t. Sea Salt

¾ t. Powdered Grapefruit seed

3 Eggs Well Beaten

¼ C/ Melted Butter

Blend milk, honey, and sugar. Combine with sifted dry ingredients. Add eggs and butter, mix lightly but quickly; bake in well greased muffin tins at 375* degrees for approximately 20 mins.

With Lughnasadh soon to be upon us this recipe is sure to become a favorite.

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Faeries, Elves, and Other Kin

Kathryn Cranston June, 2010

Midsummer Eve:  Second Faerie Festival of the Year

By

Kat Cranston

Midsummer Eve, also known as Litha, Samradh, Alban Hefin, Aerra Litha, Mother Night, and St. John’s Eve, is the second of the three yearly Faerie Realm festivals.  This sabbat is tied to the Summer Solstice, which occurs on 21 June in the Northern Hemisphere this year.  The other two faerie festivals occur on May Eve and November Eve (Samhain).

Midsummer Eve is a sabbat that has a lot of faerie lore attached to it.  This is the time when entrance to the faerie realm is easiest and faerie mounds are practically “open to the public!”  Faerie powers are at their strongest, and they are frolicsome and very merry, dancing around bonfires, singing and cavorting with abandon.

Seeing Faeries

Midsummer Eve at dusk, especially if the moon is full, is precisely the best time for viewing faeries—if you have their favor or they wish to procure your services. Oak, ash and thorn make up the faerie tree triad of Britain, and where they grow together one can see faeries.  Here is a recipe from the 16th century that, when rubbed on the eyelids, will help one to gain faerie sight:

Take a pint of sallet oyle and put it into a vial glasse; and first wash it with rose-water and marigold-water; the flowers to be gathered toward the east.  Wash it until the oyle becomes white, then put into the glasse, and then put thereto the budds of young hazle, and the thyme must be gathered near the side of a hill where fairies use to be; and take the grasse of a fairie throne; then all these put into the oyle in the glasse and sette it to dissolve three days in the sunne and keep it for thy use.

Note that there are several varieties of flowers that go by the name of “marigold.”  The marigold referred to in this recipe is the pot marigold, also known as calendula and native to the European continent, and not to be confused with the common marigold, or tagetes, native to the American continent.

Remember to prepare and set out an offering so they will not feel you are infringing on their privacy and whatever you do, look only!  Faeries can be dangerous and they are capable of playing all kinds of tricks ranging from innocent pranks to inflicting death.  Faerie morality is high unpredictable.

Protective Measures

To gain protection from the faerie tricks and mischief, you should jump the ritual Midsummer Eve bonfire and drive your herds (or better yet, walk with your children) between two bonfires.  To increase the fire’s protection, add the herb St. John’s Wort, which is in full bloom this time of year.  Place St. John’s Wort over your doorway or weave it into a garland with marigolds and ivy, then put it around the neck of any farm animals you possess.  If you don’t feel like you’ve done enough, take your protective measures further by following this description of London written by historian John Stow in 1598:

Every man’s door was shaded with green birch, fennel, St. John’s Wort, orpin, white lilies, and the like, ornamented with garlands of beautiful flowers.  They…had also lamps of glass with oil burning in them all night; and some of them hung out branches of iron, curiously wrought, containing hundreds of lamps lighted at once, which made a splendid appearance.

Steer Clear

An Irish faerie that changes shape from a very wide man in a high hat and scarf to a beast or bearded sheep, the Amadán-na-Briona, also known as The Fool of the Forth, is very dangerous.  His mere touch causes an incurable madness or death.  He is very active the entire month of June with Midsummer being especially provocative.  If you meet him, shout, “The Lord be between us and harm,” otherwise as the Irish say, “To meet the Amadán is to be in prison forever.”  Look for him to knock on your door late at night or pop up from behind a hedge.

A German faerie that loves to create elflocks in people’s hair and beards, the Pilwiz can become dangerous if you trespass in its mountainous lands and it shoots you with an elfbolt.  Worse still, the Pilwiz is a thief, raiding cornfields at night.  If you can catch the Pilwiz in the act of thievery at noon on Midsummer Day, the Pilwiz will die for a year.  However, if the Pilwiz sees you first, you will die.  There are less dangerous means of dealing with a Pilwiz and if one plagues you, I urge you not to take this risk.

A Shetland faerie with an aversion to sunlight, Trows, also called Night Stealers or Creepers, live in mounds amongst vast treasure hoards.  At Midsummer, the music-loving Trows contort their squat and misshaped bodies in a crouching and hopping dance called henking.  Trows engage in kidnapping children and leaving changelings in their place, so it’s best not to spend too much time in their company, although they also are fond of giving gifts of money to humans who please them, especially fiddlers.

Faerie Paths

Folklore has well documented the existence of faerie paths; dire were the consequences to those who built a human structure on one.  Invisible to the human eye, one way to check a site to ensure it would not impede any faerie traffic was to nail down four hazel branches, one each at the four corners of the proposed structure, and see if the branches were disturbed the next morning.  If they were, the verdict was in and construction was wisely abandoned.

If you see a procession of lights moving in a direct line from one faerie mound to another on Midsummer Eve, the faeries are on the move along a faerie path.  They are on their way to visit their neighbors for a grand Midsummer Eve party, or they are pulling out and moving to a new location.  Either way, don’t risk getting in their way.

Faerie Brides

Midsummer Eve is when male fae are wont to steal away pretty, human girls to become their brides.  They often appear as tall, dark, noble looking men that charm the desired girl, dancing with her all night long.  The next day the girl, imbued with inhuman, ethereal grace and beauty, will begin to waste away, becoming more beautiful each day, until she dies.  Her soul then travels to Tir Na Og, where it is always summer, and she becomes the bride of her faerie sweetheart.  Such marriages are accompanied by rigorous taboos and conditions, such as the fairy husband must not be looked upon on certain days nor struck a certain number of times nor touched by the bride with iron.  If the faerie husband abandons his human wife, she will waste away and die…again.

Dressing of Wells

The faeries that guard and are responsible for the well-being of fountains, wells, springs, streams and brooks are the naiads.  These faeries may appear in the guise of a fish, a frog, a mermaid, a winged serpent, or even a fly.

To honor and appease these guardians, place garlands of flowers, ribbons and other finery around the well at Midsummer.  First, approach the well from the east and walk about it sunwise three times.  You may also toss offerings of pins or coins into the well.  This will ensure that the water runs fresh and clean for another year.

Battle of the Kings

At Midsummer, the sun seems to stand still, for this is the longest day and shortest night of the year.  From this time onwards, the days gradually grow shorter again.  Although they are not typical faeries, yet neither are they Gods, the Kings of Oak and Holly meet at Midsummer to battle for their kingship.  The Holly King defeats the Oak King and begins his six-month reign until the two Kings meet again at Yule.  These foliate Kings share many aspects of the Horned God and the Green Man of forest, both of which are dedicated to the preservation of nature, as are the fae.  For lovers of the fae to include and honor these two mighty forces in their Midsummer celebration is wholly appropriate.

Bibliography and Works Cited/Recommended Reading:

  • Kowalchik, C. and Hylton, W.H. Editors, Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs , Rodale , 1998, p. 60
  • McCoy, Edain, A Witch’s Guide to Faery Folk, Llewellyn Publications, 2006
  • Ellis, Jeanette, Forbidden Rites: Your Complete Introduction to Traditional Witchcraft, O , 2009, p. 151
  • Lenihan, Eddie, Meeting the Other Crowd, Penguin Putman Inc., 2003
  • Franklin, Anna, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Fairies, Paper Tiger, 2002
  • Franklin, Anna, Working With Fairies: Magick, Spells, Potions &

    • Recipes

    • to Attract & See Them, New Page , 2005
  • Briggs, Katharine, An Encyclopedia of Fairies, Pantheon , 1976

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Litha Correspondences

Administrator June, 2010

Purpose
Rededication to the Lord and Lady, beginning of the harvest, honoring the Sun God, honoring the pregnant Godddess

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 & Decorations
The sun, oak, birch & fir branches, sun flowers, lilies, red/maize/yellow or gold flower, love amulets, seashells, summer fruits & flowers, feather/flower door wreath, sun wheel, fire, circles of stone, sun dials and swords/blades, bird feathers, Witches’ ladder.

Colors
Blue, green, gold, yellow and red.

Customs
Bonfires, processions, all night vigil, singing, feasting, celebrating with others, cutting
divining rods, dowsing rods & wands, herb gathering, handfastings, weddings, Druidic
gathering of mistletoe in oak groves, needfires, leaping between two fires, mistletoe
(without berries, use as a protection amulet), women walking naked through gardens
to ensure continued fertility, enjoying the seasonal fruits & vegetables, honor the
Mother’s fullness, richness and abundance, put garlands of St. John’s Wort placed
over doors/ windows & 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, Goddess of the Wells

Gods
Father Sun/Sky, Oak King, Holly King, hur, Gods at peak power and strength.

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

Gemstones
Lapis lazuli, diamond, tiger’s eye, 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 & holly trees

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

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

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

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Rites and Rituals

John Conlin May, 2010

Beltaine and the Flower Moon

I step into the forest. I slowly and deeply breathe. Standing still beneath the ancient trees, my senses fill with the magick of Beltaine. In every space, in every moment, new life unfolds before my eyes. The soft breeze grows ever more enchanted as the flora whispers sweet seduction to the birds and the bees. Shafts of Sunshine pierce through the great conifers’ boughs glinting off a myriad of insect wings and delivering fuel to the forest floor. I remain quiet, drifting deeper into Nature, and I begin to see and feel how the energies have changed from Ostara. It seems only a few days ago that the birds sounded so excited and frantic. Just yesterday, the river rushed by so wild and untamed, overfilled with the chaos of Spring’s fight against Winter’s hold. Today I noticed the river is steady yet calmer and I slowly realize that once again my mundane understanding of time has blinded me to all but the most noticeable of shifts upon the Wheel. The tumultuous days of early Spring have indeed passed and I can perceive a much clearer, focused purpose begin to emerge. It is a design held sacred at the heart of all things, reflected over and over through large and small alike. Time, place and energy have sown themselves more tightly together weaving the opening act of the tapestry to become Summer and Fall’s bounty. When I hold my place and allow my eyes to adjust, I am rewarded with a more meaningful insight into the energies’ flow. Just as the river gathers its strength from the countless brooks and streams in order to carry energy from the mountain to the ocean, so too does the forest gather from the diminutive toward the grand in ever more visible ambition. It is here, in the midst of Beltaine’s essence, that I am truly able to witness the first tangible evidence of the fruition of Imbolc’s dream and Ostara’s promise. It is here, at this moment, the 1st of May, we choose to sacredly acknowledge the magick of the union between all that is Goddess and all that is God. As I stir from my tranquil state and continue on the path through the forest, I am now keenly aware of all the varied manifestations now physically existing where once was but thought, dreams or desire.  They are all aspects of the Goddess, of the God, and of the energies joined, ever present in each season upon the Wheel. They are remembering in the Fall and resting in Winter’s hold. They dream in the Spring and rejoice in Summer’s splendor. Always though, are the magick and the wonder present for each of us to touch, should we be patient enough to look. Such are my thoughts as I make my way to the river’s edge and sit down by the stone fire ring I stacked earlier. I watch the last remnants of day slip into twilight while the swallows sweep over the river chasing down a hatch of caddis flies. Soon the bats will join them before taking over the duty of patrolling the night sky. With the Sun disappearing into the place where the trees and the river fade to become one, I light my Beltaine Fire, turning my thoughts to the Flower Moon. Some full moon names require one to think a little deeper in order to discern relevant meaning. I do not have to look any further though than to my walk through the forest to grasp a connection to this month’s full moon. There were flowers and blossoms everywhere. Even the night air is rich with their fragrance, subtly reminding me of the magick afoot. The last of my fire’s flames fall into embers, and I realize that it is time for me to head back. After extinguishing the embers with sand, I start back up the path through the forest. I can not help but smile as I think about my day celebrating Beltaine and dreaming of the Flower Moon. As I  slowly make my way upon the path, breathing deeply and embracing the rich, vibrant energy, I begin to sing,……

”From Earth, from Water,…by Fire and Air

To know, to be silent, to will and to dare

To believe, to be secret, to create and to care

To teach, to heal, to always be aware…”

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