Monthly Columns,  Spells & Rituals

Peeking in the Shadows: Crafting a Book of Shadows and Light

A Journey Through the Witch’s Wheel of the Year 2022!

 

The Witch’s Wheel of the Year

In the February Issue we began exploring the Sabbats of the Witch’s Wheel of the Year and beginning a journey of filling our BOS with information about how we celebrated and what we found to be true of our practice. For a review of what the Wheel of the Year is take a look at February’s posting here:

Peeking in the Shadows: Crafting A Book of Shadows and Light-February2022

 

We Continue Our Journey Through the Witch’s Wheel and call to the Light of the Summer Solstice….

THE SUMMER SOLSTICE/LITHA

 

The King Shall Rule

Each holds sway and hand of might
Upon the year’s Great Wheel.

In each domain one shall be King
As wax and wane of Light
Move within nature’s cyclic plan.


The Oak holds fast to growing light
And Holly brings shadow near.
The time between held in
Equinox Gate and season’s turn
Tips finely calibrated scales.


Solstice Kings though brothers

They in battle determine solar fate.

The Light holds fast
The Oak marks time
Flanked by strength
And sundial’s grace.

The Holly answers with response
A dance of calculated pace.
At sunset’s call, he strikes his final blow
As Oak in silent acquiescence bows
And bends to Summer Light’s repose.

 
His brother triumphant Holly King
Upon rooster’s call shall next arise.
The waning of the year begins
With Oak King’s necessary demise.


For what lay sleeping within
The growing splendor of Holly’s
Fertile embrace is the promise
Of Light’s return at the peak of

Winter’s darkened and snowy face.

And, once again the two shall meet
Oak strengthened by slumber’s rest.


The end of darkness near the
Holly King his energy spent
Shall relinquish crown as
Oak King reigns renewed.

 

The Summer Solstice, the longest day offers opportunity to stand in the heat of Solar Flame, cast the strength of our Inner Sun into the spotlight and bask in the expansive culmination of the prior months’ hard work and efforts.

Many celebrate the Summer Solstice with the story of the Oak King and Holly King. The Oak King having been crowned at the Winter Solstice is filled to bursting with the energy and power of solar energy and light; and it is He who draws the sacred seasons toward the bounty of Summer’s fullness. The Holly King has lain silently in his space of renewed slumber and HE waits to rise again at the time of the Summer Solstice. On the sacred day of the Solstice, the Holly King emerges to claim his own and triumphant in the battle for dominance with his brother now reigns as the keeper of death and rebirth. HE stands in command as the harvest is reaped and the silence of the cold and snows fall upon the lands. HE knows that he will only have half of the year to weave His magick before the battle ensues once again and the world will bow to his brother, the Mighty Oak.

They are one and the same but each work their will wearing the appropriate face and archetypal energy in accord with the ebb and flow of the seasons, the expansion and contraction of the energetic state and the necessary demise of one so the other may reign supreme. 

This is time to celebrate the fullness of all that is in your life. The ability to access your fullest potential is at hand and knowing that with great abundance there will also be the necessary culling of what is excess or no longer needed follows just ahead.

Spend some time in nature observing the beauty of flowers in bloom, trees full and strong, wildlife everywhere and the warmth of sunlit days. Take all of this into your magickal workings and select that which you wish to have in reserve as we step across the solstice gate and begin the waning of the sun’s light. Craft your celebration around the gifts of the Oak King and honor the arrival of Holly’s cooling respite.

Use the template below to guide your celebration, knowing that there is no right or wrong way to celebrate if intention, heart and mind are holding the highest service to Deity, yourself and community. Blessings of the Sabbat…

***

THE WITCH’S WHEEL OF THE YEAR

Date: June 21.2022

The Summer Solstice (aka. Litha)

What have I learned about the Summer Solstice?

How did I celebrate the Summer Solstice?

How did I feel after my celebration?

What would I change-What would I add to make the Summer Solstice more meaningful to me?

So Mote It Be!

Sign Your Magickal Name Here

 

End Note: An excellent resource for suggestions, visuals and ideas for making your Sabbat celebrations rich and visually beautiful, check out the Book Review listed here:

Book Review: The Ultimate Guide to the Witch’s Wheel of the Year-Rituals, Spells & Practices for Magical Sabbats, Holidays & Celebrations by Anjou Kiernan

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About the author:

Robin Fennelly is an Elder within The Assembly of the Sacred Wheel Tradition and serves as High Priestess of Coven of the Mystic Path, the 12th Coven within the Assembly of the Sacred Wheel Tradition. She teaches and facilitates classes for the Pagan Experience Study Group that serves as foundation for membership within Coven of the Mystic Path.  

Her spiritual journey is strongly rooted in both Eastern philosophy and the Western Magickal systems from which she has formed a core foundation that is diverse in knowledge and rich in spiritual practice.  A life-long learner, her practice has evolved from the classical and philosophical teachings of books, practical experience and enrichment of this knowledge base by attending workshops of various spiritual traditions presented by master teachers.

Robin formally came to the Wiccan path in 1994. Following a practice as a solitary for 2 years, she dedicated to Oak and Willow Coven of The Assembly of the Sacred Wheel Tradition in November of 1996. She received her 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th (Elder) degrees within the Assembly Tradition and has served as High Priestess of two ASW covens since Samhain of 2001 and the Winter Solstice of 2015.


As a teacher of esoteric and magickal studies she uses Energetic Anatomy, Tarot, Astrology, Hermetic Qabala, Eastern Philosophy, and Numerology as the foundations of her diverse selection of workshops and writings for more than 25 years. Exploration of varied energetic protocol has been the focus of her work for some time now and the information gained through direct experience informs all of her magickal and spiritual work.

Robin’s writings have been featured online, and in print Internationally.  She has authored several books incorporating her unique style of writing making use of poetry, prose and pathworking to enhance the concepts presented.  She has taught extensively throughout the Pagan community, including Sacred Space Conference, Spring Magick, Between the Worlds Interfaith Conference and Free Spirit Gathering Festival. Her most recent projects include a channel on youtube: A Journey to the Inner Chamber. She also shares audio pathworkings and ritual on her bandcamp site: Teachings on the Path with Robin.

Robin is the owner of Holistic Embrace providing services for mind, body and spirit such as Tarot readings, Astrology reports, Spiritual Guidance and other related offerings.  She lives in Eastern Pennsylvania and her life is blessed by a 40+- year marriage, five children and the opportunity to work in the field of public education.

Robin’s Websitewww.robinfennelly.com

Coven of the Mystic Path, ASWwww.covenofthemysticpath.org

Her books can be found on Amazon or purchased directly through her website:

For more infohttp://www.robinfennelly.com/books.html

The Inner Chamber, Vol. 1 It’s Written in the Stars-Astrology

The Inner Chamber, Vol. 2 Poetry of the Spheres-Qabalah

The Inner Chamber, Vol. 3 Awakening the Paths-Qabalah

The Light of SELF: Consciousness, Spiritual Practice and Learning to Breathe

Magickal Verse: A Collection of Poetry and Prose

A Year of Gaia: The Eternal Cord

The Elemental Year: Aligning the Elements of SELF

Temple of the Sun and Moon: Luminous Devotions

Sleeping with the Goddess: Nights of Devotion

A Weekly Reflection: Musings for the Year

The Magickal Pen: A Collection of Esoteric Writings

The Enchanted Gate: Musings on the Magick of the Natural World

The Temple of the Sun: An Astrological Solar Year

Writings in the Shadow: An Exploration of the Shadow Nature