Midsummer

Lore

Midsummer, usually around June 21 or 22, the sun reaches its zenith in the sky. It is the longest day of the year, and the point at which the sun seems to just hang there without moving – in fact, the word “solstice” is from the Latin word solstitium, which literally translates to “sun stands still.” The travels of the sun were marked and recorded.

This holiday is most commonly known as “Litha” (the ancient Germanic name for Summer) This day is also known as the Summer Solstice and Midsummer. It is  the time in which the Sun God is at his strongest.  It is a time for the Sun God and The Green Man, which to some is one and the same due to old depictions of the Sun God being depicted as The Green man back when Paganism and Christianity were merging.

In some traditions, Litha or Midsummer is a time at which there is a battle between light and dark. The Oak King is seen as the ruler of the year between winter solstice and summer solstice, and the Holly King from summer to winter. At each solstice they battle for power, and while the Oak King may be in charge of things at the beginning of June, by the end of Midsummer he is defeated by the Holly King.

The celebration of Midsummer has dated back to ancient times.
This day has great meaning to most everyone for various reasons. For those who practice Faerie Magik, this is an especially meaningful day, because it is said that the faeries and the forest creatures come out to celebrate this wonderful day.
A large feast is usually held. There would be lots of music and dancing, lots of drinking, and of course love making. Midsummer is celebrated with bonfires and is a time to honor the space between earth and the heavens.

During this time is the best time to gather and dry your wild crafted or garden herbs.

Write down your wishes and toss them into a well, spring, or cauldron. This can be done by writing it on a piece of paper or meditating on your wish while holding a stone, flower, or feather and then throwing it into the water.
Offerings are also placed in water and thrown into the fire.

The rituals of Midsummer celebrate the verdant Earth in high summer, abundance, fertility, and all the riches of Nature in full bloom. This is a great time of strong magic and empowerment. It is a wonderful time for communication with the spirits of Nature. At Litha, the veils between the worlds are thin; the portals between worlds and realms beyond are more open than during other times of the year. This is an excellent time for rites of divination.

I am listing some things that correspond with this holiday/season; so that if you need, you can use as reference when celebrating this wonderful time of year.

~Correspondences~

~Customs
Bonfires, singing, feasting, coming together to celebrate and perform rituals, cutting
divining rods, dowsing rods & wands, going into the woods to gather herbs, ferns and flowers. Handfastings, weddings,  and making love (this is a great time for fertility) leaping between two fires,  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.

~Colors associated with Midsummer
Yellow, white, red, blue, green, tan, orange, and gold

~Gemstones
Any green, gold, red, yellow, and some blue stones.
Such as Emerald, Carnilion, Citron, Amber, Jade, Tigers Eye, Lapis lazuli, etc.

~Animals/Mythical Beings
Robins, horses, cattle, satyrs, faeries, firebirds, dragons, thunderbirds, and canaries.

~Decoration, Symbols, & Tools
Anything reminiscent of the sun (yellows, reds, oranges), Sun wheel, fresh and dried herbs, potpourri, fruits, summer flowers, oak, birch & fir branches, sun flowers, lilies, red, yellow or gold flowers, love/fertility amulets, seashells, feather/flower door wreaths,  fire, circles of stone, sun dials, bird feathers, and Witches’ ladder.

~Rituals/Magicks and ways to celebrate

Nature spirit/fey communion, planet healing, divination, love & protection magicks.
Rededication of faith, rites of inspiration. Animal Protection and Marriage & Vow Renewal.
Go for a hike, go to the beach, a spring, a lake, a well.. Hold a bonfire party, Hold a barbecue, Share your garden's harvest with friends, Herbs can be dried over the ritual fire if you're celebrating outdoors. Use mirrors, reflective crystal balls, or metal ornaments to capture the light of the Sun or the flames of the fire. Make amulets (simple charms) of protection out of herbs such as rue and rowan. If you make new amulets each year you can dispose of the old in the midsummer fire.

 
~Foods
Mead, honey, fresh fruits and veggies, lemonade, lemons, oranges, cookies and cakes decorated to honor the Sun,  summer squash, cantaloupe, carrots and carrot juice, and of course plenty of ale.

Not authentic but quick way to have something similar to mead. Even if the recipe is cheating a bit, its still a delicious drink nonetheless.
First heat 1 part water with 1 part wildflower or your choice of honey  until the mixture is smooth and the honey’s completely incorporated. (wildflower being the best choice but any honey will do that you like best)
Sprinkle some fresh rose petals into the mixture and let it cool. (orange or lemon slices could also be added to the mixture for added flavor)
Strain the mixture (optional).
Mix 2 parts honey water with 1 part grain alcohol and serve chilled over ice. Alternatively, mix 1 part honey water with 1 part vodka.

~Herbs
basil, elder, pine, St. John’s wort, thyme, yarrow, frankincense, lavender, lily, anise, mugwort, chamomile, daisy, rose, calendula, sunflower, wild rose (red or yellow being best), oak blossoms, ginger, and spices, cinquefoil, fennel, mistletoe, hemp, larkspur, nettle, wisteria, vervain, rue, fern, wormwood,heather, oak & holly trees.

Midsummer Fire Oil

I have concocted an oil for this special time of year.
Midsummer oil smells that of pine forests, with bay, and orange to add to the sweet spicy scent. There are many herbs and flowers added to this oil that all correspond to Midsummer and the fire element. A citron stone and a few herbs, flowers, and resins were added to the bottle for added potency. A Tibetan silver energy sun charm adorns the outside of the bottle on a red ribbon. The charm may be removed and charged with the oil, and then worn for added benefit.

This oil comes in a 4oz round corked bottle and is $11.95 + shipping.

A Spell Dust that may also be used as an incense was also made.
Midsummer Fire Spell Dust can be used in the bonfire, heated on charcoal disks, placed on the altar, tossed for wishes and use in rituals. It can be sprinkled around your sacred circle, along with many other uses.

There is a long list of herbs that went into the making of this blend. It smells strongly of pine and orange. The blend produces a very pungent smoke that is both sweet, woody, and herby.
Even without lighting it, the dust has quite a wonderful and complex smell to it.

Vials are 1/2 an inch wide and 3 inches long (not including the length of the glass ball)
The glass ball is sealed to the vial with candle wax. Wax can be removed to get to the herbs inside the vials.
This Spell Dust Vial is $2.00 each + shipping.

I have a special going on right now on my herb vials and spell dusts where if you buy 5 you get 1 herb vial free. If you buy 10 you get either 2 herb vials or 1 spell dust free with your order. There are plenty of herbs available that have to do with Midsummer, love, and other magicks done during this time of year.
This deal only lasts till June 23rd so don’t miss out on this great special before it ends!

Otherworldly Oracle Oil in the Making

Started a small batch of Otherworldly Oracle Oil for clairvoyance and divination.
Once finished the oil will be poured into 2oz glass corked bottles and be posted up for purchase.

The oil contains seven herbs and flowers associated with divination and clairvoyance.
I have also added a bit of graveyard dirt I collected to the oil; for an added boost of power as well as a connection to the dead for use in communing with spirits.

Most of the herbs and flowers contained in this oil were wildcrafted from the woods. Offerings were left in return and I never take more than I plan to use in the near future.

This oil has a variety of uses, you can use the oil to anoint your tools for divination and spirit work, for use in rituals. Anoint ones self before doing any acts of divination or spirit communication. The oil can be used to anoint stones,  pendulums, boards, and wands… Just to name a few.

*Allergy warning, this oil contains soy. Some of the herbs contained in this oil have a small chance of causing allergic reaction in certain people. It is always best to do a skin test patch in case of allergic reaction.  

Beltane Blessings

Beltane is such a wonderful and colorful holiday to celebrate.

Beltane is a favorite time for a lot of pagans to perform handfastings and wedding ceremonies.

The veils are thin on this day just as they are on Samhain.
Beltane, and its counterpart Samhain, divide the year into its two primary seasons, winter (Dark Part) and summer (Light Part).

Beltane is a Celtic festival which signals the beginning of the bright half of the year.
The festival begins on Beltane Eve with two bonfires started from nine different woods.

* Nine Woods Used in The Belfire *

Birch - (Attributes: Protection of children, purification, creativity) Add to the fire to represent the Goddess or female principle.

Oak - (Attributes: All positive purposes, magic for men, fidelity) Add to the fire symbolizing the God or male principle.

Rowan, or mountain ash - (Attributes: Divination, healing, astral work, protection) Add to the fire as the Tree of Life. .

Willow - (Attributes: – Romantic love, healing, protection, fertility, magic for women) Sacred to Hecate, add willow to the fire as a celebration of death.

Hawthorn - (Attributes: Fertility, peace, prosperity, binding) As Tree of Purification and a Sacred faeries tree, add hawthorn to the Belfire for purity.

Hazel - (Attributes: Manifestation, spirit contact, protection, fertility) As Tree of wisdom, add hazel to the fire to gain wisdom.

Apple - (Attributes: Fertility. Tree of love) Add apple wood to the fire for the magic of love.

Vine - (Attributes: Faerie work, Joy, Exhilaration, Wrath, Rebirth) This is the Tree of joy so add vine to the fire for joy.

Fir - (Attributes: Strength, life and immortality, rejuvenation) As the Tree of Immortality, add fir to your Beltane fire for rebirth.

I thought it might be nice to list some of the things associated with Beltane as well as some activities one might want to do.

Symbols of this day include any items signifying romantic love, maypoles, faeries, and flowers.

The Altar

Drape the altar in a green cloth and decorate it with blooming flowers and herbs.

Herbs

All-heal, blessed thistle, broom, curry, daffodil, dogwood, coriander, dragon's blood reed, fern, fireweed, nettle, flaxseed, hawthorn, marjoram, paprika, radish, rue, snapdragon, mushroom, almond, meadowsweet, rose, woodruff, tansy, elder leaves, oats.

Some Stones include:
Malachite, garnet, emerald, rose quartz, tourmaline.

Spells to ensure prosperity, safety, and love are good to do on this day.

Activities include:
Dancing around the maypole
Dancing around and jumping over the belfire
Gathering wild herbs and flowers, giving some to others secretly by placing them on their doorstep.
Wash your face or your whole body in the dew, flowing streams or springs at sunrise for beauty or drink for health.
Make flower wreaths
Make daisy crowns to wear atop your head
Make the boundaries of your circle with one of the herbs, flowers, or grains associated with this day.
Make  and or drink May Wine
Making May baskets
Enacting the great rite
Blessing your garden by making love in it or scattering the ashes from the belfire around and in it.


Food: dairy foods, foods made with flowers, red fruits such as strawberries and cherries, green herbal salads, red or pink wine punch, maybowl (an icebowl decorated with spring flowers and filled with maywine), large round oatmeal or barley cakes (known as Beltane cakes or Bannocks), shellfish and other aphrodisiacs.

A good salad to make which is also a cleansing tonic salad would be one made with dandelion leaves, borage flowers, and marigold petals. You could add fruits to the salad as well.
Making a yogurt based dressing is not only good for you but would incorporate the dairy aspects into your salad.

Make some shellfish for the main course (in a lemon butter reduction is always nice)
Drink some may wine with your meal,
And have the Beltane cakes for dessert.

Colors: Red, white, green, yellow.


So get out into the woods or garden and gather your flowers and herbs, decorate your home and altar, create the fire, and perform some magick! Enjoying good food and good company along the way.

Happy Beltane Everyone,
Lotus Moon Apothecary

Book of Shadows

I am working on making another blank book of shadows to sell. This could also be a book of mirrors, dream journal, wish book, recipe book.. etc.. it is blank so its use is up to you and your imagination.I wanted to post this before hand in case anyone wanted one in a specific theme/colors that they want to purchase from me instead of waiting for something you might like to be made with the chances of it not happening.
Currently I am charging $29.99 for making a custom Book of Shadows which would include 58-78 pages & one ribbon book marker that is either by itself or has a silver charm on the end that would be chosen from charms I have on hand to best match the book.

Shipping is $5.00 to anywhere in the US. Email me for a shipping quote if you are an international buyer.

This is the last book I made, Front, Back, Spine, & Side view (The leaves on the Tree of Life on the front cover are real pressed leaves, as well as the leaf on the back is real as well)

the current plans for the next two I plan to make are in the works design wise but I am thinking of doing a purple & black themed house & graveyard to somewhat mirror "A Grave Night" which is the painting I recently did. Also I was thinking of a water themed book that has real leaves as usual, that look like small lily pads on the cover.

All books will be completely blank & have 58-78 pages that have hand burnt edges. All books are around a little over 8 1/2in tall (sometimes 9in) and between 5 1/2 & 6in wide.
The last book I did was a custom job and had 10 paintings for added uniqueness and character.

If you want themed paintings on the inside pages it will cost you $10 per 10 paintings on the pages inside the book and $1.50 for every additional painting after 10.
If you have a design for them in mind let me know (if you have inspiration pictures that would help to get an idea of what you want) if its something I am unable to do, I will let you know and we can figure something else out or change it a bit.
You can see previous paintings on the insides of the last book I made below: (Paintings are done in acrylic and small flowers on the one page are real pressed flowers)

Not everything will be symmetrical seeing as it is all hand painted & handmade, its part of what gives the book its uniqueness. (I use oils on some and acrylics on others, depends on what I am painting & if there is a preference)

Most of the books I will be making will incorporate pressed leaves or flowers, some may not, but most will. That does not mean you have to have this in your design.
leaves and flowers are subject to what I have access to, currently I have a decent selection of leaves. Some of which include Maple, Oak, Birch, and others.
Flowers there is less of a selection from since I was not able to press as many of those when they were in season, but I still have some.
Once the leaves turn I will have more Autumn colored leaves as well, I have a few in stock currently I believe but I would have to double check that.
Let me know what your looking for and I can tell you if I have it.

The book will include one book marker, which can either be a silver charm on a ribbon (whichever I may have on hand you can choose from), or a plain ribbon in your color choice.
If you wanted a hand made vine pentacle on the end of the ribbon instead of a silver charm it will cost you $2.75 extra
If you would like more than one ribbon book marker it will cost you $1.10ea additional marker.

If you would like any herbs (for instance some like to have a bay leaf put into the book) for any purpose put in-between the cover and page where it will not be visible but serve its purpose still, let me know and I can give you an estimate on that price.

I can also put file pockets onto some of the pages if wanted. either just small pockets or pockets that have burnt edges. pocket specifics can be discussed if they are wanted in the book.

If you want a custom book done, please let me know the following information:
Page amount (between 58 & 78)-
Colors & theme wanted (if you have a specific idea in mind from a pic you saw please send me the pic as well-
Book marker(s) wanted & what color-
Any add on's wanted (like pockets or herbs inside the cover)-
What it is you are wanting to use the book for, what it is you want in detail, or basics-
Is there anything you want in it/on it that I have not listed above?-

After that I will ask any other questions I may have, tell you the total price before starting on your book.
All funds are to be paid before work is started on the book so that I may be able to buy the supplies needed to make the book. If you cannot pay for it all at once, payments can be made but the book will not be shipped out until 100% of the item price is paid in full, once I have completed making the book as well obviously, some books will take more time to make than others and time will be needed to press any leaves/flowers used in making it as well.
If you decide to make payments and back out of the deal after paying for part of the book, 50% of whatever you have paid will be refunded back to you, and the book will be posted up for sale to the public upon backing out of the deal.

Please note I only accept payments via PayPal.

If you have any further questions please feel free to message me at any time @  Lotus_Moon@Hotmail.com
Thanks!
~Lotus Moon