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

April Update

I have been busy the past little while going out into the forests, desert, and other places in nature to gather things.
I have gathered all the pollen I can for now, all the buds have gone away to make way for leaves. I snatched up some balm of Gilead buds, fern, moss, tree thorns, pine cones of all sizes, and various other things. I was lucky enough to find and dig up with the roots some wild catnip, mullein, and western mugwort. They are sitting happily in my garden now where I care for them. I never take more than I plan to use and leave offerings in return.
I currently also have a dead snake that I found near a river that I carefully collected. It will be cleaned up and it’s bones will be used for various things later. It will be awhile before I can use the bones but worth the wait. A friend of mine is going to clean them for me and the method in which he does it will take awhile.

In the desert many things were seen including three baby big horned owls. Many natural crystals and two kinds of sand were collected.

 
The baby owls are in the hole third from the left. There was no way to get a closer picture sadly from where I was.

 
 

On another adventure, close to a river and a pond I came across a mother goose and her eggs.

Obviously in nesting she had shed a lot of feathers, some of which were larger and further away from the nest. So now I have a handful of goose feathers along with one or two duck feathers.

In the midst of the several forest and desert outings (you had better believe I have many more planned) I also finished a painting “Dracula’s Castle” on 9x12 canvas, done in acrylic paints. Picture is of Dracula's Castle at sunset.
The painting is available for purchase. If interested please send me a message for the details.

I found some interesting branches that I plan to turn into wands and possibly other things depending on how much is used for what. Some of them have some really interesting twists to them which is part of the reason I grabbed them. I think I need better tools before tackling those though.

I have also been working on some talismans, sigils, seals and things of that nature. The talismans are drawn onto tea stained paper. 
You cant really see the roots but both drawings have roots. The one on the right is of a tree with seals, oghams, and runes. Its not quite finished yet but its in the making. The one on the left is the start of a talisman. Both the tree and the mushroom represent the person, inside influences, outside influences, and so on. The mushroom will have seals and symbols put on it soon. The talismans are custom made for the needs of that person.

I am deciding on which oils to make next. Obviously an oil for Litha, the Summer Solstice, being on the list. I will most likely be making a kit as well for Litha.

I was thinking about making a starter kit filled with many different kinds of herbs, woods, stones, and other things one would need for various practices. I would most likely have a few variations to it.  Possibly allow for some customization. I do not have one put together right now but if this is something you want or need in the near future please let me know.

I have not gotten much feedback as of yet on the treasure hunt idea so that is being put on hold for now. I will most likely bring it up again at a later date. Possibly sometime during the Summer.

Anyways, time for me to get back to my crafting.
~Lotus