<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Litha poems and chants<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Summer Solstice <\/p>\n Litha marks the longest day of the year, the day when the sun reaches its apex and is aspected to zero degrees Cancer. This is a day that celebrates the God in all his glory.<\/p>\n It is also the time of year when the Goddess is glowing with motherhood in her pregnancy.<\/p>\n In Wiccan lore, once again the Holly King and the Oak King battle. This time, it is the Holly King who is victorious, and from this point on, the days grow shorter.<\/p>\n For those of you familiar with Shakespeare, you might remember the play centered around the Solistice: \u201cA Midsummer\u2019s Night\u2019s Dream\u201c. It is believed that Midsummer Night\u2019s Eve is a special time for those who believe in the Faerie traditions. Like Samhain, this is a day where the veils are thin between the realms of the Sidhe (the Faerie realm) and the world of mortals. It is a time for merriment and the making of wishes.<\/p>\n Litha marks the first of three harvest celebrations. This is the time to gather the herbs from your garden. Tradition suggests using your boline or a scythe to cut the plant by the moonlight. Some suggest chanting the use of the planet while doing so.<\/p>\n Honey is a popular symbol for this time (one of the names of the June Full Moon is the Honey Moon). Serving Meade as well as dipping your cake in honey during the feast part of your ritual, symbolizes the sweetness of life and the season.<\/p>\n As we\u2019ve seen happen in the past, Christianity has tried to hone in on our holiday. They have declared it John the Baptist\u2019s birthday. I\u2019ve read that other Saints in the Church are remembered on the day they\u2019ve died. But not so with John the Baptist. He is the only Saint recognized on his birthday. They celebrate the Solstice with the Jack\u2013in\u2013the\u2013Green to the Feast of St. John the Baptist, often portraying him in rustic attire, sometimes with horns and cloven feet (like Pan).<\/p>\n Litha Long History Litha is a celebration of the bounty of Summer. There are many flowers, with the bright pastel spring blooms giving way to the rich intensity of Summer flowers. The fields have been seeded, the plants are growing, some early crops may be harvested but most of all there is promise of the larger harvest to come in both the field and trees. Now we must trust that there will be enough rain and sun, and not too much of either or of the wind, so that we may harvest sufficient amounts to see us through the coming winter.<\/p>\n The youthful energy of spring and Beltane have mellowed into maturity; emotional maturity and love now matches the sexual maturity or lust of the earlier season. If Beltane was the lustful courtship of the Lord and Lady, this is Their wedding. Their passion is no less, but has increased in depth. Love is now their guiding force, and Lust is merely the spice .<\/p>\n This day is also known as Midsummer, because, for the pagan community, Summer officially starts at Beltane (on May 1) and ends on Lughnassahd (August 1) with this day falling in between the two. Other names that this holiday is known as are Litha and St. John the Baptist Day. For those who are of the Christian faith this the date chosen for honoring John the Baptist, cousin and fore\u2013seer of Jesus Christ. The Christian church began doing after realizing how widespread and ingrained the festivals of this day were. St. John, the cousin of Jesus of Nazareth, was considered one of the most important saints, leading you to see the importance that the Christian church put in \u201cclaiming\u201c this holiday. Litha is a word supposed to derive from one that is Saxon denoting the opposite of Yule.<\/p>\n Traditionally, Litha is a time sacred to the Sun King, for this is when He is at His strongest. The God is in his prime. He has reached the peak of His power, and His rays are such that none dare look at Him for fear of being blinded by His light. With this power comes the heat of Summer, the promise of fruit and grain, and a great harvest to come. His potency ensures the continuity of life in the face of the oncoming darkness. He is ever\u2013living, ever\u2013returning with virility, fertility and strength. He guides us in our own personal growth, just as he guides the crops and creatures of Earth. His marriage with the Goddess now makes Him Her protector as well as her lover. He is a full grown man, and due to the merry making of Beltane, a father.<\/p>\n At Litha the God can be seen in many different traditions and mythologies. In the Oak King\/Holly King myth, the Sun King has two separate personalities. These personalities are so strong that, to some, they become different entities, the Oak King and the Holly King, each ruling one half of the year. The Oak King was born at Yule to the Great Mother, and in his light and splendor begins to turn the Great Wheel and start the lengthening of the days. The beginning of the sun\u2019s decline is symbolized by the return of the Holly King, the Spirit of Winter, at the moment after the Solstice. It is on mid\u2013Summer that the dark half of the sun god begins to gain power. Often, mock battles are played between representatives of the two gods who fight over the attentions of the lady Goddess. At the Summer Solstice the dark Holly King (to some beliefs as the Wren) slays his light twin the Oak King (to some beliefs as the Robin) and begins his half\u2013yearly reign which ends with the Holly King\u2019s death at midwinter when the scene is reversed and the Oak King is triumphant. The eternal dueling of these light and dark brothers gives life to the primary tenant of western Goddess worship, \u201cthere is darkness in the light and light in the darkness.\u201c Although the Dark God is defeated, he has weakened the God of Light who has now begun to die. As everything in nature comes to its peak and then declines, so too must the God in His aspect of the Sun. With decline comes transformation, and so it is with the God, who takes on many aspects and wears many crowns.<\/p>\n The Earth Mother is also at Her finest at this time. The Goddess is becoming Mother, the seed that was planted earlier in her womb is growing with the son\/sun. She blossoms just as the earth blossoms with abundance. She basks in the light of her lover and grows with child each day. The land is glowing with flowers and ripening fruit as the Goddess glows and ripens, as well. Like the animals and plants, we feed off of this warmth, and take a moment to rest on this Sabbat.<\/p>\n Once again, thinking back to our ancestors, we know that they found this to be a peaceful time. The crops were planted, their animals had usually birthed by this time and they had a slight lull as they awaited the time of the first harvest. Among humans there is change in the type of energy. Where spring made us sprightly, Summer makes us passionate. Flesh is revealed; sensuality is at its highest expression; heat makes us languid, yet the cooler nights are energizing.<\/p>\n Mid\u2013Summer is said to be a mystical time when the forces of magic are increased and fairies roam our world. Fairies, elves and sprites are purported to be most easily seen at Mid\u2013Summer, dancing in fairy rings. As portrayed in Shakespeare\u2019s \u201cA Mid\u2013Summer Night\u2019s Dream,\u201c it is a night much like Samhain, when the veils are once more thin between the realms of the Sidhe (or fae) and the world of mortals. This is the night when mortals have strange experiences, and when faeries troop across the land. Litha is a \u201cday outside of time,\u201c and the strange experiences one might have are likely to be comic, harmless, or even beneficial. Litha has an \u201cupside down\u201c quality about it \u2013 things are often reversed or mixed\u2013up. It is a time for merriment and the wish making. There is a tradition of celebrating Litha where one makes wishes after gathering flowers(especially St. John\u2019s Wort) either to hang in your home as protection amulets or to tied onto the tops of roofs as a symbol of a wish that you want carried into the next world.<\/p>\n The Sun festival was a noisy time, with singing, dancing, and drumming lasting the whole night through. In some places in Germany, tall fir\u2013trees were set up in open places and decorated with flowers, and red and yellow eggs. The younger folk danced around these trees during the day, and the older ones during the evening.<\/p>\n Homes would frequently be decked with such plants as birch, white lilies, roses, and Saint John\u2019s Wort. Saint John\u2019s Wort was of particular importance to the Mid\u2013Summer celebrations and in addition to wearing it and spreading it about the house, young girls would often use it to help divine the future of their love lives. Mistletoe, Mugwort, Vervain, Basil and many other herbs are harvested in ritualistic manners to preserve their energies for use in the colder times on Litha. Amulets of the past year are buried or burned and new ones, often for protection, are made for hanging around and outside the house.<\/p>\n Mugwort, in particular, was gathered on the mid\u2013Summer\u2019s eve, to be worn as head wreaths during the next day; these were then hung on the house or barn to act as protective charms for the ensuing year. To gather this herb today you would be barefoot, ideally, and cut the stems with an iron\u2013free blade or \u201csnip\u201c them by pinching with your fingers.<\/p>\n First ask permission of the mother plant, explaining why and how you will use the plant; then offer something in exchange. Custom says silver, but compost, fertilizer pellets or a special stone are also fine \u201cpayment\u201c. Don\u2019t let the herb touch the ground once it\u2019s cut, but place it on a white cloth. Act quietly and with reverence.<\/p>\n As the days start to lose their light from this point, many cultures encouraged the Sun to return. Bonfires were representative of the Sun and they are still used on this day for that reason. Other sources of flame would include lanterns carried by revelers \u201cwalking the march,\u201c who were often attended by dancers and costumed players dressed as a variety of costumes. Flaming torches were carried around the fields and orchards to drive off insect infestations and other detriments to a good harvest. In Germanic countries smaller lanterns were set afloat on rivers and lakes as well. In other areas people would extinguish their home\u2013fires, and then re\u2013light them with a flaming torch or brand from the Mid\u2013Summer fire.<\/p>\n In many cultures the bonfires were attended by all the villagers. Each person who attended would have contributed to its blaze. Besides adding light for the nighttime festivities, the fires where thought to ward off ill\u2013meaning spirits and leaping of bonfires for purification, health, fertility, and love was common with the height of the leap thought to govern the eventual height of the crops in the fields. The bon fires are traditionally kindled from fir and oak with assorted herbs throne upon the flames. This was a time that might also entail the members of a village straddling brooms, pitchforks or other tools and jumping as high as they could to show the crops how high to grow while circling the bonfire or the fields themselves. In Germany, Mugwort and Vervain were tossed into the Mid\u2013Summer fire upon leaving it, with the words, \u201cMay all my ill\u2013luck depart and be burnt up with these.\u201c Herbs were also used by some peoples as a smudge, the smoke clearing bad influences from crops, animals, and people. Pigs and cattle would be driven between two fires to preserve their health and ensure their fertility or they might be driven through the fires to cure the sick and protect the sound. Afterward, some of the ashes from the herbs and charred wood of these huge fires would be taken to spread in the gardens among the cabbages. These ashes would keep the cabbage worm under control and it is not known if it was done for this purpose, alone, or if this was merely a beneficial \u201cside effect.\u201c<\/p>\n In Europe, it was a festival of lovers as well as that of fire. As each young unmarried couple leapt the flames, others speculated as to who would marry within the year. In other traditions lovers would leap fires together, or throw flowers to each other across the fire. Both flowers and fire were used to give omens for love and marriage. It is not surprising that roses, which bloom at this time, were used in many festivals and divination rituals, for their fragrance was said to be as sweet as love.<\/p>\n In many places sun\u2013wheels were common on this holiday and that of Lughnasadh. They were wheels that were often rigged with straw and pitch, set aflame, and sent rolling down the hills toward a stream, pond or other body of water. Two young men would do their best to guide it, while one or more followed with torches to re\u2013light the wheel should the fire die out. The longer the blaze, the better the harvest. A successful roll, extinguished in the watercourse, guaranteed an abundant harvest, as well.<\/p>\n Saint John the Baptist also has much importance in relation to this holiday. It was the custom in England, on St John\u2019s Eve, to light large bonfires after sundown, providing light for the revelers and warding off evil spirits. There would be feasting and partying, dancing, games, bartering and all forms of celebration and, as in other areas, leaping the fire was a common practice. It should be noted , interestingly enough, that St. John, though a Christian figure, was seen by the early Celtic\u2013Catholic people as a very pagan one. He was known as \u201cthe Oak King\u201c and had a strong connection to the nature in the wilderness . He was often depicted as a horned figure and, at times, with the lower portion of his body as a satyr, as though people regarded him as a Christian Pan.<\/p>\n This may seem very odd to a modern person, but keep in mind the fact that the early Christians, particularly those it the British Isles often simply put knew names to old deities. Modern day Christians celebrate mid\u2013Summer is Saint John\u2019s Day and celebrates his birth, much as Christmas celebrates the birth of Christ in coincidence with Yule. The reason given as to why Saint John\u2019s birth is celebrated when every other Saint\u2019s day occurs at death is that John is a special case since he was born exactly six months before Christ to announce the coming of the Messiah.<\/p>\n In ancient Rome, a \u201cfestival of jollity and drunkenness\u201c was celebrated by the Plebeians and slaves in honor of Fortuna, the Roman Goddess who was the personification of good fortune. She was originally a Goddess of blessing and fertility and in that capacity she was especially worshipped by mothers. Because she was considered the Goddess of Luck the word fortune comes from her name. At first, she was regarded as a kind of fertility Goddess or bearer of prosperity but, gradually, she was invoked exclusively for good luck\u2013or lamented to for the lack of it! As the Goddess of Chance, she was consulted about the future at her oracular shrines in Antium and Praeneste (now Anzio and Palestrina). A favorite subject in ancient art, the Goddess Fortuna is usually depicted holding a rudder in one hand and a cornucopia, or horn of plenty, in the other. The rudder signified that she guides the destiny of the world; the cornucopia, that she was the provider of abundance. Known as Tyche to the Greeks, Fortuna was worshipped extensively throughout the Roman Empire and had oracular shrines at Antium and Praeneste (now Anzio and Palestrina). . The festival involved features of both fire and water. (The water link is noticeable in the Church\u2019s choice of St. John the Baptist for this day.) Events included foot\u2013races and boat\u2013races, and plenty of wine and merry making. During the Middle Ages, she was depicted as Dame Fortuna who, spinning the wheel of fortune, seemingly at random, would grant goodness to one while she beset others with misfortune.<\/p>\n In nearly every culture, the Summer Solstice has been recognized, revered and even feared. The Sun is at its height, but at the same moment begins to decline. Only hope, ritual and belief would ensure its return at the Winter Solstice to our ancestors. Litha is a time for healing of all kinds, and protection rituals. This is a good time for clearing away non\u2013useful energies, and establishing a stable base. Litha is about joy. It is about being completely alive, as the earth is at its zenith. Everywhere you look, it is green and life is abundant. Weave flowers into your hair \u2013 dance and frolic, take a big, deep cleansing breath of Summer air. Pick summer strawberries or other early fruits and vegetables. Know how fortunate you are to be a part of this wonderful circle of life and the turning wheel of the year.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Litha Recipes<\/span><\/strong> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Litha Activities and Ideas<\/strong><\/span> <\/p>\n Herbs & Plants: Apple, Chamomile, Chicory, Chickweed, Mugwort, Mistletoe, Heather, Peony, Pine, Roses, Vervain, Heartsease, Houseleek, Lavender, Rowan and Saint John\u2019s Wort<\/p>\n Incense: Sage, Cedar, Frankincense, Lemon, Myrrh, Pine, Rose, and Lavender<\/p>\n Activities and Rituals: bonfire leaping, herb drying, protection, luck, health, transformation, community, career, and relationships<\/p>\n Tools: drums, rattles, bonfire, mirrors for reflecting the sun or bonfire, Earth circles of stone energy<\/p>\n Stones\/Gems: all green stones, especially Emerald and Jade, Lapis, Diamond<\/p>\n Symbols & Decorations: flowers and fresh early garden produce, the spear or sword of the sun god and the bountiful cauldron of the goddess ringed in flowers, solar cross or sun symbols, fireworks, sea shells<\/p>\n Foods: all early summer fruits and vegetables, ale and mead, honey cakes, rose ice cream, melted cheese dishes, mangoes, whipped cream on fruit, red wine, strawberries<\/p>\n Deities: Fotuna, RA, Arinna, Bast, Grainne, Shamash, Helios, Mother Earth, Mother Nature Father Sun\/Sky, Oak King<\/p>\n Animals: butterflies, caterpillars, sea creatures, wren, robin, horses, cattle, satyrs, faeries, firebird, dragon, thunderbird<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Litha Ritual<\/strong><\/span> The ancient people of Europe left their legacy in stone all over the Continent, the Mediterranean area, and the British Isles in the form of standing stone circles, alignments, and dolmens (chambers formed of standing stones). It has been known for a long time that these places mark the rising and setting of the sun at the Winter and Summer Solstices. They also mark lunar cycles, eclipses, and other astrological events.<\/p>\n It is worth noting that these sites were observatories as well as places of ritual. Science and spirituality were not separate compartments of reasoning and belief. Observing and honoring the natural world were integrated practices.<\/p>\n Stonehenge in England and Newgrange in Ireland are the most well\u2013known sites, but the Brittany coast of France has the greatest number of standing stones. In this ritual, conjure up images in you mind and the energy of Carnac in Brittany where within a five\u2013mile area there are 3,000 standing stones. Some are in circles, some are alone, but most are in rows that run for several kilometers. And for many centuries people danced and celebrated among the stones.<\/p>\n Setup The Ritual Spring ends and summer comes upon the land. As the days grow in warmth, I ask the Lord and Lady to awaken the sacred flame within my soul. With this fragrant circle, sacred is this space decreed. I look to the North and call on the powers of Earth to join me in my circle. Your body sends forth the blooms of early summer with rich sensuous colors. Be with me as a bright red flower. This day I use marigolds to honor Lugh and ask for his blessing to further my spiritual journey. Lugh, Beli Mawr, I thank you for your many blessings and reaffirm my spiritual path. Even though you will soon fade, your bright spirit will remain in my heart throughout the year. So mote it be. I call to Lugh on Solstice Day, Use your usual method for grounding energy or playback a recorded centering exercise.<\/p>\n Extinguish each altar candle before or after each devocation:<\/p>\n Lady of All, Queen of Summer, thank you Great Mother for the richness that unfolds around me and within me. I thank you for your presence with me this day and ask for your blessing as you depart. I bid you farewell. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Quick Palmistry<\/strong><\/span> The Upper Palm The Lower Palm A hand with all three areas proportionate represents a bright and intelligent nature.<\/p>\n Seven Types of Hands The Elemental Hand Major Lines The Line of Head The Line of Heart The Line of Fate The Line of Apollo <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Purification Bath Before Ritual<\/strong><\/span> By this element of fire, do I purify this ritual bath. May all impurities flee before its life. By this element of earth do I purify this ritual bath. All impure creatures may not approach it. By this element of air do I purify this ritual bath. May my hopes and aspirations rise upon the smoke to be carried by the winds to the Lady. By this element of water do I purify this ritual bath. May the bath contain the waters of life that spring from the heart of the Mother. <\/p>\n Posted and Edited by Magickal Winds<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" All About Litha: History, Chants, Poems, Recipes, Activities, Rituals, Spells, and More… Posted and Edited by: \u00a0Magickal Winds Litha poems and chants Summer Solstice by Rhiannon Cotter Summer Solstice, the longest day, represents a turning point from Spring to Summer during which the Sun God directs the ripening and blossoming of the grain and fruit. Here in the heat of the Summer, the crops are transformed as are our actions, thoughts and plans. All things are tempered by the heat of the Sun. Blossoming and ripening of our works are manifested, or they shrivel and die in the heat. All the while, sexual energy is growing. The Sun God impregnates the Earth Goddess in a sweet \u201cpetit mort\u201c\u2013as the cup is to the Goddess, so too is the athame to the God. Midsummer by JT Midsummer \u2013 Longest day Shortest night Longest light Shortest dark The world within Echoes the world without Lush foliage, leaves unfurled Soft springy grass dotted with Brightly colored flowers peeping through The earth is green and bright With warm sunny days Clear velvety blue skies Gentle cool breezes Nature in glory Our hopes blossom Creativity flowers With the season The seeds of the fruit Our desires will bear Can be seen On the stems Of our dreams Summer Invocation by Trish Telesco Fireflies and summer sun in circles round we become as one. Singing songs at magick\u2019s hour we bring the winds and timeless powers. Turning inward, hand in hand we Continue Reading →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[90],"tags":[143,139,150,20,145,13,144,142,141,140,149],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.magickalwinds.com\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.magickalwinds.com\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.magickalwinds.com\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.magickalwinds.com\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.magickalwinds.com\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=309"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.magickalwinds.com\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":311,"href":"https:\/\/www.magickalwinds.com\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309\/revisions\/311"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.magickalwinds.com\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=309"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.magickalwinds.com\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=309"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.magickalwinds.com\/info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=309"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"stonelitha\"](\"http:\/\/www.magickalwinds.com\/info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/stonelitha.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
\nby Rhiannon Cotter
\nSummer Solstice, the longest day,
\nrepresents a turning point from Spring to Summer
\nduring which the Sun God directs the ripening
\nand blossoming of the grain and fruit.
\nHere in the heat of the Summer,
\nthe crops are transformed as are our actions, thoughts and plans.
\nAll things are tempered by the heat of the Sun.
\nBlossoming and ripening of our works are manifested,
\nor they shrivel and die in the heat. All the while, sexual energy is growing.
\nThe Sun God impregnates the Earth Goddess in a sweet
\n\u201cpetit mort\u201c\u2013as the cup is to the Goddess, so too is the athame to the God.<\/p>\n
\nMidsummer
\nby JT
\nMidsummer \u2013
\nLongest day
\nShortest night
\nLongest light
\nShortest dark
\nThe world within
\nEchoes the world without
\nLush foliage, leaves unfurled
\nSoft springy grass dotted with
\nBrightly colored flowers peeping through
\nThe earth is green and bright
\nWith warm sunny days
\nClear velvety blue skies
\nGentle cool breezes
\nNature in glory
\nOur hopes blossom
\nCreativity flowers
\nWith the season
\nThe seeds of the fruit
\nOur desires will bear
\nCan be seen
\nOn the stems
\nOf our dreams
\nSummer Invocation
\nby Trish Telesco
\nFireflies and summer sun
\nin circles round
\nwe become as one.
\nSinging songs at magick\u2019s hour
\nwe bring the winds
\nand timeless powers.
\nTurning inward, hand in hand
\nwe dance the hearth
\nto heal the land.
\nStanding silent, beneath the sky
\nwe catch the fire
\nfrom out God\u2019s eye.
\nSwaying breathless, beside the sea
\nwe call the Goddess
\nso mote it be!<\/p>\n
\nLitha Short History<\/strong><\/span>
\nLitha is the Wiccan Sabbat that marks the Summer Solstice and usually occurs around June
\n21. It marks the first day of summer on traditional calendars, but it is actually the Midsummer mark for Pagans.<\/p>\n
\nLitha, or Mid\u2013Summer\u2019s Day, falls on the Summer Solstice and is known as one of the \u2019quarter days\u2019\u2013Equinoxes and Solstices\u2013that divides the year evenly into quarters. The Summer Solstice occurs when the sun reaches the Tropic of Cancer, hence this is the date the sun also enters the astrological sign of Cancer. For the northern hemisphere, this is when the planet is tilted to give us the most sunlight. Although this day is the longest of the year it is generally not the warmest. It is the day that the sun overpowers the darkness, and it is this source of energy that we use in our magic with themes of power and protection. The date of the Solstice varies from year to year, falling sometime between June 20th through 23rd. Old calendars marked time from sunset to sunset, so you may want to start your celebration on the eve of the Solstice which is after sunset on the day before the Solstice.<\/p>\n
\nShakespeare\u2019s Tea for a Midsummer\u2019s Night
\n2 cups mint (peppermint or spearmint or 1 cup each)
\n1\/2 cup marjoram
\n1\/3 cup whole savory leaves
\n1\/4 cup lavender flowers
\nMix thoroughly and store in tightly covered container. To use, steep one teaspoon per cup of briskly boiling water for 10 minutes or so to taste.
\nPotato Crust Vegetable Pizza
\n4 medium baking potatoes, peeled
\n1 medium onion
\n2 beaten eggs
\n1\/4 cup all\u2013purpose flour
\n1 teaspoon salt
\n2 tablespoons olive oil
\n2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
\n2 medium yellow summer squash, thinly sliced
\n1 medium yellow sweet pepper, chopped
\n1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
\n2 cloves garlic, minced
\n1 5.3\u2013ounce package soft chevre (goat cheese)
\n16 cherry tomatoes, quartered
\n2 tablespoons snipped fresh basil
\n1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)
\nFresh basil sprigs (optional)
\nFinely shred potatoes and onion into a bowl of water; drain well, squeezing out excess moisture. In a large bowl combine potato mixture, eggs, flour, and salt; mix well. Press into a well\u2013greased 15x10x1\u2013inch baking pan. Bake in a 425 degree F. oven for 15 minutes. Brush with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil; bake 10 minutes more. Place under the broiler; broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden and crisp.
\nMeanwhile, in a large bowl combine the zucchini, yellow squash, yellow pepper, red onion, and garlic. In a large skillet heat the remaining oil; cook the vegetable mixture, 2 cups at a time, until vegetables are crisp\u2013tender, stirring often. Spread goat cheese over potato crust; top with cooked vegetables and tomatoes. Sprinkle with basil and mozzarella. Bake in a 425 degree F. oven for 5 to 7 minutes more or until cheese is melted. If desired, garnish with basil sprigs. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
\nSolar Tea
\n1 large jar with a very tight fitting lid
\ncold water
\n2 tea bags for each quart of water
\n1 orange, unpeeled, well washed, and cut into small pieces
\n1\/2 lemon, unpeeled, well washed, and cut into small pieces
\nFill the jar with water. Add the orange, the lemon, and the tea bags. Place in full sunlight for two hours. Refrigerate immediately. Serve over ice.
\nCucumber Salad
\n1\/2 cup sour cream
\n2 tablespoons chopped parsley
\n2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
\n1 tablespoon granulated sugar
\n1 tablespoon chopped chives
\n3 small cucumbers, thinly sliced
\nCombine the sour cream, parsley, vinegar, sugar, and chives.
\nGently fold in cucumbers.
\nCover and chill.
\nSun\u2019s Up Cobbler
\n1\u20131lb 14oz can (3 1\/2 cups) halved peaches
\n3 slices slightly dry bread (toast on light)
\n1 tbs. cornstarch
\n1\/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
\n1\/4 tsp. salt
\n1\/3 cup sugar
\n1 tbs. lemon juice
\n1\/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
\n1\/4 cup butter or margarine
\n1\/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
\nDrain peaches, reserving 1 cup syrup. In a pan, combine cornstarch and salt and slowly blend in reserved syrup. Over med.\u2013high heat, cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and cook and stir for 2minutes. Add lemon juice, butter or margarine and peaches. Heat JUST to bubbling. Pour into 10x6x11\/2 inch baking dish.
\nCut bread lengthwise into 1 inch strips. Dip into 1\/4 cup melted butter, then into mixture of sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Arrange over peaches. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until toasty. Serve with cream (optional) Makes 6 servings.<\/p>\n
\nLunch Time Cranberry Sun Mold
\n2 \u20133oz packages orange flavored gelatin
\n2 7oz bottles ginger ale
\n1 1lb can whole cranberry sauce
\n2 oranges, peeled and sectioned
\n1 83\/4 oz crushed pineapple, un\u2013drained
\n1 grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
\nIn saucepan, combine gelatin and cranberry sauce. Heat and stir until almost boiling. Stir in un\u2013drained crushed pineapple and ginger ale. Remove from heat and stir until fizzing has stopped. Pour into round mold. Chill until set. Un\u2013mold onto a serving dish with a layer of lettuce leaf bedding.
\nGarnish with orange and grapefruit sections. Top with alternating orange and grapefruit sections in a \u201cpinwheel\u201d array. Serve as salad or dessert.<\/p>\n
\nHigh\u2013In\u2013The\u2013Sky Sunny Sandwiches
\n4 French rolls
\n4 slices pressed ham
\nButter or margarine, softened
\n4 slices salami
\nSeveral lettuce leafs
\n2 hard cooked eggs, sliced
\n4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
\nFrench salad dressing
\nSplit rolls lengthwise, cutting to but not through crust at back. Spread cut surfaces with butter or margarine. For each sandwich: Cover bottom half with a couple lettuce leafs, then slice cheese and cut lengthwise for julienne strips and add a few strips, fold slices of ham and salami and add. Place egg slices (3) atop folded meats. Drizzle approximately 1 tbs. of French salad dressing over each sandwich. Makes 4 servings.<\/p>\n
\nGo berry picking. Have the children chose their best berry and throw it back into the berry bushes as they thank the Goddess and the bushes for the fruit.
\nMake a Wicker Man and burn him in your Litha bon fire.
\nBurn your remnants of your Yule Tree or Wreath in the bon fire or try using Wreaths of Vervain and Mugwort which were burned in ancient times at the end of the festivals to burn away bad luck.
\nMany families placed roses on the altar, as this is the Goddess flower for this time of the year. Try this yourself for a beautiful and fragrant decoration.
\nLeave out milk and honey as an offering to the Fae folk
\nHave a mock battle between the Oak and Holly King. Remember that this is part of the cycle and as the wheel turns the Holly King will rise again at Winter Solstice
\nPut a ring of flowers around your cauldron or around a bowl full of mugwort
\nHang a bundle of fresh herbs out to dry and use them to spice up a Litha feast of cooked summer vegetables
\nLight a white candle and place it in front of a mirror. Say your own Litha prayer over it, and then let it burn out
\nMake a charm to hang around your neck with a seashell
\nJump the balefire or cauldron
\nOffer a gift of lavender to the Gods in a bonfire. Pass St. John\u2019s Wort through the smoke and then hang the herb up in the house for protection.
\nMake your own Stonehendge at the beach like you would a sand castle
\nHave an outdoor breakfast picnic to welcome the Solstice
\nStay up and watch the sun go down on the longest day of the year!
\nDraw a picture of the sun at sunrise and sunset
\nTry a fire divination, stare into the coals of your bonfire as it settles or look for forms in the leaping flames.
\nCreate a ritual to bring healing and love to Mother Earth
\nDispose of those qualities that trouble you: project them into a burn\u2013able (bunch of dry twigs, paper, etc.) and thrust the mass into a cleansing fire
\nmake staffs
\nmake dream pillows
\nmake herb craft items like wreaths
\nmake a witches\u2019 ladder
\nMake a Catherine Wheel, or frame of sticks and withies (slender, flexible branches) with flammable material among the spokes. At the climax of your ritual, ignite the wheel and send it rolling down a hillside into a pond or lake. (obviously the hillside should be stone, bare earth, or covered with moist vegetation\u2013no dry grass or underbrush!)<\/p>\n
\nLitha Correspondences<\/strong><\/span>
\nColors: gold, red, orange, blue, and yellow, green, white<\/p>\n
\nBackground
\nThis is the time to rededicate yourself to your spiritual path and to ask for Lugh\u2019s blessings. In this ritual marigolds are used to pay homage to the Lord. This flower has been associated with the sun since ancient times and abounds in stories of Apollo, the Greek sun god. Marigolds were believed to have magical properties, and that to look at them or smell their fragrance would remove sorrow and burdens.<\/p>\n
\nItems for this ritual include: Six candles for the altar; A basket of cut flowers; enough to lay out your circle (there can be space in between them); A basket of marigolds; Drums, rattles and other percussion instruments. If working solo or if these are not available you may want to use taped music such as Loreena McKennitt\u2019s Huron \u201cBeltane\u201d Fire Dance; If doing ritual out of doors, find six to eight large rocks and set them in two rows with enough room for people to walk between to simulate the rows of standing stones at Carnac. If no large stones are available you may want to arrange a pile of smaller stones. If you are doing ritual indoors, use multiple baskets of flowers or potted plants. Be imaginative.<\/p>\n
\nAs you place flowers on the ground to mark your circle (large enough to encompass your \u201cstanding stones\u201d) say:<\/p>\n
\nGo to the edge of your circle and face each direction, respectively. After speaking, light a candle on the altar. Face the altar when evoking the Goddess and God.<\/p>\n
\nI look to the East and call on the powers of Air to join me in my circle. Caress me with your warm breezes that sweeten my life with soft scented flowers and plants. Be with me as the fragrant Linden.
\nI look to the South and call on the powers of Fire to join me in my circle. Your growing heat transforms the world into a lush garden. Kiss me gently with your warmth.
\nI look to the West and the powers of Water. Your gentle rains banish thirst and wash me clean. Touch me with dew\u2013filled mornings.
\nSun King, Lord of Summer, I welcome you at your zenith, your last full shining. Tomorrow you begin your descent, but today I celebrate you.
\nLady of All, Queen of Summer, I welcome you in your full mother aspect as the fields begin to ripen and you awaken a spark of divine love deep in my soul.
\nStand facing your altar, and say:<\/p>\n
\nBow and then place a flower on the altar, saying:<\/p>\n
\nBegin the taped music or do your own drumming and start a free\u2013form dance weaving in and out among your \u201cstanding stones\u201d. Chant:<\/p>\n
\nShine bright before you go away.
\nSun King, Lugh, bring summer heat,
\nBlessed be and merry meet.
\nContinue until you feel the energy reach a peak, and then bring the music, drumming, chanting to a close. You may want to take time to meditate on your blessings as well as the reasons that you reaffirm your spiritual path.<\/p>\n
\nSun King, Lord of Summer, thank you for your bright spirit. I thank you for your presence with me this day and ask for your blessing as you depart. I bid you farewell.
\nPowers of Water, thank you for dewy mornings and gentle rains. I thank you for your presence with me this day and ask for your blessing as you depart. I bid you farewell.
\nPowers of Fire, thank you for your transforming flame. I thank you for your presence with me this day and ask for your blessing as you depart. I bid you farewell.
\nPowers of Air, thank you for warm breezes that sweeten long summer days. I thank you for your presence with me this day and ask for your blessing as you depart. I bid you farewell.
\nPowers of Earth, thank you for the sensuous colors and fragrance that enrich my life. I thank you for your presence with me this day and ask for your blessing as you depart. I bid you farewell.
\nAnd so my spiritual journey continues as the Wheel of the Year turns ever onward. My circle is open, but unbroken. May the peace and love of the Goddess remain in my heart. In faith and unity, blessed be.<\/p>\n
\nThe Fingers
\nThis area represents the mental element. If the fingers predominate, the subjects sphere has a mainly mental atmosphere.<\/p>\n
\nThis area represents the abstract element. If the middle portion of the hand is more pronounced, this would indicate the subject excels in ambition, shrewdness, and\/or aggression tempered by prudence.<\/p>\n
\nThis area represents the material element. The development of the lower portion of the hand has a tendency to indicate a cultivation of not so nice motives, directed towards self\u2013gratification and selfishness.<\/p>\n
\nThere are seven types of hands classified in Palmistry which relate to the general shapes. This is but a brief generalized overview.<\/p>\n
\nOften of the \u201cclubbed\u201d type with short thumb and stiff heavy fingers. To these hands belong war and colonization. Usually music lovers. Most are laborers.
\nThe Square Hand
\nA square appearance as a whole including the palm and fingertips. Large thumb. This is the hand of practicality. Indications of a love of order, neat and tidy, courteous, patient and with an element of foresight.
\nThe Spatulate Hand
\nThe nail area of the hands give an appearance of a more or less flattened\u2013out spatula. Usually large thumbs. Manual labor with a bit of love of adventure thrown in. Extremely self\u2013confident, excellent leaders for a cause.
\nThe Philosophic Hand
\nThis hand has a large palm, the fingers are \u201cknotty\u201d. The top portion of the fingers have an oval egg\u2013shape but appear flattened. When the hands are large, they incline toward analysis. They seek knowledge. The knotty fingers indicate a gift of calculation and deduction. Usually poetic in nature.
\nThe Conic Hand
\nAlso known as the Artistic Hand. Fingers are tapered, moderate sized palm, small thumb. Indicates he\/she is impulsive, imaginative, a bit self\u2013indulgent, and a lover of beauty.
\nThe Psychic Hand
\nThe most beautiful hand of all. Conical fingers, small, delicate, smooth and tapering. The upper phalanges are long. They tend to love beauty, are ethereal and imaginative. Poetic, enthusiastic but can also display a nervous tendency.
\nThe Mixed Hand
\nMixture of two or more types. A little of that one and a little of this one. The hand of versatality. \u201cJack of all trades\u201d. Clever but has a tendency to be a bit erratic in his\/her undertakings. Changing their minds constantly.<\/p>\n
\nThe Line of Life
\nThe line of Vitality. Usually curving around the outer boundary of the Mount of Venus up towards the index (Jupiter) and middle (Saturn) fingers. Indicates constitution but also areas of major change in ones life.<\/p>\n
\nThe line of Thought. Usually begins very near, with or above the Life Line at the base of the index finger (Jupiter). Indicates decision\u2013making abilities, a strength of mental powers and concentration and your ability of thought processing. Can also show spine problems and upper thoracic pains.<\/p>\n
\nUsually begins below your little finger (Mercury) through to the middle (Saturn) and index (Jupiter) fingers. Indicates both love (mentally) and condition (physical) of the heart. A h5 line shows mental and physical stability.<\/p>\n
\nThis line rises from the base of the hand up towards the middle (Saturn) finger. If this is deep, indicates perseverance against heavy odds. If it is a bit wavy, there will be ups and downs all through your life. If it goes all the way up to the Mount of Jupiter, success in everything you put your mind to.<\/p>\n
\nAlso known as the Line of the Sun. This line runs up to the Mount of Apollo under the ring (Sun) finger. Indicates that with correct guidance and direction, you are capable of accomplishing much. A line of capability, possible accomplishments.<\/p>\n
\nLight incense and one taper candle. Place some sea salt in a white dish and water in a cup or vial (chalice). Make sure you\u2019re not disturbed. No electrical lights, just light white candles. Pick up taper candle and make three passes over the water as you say:<\/p>\n
\nPick up salt and sprinkle 3 pinches of salt into bath water while saying:<\/p>\n
\nSlowly pass the incense 3 times over the bath while saying:<\/p>\n
\nPour the water into the bath next and say:<\/p>\n
\nLay in the bath and let your troubles seep out of you and into the water. Dry off with a white towel and light clothing. Meditate if desired and apply any annointing oil.<\/p>\n