June 21st, 2017

Happy Litha, Midsummer, Summer Solstice, and whatever else you might like to call today! I have been very engaged in my summer internship, hence my lack of posts, but I did want to take this opportunity to recognize the shifting from the light to the dark half of the year. My internship has revolved around rebuilding homes which were destroyed last year in a flood, and this week in particular has really represented a culmination of energy as walls and roofs have been raised.

My fellow interns and I drove past a deer this evening, which stood and stared through the car window for several minutes. It did not occur to me at the time that it was the solstice, but in retrospect, it feels like a good omen.

May the summer treat you kindly. May the warm rays of the sun uplift your spirits, even as the days begin their slow descent towards the equinox. Let the fields and all your labors be bountiful, act with love in your heart, and be Merry Met in the season to come.

June 21st, 2015

Hello, everyone, and happy Litha, Midsummer, and Summer Solstice! I am queuing this post in advance, because today I am celebrating in one of the best possible ways - by camping, literally in the middle of ever-loving nowhere. (If you're the type to do so, please send me some good thoughts for warm, sunny weather.)

Hope you all have a great day, and enjoy the Sabbat!

May 30th, 2015

How is it the end of the month already? Where did the time go? I got back from school for the summer on the 15th. Since then, I've been doing an assortment of things - knitting, mostly, with some crochet and a bit of reading thrown in. This morning, I got to setting my Litha altar up, did a little rearranging on my smaller shrine, and finally - after four years - filled up my notebook version of this blog. More on that later, but for now, a few pictures:

I just bought this pendant off of this Etsy shop; the woman who owns the store, Rebekka, uses only natural, high quality stones, and hand wraps all of them. A lot of her pieces are Labradorite, which are absolutely stunning, but she's also done work in different quartzes (Amethyst, this Tangerine Quartz, etc.), Opals, Aquamarines, and more. She gets her pieces in the mail pretty immediately - the only reason I had to wait a bit on mine was because I ordered it over the holiday weekend - and she sends it through priority mail, so once it ships it arrives quickly as well.

Here I am wearing it. Sorry, the lighting isn't great. I really like it! 

EDIT: Rebekka's store has moved - she now has her own website! Click here to view her work.

April 22nd, 2015

In honor of Earth Day, some students yesterday were giving out native plants to take home and put in one's garden. I got these lovely Butterfly Weed plants:

I'm planning to have my mom take them home to plant when she comes to visit on Sunday.

Butterfly Weed is a great garden choice for anyone living in midwestern America. The red and orange flowers are pretty and fragrant, and the leaves are a vital food source for native butterflies, Monarchs in particular.

Those working with fairies may like to include some of these plants in a fairy garden, as those flowers favored by butterflies also tend to be favored by the fey.

On the altar, the bright orange flowers could be used to symbolize the fire element, and would be great for spring and summer rituals, like Beltane and Litha.

Litha Altar

It's a bit late now for pictures, I suppose, but I did want to share some insight into my Litha altar from earlier this month because it highlights a couple of new design elements.

If you're familiar with how I usually lay out my altar, it's pretty immediately obvious what one of those changes is - I've got my BOS moved over to the left side instead of centered. I actually don't like that as much, because it feels a little off-balance to me, but I just bought the navy blue altar cloth at Kinkakuji in Kyoto, and I didn't want my binder covering up the design. Naturally, it got covered up anyway. Go figure.

I also bought this little guy in Japan - he's my new (read: only) crystal ball. In actuality, I'm reasonably sure the ball is glass, but it works as a focus point, and it's being held by a precious little bunny, so how could I refuse?

And then there's this. I mentioned it a few posts ago, but this is a (bad) picture of my new chalice from Aunt C. It's hard to tell with the poor lighting, but it has a purple triple moon symbol on it with a triquetra in the middle.

Finally, this little guy is a Daruma doll. I'll probably blog more extensively about them later (especially if and when I use it), but in essence, one paints a single eye black and makes a wish, and then paints the other eye when the wish is fulfilled.

June 22nd, 2014

Well, I celebrated Litha on time, even if my posting about it isn't. Yesterday was the first day of summer, solstice, and longest day of the year. I completely redecorated my altar earlier in the week, developing a new style to incorporate a fancy metal chalice, which was a graduation present from my Aunt C, and several of the things I bought in Japan. Yes, Japan! I finally got to go!

We left on Wednesday, May 28th, and stayed through June 11th. Among other memorable activities, we visited several temples and shrines, each of which will warrant their own post, and I bought a number of amulets blessed at these shrines as magickal souvenirs. It was an amazing trip.

Before I left, I put together a little travel-safety amulet of my own. I'll share it here, in case you're looking for a quick and inexpensive spell for before an extended journey or vacation.

Hummingbird's Travel Amulet

Begin with a small drawstring bag. Have on hand a handful each of rose petals and lavender, a piece of turquoise, and a small representation of a bird (if traveling by air), a fish (if traveling by sea), or a horse (if traveling by land), either as a photograph, drawing, or other token.

Then, cast a Circle and cleanse all the items with holy water. Individually empower the items as follows:

- Rose petals: positive relationships between your party and the people in the region you are visiting (rose is an herb of love, after all)

- Lavender: general calm and peacefulness throughout the trip

- Turquoise: safety in travel (a property for which this stone is well-known)

- Animal token: to guide you there and back again

Put all the ingredients in the bag and say a final blessing over it. This could be as simple as presenting the pouch to the elements and Spirit and asking their respective blessings. When you've finished, pack the amulet in your luggage. The best part? The herbs make your clothes smell good.

As per the usual, any of these ingredients can be freely substituted to tailor the spell to your specific needs. If you have any particular worries about the trip, you may add a token to solve them. If you think you may use my spell, send me a comment. I'd love to hear what you thought of it!

June Altars

I never got around to posting a picture of my Litha altar, did I? Allow me to correct that!

I tried to tone down the decorations a little bit this time around so that my altar wasn't totally covered in stuff, but I do still have some pieces here I really like. In the center is my new Selenite candle holder, and dispersed throughout are varying sizes of snail shells. On the left is a big mussel shell that I used to hold water during my ritual, and in the back right you can see a mason jar full of lavender, which I also used during the ritual.

Then I set up this, a mini shrine next to my bed. I didn't want to make it too obviously Pagan (I don't know who I think I'm fooling, but oh well) so it mostly ended up as a repository for my expansive stone collection. I figured, however, that the stones probably preferred being out in the open to sitting in a bag in my dresser. It'll also create a pleasant area for meditations - I need to get back in the habit of doing that!
In the center I've got a new candle and candle holder along with some decorative grapes, silk flowers, and an instrumental shaker. The Birch branch is real; it fell off one of our Birch trees the other day during a storm. In front of the candle and to the left is a large pointed Quartz crystal. To the right of that is a Geode I found years ago, and to the right of that is a chunk of petrified wood from Montana. The Quartz I'm using to symbolize the Goddess, and the Petrified Wood is for the God. I once saw a description of Geode as being symbolic of the World Egg, so I thought it was appropriate to have it in the middle. Just in front of that is an Ammonite resting on top of a clay pentacle I made in seventh grade.
On the right side of the shrine is a box painted with the Japanese symbols for the elements. I'll probably use the box as a place to put petitions and wishes for empowerment. In the same spot on the left of the shrine are three little origami offering boxes. I put pieces of cracker, cake, bread, etc. in these before leaving them outside.
And then, finally, I have the rest of the stones. I tried to arrange them according to their elemental correspondence. They don't balance perfectly, but the distribution is more even than I'd expected. Because I can, I'll go through and name them all for you, moving top down, left to right.
Earth (right side): Malachite, Emerald Calcite, Turquoise, Amazonite, and Moss Agate.
Air (bottom): The only one you can see in this picture is my chunk of Emerald. I also have Sodalite, Aventurine, and Fluorite.
Fire (left side): Citrine, Garnet, Tiger's Eye, Quartz, Hematite, Obsidian, and Bloodstone; there is also a Red Jasper you can't see in this picture.
Fire/Water (top left corner): Unakite*
Water (top): Copper, tumbled Quartz, Moonstone, Rose Quartz, Amethyst, Blue Lace Agate, Goldstone, and two dyed Agates.

*Click the "Unakite" tag for more information about this unique stone.

June 21st, 2013

A very happy Litha to everyone! It's been storming here, so rather than reading out in the sunshine like I'd planned, I spent most of my afternoon taking a nice nap. My youngest brother is having a sleepover with a friend for the first time, so I'll do my ritual this evening while they're occupied and won't come barging in on me. We had some Midsummer bunny rabbits sitting in the wet grass earlier which pleased me to no end, and given that today is a sabbat for extra acknowledgement of one's pets, I spent some time whistling back and forth with our cockatiel, Icarus.

Please do share what all you're getting up to in celebration of the Solstice! I'm always looking for new ideas.

June 20th, 2013

My family went out of state last weekend to visit with my grandparents for Father's Day, and to see my Aunt C's new house. It's pretty fantastic, even though she's not all situated yet - the garden alone is awesome! On the drive up there, we stopped at a rest station for lunch and I got myself a pretty pewter faery statue while I was at it. I think it's just perfect for my Litha altar, don't you?

My grandma had some other exciting goodies for me, one of which had been meant as a Christmas present: a Selenite candle holder! It's really good-sized, and a perfect centerpiece for ritual. 

The picture isn't the greatest; my apologies. I'm sure I'll put together a post about the various properties of Selenite sometime in the next few days.

November 25th, 2012

Happy Elder Moon, everyone! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, today is the first day in the Celtic month honoring the Elder tree.
The Elder tree belongs to the genus Sambucus, and can be found in temperate to sub-tropical regions in both the North and South hemispheres. The tree's flowers are found in branching clusters, often white in color, and later produce berries that are a dark blue to black. The berries are a valuable food source for many birds, and planting the Elder tree around the home is an excellent way to support native animal species.

The Elder Mother

In popular folklore, the Witches' association with the tree varies - some stories say that the Elder tree will ward off Witches, while others say that it is under the tree where Witches may congregate. Elder wood is one of those trees mentioned in the Wiccan Rede; unlike its compatriots, however, the Wiccan is warned that "Elder is the Lady's tree; burn it not, or cursed ye'll be". Other stories tell us that instruments made from Elder wood produce a sound that the Faeries find most favorable. Accordingly, it is said that on Midsummer's eve (Litha), one can find the Faerie folk making merry beneath the Elder trees. Like the Rowan, the Elder is considered protective - the Rowan guards the front of the house, and the Elder protects the back. These protective qualities extended to the business world as well - Elder trees were often planted near bakeries and dairies to protect the food and prevent evil from touching it. However, any food actually left under the tree was considered a gift for the Faeries, and couldn't be reclaimed. In Scandinavian mythos, Elder trees had a guardian spirit known as the Elder Mother, and any damage done to the tree could invoke her wrath. It is from this spirit that the tree may have gotten its name.
Many spells for beauty call for elderflowers - and with good reason! The cosmetic industry has gotten clued into this, and employs Elder derivatives in skin cleansers and eye lotions. If you are looking to freshen up your exterior, infuse warm water with a teaspoon or two of elderflowers and chamomile; then empower, and use daily as a facial cleanser. The tree's protective qualities are just as strong today as they were hundreds of years ago, and growing an Elder in your yard invites friendly Faeries while warding off negative influences. Elder wands have the same protective power as the tree does (JK Rowling clearly did her magickal research!), as does music played on an instrument made of Elder wood. Before cutting an Elder branch for any reason, be sure to respectfully ask the Elder Mother for permission, and leave an offering in thanks (a piece of cake, water, a stone, etc.). The leaves and berries can be used in spells to turn away negativity.
The flowers and berries of the Elder tree are edible, and are often used in foodstuffs in European countries. The flowers can be pressed into a drink known as elderflower cordial. An extract from the flowers is turned into a syrup, typically found in drinks, baked goods, and sweets. Both flowers and berries are also found in everything from yoghurt to wine, fruit pies, marmalade, and more. However, it should be noted that the leaves, branches, twigs, and seeds of the Elder tree can contain small amounts of cyanide, that, when consumed in large quantities, can be toxic. Think apple seeds, here.

July 2nd, 2012

My mom, Nick, and I took another hike through the forest preserve this morning, and boy, oh boy, it was just in the nick of time, too. It was already hot when we were out, and now it's a blistering 98 degrees. When we were finished with our walk, Nick and I discovered a water pump. Naturally, being both hot, tired, and sweaty, we wanted to cool off. Nick was convinced the pump wouldn't work, but I gave it a go anyway. After several minutes of pumping the lever fruitlessly, I began to think that Nick was right. However, I had a trick up my sleeve that Nick didn't know about - the ability to call the element water. I had called upon water before in just such a circumstance and had found it to be most effective. So, asking a bit of aid from Goddess and the water elementals, I drew the invoking pentagram of water over the pump. Giving the lever another go, I immediately felt some resistance, indicating that there was water there. A few minutes later, and the pump was merrily spewing clear, cold water, even if it did taste vaguely of copper. Once we were a bit cooler, I drew the banishing pentagram. You don't want those elementals to have to sit there all day; I'm sure they have better things to be doing than looking after a pump no-one else is using.
I spent the afternoon volunteering at my school, helping to build a parade float for our community choir, and then got home to do some reading. I've made a new deal with myself, also. I really need to get back in the habit of daily meditation and prayer. I figure that if I write it down on the internet, I may actually feel inspired to keep the promise! ;)

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And finally, about a month after I would have liked, I got a video of my Litha altar made. Check it out!

June 6th, 2012

Summer vacation officially began the afternoon of the 4th. Since then, my brothers and I have been kicking back, enjoying the weather. On Sunday, mom thought it would be nice to go out for a while, so we drove to a heritage farm about 20 minutes from our house. We saw their new calves (a few months old, I believe) and a horde of baby piglets that were born on the 29th. They were really tiny, maybe the size of your hand. We hiked through the surrounding nature preserve, and saw wild turtles and frogs, plus several enterprising chipmunks. Indeed, we had just arrived at the preserve's visitor's center when one chipmunk, in search of food, was tackled by a second chipmunk that lept from the trees like a crazed Tarzan. Nick spotted a Baltimore Oriole, a bird species of high interest to him, and I purchased an arrowhead at the visitor's center. I don't believe it was particularly old, but cool nevertheless. In other news, I got my Litha altar set up, and will theoretically be making a video soon.

February 20th, 2012

Today, I checked out (among other things) a book called Rupert's Tales from the library. It is a precious story about Rupert the rabbit who

"...sets out to discover how and why people leave their homes to celebrate seasonal holidays in the forest where he lives."

The book is by a woman who goes by Kyrja, and essentially explains the meaning behind Beltane, Litha, Lammas, and Mabon through the eyes of a rabbit. It is aimed at younger readers, but even I, as a high-schooler, was enchanted simply by the novelty of finding a Pagan picture book. I haven't finished it yet (it's quite long for a picture book!), but the Beltane story was simply adorable, and... I don't know... is magick in its own right. Somehow you can't not feel warm and fuzzy reading it, even if you are familiar with the meaning behind the Sabbats. I'd highly recommend it to anyone and everyone, but particularly if you have Pagan children!

The Holly King

The Holly King is a classic Yule icon, adopted into modern culture in a figure everyone - Pagan or not - knows: Santa Clause. Yes, the Holly King was the original Santa, before St. Nicholas and all those other folk he has morphed into over the centuries. The 8 reindeer are representations of the 8 major Sabbats, and his classic depiction of a jolly man with a long beard has outlasted the centuries. In Pagan lore, the Oak and Holly Kings are two archetypes of the God: light and dark. At both solstices, the two do battle. The Oak King (light) wins over the Holly King at Yule, and the light begins once again to grow. At Litha, it is the Holly King who triumphs, and the world once again grows dark.