SECTION I - HOLIDAY LORE

Midsummer, Raising the Fire - Ahneke Greystone
Your Litha Celebration, The Astrology of Midsummer- Jeri Noble
Midsummer Word Search - Isha ArrowHawk

Midsummer - Raising the Fire
By Ahneke Greystone

That I am mortal I know and do confess
My span of day:
but when I gaze upon
The thousandfold circling gyre of the stars,
No longer do I walk on earth
but rise
The peer of God himself to take my fill
At the ambrosial banquet of the undying.

Claudius Ptolemaeus, Greek-Egyptian, 2nd Century


Such a wonder, this season of paradox! A vibrant moment of existence, warm caresses from the Sun, long days to share with family and friends. It is a time for first harvest and second sowing. For some there is more to do than a day's time allows; for others it is a time of sweet pause and respite. We are poised between increase and decline.

Gathered around the fires of Midsummer Eve, we reflect on the turn of the Wheel and the symbolism of fire as a sign of our consciousness. The awakening we experience, as did the God, when times of frivolity and independence turn to times of responsibility and community. It is a time of maturity and reflection. On Midsummer Day our focus will be on celebration; a time for living in the moment and making merry. A Dance of Life, with our minds and bodies attuned to the awesome possibility and promise of existence. Tonight we are comforted knowing that as fire burns it cleanses and purifies, clearing the land and our souls for the time of repose ahead. Providing the fertile source from which the cycle turns again in Winter.

Modern pagans recognize this holiday by several names; it was called Litha or Vestalia in ancient Rome, Gathering Day in Wales, Feill-Sheathain in Scotland, Alban Heflin in the Anglo-Saxon tradition, Thing-Tideln in Scandinavia and All Couple's Day in Greece, and it is the Celtic Feast of Epona. It was, and often still is, celebrated throughout Russia, Europe, the East, Africa and the Americas,

In ancient times Midsummer was as well a time for celebration and reflection. Rites were ecstatic, celebrating fecundity and harvest, placating the gods for gentle rather than destructive weather. We knew that Divine whim could destroy our crops, endangering our ability to survive in the present and through the upcoming Winter. We raised our fires to call for their aid as well as to establish our courage in the face of an always uncertain future.

Summer was a time of war, a time of invasion and defense. Our ancient family connected the death of their compatriots with the peak and passing of Summer. The symbolism of the burgeoning land, cut into harvest, and of those who died in war was a powerful and integral part of the holiday. The paradox prevailed. Life and death.

The wedding month of June traces to our pagan roots. Courting traditionally began at the Winter Solstice, when days were not as filled with tasks, and there was time to focus on familial matters. Towards Spring, pregnancies became obvious. Marrying in May was considered unlucky, as that was the time of the Sacred Marriage. Thus, marriage became common after Beltane. Mead was traditionally drunk for the month following the bonding to guarantee fertility and the health of children conceived. The Full Moon in June is known as the Mead Moon, and we honor this today in our reference to a wedding holiday as a honeymoon.

Midsummer, especially the Eve, is a time when the Fairie become visible to our human eyes. The boundaries between the worlds are thin. Even those of us who rarely experience fey moments can be caught up in the mischief and mayhem brought to us this evening. We will be reminded that our world is a quixotic one. If we have become too staid, that will be remedied this evening! The fairies delight in revealing our human foibles and turning our world on end

Midsummer in some traditions was the time the Ivy King was seen as battling and overcoming the Oak King. He ruled for the next six months, until the Winter Solstice when the fated battle began again, with the Oak King then victor. In other traditions, the Sun King was seen as born on the Winter Solstice, reaching his peak at Midsummer, to decline and pass either into the Underworld as reigning King there or into repose until his rebirth in Winter. The myth of Demeter and Persephone gave inspiration to a yearly cycle of the Feminine Divine, who at Midsummer is seen as the Daughter who has just begun her journey to the Underworld and the Mother who has not yet realized that her beloved daughter has gone. She will shortly understand this, and she will send the Earth into decline and mourning.

The Goddess at Midsummer is the Lover-Mother. She is pregnant and aware of the life within. This is a bittersweet time. The mature God is her husband and the father of her child. He is more her partner at this time than at any other. Emotionally and intellectually they are equals. She is enjoying this time of mundane connection. It is as though her tasks are done and she finds the time to relax and enjoy life. She who always leads and inspires can briefly lay her head upon the shoulder of her consort and let someone else take charge. Shadowing her joy is the knowledge of what will come. Her lover will pass over and she will evolve once again separate from him. The child within is her connection to this Earthly time and the wonders of physical existence. It is also her connection to Eternity. What agony she will suffer, though, to see all that she loves pass. Even as her wiser self knows the purpose.

Goddesses for Midsummer include Earth Mothers and Goddesses of beauty and mature sexuality, fire goddesses and goddesses of the animals and the hunt. They include: Aine, Ameaterasu, Anahita, Aphrodite, Artemis, Asherah, Brighid, Cardea, Coaltique, Corn Mother, Danu, Erzulie, Esmeralda, Freya, Flora, Gaia, Hera, Hestia, Iamanja, Inanna, Ishtar, Li, Litha, Mawu, Oraea, Oshun, Oya, Pele, Rhea, Rhiannon, Spider Woman, The Corn Mothers, Tiamat, Tonantzin, Vesta, Yellow Land Earth Queen, Yemaya.

The God has matured from the free and independent young man to the wise elder, the King who has learned of commitment and responsibility to his Queen, his family and his community. He is the counselor and the person others turn to for leadership and guidance. The Lord of the Greenwood is now the Sun King. He wears his crown with dignity and with some sorrow. For he remembers how at Beltane he envisioned the blood upon the corn. He knows his time is about to end. He reflects on a life of joy and abandon, of peace and contentment, of accomplishment and triumph. It is the time when he looks back on his life, rather than forward. The time remaining is short. With age and maturity comes the wisdom in him that accepts his obligations, is aware of the contributions he has made and acknowledges his fate. He looks to the end with peace now, fearless and aware of his role in the theater of life.

The Gods of Midsummer are the Gods of the hunt, Gods of the Sun, Father Gods and the Gods of the Arts. They include: Apollo, Arthur, Balder, Balin, Cernunnos, Faunus, Gwynn ap Nudd, Hades, Heimdul, Helios, Herne, Hugh, Lugh, Pan, Perkunis, Phol, Ra, Taliesin, Woden.

Midsummer Correspondences

Color: Verdant and growing shades, colors of light and fire - gold, green, hazel, orange, peridot, pink, red, yellow.

Trees: The most powerful being the oak, ivy and mistletoe, but also including evergreen and fruit-bearing trees - fir, holly, mistletoe, pine, hawthorne, maple, oak, peach, palm, rowan.

Crystals/Stones: Amber, carnelian, cat's eye, citrine, clear quartz crystal, copper, emerald, garnet, peridot, ruby, sulfur, yellow topaz.

Flowers: Red flowers, carnations (red), honeysuckle, iris, lily, marigolds, nasturtiums, rose, sunflowers, trefoil, wisteria, witches' broom.

Creatures: Cardinal, dove, lizard, magpie, parrot.

Herbs: Basil, chive, chervil, dragon's blood, fennel, lavender, mint, parsley, Rosemary, rue, sage, St. John's wort, tarragon, thyme, vervain, violet.

Incense: Carnation, cedar, cinnamon, copal, fir, frangipani, frankincense, myrrh, pine, rose, rosemary, sandalwood, tangerine, thyme, vervain, violet, wisteria.

Oils: Carnation, citronella, geranium, lime, musk, orange, tangerine, ylang-ylang.
Foods: Hot and spicy foods, corn, dark breads, tomato and red vegetable juices.

At Midsummer, we celebrate and honor the gifts we bring to community. We are each Royalty, with responsibility wrapped around us like a beautiful purple robe. It is a time to become active in our spiritual fellowships, our political arenas and our neighborhood groups. A time to take the lead and make a difference. To pay back to the circles which support us in our lives.

Blessings of the Wise King and his Ladywife to you!!

Ahneke Greystone

Your Litha Celebration - The Astrology of Midsummer
By Jeri Noble

Merry Meet! My name is Jeri Noble and I'm honored to be joining you for the first time at this joyous time of Litha. This year's Midsummer celebration holds somewhat more of an impact than usual. Not only is it Midsummer, but we have a New Moon. Not only is it a New Moon, but we have a total Solar Eclipse. Not only do we have a New Moon and a Solar Eclipse, but they're happening at 0 degrees Cancer, the exact degree of the Solstice.

If you're inclined to take any of this personally, please do so. I can't think of a more appropriate time to express your feelings.

That's what this year's celebration is about. The deepest expression of our feelings, our passion, and dealing with our own and other's emotional needs. You see, in this time when we typically honor the Sun God, the Lady Moon is thrusting herself in front, asserting her fertility and requirements for emotional security. We are then called upon to honor the Solar expressions of life force, creativity and laughter, but from that deeper well within us - that which calls for the heart connection to make us feel complete and for our child-like cry for nurturing to be fulfilled.

So, we're honoring the complexity of our being, the yin-yang nature of our existence as we find and balance the polarities of the soul. The Holly King slays his brother the Oak King, and, in today's energies, the Goddess has entered the celebration as well, perhaps to mediate. Therefore, our purpose is to meditate upon our goals, and these must be those which resonate from deep within our being. Be clear on that which serves the inner child and will actualize those needs.

Preparations

The colors for this celebration are all the Sun colors; red, orange, yellow and white, so you may wish to wear these or to adorn your altar with them. Scott Cunningham also recommends an herbal pouch to be filled with herbs of the season; such as lavender, chamomile, St. John's Wort, or vervain, contemplating your sorrows as you fill it and tying the pouch with a red string. It can be burned as part of the purification.

The exact time of the Solstice is 12:38 am PST, or 7:38 am Greenwich Mean Time. If you're interested, calculate the time conversion to your local area. The chart cast for this event can be viewed at http://circlesoflight.com/images/midsummer2001.jpg. You may wish to hold your ritual at Midsummer's Eve or at High Noon on Midsummer's Day. Spell-casting is especially powerful throughout this time, but be aware; an eclipse can have a "reversing" or "bounce-back" effect on our energies. Spells which are inclusive, that you wouldn't mind being both the sender of and recipient are recommended. Most importantly, address both the outer manifestation and the inner good that you wish to accomplish, for example, both a new job and a sense of creative satisfaction.

Ritual

This is best conducted outdoors. Begin by casting your circle. For a reference on this, visit http://www.thegodsgrove.com/circle.htm.

While standing in the center of your circle, visualize the energy of the earth coming up through your feet, entering your root chakra, and moving up through the remaining chakras. Picture this energy as a fountain, spraying up through your crown chakra and re-entering the earth, to come up through your feet again. Don't try to hold onto the energy at this time, just let it move through you cyclically until you feel centered and grounded.

Recite the affirmation for your sign as given below. If you know your rising sign, you may affirm that as well. You may wish to burn a small bonfire, preferably of oak and fir woods in your cauldron while doing your affirmation. Celebrate the end of the ritual with fresh fruits and vegetables.

Aries: Oh, Great Goddess and Great God
I open my heart and mind to you.
Purify my soul of all hurts.
Cleanse my mind of petty ideas and hurtful words.
Burn away my fickle desires, leaving only that which is true.
(If you are using an herbal pouch, this is the time to burn it, seeing the pain go up in smoke.)
Gracious Goddess and God
I know that you are enlivening my soul with joy and attainment.
My vision of life is broadened and longer.
The true needs of my soul are now being fulfilled.
(If you are burning a fire, this is the time to include any specific requests or goals while focusing on the flames.)
I give thanks oh mighty Goddess and God
My prayers are answered.
I go in joy and fulfillment.

Taurus: Oh, Great Goddess and Great God
I open my heart and mind to you.
Purify my heart of bitterness or envy.
Cleanse my mind of complaints.
Burn away my fears of lack or insufficiency of any kind.
(If you are using an herbal pouch, this is the time to burn it, seeing the pain go up in smoke.)
Gracious Goddess and God
I am certain of your power to heal my wounds.
I accept your gracious bounty.
I know that all I could ever need is perfectly supplied.
(If you are burning a fire, this is the time to include any specific requests or goals while focusing on the flames.)
I give thanks oh mighty Goddess and God
My prayers are answered.
I go in joy and fulfillment.

Gemini: Oh, Great Goddess and Great God
I open my heart and mind to you.
Purify my heart of conflict or strife.
Cleanse my mind of intellectual ego.
Burn away my fears of being unloved.
(If you are using an herbal pouch, this is the time to burn it, seeing the pain go up in smoke.)
Gracious Goddess and God
I am certain of my place in your Divine Plan.
I accept your mission for me.
I know that I am a messenger of the gods.
(If you are burning a fire, this is the time to include any specific requests or goals while focusing on the flames.)
I give thanks oh mighty Goddess and God
My prayers are answered.
I go in joy and fulfillment.

Cancer: Oh, Great Goddess and Great God
I open my heart and mind to you.
Make of me a vessel for your will.
Cleanse my heart of defensiveness.
Burn away my fears of being used.
(If you are using an herbal pouch, this is the time to burn it, seeing the pain go up in smoke.)
Gracious Goddess and God
I hear you speaking through me.
I accept the love and nurturing that is for me.
I know that I am unlimited in what I can give to my world.
(If you are burning a fire, this is the time to include any specific requests or goals while focusing on the flames.)
I give thanks oh mighty Goddess and God
My prayers are answered.
I go in joy and fulfillment.

Leo: Oh, Great Goddess and Great God
I open my heart and mind to you.
Purify my soul of petty ego.
Cleanse my mind of arrogance and intolerance.
Burn away my despair, leaving only a pure and certain faith.
(If you are using an herbal pouch, this is the time to burn it, seeing the pain go up in smoke.)
Gracious Goddess and God
I know that through your purification my full essence is revealed.
My destiny opens up and fulfillment of my potential is expressed.
I begin a new journey to the depths of my soul.
(If you are burning a fire, this is the time to include any specific requests or goals while focusing on the flames.)
I give thanks oh mighty Goddess and God
My prayers are answered.
I go in joy and fulfillment.

Virgo: Oh, Great Goddess and Great God
I open my heart and mind to you.
Purify my soul of the karma of guilt.
Cleanse my mind of negative judgment and criticalness.
Burn away any shyness, fear or self-punishment.
(If you are using an herbal pouch, this is the time to burn it, seeing the pain go up in smoke.)
Gracious Goddess and God
I know that my aspirations are broadened and fulfilled.
I easily accept my success.
I absorb all the knowledge I require.
(If you are burning a fire, this is the time to include any specific requests or goals while focusing on the flames.)
I give thanks oh mighty Goddess and God
My prayers are answered.
I go in joy and fulfillment.

Libra: Oh, Great Goddess and Great God
I open my heart and mind to you.
Purify my soul of fear of commitment.
Cleanse my mind of limitations and inhibitions.
Burn away procrastination, leaving only certainty of perfect timing.
(If you are using an herbal pouch, this is the time to burn it, seeing the pain go up in smoke.)
Gracious Goddess and God
I know that I may now reach the heights of my goals.
I easily accept my perfect destiny.
I understand my path and each step I must take.
(If you are burning a fire, this is the time to include any specific requests or goals while focusing on the flames.)
I give thanks oh mighty Goddess and God
My prayers are answered.
I go in joy and fulfillment.

Scorpio: Oh, Great Goddess and Great God
I open my heart and mind to you.
Purify my soul of denial and bigotry in any form.
Cleanse my mind of obsession and intolerance.
Burn away self-loathing, leaving the purity of love for the essence of Self which is the truth of my being.
(If you are using an herbal pouch, this is the time to burn it, seeing the pain go up in smoke.)
Gracious Goddess and God
I know that I now extend my grasp to include a broader reality and experience.
I accept the fulfillment of my needs.
I follow my inner wisdom and guidance.
(If you are burning a fire, this is the time to include any specific requests or goals while focusing on the flames.)
I give thanks oh mighty Goddess and God
My prayers are answered.
I go in joy and fulfillment.

Sagittarius: Oh, Great Goddess and Great God
I open my heart and mind to you.
Purify my soul of any fear of intimacy.
Cleanse my mind of fickleness and distraction.
Burn away any heedlessness of the sensitivities of others, exposing the truth of my real love and compassion.
(If you are using an herbal pouch, this is the time to burn it, seeing the pain go up in smoke.)
Gracious Goddess and God
I know that I open my defenses to allow a spiritual vulnerability.
I accept the enfoldment of my heart in the depths of love.
I extend my caring and compassion to those around me.
(If you are burning a fire, this is the time to include any specific requests or goals while focusing on the flames.)
I give thanks oh mighty Goddess and God
My prayers are answered.
I go in joy and fulfillment.

Capricorn: Oh, Great Goddess and Great God
I open my heart and mind to you.
Purify my soul of any fear of love.
Cleanse my mind of cynicism and mistrust.
Burn away false caution, leaving a pure faith in my eternal protection.
(If you are using an herbal pouch, this is the time to burn it, seeing the pain go up in smoke.)
Gracious Goddess and God
I now allow myself to commit to you, with a depth and intensity that is greater than ever before.
I accept my partnership with the magickal and the Divine in my life, now and forevermore.
I am certain of the rightness of my choices, here and in the future.
(If you are burning a fire, this is the time to include any specific requests or goals while focusing on the flames.)
I give thanks oh mighty Goddess and God
My prayers are answered.
I go in joy and fulfillment.

Aquarius: Oh, Great Goddess and Great God
I open my heart and mind to you.
Purify my soul of intellectual arrogance.
Cleanse my mind of stubbornness.
Burn away any sense of mental superiority, leaving wisdom and understanding in its place.
(If you are using an herbal pouch, this is the time to burn it, seeing the pain go up in smoke.)
Gracious Goddess and God
I now comprehend my expression of service to others, in the sharing of my vision.
I accept my destiny as the bringer of light wherever I may be.
I accept your blessings as the instrument of precognition.
(If you are burning a fire, this is the time to include any specific requests or goals while focusing on the flames.)
I give thanks oh mighty Goddess and God
My prayers are answered.
I go in joy and fulfillment.

Pisces: Oh, Great Goddess and Great God
I open my heart and mind to you.
Purify my soul of denial and escapism.
Cleanse my mind of delusion.
Burn away false images of fear, leaving the pure faith of knowing perfection and beauty in all.
(If you are using an herbal pouch, this is the time to burn it, seeing the pain go up in smoke.)
Gracious Goddess and God
I know myself as a channel for inspiration, beauty and magick.
I feel a responsiveness within to the muse which enlightens and inspires.
I am certain of my place in my universe and accept myself as a focal point.
(If you are burning a fire, this is the time to include any specific requests or goals while
focusing on the flames.)
I give thanks oh mighty Goddess and God
My prayers are answered.

I go in joy and fulfillment.
Get your personal astrology reading from Jeri at http://circlesoflight.com/bcorder.shtml or explore her offerings of online metaphysical classes by visiting http://circlesoflight.com/cat.shtml.

Midsummer Word Search
By Isha ArrowHawk

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K A G L E C V E T F Q C H A I U S S N I
N O F V F V B P B V N S A P N E R U J D
O E Q A G I R D U G A Q L A S T J I E S
C U J N D Z L V M C N P Z I A O T C T L
W C P O M I I A R E A J R E Y X F Q D A
T E T A D D N E I B R G F O W A L J L U
Z C T F E L D G D Y N R U R E G P X T T
T K P N L C R J L I R S Y R T K Z S Z I
W P A T I I G C K I R I I M V U A G B R
C R G R K C T Y L E G E F L A C R G J S
I U C K W K L H V M R H P D G K Q I C R
I L X D L L U E A E E R T K N A I Z N O
E X L T O K L N A Z A P J H P A V N M O
A B F H A R W L Y V M I I D S Z K K G D
E Z W Q Y M M R E L A D N A S E K A C T
Z R C S U M M E R S O L S T I C E W O U
P G N I S S A P G N I K K A O G M P X O
J A E S S D I K Q D U Q Q Z O U G I M I
O D V G S F S V M E A D M O O N U I P A
V B J A C K I N T H E G R E E N W L V Y

CAKES AND ALE
FADING LIGHT
FAERIE REALM
HOLLY KING RISES
JACK IN THE GREEN
JOYOUS REVELRY
LITHA
MEAD MOON
MERRYMAKING
OAK AND FIR
OAK KING PASSING
OUTDOORS RITUALS
SACRED CIRCLE
SUMMER SOLSTICE