DECEMBER 21-23

‘Fulfilment and Change’

Also known as, Midsummer, Litha, Gathering Day

Element: Fire

This is the peak of the year, radiant with warmth and fulfilment. Midsummer celebrates the longest day of the year and the Sun hardly seems to set at all. In some ways we may see the Goddess has given birth to all this beauty. In others it is more apt to join with the Goddess and God in the heady delight of Their love.

This is a time of consummation, but it is also a time of change. After orgasm comes the dreamtime, for fulfilment has sent us into another world, we see things differently with our inner sight. And fulfilment means change which healds a new direction. In human terms, requited love brings the responsibility of relationship and successful creativity means the need for a new goal.

The God is changed in the ecatasy of union with the Goddess. Now light begins to wane and His strength turns inwards. As at Yule, the two sides of the God, the Oak King and the Holly King, battle, but now the Holly King wins. These light and dark faces are of equal value. Without death there is no life, with darkness no light. The Oak King can be seen as action and initiative, the Holly King is the hidden and inward.

This maybe connected with our fears but in embracing them we grow in power. We begin the journey into the meditative time of winter.

Things to do: Have a bonfire and a party with friends, Make contact with the Fey, dress in bright colours, make floral leys, be one with nature on a sunny day.

Correspondances

Goddesses:    Mother Earth, Mother Nature, Venus, Aphrodite, Yemaya, Astarte, Freya, Hathor, Ishtar and Green Forest Mother.

Gods:        Father Sun/Sky and the Holly King.

Colours:    Blue, green, gold, yellow and red.

Symbols:    Fire, fey, magic, protection and the Sun.

Essence:    Nature spirit/fey communion, planet healing, divination, love & protection magic, rededication of faith, rites of inspiration.

Purpose:    Rededication to the Lady and Lord, beginning of the harvest,  honouring the Sun God.

Ritual:        Bonfires, processions, all night vigil, singing, feasting, celebrating with others, cutting divining rods, dowsing rods & wands, herb gathering, handfastings, weddings, walking naked through gardens to ensure continued fertility, enjoy the seasonal fruits & vegetables to honour the Mother’s fullness, richness and abundance.

Tools:        Athame, sword, seashells.

Candles:    Blue and green.

Animals:    Wren, robin, horses, cattle, satyrs, faeries, firebird, dragon,thunderbird.

Plants:        Lavender, larkspur, wisteria, hemp, fern, heather, oak and holly trees.

Herbs:        Anise, fennel, mugwort, vervain, chamomile, rose,  lily, oak, lavender, ivy, yarrow, fern, elder and wild thyme.

Incense:    Lemon, myrrh, pine, rose, saffron, orange, frankincense, mint, cinnamon, lavender, sandalwood and wisteria.

Stones:        Lapis lazuli, diamond, tiger’s eye, emerald and jade.