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The holiday
of Midsummer marks the height of the waxing season, a time of peak
fertility, when the Sun is honored with three days of joyous celebration!
This is the
year's longest day; the Sun enters the nurturing sign of Cancer,
and the season of harvest begins. We are now in the "Full Moon"
phase of the year, when the waxing energies and magical potency
are at peak intensity. Weddings, marriage proposals and baby blessings
are lucky now, as are rituals of unity among families and communities.
The cauldron
is central to the rituals of Midsummer, representing the womb of
the Great Cosmic Mother, the Cauldron of Regeneration symbolizing
reincarnation within the womb of the Goddess. The season of sowing
is at an end, and the blessed harvest begins! As we celebrate the
Sun in all its glory and bask in the solar energy, we can give thanks
to the abundance of nature, and pray for a bountiful harvest for
all Mother Earth's communities. The waning year begins today, and
so we must honor once again the descent into the dark mysteries
of regeneration and rebirth.
The astrological
charts of the Solstices and Equinoxes have been read by astrologers
since ancient times for news of the upcoming season, especially
as it pertains to the well-being of nations, their leaders, and
the condition of the people. Ingress charts (as they are called)
are drawn for the exact moment the Sun enters one of the four cardinal
signs: Capricorn, Aries, Cancer and Libra (Winter, Spring, Summer,
Autumn). Cardinal energy is initiating, and an excellent time for
magickal workings, as practitioners of seasonal rituals have known
for a long, long time.
Summer Solstice
1999 This year's ingress is exact on June 21, 1999, at 3:51 PM
EDT, Washington, D.C.
Planetary Themes
This year's
chart finds both the Sun and Moon very well aspected, with lunar
(receptive) and solar (projecting) energies working in celestial
harmony in some interesting configurations, making this a perfect
time to do a ritual designed to bring out your inner creativity!
The Sun now enters the nurturing sign of Cancer, and is in harmonious
aspect with Vesta (dedication), Jupiter (expansion, abundance),
and Mars (energy, determination); abundant energy is available now
to project our ideas through the artistic forms of ritual, dancing,
music or visuals. The Moon is in the balancing sign of Libra, and
is harmoniously aspected by Venus (Libra's ruler), Uranus (sudden
changes, futuristic) and Pluto (deep transformation). The Moon is
also in the 12th house of the Subconscious, allowing for creative
ideas to come forth in sudden bursts of inspiration, and deep social
and personal changes are possible as well.
Midsummer Herbal Lore
Cedar: Consecration,
longevity (Fire)
Chamomile: Determination, loyalty; use in ritual bath, cup, or incense.
(Fire)
Chickweed: Love herb, worn or imbibed to attract or enhance love
Elder: (Flowers) Clairvoyance, magic, divination. To contact devas
and faeries, use in ritual cup. (Venus, Air)
Fennel: Confidence, courage, fertility. Use in cooking to protect
all who imbibe.
Frankincense: All-purpose solar incense, for consecration, spirituality
and success.
Heather: Brings one in touch with inner beauty and divinity; dip
a sprig in consecrated water and sprinkle around temple space to
purify.
Holly: Represents the Waning half of the year, which begins at Midsummer.
Larkspur (Delphinium): Flowers on altar symbolize generous, altruistic
leadership.
Lavender: Love, harmony, domestic tranquility and mental clarity
Meadowsweet: Good luck, domestic tranquility, harmony (Jupiter,
Fire)
Mugwort: Magic, longevity, clairvoyance, psychic empowerment
Oak: Represents the Waxing half of the year, which ends at Midsummer.
Rose: Love, compassion, beauty; an aphrodisiac attributed to Venus.
St. John's Wort: Courage, confidence, magic, success (Sun, Fire)
Vervain: love, magic, aphrodisiac, consecration (Earth, Venus)
These herbs
can be utilized in ritual by making an incense, or anointing candles
with essential oil. They can be sewn into a charm bag and consecrated
(dedicated to a single purpose), and worn or carried when needed.
Ritual Bath
Fennel, Heather,
Lavender, Mugwort, Rose petals. Place any or all herbs in cheesecloth
and tie well; run under tap. You can also make a strong tea from
the herbs: bring pure water to a boil, and allow to cool a few minutes
before pouring over herbs; strain into bath.
Light two gold
candles, one representing the Waxing year (surround it with Oak
leaves) and the other the Waning year (surround it with Holly leaves).
As you pour the herbs over your body, imagine yourself purified
by an aura of golden light. Meditate on the symbolism of the Waxing
year: as it dies at its height, the dark cycle is born, reminding
us that within the light there is dark, and within the dark there
is light. Think about what has been planted, and what remains to
be gathered, distributed and assimilated, and how the symbolism
pertains to your personal creative cycles. Affirm your determination
to do all in your power to assure a plentiful harvest in harmony
with all of nature.
The Altar
Place the altar
in the South, the direction representing Summer, the Sun at High
Noon, and the element of Fire. Decorate your altar and home with
Roses of many colors, Delphinium or Heather. Bring the gold candles
to your altar, and place a cauldron (or large bowl) filled with
water on the altar, and place some flowers in the cauldron as well.
You will need
four candles: silver, green, red and brown.
Ritual
Cast the circle
by visualizing white light encircling you in a clockwise motion.
Honor and invite the four elements into your circle: East for Air,
South for Fire, West for Water, and North for Earth. This Solstice
corresponds to the ripened energies of the Mother Goddess (Isis,
Ceres, Demeter, Ishtar, Innana) and can be honored with thanks and
offerings at this time of the year.
Incense
Cedar, Cinquefoil,
Frankincense, Lavender (flowers or oil), Mugwort, Oak Bark, Rose
petals or oil. Bring any or all of the above ingredients into your
ritual circle and add each ingredient one at a time, while grinding
by hand with a mortar and pestle and focusing on the properties
of each herb as it is added. Consecrate your incense by dedicating
it to the Mother aspect of the Triple Goddess, and once the incense
is prepared, burn some on a charcoal as you focus in on your ritual.
Candles
The silver candle
represents the Moon in aspect to Uranus and Pluto. Visualize yourself
accessing deeper parts of your own subconscious, and affirm accessing
new wells of creativity that lie within, to bring you creative inspiration.
1. Write down
how you'd like to see this accomplished, or what your wish may be,
and
place the slip of paper under the candle.
2. Light your
candle as you say your goal aloud, or meditate on its meaning.
Repeat with
the following:
The green candle represents new inspiration being channeled through
you with the blessings of Venus, bringing beauty and balance to
yourself and your surroundings. (Repeat steps 1 and 2.)
The red candle
represents the Sun in Cancer trine Mars in Libra. Be sure to nurture
your inner self in order to gain access to your more sensitive,
creative nature. In what ways do you need to nurture yourself, to
replenish your creative energies? (Repeat steps 1 and 2.)
The brown candle
represents Ceres in Cancer in harmony with Saturn in Taurus, representing
focus and discipline combined with dedication and nurturance. This
is where you ground the energies of your ritual. In what area of
your life do you need to refine your focus and renew your dedication?
How can you nurture this potential and keep it vibrant? (Repeat
steps 1 and 2.)
Spend some time
meditating on the themes of your ritual, and when you feel the ritual
is complete, thank the Mother Goddess, and burn each paper as you
focus once again on the intention of the goal, releasing the energy
to the wind and elemental helpers. Thank the nature spirits, deities
or elementals, and close your circle, allowing the candles to burn
all the way down; or instead, burn them for a little while for the
next few days, letting them burn all the way down on the third day.
Blessed Be.
Sarolta G. DeFaltay is an astrologer and tarot consultant, and
teaches classes in Solitary Magic in Chicago. She works with clients
to create personal rituals based on individual needs and astrological
cycles. She is a regular contributor to SageWoman magazine. Check
out the New Moon Magic Ritual for your sign at her website: http://www.enteract.com/~deepsky/
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