The Triple...Err...Quadruple Goddess

                Across multiple traditions it is popular to hold the coven gatherings on the nights of the full moon each month. Though views differ as to the purpose of this time, it is mostly a chance to talk, eat and work communal magick as oppose to participating in high ritual for the holiday at hand. There are generally four full moons every quarter, and each moon has its own name and attribute according to Wiccan belief. Some make for good work in certain spells and are believe to be powerful enough that a witch or coven may decide to hold off on important magick till that particular moon.

                The same also goes for particular moon phases. In Wiccan lore, the phases of the moon are symbolic of the phases of the goddess or of womanhood in general. For the divine goddess, the moon represents the multitude of goddesses that take different places in the pantheons. You’ll find that in almost every pantheon there are goddesses who fit these descriptions in one way or another. Some even comprise all three at different times in their mythos. Thus comes the image of the Triple Goddess, as well as the Triple Moon symbol that graces the necks of many pagan women.

-The Maiden Goddesses: often virginal or sometimes simply unmarried deities who have power over aspects of spring, love, beauty, freedom and sex.
-The Mother Goddesses: married or pregnant goddesses who’s dominion is over children, family, hearth and fertility.
-The Crone Goddesses: past the age of children, they rule over mysteries, wisdom, fortunes, and death.

However I find that even this time honored point of view lacks something. We forget that the moon has an altogether unconsidered dark face. At the last of the month before her cycle begins again, the silvery light is turned away from us and we lose sight of the goddess for a few dark nights. It is during this time that I believe the goddess takes on a new aspect, one that most would prefer to ignore.

While most women are comforted by the nature of the Maiden/Mother/Crone continuation, not everyone conforms to that idea be they deity or woman. I am a little hesitant on what to refer to this aspect as since I don’t want it to be perceived as negative or insulting. But at our heart, women are creatures of duality, so it only makes sense that there would be goddesses who represent this part of a woman’s innate nature. So I shall simply call this group;

-The Dark Goddesses: these are goddesses who represent the alternate course of a woman’s life. Not evil per say, but ambitious and perhaps even ruthless in their pursuit of their goals. While some may want to turn away from this persona, there is in every woman a capability to be cutthroat and dominating. It is not more or less a part of us than our ability to be nurturing and kind.

So when one considers all these aspects together both in their mortal and divine perspectives, one sees a more in depth, philosophical view of their own nature and self.

Maiden Goddesses
Ostara(Germanic)/Chloris(Greek)/Artemis(Greek)/Persephone(Greek)/Thecla(Catholic)/Caer(Celtic)/ Psyche(Greek)/

The waxing moon, or the first cycle, is representative of the Maiden. During this aspect, the goddess is in her spring season. She is young and beautiful. Full of life and joy she cavorts and carouses, spreading her sweetness and life bringing ability wherever she goes. She is headstrong and resilient and able to withstand most anything. Her vitality gives her power and energy in abundance and she smiles easy.

                Mother Goddesses
Demeter(Greek)/Isis(Egyptian)/Tailtiu(Celtic)/Hestia(Greek)/Freya(Norse)/Aditi(Indian)/Danu(Celtic)/  Erathipa(Aboriginal Australian)/Frigg(Norse)/Gaea(Greek)/Sheela-Na-Gig(Celtic)

During the full moon phase, the goddess is said to be in her Mother aspect. At this time she is in her bountiful summer years. She is a little older but stronger for it. Her body can bare more pain and she is fierce and abundant in her happiness. No longer lithe but steady, proud. She walks with more carful footing than before, aware of her duty to protect the life within herself. She guards her belly and then her children with all the cunning and power of a she-bear. She is more powerful now out of necessity and instinct.

                Crone Goddesses
The Fates(Greek)/The Norns(Norse)/Aiaru(Oceanic)/Baba-Yaga(Slavic)/Ala(Nigerian)/Ama No Uzumi(Japanese)/Ceridwen(Celtic)/Elli(Norse)/Hekate(Greek)Libitina(Roman)

During the final phase of the moon, the waning moon, the goddess is in her Crone form. Past her child-baring year, she is at the onset of menopause and heading into her silvery age with dignity. Her body is tired, but wise and she knows more than she did before. She does not crouch but relaxes, observant and intelligent. She is more tolerant and even tempered and less full of fire in her breast. Now  she is at her most powerful, but has little need to use it. She is patient and knows the best results often happen without her aid.

                Dark Goddesses
Hera(Greek)/Hathor(Egyptian)/Morrigan(Celtic)/Kali(Hindu)/Athena(Greek)/Lilith(Hebrew)/ Ereshkigal(Mesopotamian)/Sedna(Inuit)/Nephthys(Egyptian)/Medb(Celtic)

And then comes the darkness. Some call it the new moon, but to me this is the goddess in her Dark form. She would be described as cruel, cunning and even devious. Unwilling to lay compliant by the aspects of her brighter sisters, she strives towards her own goals. Sometimes her ambition comes at a high price and she loses much in this pursuit. And yet she is strong. She is powerful. She is confident and a queen in her own realm. None surpass her save at their own peril. She is quick to strike and will not hesitate to devour and opponent or usurper to her throne. This does not apply to any particular age of woman and as such can be applied to many goddesses at different points in their story line.

                When women forget this aspect of the goddess, they forget a piece of themselves. It is not in every woman to embrace the dark aspect of themselves any more than it is within every woman to embrace the mother in themselves. But it is there none the less. I believe that much like we draw on the different names of the goddesses for our power, we must learn to draw on their aspects for the strength that lends us. Whether that is the free spirit of the Maiden, the Resilience of the Mother, the wisdom of the Crone, or the Ambition of the Dark Goddess, they are all pieces of what we need to survive in our lives. Remember this the next time you call down the moon or seek out to worship the goddess that her face may not always be the one you want to see, but it is always a reflection of your own.

Bibliography

http://www.goddess-guide.com

Wicca Together

www.wiccantogether.com/

I just joined this online community for Wiccans/Pagans. I figure it's a good way to get back into talking to other "like-minded' people. I still have many  trepidations about activly going to meetings with pagans again. I'm just not sure it's where I'm at right now. I need to be more sure of myself and my beliefs before letting others influence me too closely.

Found in a Celtic Fairy Tales book

Now if I can just figure out how to pronounce it correctly...

   SAY THIS

Three times, with your eyes shut

Mothuighim boladh an Éireannaigh bhinn bhreugaigh

faoi m’fhóidín dúthaigh.

And you will see

What you will see

Pagan Supplies

I spent most of today gathering up supplies. When I gave up the craft two years ago Is lowly whittled down my collection to nothing. I didn't even have my old alter cloth anywhere. My tarot cards have vanished (although I can't recall getting rid of them), and I had really given away a lot of my books. Though that had less to do with "quitting" paganism and more to do with lack of bookshelf space. But coming back to it now means I'm depleted in resources so it will take some doing before I have a supply at hand.

However as compared to before (where I was thoroughly obsessed with the newest book/item/incense/oil/etc.), this time I am trying to be a little more practical about it. I have a smaller alter and magickal cabinet. I bought some incense in bulk, just because I know I'll go through it like crazy. I even managed to find my favorite Fizzy Pop scent again. *squees* Love that stuff.

I did a quick house cleansing. I walked around the walls of the house with a lighted stick of incense and whispered quietly:

"I cleanse this house of all malevolent, negative or problematic energy."
 

I also took some time and really did a through clean on the bedroom. Dust, vacuum, laundry and new sheets. Nothing feels quite as good as new sheets after you shave your legs. Nothing. In fact I would argue that as a magick in and of itself. The Magick of Simple Pleasure. It includes things like freshly laundered sheets on shaven legs, a cup of tea with JUST the right amount of sugar and honey, and an undisturbed hour of free reading.

Something else I want to try and start doing meditation. Honestly NOT something I've had a lot of success with beforehand, but I'm reall do think now is the time for it. I have been handling a great deal of stress in my life lately. I'm going through my teaching Practicum's at school. I got a new job as an actual teacher, which don't get me wrong I'm THRILLED about, but it's basically doing lesson plans for two different classes with two different age groups every few weeks. *groans* The house always seems to get dirty when I'm not looking. I'm trying to go vegetarian (I'm almost there! I quit beef in January, Chicken in February and now I'm quitting Fish and Seafood). And on top of that I have to occasionally remind my girlfriend that she exists and is important to me. Meditation would be a welcome reprieve for even a few minuets if I can avoid falling asleep. I get less of that now than ever and I feel it. It's bad when all you can think about during the day is what time do you get to go to sleep next.

Honestly, I'm hoping that involving myself with paganism again will give me something else to look forward to in the day. The next celebration, the next drum circle, the next ritual. it might sound weird but it's a feeling of empowerment that I need right now.

The Eight Sabbats: A Quick Overview

26th, 2011 | 03:41 pm

For the pagan community at large, our holy days revolve around the natural cycle of the earth and its seasons. It is dubbed The Wheel of the Year, or more commonly The Eight Sabbats. Though the term Sabbath is a Jewish term meaning ‘time of rest and or worship” the pagan Sabbats mostly originate from ancient Celtic and Germanic mythology respectively. They also reflect the planting and harvesting seasons as well as animal husbandry.

For most pagans, life and death is viewed as one continuous circle. There is no beginning and no ending. Thus the cycle of the earth is a metaphor for the cycles of life and death (or vice versa). For most, the pattern goes as such:

Birth
Life
Old Age
Death
Rebirth
(Repeat)

                The Sabbats can be broken down into two categories. The Greater Sabbats, cross quarter days where large bonfire festivals were once held, are usually the bigger holidays with larger turnouts. The Lesser Sabbats typically fall on solstices or equinoxes. Sabbats typically start at sunset the day of and last till sunset the next day.

EX: Samhain starts at sunset on Oct 31^st and lasts till sunset on November 1^st.
EX: Ostara starts at sunset on March 20^th (2011) and ends at sunset March 21^st (2011)

                Most rites are preformed at midnight the night of, but this is not ubiquitous. I prefer to take advantage of the lovely weather (depending upon the region) from Ostara to Mabon (Spring Solstice-Autumn Equinox) and perform the rites during the day and fully appreciate the sun and fresh air.

                As pagans tend to vary in their chosen pantheon of gods and goddesses, it is hard to discern which names to call out during these celebrations. Your grove or coven may have a particular pantheon they adhere to. Your group may also invite all comers to call upon whatever chosen deity they hold dear to their hearts. It really is up to the individual. Don’t feel as though you need to stick to one mythology or the other. Pagans tend to be broad about their deities’ names and sometimes try to find corresponding deities in their families’ culture or homeland of origin.

                For a beginner I would suggest finding a god or goddess that represents what each Sabbat is supposed to be about. You may want to go deeper, find out where your family originates from and discover what the local mythology was like a thousand years ago. For me my family background is Irish, though I used to favor Hellenistic mythos and once named myself Artimidora out of dedication to my favorite goddess Artemis. (See! You don’t HAVE to stick to any one mythology!) Lately though I’ve decided to pull more towards the Celtic paganism simply because I’ve become more and more proud of my Irish roots and heritage.

                As far as how to celebrate each chosen Sabbat, there are a million web-sites and books out there that are more than happy to tell you exactly what you need to do, what words to say, what to offer and which way to turn yourself when you want to cough. I’m not one of them. I’m happy to share what I do as I do it, but this is one of those times where I strongly suggest making up your own rituals and getting creative. It’s much more fun when you become personally involved in creating an alter or writing a spell than simply parroting lines from someone else’s script. Of course we can’t all be poets (I’m not) any more than we can all be artists (again), so don’t feel bad if you go ahead and repeat that Silver RavenWolf stylized ritual. The gods won’t be mad at you for it.

                Before we get into it I just want to say for the record that I DO NOT regard popular American holidays as religious in nature. Yes that includes Christmas. So as far as I am concerned one is perfectly fine celebrating all the same holidays they used to at the same time as celebrating all these new ones. The reason being that aside from a comparatively small amount of people most go on celebrating the holidays they grew up with regardless of any kind of religious over tone or secular meaning. They celebrate it the way they did when they were kids and thus it became tradition rather than faith or belief. Popular culture has turned holidays into cash cows and money crops (which is to be expected really). So where then is left the faith or belief that may have once inhabited the holiday? This isn’t a bad thing per say, in fact it’s helped keep some sense of any holiday alive. If you disagree that fine. But this Easter if you would do me a favor and keep a tally of how many times you think about Jesus’s resurrection, it’s meaning, and it’s impact of Christianity vs. how many times you think about candy, eggs, hiding places, dresses and suits, buying the right basket, Easter dinner and going to church.

                For each Sabbat I have chosen to give details in the following manner:

TITLE	DESCRIPTION
Name	The popular or most common names for the holiday.
Pronounced	Some names can be harder to say than others.
Corresponds With	Other holidays that correspond or are celebrated around the same time.
Date	Best time to celebrate.
Symbols	Imagery that reflects the meaning of the holiday.
Colors	What colors are most commonly used.
Time	Suggested time to celebrate during day or night.
Deities	Which god(dess)s tend to go well with  the celebration.
History	A brief explanation of the holiday, it’s origin, it’s meaning, and it’s modern day activities.
Magick	Some good spells and rituals to perform on this holiday.
Offerings	What you might consider picking as an offering or sacrifice.
Extras	Any other tidbits I may have come across.

                I sincerely hope this helps beginner pagans get a grip on the basics and maybe even make older pagans rethink or add to their own rituals and celebrations.

SAMHAIN

TITLE	DESCRIPTION
Name	Samhain-meaning ‘summers end’
Pronounced	Sow-ain
Corresponds With	All Hallows Eve (Catholic)/Dios De Los Muertos (Mexican)/Halloween (American)/
Date	October 31st (sundown) – Novemeber 1st (sundown)
Symbols	Pumpkins/apples/skulls/crone/leaves/hay/wheat/corn/crows/cats/spirits/lanterns/gourds/stalks
Colors	Dark brown/gold/bright orange/apple red/mossy green/yellow/black
Time	Most pagans prefer to celebrate this holiday at Midnight, which is very practical as it’s after the children are too exhausted from Trick-or-Treating to stay awake any more and it allows for a higher degree of privacy.
Deities	Gods of Death, Endings and Cross Roads Hades (Greek)/Astarte()/Anubis(Egyptian)/Ereshkigal (Babylonian)/Hecate(Greek)/ Morrigan (Celtic)/Crone(Wiccan)/Valkeries(Norse)/Hermese(Greek)/Hestia(Greek)Lilith(Hebrew)/Baron Samedi(Haitian/Voodoo)/
History	In ancient times, this was considered to be the end of many different activities. The harvests were usually in, the ships would return from sea, the animals would be herded to closer pastures and people would return from any far away travels, including war and battles. Long days of hard work were done for the time being and people had a chance to celebrate with friends and family. Bonfires were lit, big enough to be seen for miles around and people would have huge feasts and dance long into the night. It was also the time of year when the Veil (the boundary between worlds) was thought to be at its thinnest and that the souls of the dead were able to cross into our world with greater ease. Old relatives and friends were given a place at the table and invited to join in the revelry. People often related stories of heroic deeds in battle or hunt and wove stories of meetings with Otherworldly beings. Druids considered this night to be most auspicious for reading portends and working rituals to see how things would go in the coming year. Sacrifices of animal and vegetation were made and the druids would watch to see if each offer was accepted by the gods. In VERY ancient times, this was when the hearth fires would be extinguished and relit to protect people from the dark and wild animals. But for the most part, it was a harvest festival and a chance to celebrate before bad weather set it, trapping people to their homes and villages for months. For modern Wiccans and Witches this is the time of year when the Triple Goddess transforms into her aspect of the Crone, the old wise woman who has seen everything and can tell you anything. She is symbolic of the time in a woman’s life where burdens are lifted from her shoulders onto younger back and she may rest in peace and be counted among the respected and revered. For many she is the messenger between the world of the living and that of the dead, able to visit both untouched. The Crone is also considered a midwife figure, offering the comfort of rebirth when death is so very near. This time of year is also seen as the dying of the Sun God (in some versions he sacrifices himself only to rise again in Spring time).
Magick	Scrying(reading oracles/offering respect to family, friends, pets gone/asking for good fortune in the new year/renewing ones magickal connection/thanking god(dess) for good harvest n good fortune/renewing protection and warding spells/spells of binding or removing problems
Offerings	FOOD: Wheat/grains/apples/corns/rye breads/red wines/rum/whisky/ SPICES: Cinnamon/nutmeg/vanilla/ginger/clove INCENSE: Sandalwood/Nag Champ/Dragon’s Blood/
Extras	It’s okay to enjoy the goofy costumed fun of this holiday just as much as the pagan part. Especially if you have younger children who don’t particularly care about the ritualistic part. You can have just as much fun (and still be celebrating the holiday just fine) if you hold a pagan parents party and have games that reflect your personal beliefs as well as old fashioned apple bobbing and such.

Yule

TITLE	DESCRIPTION
Name	Yule or Winter Solstice-meaning ‘Wheel of Fire (Sun)’
Pronounced	Jul
Corresponds With	Christmas/Kwanzaa/Hanukkah/Saturnalia/Hogmanay
Date	December 22nd (sundown)-December 23rd (sundown)
Symbols	Pine trees & cones/mistletoe/crows/deer/candles/wood/holly/boar/goat/wreaths
Colors	Red/green/gold/silver/blue/gray/
Time	Sundown on the eve of the 22nd is, I feel, an appropriate time as most people celebrate winter holidays with a lot of feasting and drinking and it’s easier to have a gathering when supper is offered.
Deities	Gods of Winter, Prosperity and Sun Santa Claus(American)/Chione(Greek)/Beaver(Native American)/Colleda(Slavic)/Persephone (Greek)/Hod(Norse)/Pipinoukhe(Native American-Algonquin)/Jesus Christ(Christian)/ Krampus (Scandinavian)/Odin(Norse)/Dis(Norse)
History	This was the midway point in the Norse winter. Winter was half over and it was a cause for much celebration and excitement. Winter nights were long and hard. People were reminded that the sun would soon be reborn and return light and warmth to the world. This was celebrated by a large gathering in the villages. Men would go out and cut down the biggest tree they could find. They would cut it into logs, place it on the fire, and the feast would continue until the last piece of the Yule Log was burn to ash. Everyone was required to participate in the feast and bring food, ale and bread to the party, otherwise they had to pay a hefty fine. Large animal sacrifices were made at this time and the walls of temples as well as the men present were smeared with the blood. The animals were cooked and served at the meal. Toasts were drunk to the gods for victory, power, good harvests and peace, as well as a toast for the dearly departed. In Roman times, this was the celebration of the god Saturn and possibly of another solar deity. It was a day when large, opulent feasts were held, masters became servants and people engaged in copious amounts of drink, revelry and sexual escapades. Gifts were given and luxury was the name of the game. There was a belief rampant in ancient Europe that this was the time of year when the Wild Hunt took place. The Wild Hunt was comprised of either the souls of the dead or fairies or gods, horses, hounds and the like and hunt across the wilderness. It was sometimes ritually reenacted.
Magick	Generosity/charity & kindness/health, wealth & self/hearth/home/family /prosperity/money/ new beginnings/
Offerings	FOOD: grapes/baked goods/red wine/schnapps/mead/chocolate/Turkish delight/cranberries SPICES: salt/pepper/flour/allspice/ INCENSE: peppermint/cranberry/pine/oak/
Extras

IMBOLC

TITLE	DESCRIPTION
Name	Imbolc (or Imbolg) meaning ‘ewe’s milk’ or ‘in the belly’
Pronounced	I  mbolg
Corresponds With	St.Brigit’s Day/Candlemas/Valentine’s Day/Groundhogs Day/
Date	Febuary 1st (sundown)- Febuary 2nd (sundown)
Symbols	Lambs/milk/sparrows/grass/flames/wool/hearts/jewelry
Colors	Light green/white/grey/cream
Time	I prefer to celebrate this holiday at dawn if at all possible to coincide with the alow rising of spring and the return of warmth.
Deities	Gods of Spring, Life and Growth Brigid(Celtic)/Cailleach(Scottish)/Aholi(Hopi)/Anahita(Persia)/Chloris(Greek)/Fauonius(Roman)/Idun (Norse)
History	Traditionally, Imbolc is associated with the signs of the ewes about to give birth to their young. It is a symbol that life is returning to the world and Spring is at hand. The first signs that the cold winter weather is heading out usually come around this point in time, although in America, February is known for bringing the worst weather possible. Because of the lactation taking place this holiday was often celebrates with ample amounts of butter, milk and cheese. Imbolc is one of the four fire festivals and is a time of purification and being made anew much like nature is coming back to life. Brigit, the daughter of Dagda, reigns supreme over this holiday as she is seen as the patron of high though, fire (and warmer weather) and the hearth. For the Scots there is a tale about Cailleach, who in one version sheds her mantle of the Crone aspect and is reborn as the maiden of spring. In another she is still an old woman who comes out on Imbolg to gather firewood. There is an old tale that says of Imbolg is bright and sunny, it is because Cailleach made it that way so that she could gather more firewood for the rest of winter.
Magick	Kitchen/hearth/home/family/omens/fertility/garden preparation/nature
Offerings	FOOD: Grapefruits/cheese/milk/dried fruits/celery SPICES: parsley/flowers INCENSE: cedar/lavender/sweetgrass/grapefruit
Extras

OSTARA

TITLE	DESCRIPTIONS
Name	Ostara or Eostra-meaning ‘to shine’
Pronounced	Eh-oh-stra
Corresponds With	Easter/Spring Solstice/National Garden Month/Earth Day/St. Patrick’s Day
Date	March 20th 2011 (sundown)- March 21st 2011 (sundown)
Symbols	Eggs/rabbits/flowers/rain/springs/baby birds/sun/lace/cherry blossom(any early blossoms)/
Colors	Pastels-yellow/green/blue/white/pink/white
Time	I like to celebrate this holiday or mid morning to mid afternoon, taking advantage of the warmest part of the day and really soaking up the lovely weather.
Deities	Gods of Dawn, Fertility and Youth Eostra(Germanic)/Demeter(Greek)/Freja(Norse)/Pamona(Roman)/Sampsa(Finnish)/Tammuz(Mesopotamian)/Xipe-Totec(Aztec)/Yhi(Aboriginal)/Ala(African)/Innana(Mesopotamian)/ Jesus Christ (Christian)/Aida-Wedo(Haitian/Voodoo)
History	Actually there is a great deal of debate as to whether or not this holiday is legitimate. But what pagans and wiccans alike consider is this: Eostra is the goddess of the dawn, her light returning to the world and bringing with it spring weather. She is an aspect of the Triple goddess in her form of the youthful maiden, ripe for love and free from worry or strife. Her coming means that spring has begun, babies are being born and the soil is ready for tilling.
Magick	Fertility spells/worship of earth god(dess)/garden/removing past troubles/equality/removing old habits/taking new chances/spring cleaning/cleansing rituals
Offerings	FOOD: Eggs/chocolate/flowers/candy/carrots SPICES: clove/mint/lemon/chives/parsley INCENSE: lavender/citrus/sweet pea/lilac/cherry blossom
Extras	Water collected on this day is considered sacred.

Beltane

TITLE	DESCRIPTIONS
Name	Beltaine-meaning ‘bright fire’
Pronounced	Bell-taen
Corresponds With	May Day/Mother’s Day/Cinco De Mayo/Purim/Walpurgis
Date	May 1st (sundown) – May 2nd (sundown)
Symbols	Fire/cattle/any herding animal/fairies/flowers/ribbons/garlands/egg shells/may pole/bells/ horse/
Colors	Vivid colors-green/orange/yellow/blue/pink
Time	This is a celebration that really deserves a Midday ceremony. The weather is glorious, the day is bright and warm and it just feels so good to be outside and in the world. It’s easier to get people together during Beltane because it’s not too hot yet and everyone is ready for outdoor activities.
Deities	Gods of Animals, Fertility and Abundance Aakuluujjusi (Native American-Inuit)/Virgin Mary (Catholic)/Gaea (Greek)/Freya(Norse)/ Artemis(Greek)/Bast(Egyptian/Priapus(Roman)/Cernunnus(Celtic)/Hathor(Egyptian)/Erculie(Haitian/Voodoo)
History	Much like Samhain, Beltane was seen as a time of year when the Otherworld was particularly strong. It was that start of the summer season for the Tuatha Da Danann (some might call them fairies). The herd animals were driven between two bonfires to purify and bless them before being lead out to the summer time pastures. This was a celebration of the return of fertility, and thus young couples would usually choose to be hand fasted (wed for a year) to see if they were compatible and well suited to one another before marrying.  Maypole dancing was often done, where people would erect a large pole as a phallus (symbol of male fertility) and decorate it to celebrate fertility and life making.
Magick	Purification/blessing/good luck/good will/fertility/safety of animals/
Offerings	FOOD: Oat cakes/honey/graspes/apples/melons/onions/wine/scotch/ SPICES: Garlic/leek/mushrooms/onions/ INCENSE: juniper/rowan/hawthorn/rose/magnolia
Extras	The annual lighting of the gigantic bonfire survives even to this day!

Litha

TITLE	DESCRIPTIONS
Name	Litha or Midsummer
Pronounced	Lee-pah or Lee-tha
Corresponds With	Summer Solstice/Midsommerfton
Date	June 21st  2011 (sundown) – June 22nd 2011 (sundown)
Symbols	Summer blossoms/dancing/fully green branches/fairies/fireworks/bonfires
Colors	Red/orange/yellow/green/tan/ocean blue/
Time	Midsummer is one of those all day all night celebrations, as it frequently continues well through the late hours of both! A lot of dancing and singing rituals tend to come to fruition this time of year and people are in love with the earth itself and her bounty.
Deities	Gods of Summer, Joy and Revelry John the Baptist(Christianity)/Diyonisus(Greek)/Hathor(Egyptian)/Bes(Egyptian)/Baccus(Roman) /Macuiltochtli(Aztec)/Medb(Celtic)/Kvasir(Norse)/Byggvir(Norse)/Sangen-Samo(Japanese)/ Ukko(Finnish)/Mother(Wiccan)/The Horned God(Wiccan)/Dragaica(Romanian)
History	Plants picked on this night were believed to have especially potent magickal powers. However this was done at great cost, because it was also believed that mischievous or even malevolent spirits were free to roam about on this night. Bonfires were lit to protect people from their interference. The Vikings would visit sacred healing wells and also light fires to protect from evil spirits. In Finland, young maidens would seek out their suitors and it was a common time for fertility rituals. Even today, Midsummers Eve is a night for much revelry and celebration. It is the height of the bright half of the year in much the same way Samhain is the height of the dark half.
Magick	Fertility/fairy/Otherworld/happy life/food/motherhood/marriage/love
Offerings	FOOD: Cucumbers/melon/strawberries/raspberries/blackberries/potatoes/pineapples/ beer/cheese SPICES: Thyme/basil/parsley INCENSE: Marigold/fern/clover/oak
Extras	Midsummer traditions are WIDELY celebrated across the world! In Latvia there is a fine tradition of men running naked through the streets!