Hello
Welcome to all the new subscribers from Avalon Faire's list. This Newsletter
will be sent on the New Moon each month, with special issues for each
of the spokes on the Wheel of the Year. There may also be some issues
sent out with announcements of upcoming fairs or festivals that I will
be attending.
Ok, enough of that, on to some fun stuff.....
Summer Solstice or Midsummer
The Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year. Midsummer can refer
to the solstice or a specific date such as June 24. Either way, its
time to light the bonfire and celebrate!
This is truly a magickal time of the year. Do not doubt that the fairies
are out and about, I have a little story that proves that. Two years
ago on the Summer Solstice, my friend and I went into my yard to gather
some flowers for our ritual. It was a hot day with no wind. After picking
the flowers, we went to walk back in and there on my porch was a gift
from the fairies. When we walked out the porch was bare but now there
was one branch from a tree. It was the perfect size for a wand and had
three leaves still attached to it. I had been wondering what to cast
the circle with since my usual tool is an athame and fairies hate metal
(we won't go into the whole "you don't need any tool" lecture
right now, thank you, I know). The fairies gave me the answer and I
used that wand. We had the most wonderful ritual that year. And, of
course, left a thank you for the fairies.
You can plan your ritual but be open for any messages that come the
day of the holiday. I actually get my best inspiration the day of, which
sometimes makes it hard to plan ahead. This year we had hoped to have
an outside ritual with a fire but it looks like Mother Nature has other
ideas. Always have a back up plan, or wait until the day of (like me)
so you know what the weather will be.
Whether you celebrate outside with a bonfire or inside with Infinite
Flame's Midsummer Candle (cheap
plug), take time to enjoy the longest day of the year and the warmth
of the sun.
Midsummer Incense
Most would use this space to give you a recipe for Midsummer incense,
but not me. I like to encourage people to create their own unique blends,
and also I have not yet created my Midsummer blend (see section above
: )
According to my sources, the traditional herbs used at Midsummer include:
bay leaves (invoke Sun Gods & Goddesses)
chamomile ( sacred to the Sun God)
cinnamon (fire, sun)
dill (traditionally cast on a bonfire)
elder blossoms (for fairies)
fennel (traditionally cast on a bonfire)
frankincense (Sun Gods & Moon Goddesses, and smells great in a
fire)
lavender flowers (fairies)
rose (Sun Goddesses)
rosemary (sun, fire, fairies)
thyme (fairies, empowering).
Midsummer was also called Night of the Vervain and this was the day
that vervain was gathered for the coming year. Any left from the previous
year was cast on the bonfire.
I would encourage you to use this info and any other that you find
as a starting point. Add to the traditional herbs any herbs that you
feel are connected to the energies of this time of year. Personally,
I would add some dragon's blood as dragons symbolize most of the energies
of this time of year and.....I like the smell of it.
If you do not have herbs to make your own, there are plenty of incense
to choose from at your local new age store. Who knows, I may even sell
my blend next year....
Happy Solstice! ~~~~ Laura
