Summer Solstice - Media in error

Today is the Summer Solstice.

Celebrations abound all over the world. Stonehenge is particularly busy today. So I decided to check around the web and see what new articles were around about the solstice celebrations and goings on. There were a few on just a simple search. But I was surprised when I read these ‘news’ stories. Here is what is a few of the articles said.

“Prior to the arrival of Christianity to northern Europe, cultures celebrated the arrival of the June solstice because it was seen as one of the few times of the year when magic was at its most powerful. These days, the June solstice is celebrated as the start of summer, although at tourist destinations such as Massachusetts’s Cape Cod, Memorial Day often marks the start of the "summer season" for tourism. But lest we think of the June solstice only in terms of suntan oil or maypole dances marking "midsummer" solstice celebrations in the Northern Hemisphere, it's also an opportunity to pause and remember those who are sacrificing their summer so that others may learn about climate, or Mars, or the cosmos as a whole – never mind penguins, fossils, and krill.” – Pete Spotts, Christian Science Monitor

“As per some Pagan beliefs, this point of the year marks the marriage of God and Goddess and a celebration of growth and life.” – IBTimes Staff Reporter, International Business Times

“The Swedish celebration is called Midsommar. Like European pagans have done for centuries, this celebration can include singing and dancing around objects such as a flower-studded maypole or a large bonfire. “ – MyFox Houston

Okay…so…yea…wait…Maypole? Maypole? Really? The marriage of the God and Goddess? Really? *shakes head and walks away. The problem with the Fox quote is that they have said that all European Pagans celebrate the way the Swedish people do.  This is far from the truth. Since when did the Summer Solstice move to Beltane? As you can see I chose articles that clearly show exactly how much people don’t know what the Summer Solstice means. I would have thought they would have done some research or something. Of course I am going to send messages to the editors of these stories and inform them of the mistake and point them in the correct direction. I also see this as evidence that there is a need for education on what people of pagan faiths believe and celebrate and why. I also encourage everyone to watch when Pagan events are reported on to see if they are accurately portrayed. This will help with continuing education.

This is my activism post.  I don't do these often, it takes something to really annoy me for me to post under activism.

Have a Blessed Summer Solstice!!!  Blessed Be!!!

Summer Solstice ~ Litha ~ Midsummer June 21st 2011

A solstice only happens twice in a year, December 21st and June 21st.  The upcoming solstice is the Summer Solstice;  the day is the longest and the night the shortest.  The sun is also at its northern most point during this day because of the tilt of the earth on its axis.

The summer solstice is also known as Midsummer and Litha.  Midsummer's Day is June 24th.  This is one of the four solar celebrations, the others being Winter Solstice, Spring Equinox, and Autumn Equinox. 

The celebration of Midsummer's Eve was from ancient times linked to the summer solstice. Some people believed that mid-summer plants, especially Calendula, had miraculous healing powers and they therefore picked them on this night. Bonfires were lit to protect against evil spirits which were believed to roam freely when the sun was turning southwards again. In later years, witches were also thought to be on their way to meetings with other powerful beings.

Litha is a time to celebrate fertility, abundance and nature in full bloom.  It is a time when the Oak King is killed and the Holly King take his throne until the return of the Oak King at Winter Solstice.  During the celebrations, children and adults play games.  Craft activities that are perfect for this sabbat are; creating amulets with herbs of Rue and Rowan, create protection pouches from white cotton and Rue, whole wheat bread, salt, and star anise seeds, make a Solar Wheel, make a Witch's Ladder.

Rituals held during this sabbat can be for honoring Mother Earth, celebrating life and growth.  This is also a perfect time for dedications and re-dedications.

Solstice Correspondences:

Deities: Amaterasu (Shinto), Aten (Egypt), Apollo (Greek), Hestia (Greek), Horus (Egyptian), Huitzilopochtli (Aztec), Juno (Roman), Lugh (Celtic), Sulis Minerva (Celtic, Roman), Sunna or Sol (Germanic)

Symbols and Decorations: summer flowers; images of the sun; statues of earth goddesses, faeries, earth gods; sun wheels; seashells; yellow, red or orange candles; blades; daisy chains; stone circles

Traditional colors: blue, green, orange, red, yellow, gold

Flowers: daisy, honeysuckle, marigold, red roses, sunflowers, foxglove, buttercups

Herbs: Chamomile, cinquefoil, fennel, lavender, mugwort, thyme, oak, hemp, St. John's wort, dill, marjoram, rue, rosemary, fern, sage, pine, garlic

Foods: citrus, curries,  peppers, onions, strawberries, summer squashes, tomatoes, honey,  green salads, roasted or grilled pork, blueberries, any sun-shaped, round foods (bread, tortillas, pizzas, etc.)

Drinks: sun tea, herbed teas, ale, mead

Animals: bee, butterfly, robins, snakes, wrens

Mythical creatures: faeries, fire birds, thunderbirds

Stones: amber, tiger's eye, jade

Direction: South

Time of Day: Noon

Have a blessed Litha.

Be sure to check out our store for all your Litha supplies.

Ethics and Money

Sunfire over at Pagan Blog Prompts has posted another interesting question for us to ponder.  Now normally I post on the prompts over on my personal blog at My Pagan Path and the Crossroads but I decided that this would be a good topic for the business blog.


Here is the text of the prompt.  

How do you feel about being paid for certain services of a pagan nature? Like Tarot/Palm/Astrology readings? Often these services are seen as personal, due to the nature of the readings. Some people find it unethical to charge for these services.

Where I live in Denver, Colorado there are many "Psychic readers" who have their sign out advertising readings.  Of course these people charge for the service.  It is unclear if they are pagan or not as I have not visited any of them, I get my readings from friends.  Most of them are run out of their residences with only a few around here actually being in a business atmosphere.  


Here is my thought on this.  


If a person is doing the readings and they are relying on the income from said readings to supplement the household that is fine.  
If a person is doing the readings and they rely on the income solely then for sure that is fine.
If a person is doing the readings as a hobby, or to just pass the time, then they should not be charging for it.


This is just for those individuals that offer readings.  The charging for spells is something completely different and in my opinion a very unethical thing to do.


There are tons of websites around that offer spells for a fee.  The 'witch' even cast the spell for you on some sites.  When I first began to explore my path I found these sites and instinctively knew that this was wrong.  I thought about trying to find links to some sites to give examples but then decided, "why give these sites more traffic?".  People that charge for spells and rituals also open themselves up to legal recrimination if the receiver of the spell doesn't feel they got 'their moneys worth'.  There have been a few stories posted around of just such a thing happening, unfortunately a quick search turned up empty.


So that is my thought on this particular prompt.


Thanks to Sunfire for supplying us with great topics for when we hit the wall.


Blessings,

Deities of the Desert - the Egyptian Pantheon

Egypt is the land of sand, the Nile, the pyramids, and a large pantheon of gods. There are many gods within the ancient Egyptian belief system. Some have fallen into being unknown while there are many that have remained in the forefront of people’s minds.

The many gods of Egyptian mythology were grouped into what are known as Pesedjets. Pesedjets were then divided into the Great Pesedjet, Lesser Pesedjet, and Dual Pesedjet. The most common known deities in Egypt are also referred to as ‘the nine’ or The Ennead and the Great Pesedjet. The Ennead consists of Atum, Shu, Tefnut, Geb, Nut, Osiris, Isis, Set, and Nephthys. Here is more about ‘the nine’.

Atum – He is the most ancient of deities after Nun. He is said to have rose out Nun as a mound of earth of his own creation.

Shu – Created by Atum by either spatting him on to the ground or by masturbation. He is the god of light. He is the twin brother and husband of Tefnut. He is the god who separated the goddess Nut from her mate Geb there by creating the sky.

Tefnut- Also created by Atum by either spatting her on to the ground or by masturbation. She is the goddess of moisture. She is the twin sister and wife of Shu. There are many tales of this goddess in ancient texts.

Geb – Also known as Seb or Qeb in the Book of the Dead. He is the son child of Shu and Tefnut. He is the Earth and the bother-husband of Nut, the sky.

Nut – She is the goddess of the Sky and the sister-wife of Geb. In some stories she is said to give birth to Ra each day so that he can journey across the sky to be swallowed by Nut to be born again the next day.

Osiris – Son of Nut and Geb and bother-husband of Isis. Osiris is one of the most popular gods in the Egyptian pantheon. He is the father of Horus the younger. The story of his death and dismemberment at the hands of his brother, Set, is epic; as is the story of his rebirth at the hands of Isis, Nephthys, Thoth, and Ra. Osiris is the god of the Underworld where he presides over the weighing of a person’s heart against the feather or Ma’at. Osiris is also seen as the god of agriculture since he is the god of re-birth.

Isis – Daughter of Nut and Geb and sister-wife of Osiris. Her commonest names are "the great goddess, the divine mother, the mistress of charms or enchantments"; in later times she is called the "mother of the gods," and the "living one." She found her husband after Set had encased him in a chest. She also helped her sister Nephthys and the god Thoth reassembles Osiris after Set had dismembered him. Isis and Osiris are the parents of Horus the younger. Isis is a very popular goddess figure from the Egyptian pantheon. Her popularity even surpassed the worship of Egypt into the Greco-Roman temples. She is known as the goddess of Motherhood, Magic, and Fertility.

Set – Also known as Sutekh in the Book of the Dead. Set is most commonly known as the god of chaos, which might come from his association with events in ancient Egypt that were terrifying, such as eclipses, thunderstorms, and earthquakes. Set has the distinction of being the only god to not have a common animal head on a human body. The head most seen as Set is referred to as the set animal since no animal know to humankind is like it. Other animals have been used as the head of Set but the unknown animal is the most common. Set is the god who became jealous of his brother Osiris and eventually destroyed him. Set is the twin brother and husband of Nephthys. All fish are sacred to Set.

Nephthys – Also known as Nebt-het in the Book of the Dead. She is the sister-wife of Set. She is seen as a nature goddess and represents the twilight time before sunrise and after sunset. She was very close to her sister Isis and helped her sister with the reconstruction of Osiris. She is one of the lesser known of the nine but she also has many stories.

Horus the Elder – Horus the Elder is not included in the Ennead. It is commonly believed that Nut and Geb actually gave birth to five children; Osiris, Horus, Set, Isis, and Nephthys. Horus the Elder was also known as the Sun God before Ra. He was also confounded with the son of Osiris and Isis, Horus the Younger, with whom many attributes were shared. Horus the Elder is associated with the Hawk or Falcon in some texts. Horus the Elder is also known as Heru-ur and the son or husband of Hathor. The symbol, “Eye of Horus”, is a powerful protective talisman.

After ‘the nine’ there are many other deities that were worshiped by the Egyptian people. Here are few of the most common known.

Anubis – the name is actually Greek; his name in ancient Egypt is Anpu. He is the jackal-headed god associated with mummification and the afterlife. He was second to Osiris in the underworld and the Guardian of the Scales that weighted the heart of a deceased person against Ma’at.

Bast – Also known as Bastet the cat goddess. She personified the playfulness, grace, affection, and cunning of a cat as well as the fierce power of a lioness.

Hathor – She is the goddess of love, music, beauty, motherhood, and joy. She is sometimes shown and a cow with the sun crown. Myth is she is also the pacified form of Sekhmet.

Ma’at - also known as Maat was the Ancient Egyptian concept of truth, balance, order, law, morality, and justice. Ma’at was also personified as a goddess regulating the stars, seasons, and the actions of both mortals and the deities, who set the order of the universe from chaos at the moment of creation. The feather of Ma’at was used to balance against the heart of person after death, in the Duat.

These are just a few of the deities of the Egyptian pantheon. A good list of deities can be here and here.

Before you begin working with any deities it is always a good idea to do as much research as possible. Most people feel is best to represent their affinity for a particular deity by wearing jewelry that represents images of said deity. Having a statue of your deity is great way to show honor to that deity.

This is by no means a complete representation of the Egyptian deities.

Resources used include.

THE GODS OF THE BOOK OF THE DEAD

Wikipedia – Egyptian Pantheon 

Ancient Egypt Online

Time to Clean for Spring - Cleaning Solution

It is that time of year again.  Spring is here and it is time to open those windows and doors and starting cleaning your dwelling.  From top to bottom from the little used guest room to the constant used living room, it is time to clean.  I have a cleaning solution that I use for my general everyday wipe down of the kitchen counters but I also use it to clean door handles, window sills, and any other places that need a wipe down.

The formula is quite simple and goes into a plastic spray bottle.

Ingredients:
White Vinegar
Borax
Water
Essential Oil of you choice
Herb of your choice (optional)
Spray Bottle
Funnel

How to make:

Add 1 teaspoon of Borax to the spray bottle.  Using a funnel will make this easier.  Next add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, again use the funnel.  Fill bottle with HOT tap water, not to the top of the bottle.  Leave room for the hose and other parts of the sprayer.  Add between 10-15 drops of essential oil of your choice.  You can mix and match your oils too.  Put on the sprayer and let the whole thing cool down.

How to use:

Spray and wipe.  That simple.  You can use a sponge, cloth, or paper towel with this solution.


I personally use Lavender Oil mixed with Lemon Oil.  It give a wonderful scent.  In a test I also added a pinch of peppermint to the bottle and let it mix in.  I don't remove the herb but leave it to do it's work.  The peppermint was added because of its correspondence to cleansing.

I hope that you find this cleaning solution a joy to use as much as I have.

Happy cleaning and Blessed be!!!

Deities - Of Gods and Goddesses

How many names do you know for Deities? Do you know what their attributes are? Do you know whether they're Celtic, Greco-Roman? Are they Norse, Hindu, Sumerian or Egyptian? Perhaps they're Asian, Mayan, Native American or African? Does it matter? How do they fit into your spiritual life? Do you feel that certain ones really fit into your life and some don’t?


The concept of deities has been around for a very long time although it is unclear when the belief in a deity or deities truly appeared. Early burials, as far back as 50,000 – 30,000 BCE showed at least a belief in the afterlife. Some cultures view deities as being “above” them, not interacting directly with their human “subjects”. Others see the deity as a supreme being to be fear and worshipped. In many pagan beliefs they see the deities as being both a part of them and not. Another way to think of this would be ‘within and without’.


What is this theism thing?

Monotheism is the belief in one deity, usually a god figure. This one god figure it thought to be the creator of all things. The common religions that follow this theism are Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Baha’i Faith.

Polytheism is the belief in many deities and usually come together in the form of a pantheon or group of gods from a similar culture. Egyptian, Roman, Greek, Germanic, Norse, Sumerian, Incan, Celtic, Slavic, Hindu, Japanese, Aztec, Mayan, Native American, and African are all cultures that hold to the belief in many deities.

How this fits into Paganism


The above list of polytheist cultures can also be called a list of Pagan cultures. I am going to focus on the polytheism and the Wiccan beliefs. Within most Pagan cultures there is a the belief in a Goddess and a God figure. Most Wiccans hold to this belief, and every Wiccan possesses his or her own conception of the Goddess and God. The concepts are obtained through research into those deities and subsequent pantheons that interest us. Others might work toward those deities and pantheon that are a part of their ancestry. Still others will go to deities and pantheon that the coven they belong to. There is no wrong way to find the deities and pantheon that resonates with you.

Personally I feel a draw to Hecate and Cernunnos which are of two different pantheons, Greco-Roman and Celtic. My ancestry is German/Swedish so if I was to go with the pantheons of my ancestors I can go with Germanic and Norse. I find the Norse Gods interesting but I am not drawn to them on a spiritual level.

The Goddess

The Goddess is seen as the female aspect of deity. She is seen as many different things to many different people. The Goddess is most often seen as a healer, a provider of wisdom and guidance and the child-bearer. The most common concept of the Goddess is the Triple Goddess; Maiden, Mother, and Crone. The Goddess is also related to the Moon and its phases. This also corresponds to the triple aspect. Maiden is to the New Moon & Waxing Moon, new beginnings and virgin. She is Artemis, Diana, Kore, Athena, Nimue, Sekmet, Luna, and many others. Mother is to the Full Moon, creativity, child birth, fertility and manifestation. She is Semele, Isis, Hathor, Shakti, Yemaya, Cybele, Demeter, and many others. Crone is to the Waning Moon & Dark Moon, magic, prophecy, and wisdom. She is Hecate, Baga Yaga, Morrigan, Grandmother Spiderwoman, and many others.


The God

The god is seen as the male aspect of deity. Like the Goddess, He is seen as many different things to many different people. The God is most often seen as the Hunter, the Warrior, the protector and provider. The most common concept of the God is the Sun. Egyptians called Him Ra, Greeks called Him Helios, Romans called Him Sol, the African Yoruban tribe called Him Shango, and in Scandinavia He was called Baldur. The God is also associated with the two kings, Oak King and Holly King both which rule the seasons at different times of the year. The God is a complex concept, there are many different aspects, many more then I will mention here.



In rituals both or just one can be called. This is going to be the topic of one of my entries. Also I am going to break down each of the major pantheons that most people associate with and that is going to be over several posts.



Shameless plug time – We carry many statues to many Goddesses and Gods in our store at Grove of the Ancients Pagan Marketplace.

Rituals & Ceremonies Part II - Casting Circle & Calling Quarters

In the last Rituals & Ceremonies post I explained how to cleanse a sacred space.  Now it is time to move to the next step in preparing for a ritual, casting a circle and calling the quarters. 

One of the most popular questions posed to pagans is, "Why do you cast a circle?”  The question might be worded differently but that is the general inquiry.  People will give you a lot of different answers. 

First, creating a circle creates a barrier between you and the outside world.  A buffer if you will.  It is a way to keep outside influences from interrupting your sacred rite.  Of course, there are things that get a free pass through the circles barrier, cats most notably.  Also unless you are using a mosquito net to enclose your circle; bugs and other natural creatures will surely venture in and through your circle, so be ready.  Second, a circle will act as a container to hold energies rose during the ritual.  Those energies would otherwise be lost before they could be directed toward the intended goal.  Third, is to create sacred space for communion with the divine. 

So now that we have the reasons that we create circles down, lets get down to the good stuff, how to cast the circle.  Casting a circle can be as simple or as complex as you like.  The circle may be large or small, delineated with a cord, drawn in the dirt, or simply visualized.  Traditionally, some ceremonial tool is used to direct the flow of energy that we intend to use for casting. It can be an athame or wand, even a sword set apart for ceremonial use.  When nothing is available, all is not lost. Just point your index and middle fingers in the direction where you want to lay down your circle and begin. 

Take your preferred tool and point it at the ground where you want your circle to be cast.  Visualize a blue light or flame rising from the ground at the point and continuing as you walk in a circle, deosil, around the altar.  Be sure to encompass all the area and persons you want to include in the circle.  Continue until you have returned to point you began.  Some traditions pause during the creation and acknowledge each of the cardinal points, additionally; some people tie a knot at the end using the infinity symbol.  A chant is usually said during the creation of the circle.  There is a wonderful one in True Magick: A Beginner's Guide by Amber K. 

”I conjure thee, O circle of power, that thou shalt be a boundary between the world of humanity and the realms of the mighty ones, a guardian and protection to preserve and contain the power we (or I) shall raise within;  wherefore do we (or I) bless and consecrate thee!”

  You are now between worlds and in sacred space.  If you must leave the circle a door must be ‘cut’ in the boundary, resealed and cut again when you return.  As I mentioned before, pets do not need to be cut in or out of circles.

HAZZAH! You have cast your first circle.  Enjoy it, explore it, experience it and be ready for the wonders contained within. 

Next we call the Quarters.

“What do you mean by Quarters, I don’t have any change on me.”  Not those Quarters silly, the quarters of the circle.  You can think of them as the four directions on the compass.  North, East, South and West, alternately East, South, West, and North, depend on your tradition.  Each of the “cardinal” directions can be represented in many different ways and fashions.  Traditional each direction will have an elemental correspondence.  Lets talk about each direction separately starting with East.

East.  The direction of the rising sun.  The elemental correspondence for this direction is Air and the color yellow and shades thereof.  Aspects of the mind such as creativity and imagination are also associated with this direction.  Elemental Sylphs are the air creatures.

South.  The direction to your right as you face the rising sun.  The elemental correspondence for this direction is Fire and the color red and shades thereof.  Aspects of passion such as vitality, will and purpose are also associated with this direction.  Traditionally, salamanders are associated with this direction but the phoenix; a creature born of fire is perfect for this direction. 

West.  The direction of the setting sun.  The elemental correspondence for this direction is Water and the color blue and shades thereof.  Aspects of the emotions including intuition are also associated with this direction.  Undines are the elemental being for West but any creature associated with water is perfect.

North.  The direction to your right as you face the setting sun.  The elemental correspondence for this direction is Earth and the color is green and shades thereof.  Aspects of grounding including the body, foundations, and the material plane are also associated with this direction.  Gnomes (no…not the Travelocity Gnome) are associated with this direction. 

Using all this information you can create some unique ways to call upon guardians to ‘witness and protect’ you in your ritual.  Remember that you should be respectful when calling the guardians.  Some traditions us the word ‘summon’ when calling.  This denotes that the guardians are subservient to you.  This is not the case and there is nothing worse then an angry or pissed off guardian, well accept for a pissed off deity but we will discuss that later.  I personally favor asking kindly and reverently that he guardians come observe and protect you in your ritual and maybe offering guidance relating to their particular aspect.  Green Witchcraft by Ann Moura has some wonderful and simple calls for each direction.  Here is the one for North.  

"I call upon you, Elemental Earth, to attend this rite and guard this circle, for as I have body and strength, we are kith and kin."

 After each call it is nice to add “Hail and Welcome!”, again as a sign of respect to the guardians. 

So you have cast a wonderful circle, strong and powerful.  The sacred space inside is at peace and pleasant.  You have some glorious elemental guardians at each of the cardinal points waiting with anticipation at what will be happening.  Now what?  Well my wonderful readers…that is what we will discuss next time.  Rituals & Ceremonies Part III : The Deities – Whom to call and how coming in two weeks.

Oh I can hardly wait (squeaks). 

Blessings to you and yours my dear readers.