ANNWYN:

Basically, what I wanted to do tonight is to take a look at several different approaches to the Solstice.

Chat Host:

Ok...all settle down now. Let Annie take over.

ANNWYN:

One reason for the different approaches is as a reminder that there is NO one way...or one RIGHT WAY. It is very important in Wicca to remember...that your religion is just that... Your religion... personal and relevant to your needs. I will allow questions throughout guys... but since we got started late... if you will wait until I ask

Chat Host:

aye annie

Tarotmoon:

Ta

ANNWYN:

Those of us who practice totally or primarily solitary are left a lot of leverage as to how we decide to prepare our rituals. That was prepare... not repair... teehee. We look at a certain need we have... A particular path we are working on... A certain Pantheon...we are familiarizing ourselves with... or focusing on for a certain period... An event that has occurred in our life that has put us in a certain space. For instance, although the main focus at this time of the year - the Solstice - is God centered, because I am currently pregnant... as the "Earth" is at this time... my focus will be on the Goddess... the richness and lushness of the season... the greenness... the aliveness... that growth and sensuality of summer. Usually I would use this time with more of the Oak/Holly king approach.

But I started this focus at Samhain... Did a returning to the Earth/Womb ritual... will consider this focus through Mabon... when my baby is due. My ceremony... just to include some associations will include a milk, honey, grain ceremony... honey the product of bees... alive and buzzing everywhere this time of year... produced from a beehive... symbol of goddess... milk... the nurturing primal mother... and grain... the life cycle. In looking at the Solstice we find it represented in different paths with different names... From you guys... what are a few that you use for the Solstice?

Red Deer:

Litha

RebBelleRose:

Litha

ANNWYN:

aye

Tarotmoon:

cynara

ANNWYN:

anyone else

ANNWYN:

Other names we see are

Red Deer:

midsummer's eve

ANNWYN:

Gathering day... in reference to a good time to gather herbs...

Yes Red

Quandary:

Grain and honey... berries and herbs.

ANNWYN:

St. John's Day... this was set up by church to offset the Pagan rituals at this time for the Solstice. Alban Heruin... Alban Heffyn... Feill Sheathain and many more. Just as the various name suggest... there are different paths ...each with their own focus of celebration.

The Solstice is a LESSER Sabbat... a solar sabbat. Some trads do not even include it in their worship. We celebrate as Red pointed out Midsummer and the Solstice... actually Midsummer's Eve. Some trads would have bonfires lit... on the Eve... With another ceremony at dawn...to celebrate the SUN... on the longest day of the year

Some would do a Drawing Down of Moon on the Eve regardless of Phase... with a Drawing Down of the Sun... at Dawn... then great rite... thus representing a complete union. Another thing to consider is that mostly we accept the Sun as God. Not all trads or cultures do... The gender in German... and I think Gaelic for sun is actually feminine

LordCearnach:

Specifically the Celts, Annwyn... indeed...

ANNWYN:

Yes Lord...

Red Deer:

sorry, Annie - sun god...

ANNWYN:

There is evidence at Stonehenge... where of course the dawn ceremony at summer solstice is well known

Red Deer:

in Gaelic

ANNWYN:

Das OK. RD... love you anyway{G}

At Stonehenge... which has been reworked many times... there is evidence that the site was used also originally for lunar measurement. Interestingly... in other such sites... for solar marking... the significance was to establish the cross quarter days... by knowing the solar ones.

And RD... not to confuse the issue... will stick with GOD association

Remembering that this is a time the God has reached his peak. It is also a conjoining of the God and Goddess. My reason for bringing up associations is that when you are considering your ritual though spontaneity is always welcome as far as I am concerned 1)... for when things just screw up and you must go to plan b, 2)... when you become divinely connected in a different direction than expected. But for the most part... you should sit down before hand and CONSIDER what you will include... some suggest as many associations as possible... but I think your understanding and connection to those are more important or it just becomes window dressing

For the solstice... What are some associations you guys use? Do I hear snores?

Chat Host:

lol

Boudica:

you guys?

kismet:

{G}

ANNWYN:

and girls...

Quandary:

};Q

ANNWYN:

gee

Chat Host:

That's Texan for everyone in general Boud

ANNWYN:

This sabbat is aligned with the South...

Boudica:

that's Brooklyn, in my book

ANNWYN:

the color red plays very prominently... a color of passion... and vitality... strength... farthest reaching. We see associated in our thought process... Action change perception maturity... Bonfires... of course of a biggy... one important one is the SOLAR DISK. I have several ways to make your own... if you are interested... Email me... As far as colors go... also anything connected with the sun will do. This is also the NOON of the year... the highest point of the sun. So white also is appropriate

Yerri:

what is a solar disk?

ANNWYN:

Circle representing the Wheel with equal armed cross in center

Yerri:

thank you.

ANNWYN:

spring veggies are good... light breads and cheeses... Damiana tea for lustiness{G}. This is a good time for gathering Herbs... St. John's Wort being very prominent. represents protection... magically aligned also to fire spirits... has yellow flowers/Sun

Red Deer:

mead, for more lustiness {g}

ANNWYN:

Oh ...yes RD of course... I have a couple of recipes for MEAD also if anyone would like

St. Johns Wort leaves resemble the four armed cross

Tarotmoon:

I would Ann

ANNWYN:

Rue is gathered at this time... my personal fave... rue for protection again and for dispelling negativity... also cleansing unknown energies... I use it often with angelica. Verbena/verbain... used also for safe keeping, also herb of romance... Persian magicians use it to honor the sun... so one source tells me... not being Persian myself. Lavender good now... roses... sunflowers if ready... I would like to include Bay Laurel... as it helps with understanding of SUN... also can be used to invoke god form. Mistletoe is perhaps most known of Herbs gathered at Solstice... This with a golden sickle... golden sickle is at once male and female... gold for Sun... and shape that of crescent... should not be allowed to touch the ground as many of you know. I'll cut herbs short... no pun intended so we can move on.

PAniteowl:

hmmmphhh!!!!! {g}

Boudica:

{g}

ANNWYN:

Later PA...

Sometimes in determining where we are on the wheel of the year certain things overlap or conflict. Part of this is how we are looking at it... from agricultural standpoint... animal... herding /hunting... or interpersonal... personal growth. Starhawk suggests for the solstice that the God and Godess married at Beltane... they do not consummate the marriage until midsummer

Red Deer:

I disagree with that Annie.

ANNWYN:

"ina union so complete it becomes a death". He is named Summer Crowned King instead of Winter Born, and the crown's of roses; the bloom of culmination coupled with the stab of the thorn...

Me two RD...hold your hooves

Red Deer:

'k

ANNWYN:

The imagery is beautiful... and I agree with the concept of total giving over... except I believe... and again ... this is my belief and I understand not all will agree... but I believe the Godess is already preggers at this time. I usually look at the points of the wheel in its birth, life, death, rebirth cycle as representative of stages in our life. The placement of the Solstice in the South... in different trads has very similar meanings... generally a time of maturation... leaving childhood for adulthood accepting responsibility. On the Shaman's wheel one such association is "Coming into Being." A coming into Self... becoming. I generally see the Goddess as becoming impregnated (seed in ground) in the spring... as we naturally would see sowing of seed by the God at his most pan like phase. It is generally accepted that May is the time of the Divine marriage...where God and Godess wed... and at midsummer... he has not yet relinquished his freedom... or has not realized the depth of his commitment, but in his love and the growth that occurs there... he reaches his prime and the Goddess asks him to take on the responsibility of their union, enlists his help to complete what they have started.

Thought they have physically joined before, this deeper commitment and joining then could be relative to Starhawk's imagery at least. Vivianne Crowley has a wonderful chapter on this in Wicca... the Old Religion in the New Age so I won't get to heavy into that. Ms. Crowley writes

"Beneath the blossoms of Beltane

You came forth from the woods to claim me

And to own your child

And you pledged yourself to me in life and death

Now the power within me which nourishes the land

Turns inward to protect and grow our son

And I can no longer rule alone...

skipping... skipping...

Will you leave the greenwood of your youth

And bear the burdens of a King and a Man?"

Though the God agrees, he says

"I fear to take this kingship

For before me I see

Blood on the corn

The shadow of my death"

The God has grown through the stages of infancy... to young adulthood... and has at midsummer reached his apex. He is equidistant from birth... looking both ahead and back. Oak comes from both a Sanskrit and Gaelic word "Duir" meaning Door. The oak is the hinge of the year... looking forward and back

Tarotmoon:

Or druid

ANNWYN:

Yes... but for this DOOR

Oak is tree of strength and durability... has a long life but slow maturation endures time... carries tradition and knowledge from ancient times forward... Deeply rooted... The Holly tree... from a word... Tinne... means sacred tree holy tree. It is known as Best in fight... warrior. It is a potent life symbol and symbol of polarity. It represents what lies ahead. It's leaves are soft in summer... but harden in winter in endure. It's wood was often used for spears because once leaving the hand had great balance and directness... sense of it's own purpose. The Druids thought the tree always had the SUN in it.

The Goddess is eternal, eternal. The God is born... lives... dies and is reborn through her. Another attribute of the OAK is it actually seems to draw lightening... sudden light... REALIZATION. Traditionally the Oak and the Holly king fight for the Goddess... rulership of the Earth... at midsummer. In the union that is so complete... the God REALIZES that in his acceptance of his responsibility to the Goddess he BRINGS LIFE FORWARD... in his dying he will complete the circle... so that all can be reborn again. In his loss to the Holly King... he relinquishes his power to one destined to rule in the Dark time... Prepared to RULE in the Dark time... one that does not die... and carries the SUN with him through the dark months... the time of ingoing. In his death the Oak King is entrusting his life to His Brother... to be reborn again at Yule. The Oak King at his height has no where to go but to decline... one cannot burn so brightly incessantly. The sun eternally at its Zenith would become destroyer... his time is spent... the Oak King understands at once... his MORTALITY and his IMMORTALITY. With this said... might I add within the seriousness of the meaning of this Sabbat... DO NOT FORGET to laugh... love... and play

Das all folks

Carielle:

{{{{{{{{{{{Annwyn}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Tarotmoon:

Slainte, Ann

Tarotmoon:

Lovely,

Chat Host:

Very good Annie! Thank you!