Imbolc and the Festival of Lights

Hello lovies,

I am very excited about this turn of the wheel, for it is so close to Imbolc I can feel it in my bones! This is a holiday celebrated usually the first or second of February, this year it falls on the second.

Imbolc or Imbolg depending on what part of the world you are from (or even how you learned the name) is the first of the spring celebrations in the Wheel of the Year.

Imbolc was the celebrated as the first signs of spring were beginning to appear. It was a time to celebrate the return of the sun, and the beginning of the end of the winter season. Because of Imbolc's connection with the Sun, Brigid/Brighid/Brigit is a common deity to work with during this holiday. Although there is no saying that you couldn't work with any Sun deity; Mithra, Apollo, Ra, etc.

Imbolc is of Celtic origins, and in Gaelic the word 'Imbolc' translates to "in the belly." This is a great metaphor for those who celebrate the wheel. In a sense we have been hibernating, focusing on our shadowself, staying low to the ground. As Imbolc approaches we are preparing to come back to our lighter selves.

No matter how harsh the winter, there is a light at the end. Whether you take it literally or metaphorically, it sends a very powerful message.

I mentioned Brighid briefly in my For the Love of Imbolc post, but I didn't really tell you much about her. Brighid is the Celtic goddess of hearth and home, she is patron to poets and bards, healers and magicians. It is also said that she was honored when it came to prophecy and divination. Because she has two sisters who share her name, she has the qualities of the triple goddess aspect.

Brigid/Brigit was such a popular figure in Ireland that when Christianity finally spread to Ireland that rather then trying to rid the land of her, Christians adopted her as a Saint, and she even got to keep her holiday, which is still observed today.

Because a similar holiday was celebrated throughout what we now know as the United Kingdom, Imbolc has gone by many names and is still celebrated all over the island. Some other names you might come across are Candlemas, Feast of Brigit, Oimele, Festival of Milk, Wives' Feast Day, St. Brigid's Day; just to name a few.

To celebrate this holiday people would put candles in every doorway and window and keep them lit all day long as a way to encourage the Suns return. Today while that might not be safe, people opt it simply leave all of their lights on all day, it might not be financially frugal so I prefer to burn yellow candles. Other colors that are popular during this time are light green, white, pink and brown.

 One of my favorite books to read around this time is called Candlemas Feast of Flames by Amber K and Azrael Arynn K. This book is chalk full of history of the character of Brigid in her many capacities and also explores the history of Brigid as well. The book also includes season crafts and games that you can do with the family, history of festivals and traditions that you can incorporate for your celebration, and of course recipes!

Some of the more common crafts that you'll see around this time of the year are Brighid's Cross, Brighid Corn Doll and Brighid's Bed, click the links for easy instructions on how to. One recipe I found that I am really excited to try is called Imbolc Butter Cake.

As I was browsing for other recipes for this holiday, I stumbled upon another blog called Greenhaven: A Pagan Tradition and they have an awesome page for recipes, be sure to check them out!

Please stay tuned as I will soon be posting on what exactly the Wheel of the Year is, what the different holidays are, and their dates for this year, as well as a few extra goodies.

May Brighid keep you safe and warm during these last weeks of winter.

Many blessings to you and yours,

Thealynn

©2013-2015 Thealynn

Lughnasadh and Lammas

Greetings lovies,

As summer reaches its height we here Through the Secret Door have been studying the holiday that is known as Lughnasadh - pronounced Luna-sa or Lugh-na-sa by some and Lammas by others. Are they the same holiday? What are they celebrating, and what does this ancient holiday mean to us today?

This holiday was one that I was excited to learn about simply because it's the turn of the wheel that I have the least knowledge about. And with good reason, for several centuries it was only celebrated in Europe and is still celebrated there, but for anyone else in the world, unless you're in the pagan community, you've probably never heard of it.

In doing my research of this holiday I was pleasantly surprised that more people are talking about this holiday than in years past. From the research that I've done it seems that these festivals were fairly obscure despite the fact that countries all over the world celebrate their own form of harvest.

Lughnasadh as the name suggests, recognizes and honors the Celtic god Lugh. Lugh was considered a sun deity and was also connected with warriors and was called Master of Skills. Among the skills Lugh possessed he was a master at smithcraft which was highly regarded since warfare was something the Celts often experienced.

Lugh's story is one that we have seen time and again throughout different mythologies. Lugh was born destined to overthrow his grandfather Balor who was ruler of the underworld. After his brith, Lugh was sent off for his protection and raised by his foster mother, Tailtiu.

It's mentioned in The Book of Invasions by Lebor Gabála Érenn, that Lugh becomes associated with grain after he holds a harvest celebration in honor of his foster mother. Thus as time went on Lugh was often honored with grains, corn, and bread.

In ancient times, Lughnasadh was often celebrated by a series of games and competitions and was a time to settle tribal matters as well as ritual to promote a bountiful harvest along with being the opening to the hunting season. Most believed that it was considered bad luck, and even disrespectful to harvest before the first day of August.

From what I have been able to surmise from my research, while Lughnasadh and Lammas may have been different holidays at one point, celebrated by different peoples in the British Isles, they are celebrated as one in the same today.

I'll continue to research and study this holiday to see what else I might be able to learn and I'll be sure to share here if and when I do. Or if any of you have information to share, please feel free to do so below!

So how does one go about celebrating this holiday? What if I want to honor this time of year but I don't feel a connection to Celtic deities?

Never to worry! Remember above when I mentioned that harvest festivals are celebrated all over the world? Well, that alone gives us the freedom to choose how specific you want to get with your celebration.

The word Lammas translates to 'loaf-mass' so any harvest deity could very easily be honored here. While I was doing my research I came across this handy list of different gods and goddess that you can check out!

Another way you can celebrate this time of year is to bake a loaf of bread! I know the task seems daunting but there are a lot of recipes out there that are beginner friendly. My circle and I are going to be taking the recipe from one of my newer books, Super Market Magic.

Not only does this book cover all of the eight holidays but it all goes into simple magic you can do with herbs and spices that you get in the grocery store. It's phenomenal, and I sincerely recommend it.

One activity that my Circle and I will be doing is making Corn Dollys, I found a great how-to video on Youtube, which I would recommend checking out. It's a fun activity not just for adults but kids too! Corn Dollys then remain on your alter until Imbolc to promote abundance through the dark time of the year. What's nice about this craft is that they can be as simple or as elaborate as you like.

You'll often hear about John Barelycorn during this time as well. John Barleycorn is a character from English folklore who represents the crop of barley that is harvested each fall. He also represents what can be made from barley; beer and whiskey, and their affects. There are several songs about John Barleycorn and his adventures which when looked at closely, correspond with the continuing cycle of nature; planting, growing, harvesting, and then death.

 Another common activity done during this time is of course decorating your sacred space. Decorating with reds, yellows, golds, browns, oranges are easily incorporated all over the house, stalks of grain, acorns, pine cones and large leaves are another easy and natural way to welcome the first harvest.

Another one of my reads during this time was Lammas by Anna Franklin and Paul Mason. This title is a little harder to come by without spending an arm and a leg-I happened to get lucky, and it has a lot of good information about how the harvest is observed all over the world and goes more into detail regarding Lugh.

Of course it also goes into dozens of recipes, crafts, games and rituals to be done in a group or solitary setting.

Being that this is historically a Celtic holiday, if you haven't already done so, now is a great time to read up on some Celtic mythology, familiarize yourself with these gods and goddess.

One thing that is very special about this year is that while Lughnasadh is always on August first, we have a Blue Moon July 31st.

This will be the last time that we will have a Blue Moon until January 31st, 2018. That's two and a half years! I'll be writing a separate post about that in just a short while, and once it's up I'll be sure to link it here.

Venus has also just begun it's retrograde and will be spending 40 days and 40 nights in its retrograde which only takes place every 18 months.

So as you celebrate the first harvest, take a few moments to consider where you were this time two year ago, where you were 18 months ago.

Take time to relish and appreciate your accomplishments, and give serious consideration to what you have reaped in that time.

As we prepare to head into the dark time of the year, make the most of the sunshine and soak in as much as you can. Think about which seeds you've sown that have born fruit and which ones need more care.

Remember, there are several plants that take a year or even more after they are planted before they bear fruit. Which of your seeds are nestled safely in the ground that might be needing that extra time, and what can you do to help nourish them as they prepare to sprout in the coming spring?

Always be thankful for your blessings, and take heart that we are fortunate enough to live in a time where food is plentiful.

Many blessings of light, love, and abundance to you my dears,

May the gods and goddess shine on you and yours,

Thealynn

©2013-2015 Thealynn

Summer Solstice

Hey lovies,

I want to first apologize for missing the last two holidays; Ostara and Beltane-those holidays passed during my hiatus and unfortunately got missed when it came to being observed not only in my personal practice but here as well.

But I am happy to be back, and even happier to be preparing for the next turn of the Wheel-the Summer Solstice, also known as Litha.

This holiday might be one of the most well known outside of the pagan community due to the thousands of visitors to Stone Henge which is located in Wiltshire, England. The most noted visitors of the ancient monument are practitioners of the Druid persuasion, but it's estimated that the historic sight receives of 800,000 visitors per year!

Despite Stone Henge being in my top three places to visit before I do, we'll refocus on the topic at hand. By whatever name you recognize this holiday, June 21 makes the longest day of the year and the beginning of the summer season.

If you recall back in December when I was writing about Yule, the archetype of the Holly King and the Oak King as two halves of one whole: The Sun God. This perspective of the Sun God is Wiccan in nature and can be learned about here.

I really love this time of year because we're half way through the year, and with that in mind, I see it as a time of reflection. I think back to January when I was full of fire, and setting intentions and ready to take on this year.

With Midsummer just a couple of days away, I'm going to focusing on the next six months and all that I want to accomplish and manifest in that time. With the power of the Sun I feel my energy being replenished and I feel creative and motivated to celebrate all of the light or positive aspects of myself.

I've spent so much of the this year working on my shadow self, and bringing those aspects into the light so that I might work with them better, and release what's been holding me back.

From Litha, June 21 through August 1 which is Lammas orLughnasad which is the first harvest festival; I will be keeping my eyes on nurturing my goals and soaking up the strength and support of the Sun.

As far as old traditions go, one of my favorites is jumping over a fire-NOT SOMETHING I RECOMMEND YOU DO.

It was customary during this time to light large bonfires in dedication to the sun as during midsummer it was considered to be at its peak. On a small scale, fires were built where couples or individuals would jump over the flames stating what they wished to achieve or receive from the Universe. It was also believed that the hiring one jumped, the faster their wish would manifest.

Protection magic is something we also see a lot of during this time of the year, Litha is the last of the summer festivals which means that not far from now, the summer will be over and the days will grow shorter giving way to longer nights and colder weather. In preparation for the coming cold, protection amulets were a common craft and gift at Litha celebrations.

All manner of deity can be recognized during this time; sun and fertility deities both male and female. Crenunnos, Pan, Apollo, Ra are just a few gods associated with the Sun. Aphrodite, Freya, Cerridwen and Ishtar to name a few goddesses.
 
 As with the other holidays for the Wheel of the Year, I have a go to book that I use for inspiration, research, crafts, recipes, and even ritual ideas. The title of this book is Magical Celebrations Midsummer of the Summer Solstice by Anna Franklin.

This book has so much amazing information for even your every day practice, including lore, candle and fire magic, how to use a regular deck of playing cards as tarot cards, crystals and their meanings, making your own incense and oils-hands down one of my favorite metaphysical books. 

If you're curious to see what a couple of the recipes in this book look like, I found this site with the recipe and pictures. I think the Gooseberry Fool looks particularly scrumptious. 

I also found this amazing site for additional Litha treats! I don't know about you, but I might have to enjoy some Asparagus Stuffed Chicken, it just sounds so good! Summer Solstice Treats!
  

I am so looking forward to celebrating this turn of the wheel and as a special treat for all of you, I will be doing a three card oracle card reading of what the next three months will look like. 

Midsummer is a time for divination, and what better way to celebrate with all of you than to give you a special reading to say thank you. 

May you have a fun, magical and safe Midsummer.

Brightest Blessings to you and yours,

Thealynn  

©2013-2015 Thealynn

 

Winter Solstice and a New Moon Too

Hello lovies,

In this post today I am not going to be diving into the controversy of who or when the tradition of Yule started or the 'war on Christmas'. None of the ' so and so stole this and that from so and so.' I'm not saying that I don't have an opinion about those topics, because of course I do. But that's not the purpose of this post, I feel like it would take away from the cheer of this time of the year.

All semantics aside, this is meant to be a joyous time of year, and that is what we'll be focusing on, so without further ado!

It is officially Yule! Also known as the Winter Solstice, the one day of the year where the day is the shortest and the night is longest. This is also the day that we celebrate the birth of the sun. Most cultures have their own traditions from the festival of Saturnalia in ancient Rome, to the Celts celebrating the Goddess Brighid, or the early Germanic peoples hiding inside as Odin rode through the sky deciding who would prosper and who would perish.

Another common theme that you will see is the battle between the Holly King and the Oak King. Rather trying to explain it in my own words as it is a legend that I myself have recently been studying, I found a web page that does a great job explaining. The author of the post is writing from a Wiccan perspective, but this legend is not observed strictly by Wiccans, so please keep that in mind.

From Holly to Oak.

One of my favorite reads this time of year is Yule by Dorothy Morrison. It's a wonderful book full of history, traditions, recipes, and rituals you can do either solo or with the whole family,

One of my favorite traditions is the Yule log. Last year we tied ribbons decorated with rune symbols around the log and let it burn while we watched a holiday film.

Another personal favorite tradition of mine is lighting candles. White, red and green are traditional colors.  But you can use whatever you have. In a lot of places either there is no fireplace or burning candles is not permitted,

So here are a couple of ideas of what you can do instead!

For a lot of folks who don't have fire places, the Yule log can still be used. Take a log and carve three holes to place the candles, and you can decorate the log wit ribbons, mistletoe, pine needles, whatever you fancy and have it be a center piece on your alter or your table. It's festive for the whole season, and will smell terrific!

As far as not burning candles, there are always the little LED tea lights, and while they might not come in different colors, you can put them in different colored tea light holders. I did that for a few years when I wasn't able to burn candles, and it worked just the same.

Now for one of my favorite parts of the holiday season-the food!

Growing up we would usually have ham or turkey, with mashed potatoes and gravy, green been casserole, cranberries, yams, rolls, and sparkling fruit jell-o (my grandmother's specialty.)

All of which were wonderful (except maybe the jell-o, it lost its wonder after the age of nine.) But if you're looking for something a little more tradition for a pagan solstice feast, check out this awesome website a friend told me about during the Yule part she hosted. The Wassail is particularly exceptional.

Next year I am going to be sure to make the Chocolate Yule Log for dessert!

Here are some of my favorite recipes: Yule Cooking.

Baked Spaghetti Squash
Sunshine Skillet Casserole
Buttered Rum Mix
Wassail

That is going to wrap up this portion for Yule, here are a couple of other sources you can check out for some more detailed information. Yule Lore, and Merry Yule.

One really cool thing about Yule this year is that it coincides with a new moon. New moons are the ideal time during the month to set your intentions, write down your goals, and to welcome in all of the positive and wonderful things that you want to manifest in the next month.

When it comes to rituals, they do not have to be elaborate or lengthy; just go with whatever makes you most comfortable, the ritual is for you after all!

Normally when I set out to do a ritual, I smudge myself and the area I'm going to be working in, but since this is a new moon, I don't want the smoke to carry out the blessings along with any nasties, so I'll be using my besome to clear my ritual space tonight. If you don't have a ritual broom to use, you can use a bell to clear your space as well.

I make sure that I am ready and centered. Some times I meditate, or I'll just take a few deep breathes.

I always call the corners: North, East, South and West. I always call my guides and then I request the presence of the the Lord and Lady. The God and Goddess go by many names, I personally like the way that Lord and Lady sound, so that's usually what I go with, but I always let my intuition guide me.

Once I feel that all who are present are with me I begin.

New moons are the time to set those intentions, so I'll have paper and pen with me to write down my goals and heart's desires.

It's important to put the date on your paper and write the purpose of your ritual, something like this will work, but don't be afraid to use your own words-the more of you that you put in, the more personal and the more powerful it is. The Universe is also very understanding, so if you're just starting or you have wording from somewhere else that you feel good about, go for it!

"I accept these gifts and blessings from the Universe into my life, for the highest good of all, and harm to none."

This is what we call an affirmation statement. It helps to breathe life into what you're doing and what I consider to be the greatest form of magic.

Once you have that written down, start writing those wishes down! Make sure you hang on to it though, and as things manifest record how they do manifest as a way of keeping track of the wonderful blessings the Universe is helping you to achieve and provide for you.

The Sun is Reborn and with a Dark Moon, feel the magic and the love that is etched into this time of year.

Whatever you celebrate, may you be surrounded by light and warmth, laughter and love.

A Blessed Yule to you all as we welcome back the Oak King and our Sun.

Brightest Blessings to you and yours,

Thealynn

©2013-2015 Thealynn