Litha

Litha (LITH-ah) takes place on June 20^th-23^rd.  

Also known as Summer Solstice, Midsummer, Midsummer's Eve, Alban Heruin, Alban Hefin, Gathering Day, Vestalia, La Festa dell'Estate (Summer Fest), the Day of the Green Man, Longest day of the year, Sun Blessing, Whit Sunday, Whitsuntide, Vestalia, the Feast of Epona, All-Couple's Day, St. John's Day.

The Litha Sabbat is a time to celebrate both work and leisure, it is a time for children and childlike play. It is a time to celebrate the ending of the waxing year and the beginning of the waning year, in preparation for the harvest to come. Midsummer is a time to absorb the Sun's warming rays and it is another fertility Sabbat, not only for humans, but also for crops and animals. Wiccans consider the Goddess to be heavy with pregnancy from the mating at Beltane - honor is given to Her. The Sun God is celebrated as the Sun is at its peak in the sky and we celebrate His approaching fatherhood - honor is also given to Him. The faeries abound at this time and it is customary to leave offerings - such as food or herbs - for them in the evening.

The Oak King rules from Midwinter to Midsummer, the period of fertility, expansion and growth, and the Holly King reigns from Midsummer to Midwinter, the period of harvest, withdrawal and wisdom. They are light and dark twins, each being the other's alternate self, thus being one. Each represents a necessary phase in the natural rhythm; therefore, both are good. At the two changeover points, they symbolically meet in combat. The incoming twin -- the Oak King at Midwinter, the Holly King at Midsummer -- "slays" the outgoing one. But the defeated twin is not considered dead -- he has merely withdrawn during the six months of his brother's rule.

Faeries, sprites and field/forest elves gather on Midsummer Night making it the perfect time to attempt to communicate with them. Or try to spot them by sitting still and calmly in a garden; preferably around oak trees. It is also the best time to perform magic for love, healing, and prosperity as well as performing blessings and protection spells for your pets as well as all other animals. 

Songs: Solstice Call, Noon of the Solstice, The Sun Who’s Rays are all Ablaze, Walking on Sunshine, Steal my Sunshine, Weaving the Summer, Sumer Is Icumen In, Sunshine of your Love, Sunshine Superman, You are my Sunshine, Summer of Love.

Activities: Perform a ceremony of self-dedication or rededication to your spiritual path, Hang your sun wheels on trees in your yard and decorate them with yellow and gold ribbons and summer herbs, Gather Herbs (they are said to be extremely powerful when gathered on this day), Have a mock battle between the Oak and Holly Kings, Pick Herbs and Dry them, Make a wreath for your door with yellow feathers for prosperity and red feathers for sexuality tied together with ivy, Have a Bonfire, Jump (Carefully!) over the bonfire for prosperity and protection, Make a Wicker Man and burn him in the fire, Go Berry Picking, Leave out Milk and Honey for the Faeries, Watch the Sunset, Try Fire Divination with your Bonfire, Make a Dream Pillow, Make a Staff, Spend as much time as you can outdoors, This is the perfect time to Preform a Handfasting, Go Swimming, Sunbathe (carefully with sunblock). 

Foods: Fresh Fruit and Vegetables from your Garden, Lemon, Lettuce, Citrus Fruits, Light/Sun Tea, Ginger/Candied Ginger, New Potatoes, Candied Citrus Peel, Blackberries, Cherries, Salmon, Onions, Peas, Summer Squash, Mint, Radishes, Chicken, Pork, Blueberries, Mead, Ale, Honey, Fresh Fruit Juice, Herbal Tea, Pumpernickel Bread, Asparagus, Berries, Light Dairy (like Whipped Cream, and Soft Cheese), Fruit Salad, Passion Fruit, Homemade Herb Butter, Berry Pies, Peaches, Oranges, Fish, Spicy Foods, Grilled/BBQed Meat and Vegetables, Strawberries, Dandelion Leaves, Sorbet, Any Red and Yellow Foods, Flaming Foods.

Colors: Red, White, Yellow, Gold, Blue, Green, Tan, 

Symbols: Fire, Fairies, Sunflowers, The Sun, Bonfires, Fruits/Berries, Oak Trees, Sun wheels, Blades, Seashells, Mistletoe, Fruits, Roses.

Stones: Emerald, Jade, Diamond, Lapis Lazuli, Tiger’s Eye.

Herbs: Oak , Roses , Lavender, Lemon , St. John's Wort , Chamomile,  Fennel , Fern , Ylang-ylang, Frankincense, Mugwart, Galangal,  Hemp, Mistletoe, Saffron , Vervain, Pine, Rosemary, Wild/Thyme, Cinquefoil, Elder, Copal, Larkspur, Heliotrope, Laurel, Wisteria, Sandalwood, Verbena, Yarrow, Burdock, Nettle, Thorn, Orpine, Birch, Tarragon. 

Flowers: Lavender, Roses, Sunflowers, Lily, Honeysuckle, Ivy, Carnation, Daisy, Clover, Bee Balm, Lily of the Valley, Marigolds.   

Incense: Rose, Lemon, Pine, Wisteria, Myrrh.

Gods: All Father Gods and Sun Deities, The Green Man, Apollo, Zeus, Thor, Ares, Ra, Sol, Lugh, Dagda, Helios, Oak/Holly King, Prometheus , Llew, Gwydion, Aten, Horus, Aine.

Goddesses: All Mother Goddesses, Aphrodite, Freya , Astarte, Venus, Juno , Hathor, Isis , Athena, Dana, Artemis, Hestia, Kali, Ishtar, Amaterasu.

Birthdays

Today is my birthday, and since I woke up super early I decided to write a birthday blog. This information is largely copied from other websites because it is early in the morning, and I don't feel like spending time re-writing anything right now...

First I am going to share the Pagan Origins of the Birthday... after all this is a Pagan blog.

The practice of celebrating one's birth in ancient times did not exist. Typically, only kings and those of royalty were the only ones worthy enough to have their birthdays celebrated. With the perfecting of the calendar by the Egyptians, who named the days of the week in honor of the various gods they worshiped, it became possible to keep the exact date of one's birth. Ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome and Persia celebrated the births of their gods, kings, and nobles.

The introduction of the Egyptian calendar became linked to astrology and fortune-telling. The keeping of birthdays, then, was important in ancient times, essentially due to the fact that the date of one's birth was directly related to the casting of a person's horoscope.

In early civilizations it was believed that "the horoscopes of ruling monarchs, their successors and rivals had to be cast with care and birthday omens meticulously examined", because the prognostications of kings and those of royalty affected the entire society.

It was also believed that one could be helped by good spirits or pursued by evil spirits on one's birthday. For this reason, people would gather around the birthday person to offer protection from evil spirits. The Greeks believed that everyone had a protective spirit that guarded over his birth and protected him during his life. This spirit, the Greeks believed, "had a mystic relation with the god on whose birthday the individual was born".

This belief in spirits is the reason for many, if not all, of the traditional birthday customs that are practiced today. The custom of lighting candles on the birthday cake began with the Greeks. The Greeks worshipped Artemis, the goddess of the moon. They celebrated her birthday once a month with round cakes (to symbolize her shape), using lighted candles on the cakes, to represent a glowing moon. Birthday candles, which always held mystic significance, were "an honor and tribute to the birthday child and [brought] good fortune",

Other birthday traditions, such as surrounding the birthday person, the singing of the happy birthday song, blowing out candles, and even playing such birthday games as "Pin-The-Tail-On-The-Donkey" were all associated with warding off evil spirits, guessing the future, and magic.

One day, when I am not feeling lazy, I will write my own Birthday Blog and not rely so heavily on other people's writings...

Next, I would like to share something I read from Knock on Wood  An Encyclopedia of Superstition by Carole Potter.

Celebrating birthdays dates to ancient times, when man first began to understand the stars.  It became important to know the exact moment, day, month, and year, of one’s birth.  With these all-important facts, a horoscope could be drawn, and in those days a horoscope was essential.

The Egyptian pharaohs celebrated their birthdays in a big way.  Back then the amount of celebrating a person did generally had to do with the extent of his or her money and power.  Rich Romans held circuses.

We know that Cleopatra and Nero enjoyed their birthdays, as did most Romans and Greeks.  Augustus held a birthday celebration for himself every month!

Good wishes are offered to the birthday person in an attempt to protect him or her from evil spirits.  The chances of spirits causing mischief on a birthday are considered great, because spirits of all kinds are said to be attracted by celebrations and by times of change, and this dangerous combination comes together at birthday time.

The birthday celebration dates to recorded time. The modern party probably started in early Germany, where children were given gifts and had a candle rimmed cake. 

Birthday customs changed a lot after Christ was born.  Children were named after saints and celebrated the birthday of the saints after whom they were named instead of their real birthdays.  Today many children celebrate both days.

The idea of someone “worth his weight in gold”  comes from a birthday tradition in the East. For example the Aga Khan III on his sixtieth birthday topped the scales at 243 pounds and received that amount in gold and diamonds.

One of the best birthday ideas comes from China.  There people once believed that when a person reached the age of sixty, he or she got to start all over again.

June Birth Symbols:

Flower: Rose
Stones: Pearl, Moonstone, Opal, Alexandrite, Agate
Colors: Light Blue, White, Cream

Star Signs:

Gemini (May 22-June 21)
Element: Air
Symbol: The Twins
Stones/Meanings: Citrine (lends sunniness to communication), Amber (grounds high-flying imagination), Tourmaine  (helps concentration)
Colors: Yellow, Light Green
Plants: Tansy, Yarrow, Privet, Hawthorne, Heather, Cedar, Linden, Oak

Cancer (June 22-July 23)
Element: Water
Symbol: The Crab
Stones/Meanings: Moonstone, Pearl, Peridot (balances moodiness, relieves stomachaches, soothes sadness and depression, lessens loneliness, strengthens bones, bolsters optimism, lends inner strength, resists emotional instability)

Colors: Pale Colors, Cream, White
Plants: Water Lilies, Rushes, Heather, Cedar, Linden, Oak, Holly

Happy Birthday June Babies!

Aura Color Analysis

Now that you are practicing to see the Human Aura, you may want to know what the color means.
Here is a list of the colors you may see, as well as the meanings of these colors:

RED AURA COLOR MEANINGS: 

Relates to the physical body, heart or circulation. The densest color, it creates the most friction. Friction attracts or repels; money worries or obsessions; anger or unforgiveness; anxiety or nervousness. In a good, bright and pure state, red energy can serve as a healthy ego.

Deep Red: Grounded, realistic, active, strong will-power, survival-oriented.
Muddied red: Anger (repelling)
Clear red: Powerful, energetic, competitive, sexual, passionate.
Pink-bright and light: Loving, tender, sensitive, sensual, artistic, affection, purity, compassion; new or revieved romantic relationship. Can indicate clairaudience.
Dark and murky pink: Immature and/or dishonest nature

ORANGE AURA COLOR:
Relates to reproductive organs and emotions. The color of vitality, vigor, good health and excitement. Lots of energy and stamina, creative, productive, adventurous, courageous, outgoing social nature; currently experiencing stress related to appetites and addictions;

Orange Red: Confidence, creative power 
Orange-Yellow: Creative, intelligent, detail oriented, perfectionist, scientific.

YELLOW AURA COLOR MEANING: 

Relates to the spleen and life energy. It is the color of awakening, inspiration, intelligence and action shared, creative, playful, optimistic, easy-going.

Light or pale yellow: Emerging psychic and spiritual awareness; optimism and hopefulness; positive excitement about new ideas.
Bright lemon-yellow: Struggling to maintain power and control in a personal or business relationship; fear of losing control, prestige, respect, and/or power.
Clear gold metallic, shiny and bright: Spiritual energy and power activated and awakened; an inspired person.
Dark brownish yellow or gold: A student, or one who is straining at studying; overly analitical to the point of feeling fatigued or stressed; trying to make up for "lost time" by learning everything all at once.

GREEN AURA COLOR MEANING: 
Relates to heart and lungs. It is a very comfortable, healthy color of nature. When seen in the aura this usually represents growth and balance, and most of all, something that leads to change. Love of people, animals, nature; teacher; social

Bright emerald green: A healer, also a love-centered person
Yellow-Green: Creative with heart, communicative
Dark or muddy forest green: Jealousy, resentment, feeling like a victim of the world; blaming self or others; insecurity and low self-esteem; lack of understanding personal responsibility; sensitive to perceived criticism


BLUE AURA COLOR MEANING: 
Relates to the throat, thyroid. Cool, calm, and collected. Caring, loving, love to help others, sensitive, intuitive.

Turquoise: Relates to the immune system.Sensitive, compassionate, healer, therapist. 
Soft blue: Peacefulness, clarity and communication; truthful; intuitive
Bright royal blue: Clairvoyant; highly spiritual nature; generous; on the right path; new opportunities are coming
Dark or muddy blue: Fear of the future; fear of self-expression; fear of facing or speaking the truth


VIOLET AURA COLOR MEANING: 
Relates to crown, pineal gland and nervous system. The most sensitive and wisest of colors. This is the intuitive color in the aura, and reveals psychic power of attunement with self. Intuitive, visionary, futuristic, idealistic, artistic, magical.

Indigo: Relates to the third eye, visual and pituitary gland. Intuitive, sensitive, deep feeling.
Purple: Spiritual thoughts. Purple is never a strong point in the Aura. It appears only as temporary "clouds" and "flames", indicating truly spiritual thoughts. 
Lavender: Imagination, visionary, daydreamer, etheric.

SILVER AURA COLOR MEANING: 

This is the color of abundance, both spiritual and physical. Lots of bright silver can reflect to plenty of money, and/or awakening of the cosmic mind.

Bright metallic silver: Receptive to new ideas; intuitive; nurturing
Dark and muddy gray: Residue of fear is accumulating in the body, with a potential for health problems, especially if gray clusters seen in specific areas of the body

GOLD AURA COLOR MEANING: 

The color of enlightenment and divine protection. When seen within the aura, it says that the person is being guided by their highest good. It is divine guidance. Protection, wisdom, inner knowledge, spiritual mind, intuitive thinker.

BLACK AURA COLOR MEANING: 

Draws or pulls energy to it and in so doing, transforms it. It captures light and consumes it. Usually indicates long-term unforgiveness (toward others or another) collected in a specific area of the body, which can lead to health problems; also, entities within a person's aura, chakras, or body; past life hurts; unreleased grief from abortions if it appears in the ovaries.

WHITE AURA COLOR MEANING: 
Reflects other energy. A pure state of light. Often represents a new, not yet designated energy in the aura. Spiritual, etheric and non-physical qualities, transcendent, higher dimensions. Purity and truth; angelic qualities.
White sparkles or flashes of white light: angels are nearby; can indicate that the person is pregnant or will be soon

EARTH AURA COLORS: Soil, wood, mineral, plant. These colors display a love of the Earth, of being grounded and is seen in those who live and work on the outdoors....construction, farming, etc. These colors are important and are a good sign.

RAINBOWS: Rainbow-colored stripes, sticking out like sunbeams from the hand, head or body: A Reiki healer, or a starperson (someone who is in the first incarnation on Earth)

PASTLES: A sensitive blend of light and color, more so than basic colors. Shows sensitivity and a need for serenity.

DIRTY BROWN OVERLAY: Holding on to energies. Insecurity.

DIRTY GRAY OVERLY:  Blocking energies. Guardedness.

I have looked to see what my Aura color is. I remember my color was a light yellow and greenish when I first practiced seeing Aura's, but that was many many years ago (15 years?), and I have changed a lot since then. I was curious to see what color my Aura is now, and I got a pretty Blue color that was a cross between a soft blue and a royal blue. Blue is the color of the Throat Chakra, an indicator of communication. I am a Gemini and Communication is one of my strengths. It also indicates that I am a caring and sensitive person. I like to think that I am. :)
Soft blue: Peacefulness, clarity and communication; truthful; intuitive
Bright royal blue: Clairvoyant; highly spiritual nature; generous; on the right path; new opportunities are coming.

It makes me happy to think that my Aura has turned Blue because I have been working hard to better my life, and to become a more balanced individual. And I am also getting married later this year, so I like the fact that Royal Blue says I'm on the right path and New Opportunities are coming. That, to me, is a wonderful omen!

I hope you all enjoy reading your Aura's, and I hope you all have a positive experience. But even if your Aura color does not indicate something positive, it is not too late to change it for the better. You can take the steps you need to better your life.
Good Luck!!!!

How to See Aura's Part 2

Ok, The last post was a video about How to See Auras, and it was a pretty easy to follow guide. But the way I learned is a bit different, and I think easier then what the video said.

This is a guide for practicing the skill. I hope to later become more advanced, but I need to start practicing again first.
Here are my step by step instructions for how to see Auras.

1. First, set up a quiet area, preferably with natural light.
2. Next, make sure you have a clean white background. I find a nice blank white background makes it easier to see the colors then any other background color. But you can use any neutral color you feel comfortable with.
3. Have your volunteer wear a white tank top, or strapless shirt (or white towel, or shirtless, etc, whatever you both are comfortable with). Alternately, you can practice on yourself by using your naked arm.
4. Sit your volunteer in front of the white background, and make sure they are comfortable and won't move around too much. Sit across from them at a comfortable distance.
5. Relax and breathe deeply while you fix your eyes on a spot right above your volunteer's shoulder. You shouldn't be looking at their shoulder or above their shoulder, you need to look at the tiny area between (Just where the skin meets the air).
6. Relax your focus and breath deeply as you begin to see a color. This step may take a few tries before you can fully relax your vision/focus enough. It may help to meditate before or during this exercise so your body is relaxed and your mind is still. (TIP: If you can cross your eyes it may help to do this a few times.)
7. When you start to see a color try to make a mental note of the color before focusing on it. This is a very fleeting moment, so you may have to do steps 5-7 a few times until you can get a clear enough color.

It may be easier to practice on yourself.

1. First, set up a quiet area, preferably with natural light.
2. Sit with a white blanket or towel in your lap and your naked arm laying over it.
3. Relax and breathe deeply while you fix your eyes on the spot where the skin on your arms meets the air.
4. Relax your focus and breath deeply as you begin to see a color. This step may take a few tries before you can fully relax your vision/focus enough. It may help to meditate before or during this exercise so your body is relaxed and your mind is still. (TIP: If you can cross your eyes it may help to do this a few times.)
5. When you start to see a color try to make a mental note of the color before focusing on it. This is a very fleeting moment, so you may have to do steps 4-5 a few times until you can get a clear enough color.

As you practice, it will get much easier. Make sure you do this a few times to make sure you have the right color to analyze. (Aura's can change, but they usually don't change drastically within a short amount of time. Aura's can change with large life changes like illness, tragedies, pregnancy,

I will post a list of Aura color meanings soon. You might want to start practicing seeing Auras now so you can analyze the color by the time I post the list of colors.

Have Fun!

How to see Auras

I used to practice seeing Aura's when I was younger, but I haven't for a while until I stumbled across this youtube video. It is slightly different from how I learned, but I think it's still a good video for beginners. Check it out.

I will be posting more about Auras and how to see them, as well as what the colors mean soon. Check back soon for more!