AUTUMN COMETH

Merry Meet to All of You!

We are slowly leaving summer behind us and you can feel in the air, autumn is on it's way.

For me, this is the time of the year to start slowing down, look more inwards and take stock about the progress of your year so far.

To leave the heat and buzz of the summer and take in the cooler, calmer spirit of autumn, personally, there's nothing like going for walks among the trees and spend time with nature.

While walking in the woods, breathing in the scents of the fresher air and taking in the subtle changes of colours and textures which occur at this time, I can feel the hustle and bustle of summer falling of and autumn entering my soul with introspection and peaceful quietness.

If you don't have any woodland near you, why not marvel at all the gorgeous autumn flowers in the gardens, like asters and chrysanthemums, which lighten up the spirit with their vibrant colours, or watch the migrating birds gather in giant flocks, ready for their long flights south, and let your thoughts follow them to distant shores...let your mind wander and reflect.

Autumn for me is a time of tranquil beauty, where nature is bounty- and colourful in one last glorious burst, before the dark of winter:

"Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile" - William Cullen Bryant

Bring in some autumn greenery from your walks for the spirit of the season to enter your home, go and collect wild berries and mushrooms (make sure you are confident in identifying edible ones), pick up the first coloured leaves along your way, or simply sit still in a favourite spot, marvel at nature's beauty around you and breath in autumn deeply, the cooler air refreshing your senses
...all this helps me to get into the soul of the season and brings joy and serenity to my heart.

I will follow up on this post with more autumnal subjects, like the autumn festivals, spells you can use to prepare yourself and/or you home for the darker months, recipes for food and incense and more...

...but for now, let's just slow down, reflect, and welcome the coming of the season of tranquillity with a smile.

Have a lovely start to autumn,

Warm Blessings,

Ilona

LAMMAS - THE FIRST HARVEST

Merry Meet to All of You!

I wish you a Blessed Lammas, may your day be great and your harvest be abundant )O(.

Warm Harvest Blessings,

Ilona

THE WHEEL OF THE YEAR

Merry Meet to All of You!

As the festival of Lammas is upon us this weekend (1st of August), I thought it a good idea if today's blog post deals in general with the Wheel of the Year, as we are swiftly moving through it. So, here is a general description of the suspected origins and festivals it contains (many if you will be very familiar with the subject already, but it did not seem fair to assume everyone knows and jump straight to Lammas directly).

The idea of the wheel of the year as a representation of the changing seasonal and solar aspects of the year constitutes a very ancient common heritage of humanity, with its origins possibly reaching as far back as the neolithic era. Depictions of wheels in stone are quite common, and may as well represent the turning of the times (their intended meaning is not known to this day).

So, as part of an underlying earth-based spirituality, the idea of the wheel of the year has accompanied humanity for thousands of years.
In this context of earth-based spirituality, as in Wicca or paganism, the Wheel of the Year represents the major events in the natural year, such as the seasons, solstices and equinoxes, which are celebrated in eight Sabbats, the four Greater and four Lesser ones:

In general, the Wheel is divided in two main parts: summer/light and winter/darkness. The two major deities of paganism and Wicca, the Goddess and the God, rule superior at specific times, with the Goddess dominating the summer months (the growing season) as the goddess of fertility and abundance, while the God dominates the winter months as the god of hunting and death (with hunting having been the major source of fresh food during these times).
The eight Sabbats divide into two categories, the seasonal and solar festivals.

The four Greater Sabbats celebrate the natural shift of the seasons, with Beltaine and Samhain representing the main divisions between summer/winter, light/darkness. Imbolc and Lammas mark the midpoints in between, recognising specific occasions in the agricultural year, Lammas for example being a celebration of harvest.

The four Lesser Sabbats are solar festivals, marking the events in the solar calendar, the solstices (Litha and Yule) and equinoxes (Ostara and Mabon).

There is no singular way in which to emphasise or celebrate these Sabbats in the wiccan or pagan community. Some groups, for example, may concentrate on the seasonal (Greater) Sabbats, while others put their emphasis on the solar festivals.

As you progress on your spiritual journey, you may be intuitively drawn to certain Sabbats and decide to only celebrate those important to you, or you might choose to treat all eight with equal reverence - the choice is yours!

I hope you enjoyed this little introduction, and in tomorrow's post I will go deeper into the traditions especially linked to the festival of Lammas.

Warm Blessings,

Ilona

PS For more on the Wheel of the Year click here (Greater Sabbats) or here (all Sabbats and general info)

LITHA - A REFLECTION

Merry Meet to All of You!

Here's a lovely video from You Tube as a reflection on Litha.



Hope you all had a great Midsummer's Eve/Day!!!

Summer Blessings,

Ilona

P.S. For another great clip click here

MAGICKAL LITHA

Merry Meet to All of You!

Midsummer is here!

Wishing you all a happy and magickal Litha and a great summer to come!

Midsummer Blessings,

Ilona

RECIPE OF THE WEEK - MIDSUMMER GOODIES

Merry Meet to All of You!

Midsummer and the festival of Litha is nearly here, as I pointed out in my blog over at the Richmond Chalice ( http://richmondchalice.blogspot.com/2009/06/wheel-of-year-litha.html)!

Here are some easy made goodies you can take along if you are planing an outside picnic or such - kids approval guaranteed!!

1. Home-made Lemonade

3 lemons

6oz sugar

1,5 pint water

Wash the lemons and peel the rind thinly. Put the rind and the sugar in a heat-proof pitcher. Bring the water to the boil and pour over. Cover and cool, stirring occasionally. Then add the juice of the same three lemons. Strain and serve chilled.

2. Honey and Ginger Ice Cream

170g (6oz) sugar

430ml (3/4 pt) double cream

60g (2oz) stem ginger, finely chopped

Whip the honey and cream together until thick, fold in the stem ginger. Pour into a rigid, plastic container. Freeze for one hour or until almost frozen, then whip or blend in a food processor. Return to the freezer until ready to serve. 10 minutes before serving, put ice cream in the fridge to slightly soften it. Ice cream keeps in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

Have a great Midsummer celebration!

(To find more background and tips, go to the link above or look up Midsummer: Magical Celebrations of the Summer Solstice

Summer Blessings,

Ilona