Solstice!

Solstice blessings to you today!

It's a beautiful, sunny day here at the lake! A perfect day for honoring the Summer Solstice!

One of the ways I like to celebrate the Solstice is to re-do my altar with all manner of gold, red and yellow items. I also try to make a little wreath or paper sun, or some sort of item representing the solar disc to hang. After this is charged, I might take it outside and hang it up in a tree in the woods behind my house. You can even use a Celtic equal-armed cross symbol. Adding real sunflowers to the altar is especially nice!

Some of the natural correspondences for the Summer Solstice are:

• Plants~ Roses, jasmine, hibiscus and tropical flowering plants
• Animals~ Jaguar, doves, peahens
• Minerals~ Malachite, emeralds, sapphires, turquoise, amazonite

This is a wonderful day to do healing work and rituals. This is the longest day of the year, so you may find it easier to bring illumination to those issues you would like to address. If it isn't raining later (forecasted), I think that I will also have a small fire in the firepit in the back yard. I might do some scrying in the fire, my preferred method of scrying. I've never been able to do it with mirrors or water.

Have a wonderful Solstice wherever you are!

Element of Fire

When I got up this morning, the outside temp was a balmy 10 degrees. The inside temp was about 58. Both have since increased slightly. I found myself looking at the calendar, trying to figure out how long it will be until I can go lay on the dock, and bake in the sun. It's going to be a long time. I just haven't been able to get warm for the last two days, no matter how many sweaters I have on. I think this is a function of having Fibromyalgia and CFS. The winter season has gone from being a time of joy for me, to one of just wanting it to be over. But, I digress.

Since I have been so cold, I choose to focus on the element of Fire, and it's corresponding direction, South. While we all know that the Sun is hottest in a south-facing window, there are some surprising correlations of this element. While the power of a full-fledged fire can be devastating, fire can also be healing when it's managed. Scrying into a campfire, or even a candle flame is one of my favorite form of short meditations. I am a complete nut when it comes to campfires and bonfires. Not that I would ever have a fire outside of a proper container-not that kind of nut! I just find it so beautiful, and useful. I like the freedom I feel when I toss old writings and spells, such as from my Spirit jar, onto the flames. It's cleansing and a completion of the work that I had done. One of the reasons I like to go camping so much is because I get to play with fire all weekend. I have a knickname for these excursions: Woman who F%$*s with Fire. Cute, huh? I just can't help myself.

Other realms of Fire are sex, love, and transformation.

Here are some correspondences for the element of Fire:

• Magickal tool: knife/athame
• Herbs: chilies, thistle, nettles(thorny things), coffee, dragon's blood, hot spices
• Stones: Carnelian, lava rock, jaspers, clear quartz
• Animals: salamander, snake, scorpions, lady bugs, shark
• Zodiac: Aries, Sagittarius, Leo (that's me!)
• Oils: Basil, copal, neroli, pettigrain, peppermint

There are so many aspects of Fire in the natural world. This list is by no means complete. One of my favorite kinds of spellwork is candle magick. I find it so effective! Stay tuned for more on that subject!