Category: The Sabbats

8 Rituals For The Winter Solstice 2021: How To Make Your Own Light

Take a deep breath as we enter this time of the winter solstice on December 21 in the northern hemisphere. Think of it as a sacred gateway: an ending and a new beginning. With all the noise of 2021, it is time for some much-needed quiet and inner nourishment. Mother Nature is asking us to reflect, recalibrate, and strengthen our ability to shine in the world.

The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year and the longest night. At this time, many cultures believe that the archetypal Great Mother gave birth to a sun child (the Egyptian deity Isis gave birth to sun god Horus; the Greek Leto gave birth to a shining Apollo.) This is a moment to hold the light for yourself and others. Here are eight rituals to help you do so.

1. Turn off the lights.

On the night of the solstice, unplug your phone, TV, and tablets. Instead of turning on electric lights, eat dinner by candlelight and…

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Winter solstice 2021: Why it happens and how we celebrate the first day of winter

For the past six months, the days have grown shorter and the nights have grown longer in the Northern Hemisphere. But that’s about to reverse itself.

Winter solstice 2021, the shortest day of year and the official first day of winter, is on Tuesday, December 21. How it all works has fascinated people for thousands of years.

First we’ll look at the science and precise timing behind the solstice. Then we’ll explore some ancient traditions and celebrations around the world.

From msn.com

Printable Winter Solstice Coloring Pages

Winter Solstice Traditions: How to Celebrate This Holiday Season

For those who are spiritual but not so religious, you may choose to celebrate the December holiday season differently. The winter solstice is a wonderful way to honor your ancestors, the earth and its creatures, and the birth of a new sun during this special time of year.

So what exactly is this ancient holiday, and how do you celebrate the winter solstice? Spoonful of Comfort answers these questions and offers some new-to-you winter solstice traditions that you and your loved ones can embrace.

What Is the Winter Solstice Holiday?

Earth experiences the winter solstice when the shortest and darkest day of the year passes and a new, longer day begins. In 2021, for the Northern Hemisphere, the exact time for this change is December 21 at 10:59 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Why Is the Winter Solstice Celebrated?…

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Litha History – Celebrating the Summer Solstice

An Ancient Solar Celebration

Nearly every agricultural society has marked the high point of summer in some way, shape or form. On this date–usually around June 21 or 22 (or December 21/22 in the southern hemisphere)–the sun reaches its zenith in the sky. It is the longest day of the year, and the point at which the sun seems to just hang there without moving – in fact, the word “solstice” is from the Latin word solstitium, which literally translates to “sun stands still.” The travels of the sun were marked and recorded. Stone circles such as Stonehenge were oriented to highlight the rising of the sun on the day of the summer solstice.

Did You Know?

  • Early European traditions celebrated midsummer by setting large wheels on fire and then rolling them down a hill into a body of water.
  • The Romans honored this time as sacred to Juno, the wife of Jupiter and goddess of women and childbirth; her name gives us the month of June.
  • The word “solstice” is from the Latin word solstitium, which literally translates to “sun stands still.”

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December Solstice 2021 – First Day of Summer in Southern Hemisphere

December Solstice marks the arrival of the first day of summer in the southern hemisphere. That’s why in the earth’s southern areas, the December Solstice is known as the Summer Solstice. In 2021, the official first day of summer in Australia (southern hemisphere) will occur on Wednesday, December 22, at sharp 02:59 Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT).

Not to mention, this astronomical event will also mark the brightest as well as the longest day of the year in the southern hemisphere. On the other hand, for people living in the northern hemisphere, this solstice marks the arrival of the first day of winter. That’s why in the earth’s northern areas, December Solstice is known as the Winter or Hibernal Solstice. Again, for the people living in the northern half of the earth, this astronomical event will also mark the darkest as well as the shortest day of the year.

Simply speaking, one can say that the meaning of solstice changes depending…

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For Your Viewing Pleasure – Summer Solstice

Happy Summer Solstice from the Southern Hemisphere

For Your Viewing Pleasure – Winter Solstice

What happens during the winter solstice?

The Winter Solstice

 

 

The Winter Solstice

The darkest day makes way for the return of light

 

Tarotcom Staff on the topics of winter solstice, videos, capricorn, astrology

December 21, 2015 marks the Winter Solstice, which is the official beginning of winter, and the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. But there’s a light at the end of this tunnel — literally! As the temperatures fall throughout the winter, the light grows, representing new hope during a time of darkness.

Ancient solstice festivals were the last big feasts before food became scarce during the harsh winter months. This magical day was celebrated from ancient Rome to China, and by the builders of Stonehenge to the Mayans. In fact, we all remember the Winter Solstice on December 21, 2012, which was the apparent end of the Mayan calendar, causing many to believe the end of the world is coming. Obviously, we’re still here!

Many modern holiday traditions, such as Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year’s, have their roots in the Winter Solstice celebrations of yesterday. Winter festivals continue today, complete with lights, feasts, dancing and singing, and spending quality time with those we love.

Astrologically, the Winter Solstice marks the moment the Sun — the ruler of the zodiac — moves from adventurous Fire sign Sagittarius to the steady Earth sign of Capricorn. This is the dark night of the year, a day when the Sun appears to stand still. It’s a time for light and laughter, but also deep reflection.

The Sun’s move into steady Capricorn urges us to take some time to look back on 2015 before we make those New Year’s resolutions. What did we do right? What do we wish we’d done differently? Don’t fight the seriousness it brings to the festive holiday season — use it to start 2016 on the right foot! Just make sure to keep some of the Goat’s ambitious energy alive when the Sun makes its next move.

Source:
Tarot.com is a Daily Insight Group Site

The Great Gift of Summer Solstice

Let’s Have Some Fun – Southern Hemisphere Litha/Summer Solstice

Magickal Activity for December 21, The Summer Solstice

Floating Candles

Midsummer is a celebration of light and life, symbolized by the flame of a candle and the movement of water. A large glass bowl filled with an assortment of floating candles makes a wonderful point of focus for ritual. Choose bright yellow sunflowers, white lilies, and red tulip-shaped candles. Have each person participating in the ritual inscribe his or her desire, with a pin, on a candle. Have each person come forward, place his or her candle in the bowl and light it as he makes his wish. Following the ritual, the bowl is placed outdoors, and the candles are left to burn out.

The Sun Wheel

One of the most popular symbols of Midsummer is the Sun Wheel, the turning of which suggests the turning, or progression, of the seasons. The Wheel is decorated with flowers, fresh herbs, and brightly colored ribbons.

The simplest method for making a Sun Wheel is to buy an already-prepared natural-branch wreath from an arts and crafts store. Affix small branches of rowan to form the spokes of the wheel (four spokes to represent the elements and cross-quarter days or eight to symbolize the eight Wiccan Sabbats). Use floral wire to attach fresh flowers and herbs to the wreath. Embellish with brightly colored ribbons. The wheel can be used as the focal point for your Midsummer rites or hung on the front door of your home for decoration.

Sunset Time for the Shortest Day of 2021 for the Northern Hemisphere

 

The shortest day of the year, in terms of daylight, is December 21, the winter solstice. But the days will actually begin to feel a bit longer two weeks before the solstice. That’s because the earliest sunset of the year happens before the solstice, and in 2021, it occurs on Tuesday, December 7.

For more about the shortest day of 2021 click here 

From The Farmers Almanac

 

Frankfurt, Germany, Europe

Daylight

8:09 am – 4:23 pm
8 hours, 13 minutes

Current Time: Dec 7, 2021 at 4:11:59 pm
Sun Direction: 232.10° SW↑
Sun Altitude: 1.02°
Sun Distance: 91.578 million mi
Next Solstice: Dec 21, 2021 4:59 pm (Winter)
Sunrise Today: 8:09 am↑ 126° Southeast
Sunset Today: 4:23 pm↑ 234° Southwest
 
 

Rise/Set Times

Day/Night Length

London, England, Europe

Daylight

7:51 am – 3:52 pm
8 hours

Current Time: Dec 7, 2021 at 3:19:11 pm
Sun Direction: 226.54° SW↑
Sun Altitude: 3.30°
Sun Distance: 91.578 million mi
Next Solstice: Dec 21, 2021 3:59 pm (Winter)
Sunrise Today: 7:51 am↑ 127° Southeast
Sunset Today: 3:52 pm↑ 233° Southwest
 
 

Rise/Set Times

Day/Night Length

New York,, New York, USA

Daylight

7:06 am – 4:28 pm
9 hours, 22 minutes

Current Time: Dec 7, 2021 at 10:08:33 am
Sun Direction: 155.25° SSE↑
Sun Altitude: 22.60°
Sun Distance: 91.578 million mi
Next Solstice: Dec 21, 2021 10:59 am (Winter)
Sunrise Today: 7:06 am↑ 120° Southeast
Sunset Today: 4:28 pm↑ 240° Southwest
 
 

Rise/Set Times

Day/Night Length

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Daylight

7:04 am – 4:19 pm
9 hours, 15 minutes

Current Time: Dec 7, 2021 at 9:02:02 am
Sun Direction: 141.98° SE↑
Sun Altitude: 15.65°
Sun Distance: 91.578 million mi
Next Solstice: Dec 21, 2021 9:59 am (Winter)
Sunrise Today: 7:04 am↑ 120° Southeast
Sunset Today: 4:19 pm↑ 240° Southwest
 
 

Rise/Set Times

Day/Night Length

Phoenix, Arizonia, USA

Daylight

7:19 am – 5:20 pm
10 hours, 1 minute

Current Time: Dec 7, 2021 at 8:09:45 am
Sun Direction: 124.20° SE↑
Sun Altitude: 8.30°
Sun Distance: 91.578 million mi
Next Solstice: Dec 21, 2021 8:59 am (Winter)
Sunrise Today: 7:19 am↑ 117° Southeast
Sunset Today: 5:20 pm↑ 243° Southwest
 
 

Rise/Set Times

Day/Night Lengt

Los Angeles, California, USA

Daylight

6:45 am – 4:43 pm
9 hours, 58 minutes

For Your Listening PLeasure

SONG OF SUMMER SOLSTICE | Kulning & Nyckelharpa

This song is short but sweet.

Samhain

From History.com

CONTENTS

  1. Ancient Samhain
  2. Samhain Monsters
  3. Myths of Samhain
  4. Samhain in the Middle Ages
  5. Dumb Supper
  6. Christian Samhain
  7. Samhain Merges With Halloween
  8. Wicca and Samhain
  9. Celtic Reconstructionists
  10. Sources

Samhain is a pagan religious festival originating from an ancient Celtic spiritual tradition. In modern times, Samhain (a Gaelic word pronounced “SAH-win”) is usually celebrated from October 31 to November 1 to welcome in the harvest and usher in “the dark half of the year.” Celebrants believe that the barriers between the physical world and the spirit world break down during Samhain, allowing more interaction between humans and denizens of the Otherworld.

READ MORE: Halloween: Traditions, Rituals, Origins

Ancient Samhain

Ancient Celts marked Samhain as the most significant of the four quarterly fire festivals, taking place at the midpoint between the fall equinox and the winter solstice. During this time of year, hearth fires in family homes were left to burn out while the harvest was gathered.

After the harvest work was complete, celebrants joined with Druid priests…

Samhain Celebration Guide

To read more about celebrating Samhain please click on this link

From Plentiful Earth – Northern and Southern Hemispheres Samhain

MAGICKAL 🍂SAMHAIN

By: Forest🐾Devi✨ (Novice in the Heart’s Spirit Coven)


Voices from the spirit world whisper in the wind.

Tonight two worlds come ever closer the curtain waivers thin.

Hear the crackle of the flames burning in the hearth, while loved ones in the Summerlands 

Return to walk the earth.

We welcome in the new year, a time to shed our skin.

With gratitude for lessons learned the future ushers in.

As entities from other worlds come feast with us again.

All commenced in celebration of MAGICKAL Samhain

Sweet Beltane

Image result for beltane southern hemisphere
By Fawn Devi
Swirling around the maypole
Dancing to the drums
Celebrating sweet Beltane
Summer has begun
Mother earth breathes New life
Under the sun aglow
The marriage of the earth and sky
Fertility bestowed
Swirling around the maypole
Flowers in our hair
It’s the Goddess and the green man
& they’re blessed love affair
See the source image

Calling Your Ancestors

I am blessed to work with to Archangel Suriel (a.k.a. Sariel), who helps people and other
living things that are stuck on this plain, for whatever reason, to accept their death and get
ready to cross to the Spirit Plane. I also work with Archangel Zlar, who crosses the Spirits from this plain to the
next The Spirit Plain is known by the name The Summerlands to many Witches and Wiccans.

In simpler terms, I am a medium an ability I was honored enough to be born with.I have to keep permanent protection shields up all the time so I can eat, sleep and live life without constantly hearing the voices of Spirits wanting to pass a message on to someone. While I am very grateful for the honor of the Archangels using me for this task; if I leave myself open all the time it can become unbearable to live with.

Many people are born with or are given this “gift” but do not know they have it or choose to ignore it. If someone ignores it just like any other talent not used it will wither and become dormant. If you may think you have this gift it can come to you in many ways. Some of which are: hearing voices, seeing someone/something out of the corner of your eye and when you turn your head no one is there, having consistent dreams of people who have crossed over (died) are the most common signs of this ability. One thing to always remember is if you have this ability that it is the Archangels mentioned above using you to help with their work and it is an honor to have this gift and yes, it can feel like a curse at times also..

This is spell can be used anytime you would like an Ancestor to visit or just on Samhain. I have written it two
different ways, one to invite them anytime you would like them near, and the other for on
Samhain (Pronounced Sow-en. Falls on October 31st when the veil between ours and the
Spirit plain is at its thinnest.).

Many covens set aside a portion of time during their Samhain celebration for members to call their ancestors into the circle to feast and celebrate with them. How this part of the Samhain celebration and ritual is done varies from coven to coven based on how the leader chooses to do it.

I found that I preferred even when I was with a coven that I liked talking and visiting with my ancestors alone. No special reason just personal preference.

What you need:

1 Birthday or short Candle for each Ancestor

A container with sand in it (I use an old metal pie plate)

Hot pad (to set container on to protect surface of what you set pie plate on)

Spell for any time use:

I invite _____ (fill in name of person you wish to contact) to come visit when I light this
candle one.

To visit and return to whence you came when your candle is done.

So mote it be.

Spell for Samhain:

I invite the Spirits I call upon to come to me one by one. (Light 1 candle each time you say
a name and place it in the sand)

Visit and return from whence you came when your candle is done.

So mote it be

After doing the spell spend some time just sitting quietly and thinking of the people you have summoned. They may just want to spend some time with you also and/or have a message for you or someone in your life. Ancestors are not just blood relatives that have crossed over they include anyone in your life that has had some type of impact on it. One of my favorite people to spend time with is an oil painting teacher I had when I was twelve years old. She was a very patient and sweet woman who help me through painting deal with my father’s crossing.

Copyright 2013 Lady Beltane

Sinister Solar System From NASA

Introduction

Our universe is full of mysterious sights, and spine-tingling sounds. Take a journey to the most frightful corners of the cosmos.

Click here for More interesting and fun information about our “Sinister Solar System”

A Bewitching History: Why Witches Ride Broomsticks

From LiveScience.com

By Megan Gannon 

Among the throngs of this year’s trick-or-treaters, hundreds of Americans will be dressed as Miley Cyrus or a minion from “Despicable Me,” but more will go with a fail-safe getup. “Witch” once again reigns as the No. 1 costume for adults, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2013 Halloween survey.

Many of the pointy-hatted sorcerers who roam the streets this Oct. 31 will be carrying broomsticks or besoms. But few likely know the murky tale of how witches came to be associated with those familiar household objects.

The story — full of sex, drugs and Christian inquisitors — starts with poisonous plants like black henbane (Hyoscyamus niger), sometimes called stinking nightshade.

Flying ointments

Ingesting henbane, which is rich in powerful alkaloids, can cause hallucinations (if it doesn’t kill you first). According to legend, witches used herbs with psychoactive properties like henbane in their potions, or “flying ointments.” Some historical accounts suggest witches applied these ointments to their nether regions. And what better applicator than a wooden staff?

Lady Alice Kyteler, Ireland’s earliest known accused witch, was condemned to death for using sorcery to kill her husband in 1324. (Kyteler escaped, and her maid was burned at the stake in her stead.)

The English historian Raphael Holinshed later recounted the case and described some of the supposedly damning evidence authorities found against Kyteler:…