WyseWitchUK

Lughnasadh / Lammas is the time of the first major harvest, including that of the first fruits of the year and now is the time when we see nature and our own labours come to fruition. Lughnasadh, or Lúnasa in Modern Irish, is the Celtic Festival named for the God of Light, Lugh. There are several variations of the Lughnasadh legend in which the crops are fought over. In one version Crom Dubh, has caused the crops to grow and considers them his treasure, but brave Lugh seizes these crops from Crom Dubh for mankind to enjoy. In another version the crops are represented by the Goddess Eithne and it is she that the two Gods fight over. Traditionally Lughnasadh is a time of great gatherings, local fetes, religious rites, pilgrimages to sacred sites - especially Holy Wells, matchmaking and various competitions. To the Anglo-Saxons this was Lammas , from hlaf-mas , 'loaf-mass' and marked the start of the wheat harvest. It was traditional to use the first harvest to make ...

The Summer Solstice is a time of great power for this is when the days are at their longest and the Summer Sun is at its strongest. This is the sacred time of the great Sun Deities of the Northern Hemisphere such as the Celtic Lugh/Llew, the Irish Àine, the Saami Beiwe, the Norse Baldr and Sol, the Baltic Saulė, the Romano-British Sulis, the Chinese Xihe, the Japanese Amaterasu and many more... In modern Paganism this is also the time of the Green Man or Jack in the Green who looks out at us still from churches and woodlands with his foliate face showing his connection to the fertility of nature at this time. These are the final glory days of the great Oak King who rules over the light half of the year, before the Holly King gains in power and takes over as the light wanes again. The Goddess moves from her maiden phase into her mother phase as she now carries the God's child to be born again in Winter. The Summer Solstice is also a very important day in the Faerie Cal...

Mother Earth Pagan Prayer Beads by Cauldron Crafts Mother/Father Earth has had many names through the years, so to celebrate Earth Day I thought I'd write about a few...  Akka ('Old Woman') or MaderAkka ('Mother Woman') - Finnish and Saami Goddess of Fertility and Nature. She is the wife of Ukko, the Thunder and Sky God, and when they make love, thunder rolls. In Scandinavia thunder and its associated rain is often said in legends to make the earth fertile. Akka gives life to the body. Akka is associated with mountains such as the Ahkka massif in Sweden that still bears her name. Ceres ('To Feed') - Roman Mother Goddess of Agriculture, especially Grain, and Fertility. Ceres is said to have discovered spelt wheat, created the art of pastoral agriculture and created law and order. Our word cereal comes from her name, as do our words creativity , creation and increase . Ceres was honoured at a seven day festival in April called the Cerealia festiv...

Like its lighter and beloved sister, the Hawthorn, who is said to rule over the light half of the year, Blackthorn has long been associated with Faeries, Witches and Magic. Blackthorn is often considered a darker, more sinister tree than its sister and it rules over the darker winter months for this is when it is in its element. At the start of winter the Blackthorn produces its wonderful deep blue/purple/black sloes and as winter ends the trees explode in ghostly white blossom. With its rich nectar and pollen, it is a lifesaver for many foraging insects, like bees, for whom there is little else at that time of year. With its shrubby and dense nature, along with the H awthorn, Blackthorn is a vital component of hedgerows which provide refuge and food for many birds, insects and small animals as well as the Fae. The contrast between the dark thorny stems and the beautiful white flowers is stark, rather like the contrast between the light of the moon and stars and the darkness...

(Originally written for the Bumblebee Conservation Trust ) The bee features as much in folklore from around the world as it does in our gardens in summer time. Yet, in this article, I can only scratch the surface of this vast body of information. Bees show up in human art forms almost as soon as mankind learned to create them; they are depicted in ancient rock art from around the world, for example from the Palaeolithic in Spain and from the Mesolithic in India and are mentioned in some of the earliest forms of writing in the world. Bees crop up everywhere from poetry to prose and even in our everyday sayings: we can be as 'busy as a bee', we 'make a bee-line' for things, we can get 'a bee in the bonnet' and the term 'bee's knees' now famously refers to something fabulous, although originally it referred to something small and insignificant. Bees are linked with magic, love, industriousness and creativity. The mere presence of bees on a ...

The Spring Equinox is a time of balance and enlightenment, literally and figuratively. The dark nights have been receding and the light days have been growing in length which has led in turn to the growth and greening of the plants and trees. Many crystals and stones, like the plants around us, thrive on the increased light and fertile energies that surround us in Spring. 1. Citrine   With its golden yellow hue Citrine epitomises the warm glow of the ever increasing Spring sunshine to which the plants and flowers lovingly respond. Citrine has the optimistic energy of Spring and all the potential it promises. It has the bright energy of golden daffodils which cannot fail to cheer us up even when the Spring showers are pouring down. If you are looking to bring light, brightness and joy into your life Citrine is a charming choice that will inspire and illuminate.   Just as nature bursts forth so dynamically at this time of year, Citrine can really help us get back...