WyseWitchUK

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...

In Spring garden centres and supermarkets fill with an array of beautiful plants to tempt and inspire us. One of the most brightly coloured and prolifically flowered of these plants is usually generically labelled as Campanula, which actually refers to a family of flowers. Its Latin name derives from the bell shape of its flowers for   campanula means 'little bell' and in times past these plants were also known as Fairy Bellflowers or Fairy Bells. Another name for Campanulas is Fairy Caps for some Faeries are said to wear the flowers like hats.   The bell shaped flowers open to a five pointed star which means that these purple flowers are linked with the symbolism of that most Witchy of symbols, the Pentagram. Just as the Pentagram is a symbol of magic, protection, the five elements (Earth, Air, Fire, Water & Spirit), our five senses and the Goddess so too are Bellflowers. The Purple/Blue hue of many Campanulas is associated with Spirituality, the Faerie Path, th...

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...

  On my recent walk along the seashore, along the long line of detritus washed up by the stormy waves of winter, I could not help but notice the sheer number of Mermaid's Purses that have washed up. They were everywhere I looked, at least one per each square metre on average. Some were spread out while others were huddled together in clusters. I love the name Mermaid's Purse for it conjures up images and stories of the maids of the sea, who are clearly lacking pockets in their scaled, fish-like bottom half. Mermaids love their beauty; they are well known for combing their long hair for hours on end as they gaze at themselves in silvery, moonlike mirrors. When not in use clearly the maids of the sea need somewhere safe to put their mirrors, combs, salves and other bits and bobs hence the nickname of Mermaid's Purse. The scientific name for these is Chondrichthyes which just isn't as enigmatic. Mermaid's Purses may well be used by Mermaids to carry their val...