Tag: Summer

Wheel of the Year

Beltane

Wild Fen

The next festival in our Wheel of the Year journey is Beltane or May day, celebrated From the evening of April 30th to May 1st in the Northern hemisphere. Beltane is the peak of Spring, a celebration of fertility and the height of the earth’s growing energy. At this time of year we begin to see the very first signs of Summer emerging.

This is a time of abundance, union and life force. Flowers are blooming, new life is being born and the Sun’s strength is increasing. This is a fertile time in the natural world, and can help us to ignite projects, cultivate new actions and reflect on what we need in order to bloom. This increase in active energy, can leave us feeling a little worn out at times, so it is good time to ensure rest, self care and nourishment is established to balance this busy time.

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Wheel of the Year

Lammas

Wild Fen

Lammas (also known as Lughnassadh) falls on 1st August and is the midpoint between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox in the northern Hemisphere. By Lammas we are into the second half of the year and may refer to this time as ‘high summer.’ The days are still long and the sun’s energy is strong yet active growth is waning. The earth is abundant and many of our grain crops have ripened and await their gathering, full and golden.

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Botanicals

Abundance Smudge Sticks

Wild Fen

In the approach to Lammas, as Summer reaches its height, we wanted to create a Smudge Stick that celebrates the rich abundance of the season. You may well have read my previous post about Goldenrod finding its way into my garden this year.

Goldenrod is extremely high in antioxidants and its Latin name Solidago translates as ‘to make whole or heal’. In folklore Goldenrod is believed to to bring luck and prosperity and encourage an abundant mindset. These qualities are believed to become more potent when the plant self seeds too!

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Wheel of the Year

Litha

Wild Fen

The Summer Solstice also known as Litha falls between June 20th and 23rd each year and marks the longest day of the year and the beginning of the Summer season in the Northern hemisphere. As daylight hours reach their peak on this day, we begin our transition into the second half of the year. Light after the Summer Solstice slowly wanes towards the Winter Solstice, where we reach the shortest day in December.

Transitioning to the second part of the year can lead us to wonder how the months have gone, perhaps even more under the circumstances we have faced this year. Us humans commonly have a preference for daylight (not to mention the warmth) so thinking of its retreat is not always easy. However the earth, if we allow it, can be a good teacher of balance. Year on year we witness Summer and Winter rise and fall, giving way to one another through the seasonal cycle, always moving, always changing and always returning.

Being aware of what is going on in our outer world can help us to connect to and learn more about our inner worlds. In this article I will discuss how we can use the energy of the season to cultivate inner reflection and set intentions for the second part of the year.

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Astrological

Cancer Season

Wild Fen

Tomorrow the sun will enter the Zodiac sign of Cancer. Cancer season runs between June 20th and July 22nd and is the fourth sign of the Zodiac. The start of this season also coincides with daylight reaching its peak at the Summer Solstice.

At this time of year of year crops are ripening, the Earth is abundant and it is easy to appreciate the nurturing qualities of nature. Similarly Cancer is described as the nurturer of the Zodiac. Qualities associated with the sign also include intuition, tender care for others and a deep sensitivity. Cancer is a water sign and is ruled by the Moon both of which bring an emphasis on depth of feelings. The sign is referred to as ‘the crab’ and can relate to those strong feelings being hidden deep within its shell.

Sending love and celebrating all of you wonderful Cancer souls out there. To mark the season, we wanted to share with you our astrology print which is on sale in our Etsy shop now.