Summer & Magic
Ahhh...summer. The season of warmth and sunshine.
EEEK!!!! NOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!
I have a solar-dysfunction compounded by a serious melatonin-challengedness. I slather on SPF 70. I’ve been teasingly accused of being part vampire. As I sit here, I bear a sunburn on one shoulder. While counting the hours ‘til my next application of the soothing blue aloe gel, I’ve resorted to using the shop-vac to clear away cobwebs in the basement just to keep working during those peak flesh-searing hours.
Needless to say, the summer being so dangerous for me, it is not my favorite season. It has, however, many awesome holidays. The Summer Solstice, not to be confused with that cute little chick-hot-rod Pontiac put out, is a pagan holiday usually celebrated on June 21st, give or take a day, whenever the sun is at 1 degree Cancer.
This holiday occurs when the sun is at the height of its power so it is no surprise that the foremost element of this holiday is fire, but this longest day of the year is also known as Litha, which means “moon.” Ironic?
Not really.
This holiday has a secondary elemental influence: water. Therefore, the solstice has ties to the descent into the underworld. From Isis’s journey to save Osiris, to Baldur’s visit to the lowest worlds of Asgard…and, of course my favorite, Persephone’s passage into the realm of Hades. All those stories are portrayals of introspective scrutiny. Water is the lubrication that allows us to look into ourselves and discover what we—with fire—must renew, release, or enhance.
What would you like to renew and amp up in your life? Perhaps love, health, and joy.
What do you need to release? Maybe sadness, pain, or regret.
What would you like to enhance? Finances. Friendships. Luck.
The Summer Solstice is a great time to use the heat and light of solar energy to rev up external physical manifestations. Because the solstice this year will occur in a waning moon phase and that is a good time to get rid of negative energies, let’s focus on the middle question. Here’s an easy little ritual:
You’ll need:
paper and pen—you’re making a list
a black candle—the birthday kind for ‘over the hill’ cakes is usually inexpensive, small, and burn up relatively fast
anointing oil—regular ol’ olive oil will work just fine
candle holder—whatever is appropriate for safety. For a small birthday size candle an ashtray or small plate may work if you allow wax to drip in then affix the candle base to that while it is yet soft.
**Fire is dangerous. Use common sense. Be safe.**
Make a list answering the question: “What do I need to release?” Feel free to borrow the suggestions I gave, but you truly know what needs to go from your life, so add your own—as long as you never try to harm someone or mess with their free will. (That will bite you in the ass.) Keep your answers simple and straightforward. Next, get the candle and dab your fingers in the oil. Starting at the base of the candle—and focusing your mind on your answers—rub the oil toward the wick. This sends the energy of these answers away from you.
**For extra oomph, research the Moirai and add them to your thoughts as you dress the candle with the oil. The Moirai regulate the fate they weave and can remove snags and clear blockages from the loom of your life.**
Light the candle, affix it in a safe place, and keep your mind focused on your intention. (Make a chant out of it!) Watch the candle burn until the flame goes out. Mentally cast whatever you are releasing into that flame as if it is a portal to that ever-burning star that is our sun. Believe that what you have enacted will be so, that what you have released is gone. Dispose of the candle off by burying it somewhere not on your property.
Merry Solstice to you!
--Linda
For more information about Linda Robertson and her books, check out her website at
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Ah, sunburns! I only have to stick my nose out the window and the freckles multiply!
BTW we have a "blood moon" tonight here in central Europe, so I better get the candles out for those pagan rituals ;-) !
Funny that I also am very sun-sensitive. My skin is so white it looks like milk, and sometimes I also make jokes about being a vampire. :D
What would you like to renew and amp up in your life?
- Most definetly I'd like to be more easy-going and less 'against' eveything.
What do you need to release?
- My 'sometimes' anger.
What would you like to enhance?
- Money! Maybe have a trees that grows money instead of leaves and fruits. That would b perfect. :D
Thanks for the giveaway!
~ Buttercream ~
Thank you for the details of the ritual. It could be useful! ><
No matter how much sunscreen I put on or how often I still get sunburned with my daughter at the soccer fields every year! It never fails that I look like a racoon with flip flop marks!
This is perfect! There is so much I need to let go of and get rid of. Dashing off to get my pen and paper to take notes...
Sunburns blow! Thanks for the ritual..I'll definitely be trying this out!
I like the ritual ;) Would like to try that. Nowadays I do not do anything special but when I was little I used to love doing things on Midsummer (since we celebrate it on the weekend) The who you will marry things were the best one :)
Did you just see where they are now saying you are supposed to use a whole tube of sunscreen every time you to out in the sun? I know all I have to do is step outside and I burn.
Sunscreen...hmm. Never heard of it...lol. Livin' in Miami, it's hard to forget but easy to ignore.
Ok, so you have to bury the candle somewhere not on your property. Does this mean that what you release gets passed on to whoever owns the property where you do bury it?
Hey kiddego--NO! The things you release are released back into the earth where it is neutralized. :-D
Thanks everyone for your comments!
What a wonderful treat. Thank you for the giveaway opportunity. I love following your blog!! It is so fun to find new (to me) books and authors and I appreciate your sharing.
ahhh, sunburns. My sister always teased me and called me chalk growing up. Me and Mr. sun don't get along and he always burns me no matter how short my trip outside and how much sunblock I slather on. Funny thing is, my mom is spanish and tans nicely, so does my sis, I get my whiteness from my dad. I even passed on the whiteness to two of my three kids. Both the boys sunburn like momma, my daughter was passed the spanish genes from my family, the lucky turd!! :)
june111(at)att(dot)net
I know what you mean about sunburns. I try to avoid the sun as much as possible, especially since in Florida it's usually scorching in the summer. I usually venture out when the sun is starting to go down. At least I'm able to park my car in my garage and in a parking garage at work so I don't have to even go out in the sun most days.
I need to stay the crap out of the sun, too. I hate how it's become somehow okay in society to comment on people's paleness, even negatively. I once had a woman I'd never met exclaim to me 'oh my god, you're so pale!' I wanted to come back with, 'oh my god, you're so chubby!'...but she was a customer.
b(dot)cardone(at)hotmail(dot)com
That was a great post. We always start dehydrating some fruits on solstice and eating them in the evening. The series looks awesome.
I actually don't like the sun that much. If I stay in it too long, I burn like crazy. The warmer weather is okay, but mostly I like the lazy atmosphere and extra free time to do what I want.
thanks for the awesome giveaway and for making it international!!!
GFC-Janhvi Jagtap
justjanhvi at gmail dot com
Thanks for the giveaway. I would love to read both books. Tore923@aol.com
LOVE this series Thank you for the giveaway
Thanks for the giveaway. Both books sound really good.
Thank you so much for this awesome giveaway. I know, I hate sunburns. I had one this weekend on the top of my head. lol
Chikittie@gmail(dot)com
Nice to know there's another non-summer lover out there. I, too, burn easily and temps over 80 make me gush sweat. Give me the 60's any day.
Thanks for a interesting post (I feel with you!!) and btw, I absolutely love your books :)
greetings, Ina
I have had these books on my TBR list for awhile, thanks for the giveaway chance!
Book Savvy Babe
Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
I try to stay out of the sun as much as possible. I need to release all negative thoughts and feelings.
marlenebreakfield(at)yahoo(dot)com
I wrote my list now I need a candle and olive oil I want to do this thank you for telling us about this ritual.
Oh we so need to hang out Linda! I detest the summer sun as well. I have the Irish skin that's on my mother's side and burn super easily. Plus I just hate the heat. In St. Louis summer means humidity and high temps! We're in the upper 90s already and have been there all last week. It's not even the summer solstice yet and I am burning up!
I appreciate the instructions for the ritual that you included. I think it might just be exactly what I needed.
awesome giveaway! thank you! and i loved to ritual!
shadow_kohler@att.net
thank you!! i hate how sunburns make you feel all feverish! ugh!
americangirlie1991 at yahoo dot com
Interesting post :)
Great giveaway, please count me in.
Misha
misadevilgirl@seznam.cz
Y'all are awesome! I keep checkin in and there just keeps being more comments. It rocks!
I have very fair skin and have always been accused of being a vampire as well, but for some reason, I am tanning this year! I guess it's cuz my melatonin is getting old and is just giving in, or something like that! I still stay out of the sun when I can, I just don't look quite as pale, which is a nice change:)
Thanks for a great giveaway!
Thanks for the giveaway and for the international option. Much appreciated as usual.
tahlia.newland at yahoo.com
Great post and thanks for the giveaway!
What a great post thank you for sharing and great giveaway thank you!
I like the ritual. Can I release some extended family members? ;) Fun post! and Merry Solstice to you!
I am definitely a sun-burner & not a tanner.
I love the idea of just releasing something away from your life. I'd love to release all the stress that comes from money.
heatwave96(at)hotmail.com
I would really love to read these books. Thanks for the giveaway.
i think i'm lucky, i rarely get sunburns.
Thank you for the giveaway !
Interesting post xD
Thank you for the chance to win!
Rathouska.jana@gmail.com
I have read the firat two books from this series and really enjoyed it! Love to read the other one too!
Very interest post! Thanks for sharing and for the giveaway! It's so awesome of you to open it to international followers too!
chibipooh(at)gmail(dot)com
Great blog post.
Thanks for making the giveaway international!
I too have to watch my time out in the sun. Highest spf I can find plus a sunhat that goes out past my shoulders *wink*.
sionedkla@gmail.com
Great post and thanks for the giveaway. These books sound really good!
jessicamariesutton(at)msn(dot)com
Woot Woot! Thanks for the awesome giveaway and for making it international!!!
rea0903(at)gmail(dot)com
Interesting post!
robindpdx (at) yahoo (dot) com
Thanks for the contest! I would love to try Linda's books! I feel for your sunburn woes...
SPF 70 is about my minimum! I'm very prone to burning!
meredithfl at gmail dot com
Yeah, weel, I have tanned skin, so I don't get fried every time I go to the sunlight :D
mikki-mano@hotmail.com
I have to agree SUmmer is not my favorite season either but I also have to agree that there are some fun holidays during the Summer. But I don't tan - I only burn and then go back to being white.
Thank you for an amazing post and giveaway!
PelicanJL@hotmail.com
As a true winter girl myself I commiserate with you on the whole summer thing.
Your books sound great, thanks for the chance to win one!
eyesofblueice(at)gmail(dot)com
Thanks for the post and this amazing giveway! Please, count me in!
Kanya
kanyachhetATyahooDOTca
Since I live at tropical country, sunburn always be my problem *sigh*, so I must dealing with this, since I'm an active person. But, thanks for sharing the tips. Will try it , lol! ^_^
Merry Solstice to you Linda!
sawamura_foxman AT yahoo com
I've never really had problems with sunburns, partly because of my skin type and partly because I live so far up north
Sunburn is evil, especially for us pale Irish folk. It doesn't even turn to tan afterwards for me, just pain and then pale again. Plus, fear of skin cancer...I slather on SPF like crazy.
Thanks for the post!
I get sunburned very easily if I don't put some sunscreen on.
Hi Linda thank you for the great postand summer soltice ritual. I love summer... and I used to so love sunbathing etc. However, now the heat is almost unbearable to me if I'm out in it very long.
pams00 @ aol.com
I'd like to release all of the negativity in my life which includes people and emotions and feelings. Thanks for the giveaway
Linda I have had your books n my wishlist for some time now, I love how exciting the premise sounds but I have to confess it was their eyecatching, atmospheric covers which caught my eye at first ;-)
Thank you for the great giveaway!
stella.exlibris (at) gmail (dot) com