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Sacred Well Congregation1 day ago

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Sacred Well Congregation3 days ago

Sacred Well Congregation's Digital Litha Service

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Sacred Well Congregation4 days ago

Solstice blessings from the officers of Sacred Well Congregation!

As we reach the Summer Solstice, we come to the longest day of the year, as well as the shortest night (at least in the Northern Hemisphere). This is the height of the Sun’s power, which in some places leads to full, lush growth but in others begins a season of intense heat that makes growth difficult. This highlights that there are few absolutes in life, and that both the seasons of nature and the seasons of life can affect us in different ways. Consider coming together in community to share both the blessings and the hardships this season may bring you.

The Solstice is also a tipping point, reminding us that even during the heat of the rest of the summer, the days will actually be shortening as we move toward the darker half of the year. The cycles of nature are always in motion; nothing is stagnant. You might contemplate how best to use the long, full days of light while they are here, and also take time to appreciate the rest offered by the relatively short nights.

So in this season of change, the officers of Sacred Well Congregation offer a blessing for you, your families, and your communities in this season as you participate in your personal and community celebration of Litha, Midsummarblot, Alban Hefin, or one of the many other nature-centered celebrations practiced during this time of year.

Let’s consider the words of Patti Wigington:

The sun is high above us
shining down upon the land and sea,
making things grow and bloom.
Great and powerful sun,
we honor you this day
and thank you for your gifts.
Ra, Helios, Sol Invictus, Aten, Svarog,
you are known by many names.
You are the light over the crops,
the heat that warms the earth,
the hope that springs eternal,
the bringer of life.
We welcome you, and we honor you this day,
celebrating your light,
as we begin our journey once more
into the darkness.

There are many ways we can celebrate the longest day of the year. Below are just a few ideas that you may choose to incorporate into your practices and celebrations.

Celebrate the Community: If you have the means, donate your time or money to a cooling center.

Put out water for pollinators: Using the water-catch plate under a potted plant, fill with gravel, marbles, or sand, then fill with water to just the level of the material.

Enjoy the early summer harvest: Traditional foods of Litha include fresh vegetables and summer fruits like strawberries, since those are at their peak. Honey is a popular ingredient in recipes for Litha as it represents the sweetness of the season and was used to make mead.

Gather Herbs: Since the power of the sun is at a peak, the morning of Litha is thought to be the best time to harvest summer herbs. If you have an herb garden, spend some time there and enjoy the extra energetic boost of midsummer.

Energizing Summer Sun Tea With Magical Fruits
Why not harness the powerful energy of the sun on or near the Summer Solstice by making sun tea? There’s so many choices for ingredients, so have fun with it. And if you want to make it magical, select your ingredients based on your intentions. Then set your tea out and let the sun charge it with energy, health, and prosperity.

Energizing Sun Tea Recipe for Midsummer
- Large glass jar with airtight lid
- 2-4 teabags (green or black. How many you use depends on how strong you like your tea AND how large your container is)
- Fresh fruit of your choice: we like using orange slices, berries, lemons, and apple slices
- Fresh herbs of your choice: rosemary, thyme, and basil are great choices

How to Make Your Sun Tea:
Add your teabags, fruit and herbs to your glass vessel.
Next, pour water in the glass jar until it’s almost to the very top.
Seal it with the airtight lid.
Place outside in direct sunlight on a very hot, sunny day for up to 3 hours or until brewed to desired strength.
Serve over ice or after refrigeration.

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Sacred Well Congregation4 weeks ago

Hail and blessings from the officers of Sacred Well Congregation! We would like to wish you and yours a blessed Einherjar. In other parts of the world, this holiday is celebrated on November 11th. In the United States, we celebrate this holiday near the end of May on Memorial Day. We pause to remember those service members and veterans who have crossed through the veil, transitioning from this life to the next. We come together as a community of support and compassion, standing side by side with their friends and family.

From poet Lenore Hetrick, we have the following words:

“Let our songs rise sweet and gently
For soldiers gone who once were here.
Let the music whisper softly
For this flowering springtime of the year.
Those for whom we offer song
On this new Memorial Day
Once were young and laughing, too,
Yet now they have fallen away.

From the towns and from the farms
Light of heart the soldiers came.
Each one wore upon his brow
A tall yet invisible flame.
To the sound of forceful horns
The soldiers swiftly marched away
They marched to beating of the drums,
And knew they had but to obey.

So today let songs be soft and sweet,
For this flowering springtime of the year.
We sing for those who once were young,
And once were happy—and once were here.”

Members of the Pagan community have served in the modern military longer than is recorded. In the 1970’s Wicca was formally included in the military chaplain’s handbook and in 2007, through the work of Selena Fox and others, Pagan symbols began being recognized to be included on military headstones. Today, members of the Pagan community continue to serve in the military and organizations like Sacred Well Congregation continue to support those who serve, building on the work those who came before us for those who will come after.

There are many ways we choose to honor this holiday and this season. Below are just a few ideas that you may choose to incorporate into your practices.

Visit Cemeteries and Memorials
Take time to honor those service members who have crossed from this life to the next by visiting local cemeteries or memorials. You can show respect and honor by placing wreaths, flower, or flags on those graves you visit. (A penny on the headstone is a visit, a nickel on the headstone is a visit from someone who went through basic training with them, a dime on the headstone is a visit from someone they were stationed with, and a quarter on the headstone is a visit from someone who was with them when they died)

National Moment of Remembrance
At 3 PM, pause what you are doing, where you are, to remember and honor those who have crossed from this life to the next in service to our nation.

Toasts and Boasts
Gather with others to honor those service members who have crossed from this life to the next, sharing your favorite stories of those service members, naming what was honorable about them, and what you would most like to carry forward into the world from their example.

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