LITHA THE SUMMER SOLSTICE

As a witch in the southern hemisphere, the wheel of the year turns upside down. The summer solstice happens during the Christmas (or Yule) season. 

This is the longest day of the year, and a time of joy and strength for the light. It is a time when the powers of nature are at their fullest. 

In the past this was often marked with bonfires and celebrants staying awake through the short night. To leap over the bonfire was to assure a good crop; some said the grain would grow as tall as the leapers could jump. 

Due to fire restrictions in Australia throughout summer, celebrations for this Sabbat tend to be quite different from those throughout the rest of the year. No candles can be lit, no cauldrons burned, and no open flames are allowed outside throughout much of the country. 

Litha falls in the dry stifling heat of summer in the southern part of our land, but in the north, Litha falls in the hot, wet season, and represents fruitfulness. 

In Australia, the Sturt Desert Pea is a sacred flower of this time. This is a time of ascendancy of the God, at his most powerful now, while the burgeoning Goddess brings forth the bounty of the Earth.

The birth of the sun (Son through the Goddess) during this 

time is an occasion of celebration and hope. Like the sun of the tarot, a time of enlightenment, promise and beginnings as a new year approaches. 

BUILDING A ZODIAC GARDEN

After stopping at a second hand bookshop and finding a really beautiful book called "The Zodiac Garden" by Dorothy Hall, I brought it home and started reading.

I imagine a life where people are able to heal themselves and create serenity within their own spaces. Our life on this earth plane is short and so it should be lived harmoniously and peacefully as possible.

The concept of the zodiac garden, or planting in conjunction with the stars is a very old one.  Everything in the cosmos and nature is connected to the human soul and psyche. Why can't we build a better space for ourselves and others.

Each Zodiac sign has attributes and associations that can be incorporated into the garden to create a paradise that suits the creator's personality – from a Taurus who likes to spread a lot of interesting stuff in the garden to a Virgo that prefers neatness. Much like the Western adoption of Chinese "Feng Shui" to create harmony in personal spaces, the use of astrology is gaining popularity as a means to capture nature's innate, positive energy. To that end, the question looms: Will Zodiac Gardens be the next trend?

Here is more detail from mystic living. There is a lot of information out there about zodiac gardening. Have a go and create a new space of love and nurturing.

Aries (3/21-4/19)

Rams are intense, energetic Fire sign people who work hard and play hard. Ruled by fiery and impulsive Mars, many of their plants are either strongly scented or have thorns. Most Astrologers agree that their trademark flower is the Honeysuckle; a fragrant, innocent looking flower endowed with reaching, grasping vines-a perfect representation of the need Aries feels to grow and succeed. Other flowers for this sign are the Thistle, Tiger Lily, Peppermint and Geranium; thorn-bearing trees and shrubs also fall under the domain of Aries.

Taurus (4/20-5/20)

Bulls, are Earth sign individuals ruled by the lovely and gracious planet Venus.  These people have a vast assortment of plants and flowers in their domain. They share rulership by Venus with Libra, and both signs have romantic undertones in their associations. Because of this, Astrologers disagree on the specific flower for Taurus; both Roses and Lilies are most often associated with the Bull, though Poppies and Iris have also been accepted for this role.  Daisies, Violets, Columbine and Foxglove are also attributed to Taurus, as well as fruit-bearing trees such as Apple, Pear, Fig, and Crab Apple.

Gemini (5/21-6/20)

Gemini, the first of the Air signs is also known as The Twins, is ruled by Mercury, and yields highly intellectual and mentally busy people.  Often considered fickle and flighty, this seems to cause many of the flowers under their Astrology domain to carry-over into other Signs! The hallmark flower for Gemini is the Lily-of-the-Valley, with Lavender frequently associated with this sign as well. Ferns of many kinds are also under the domain of Gemini, including maidenhair and myrtle. Orchids, which are most often affiliated with Aquarius (another Air sign), are also related; as are Chrysanthemums, Lilacs, Azaleas and Nut-bearing trees.

Cancer (6/21-7/22)

Crabs, a Water sign, ruled by the inconstant Moon, are an emotional and sensual people who most often appreciate the beauty and find poetry in having flowers surrounding them in their homes and gardens. A Zodiac garden can be the perfect retreat where a Cancer can really relax and unwind! The perfect flower for Cancer is Bear's Breeches--also known as Acanthus--a tall, shiny-leafed plant. Morning Glories, Lilies, Water Lilies and Lotus Blossoms are all assigned to Crabs as well, and any white-petaled flowers can be associated with this Moon-ruled Zodiac sign. The more open and breathtakingly white the flower, the more closely it can be associated to Cancer and the Moon.

Leo (7/23-8/22)

The Lion, a fiery sign, is ruled by the Sun. Plants within the domain of this imperial sign are appropriately bright and sunny.  Leo is a passionate sign full of love, affection and pride. A gorgeous garden full of enviable, fickle flowers requiring constant care and attention is perfect for a Lion. Their hallmark flower is the Sunflower with its awesome height and bright yellow, wide sun-facing seed heads. Other flowers include the Marigold, Celandine, Passion Flower, Rosemary, Dahlia and Aster. Palm, Bay/Laurel, Olive and Citrus trees are also associated with this proud sign.

Virgo (8/23-9/22)

Virgo – the virgin Persephone, another Earth Sign, is also ruled by clever Mercury and has many popular and hearty flowers for their sign.  Virgos are associated with perfection-seeking, goal-oriented people with an eye for detail and an amazingly organized mind. Their dedication to knowing most of life’s answers has gained them the hallmark flower of Narcissus, named for the Greek God who gazed into a pond to fall in love with his own reflection. All brightly colored, small-blossomed flowers are under the domain of The Virgins, especially blue or yellow varieties. Chrysanthemum, Aster, and Morning Glories are all attributed to Virgo, as is the Cherry tree.

Libra (9/23-10/22)

The Scales, the Balance of Life, share rulership of Venus with Taurus, have a wide array of beautiful flowers assigned to their sign.  Romantic, beauty-oriented people who enjoy surrounding themselves with stunning blossoms for inspiration and appeal; a personalized garden is ideal for them. Most Astrologers agree thatlarge Roses are the hallmark flower of Libra; Hydrangeas are the second most popular symbolic flower for this balance-seeking, relationship-minded sign. Asters, Daisies, Mint and blue flowers are all attributed to Libra, as are the Ash, Poplar and Plum trees.

Scorpio (10/23-11/21)

Scorpions shared fiery and impulsive Mars as their ruler with Aries until the discovery of distant and frigid Pluto. But under their often intimidating exterior is most times the heart of a romantic, and these skittish individuals often respond to the beauty and serenity of flowers instinctively. Their particular blossom is the Rhododendron, although Chrysanthemum is often associated with them by Astrologers. Other flowers to plant in their garden include the Geranium, Holly, Black-eyed Susan, Gardenia, Anemone, Heather, and even the spiny Cactus. Their trees include the Yew, Blackthorn, and any "bushy" trees.

Sagittarius (11/22-12/21)

Archers are ruled by clever Jupiter, and is a Zodiac sign of intelligent and philosophical people who think for themselves and walk to the beat of their own drummer. Their special flower is the pink Carnation, though many Astrologers put any pink-blossomed flower under their domain. Dandelion, Peony, Thistle, Clematis, Moss, and Sage are theirs and trees associated with this Zodiac sign are Lime, Birch, Mulberry, Oak, Ash, and Chestnut in addition to Blackberry bushes. However, Sagittarius more than most Zodiac signs might benefit from merely choosing whatever flowers appeal to their independent whim at the time!

Capricorn (12/22-1/19)

Sea-Goats are ruled by strict Saturn and are creatures forever tied to the waters but still determined to scale the mountain of success. They are the final Earth sign, and their flower association is appropriately large just as with Taurus and Virgo. Proud people who enjoy being admired, they will find a personalized garden specific to them as a charming way to have a unique and envied lawn! Their hallmark is Ivy, the creeping and determined little vine, a perfect plant for them. Other flowers include Heartsease, Love-lies-bleeding, Pansy, Baby's Breath, Hemp and Knap Weed. With more trees than most Zodiac signs, Capricorn has Magnolia, Pine, Elm, Yew, Willow, Aspen, Poplar and Hemlock to enhance their property.

Aquarius (1/20-2/18)

The Water Bearer is ruled by the erratic and eccentric genius planet, Uranus. This final Air sign, associated with individuality and unique creative expression, is a perfect example of gardeners who enjoy a customized landscape. Their perfect flower is the Orchid, though some Astrologers argue that Solomon's Seal should be the primary blossom of Aquarius. While the Orchid is too exotic for most hardiness zones to be planted outside, their flower pantheon also includes Golden Rain, Goldenrod, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Bird of Paradise, Gladiolus, and Trillium. The trees for the Water Bearer include Kiwi, Elderberry, Olive and Alder.

Pisces (2/19-3/20)

The Fish, the twelfth and final sign of the Zodiac, is ruled by emotional and abstract Neptune. They are both thoughtful and clever, and often psychic or keenly intuitive. They appreciate the power in symbolism, and a personalized Astrology-based garden is a wonderful way for them to express that. Their flower is appropriately the Water Lily, along with Poppy, Rhubarb, Yarrow, Clematis, Wisteria, Lilac, and on occasion, Orchid. Trees growing near water are always under their domain, especially Willow and Fig.

A POEM FOR BELTANE BY CATE

There is a song in the greenwood,

There's an age old tale to be sung,

Healing is there in the greenwood,

Spiraling endlessly under the sun.

Seat yourself under the oak trees,

Watch the leaf dust dance in the breeze,

Breathe in the flowers and catkins,

The slow buzzing motion of bees.

I give you a song from the greenwood,

A song to enchant and delight,

Refrains of sowing and reaping,

The lyric of life at its height.

Join in the dance of the greenwood,

Cast off your woes if you dare,

Life will be sweet in the greenwood,

Far from all hurry and care.

Hold high the cup of forgetting,

Drink deep of the greenwood wine,

Partake of the wildwood nectar,

So honey sweet from the vine.

Hear ye the pipes of the greenwood,

Far off music and dancing feet?

Ye shall be healed in the greenwood,

One with the earth's heartbeat.

SHADOWSCAPE TAROT DECK

A new addition to my small collection of tarot and oracle decks.

The Shadowscapes tarot deck is lovely with detailed mystical artwork by Stephanie Pu Mun Law. 

Review By Jack Ricklef 

The Shadowscapes Tarot, new from Llewellyn, has its own special character, its own special niche in which it shines. Some people may find its lilting grace, intricate beauty, and lush fantasy scenes to be too "fluffy," and so they may discount this deck. But others -- fans of the fantasy genre especially -- will swoon over these cards. I know I did.

Each card in this deck is an exquisite watercolor painting -- a work of art, really -- and I find the artwork, with its opulent detailing and fluid movement, captivating to the point of being mesmerizing. I love this about it, but the problem is that when I began to use the deck for readings, it was easy to get lost in its beauty, which made it hard to hear my intuitive understanding of the messages of the cards. However, as I become increasingly familiar with the cards I am becoming less likely to be awed by their artistic merit, so this "problem" is dissolving with time and experience. Also, it seems this deck would quickly work well for someone with a reading style in which they ask the seeker questions like, "What do you see happening in this card?" and then use those responses as part of the reading experience. But even if the art distracts you from being able to do traditional divinatory readings, there are other uses for which this deck is well suited. For example, these very evocative images work especially well for doing guided visualizations.

The Shadowscapes deck basically follows the Rider Waite Smith tradition, but it is far from simply being a RWS "clone." Law has deconstructed the traditional card images, pondered the integral tapestry of their meanings, and then constructed her own renderings based on her new vision for them. For many of the cards, she has used a very unique perspective, and all of them distinctly bear her imprint in one way or another. Consequently, less experienced readers (especially those who find the ease of transitioning to a new deck dependent upon its close approximation to the RWS template) will find that this deck is not an easy one to pick up and use. And certainly, it does require more than an average amount of contemplation and time spent gaining familiarity with the cards in order to use it with facility. However, in my experience with this deck, this is time well spent which will take you to new, uncharted terrain for many of the individual cards. In other words, the journey is well worth taking.

Indeed, every time I look at one of these cards I see a little more detail that enriches my experience and understanding of it. One source of such detail is the almost ubiquitous appearance of nymphs and dryads and fairies who are subtly participating in each scene. However, you generally have to look closely to notice them, and then you have to think about what they are doing in order to get their messages. For instance, a fairy on the Wheel of Fortune card sits examining a fairy skull (skulls being a traditional illustration of our realization of our mortality) but he (she?) is easy to overlook since the Wheel behind him is so sumptuous and intricate.

A brief overview

The Wands cards are mostly populated with foxes and felines, and they are painted in warm amber hues.

In the suit of Cups it is no surprise that we see lots of fish and mermaids (and mermen) and the dominant colors are cool shades of blue.

Birds, especially swans and crows, populate the Swords cards, and the pervasive color of the suit is violet. (Note: This deck's Swords cards tend to seem less dire than usual.)

Lizards and dragons are ubiquitous in the green-hued cards of the suit of Pentacles.

Happily, I found the Court Cards to be very dynamic overall, and each one is distinctive. I point this out because a lack of such qualities is not uncommon among Tarot decks, which disappoints me.

The Major Arcana cards are embellished with birds and butterflies, which are symbols of Spirit. However, I could discern no unifying color for the Majors as I did for the suits of the Minor Arcana. The individual cards of the Major Arcana are colored according to their specific needs, although Law does seem to have a penchant for cool blues and violets. The only significant change in the Major Arcana is that the Death card is illustrated with a phoenix, making the rebirth aspect of this card overly explicit. There are a couple other, less significant changes too. The High Priestess rises up in a very active pose, in contrast with her usual passive posture. Also, the dual-pillar motif repeated in several of the RWS Majors is gone. This is not a problem for me, but it is an observation which may be of interest to some people. Finally Strength is VIII and Justice XI, for those who are concerned about that.

A few of my favorite card images

* The leaping foxes in the Five of Wands add a sporty, playful feeling to the chaos which is typical of this card.

* In the Six of Cups, a young girl hosts a tea party for her stuffed animals. This is a somewhat different image from that of the RWS deck, but the feel of it resonates in a similar way.

* The Four of Pentacles features a dragon hoarding his treasure, which is reminiscent of Smaug (the dragon from The Hobbit) and his stockpile of treasure. It thus exemplifies this card's traditional meaning of a wealthy miser.

* For me, the Tower card has a lovely Lothlórien feel to it, which makes the devastating lightning strike all the more distressing.

Friend Test:

I love to "friend test" decks that I am reviewing. For this one, I had my friends Amy and Marieke come over, and we all did readings with it. Marike already had this deck and had been using it for a while for a "card of the day" for her husband, while Amy had never seen the deck before, and I had only begun to explore it. So between the three of us, we had a nice variety of experience with which to approach this deck. Although Amy considered this deck to be beautiful (she called it "romantic"), she was at first rather dubious about its "readability." However, after just one reading with it, she was beginning to warm up to it. Marieke came into the friend test saying that the deck was slowly growing on her as she used it for a daily one-card reading. This was her first time doing a multi-card reading with it, though, and afterward she said that she was pleasantly surprised with how well it worked. During our readings, it was apparent that Amy and I tended to "translate" the cards to their RWS equivalents (to varying degrees) in order to read them. Marieke, however, was comfortable reading the cards as they were. In either case, however, we all were able to get meaningful readings out of these cards.

All of this reinforces my initial impression that it takes a bit of time and practice to become familiar enough with this deck to be able to use it with ease and proficiency, but that with such practice, it can become a very good deck for readings.

Details, details:

I have read the complaint that the card stock for this deck is flimsy, but I compared it to several of my other decks and honestly, it's quite average. Yes, I wouldn't compare it favorably to a few self-published decks I have which are printed on extraordinarily good card stock. But for mass market decks these days, the card stock on this one is typical.

Another complaint about this deck that I've heard is that the cards are too small considering the intricate detailing of the images. I can understand that comment in that some of the details in Law's paintings would be better served by larger cards. But this deck is of an average size, and if the cards were significantly larger, they would be cumbersome for many people. This size tradeoff is a tricky one, so my suggestion (in case Llewellyn is listening) would be to issue a special, large-sized edition of the deck too.

I've also heard that the art on the cards paled in comparison to the images of them that you can see on Law's website, and this is true. However, to be fair, the images on the website are larger than the physical cards, and on a computer screen, they have light shining through them, like a stained glass window. What printed image can compete with that?

The Book:

The book that comes with this deck is about 250 pages (with lots of illustrations) and is separated into three basic parts, the first and third being written by Barbara Moore. The first section ("Introduction") is an explanation of how to do a Tarot reading, and it is quite good considering its brevity. I'm not sure how well it will prepare a total novice for reading the cards, but it certainly beats the stuffing out of your typical "Little White Book" for that purpose. The last part of the book presents a collection of spreads, ranging from very basic ones that should be useful for a novice to more detailed ones that more experienced readers may find useful, so there's something for everyone there.

The middle of the book, which is the lion's share of it, is written by the artist and covers the individual cards. Law's lyrical explorations of the cards suggest meanings and interpretations, but they often avoid explicit explanations of many of the details in her images. With many of the details left unexplained, those who like to have things spelled out explicitly may be disappointed at times by the book. But if you prefer to explore things on your own, helped perhaps by hints and suggestive stories, then the book will serve you well. And of course if you're an experienced Tarot reader, you may just ignore the book all together.

By the way, are you wondering why the deck is named "Shadowscapes"? Law's explanation (from her website) is that her paintings are of "shadows of reality that are almost grasped ... in a dream-world made of light and absence of light."

ANIMAL DREAMING ORACLE CARDS

I bought these oracle cards some time ago and have been meaning to post them. These cards are uniquely Australian and draw on ancient aboriginal legends from the dream time where the rainbow serpent was dominant. I read several different types of tarot and oracle cards but these ones are my favorite next to the Wisdom of Avalon cards.

They are accurate and can be read in any traditional spread.

They are in 4 groups, earth, wind, air and water. 

This was way back, at the very beginning. The land and the people were created by the Spirits. They made the rivers the water holes the hills and the rocks and all the thing living. They gave us hunting things, they gave each tribe its land, they gave us our totems and they gave us our Dreaming”
Aboriginals believed that the world was made by the Ancestors, back in the Dreamtime. The Ancestors made everything – the rocks, mountains, plants and animals. They made the Aboriginals too. The Ancestors left certain sights to show which places were to be sacred. The Aboriginals performed ritual songs and ceremonies near the sacred sites to keep the spirits of the Ancestors alive. Different tribes had different ideas about the Ancestors who made the world. Others believed that they were animal-spirits. In parts of Arnhem Land, in the Northern Territory, the Ancestors were huge snakes. In other places the spirit who created the world was Wanadjina.
Dreamtime legends form a part of Australian literature and was the basis for Aboriginal religion and culture. It dated back to 65,000 years and contains many parts: It is the story of things that have happened, how the universe came to be, how human beings were created and how the Creator intended for humans to function within the cosmos.
One such dreamtime story that was provided to us is about how the sun was made.

DREAM INTERPRETATION

Last night I had a very vivid dream about myself and someone in my life. I have tried to interpret what it means and have come up with this.


THE DREAM
***** and I were shopping in the supermarket buying things we need each week for our living etc. We filled several trolleys and ended up spending $2000 on groceries.
We went back to our small house which was surrounded by colourful garden and located in a forest or green area near parkland. It had an old stove like those that act as central heating as well. This stove was too hot so I wanted to turn it down and ended up fiddling with the controls. While doing this a large frog croaked in the roof. It was stuck in a hole so we tried to get it down and eventually it fell onto the floor and in its fear it wedged itself between the wall and a pipe. This from was extremely large.
***** had an appointment to meet some people in the nearby parkland so he went. While he was away our bed appeared out in the middle of the road where we lived. The sheets and linen was disheveled and messy thrown around. This made me panic since I didn't have anyone to help me drag it back in at this point ***** came back he was naked and wanting to **** **** ** me. 


This is all I can remember of this dream which was extremely vivid and real. Because of it I woke up tired as though I have not slept at all. I feel this is a prophetic dream of sorts.


INTERPRETATION AND ELEMENTS


FROG - Means Indiscretion and can also mean blessings, love, and prosperity. Dream Frogs also symbolize spiritual and emotional transformation.
NAKED (seeing someone) - Means scandal or slander and also a dream about being disgusted by the nudity of another person means anxiety or aversion to discovering the naked truth about that person, situation or even about yourself. Accepting their nudity means that you are able to see through people and accept them for what they are.
MESSY OUT OF PLACE BED - disorder or mistake
PARKLAND - Pain and meloncholy
COTTAGE - Simple life
A LIT STOVE (oven) - Ease and abundance
FLOWER GARDEN - Pleasant surprise
TREES - long happiness and unexpected pleasure and also trees are symbols of the soul and lifes purpose.The type of tree that is dreamt about can suggest the current state of ones spiritual condition. The trees in my dream were lust healthy as though new leaves shooting in spring. This suggests that my spiritual condition may be emerging and new and starting new life.

Mystical Meaning: A tree can also be a symbol of time. The root represent the past, the trunk the present and the branches the future. Perhaps your dream contains a prophecy or says something about your hopes and fears for the future? It is said to be lucky if you dream of climbing a tree.

For me this means that ***** has concealed something from me, an indiscretion he has had or will have in future. This information that he is hiding may cause me to loose faith in him and cause me pain and sorrow. This also is in line with the angel card reading I did yesterday. The angel Bridgette showed me that this situation isn't right and that vital information has been concealed. I have to dig deeper to find the answers etc and that I should not worry because there is other opportunities for me etc.

According to this dream it also seems by this that I may end up being happy with a simple life abundant in pleasant surprises. On the other hand it may also suggest that there is an element of honesty and baring all and that things are brighter with a new spiritual awakening and accepting of a prosperous outcome. 

BLUE ANGEL ORACLE CARDS

While away on holiday I have been exploring different shops and places. I came across these beautiful oracle cards called The Blue angel oracle by Toni Carmine Salerno. Archangel Michael is very special to me personally as he has shown me many things that have made me feel more at peace with myself. Confusion and hopelessness has also been eased. Here is a little bit of information about Archangel Michael.

Through many succeeding cycles of time, as Ray after Ray provided The Pathway for the descent of new Spirits, Lord Michael has remained as the Guardian Overlord of the Angelic Host, the Elemental Kingdom and humanity. He shall not fold his Cosmic Wings about him to return home until the final Angelic Being is freed, the last man is redeemed and the last Elemental returned to its perfect state. This is the love of Lord Michael, who like many others, is a Prisoner of Love to the life he serves.

Archangel Michael is referred to as the greatest of all angels in writings throughout the world, including Jewish, Christian and Islamic.

The oracle cards feature the most amazing artwork by the author and also Walter Brunel.

BE GUIDED BY THE BLUE ANGEL ARCHANGEL MICHAEL.