By Chris
The summer solstice for me, is a time where I give thanks for the bounty in which I receive. In celebrating this day also known as Litha, I focus on the sun and it being the longest days of the year. The sun and its radiant beams of light and warmth, energizes me, motivates me and fills my heart with gratitude for all that I am given. Greeting the sun with a sunrise yoga is a new component I’ll be adding to my ritual this year. I tend to add new things to all my Sabbat celebrations with each turn of the wheel. It not only keeps things interesting , but it gives me a chance to learn something new!
One of the things that I hold dear to my heart is my herb garden. I grow my herbs on my deck just outside my kitchen in a large oak barrel. Basil, Parsley, Rosemary, Thyme and Sage are my Herbiary coven along with lavender and peppermint which thrive in their own separate dwellings. This year I added lemon Balm. I am completely enamored with it’s perfectly lemony scent and flavor. Since I plant my herbs the weekend of mother’s day, They have adequate time to flourish so by midsummer, I am graced with an abundance of herbs which I use for culinary purposes. An abundance indeed. So much so, that it only seems fitting for me to harvest some in honor of the sun.
I fasten them into smudge sticks and set them out in the sun to soak up all the magical energy of the day. Make no mistake. This here is not your basic clip and go. oh. no. no.
For me, harvesting my beautiful herbs for my magical uses is a very intimate ritual. I stand before my herbs and express my gratitude and thanks for the nourishment they provide me in my culinary endeavors. I then proceed to give thanks and appreciation and ask for permission to allow the cuttings to be used for magic. I set each harvested bundle aside and with focus and intent I begin the dance of selecting herbs and combinations of herbs to be transformed into smudge sticks. Cotton kitchen twine is my binder of choice. I gather a bundle and tie a knot at the bottom securing the herbs together. I tightly wind the twine moving up the bundle on a diagonal. Once I reach the top, I wind down on a diagonal the opposite way all the while focusing my intent into it. Finally, I tie it in a knot at the bottom.
Once they have soaked up the magical summer solstice sun energy, I hang them upside down by my kitchen window to dry for about 7-10 days. Once they are completely dry, I store them in a cool dry place and they are ready to use for magical workings.
Thanks for checking out my blog and learning a little more about me !
Blessings to ALL !
Chris Zerilli
