The magical wheel has turned once more and here we are at the Summer Solstice or Litha as it is known as a Pagan Sabbat. Summer solstice is traditionally celebrated on 20th/21st June in the Northern hemisphere and signifies the longest day and shortest night of the year. From this day forth the light begins to recede and the darkness begins to return. Liltha or midsummer as it is also known, is very much a time of magic, dancing and celebration. Communities would light hilltop balefires around their lands in order to honour the space between the earth and the heavens and the Fae folk would most certainly make their presence known.
Whenever I think of Summer Solstice, I am drawn back to one of the most famous works of William Shakespeare ‘A midsummer night’s dream’. I immediately think about Oberon and Queen Titania of the fairies. Such an enchanting tale of love and trickery. It certainly demonstrates how the Fae will sometimes get involved in human affairs and turn things completely on their head. Or maybe even just replace their head entirely!! The Fae are very present during the time of midsummer and this is not surprising as nature is blooming and at its best. It seems a perfect time to acknowledge and honour the Fairy Queens and to learn more about their enchanting mysteries. So, I will introduce a couple of fairy queens to you here and let you make up your own mind as to how you feel about them.
Firstly, always be sure you are ready to connect to the fairies as you never know what they may have in store for you. Yes, there are loving, kind, and helpful Fae friends but there are also very dark, destructive, and cunning Fae folk who will only seek to cause harm. I am in no way trying to put you off bonding with the fairies, but it is useful to have some knowledge and information about them first. Morgan Daimler’s books Fairies: A Guide to the Celtic Fair Folk and Fairycraft are a good start. Also, for exploring divination with the Fae I highly recommend Karen Kay’s Oracle of the Fairies. It is also useful to initially make connection with the Fairies through a meditation practice here you may even meet you fairy guide. That’s how I met mine!
Once you have established you are ready to call for a Fae presence in your life there really is no looking back. But please remember how easy it is to be pixie lead! The fairiy’s magic is predominantly known as Glamour and has the potential to make things not as they seem.
Getting to know the Fairy Queens
The Queen of Elfland, Queen of fairy, Queen of fairyland or Queen of Elfin goes by many names and guises. Often depicted as an extraordinarily beautiful woman who rides a white horse. She was sometimes accompanied by a kinglike companion and at other times alone wearing either white or green. She had an alluring sense about her and was always particularly interested in young men specifically those who had musical abilities. She is said to have offered human folk the opportunity to enter the Otherworld by leading them into the fairy hill and requesting they serve her for a period of 7 years. Seven years in the fairy realm however is said not to be the same time period as it is in our human years. She would then proceed to pay them however she saw fit. Sometimes with delicious food and other times with a kiss. She most definitely has a goddess quality about her and could be resembled by the Celtic goddess Rhiannon. She appears to have great power which would either be demonstrated as a magical blessing or a dreadful curse but either way still embodies a soft and gentle nature. Call on the Queen of Elfland to bless your life and bring you prosperity now.
Queen Maeve, Maev or Maive is derived from old Irish mythology and was then known as Meadb and Medb. She has been viewed as Fairy Queen, goddess and historical figure based on the Queen of Connacht also named Maeve in the Ulster Cycle of Irish legend. It has been said she was a fierce warrior and symbolises protection, justice, and leadership. But she will also watch over merry-making, which gives links her to joyous times such as Summer Solstice. Maeve is very much a symbol of the divine feminine and embraced her sexuality and womanly ways. During a great battle Maeve induced labour pains upon the oppositional army and made the long battle cease when she was menstruating. Her power connects to the cycles of life and our own feminine power. Call on Maeve to support with your own cycles, whether these be divine blood related or seasonal life rhythms.
A fairy magic manifestation ring for summer solstice
On Solstice Eve gather some stones from the local ground and place them in a circle in a south-facing area of the land, perhaps in your garden. But be mindful here as you will be inviting the Fae folk into your own space and as I have said previously not all fairies are sweetness and light! Always be sure to create your own spiritual protection prior to completing this ritual whether or not you are in nature or in your back garden. Once your fairy ring is assembled, decorate the edges with flowers and pretty things to encourage the Fae to draw near. Then write down all the things you wish to manifest over the next 6 months. Again, be mindful of your wording as the Fae do love to play tricks on us humans. For example, if you wrote something like I wish to win the lottery, it’s quite possible you might but it may only be a small win! Be specific and don’t be greedy as the Fae don’t like this. Then place the piece of paper inside the fairy ring and be sure to leave a sweet offering as acknowledgement. Then say;
I invite you here my fairy queen,
let what is unseen now be seen,
help make my dreams and wishes come true
for I know you have the power to do.
(We don’t say thank you to the fairies as this will only serve to anger them.) Then on Solstice night, return to the fairy ring. If the paper still remains burn it in a solstice flame either in a fire pit or over a candle. Allow the ashes to float away in the wind and fairy queens to work their magic.
I wish you all well and many fairy blessings this Summer Solstice.
Rebecca Yoga Fae xx
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