Sabbats Almanac: Samhain to Mabon - Kristoffer Hughes 2018

Cosmic Sway by Charlie Rainbow Wolf
Litha

LITHA KICKS OFF WITH some interesting planetary weather. Saturn is still retrograde, still making that wide conjunction with Pluto, and still creating a double dose of karma. Jupiter and Pluto are also retrograde, and Neptune joined them just a few hours ago.

Neptune retrograde (until November 26) isn’t really something that’s going to have particular significance because it’s an outer planet. However, it is in its ruling sign of Pisces at the moment (2012—2025), so that puts a bit more oomph to its movements, especially if it’s making an important aspect to one of your natal planets during this time.

Neptune turns retrograde every year, and this lasts for just over five months. If you consider that Neptune spends approximately 40 percent of its time retrograde (as do Uranus and Pluto, so it’s not that rare), compared to the inner planets who are retro less than 10 percent of their travels. Neptune in Pisces brings a shift in consciousness. It’s been around 165 years since we’ve seen it, so if you want to get an idea of what impact this transit has on society, read up on a bit of history.

It’s not surprising that there were so many doomsday prophesies around 2012; Neptune in Pisces does open the door to a great cosmic shift in the way that mankind might perceive things. It’s a very spiritual transit, and this has the potential for a lot of soul-awakening and renewal. If you think about it, it’s during these years that a lot of healthy eating and spiritual practice has gone from the eccentric or the arcane and come out into the open, more accepted by the masses.

Retrograde Neptune—and bear in mind, this happens for nearly half the year, every year—has the capacity to strip away any area where delusions have taken hold. That’s often a harsh but necessary reality. It could well feel like a loss until it’s passed and there’s been time to reflect on what’s been gained. It stands to reason that the larger the delusions and misconceptions, the bigger the shock it will be to see the truth clearly. Just as Jupiter and Saturn were times for reflection, so is this. Let’s face it: all of these planets are retrograde simultaneously, so why not welcome the opportunity to chill out and review your plans, revising what you’d really like to achieve this year, and this lifetime.

All of this reflecting may bring up some stuff from the past that’s been buried, or that resurfaces after it’s been supposedly dealt with. If that happens, face it. Neptune rules “hidden enemies,” anything or anyone who is liable to do something unexpected, and with potential consequences. It’s important to acknowledge the source of the pain, and deal with it—because often the first and sometimes strongest instinct is to hide or to run.

It’s important to resist the temptation to wallow in this heartache, another one of Neptune’s traits. Often, Neptune retrograde will blow this up out of all proportion. However, if everyone is feeling hurt, anxious, or worried, then it will have a knock-on effect, rippling through society as a whole. Tenacity and striving for improvement are vital, because those who don’t believe in astrology or who aren’t aware that this is happening won’t be paying attention, and the fear-mongering or selfishness will run rampant if given half a chance. Neptune is also making a trine to that karmic north node; between Neptune and Saturn and the nodes there’s a lot of karma flying around this month!

Venus is making its presence known, with a passing glance off Neptune just before Midsummer’s Day. Running up to Litha, it’s a good idea to avoid dealing with loud and aggressive people if at all possible, and seek out those who are amiable and optimistic. This isn’t a time to be a people-pleaser, nor to overindulge in anything. The rose-colored glasses have to be removed so things can be seen as they really are, rather than how they ought to be.

A few days before Litha, Mercury is making an opposition to first Saturn and then Pluto. The Mercury—Saturn aspect might create some situations that seem frustrating, but look farther ahead. This wrench has been thrown into the works to enforce discipline and focus on long term goals. Stubbornness and poor communication easily arise out of this transit. The key is to find the balance between being dedicated and being obstinate, and working through things one step at a time.

The Mercury—Pluto transit encourages the vocalization of likes and dislikes. This may be confrontational, but it also has the possibility to bring forth some incredible insights into your own thought process as well as that of others. People might push your buttons at this time; the key to successfully navigating this is to find out why, for that’s what the lesson is there for. Once the reasoning is understood, a way to disentangle the situation can be found. Like Venus, the effects of the Mercury transits are only going to last for two or three days, but because the rest of the cosmic weather is so full of karma, what happens during this period may have later repercussions.

Litha Celebration: Midsummer Prayers

One of our favorite activities for Litha is to make prayer ties. Many different cultures do this, or something similar, from the Welsh clouties to the Tibetan prayer flags. This can easily be done in solitary or in a group. To make Litha prayer ties, you’ll need the following:

Scraps of cotton fabric, 4—6 inches square. This is best if it is an old t-shirt or something that belongs to you, something that has your energy on it, but any cotton will do. It must be cotton, though, not a manmade fabric. Seasonal herbs—gather up what you like the most, herb leaves or flower petals. You can wild harvest these, or purchase them. Cotton string—again, it needs to be cotton, not manmade. A Litha candle (because Litha is a Sun festival, working with a candle helps to embody the Sun’s light and energy). Choose a warm sunny color, such as yellow or orange.

At sunrise on the solstice, or as soon as you get up if sunrise isn’t possible, light your Litha candle. Do this after you’ve bathed, but before you’ve had anything to eat or drink. If you want to cast a circle or welcome any deities, now is the time to do so.

Next, take a pinch of your herbs and put them in the center of one of your scraps of fabric. Tie the pouch shut securely with the cotton string, leaving a long tail of at least 6 inches. As you fill and tie the bundle, say your Litha prayer. This can be anything from asking for what you need, to thanking the deities or spirit beings for their presence, or just a phrase of gratitude to the universe.

Continue making your prayer ties, saying your requests or prayers as you do so. Make one, or make several. Pray for yourself, or for your loved ones, or for world issues. There’s really no wrong way to do this. Keep making your prayer ties until you’re finished, and all your herbs and fabric has been used.

Now pinch out the Litha candle and go on with the rest of your day. At sunset, take your prayer ties and, using the tails of the cotton string, attach the prayer ties to a fence, gate post, or tree. Choose somewhere they won’t be disturbed, somewhere the Sun will fall on them easily. It’s important that they’re not disturbed and that they’re exposed to the elements of nature. As the Sun shines on them, the rain falls on them, and the wind blows them, they’ll gradually disintegrate, and as they do, your prayers will be taken deep into the elemental kingdom, and heard. This is why it’s necessary to use cotton; manmade fibers won’t decay with the elements.