Feathers in Ritual

I've been on a quest to find a perfect crow feather for both my medicine bag, as well as to use in ritual, and anyone in my life with ears (regardless of whether they even give a damn or not) has heard my endless kvetching over how lacking my magickal life is without this feather. I have all sorts of found feathers from all variety of birds: gull, jay, starling, robin, duck, chicken, male cardinal, and even an enormous and lovely wild turkey feather. But not a single crow, despite the woods behind my house being full of crows. It was suggested I gently ask the birds for a feather and perhaps leave an offering for them in return, but alas, still no feather has appeared. Now, the turkey feather is beautiful, and I know Ben Franklin was madly in love with the wild turkey (even going so far as to try to talk all his cronies into making it our national bird instead of the eagle), but to be honest, turkeys just don't for it for me. Not in any way, magickal or not. I want a crow feather and for me nothing else will do for the crow speaks deeply to me on so many levels.

Used in magickal ritual, feathers can channel energy and as they are ruled by the element of air, bring more open communication to your ritual, thus making your incantations more successfully heard. Calmer species of birds bring a sense of peace to a ritual, while those from more aggressive birds or hunters are ideal for defensive magick and spells that require more oomph. Likewise, the color of the bird's feather is equally as important as the species. Some of the more common bird feathers to be found and used are:

blackbird: ancient wisdom, inner knowledge and hidden insights

blue jay: courage to speak one's personal truth

cardinal: confidence

chickadee: joy and cheer

chicken: sacrifice, fertility

crow: magick, mystery, messenger from the realm of Spirit

dove (this includes pigeons): peace, gentleness and feminine energy

duck: emotional balance

eagle: spirit and power

hawk: strength, a messenger from Spirit

hummingbird: joy, boundless energy, hope

owl: wisdom, magickal visionary energy, feminine energy, secrets

robin: new beginnings, creative energy

sparrow: fertility, home

turkey: blessings and generosity

woodpecker: sacred rhthyms, hard work

With spring just around the corner, now is the time to keep your eyes open for freshly dropped feathers to use in your rituals. And to give thanks, be sure to leave a small offering that busy nest-building birds will appreciate.

Photo courtesy of hedgewytchhaven.com.

Midsummer

Like every other sabbat, Litha comes with its own beliefs. Besides the well-known and traditional rituals of lighting a bonfire (or building a smaller fire to be jumped over), as well as drinking, dancing and making love, there are many lesser known rituals linked to the celebration of midsummer.

To honor the culmination of the Oak King's rule, men traditionally wore wreaths of woven oak leaves on their heads and women wreaths of midsummer flowers. Pick some blossoms and place them under your pillow on Litha night and you will dream of your future husband.

Want to be healthy throughout the coming year? Then be sure to be up to see the sun rise on the solstice. If you're in need of healing, the calendula (marigold) plant was believed to possess miraculous healing powers when picked on Litha. The traditional healing plants to be picked on the sabbat for the coming year are fennel, rue, rosemary, lemon verbena and st. john's wort, among many others.

Place a swag of summer greenery over your front door for a year of luck and prosperity.

And despite the joy and abundance associated with midsummer, there is always at least one festival that flies in the face of love, health and prosperity. Fortunately, the medieval French ritual of burning cats on midsummer's night has long since disappeared (especially if you happen to be a cat).

A blessed Litha to you all and safety in all you engage in that night.

Photo courtesy of mermaiden creations on flickr.

A New Scott Cunningham Book

Scott Cunningham has a new book due to be released on October 1st of this year, once again published by Llewellyn Books. The manuscript for this book was recently discovered in a battered old manila envelope and was written by Cunningham in the late 70s or early 80s. According to Llewellyn, the new book contains "spells, rituals, invocations and an herbal grimoire, as well as Scott's hand-written notes and hand-drawn symbols, signs and runes."

Scott's books were the very first ones I read when beginning my spiritual path in Wicca and pagan worship, and to this day I still refer to them on a regular basis. His herbal dictionary is indispensable and his incense and oils encyclopedia is also something I could not live without. It's such a shame that such a powerful voice and a gentle, thorough teacher was gone so soon from this plane.

Cuuningham's Book of Shadows: The Path of an American Traditionalist, published by Llewellyn Books, 288 pages, ISBN-13: 9780738719146 is due in stores on October 1, 2009.