PDC Summer Solstice Gathering, PT 1

Yesterday Facebook group, Pagans of Delaware County (Ohio) held a Summer Solstice Meet'n'Greet'n'Ritual.  We talked and laughed, cooked and ate together, learned about the Summer Solstice, and made ribbon rings and wands.  It was a lot of fun and exciting, too!  We even had a mouse guest that my middle son first spotted.

When we arrive at the shelter, I greeted the Nature Spirits and asked if it was okay to have ritual there.  They said yes.  Crystal and I cleansed, warded, and blessed the area and the altar.  We ate and laughed.  Offered some free divination and made dancing ribbons of different colors.  After Crystal talked about the solstice, I talk a bit about color magick for folks to think about as their made their rings and wands.

I asked first that they think about what certain colors mean to them.  Then I talked about what different colors may mean in different cultures, religions, and traditions.  I went into chakras a little bit and gave general color meanings, like:

• Red - Passion, Anger, Blood, Drive
• Orange - Vitality, Energy
• Yellow - Communication, Wisdom, Friendship
• Green - Abundance, Money, Prosperity, Growth
• Blue - Healing, Emotions, Subconscious
• Purple - Wisdom, Intuition, Psychic
• Brown - Nature, Grounding, Animals
• Pink - Love, Romance, Self-Love, Friendship
• White - Purity, Protection (all or absence of color - usually a substitute if you're missing colors)
• Black - Banishment, Protection (all or absence of color)

I also said that if the color information was a little overwhelming to go with your favorite colors, ones you're drawn to, or whatever colors come to you.  Then we made them with individual intentions.  Some used wooden rings, others use fallen sticks. Some added bells, different textures, and charms, too.

I put my ribbon ring on my Elf-Staff, while the attendees hung theirs around the shelter.  It was a windy day and quite lovely to see the ribbons dance and to hear the bells softly jingle!

Then was time for ritual!  I asked if anyone wanted to do divination for the group.  Then I led everyone in grounding and using their heart center energy to cast shields for themselves and our space.  I lit an orange candle and passed it to another volunteer.  He walked clockwise around the shelter to let the spirits know that this was our temporary sacred space.  

As I invited the Nature Spirits, Ancestors, and Deities to our space, I was stung 4-5 times by a wasp.  Not exactly the guest that I wanted!  Turns out that I was standing under two wasp nests!  I got stung once in the thumb and 3-4 times in the thigh. (I'm fine and the park office was notified.)

Note: future summer gatherings, do not wear skirts.

I was calm, though.  It felt like getting a tattoo without the fun result.  

At first, I moved to the center of the shelter and tried to continue on, but my friends were looking out for me!  I rested for a bit and someone got me some ice.  Crystal draw a card to see what the spirits may have been saying--basically ground deeper.  When I lead these, usually I ground before everyone else, because I can't ground and lead others in grounding at the same time.  Yesterday, I forgot to ground before everyone.  With ADHD, I also make ritual checklists and did not go through my checklist!  We were concerned about the storms blowing in towards the evening and it was muggy!  But the winds kept the day pleasant.

After I moved the altar, I asked Crystal to reground everyone and I moved off between three trees and grounded myself.  I also got a message that the magikal working that I had planned had been changed.  For the Work part of the ritual, I had planned on having everyone move and dance and raise energy for their ribbon magicks.  

Nope, Sunna had others things in mind.  Protection.

When I got back to the shelter, I told everyone what I was told.  I switched gears.  I was given runes while Crystal was drawing cards.  I don't really remember what happened after that.  I had a bottle of water in front of me that I had planned on putting the blessing energies that Crystal would draw into the bottle and have everyone drink that energy.  Instead, the last thing I remember was drawing and singing runes over this bottle of water.  I vaguely remember some of the runes.  

Sunna asked what the three blessings were.  I remember seeing a thorny dome of protection over us.  Then I remember putting the energy into the bottle.  I poured the water into the cups, and we all drank.

Priestess Unorthodox over here, I swear.  

Keith took the candle and walked counter clockwise with it and blew it out, returning the space to the Nature Spirits.  

I was distracted by pain and forgot to have everyone slurp up their energy cords.  Only one person was negatively affected by not doing that.  Even though being stung was out of my control, it was still my responsibility to keep everyone safe (granted we did cleanse, ward, and bless the space beforehand).  The person made it home safe and was able to ground and hydrate.  I apologized and took responsibility, and I'm learning from that experience.  Another thing to add to my ADHD Ritual Checklist, a just-in-case the Priestess is injured during ritual.  

Even though the ritual kind of took a turn, it was fun and exciting.  We all enjoyed ourselves.  Again, thank you for all who helped, participated, and attended the Summer Solstice Gathering!  <3

I'm glad that I'm the one who got stung, especially since we had children running around and playing.  We packed up and went home, and I put some of Jen & Tonics Bug Bite and Sting Relief and ice on my swollen welts.

Woke up today feeling a lot better.  Still swollen but not hurting.

Thank all of yall for your support, Likes, and Follows.  Remember I am still running an 20% Off Sale on all items on my Etsy shop.

- Priestess Wren