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I'm not sure what the police were expecting, but it clearly wasn't us.

Midsummer's Eve. There we were, with our sister coven, up on Witches' Hill.

We'd had our picnic, we'd danced and sung the songs. Everyone else had gone up to the top of the hill to sing the Sun down. Typically, Uncle Steve was still down in the park, running around with the kids. In fact, the youngest was sitting on my shoulders.

The police car came hurtling up over the curb, tearing up turf as it went. It slammed to a stop midway up the hill. Simultaneously, in a choreographed move, both doors fly open. A cop leaps out of each and immediately crouches behind it, taut, as if expecting a barrage of bullets from the hilltop.

“Hey officer,” I say. “Midsummer's Eve, what?”

They give me the eye. Hands on guns, they move cautiously up the hill.

The Summer Solstice is nearly in full bloom, and that means camping opportunities. If you haven't already booked a hot spot this year to frolic with fellow Pagans and Wiccans at one of these memorable social events, there is still time to partake in the merriment. Here is a sampling of some of the midwest celebrations available. For more to choose from, see the additional resources listed at the end of this blog. If you're looking for a more mellow and smaller outing, just grab your own merry band of pranksters, and get out in the wilderness for a few days. Worship the sunrise and the sunset, and listen to what those oak trees may be whispering to you…

PAGAN SPIRIT GATHERING
June 18-25, 2017
One of the longest-running and best-loved, Pagan Spirit Gathering, or PSG, as it is more affectionately known, has changed venues over the years. When I attended back in 2000, it was in Wisteria, Ohio. Now held at Tall Tree Lake, in Vienna, IL, it has grown in leaps and bounds. There is still a community service shift program, a village cafe, sweat lodge, musicians, drum circles, vendors, classes, workshops, rituals, and camaraderie galore. The clothing optional dress code is mighty fun, too. Make no mistake, this can be a game-changer if you have not yet experienced the experience that is PSG. Sponsored by Circle Sanctuary, this year's registration is currently closed. But if you peek at their website, it could inspire you to jump on board for next year's celebration.

https://www.circlesanctuary.org/index.php/pagan-spirit-gathering/pagan-spirit-gathering

MIDSUMMER GATHER
June 18-25, 2017
On a somewhat smaller scale, there's still time to register for the Earth House annual Midsummer Gather. You can also opt to just stay the weekend, rather than commit to a full week. There are so many rituals, classes and activities, it will make your cauldron spin. Located at the Eagle Cave Campground in Blue River, Wisconsin, "Celestial Fire" is this year's camp theme. This is one I've definitely been wanting to check out:

http://www.earthhousemn.org/gather/

SUMMER SOLSTICE
June 19-25, 2017
There are still goings-on at the Wisteria Event Site, near Athens OH. This lovely nature preserve and special event site is tucked away in the scenic Appalachian foothills. Work barter slots are available with an early application. One nice perk is that purchasing tickets in advance for their events is not mandatory. Famed author Starhawk will even be in attendance this year.

https://www.wisteria.org/

Other resources:

https://www.circlesanctuary.org/

http://www.faeriefaith.net/festival.list.html

Photo, "Camping Site," by Wiangya at freeditalphotos.net

Glamour Magic: The Witchcraft Revolution to Get What You Want is the latest book from Deborah Castellano. She discusses the book – and well as how to use glamour effectively – with Thelema Now host Harper Feist.

“Die now!” chanted the crowd as Diagóras of Rhodes circled the stadium.

They meant it as a compliment.

Olympia, 448 BCE. Two of Diagóras' sons had just received Olympic crowns. "Die now!" chanted the crowd as his sons raised him to their shoulders and bore him aloft.

Meaning: you might as well die now; you're never going to get any happier than this.

In my long and rich life, I've been fortunate enough to have several “Die now!” moments.

Here's one.

There are a LOT of different crystal configurations from which to choose. I'm not talking about different KINDS of crystals (such as amethyst, rose quartz, etc) I'm talking about only the different TYPES of clear quartz crystal here. Specifically, the different shapes in which it presents, each with slightly different metaphysical and healing energetic properties. Shapes, such as Barnacle, Bridge, Double Terminated, Extra-Terrestrial, Faden and Growth Interference, just to name a few. I've written a series of 4 books with drawings of each type, and in those, I covered forty-six different types. FORTY SIX! And those are just the most commonly found... there are actually a few more!

With that in mind, let’s talk again about how these metaphysical characteristics work. I've written about this before, but it bears repeating in case you missed the earlier blog posts.

At Summer Solstice, we celebrate the fullness of life and of promise: She Who Creates. Then in July, we recognize The Amazon, She Who Protects That Which Has Been Created.
At Summer Solstice, we honor our lineage as creatrixes. We may look to birthing and mothering as metaphors, but take care to not be lulled into the trance of equating creation with reproduction. We are constantly creating and maintaining tangible and intangible aspects of our lives: jobs, careers, vocations, relationships, health, mental and emotional states, everything.

Being daughter of two fathers (gods, being gods, can do that sort of thing), it makes sense that she should be patron of same-sex love.*

Rainbow was a goddess known to the ancestors, but in our day she takes on new meaning and new importance.

As Lady of Many Colors, she protects the times and places when peoples of different kinds, of different colors, come harmoniously together.

She gathers beneath her wings the gender-nonconforming.

And of course, the men for men, the women for women, and those who move creatively between, are her special people, hers to her.

When her namesake flowers bloom, during the month of June, we see her banner prominently displayed.

Interestingly, for meteorological reasons, during this same month we often see her standing, in her own person, there between Earth and Heaven.