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For some time now, Ariadne's Tribe has been developing our own counterpart to the hieros gamos as it's known from ancient Mesopotamian, Greek, and Buddhist traditions and that's expressed in modern Paganism via acts such as the Wiccan Great Rite.

We wanted a concept and a practice that we could use in our rituals that would encompass the idea of communion with deity as well as connection with each other and with the non-human beings whose spirits also fill our world. And we wanted it to be inclusive, avoiding any kind of gender binary.

Today, I gathered five candles,
some sea salt
in a small dark cauldron,
a lighter in a starry brass holder,
a rattle made of gourd,
a singing bowl,
a crow's feather,
and my determination.
I watched the candles flare
and called in inspiration,
for the faith to keep on going
in a world that too often
feels crumpled with despair.
I planted my feet,
reached out my hands,
and lifted my voice,
believing with everything
I have left
that no matter how many stories
have been told to us
about brokenness,
we're here anyway
still whole.

This past weekend I held a small summer solstice retreat with six friends. It was supposed to be larger, but people kept cancelling. It was supposed to be at the river, but risky heat indexes put us inside. It was supposed to be cooler inside, but the AC went out and we were relegated to the basement. And, it was perfect. It was just what I (and we) needed. Something that I remembered after the retreat was over was of the importance of paying attention to how you feel after something is over. Let those moments teach you.

I've been thinking and writing recently about reorienting our lives by joy and steering away from obligation. How we feel after something is over can tell us a lot about whether we are steering our lives by joy or obligation.

Here are some crystals best recommended for channeling this extra special energy for later spellcasting:

• Second half Gemini birthstones are great conductors for this mid-June event. Grossulars, geodes, cat's eyes, and jade will be attuned the most to tonight's supermoon.
• Chrysoberyl is often used for emotional release and cleansing emotional blocks in your life.
• The snow quartz invokes major changes in your life, whether personal or professional. With the Strawberry Moon, great positive change will be on its way to you.
• Rose quartz under tonight's full moon will strengthen your relationship more than ever.
• Charging your amber or rhodochrosite under the Strawberry Moon will keep your flourishing energy grounded from departing or being canceled out by negative energy. 

You can cleanse all of your jewelry by placing it into a bowl of sea salt for seven days to make sure nobody else’s energy is permeating the pieces. This is especially helpful if you own antique or estate jewelry.

Few things are more dangerous than a line of bored pagans.

The heart of the ritual was to consist of an encounter with the Three Fates. There we were, queued up, awaiting our personal encounter with the Powers That Be.

Like all smart ritualists, the priestess had planned an activity to keep us—positively—focused on the task at hand and—negatively—from chattering, during our wait.

Spin, Clotho, spin;

Lachesis twist;

Atropos sever;

la la la la

la la la la la la.

The Fates have always been,

the fates will always be:

la la la la la la

la la la la la.

The Fates have always been,

the fates will always be:

la la la la la la

la la la la la.

The tune was spritely, syncopated. Dutifully, we chanted along.

And chanted.

And chanted.

And chanted.

The trouble with wait-in-line rituals is that they generally involve a modicum of waiting, a highly unsacred activity, and that the payoff has to be pretty damn good in compensation—which, to be quite frank, it rarely is.

Not to mention the fact that 1) pagans get bored easily and 2) pagans are creative.

(My friend and colleague Robin Grimm's rule-of-thumb for ritualists considering a one-on-one Wait-in-Line-for-Your-Personal-Experience ritual is: Do the Math. 50 participants x 2 minute encounter each = Way Too Long.)

Soon, to the same tune, a counter-chant began to emerge: a group creation, collective commentary on the ritual itself.

If your passion is making art or music, throwing pots, or growing an artful garden, you are an imaginative person, and you need to stay in touch with your muse. Call her to you anytime you are feeling blocked or uninspired. You can make a very special tool that will draw your muse to you with sweet-smelling smoke. 

You’ll want to keep a pot of the hardy and sun-loving herb sage on your windowsill so it is handy at all times. Here is a simple way to use this herb to create a wand for instant inspiration: Combine a long stalk of fennel with a twisted bundle of sage and long sticks of your favorite incense, such as cinnamon or nag champ (my personal favorite). Braid the materials tightly together into a wand using purple (for power) and gold (for money) string or thread. Before any artistic endeavor or meditation, light one end of the wand with a candle and wave it around to clear your environment, allowing the smoke to clear your mind in the process.