Celebrating Your Divine Feminine
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As we move toward the beginning of Summer, it is a good time for celebrating the fertility and abundance of the earth. It’s also an opportunity for women to celebrate their own divine feminine power through connection to self, nature and community. For myself, I am especially keen on how to connect with my inner goddess as I move from Mother to Crone. As I’ve mentioned before on this blog, I find this time in my life to be one of the most interesting and exciting season to be in.
Yes, I am getting older and new problems and concerns are popping up (hello Perimenopause). But overall this season of my life is one for the most enjoyable so far. I have more time for my own endeavors. I have more money to spend on myself. I feel beautiful in a way that my younger, more conventionally-attractive-self never felt. And I am slowly learning what it means to really take care of my body, mind and soul.
I think that no matter what season of life we are in, it’s important to stay connected with ourselves and the world around us. So here are some ideas that are designed to be easy and free, to help you celebrate high Spring and connect your divine feminine power.
Connect with nature
The season of Litha is a time when the natural world is bursting with new life and energy, so it's a great time to connect with nature and soak up some of that vibrant energy. You might take a walk in the woods, sit in a garden or park, or spend some time by a stream or river. As you do, try to be fully present and mindful, taking in all the sights, sounds, and smells around you. Longtime Mabon House Newsletter subscribers know that I typically start all of my Mabon House letters with an update on the weather and the state of my gardens. This isn’t just because I’m a Mainer and we love talking about the weather. Incorporating what I see, hear, and experience in nature is one of the ways I connect with the world around me. Being outside brings me peace, provides inspiration and fills with me joy. And sharing this with others is a way that I connect with my community.
Create a sacred space
Creating a sacred space is a powerful way to honor the divine and connect with your own inner goddess. You might set up an altar with candles, crystals, and other sacred objects, or create a special outdoor space for meditation or ritual. As you do, think about the intentions and desires you want to manifest in your life and focus on them with intention and purpose.
I don’t usually put up an altar as a sacred space, but rather I like to keep the common areas in my home tidy and beautiful. This typically includes my kitchen, dining space, living room and winter sitting room. Over the years I’ve developed my own cleaning ritual (for lack of a better word) that I will do once or twice a month. This ritual includes: I only clean when I am home alone; sometimes there is music involved, but often it is just me and my thoughts; if weather permits, I open all the windows to let the negative energy out; I add/change/remove furniture and décor with each season. And then once I am done, I sit and enjoy the space with a cup of tea. There is something about a freshly cleaned space that makes me feel grounded and energized at the same time.
Connect with your body
As women our bodies go through many changes and challenges, and it's important to connect with and honor our physical selves. You might take a yoga or dance class, go for a hike or bike ride, or simply spend some time stretching and breathing. As you do, focus on your body and how it feels in the moment, celebrating its strength and resilience.
I am not someone who is naturally inclined to exercise, so any physical activity I do needs to be something that I enjoy, such as walking or yoga. I’ve recently started lifting weights because I was just feeling really weak and I thought it would be good for some back issues I’ve been dealing with. Plus, I figured why not try something different? And you know what I’ve discovered? I am actually able to connect with my body far more lifting weights that anything else I’ve tried thus far. During yoga, I’m often just going through the motions, wishing it was done and/or ruminating. When lifting weights my mind is completely focused on form and breathing and counting the reps. Will I be all jacked and stacked for summer? Absolutely not.
*side note - I am not a medical or fitness professional. This is just my experience. Please don’t start any new exercise routines without first consulting your own health care provider.
Celebrate your sensuality
Beltane is a celebration of fertility and sensuality, and it's a wonderful opportunity for women in to embrace their own sensual power. You might wear something that makes you feel beautiful and confident, or indulge in a sensual activity like a massage or a bath. As you do, focus on the pleasure and joy that comes from embracing your sensuality. A lot can be said for treating yourself to a new bra and underwear set. That’s all I’m going to say on this one. ;)
Connect with other women
Connecting with other women is a powerful way to celebrate your divine feminine power and build a sense of community and support. You might organize a Beltane ritual or celebration with other women in your community, or simply spend time with close friends, sharing stories and experiences. As you do, think about the ways in which your own experiences and challenges are shared by other women, and celebrate the power and resilience of the sisterhood. I keep a very small circle of close friends. But we have seen one another through all the ups and downs of life, from becoming mothers, to divorce, to deaths of loved ones. We celebrate and commiserate together and find strength from one another.
Honor your ancestors
Beltane is a time when we honor the ancestors and those who came before us, and it's a wonderful opportunity for women to connect with their own ancestral roots. You might create an ancestral altar with photos or other objects that remind you of your ancestors, or simply spend some time reflecting on their lives and the gifts they have passed down to you.
For some of you, looking back on your family tree may not be an option, or there may be generational trauma that makes it difficult to celebrate where you come from. That was kind of the case for me. When I dug into my family tree, what I found was a lot of women mired in huge families (8-9+ children) with no money, abusive husbands and many of them dying young from things like tuberculosis. And because I do not buy into the patriarchal view that there is nobility in poverty or that the good die young, my family tree just made me kind of sad. It just seemed so full of wasted potential. I think the word ancestor can conjure up images of mythical people from long ago, whose genes we just happen to carry. But the reality is that the women who came before us were regular humans just like us. They had their own mixed bag of experiences. I appreciate all of my great grandmothers and beyond - they are literally the reason I am here. So to honor them, I try to live the life that they - and ALL women- deserved.
Embrace your creativity
Summertime is a time of abundance and creativity, and it's a wonderful opportunity for women to embrace their own creative power. You might try a new art form or craft, write a poem or song, or simply spend some time in nature, letting your imagination run wild. As you do, celebrate the power and beauty of your own unique creativity, and honor the gifts you have to offer the world. Read more about tapping into your own creativity here.
The season of Litha is a powerful time of year for women to celebrate their own divine feminine power and connect with the natural world. By embracing our sensuality, creativity, and connection with others, we can honor the ancestors and the gifts they have passed down to us, while also looking forward to the abundance and joy that lies ahead.
How do you like to connect with your inner goddess?
Recommended Reading
The Modern Witchcraft Guide to the Wheel of the Year: From Samhain to Yule, Your Guide to the Wiccan Holidays by Judy Ann Nock
The Modern Guide to Witchcraft: Your Complete Guide to Witches, Covens, and Spells by Skye Alexander
The Modern Witchcraft Spell Book: Your Complete Guide to Crafting and Casting Spells by Sky Alexander
How I am Celebrating Litha
Hello Friends,
I hope this finds you well and able to enjoy the absolute beauty of early summer. It’s been a dark week here in the US, but for better or worse nature proceeds on her own schedule, even when hearts are broken. I have found some much needed comfort in the trees and flowers and blue skies overhead. A hawk calls out unseen in the distance, while squirrels chipper to one another while dashing around the lilacs and rhododendron bushes, and a pair of cardinals call to one another from their nest in an old pine tree next to my back porch. The sun shines and the rain falls. And we are here. Together.
As I’ve mentioned in the past, I tend to celebrate the Wheel of the Year as more of seasons than specific holidays. So, as we approach the official start of Summer and the season of Litha, I thought I’d share what I’ll be up to over the next few weeks.
Litha as a Time to Connect
I think of Litha as a time for connection. Connecting with the earth, your friends & family and yourself. For me, this is more important than ever, coming out of two years of relative isolation at home. I am an introvert by nature and it is very easy for me to slip into solitude for weeks at a time. And while I do recharge from having time to myself, I find too much of it leaves me feeling lonely and a little sad. So, in the spirit of Litha I am going to take some time to connect with the people I care about, tend to my gardens and do some deeper self care work in areas that I have been ignoring.
Connecting With The Earth
I intend to spend some meditative time clearing some overgrowth from one area of my garden. An invasive bittersweet vine has taken over and slowly smothering several trees and bushes. It’s one of those things I that I keep meaning to get to, but never do. So this weekend, if all goes as planned, I will cut back the dead overgrowth to make room for new life.
Connecting With Friends and Family
A dear friend is going through some tough times right now, and so I plan to send a handwritten note and a small gift and let them know that I’m thinking of them. I have also set some dates on my calendar for June to spend some time with adult children, who are busy with their own lives now.
Connecting With Myself
I’ve recommitted to my yoga practice for the month of June. Over the past few months I’ve completely gotten out of the habit of daily yoga and I can feel the difference. I’m stiff and sore from too much sitting or too much exertion and not enough stretching. My mind is also stiff and sore. I find myself plagued with anxiety and ruminating on unhelpful thoughts much too often these days. I do yoga as much for the emotional work as the physical. Lest you think I am some kind of yogi - let me be clear - I am not. I don’t go to classes or retreats. I just follow along with Yoga With Adriene on YouTube. Nothing fancy. But it works wonders!
This week’s free printable is 5x7 Quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson from his poem Merlin’s Song. I love to print these types of quotes and pop them in a frame and change them out each season. This one will go on my desk in my office. I hope you like it!
I hope that you are able to plan something special to celebrate the summer solstice. Please feel free to share what you’re up to in the comments. Also, I’m going to keep the official Mabon House IG shuttered for now, but if you’d like to see photos of my gardens (and my cats), please feel free to follow along at Lorri From Maine on Instagram.
Take Care and I’ll see you next week!
A New Litha Printable
Hello Friends,
I hope this finds you well. I’m sitting on my porch as I write to you, enjoying the warm sunshine on my toes and the smell of cherry blossoms in the air. The Wheel of the Year has turned more fully toward summer and as if in a coordinated dance, all the spring buds have burst into their summer bloom. The lilacs are swaying in the breeze and the dandelions are growing in wild abandon along the southside of my old farmhouse. The rhubarb leaves are bigger than my hand now and a very showy grapevine is climbing up the side of the porch, preening in the late afternoon sunshine. All the fiddleheads have unfurled into tall lacy ferns and the trees are dressed in their summer finery. A party is about to begin and we’re all invited.
I’ve been puttering today and writing this letter is about the only productive thing I plan to do. I stood barefoot in my shaggy grass, feeling the earth support me - a reminder we are all connected. Fat bees flit from one clossom to another and my cats lay in the shade, utterly helpless against the approaching summer humidity. I hope, dear friends, that the beauty of the season is with you.
It’s hard to believe there is only a month until the summer solstice. To celebrate the season of Litha, this week’s free printable is a brand new Litha Print. I hope you like it!
Have you started planning for Litha yet? I’d love to know how you are going to celebrate the Summer Solstice, in the comments below.
