Tags
furrina, grotto day, holly king, oak king, pan, sun god, thunder, well dressing
The seventh month of the year sees the post solstice decadence begin. The lush green of spring that ripened during June, now becomes overblown in the heat; the dog days of summer have arrived.
July was named after Julius Caesar, ‘Divus Iulius’ who was deified (made God) in the year 42 BC.
The month had previously been dedicated to Furrina, whose festival was celebrated on the 25th. Furrinalia was grouped with the other July festivals of Neptunalia & Lucaria, this trio being dedicated to the woods and water, which are illustrative of shelter from the searing heat of the season.
The Gods associated with July are thin on the ground, but taking a moment to reflect on the period, we feel that Pan is still an active presence. The Oak King is at his most powerful, as is the Sun God/hero, mature and in his prime, his demise yet to come. The Dark God/Holly King, born at summer solstice has yet to challenge the throne. We do not believe/subscribe to the school of thought that the battle between Holly & Oak / Sun & Dark God takes place at Summer Solstice. Some of you may find the following link of interest when considering this.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bos/bos052.htm
Goddesses include Furrina (see above), Lady of the Beasts, and the archetypal Mother Earth resplendent in her summer robes, bountiful and nourishing.
July Saints are Thomas the Apostle (Doubting Thomas), St Swithun, St Margaret of Antioch, The Magdalene, St James the Apostle, (the Greater) also known as ‘Son of Thunder’, which is apt considering July sees thunder storms aplenty. St Ignatius of Loyola, St Mary, Martha & Lazarus, this trio are named ‘Companions of the Lord’.
On the land animals grow fat on summer grass and await the butcher. Cereal crops ripen and swell in the summer sunshine, agricultural work is in full swing and will continue into Autumn. Most of us when freed from work, will seek the cool of waterside, whether stream, shore or seaside resort.
July festivals/customs include Grotto Days and Well Dressing.
This month we contemplate ‘Abundance / Decadence’. What is enough? Are we mindful of how we use the earths/our own resources? Do we take enough for our needs, too little or too much?
Our meditation subject is ‘the gift of nourishment’. Where is it coming from and how do we give it in return?
Sang Rouge Terre Blanc 
The last sentence is a great meditation.
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Thank you, Donna! It’s often the case that whenever we hear the word ‘nourishment’, we think purely in terms of ‘taking in’. It’s easy to overlook our own role as providers and to think of ‘nourishment as a process of ‘giving out’.
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So true. Like your gravatar shows, all things loop around, in out, giving receiving. The knot of interconnectedness-interdependence.
Thanks again!
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What we take we must in turn give back…a thought-provoking study of the season, offering great insight whilst creating an intoxicating image. Pan can be heard rampant even as I cool by the water!
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Thank you so much for those kind comments, Stephen. “Pan can be heard rampant even as I cool by the water!” What wonderfully evocative words! On those hot, sunny days, if we still the body and still the mind, we can become even more aware of the hum and buzz of nature….the song of Pan.
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July is one of my favorite months, indeed. I love the lushness of everything! The night before last I was standing out next to the pool, gazing at the sky. If you looked North, the clouds were thick and pregnant and rife with lightning. As a beautiful juxtaposition,turning to the South gave a view of the sky that was clear and full of stars. It was splendid, indeed!
I love your meditation subject, and will definitely be mindful of it this evening when I practice my meditation! Thank you once again for not only an informative post but also one filled with gorgeous imagery! It’s always a delight to read your posts!
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Thank you so much Amy, for your very kind comments regarding the meditation, the post and our blog in general. We really appreciate this.
Yes, it’s in those post solstice weeks of July that we really feel the fiery heat of the sun on our backs and see nature in it’s abundance, with the richness of the greenery and the vividness of the flowers in bloom. Your words, “the clouds were thick and pregnant and rife with lightning” are deliciously poetic and most apt in relation to ‘Thunder Month’.
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Right after Yule I begin my plans for Spring. What I will plant and where, and any changes that I can make that will make my outdoor space more Magickal and beautiful. It is my ‘gift’ to express my gratitude for being able to create my home here, on this little piece of Earth. I tend it with love and welcome all the wild ones who share it with me. I provide food and places for them to shelter for as long as they choose to stay.
Although, it is a labor of love, it is none the less pretty intense. I have a few tools that make the job easier than my ancestors experienced, but after 8 hours of weeding, planting, and replacing sod with flowers and vegetables, I enjoy a time of rest.
By July the work is done. Blooms burst, vegetables emerge, and fruit ripens in the Sun. I go out t o my yard and bask in the glory of it all. What a lovely, hedonistic pleasure it is!
It’s not unusual for my eyes to grow misty with joy and love for this space. Birds and Rabbits share feeding stations and the Ground Squirrels and Chipmunks have grown so accustomed to my presence that they approach me, knowing I have a ready supply of peanuts in my pocket to share.
Is this decadent? You bet. Is it a selfish use of Nature to reshape and groom and take that which was wild and convert it into an urban paradise? I don’t think so. I have pictures on my blog, Mad City Witch included in the post, Shhhh, if anyone would like to see it through my eyes.
If it didn’t bring me bliss and if I didn’t appreciate it, I would say I would have to question my motives. I have neighbors who are more obsessed with perfection and appearances and it shows. Not a native ‘weed’ to be found and every type of repellent and poison at the ready to keep their space free of ‘pests’.
We make use of Nature and She makes use of us. It’s a symbiotic relationship and a wonderful one if we remain mindful of that fact. Every season provides a cycle of labor and rest. Growth and dormancy. Both are needful.
Oh, to plant and nurture the fruit! Ah, to sip the mead!
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I appreciated reading this now (Nov. 30), as it is the season when these qualities are at rest or their power being challenged. Such a wealth of traditions to know or co-relate. So many ways to experience respect and awe.
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