Midsummer and Planning a Family Friendly Honeysweet
Midsummer is nearly upon us (Aug 1st), aka Honeysweet. I know in ADF it's generally called Lughnasadh/Lammas, but I've only ever celebrated it with other people. I've struggled to connect to August 1st by any other name, same with Imbolc. Midsummer makes sense after June 21st being the First Day of Summer. Honeysweet also really clicks with its connection to bees for me.
August 1st is a day that I honor Bee Entities and pollinators, such as the Minoan/Greek Melissae. Although the last couple of days I've been looking into the Norse Bee and Agricultural Goddess, Beyla. Maybe I'll include Her, too? I'm pretty eclectic, although regarding ADF's Hearth Cultures, I'm a mostly a mix of Hellenic and Norse, but I'm slowly leaning more Norse, as I learn more about Norse Paganism and practise Seidr. I doubt that I'll ever totally be one hearth culture, ya know? I'm just too eclectic and have deities from all over the world, nor do I turn deities away due to not being in the "right" pantheon/culture. As a Priestess and an Oracle/Seer, I serve the Gods. All Gods who wish to use my abilities to guide humans and spirits. Wellll, as long as They have permission from Mama Hekate that is, but still. Doesn't change anything, I can't be turning Gods away because they're not part of my hearth culture or pantheon.
In my experience, many Deities don't like to be put into boxes like humans tend to put Them in.
I don't feel a connection to Beyla though, and I don't like to force those sorts of things. Probably just stick with the usual. Maybe mention Her, since She's a Bee Entity.
But I'm going to change up my Honeysweet Ritual. Last year's ritual was my first ADF COoR style ritual. A little over a year later, I have a much better understanding of COoR and how I organize my rituals. And since I have no group to celebrate with, make it more kid friendly. Usually with adults I have them focus on their griefs to "tell the bees" to aid in healing, or to focus on "honeysweets" to fill their hives to survive the dark months. Honeysweets are more fitting for my kid's ages--they don't have a lot of grief in their young lives.
I kind of want to use candy magik with bit-o-honeys or honey suckers. Hm, I'll have to give this one more thought. I do keep my kids informed about what's happening in the world. I don't want them to be blindsided. But maybe we can do a sweetness spell to aid in starting a new school year or something? My eldest is going starting middle school next month--completely new school and students from other elementary schools.
Maybe we can focus on election stuff in October, again using candy and ancestral work to sweeten those results?
This year I'm also hoping to make honey cakes using my favorite bee cake mold.
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