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Midsummer, also known as Litha, was celebrated on Saturday, June 20, 2015 at 8pm. The sun was setting in the west, but plenty of light abound as the longest day of the year doesn’t see a sun set till 9:30 pm. The ritual began with the song “Midsummer” by Heather Alexander.

The Gods and Goddesses were honored as Midsummer poetry was read. Each person set a goal to accomplish by Lughnasadh. The Holly King overtook the Oak King as the ruler of the next six months. This is because the sun reaches its zenith on Midsummer. Thus the power of the Oak King grew strong as all life returned after Yule. Now, as the days grow shorter and nights longer, life will peak and then begin to wane before dying and going to sleep during winter. This is the period of rule of the Holly King and natural dominance over the Oak King at Summer Solstice. The inverse is true at Yule, when the Oak King takes over to rule again.

Offerings included strawberry lemonade and fruits of the season. All were blessed of the Gods and feasted on bratwurst by a Midsummer fire.

Midsummer 2015, altar, Saturday, June 20, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2015, altar center with Queer God painting-Holly King dominating the Oak King, Saturday, June 20, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2015, fruit offering, Saturday, June 20, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2015, feast-bratwurst Saturday, June 20, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2015, fire, Saturday, June 20, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

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The Wheel has turned and Midsummer is upon us. The Holly King will overtake the Oak King and rule till Yule. The sun will reach its zenith and start its descent.

Flyer by Muad’Dib
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Sad news to report, we had a run in with a demon.

A guest who had attended our Midsummer, whom we met at pride, seemed like a good person. He came to our Witches’ tea and checked out (so it seemed).

He asked to throw a few things in the fire, a small Beltane pole, and a poppet… he left very quickly after the ritual and said he was “having stomach issues.”

That night about 2am, the demon showed up. Everyone was around the fire outside, but the noises and uneasiness of the environment were felt, eyes were upon us and everyone was on edge. I personally saw the demon, black figure with white eyes, rush towards me from the Ganesh shrine. It later tried to posses me. I called Gwen Allen, our voodoo priestess and she sent Mama Brigitte over to eat it once it was trapped in the bathroom upstairs (Gwen told us it was hiding in there). We put white cornmeal across the seal, said the Lord’s Prayer, made the cross on the door, and propped up against it one of Woman Between the Wolve’s mother’s green chairs that turned out to be solid Oak (most sacred to the druids).

$500 later (Gwen’s price) and it was gone by morning, eaten by the Goddess of the cemetery, Brigitte,  lwa of death, wife of Baron Samedi in Voodoo.

All the members of SLPS stayed up through the night, sitting around the fire, meditating and praying it would leave us be. Several times through the early witching hours it sent us messages to “open the door”, giving us images in our minds that we were letting it out. Woman Between the Wolves had heard people laughing in the living room, when everyone else was outside the house.

By 8am the members went to sleep, finally able to rest in the light of day. The door was opened at noon, and the nothing left by the ethereal nether ashes from what was found out to be one of the 7 kings of hell. All this, from a poppet.

The reason it was able to get inside was that it came from within, it was dropped in our sacred Midsummer fire, whatever that man, Steve from Colorado, had put in the yellow doll. This probably is the worst example of what strangers, especially those with ill intent can do to a coven or circle. You let folks in who troll and abuse, and make it worse for everyone else after them, forcing us to close our doors to the public.

Because of this, ritual attendance, membership, and meetings will be restricted. SLPS is on hiatus until further notice. Expect many changes in the way the organization conducts business. We have survived something most groups should never and don’t see, but we are stronger for it, our path in the unknown is not without trials and situations, but you must be ready to face them all, even crowned kings of hell if need be.

Bright Blessings /|\,

Muad’Dib

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Thanks to everyone who came to Midsummer 2014, held on Saturday, June 21, 2014, the Summer Solstice. It was performed in the New American Tradition by President Muad’Dib. A special Midsummer Kings painting, acrylic on canvas, was the center piece, with two acrylic on board paintings of the Holly and Oak Kings to the sides, all done by Kurt Shoopman of Glasgow, Kentucky. Other items included flowers, cinnamon rolls, God’s eyes, ritual wine and a custom sunflower table cloth made last Midsummer by Woman Between the Wolves.  The faeries visited, the Holly King dominated the Oak King as the new ruling king of the year till Winter Solstice, and mighty Midsummer magic was worked at the Midsummer fire. Feasting included steak, vegetables in butter sauce and home  made cinnamon rolls.

Midsummer 2014, main altar, Saturday, June 21, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2014, main altar center with Midsummer Kings paintings by Kurt Shoopman, Saturday, June 21, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2014, Temple area, Saturday, June 21, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2014, L to r- Janelle Baguley, Willow Figueroa, Piggy, Saturday, June 21, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2014, l to r- Lunar Oak Spirit, Uriel Lizardi, Owen Staples, Saturday, June 21, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2014, Cheyanne Opheikens (l) and Shy Fox, Saturday, June 21, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2014, south altar with Sekhmet, Saturday, June 21, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2014, West altar with Kali, Saturday, June 21, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2014, North altar with Ganesh, Saturday, June 21, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2014, East altar with Horus, Saturday, June 21, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2014, Muad’Dib, Saturday, June 21, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2014, Woman Between the Wolves Saturday, June 21, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT

2014-06-21 20.37.08

Midsummer 2014, Lunar performing Great Rite with Woman l to r- Janelle Baguley, Willow Figueroa, Piggy, Lunar Oak Spirit, Woman Between the Wolves, Cheyanne Opheikens, Shy Fox, Saturday, June 21, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2014, Owen Staples, Saturday, June 21, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2014, Feasting, l to r-Woman Between the Wolves, Lunar Oak Spirit, Piggy, Willow Figueroa, Janelle Baguley, Shy Fox, Saturday, June 21, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT

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The Wheel has turned and midsummer is upon us! This year SLPS will be celebrating Midsummer on the Solstice. The ritual is set in the Wiccan/druid style by President Muad’Dib. A specially commissioned painting of the Holly King dominating the Oak King (LGBT) by Kurt Shoopman of Kentucky will be the center item on the altar. Afterwards there will be feastings into the night!

When: Saturday, June 21, 2014 6pm

Where: Private Residence

2014-06-20 14.43.30

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Holly and Oak Kings… a fight to the death.. almost. UUPS celebrated the two great Kings of the Year. The Oak King and the Holly King. This Midsummer festival on Friday, June 24, 2011 brought us the esteemed opportunity to reenact the great battle of the two kings, the battle that twice a year ensures one will rule while the other sits at the altar of life.  This time, the Holly King was again crowned ruler for the coming winter months. UUPS sang, danced, beat drums and rang bells in honor of the Holly King. A midsummer fire allowed all present to burn away a bad habit, problem, situation or other form of negative energy in their lives. Many felt uplifted, inspired and joyful. All present had the opportunity to travel down a garden path in a guided meditation to meet and speak with the Holy Holly King himself. The final union of the Holy Holly King and Queen brought a close to the ceremony and the opening of the Midsummer feast. Mainly a garden dinner, full of salads, cabbage, mushroom, pasta and noodles, the occasional yard bird was seen wandering around before quickly vanishing into the carnivorous traps of Holly King himself.  Blessed Be all! Until we merry meet again!

Midsummer 2011, l to r-Fire Runner, Derika Jade, Lunar Oak Spirit, Julie Watson, and Marian Edmonds, Friday, June 24, 2011, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2011, l to r- Julie Watson, Marian Edmonds, Mustard Seed, and Fire Runner, Friday, June 24, 2011, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2011, l to r-Woman Between the Wolves, Fire Runner, Mustard Seed, Lunar Oak Spirit, Derika Llemley, Marian Edmonds, and Julie Watson Friday, June 24, 2011, Salt Lake City, UT

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