The solstice has always been a time to celebrate, to honor our connection to the inner firepower that keeps us alive. It’s a moment of abundance, filled with the potential for growth. In fact, the Pagan summer solstice festival was named after Litha—the goddess of fertility, power, and order. Say: “I now release in the flame, the Goddess of Fire will consume my pain. It is done.” When the ashes are cool, put them in the earth, or run them under running water. One way to embrace your own childlike wonder and attract abundance is with a piñata. You can buy or make your own and decorate it in any way you like (preferably to represent the energy of the sun). Fill it with blessings written on pieces of paper like “I bless you with health,” “I bless you with a great sense of humor,” “I bless you with courage,” “I bless you with an abundance of money.” I like to use large yellow circles, but use whatever you like. Hang the piñata from a tree branch outside or from your ceiling if doing this indoors. Take a stick and have each person participating swing at it until it falls apart and the blessings are released. Every object you put on your wand can represent something that helps you step into your power: Feathers can represent spirit helpers, birds, or simply a wider perspective. The color red can symbolize passion, while green can represent healing. A heart symbol can speak to love and compassion. I also like to add a picture or symbol of a spiritual teacher or guide. Use your imagination! If you want to really amplify the power of your wand, place a clear quartz point about an inch or so in length on the end of the stick. Tie it on with copper wire, a great conductor of energy, so that part of the crystal sticks out beyond the end of the stick. Think of it as an arrowhead. Now, hold the wand in your hand and call on the sun to bless you with the energy to go out into the world with passion and purpose. You can use your wand whenever you want to make a wish: Visualize your wish as an accomplished fact, and let your wand bring it into being. Here are a few of my favorite herbs to work with and what they represent: Barbara taps into her extraordinary journey as a global ritual expert, fashion executive, TV producer, corporate leadership trainer and coach to inspire, connect with and empower clients in these rapidly changing and challenging times. She is passionate about sharing the wisdom she amassed from decades of global studies with gurus, spiritual masters and her own dedicated practices. Blending ancient spiritual rituals with emotional intelligence and strategic communication skills, Barbara guides and motivates her clients to achieve expanded levels of success and create meaningful vision for their lives. She holds bachelor’s degrees in both art history and psychology from NYU and today lives in the Greater New York City area.
