Midsummer is also sometimes referred to as Litha. Litha is(pronounced “LITH-ah”). The celebration of Midsummer’s Eve was from ancient times linked to the summer solstice. People believed that mid-summer plants had miraculous and healing powers and they, therefore, picked them on this night. Bonfires were lit to protect against evil spirits which were believed to roam freely when the sun was turning southwards again. The solstice itself has remained a special moment of the annual cycle of the year since Neolithic times. The concentration of the observance is not on the day as we reckon it, commencing at midnight or at dawn, but the pre-Christian beginning of the day, which falls on the previous eve. In Sweden and Finland, Midsummer’s Eve is considered the greatest festival of the year, comparable only with Walpurgis Night, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve. It marks the first day of summer on traditional calendars, but it is actually the Midsummer mark for Pagans.
Litha marks the longest day of the year, the day when the sun reaches its apex and is aspected to zero degrees Cancer. This is a day that celebrates the God in all his glory. It is also the time of year when the Goddess is glowing with motherhood in her pregnancy.
For those of you familiar with Shakespeare, you might remember the play centered around the Solistice: “A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream”. It is believed that Midsummer Night’s Eve is a special time for those who believe in the Faerie traditions. Like Samhain, this is a day where the veils are thin between the realms of the Sidhe (the Faerie realm) and the world of mortals. It is a time for merriment and the making of wishes. On this day the Sun God is seen at his highest point in the sky, vibrant and strong. Together with the pregnant Mother Goddess, he rules the summer season. However, this is also a time of transition, for now, the Sun will begin its yearly descent and the days grow shorter until the Winter solstice. The Druids viewed this day as the wedding of Heaven and Earth, Alban Heruin. The Moon of this month was known as “The Honey Moon” in a testimonial to the honey mead that was drunk at the wedding celebrations so common to this time of year
“The past has no power over the present moment”- Eckhart Tolle.
It takes commitment to be in the Now. It takes commitment from you for you to experience the Now. It takes commitment to be still, to relax, slow down. It takes being persistent and consistent. It takes desire, will power and focus every moment, every day to be in the Now. Your future depends on your now and in the now how you choose. And in your choice the knowing. And in your knowing the understanding. And in understanding the knowledge. And in knowledge the guidance. And in guidance the awareness. And in awareness the truth of you the soul. If you are living in the past and future how will you know what you are choosing? And why did you make that choice? How will you know why an experience or an event happened in your life in the now and what choice did you make for this to happen?? What is happening in your present in the now is a result of your choices. To change your now you have to be in the now to know what needs to be changed. You cannot live in the past and future for change to happen now is it? You need to feel your feelings and emotions in the now in order to change the past and build the life you want for your future. Now is where your power lives. It is where your soul lives. And to be in the now commit to meditation, commit to having a spiritual practice everyday. Commit to questioning your beliefs, belief system. Commit to being completely honest with yourself. Only you can help you.
Make a choice to commit to you and then follow the next step to take action on the commitment you just made. And then the next step will show up. Do not think 10-50 steps ahead. Just doing one step and walking one step at a time. That’s how we live in the now. Your next step what you need to do will be shown to you. Your feelings, emotions, negativity, judgement, control, jealousy, guilt, fear, arrogance, hostility, self centered etc are all caused by not staying and practicing to being in the now. Times are such where this is your only savior. Be still. Be Mindful. Learn about you the good, bad and the ugly. If you take care of your now your future will take care of itself.
Bohemian style decor has taken the interior design world by storm, and let us just say, and we are here for it. From leather furniture to ravishing neutrals, from welcoming patterns to urban boho twists, we can say without a doubt this is one of our favorite decor trends to date. 7 more words
Steak restaurant housed in a former car repair shop.
Spontaneity, raw materials, pristine nature and above all – meat. The best steaks in the city of Olomouc.
Ten years back, you would have come here to have your vehicle inspection certificate stamped. Entering the place, you would have covered your ears to escape the noise of the roaring car engines and watched the mechanics checking clutches and brakes. As the shift ended and the chaps clocked out to leave for home all hungry, they might have been dreaming about one kind of meal.
The juicy steak they would eat seated at a solid wood table supported by raw steel legs. Greenery and nature come face to face with animal force. That’s the core of Steak Restaurant’s (STK) interior, housed in a former car repair shop which gave the steakhouse its name.
STK in Olomouc emphasises simplicity and quality, both in its food and its interior. Instead of trying to deny and erase its greasy automobile heritage, the place embraces it. The 320 square metres of the restaurant authentically engage individual elements of its past.
This is evident from the materials, which include raw metal sheets, black steel and rebars. We even turned a seemingly problematic layout into an advantage, transforming bearing walls in narrow spaces into a vertical garden and a platform for a barbecue.
Dominating the space are two huge steel bulls – the owner’s wish and a clear message to guests about the type of cuisine they should expect. In STK, heavy elements merge with nature. Willow branches wrap themselves around the tables and climb the walls, rising up to the ceiling and over the bulls’ heads.
Formed from solid oak boards, the tables have a rough hewn appearance and irregularly shaped steel legs. Here and there, plants spring from the ceiling and walls, changing the interior’s look with each new leaf that sprouts. Cowhide covering one of the walls and woven rope complete the signature style of the steakhouse.
Steak Restaurant Olomouc – Building Information
Studio: Komplits Author: Pavel Kříž | principal architect Contact e-mail: hello@komplits.com
Why do all houses, flats, offices, schools, hotels or tables out there look similar, when we have unlimited fantasy and possibilities? That was Komplits’ starting point, a belief uniting its members. They like exploring the roads not taken. A new day brings a new idea, shape or use of material. “But this is a material for fences! Well – we’ll make a chandelier from it”. Based in Olomouc, a city that encourages creativity, a team of architects, design and civil engineers take Pavel Kříž’s fantastic universes from paper and transform them into reality.
We create our own worlds. Houses, restaurants, schools, hotels and offices. But also desks, lighting, a bar or a hanger. One clear signature style and plenty of room for imagination. The more we hear something is impossible, the more excited we get about it.
Celebrate the Environment each day everyday! Nature is a powerful healer and provider treat it with respect and gratitude. Harming the environment it’s flora, fauna, animals, plant kingdom and its indigenous beings is no longer to be appropriate, choice nor an option. If it wants it can take away from you everything in a split second and you won’t be able to do nothing. Make choices and choose leaders that serve the greater good of our planet.
People blame their environment. There is only one person to blame – and only one – themselves. – Robert Collier
Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed. – Mahatma Gandhi
As we were having our morning breakfast we chose to paint what we were eating this morning. Everything we see around us in nature has a purpose, symbolic meaning and has its own magick. It’s how we choose to perceive our world. If you just eating a banana for health that’s great but look beyond to know what all it has to offer you spiritually. When we get our spiritual world in balance is when our physical world comes to be in balance also. Use bananas for being open to change in order to become resilient, romance, money, and more! . Our custom Art by Nisha Designs are always painted with intention and purpose. Having a banana painting in your home will offer you it’s energy and Magick to what you need in your life. . For custom Art DM, Call or Email Nisha Desai
Magickal Benefits. . Resilience through change: Make yourself comfortable with change and able to pivot quickly by working with bananas! . Wealth + Increased Money: Not only is the banana nice to your wallet, but its energy can be nice to your bank account, too! . Increased luck: Plant a banana plant around your house in order to inspire good luck in your household. . Increased your spirituality: Eat bananas before embarking on a new spiritual quest to connect your energy to the universe, or carry a banana charm on your person. . Increased sexual stamina in men: Once upon a time, bananas were only allowed to be eaten by men, and these phallic fruits worked wonders on increasing lust. Simply eat a banana to increase the libido. . Symbol for the God: The phallic shape of bananas supplies incredible masculine energy to the space.
Magickal Correspondences of Bananas | Banana Materia Magicka
Latin name
Musa (many hybrids and variants exist under this genus. The outdated scientific name is Musa sapientum.)
Under the Tuscan Sun: The first time I watched this film in 2003 I was literally at a crossroad in choosing whether I should accept this job offer and move from South Carolina to California or not. Yes no brainer but yes the trickster conscious mind of course had me twirling around like a bee in making my choice. I had to choose between ‘fear and living my dreams’ the fear was all about what I cannot have, do, and be all the physical things right, will it be stable, will i still have a job after a year, will I do good, what if they don’t apply for my green card I will have to go back to India(which was my greatest fear of going back, I didn’t want to go back) and it goes on and on…but it never once showed me the truth of the situation which was I hated my job, I was miserable, I didn’t like living in South Carolina and so now my choice was should i listen to fear and choose to be miserable? Or accept it and live my dreams. Which was the whole point for the trickster conscious mind to set me up for failure, and away from my heart…Phew! Stirred me up crazy coz it didn’t feel right inside me to choose fear.
At that time I had no idea about my inner being, soul. But she was right there of course inside me watching what I was doing and while I was busy in my head arguing with the trickster(which now I know not to give that voice my focus, attn or energy) coz my heart wanted to take a leap of faith but the trickster was stopping me. We kept the choice aside for a moment. And chose to take a break and watch this film. And as soon as this conversation showed up that was it. In a split second I made my choice. No battle, no fear only that I want this and this is it. I had chosen to live my dreams and kick my fear and conscious mind in their ass.
This is how our souls work through us. If we just stay calm we will be able to hear our inner voice. This conversation was like me having a heart to heart talk with my inner being. She had to get me to a movie to get me out of my head and connect to my heart. Our souls work in mysterious ways. Follow the silence. It’s that simple but yet we make it complex for ourselves.
Making the most of the available space with the influence of light and color. via How to Use Lighting and Colors to Make Small Rooms Feel Bigger — Find A Way by JWP
How you decorate your bedroom shapes the ambiance of your sleep space, and the energy of the room reflects in the quality of your slumber. So whether it’s cute, boho, shabby chic or art deco that you’re aiming for aesthetic-wise, think about what materials, light fixtures and scents help you unwind at the end of……
I was really intrigued when I saw a monkey orchid in Singapore orchid gardens. Believe me, it was looking exactly like a monkey. I got really inspired after seeing that weird flower and thought of doing a research on various weird looking flowers. I got a huge collection of rare and mysterious pictures of orchids and other flowers.
If you are a nature enthusiast, you will really enjoy this collection of flowers. This collection includes various rare orchids, tulips etc. Some of these flowers can be grown in your small garden and it can be a decor for your home.
The bright red color of this flower attracts pollinators like humming bird. Commonly found in the rain forests of Central and South America. The flower looks like a pair of lips in its budding stage before fully blooming into a flower.
Hooker’s Lips
3. Naked Man Orchid
Scientific Name : Orchis italica
Commonly found in the Mediterranean. The lip of this orchid looks just like a man and hence called Naked man orchid.
Naked Man Orchid
4. Ice cream tulip
Scientific Name : Tulipa icecream
This flower definitely lives up to its name and looks exactly like a delicious ice cream cone. White petals are closely mounted against one another and form a central cone. Its visual appeal makes it a center-piece in any garden.
ice cream tulip
5. Moth Orchid
Scientific Name : Phalaenopsis
This is the most common orchid variety due to its ease of production and the availability of blooming plants all year-round. Found in Southeast Asia, New Guinea, Southern China, the Indian Subcontinent and Queensland.
Moth Orchid
6. Dancing Girls
Scientific Name : Impatiens bequaertii
Commonly found in the rain forests of East Africa. This flower is very small, about half inch in length.
Dancing Girls
7. Laughing Bumble Bee Orchid
Scientific Name : Ophrys bombyliflora
Comes under bee orchid species. This plant is a native of the Mediterranean region. It’s named after the Greek word bombylios, meaning bumble bee.
Laughing Bumble Bee Orchid
8. Swaddled Babies
Scientific Name : Anguloa uniflora
The flowers of this orchid resembles babies sleeping in a cradle. Commonly found in parts of South America.
Swaddled Babies
9. Parrot Flower
Parrot Flower
10. Flying Duck Orchid
Scientific Name : Caleana major
This bright colored flower is a native of Australia. The bright purple color attracts pollinating agents.
Flying Duck Orchid
11. Tiger faced orchid
The center portion of this orchid flower looks exactly like the face of a tiger, as evident from the image below.
Tiger faced orchid
12. Happy Alien
Scientific Name : Calceolaria uniflora
This mountain plant is commonly found in the southern part of South America. Its combination of red, white and yellow colors makes it look like an alien.
Happy Alien
13. Angel Orchid
Scientific Name : Habenaria grandifloriformis
This flower is white in color and the arrangement of petals makes it look like an angel. Commonly found in the grasslands of Southern India.
Angel Orchid
14. Dove Orchid
Scientific Name : Peristeria elata
A Native of Central America, the central portion of this white flower resembles a dove. Also called Holy Ghost Orchid.
Dove Orchid
15. Ballerina Orchid
Scientific Name : Caladenia melanema
This orchid exactly looks like a ballerina dancer. Commonly found in Australia.
Ballerina orchid
16. White Egret Orchid
Scientific Name : Habenaria radiata
This orchid flower looks like a white egret in flight. Found in China, Japan, Korea and Russia.
White Egret Orchid
17. Jewel Orchid
Scientific Name : Anoectochilus geniculatus
These are so named because of the stunning patterns and coloration of their dramatic foliage.
Jewel Orchid
18. Darth Vader Flower
Scientific Name : Aristolochia salvadorensis
This flower looks like the mask of popular Star Wars character Darth Vader and hence the name.
Darth Vader flower
19. Grey Spider Flower
Scientific Name : Grevillea buxifolia
This flower has yellowish and white petals, with stalks covered in reddish brown hairs. The arrangement makes it look like a grey spider. Commonly found in New South Wales in Australia.
Also known as Cannonball Tree Flower, this is a native to the rain forests of Central and South America.
Sara Tree Flower
21. Mirror Orchid
Scientific Name : Ophrys speculum
This petals of this unique orchid resembles a female wasp. Male wasps, thinking that the petals are a female, land on them and helps in pollination.
Mirror Orchid
22. Pink Lady’s Slipper Orchid
Scientific Name : Cypripedium acaule
This flower is commonly found in Canada. The petals are yellowish-brown to maroon in color with a large pouch that is usually a shade of pink. The pouch is prominent and gives this flower a lady’s slipper like look.
Pink Lady’s Slipper Orchid
23. Lily-of-the-Valley Flower
Scientific Name : Convallaria majalis
Lily of the valley plants are one of the most fragrant and blooming plants in the spring and early summer throughout the northern temperate zone.
Lily-of-the-valley flower
24. Bird of Paradise
Scientific Name : Strelitzia reginae
Also called Crane flower. This flower is a native of South Africa.
Bird of Paradise
25. Passiflora Violacea Victoria
This flower is purple in color with a dark center and white filament tips.
Passiflora Violacea Victoria
26. Paracaleana Nigrita
This flower resembles a bird in flight. Its a native of Australia.
Paracaleana nigrita
27. Fly Orchid
Scientific Name : Ophrys insectifera
This orchid flower looks just like a fly and so it is called fly orchid. Commonly found in Europe.
This flower is called skeleton flower because its petals turn crystal clear when they make contact with water. When dry, the flower is white in color!!!
Skeleton flower
29. The Bat Flower
Scientific Name : Tacca Chantrieri
This flower is native to tropical regions of Southeast Asia including Thailand, Malaysia, and southern China. This flower is also called Devil’s flower, thanks to its devil like appearance.
The bat flower
30. Ceropegia
Scientific Name : Ceropegia Haygarthii
The name of this flower was derived from the words ‘keros’ meaning wax and ‘pege’ meaning fountain. As the name suggests, this flower looks like a fountain of wax. Also called parachute flower or lantern flower. Commonly found in Africa, southern Asia and Australia.
Ceropegia Haygarthii
31. Jungle Night Flower
Scientific Name : Amorphophallus paeoniifolius
This is the flower of elephant foot yam or stink lily, which is a tropical tuber crop grown in Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia.
Jungle Night Flower
32. Flame Lily
Scientific Name : Gloriosa superba
This flower, with its spectacular array of yellow and red colored petals, looks like a flame. Also known by the name fire lily. Commonly found in Asia and Africa.
Flame Lily
33. Jeweled Carpet Flower
The arrangement of petals gives this flower a jewel – like appearance and hence called so.