Recently it was Litha, or Midsummer, when the northern hemisphere experiences longer days and shorter nights. Although Midsummer, the typical British weather isn't what you may call summer-like, and it was this kind of weather that we had for days before our ritual in some local ancient woodland. The day before there were a flurry of messages between us all as it had been torrential rain all day and it was looking quite likely that we were going to either get very wet or have to find an indoor space instead. Not really wanting to forgo the ambience and power of the woodland, we hoped that the next day would be drier and decided to wait until then to decide. Maybe some words were spoken that eve, and the next day dawned bright and clear; so off to the woods we went.

This festival we were working primarily with Lynx, a creature I've not had much experience with but Lynx turned out to be a lot more than just the relatively unknown cat (or a brand of rather pungent male grooming product...but less of that the better really). 

Commonly held in mythology to be the keeper of the secrets of the forest, the Lynx is a ghost-like creature that silently walks the woodland in secrecy. Although it is this secrecy that ascribes it it's strength, for a secret hidden has power. The Lynx shows us that you need not be loud, strong, big or aggressive to succeed - and those that hold knowledge have strength themselves. Lynx is associated with Dionysus and Lugh, themselves great deities, and also associated with clairvoyance and divination.

Although the Lynx knows secrets, this does not mean that they will be shared. In fact Lynx may well not cooperate at all and those secrets will remain such. Although Lynx may share a secret; this may come as a boon and a bane, as something that is assumed to be positive and something that's assumed to be negative, like the amazing secret we know but can't share - it then makes you wonder if that secret is worth knowing at all.

The Lynx used to be native to our British Isles, but in the 17th century became extinct here - by the hand of humans that lived here and feared the loss of their livestock; therein lies the problem with having living creatures as property. During the day, we were reminded that this country used to be home to wolves, bear and boar - along with lynx - and that our own hubris have wiped them out. We live in a country with very little competition from other species and even the ones that do occasionally, and quite naturally, encroach onto something we consider to be our property; they're 'controlled'. Imagine a country without any foxes and you'll follow this to a possible conclusion.

Eating our shared meal later that day we discussed how wonderful it would be if lynx were wild in this country again, although would Lynx wish to come back?