Litha is the time of the year when we celebrate the Sun God, robust with generative power. At Midsummer, potential is at its peak, with everything in a state of fertility and growth, and the yearning for divine protection naturally arises. The Sun is an ancient symbol of protection and so it is with the God's Eye. For this reason, it's a tradition within Pagan communities to make a God's Eye amulet on solstice. The God's Eye symbol is found in many cultures, virtually the same presentation around the globe. The act of weaving a God's Eye is a form of prayer, bringing the protective eye of God very directly into the realm of day-to-day life. It's an invocation for God to literally watch over the weaver and the person for whom the weaving is created - a beautiful ritual to perform for yourself or a loved one.
Keep your God's Eye in a visible spot, exposed to the sun, until the veil thins again and then you can burn it. It's traditional to hang the amulet in the sunshine, then burn it in the fires of Samhain (October 31st).
Instructions
To begin, gather a few skeins of natural wool yarn in different colors, along with short, straight sticks. Locate your scissors and glue too! Lots of naturally dyed wool can be found locally - ask around! Walk your yard or local park for sticks gifted from the trees.
Pause over your materials to bring to mind the person for which you are creating this weaving. Hold their image in your mind, their well-being in your heart. Call up your prayer or intention, perhaps saying it aloud as you begin.
1. Hold two sticks crossed together and tie a loop of yarn around the center. Wrap several times to form an X at the center, securely joining the sticks together. Bring to mind the four directions of air, fire, water, and earth as you wrap.
2. Begin your weaving by wrapping yarn around one stick
3. Moving clockwise, wrap your yarn around the next stick and the next as you press the yarn tight to the center. You may choose to repeat your intention or prayer continually as you wrap.
4. Keep wrapping slowly and tightly, taking care to line up the strands of yarn on each stick next to one another without overlapping.
5. Partway through, tie off the color you are working with in a knot on one stick and begin from there with the next color by looping and tying a knot to make a secure start. Repeat this step if you have more than two colors.
6. Finish the weaving by tying a final knot. You can also add a loop to hang your weaving. A spot of glue on the final knot and loop will secure the end of the yarn.