Summer Solstice

Summer Solstice

by | Jun 20, 2024 | Seasons

Happy Summer Solstice!

 

At Summer Solstice, the Sun reaches the zenith of its annual journey. We celebrate the longest day and shortest night. It is a magical time: nature is blossoming. The veil between the worlds is thin: sprites and spirits easily cross between them, and we may even glimpse the little folk.
The young Sun-God Bel and the earth goddess are reaching their peak in ecstatic embrace, and all nature takes part in their rapturous exuberance.
At Summer Solstice, we honour the Gods and celebrate the life force in all its abundance. Corresponding to the Winter Solstice and the 12 days of Christmas, the Summer Solstice is also celebrated for 12 days. This is a twilight zone where magic happens. At this time of the year, the gods walk among us and hear our prayers. We ask for protection, health, and sustenance and pray that they may protect our crops from summer storms and fires. We bless the corn and the crops, the barn and the animals.

The herbs are now at their most potent, and we gather our annual supplies of St. John’s Wort, Mugwort, Verbena, Chamomile, Mullein, Grund-Ivy (Glechoma hederacea) and more.
Spiritually, it is a time to seek guidance by divination or retreat on a vision quest to hold counsel with the gods. At this halfway point of the year, we reflect on how things have been going for the first 6 months. Did we follow our visions and achieve the goals we set at the beginning of the year? Are we on track, or did we get lost in the tall grass along the way?
Are those goals still relevant? If you have veered off the path, now is a time to realign with your highest goals and adjust course so you can sail successfully through the second half of the year .
If you are unsure of your direction, this is a perfect time to seek divine guidance by vision quest, pilgrimage or retreat – whichever way allows you to commune with the gods and silence the noise enough so you can hear the whispers of intuition.
Above all, Midsummer is a time of gatherings and celebrations – revelling around bonfires, dancing, feasting, and merry-making. These 12 days offer a break from usual activities and encourage us to soak up that pure life force in all its glory.

Happy Summer Solstice, everyone!

Imbolc Awakenings

Imbolc Awakenings

by | Jan 31, 2024 | Seasons

Imbolc, the return of the light

Winter is still with us, although is now entering a moody phase. One day it is frosty, stormy, and inhospitable, and a couple of days later the sun pops out to tease us. But there is one sure sign that things are beginning to shift, ever so slightly – the days are beginning to get noticeably longer again.

Imbolc is the season of the light maiden Brighid, a virginal Goddess, who appears to us as the returning light. As the sun climbs just a tad higher in the sky, it adds a few minutes of light to each passing day.

Nevertheless, it is still the middle of winter. But, if you look carefully, the buds are beginning to swell. Some precocious little flowers defy all the odds. Some particularly perky ones are pushing their way through the snow, or old leaves:  snowdrops, winter aconite or dwarf crested irises are among the earliest and bravest. Unmistakably, the life force deep within the earth is stirring. Last season’s seeds are preparing to germinate. The wheel of the year is turning, and the sap is rising once more.

Purification and Fasting

Imbolc, or ‘Candlemas’ in Christian terminology, is the festival of growing light, of cleansing, and purification. It prepares us for Lent, the time of abstinence and fasting intended to purify body and soul.

In the past, fasting was a way of cleansing the body of the residues of heavy winter foods. Spiritually, it is an act of mindfulness and a way to prepare the body and mind for the spring and a new cycle of growth.

Envisioning the future

Imbolc is a time for visualizing in your mind’s eye the possibilities that lie ahead. Some people use divination, others use affirmations. Take some time out to prepare yourself for the challenges and opportunities yet to come. Reflect on your strengths and weaknesses, on good and bad habits, and make a commitment to your soul’s journey.

What kind of nourishment does your soul need? What are your intentions and purpose? How do you want to give back to life?  Are you walking your talk?

Imbolc is a good time to charge the seeds with intention and to foster your inner flame. Take care of that light through the dark of the night. Soon the sun will soon rise and grow strong again.

 

Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice

by | Dec 21, 2023 | Seasons

Happy Winter Solstice, may your light shine bright!

The Winter Solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year. The trees have lost their leaves, and all signs of life have retreated below ground. Frozen in time, the land lies barren. Barely rising above the horizon, the Sun only sends a few feeble rays of light. The birds have left on their long journey to milder climes. The Earth has entered hibernation mode.

And yet, we find cause to rejoice at these darkest times! Deep within the Earth, a tiny light is born! Fragile as a baby in its crib, the sun-saviour god returns.

We are on the threshold of a new cycle, not yet sure if the baby will grow. But where there is life; there is hope.

In the old days, the 12 days of Christmas marked a time, when the veil between the worlds is thin, and spirits pass through. The same is true of the 12 days around the summer solstice. Otherworldly beings are visiting us from beyond.

The Solstice is a time of reflection, of cherishing memories, and of gratitude.

It may not have been an easy year, but there are always things to be grateful for, and hope is on the horizon.

During this quiet space, we reflect on gratitude; on love and care, and on being there for one another. We dream about our ambitions for the year ahead and how to make things better.

The Winter Solstice marks a turning point with the promise of a new dawn.

Count your blessings and celebrate hope. The wheel of time is turning, and the light is returning. Let us cherish and protect this tiny flame of hope. When its fire grows stronger, life once more returns to Earth.

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