Happy Summer Solstice!

When I was a kid, I never really liked the first day of summer, 21 June. Even though I was born in the summer, I always preferred the darker, colder months of the year. I craved the solitude that came with the setting Sun and enjoyed the nocturnal life that sprung up when the moon made its appearance.

Now that my spiritual practice involves paying attention to the evolution of seasons, I find myself appreciating it for what it is: a sign that it’s time for change. A time for tending to what’s been sown over the winter and spring months, a time for enjoying life, enjoying the Sunshine, taking into consideration that the Sun gives us all year round, especially now that we have it visible for the longest period of time in one day during the year.

I could go into this history of the celebrations of the Summer Solstice – the history is as old as this planet is, no need, really, for an explanation – but I find myself reflecting on nature itself. It’s beauty and it’s terror. It’s ability to give and take life.

The Sun’s that way: with it, there is life on Earth. Without it, we wouldn’t exist. And today, on the longest day of the year, we should consider that the Sun, the burning fire in the sky, has illuminated the planet since time immemorial. No wonder so many ancient civilizations – and practitioners today – still revere it as a celestial God.

The Summer Solstice is the beginning of summer, and while I don’t have big plans this year – just a simple supper offering to the ancestors and the entities I share my home with – I will be heading up to the rooftop of my apartment building here in the city to say a little prayer of gratitude.

By the time you read this, the Summer Solstice here in the United States has already begun, and with it, summer. It’s time for you to keep your head down and get your work done but remember: the rewards are already waiting for you.

Have a wonderful Summer Solstice.

E

[Photo of Stonehenge Summer Solstice 2005 by Peter MacDiarmid for Getty Photos]