happy summer solistice!

Tomorrow, June 21st, is the Summer Solistice. I found this wonderful article about the solistice:

http://www.stariq.com/Main/Articles/P0004579.HTM

The article states the author's belief that time from June19 - 24 are "the most sacred days of the year" and "easier to ascend and touch the higher mystical planes, as well as to be washed with a shower of fresh spiritual forces".

This would be a good time to make affirmations and send out intentions to the Universe. And good time to meditate on what we want to create in our lives.

peace and blessings!
oceanpoetry

Thanks for the link, oceanpoetry. I believe the solstices are the high points of the year for pagans.... as well as for kids getting out of school ^_^

Or if you live in the Southern hemisphere,

Happy Winter Solstice!!!!!!!!!

at 19:12 GMT tomorrow the Sun reaches 0 degrees Cancer (and also has reached the Tropic of Cancer) This is its most Northerly apparant travel. For those in the Northern Hemisphere, this produce a Sun which is high in the sky and the longest day of sunlight. In terms of travel Northwards, the Sun now appears to stand still for around three days, and then begins to get lower in the sky as each day passes. Indeed the word Solstice comes from the Latin for the 'Sun stands still'.

For the Southern hemisphere the reverse is true - The Sun is as far away as it gets in terms of latitude and the Sun is consequently low in the sky. This will give the shortest hours of daylight.

Many people refer to the solstice as 'Midsummer's Day (or Midwinter's Day) but this is actually a misnomer. June 21st marks the first day of Summer - the forces that have grown through Spring have now reached independance and Cancer marks the second stage (in the North) of secondary growth till full maturity is reached at the end of the month.

For the next two months the luminaries rule - Cancer is ruled by the Moon and Leo, the following sign by the Sun - mother and father. So during this month the mother is the important figure - nurturing the spring birth towards full adulthood.

Infants also need protection as well as nurturing so Cancer is the sign of the protecting and defending parent. But perhaps more than anything during this month you can open your arms wide and merge with the life essence.

Minderwiz,
I believe the term "Midsummer's Day" for June 21st comes from an earlier time, when the solistice was actually the middle of the summer growing season, running from Beltaine (May 1st) to Samhain (Oct 31st).

Oceanpoetry,

Thanks very much for that information - I've always found Midsummer's Day an odd description and wondered why it was so called. The halfway point between sowing and final harvesting and storing makes real sense.

interesting footnote

i live in Puerto Rico, the patron saint of the island is St John ( San Juan) because the island was 'discovered' on his saints day
it is on the 24 and the tradition is that everyone must go to the ocean or the river and bathe at midniter to be " washed with a shower of fresh spiritual forces"
i just love it when things match and the world makes sense for a change ;-)

In France, every 21st of June, we have a celebration called "Les Feux de la Saint Jean".
Usually there is a big party followed by a massive bon fire, so that the longest day does not end at all. It's a celebration of light, a day without a night.
So much fun!

Alice

oceanpoetry said:

The article states the author's belief that time from June19 - 24 are "the most sacred days of the year" and "easier to ascend and touch the higher mystical planes, as well as to be washed with a shower of fresh spiritual forces".

Click to expand...

What a lovely thought It certainly feels that way. I notice my dreams are particularly vivid at this time of year.

And for me this is more meaningful than the exact time of the solstice (although I like to know that too ) because I can sense somthing about those days.

And a Happy Summer Solstice to all of you.

There's a lot of "water" in the solstice chart, depicting that emotions rule the land. It's also been extremely rainy in NJ.

AG