Summer Solstice, 2024
Summer Solstice
Thursday, June 20th 4:51 PM (EDT)
Dear, Persistent and Enduring Children of the Earth,
Happy Summer Solstice Everyone! The longest day of the year, the first day of Summer, is finally here (in the Northern Hemisphere).
After the long winter, the longest day of the year is something to celebrate. The great outdoors seem to be calling us. We want to find time to swim, hike, bike-ride, picnic, take a stroll — all the things we long to do when Winter is keeping us inside.
The celebration of the Summer Solstice is an ancient tradition. The shortest night of the year is traditionally a magical night, full of faeries, elves, fireflies, and the heady perfume of plants in blossom. It is a celebration of life, growth, abundance and being cared for.
Summer Solstice coincides with Litha or Midsummer on a Pagan calendar. On the Wheel of the Year, the Sun is entering the sign of Cancer. The sign of Cancer holds the wisdom of that which is needed for anything to thrive and grow: nurturance.
Litha is the time when we naturally renew our connection with Mother Earth (sometimes called Gaia). We take our bodies outside, take off our shoes or lay on our backs in the grass and feel the physical connection we humans have with Mother Earth. The Earth can relax and rejuvenate us.
The ancients knew the strength and importance of this Earth Energy. Midsummer is the time people acknowledge and celebrate that experience. Today we may enjoy family reunions or a long weekend away from the city.
Click the button below for a guided visualization to help you find that Litha connection, anytime you need:
Summer Solstice Meditation on Youtube
On this Midsummer, may we all find time to relax into the ever-present energy of nurturance and care that Gaia provides.
Blessed Be,
Mary
Possibility of Joy
I linger on the bench
letting all my senses
revel in the morning.
What a gift to simply sit,
no time pressure,
no need to produce or
prove myself. A hazy sun
climbs higher as I listen
to a squirrel gnaw a nut.
Peace is the word that
comes to me. Peace and ease
and the release of burdens
too long grasped.
The woods hold me in
their thrall, a breeze untying
inner knots, bird songs
reminding me to consider
the possibility of joy.
Please see the following links for more information on the Summer Solstice and celebrating Midsummer.
The Origins and Practices of Litha by Dhruti Bhagat
When and What is Midsummer? from the Farmer’s Almanac
The Summer Solstice: What Is It and When Does It Occur by Daisy Dobrijevic