Summer Solstice Not What It Used to Be
By Ker Than for National Geographic News
For many of the ancients, the summer solstice wasn’t just an excuse to party or pray — it was essential to their well-being.
Associated with agriculture, the summer solstice was a reminder that a turning point in the growing season had been reached.
“The calendar was very important — much more important than it is now,” said Ricky Patterson, an astronomer at the University of Virginia. “People wanted to know what was going to happen, so that they could be ready.”
But for many modern cultures — and Americans in particular — the solstices and equinoxes no longer attract the same kind of attention that they once did.
“The only people who really pay attention to what’s going on outside on a regular basis still are like the neo-pagans in America and farmers, because it’s important for their growing and harvest seasons,” said Jarita Holbrook, a cultural astronomer at the University of Arizona in Tucson.
“But we’re pretty much an indoor culture at this point … so we have less of a connection to the sky.”
… and then there are the astrologers. Do you have a favorite solstice ritual or story from a past solstice? Has anything serendipitous happened to you today? We’d love to hear about it in the comments below. The solstice may not be what it used to be, but then neither are we — thanks to the current eclipse cycle. – amanda
“Paying attention to the solstices is a way of teaching mathematics, celestial mechanics and astronomy and culture and history,” she said. “It is also a pretty good party.”
Also a pretty good way to learn that all of these fields are interrelated and that humanity doesn’t operate in a vacuum, separate and distinct from the rest of the planet.
Solstices & equinoxes seem to [usually] offer me a beginning, an opportunity, or awareness in some specific area. I feel like the universe answers my call by saying okay, you have been hinting and working toward this goal or idea so here it is! How it manifests is not always predictable.
Like eclipses, I set aside time to be quiet, reflect, and have sex. Sex grounds me, clears my field, and helps me open to new possibilities.
This year has brought me significant change, Pluto going over my ascendent, my Chiron return, planets changing signs, houses, …lions and tigers and bears, oh my! In the past couple of days it is as if a piece of me came home. I think it is a significant breakthrough and I feel different about being present.
I love hearing the stories people have posted.
Oh!! the joy of seeing a black squirrel! I cannot think of anything else that has given me such a squeal of delight as the first time I saw one. Perfect jewels of lightheartedness!
and lightning bugs, they seem so rare today.
can’t say i was able to engage in any “ritual” of any sort, but i did get to say a brief, five-minute hello to a flower garden i planted at my former apartment, the year before i had to move out. it’s not doing too bad, though it could use a little love — the plume poppies are crowding out the iris — but much of it is still thriving.
and a dusk walk down by the railroad tracks by the sea rewarded me with some incredibly fragrant sprigs of hawthorne and the sight of twinkling green lightning bugs.
🙂
i’ll take it.
Before I begin. Mystes, you did say yesterday that *today* was your “natal sun”; am I right? If that is the case happy, happy returns of the sol. You have such a vibe here at PW and I am digging your warm, intelligent cancerian presence many times over. I hope your day was joyous.
I’ve had an awesome solstice myself! First off I couldn’t sleep past 4:30 am, as I was thinking of a family member who would have received the *big* email I sent last night in my attempts to shift the stuck energy of the family dynamic I mentioned a few days back. I was anticipating the usual brush off of my heartfelt concerns and simply couldn’t switch my thoughts off…….Mars into Gemini I was to find out later in the morning.
So, I got up around 5:00 and meditated during the sunrise and that felt *juuuuust* right! After breakfast I went to a new job, one that I am really very excited about, where I”m gardening on a green roof, one of the nicest in the city I think, and what a rush that was. I love gardening! The other gardener working the space and I realized we had met already about three years and our eyes lit up when we saw each other. I know she’ll be a great connection down the road, in the world of green roofing. I also got to hang out with a very dear friend who has been tender and fumbling her way around these past few months so we engaged in some hort. therapy, giggling and grinning while giving each other warm hugs, as we both felt very blessed and grateful to be part of such an interesting venture.
Mid aft. I got home and was on the phone discussing with a friend the family crisis and up pops an email reply from my sibling and my heart did a flippity doo as I read it. He had heard me, he was on board, he was actually going to take action and do what he could to turn things around in the direction I had proposed. It was a fabulous rush as you can imagine and I still can’t believe it! The relief is very, *very*sweet.
Then the day finished off with some fun at the unveiling of a stunningly beautiful mosaic at a local community health centre. I’d had the privilege of working on it about two months ago for just one evening but I did feel a wee tinge of pride when I saw my little piece of the puzzle now part of the brilliant whole! It was an open air event in the warm solstice evening and it was great fun to be at.
Now I’m home and get to check in with my PW community and life feels very good this evening. To be honest, when I wrote that email last night, I was able to work it with a speed and a confidence that is all due to dropping in here to this blog and being allowed to grow myself and to learn many life’s lessons through all of your shared experiences. What would I have done these past several years if I had not had this forum to come swim around in? I *very* feel privileged to be part of this heart sharing, I really do, and I thank each and every one of you — even the quiet ones who float around back there in the wings!
As always, to those facing family hardships and dilemmas — most especially Fe and your sister tonight and tomorrow — I send faith and courage and healing. xxx
sweet, jere!
🙂
..”Sun King”, one of my favorite Beatles tunes. ..I’ve been playing it on the guitar for the last few days..
🙂
Me
Ker Than can add one more type of person who does pay attention to what is going on outside… artists… especially environmental artists, like me! 🙂
Solstice story from TODAY! (and yesterday too)
Today I saw my second Black Squirrel in two days… saw one in an entirely different part of the mountains yesterday. This seemed highly unusual… and had a “message” type quality to both encounters. Black Squirrels are very rare for this area… I’ve only ever seen one once before in 16 years of living here. Now, in 2 days I see two in different valleys…. hmm…. someone is saying something to me… what is it? So when I get home, I looked up what “Squirrel Medicine” might be. (In some First Nations teachings, something has “Medicine” if it has spiritual power and/or something to teach you)
Here is what one website had to say:
>>The power of gathering and preparing for the future. Conserving energy and resources without being cluttered with things accumulated from the past (worries and fears). Preparing for disasters and knowing what is needed to survive. Try not to be erratic and forgetful. Do not be distracted by chatter, take time to stop and listen and don’t forget to take time to play. Being at one with the trees.
*
Black Squirrel — A change in the racial makeup of a group or a society. (In Choctaw mythology,solar eclipses were attributed to black squirrels eating the luminary, and they must be driven off if mankind were still to enjoy the heat and light.) <> Choctaw Legend of the Black Squirrel
The Choctaw believed an eclipse of the sun was caused by a mischievous black squirrel who would try to eat it. The only way to prevent this was to scare the rodent when he was ready for a solar meal. When the sun began to darken, members of the Choctaw Nation would shout that he was trying to devour the sun.
Women’s and children’s shouts mingled with ringings of discordant bells and the sounds of tin pans and cups being beaten. Men stood in front of their homes that had river cane and plaster walls and thatched roofs, firing rifles at the black squirrel. The cacophony continued until the sun reappeared and the people believed it was safe from being eaten by the black squirrel. <<<
Others talked of the importance to balance work with play, to be mindful of communication and "chatter" both in one's self and in others and to let go of what is no longer useful. It was also mentioned that while Squirrels do gather and hide seeds, they only actually find about 10% of them. This means that in addition to being good at preparing for leaner times, they are also the great gardeners of the forest, planting trees far and wide helping to diversify the forest. I really liked that image since I am in the woods so much myself.
And finally, one website said that Squirrel is one of the "Solar" animals, along with Lion, Ram, Salamander, Rooster and Dragon…. who knew?
I found all these synchronicities to be rather interesting given that today was the Solstice (actually I think of Solstice as being 3 days.. the "Sol- standstill" experience) and also since we are currently in the waning of an Eclipse cycle, and having one more Solar Eclipse to look forward to. Maybe I had better get my pan lids ready for July 1st!
Happy Solstice Everyone!
it is a statutory holiday in my territory.
(side-note: when my employer is away, i give our administrative assistant the day off on full moons. so power-hungry.)
i prefer days off that aren’t regulated by the days of the week. more thinking time.
Carrie!
Whew!!!
Here’s a story, though it’s not quite about me.
Yesterday I went to a Midsummer party where I met up with a spiritual teacher of mine from years ago. He and I had parted ways years ago on not so pleasant terms, and very recently reconciled. The party drew upon Celtic/Gaelic lore, so we dressed like the Sidhe in order to keep them from messing with us as we traveled that night, and we invited several gods to join us for the evening and provided an offering.
One of my close friends shares the same beliefs as I do and also had a falling out with his own spiritual teacher years ago (different person). A few weeks ago, when I told him that I was back in touch with my teacher and that we were on good terms, he reached and tried to contact his own old teacher. No response.
Last night he dreamed that me, him, and his old teacher were sitting on a couch and talking. I have a feeling his old teacher will be contacting him in person soon 😉
Oops, that was June 2001, not 2011! :::laughing:::
Past Solstice story: During the Solstice of June 2011 when there was also a Solar Eclipse, I got pregnant with my only son. I was certifiably infertile and have three daughters from fertility treatments and on that special Solstice night, I got pregnant with my son. He is nine years old.