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The
Summer Solstice is the time when the Sun turns in its tracks and
begins its tropical journey south, towards the equator. This, the
shortest night of the year, happens on the eve of the 22nd of June
(June 21).1
This major calendrical event is the focus of
religious and social festivities in all cultures; Christian
society marks the event with St
John the Baptist's Day (June 24).
Midsummer has historically been the central point of the magical
year: even today in some places, traditional hilltop bonfires are lit
to revive the power of the Sun; flaming disks are thrown into the air;
blazing wheels are rolled downhill; leaping and dancing around and
through the fire are ritual encouragements for maximising the harvest.
Magical powers are heightened and the little people are about. It is
the ideal time for gathering magical herbs:
pluck them before dawn, before breakfast, while the dew still wets the
petals. Fern and fern-seed is gathered on Mid-Summer's eve, to harness
the power of the Sun. Golden solar flowers such as St John's wort,
mugwort and mistletoe, the golden bough, are worn as garlands.
Astrologically, the June Solstice marks the entry of the Sun into
the Cardinal, Water Sign of Cancer.
The Tropic of Cancer is the actual degree of latitude over which the
Sun stops its journey north, and then turns, having gone as far north
as it is going to each year. Cancer is ruled by the Moon and
Mid-summer celebrates the elemental powers of fire and water, so
people would light fires and bathe in the dew on the morning of
Mid-summer's Day.
In 2006, the Solstice coincides with the change from Aries/Libra to
Pisces/Virgo of the Moon's
Nodes, a very significant 19 year cycle. The New Moon on the 25th
also energises this change of cosmic speed. As promised, I have
written an article on the effects associated with this cosmic switch,
so to read it, please click Cosmic
Phase Switch.
Even in the twenty-first century, people still love to come
together and surf the cosmic wave of energy that is released at this
time. Every person in the Holy Grail – the Sacred Chalice, planet
Earth's Light Grid – participates in the distribution of the Life
and in turn restores the Divine Plan on Earth. As the Life enters and
flows through all individuals and their world, it makes the whole
world sacred.
World Peace and
Prayer Day
 The
Winter Solstice
The
Winter Solstice is the time when the Sun once more begins its tropical
journey north. This, the longest night of the year, happens on the eve
of the 22nd of December (Dec 21). A major calendrical event, it is the
focus of religious and social festivities in all cultures, including
the Christian celebration of Christmas.
The birth of the Sun has been celebrated since time immemorial on or
around the solstice, which is why the birth of Jesus is celebrated at
this time (December 25). Ancient Rome recognised it in the day of the
birth of the Invincible Sun, so the choice of this day for Christmas
was a handy christianization of the established festival of Mithras,
the Sun God.
Astrologically, the December Solstice marks the entry of the Sun
into the Cardinal, Earth Sign of Capricorn.
The Tropic of Capricorn is the actual degree of latitude over which
the Sun stops its journey south, and then turns, having gone as far
south as it is going to each year. Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, so
the ancient Roman festival of the solstice was called the Saturnalia.
As with our festivities today, there was much feasting! Wine, women
and song were spread liberally around. Indeed, until the Christian
Church became the official religion of the Roman Empire in the 4th
Century, Christmas
was not actually an official festival. Its pagan nature was frowned
on. Things have loosened up a bit since then.
For a neat graphic and explanation of the celestial show, check out
Archaeoastronomy.com.
1
NOTE: in southern latitudes, of course, the solstices are reversed, so
that the mid-winter character of Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere
becomes a hot mid-summer celebration in Australia, South Africa, South
America, New Zealand and other places south of the equator. Naturally
enough, the mid-summer celebrations in June become mid-winter chills
down south! This presents something of a problem for Christianity and
for Astrology, or any other seasonal philosophy with claims to
universality, a question which is partially addressed on this site in
Ian Thurnwald's article on the Elemental
Qualities, the building blocks of astrology. However, the
tropical zodiac seems to delineate cultural forms (archetypes) within
the Cosmic Mind. Our connection via the collective unconscious enables
us to interpret these forms using astrology, even though the physical
seasons may not actually comply with the symbolism. Click for more on The
Living Signs.
The
Equinoxes mark the other points of the Cardinal Cross. Click for more
on The Equinoxes
Click
here to view a Table
of Equinoxes and Solstices |
