SUMMER SOLSTICE

The shortest night, the longest day... in South Africa, it is the opposite, on this day, the 21st of June. Wherever you are on this day, it is eventful. Do you remember the combination lock you may have used once on a school locker? The third counter-clockwise turn to just the right measurement mark and CLICK! An opening, something revealed (even if it was your locker contents--- think symbolically here). I sometimes think of this day/night in this way... turning, spinning, churning earthball revolutions around the Sun--- in some ancient traditions, considered chief of the gods--- then CLICK! An opening, of light. A revelation, perhaps.... unless we are too busy to notice anymore.

This blog is the closest I will come to a deserving festival to celebrate the light and the dark, the contrasts and combinations of encounters with levels of light in our world and in our hearts... The Solstices were so important to Egyptian culture, that it inspired them to build grand architecture, the great temples at Thebes and Abydos and Karnac, all of them centered around the rays of the solstice light, reflecting into the heart of the temple structures, much as Europeans were doing with Stonehenge and earth temples.

What am I doing? How am I responding, honoring, acknowledging this significant moment? I am writing this blog. There is a simple way to say farewell to the moons of winter and hello to the summer suns, and still time to do it. It is a round of SNAPDRAGON: gather some raisins (muscatels are best) and place them in a shallow bowl. Cover with a few spoonfuls of brandy. Sit for a moment in darkness, then set light to the brandy. While it's flaming, rescue one of the raisins from the flames and pop it into your mouth, making a wish as you do so. I believe it will be granted before the next solstice! (and really, there's no good raisin not to try this!) Glory Be to the Solstice of Summer!

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