Posts Tagged ‘summer solstice’

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Midsummer (June 23) in New Orleans is celebrated in a festival also known as St. John’s Eve. During Midsummer, it is said that the Goddess manifests as Mother Earth and the God as the Sun King. In Celtic lore, it regarded as the best time to see fairies and in pagan times it was the feast of the Goddess Aine. In later days as Christianity took over the holidays from the pagans, they changed the festivals to feasts for Saints.

Currently in Catholic celebrations, June 23rd is known as St. John’s Eve, with St. John’s Day celebrated on the 24th, as the day of his birth, though it is not confirmed whether this is the actual day of his birth. It is interesting to note that the pagan story commemorated the balance and changing of rule between the Oak King and the Holly King and then in Christianity, it became representations of the birthday of St. John to represent Summer Solstice and the birthday for Christ as Winter Solstice.

This eve culminates the celebration of Summer Solstice. It begins at dusk on the 23rd and continues till sunrise on the 24th. This day is one of several days throughout the year where the veil is thin and communication with the spirit world is strong and easily accessed.

Though the heat of Summer is just beginning, this date actually begins the ‘metaphorical’ decline of the Sun as it embarks on its journey to the Underworld, which will culminate on December 21st, the darkest day of the year. (See my article – Celebrate the ancient lore and ritual of Summer Solstice).

Loaded with symbolism, St. John’s Eve was and is still celebrated throughout Europe, with bonfires, parties and celebrations. Perhaps there is no place on earth where St. John’s Eve is celebrated like it is in New Orleans. The French people brought Catholicism with them as they moved to Louisiana and in New Orleans it mixed in easily with traditional African magic, rituals and rites. This blending of the two cultures found common ground in lighting candles in prayer to ancestral sprits and asking saints to intervene when help was needed, as well as revering divine feminine figures in both religions.

Home to famous Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau, St. John’s Eve has been celebrated in New Orleans for hundreds of years and Marie Laveau is undoubtedly the Queen of this celebration, having understood the esoteric rites to connect with spirit and the power of ritual to release the energy, moving all who participated. During these celebrations, bonfires are lit, drums beat and rituals, feasts and dancing are performed at Bayou St. John and other locations throughout the city.

This culmination of MidSummer celebration is a powerful time of transformation and purification through fire with bonfires and candles and by water, ritual baths and jumping into water are important rituals to remove stagnant and negative energy and create a new beginning.

While this ritual is dynamic, rejuvenating and renewing anywhere it is celebrated, it has been said that nowhere on earth is this magic stronger than in New Orleans, due to its unique location at the mouth of the Mississippi River, as the energy pours forth from the River into the Gulf — with New Orleans serving as the crescent bowl gathering and holding the energy. The ceremonies performed in connection with this powerful connection with water are similar to the ones performed in the times of ancient Egypt along the Nile.

Create a ritual of your own for this Eve. For a purification ritual that can be used during this time,
see my article: Celebrate the ancient lore and ritual of Summer Solstice.

If you have the opportunity to be in New Orleans on June 23rd, make plans to attend a traditional celebration. Dress in white, including a white head scarf and experience a purifying ritual head washing.

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Summer Solstice is a three-day celebration of the apex of the Sun’s journey bringing light to the Earth. Though the heat of Summer is just beginning, this date actually begins the ‘metaphorical’ decline of the Sun as it embarks on its journey to the Underworld, which will culminate on December 21st,( the darkest day of the year).

This cycle also represents the stages of life that each person goes through in the physical, the spring of our youth, the summer peak of our adult years, the reaping of wisdom in our golden years of autumn and the return to spirit world in winter.

Ancient cultures including the Egyptians and Druids marked the passage of time in nature and the spirit world. They used the concepts of the Divine Masculine and Divine Feminine principles found on the earth plane and the higher planes to teach about the circle of life. The story of the Oak King and the Holly King in the Druid lore or the Egyptian gods Isis and Osiris are both examples of how the seasons and cycles change.

This celebration is also known as Midsummer, the longest day of the year and the first official day of Summer. On this day, it is said that the Goddess manifests as Mother Earth and the God as the Sun King. In Celtic lore, it regarded as the best time to see fairies.

How Summer Solstice Is Celebrated

Summer Solstice is a time to celebrate and revel in the light and lighter side of life. In ancient times, most marriages were held during the month of June and the tradition called the ‘Honey Moon’ is a pagan tradition. The word honeymoon, came from the drinking of mead (made of fermented honey), which was used in wedding ceremonies held during MidSummer.

Ancient Celts lit huge bonfires in clearings and on roads to give strength to the sun and keep evil spirits at bay. People wore amulets made with herbs to protect themselves, while others leaped through bonfires for purification, good health and love.

The evening before, during and after the Summer Solstice is the most important time of the year to pay attention to your dreams. It is reported that during this three day period, that what is dreamed of, will come to fruition. It is also the time that the ‘fae’ (faries) bestow good luck upon the people and is considered to be the best day of the year to see a fairy. This magic was best popularized in Shakespeare’s ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’.

Legends state that in order to see a fairy on MidSummer’s eve, sit quietly outside with your eyes half open and gaze at a spot under a big tree. Fair warning: if you meet a fairy, don’t eat their food or you’ll have to remain with them for seven years, (which could be a lot of fun, but will seriously wreck any plans you have made).

A Wisdom Teaching Ritual for Summer Solstice:

In my work as a wisdom teacher, I share rituals that were used in the ancient temples, while bringing them into modern day practices. The Summer Solstice is a powerful time to visualize any negative thoughts and energy burning away to nothingness.  Here is a Purification/Cleansing ritual for the Summer Solstice:

The first step is to remove any negative thoughts you are holding on to. Write down your negative feelings on paper and then release them by burning them to ash in a safe container.

The second step is to remove negative energy from the home. In order to do this, bundle rosemary and white sage together with white thread and dip the tips into a bowl of spring water and sprinkle about the house to remove negativity and cleanse and purify.

The third step is to purify and cleanse your body and energy fields. Take a shower and while doing so, visualize the water washing your negative energy away and cleansing you. Here is the ritual to say while the water is on you in the shower. Begin by taking three deep breathes, breathing deeply to inhale and removing any stagnant energy when exhaling.

Then say aloud:

Mother Earth grounds me (earth)
This deep breath restores me (air)
The rays of Father Sun nourish me. (fire)
This pure water renews me. (water)
I am filled with Pure Light as I journey forward. (spirit)

Touch your forehead and say…
Let my mind open to the truth. (divine wisdom)

Touch your lips and say….
Let my lips speak the truth. (divine communication)

Touch your heart area and say:
Let my heart seek the ways of pure love, now and always. (divine love)

Touch each palm and say:
Let my hands be gifted to work in healing ways. (divine touch)

Touch the sole of each foot and say:
Let my feet ever walk upon the sacred path. (divine journey)

Exit the shower, wrap yourself up in a robe and find a comfortable place to sit. Light a candle and drink some spring water. When comfortable, begin a 15 minute meditation, asking for your guides to join you and share with you a message they have for you this night.

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Summer Solstice came at 5:45 AM GMT in London, or 1:47 AM EDT in Washington DC. The following are observations made for the UK, US and Iran as Iran has been coming up in the news recently. For the world overall the summer months promise to bring a lot of constructive work with no small degree of mental stress. Where the charts for the Vernal Equinox showed a serious rise in crime, especially in the US, the charts for the Summer Solstice don’t don’t emphasize crime. This is a good sign of constructive progress being made towards financial recovery now.

The chart for the US shows the public attitude, or national consciousness, becoming more optimistic and cooperative especially in connection with labor. This means more people will be working. The employment situation promisses to improve. The President’s interest in health care reform looks very positive; the people in general support it. The main obstacle that is shown to health care reform is the cost. Financial obstacles will have the effect of slowing down, or belaboring progress but will not stop it from happening. There will be a long and serious discussion about different options and solutions before reforms are put in place. The financial picture in general shows fluctuations, especially in stocks and in the money market, with strong hopes of improvement against continuing obstacles. While a lot of people will still be out of work the picture is changing for the better. There are plenty of people in want and suffering from ill-health and seriously discontent. Legislation to alleviate the suffering of the poor and to bring about reforms in public institutions is delayed, but will come about. Attention in the media is being given to complicated matters abroad. The media, as usual, is slanted.

The situation in Iran shows serious discontentment and distress among the people in conflict with the Government. At the same time, there is the positive intention of the religious institutions and institutions of higher learning to make constructive efforts to work with the people. The intellectual class of the country is taking a very positive and constructive position. Considerable discontentment appears to be coming from the working class. The Government is not popular. It is possible there will be some scandals in high places of the Government bringing disgrace to public officials. Foreign intervention is a problem and is not welcome. There is danger of treachery and double-dealing on the part of Foreign Powers. The nation needs to be on guard against plots, and schemes and secret attacks from Foreign Powers. Disruptive activity was brewing in May this year. More will happen in August and September, and again next year.

The chart for the UK shows changes coming to the Government. There is a lot brewing in Parliament connected with problems in areas of communications, transportation, migration, public discontentment, schools, and matters relating to agencies having to do with foreign countries and international affairs. It appears there will be a sudden and unexpected development in Government circles that may cause the defeat and resignation of someone in a high position. There may be some outrage against the Royals as well.

The Chinese astrological chart for the Summer Solstice shows it to be a period that favors creative activity. Action, especially creative action, is vital to the time. The elements of the chart are extremely unbalanced. Changes, therefore, must and will happen. Translated to an I Ching hexagram, the Chinese astrological calculation gives us hexagram 21, 6th line. Hexagram 21 is Biting Through. Time to get rid of evil spirits. Biting, or cutting through has success. It is a favorable time to execute justice. The 6th line warns of not listening. Misfortune will come to those who cannot hear. The advice given is don’t be deaf to counsel; incorrigibility leads to misfortune.

T. Raphael Simons will be on The Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show this Fall. Check back for the official show date coming soon.

More about T. Raphael Simons…

T. Raphael Simons is a psychic reader, astrologer (Western and Chinese forms), feng shui expert, hypnotherapist and life coach and is  available for consultations and counseling in person and by telephone. Author of Feng Shui, Step by Step, Feng Shui Strategies for Business Success: Arranging Your Office for Success and Prosperity, and The Feng Shui of Love, his interest in the metaphysical sciences and arts began in 1970, he first learned to read Tarot cards in 1971 and took up reading them professionally in 1977. From there he studied astrology for seven years with Ivy Jacobson beginning in 1980. In 1988 he took up the study of Chinese astrology and fengshui with Terry Lee in New York and has been practicing and teaching Chinese astrology and fengshui ever since. He also trained in channeling in New York with the medium Alex Murray. Since 1999 Raphael has been a member of OBOD (the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids), the most ancient bardic and druid order in the UK in which he was elected a full member in the Druid grade. Raphael has been living in Durham, North Carolina since 2003, moving to NC from New York City. Originally trained as a musician, he taught music at Princeton University and Oberlin College. More info at: www.psychicarts.net

Be Sociable, Share!

•