Summer Solstice-Honoring the Light

Summer Solstice – Honoring the Light

As the summer solstice nears there seems to be subtle, but strong anticipation about this day. What is the solstice? The word consists of two roots, sol, which means sun, and stice, to stand still. Yet the solstice seems to be anything but that. It tells us that the earth is in its most extreme phase of its dance between light and dark, and from there it will begin to change toward the balance of the equinox.

  In the days of the sundial clock, the dials seemed not to move during the solstices. It was as if time stood still or was in stasis during the long period of sunlight of the summer solstice and the shortest period of the winter solstice. This may be why there are so many spiritual rituals and celebrations around these two times. It is said that the winter solstice rituals were developed because of the fear the sun would not return, and the hope that if enough light was created. In other words people were afraid that the darkness would become the stasis. Perhaps then celebrating summer is a hope that the fruits of summer and of light will stick around for a long time, that it will become the stasis.

  The summer solstice may be a temporary stasis, a gateway where we are invited to pause, stand still and receive the light before moving onto the next step, as there is always a next step. Stasis means a suspension of growth and therefore is only a temporary state. But it is good to periodically stop and take a break before going into the next growth spurt. Although we cannot make summer stay we can use this period to soak up the outer light to recharge our inner fire.

So what makes your light shine? What will you be doing on the solstice? I’ll be chanting the Gayatri Mantra and doing a few rounds of Surya Namaskar, then attempting to surrender to the stillness of the solstice and sit in the light. Feel free to join me. Our circle is always there. We can invoke it at anytime.