Celebrating the Summer Solstice

As the Celtic Wheel of the year turns I am so happy that we are approaching Summer Solstice, in Gaelic Grianstad which means literally ‘sun-stop’ is nearly with us – the longest day and the shortest night of our year. For us northern hemisphere dwellers, Friday June 21st is Midsummer and the exact moment of pause between the sun ascending and descending is 4.24am. This is one of the two great peak moments of the light and dark interplay in our universe. Directly opposite Winter Solstice, this is the peak of the Sun’s highest climb into maximum light.

I’ve always seen this key turning point in the Celtic calendar as momentous – a time of blooming, blossoming and wild abandon. Even though it does technically herald the light starting to lessen, I revel in the height of Summer and love the fresh earthy freedom I feel as I seek new pleasures and ways to be ‘me’. For the last seven years I have been privileged to procure a prized ticket to ‘Body&Soul’ Festival in Ballinlough, Co.Westmeath. I so love this bijou treasure of exciting experiences from indie music to woodland dancing, hot tubbing in a shady nook, to the epic conversations, sunny picnics and divine treatments.

This year takes on a new and exciting twist. Goddess Áine and her consort the God Lugh have been coming to me in my dreams talking of the balance within the union of the sacred feminine and sacred masculine. I kept thinking ‘but I am a Moon Mná not a Sun Mná until they pointed out that this Summer Solstice Grandmother Moon with her consort the proverbial ‘Man in the Moon’ will be waning from her Strawberry Fullness creating a very unique yin yang of our dearest planets. Everything has a female and male side regardless of gender so this is a crucial time for many of us to awake to our spirit nature on Earth as humanity seeks to come to a place of respect and harmony between the two.

So on Friday evening my husband John and I have been invited to host a Gathering of conscious souls in the Sanctuary and later on the Main Stage to bring the Light of the Summer Solstice Sun to the awareness of the festival-goers in a riot of spoken word and evocative song. It’s a bit edgy and I think ‘why yet again have I had a so-called ‘brilliant idea’ downloaded from Spirit to ‘birth and ‘mother’ when I could be a regular punter enjoying the Festival instead of dreaming and scheming and yet again being ‘up to my eyes’ with rehearsals. Haven’t I got more than enough to do?’ Well yes, but you might as well ask Lady Leopard to change her spots. Once again I have to accept myself and go with whatever Spirit chooses me to do and this is the latest way. Please tune in with us from 18.30-19.15pm and again at 22.00pm or thereabouts if it calls to your heart to celebrate Summer Solstice and the balance of yin and yang in our world.