Summer Solstice Let Us Celebrate!

    With this upcoming Summer Solstice, we have another excuse for creating a ritual to connect with the sky above our heads and the earth beneath our feet, as if we really need an excuse. Yet it seems that maybe we do need an excuse. It appears that we could all benefit from more ritual and celebration of life to assist us in creating balance. We, as a society, have stresses that our ancestors did not have. I chose not to list those stresses, as my intent is to focus on the positive!
    The Summer Solstice occurs on June 21^st this year. We are going to celebrate the Solstice by building a Medicine Wheel and do some drumming. (See Thursday, June 21 for more information on that event.) On the same day, we will be experiencing a New Moon and a Solar Eclipse. Both the Sun and the Moon are in the sign of Cancer.
    The Summer Solstice falls in the South Doorway of the Medicine Wheel. The Medicine Wheel is an ancient tool, sacred place, sacred ritual, and an avenue for wisdom teachings from the Ancient Ones. Every one of the 36 stones that make up the Medicine Wheel provides us a lesson on living life in a balanced way. (I would like to make note that some permanent Medicine Wheels on the planet have more than 36 stones and also less than 36 stones. Some are considered Standing Stone Circles.) I recommend building and experiencing the Wheel, to understand and know the teachings of the Medicine Wheel and one may also read about the Wheel via Sun Bear’s books or travel to permanent circles/wheels. The Medicine Wheel does not belong to any one culture. It belongs to all people from all cultures.
    The South is the place of healing of our hearts, healing of our bodies, healing of our relationships. This includes not only our relationships with other people, but also the relationship that we have with ourselves. I believe that sometimes we have a tendency to forget about the relationship we have with ourselves. Here are some questions to contemplate: How do you treat yourself? Do you do nice things for yourself? In what manner do you talk to yourself? Are you gentle and kind with the thoughts you have of yourself? Do you love yourself and show it with random acts of kindness for yourself? It is important that we treat ourselves well before we can assume that others will treat us with gentleness, kindness and respect!
    Every position in the Wheel has a time of day, time of year, and time of life. As I mentioned, the summer is the time of year of the South. High noon is the time of day and adolescence is the time of life. The South is the place where the sun is the hottest. The element of the South is fire and the Archangel is Raphael. Archangel Raphael is ‘He Who Heals.’ Snake and Coyote are the animals of the South. The Snake has the medicine of Transformation and Transmutation, as does the element of fire. Coyote who is the trickster teaches us to laugh at our selves and to laugh at our mistakes.
    So on that note, let us all take a moment to stop and laugh. Let us find the humor in how seriously we take life and all the challenges that are presented to us. Let us laugh at the simple pleasures of our friends, family, pets, gardens, etc. Let us remember we are meant to be joyful and happy!

Margaret