Summer Solstice 2022

𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘯 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩, “𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘰𝘸𝘦 𝘔𝘦.”

𝘓𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩

𝘈 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵,

𝘐𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘚𝘬𝘺.

𝘏𝘢𝘧𝘪𝘻

𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲, 𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀, 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁!

The summer solstice marks the high point of manifestation in the cycle of the year. Everything is reaching its maximum potential for growth. Through their merging at Beltane, the Sun King and Earth Queen, have created and manifested the abundance we notice all around us in nature. Everything is in overdrive…it can almost be a bit overwhelming!

My grandparents lived north of the arctic circle when I was a child. When visiting them at this time of year I would refuse to go to sleep. How was it possible to do so when the sun was still in the sky and all around was full of activity, growth and adventure? After a few days of this my exasperated parents moved me into a basement room to get me away from the energising light of the sun so I (and they) would finally get some rest.

This relentless and all-consuming drive to explore, feel, experience, taste, manifest and indulge are the hallmarks of midsummer. We become drunk on the light of the sun. It is no wonder that there seems to be a peak of people experiencing manic episodes around this time of year. Mania is an extreme manifestation of the energy of this time (and is not a safe or pleasant experience). The positive qualities of this time include feelings of joyful exuberance, abandon, and celebration of all that is manifesting all around. The force that tempers this exuberance is the fact that we know this moment in time also represents the sun’s crescendo and that it will not last. The longest day marks the turning point towards the return of the darker, mysterious and more introverted times. The party must end so all can rest and recuperate. It is a myth of the western capitalist cult that we, or the earth, can endure endless, unceasing growth.

What goes up must therefore also come down (much like the sun itself). But not before one last blow out! And that is what we mark when celebrating the summer solstice: the fruits born from the merging of the sun god and the earth goddess that took place at Beltane, the high times before we begin turning inwards to reap and process what we have sown.

Over the past 18 months or so I have become increasingly aware of the sun and the energies emanating from it in a way that is new (to me, at least). I have written before about the massive increase in coronal mass ejections and solar storms this year and their effect on human health. NASA and space weather scientists predict this trend will continue for some time yet. Many individuals seem sensitive to these events, noticing physical symptoms such as headaches, migraines, dizziness or ear ringing which coincide with these phenomena. Although, I too, notice some of these symptoms I have been increasingly focusing on the psycho-spiritual effects of these events. Often, I feel these light frequencies or energies washing through me revealing aspects of my subconscious. Memories and thoughts that were ‘forgotten’ or buried are illuminated and brought to the attention of my conscious mind. The past few months, in particular, have been a time of recognising such unconscious patterns and releasing them. With increased light there is also increased shadow. I also feel compelled to help ‘ground’ these energies into the earth. All my life I have been aware of my connection to the earth, not just literally, but also energetically. It is not something I have ever talked about much since as a child I quickly learned that most other people don’t share this experience (yet). It’s often what dowsers pick up on and I know that in time modern science will be able to explain such phenomena…and then there might be a more precise language we can use. For now ‘energy’ seems to be the most appropriate, although somewhat broad, definition. So while I have been aware of energies emanating from the earth for as long as I can remember noticing a similar quality or frequency of energy coming from above is new to me. What seems to happen is that I act as a sort of lightning rod for these energies as they pass from above through me and into the earth. To my surprise, and relief, I am not alone and there is a whole community of individuals who are noticing this as well. Perhaps you have too?

I do not know what this all means or where, if anywhere, it is leading us. Many believe this solar activity is a part of the evolution of consciousness and feel that a massive event, which will awaken much of humanity to their divine and even extra-terrestrial (!) origins, is on the horizon. Who knows? I recently attended a workshop led by David Manning Energy Work . Davis has been working with these energies for a long time and has a gift for helping others to do so too which he carries with humility and integrity. I can say that the insights I received at his workshop were profound. Especially so since many of us received similar messages and information. Was this a case of folie à plusieurs, a shared psychotic disorder (I know there are those who might feel this to be the case based on what I have shared so far). Speaking technically, from the perspective of a trained psychiatrist, I do not think this is the case since those present retained a degree of skepticism about what they experienced combined with the insight into the possibility that there may be many explanations for the experiences we were not aware of.  I would, therefore, be lying if I said I had the faintest idea what was going on but I also can not ignore my own lived experience.

In times of uncertainty and change I am comforted by aligning myself to the cycles of nature and my place within the natural world. This is why the familiar and safe container of ceremony and marking the natural festivals of nature are so important to me. It is grounding and orientating and reminds me I am part of a greater cycle.

I will be preparing for this summer solstice by continuing my practice of noticing what is happening in the natural world, both within and without, with open curiosity.

The summer solstice reaches its peak at 10:34 am on Tuesday 21st June this year. Many chose to gather at sacred sites on Midsummer Night’s Eve to watch the setting sun, party and then greet the rising sun. It can be an incredible experience to do so with others as I have done at Stonehenge and other places in years gone by. If this seems too much (the tradition of partying is upheld in ways and with an intensity that might not suit everyone) then at the very least take a moment out at this time to mark the occasion in your own way. It is the perfect opportunity to reflect and give thanks for what is abundant in your life at the moment and to take stock of what still needs to be manifested before we again enter into the darker part of the year.

I am offering a Trance Dance Ceremony on the 18th June in preparation for the Solstice. Drop me a line if you are interested in finding out more about this.

With love and blessings,

Anna ♥