Re-blogged from
Mandala Shaman
June & the Summer Solstice
Summer Solstice - June 21st – love blossoms as Summer begins.
The Summer Solstice is also referred to as the Midsummer Solstice because it falls between the planting and harvesting of crops and marks the time to celebrate the union/marriage/balance of the feminine (mother/earth/moon) and masculine (father/sky/sun) energies.
The Summer Solstice represents the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. As we enter into this time of blossoming, those living in the southern hemisphere are going within, by honoring the longest night of their year with the Winter Solstice. A continual reminder of how we live in balance on this earth.
In Celtic tradition the first full moon in June (June 22nd and 23rd, 2013) is called the Honey Moon because this was the best time to harvest honey from the hives. Mead was made from honey collected on the "honeymoon" and later used as a part of wedding ceremonies. This years full moon is also a "super moon" as it will be the biggest full moon of the year.
The month of June itself is actually named after the Roman goddess Juno. The Romans identified her with the Greek goddess Hera, and she took on many of Hera's attributes, roles, and myths. Juno was the wife and sister of Jupiter, the chief Roman god, just as Hera was the wife and sister of Zeus, the chief Greek god. As worship of Juno spread, she also came to be considered the principal goddess and protector of the Roman state. Eventually, she became a sort of guardian angel, representing the female principle of life. In Roman belief every person was thought to have a personal protective spirit; a man's was called a genius, and a woman's was called a juno.
This celebration of the union of the Archetypal Feminine with the Masculine is symbolic throughout all world beliefs.
In Taoism it is seen as the balance of the masculine yang energy with the feminine yin energy. "When the world began, there was heaven (yang) and earth (yin). Heaven mated with the earth and gave birth to everything in the world.
In Hinduism it is the sacred Sri Yantra for the Mantra of Aum, depicted as intersecting male Shakti (upward/heaven) and female Shiva (downword/earth) triangles.
Indigenous cultures see it as the marriage of Father Sky with Mother Earth which creates all life. This is also the place within our hearts that helps us soar like an Eagle to see the bigger picture of our lives. From this place we can fly above the stories that hold us and admire all the beauty in our lives as well as the ability to smell the flowers we have grown.
In sacred geometry the Summer Solstice can be seen as the Seed of Life blossoming into the Flower of Life. This happens when the seven circles of the Seed of Life expands to reveal the nineteen interlocking circles of the Flower of Life. To learn more visit: mandalachakra.com
Another symbol associated with the Summer Solstice is the Merkaba, which represents the joining of the masculine and feminine energies in the heart chakra. The Merkaba itself is mentioned in Judeo-Christian texts as a circular vehicle that helps to transport people between the heavens and the earth.
A beautiful way to celebrate this sacred day is with dancing, drumming or sitting around a fire. Some believe that if a couple in love jumps over a small fire on this night their love will last forever. Either way, it is a wonderful time to reconnect with the people you love and the love that is blossoming in your heart and the world around you.
"Whatever is dreamed on this night, will come to pass." - William Shakespeare (From A Mid-Summernight's Dream)
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