Warmed by The Sun (Solstice Message) – Renee Bedard

There is something about the summer that we all long for. It is the comforting smell of a fresh cut lawn. The soothing warm breeze rustling through the trees. The welcoming sun that warms our skin and allows us to pause and breathe deep. All of these things can easily bring us to a place that we all hold within our hearts. We can stop rushing through our day and take a moment for ourselves. It is the time of the year when we give ourselves permission to take things a little bit slower. We go on vacation. We unwind around a campfire. We sit by the ocean or a stream and let our minds wander into a daydream. It is a time to take a step back and be in the moment, to feel the rhythm of life.
In the hectic race we run day to day, we forget sometimes to look at our lives. What is it that we surround ourselves with? What have we planned and wished for? How can we enjoy the company of those we love and love us? This is the season where we can allow ourselves to make plans to have some fun. We need to take a break and enjoy what we work so hard for… to stop, to breathe, and to find the balance that we crave so deeply in our lives. And of course, to find time to play a little bit too!
Sunday June 21st we will be celebrating the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. It’s a day we look forward to so we can enjoy the sunshine just a little bit longer. It’s also a day to look a bit closer to who we are, where we are in our lives, and what we would like to be in the future. It is a time when we can take life at a slower pace and to be grateful for what is all around us. We can let go a bit and take the chance to daydream. By doing this we can plant the seeds for our future. But why do we do this instinctively?
Our ancestors understood this time as Litha, or Midsummer. It was a day and a season that the Celts would celebrate the sun god, Lugh. It was a time to be grateful for all that he had lovingly supplied them with. It was the fruits, the vegetables, and the grains that kept our ancestors thriving. This was the time of the first harvest. They would reap the benefits of their hard work during the spring. All the work in the fields and the care for the cattle had begun to pay off. They knew that after the festival of Midsummer, the sun would still be strong, but the days would once again begin to grow shorter. They looked upon this process as Lugh continuing to provide for them. However, it was a sacrifice of his strength as well. He understood that the wheel must turn as well as his part in the changing seasons. As thanks for his sacrifice, the Celts would celebrate. They would light bonfires, feast, and laugh and sing and dance well into the night. They would also do this throughout the summer months. It was a way they could balance their life between work and play.
To enjoy the summer was to honor Lugh and the sun. It also honored the goddess as well. Lugh, the sun, would bring light and warmth to the Earth, to Mother Earth, the goddess. She would in turn nourish all those who depends upon her for life. Together, they are givers and keepers of life. This is the balance. The balance of the goddess and god, the feminine and masculine that dwells within all of us. The ancients knew this. The felt it. They lived it. They were intimately connected to it. We crave it today in our lives as well. We just need a moment to take the time and listen to our voice within us, the whispers of our ancestors. It is our truth. We just need to give ourselves the chance to listen and to feel it.
So, as the days continue to grow in sunlight, take the time to reflect what is in your heart. Find the peace within your soul. Look all around you. Discover the beauty that grows within the summer months, within you. Breathe deep and find your balance. Feel your connection to everything that breathes life. What is it that you will uncover as you tend to your first harvest of the season? Who do you love? Who surrounds you? What inspires you? What will you plant in the garden of your heart this growing season?
To honor the goddess and the god is to also honor all that is you, and what is around you. It is your chance to recognize your heart and soul as well. We are all bound together in this life. Let’s dream together in order to bring a smile to our lips, happiness in our hearts, and peace within our souls.
May the sun shine upon you.
May happiness fill your heart.
May your days be warm with the life and love around you.
May your nights be bright with the dreams of the stars.
Blessed Be