Summer Solstice
The first day of a season always potentiates the energy for the next several months. June 21, 2014 was the summer solstice and marks the longest day of sunlight for the entire year. Symbolically it is a time when we can capture that extra light and put it into the container of our consciousness so that we can use this sacred illumination when our own light grows dim.The first day of summer in our family was spent with dear friends on the shores of a beautiful high mountain lake. Intent on honoring this new season, I packed my beach bag full of a variety of things that could assist us to make the most of this day of light.Below are some picture of a sun mandala that we created. We made it out of fruit, flower petals and some small stones we found on the beach. A mandala is a sacred symbol that has a pattern and carries energy. By using flower petals that symbolize the colors of the sun- red, yellow, and orange, we invoked the power of the light. This was like putting out the welcome mat to the universe and saying, ‘we are ready to receive more light, so send it our way!’ Around this mandala we each placed a simple mason jar with the lid off and said a small prayer asking for these jars to fill with light that we can carry in the coming days.
At the end of the day, everyone took his or her jar home, and as the summer season continues on, on those days when we feel the darkness creeping in, we can light a small candle and place it in our jar. This will help us to call more light down into our world. In doing so, we will be invoking not just the light of that single flame, but also the solstice light that the universe so freely offers.
If anyone was watching our quiet gathering on the beach today, we may have looked like any other group of people casually soaking up the sun. In reality, we were not just soaking up the sun…we were drawing down the light and saving it for another day when we may need it to chase away the dark.
**If this ritual appeals to you, go out and catch some extra light today and put it in a jar- it's never too late to call down the light.