Summer Solstice, December 2018
SUMMER SOLSTICE 2018
Saturday 22nd December (AEST)
Friday 21st December (UTC/GMT) – Winter Solstice
For those of us in the southern hemisphere, Summer Solstice is a great time for a joyous celebration! “The idea is simply to align with the energy of the season, the energy that is – full bloom, fruiting, maximum potential, beauty, ripeness, full light and use this energy to fuel your life, your prayer, your intentions”. –Jane Hardwicke Collings
Summer Solstice Ritual
If you love holding Cacao Ceremonies here’s a Summer Solstice Ritual to give seasonal depth to your work or if you’re gathering a Summer Solstice Celebration, why not think of adding a cacao ceremony to make the solstice even more energised? That’s what this solstice is all about, right? Here’s a bit of what we’ll be doing to Celebrate the Summer Solstice with our tribe…
SMUDGE – Smudging is a great way to start any ritual. Whether you use sage, palo santo, cedar, or eucalyptus, or even essential oil or flower essence sprays – it’s up to you.
ALTAR – Create a Sun Altar, with a round yellow cloth in the centre and then have everyone bring fiery red, yellow & orange coloured fruits and flowers to make the sun’s rays coming out from the centre. Think roses, marigolds, daisies, dandelions, nasturtiums, sun flowers, bananas, oranges, red apples or grapes, cherries, mangoes, papaya… ooh the choices are endless. You may also want to invite friends to bring representations of their projects or creative endeavours and a candle to be placed upon the altar: e.g. craft, drawing, symbols, new business card, book etc. So you can use the suns empowering energy to help them ripen, or, if your project has already completed then bring it to bask in the sun & enjoy! This is especially great to craft with children.
CAST CIRCLE – By calling in and thanking the seven sacred directions. Or if it is a family friendly ceremony you may want to involve the children in this. Make a circle of adults and have the children holding hands weave & snake their way in and out around the circle of adults, playing their instruments to create sacred circle. You may wish to have someone drum and or lead a chant as they do this.
CACAO – You can call in Cacao Blessings, give thanks and drink to good health & your full potency.
SHARE PEAK EXPERIENCES – Because this is the sun’s peak day, it a great time to share peak memories, such as the time you laughed to most, the time you danced the hardest, etc. either around the circle or, if too large a group, share in pairs for a minute or so each. Or you may prefer to simply go around the circle with each person expressing their gratitude for whatever they are most thankful for.
CALL IN RIPENING – Those in circle who want assistance with their creative projects and endeavours to help them ripen can ask to receive blessings from the suns empowering energy & give thanks.
SACRED GIVEAWAY – Have everyone place something on the altar they are ready to give away / let go of. The summer solstice may also be a time to practice giving things away, letting go of what is completed and done – whether it’s an old toy, a book we finished… as we let go we create room to grow, so place it on the altar ready to be passed on. Someone else may be guided to receive it as a gift or they can be donated to charity.
SOUNDING / CHANTING – Join hands in a circle and raise your faces to the sun. Feel your feet firmly grounded on the earth. Begin to tone and sound. Or chant a song dedicated to the sun.
DANCE AROUND THE FIRE – To raise the energy.
GIVE THANKS, CLOSE CIRCLE & FEAST!
These ritual ideas were inspired by Celebrating the Great Mother by Cait Johnson & Maura D. Shaw, & Circle Round by Starhawk as well as from Jane Hardwick Collings inspiring newsletters.
