Summer Solstice, 2008

Hi everyone,

Happy summer solstice! I realise this is my second post in two days, but so fell the moon and the solstice. Hope you are enjoying this bright and sunny day!

Calling the circle
As we contemplate the solstice, we summon the spirits of the East, spirits of Springtime, new beginnings, new starts. Element of air, first breath, cool dawn. The power of life, springing forth. We call the spirits of the East and ask them to join our circle.

We call now to the spirits of the South, the spirits of our summer season, spirits of strength, power, warmth, clarity, motivation, energy, movement. Element of fire, bright fires lit at midday. The power of light, illuminating us. The fire that is our passion, burning deeply within is always. We call the spirits of the South and ask them to join our circle.

And we call to the Spirits of the West. Spirits of our deepest feelings, our strongest emotions, our truest love. A sunset over a calm ocean, a still lake reflecting back the sky, the still waters that run deep, deep within. Element of water, emanating the power of love. We call to the spirits of the West and ask them to join our circle.

Now we call the spirits of the North, spirits of midnight, dark moonless skies in winter, places where truths are told. Element of earth, grounding us. Power of law, karma, ancestral wisdom, we call to the spirits of the North and we ask them to join our circle.

And we call to those spirits above us, the moon in her many faces, angels, stars, heavens, light beings everywhere, those souls not yet incarnate. Children of our children. We call the spirits above and ask them to join us.

And we call to the spirits below us, to the earth that grounds us and keeps us steady, the green kingdom with its deep roots and to the lava beneath the crust that impassions us. We call the spirits below and ask them to join us.

Finally, we call to the spirits of the center, where all the directions meet and merge and where they meet and merge in each one of us. The central flame. The sacred spirit. This circle is closed, a safe and sacred circle where everyone is welcome and free to express themselves.

Solstice thoughts/Talking stick
I am back home now although just barely, and really tired from my trip to NY, but I do feel energized by the light of the sun. I was sitting on the plane coming home and the man next to me asked if I was flying to London for work and I explained it was the opposite, I was flying back from work in New York. And he said, ‘oh, you’re going home’. And I realized that I really was, on every level. This is my home now. Maybe not forever, but it is now. And seeing Gary and Owen was just like I wanted it to be and as I expected: they are my home, wherever it would be.

As summer kicks off, I want to put as much energy and effort as I can into the project that I want to see take off. Think creatively of ways to make it happen. I also want to just enjoy where I am. Watch all my vegetables grow (some of them are getting out of control!), figure out what herbs to put where, stay outside late when it is warm, camp in pretty places – just really enjoy it and ride the power of the sun.

Meditation
Imagine yourself lying on the ground beneath a beautiful, flowering Linden tree, in the middle of a lush field, under a starry, windless sky. The moon is rising, and it is warm and light, as you breathe in and out. Then allow yourself to imagine that you are getting smaller – smaller and smaller until you are so small that you can stand up and walk into the tree that you were lying underneath. Walking into the tree, looking up, note the vast branch system, how tall and high it is, looking down, note the vast root system, reaching down into the earth farther than you can see. Then, notice that one of the roots is larger than the others, and resembles a spiral staircase. Imagine then stepping onto the 13th step, the step of transformation, then spiraling down and around and inward to the 12th step, then down and around to the 11th and the 10th, spiraling down and around and inward to the 9th, then the 8th, then around and inward to the 7th and the 6th step. Then, pausing on the sixth step, note that as you look up you can no longer see the top, and looking down, that you can no longer see the bottom. You are standing in the middle of the spiral, in a moment of infinite perfection. If there is anything that you are carrying that you don’t want to take with you on your journey, you can leave it on this step. Continuing then to the 5th step and the 4th, spiraling around to the 3rd and the 2nd and then finally the 1st step, then stepping into a clearing with four doorways, each pointing in one of the four directions. Imagine yourself walking down the pathway that heads south.

When you step through the doorway, you see a path in front of you, very clearly leading up a hill in the distance. It is midday, the sun strong in the sky. You are aware of how far you are able to see in this light, noticing every detail of your path. The sun feels as if it is bending down to you, infusing you with its fullness as you walk, until you feel your body becoming an extension of that light.

You wind your way to the top of the hill now, around the hill, slowly, until you finally arrive. You make your way into the ceremonial circle at the top, where you stand in the centre of the circle. You are joined by others, some known to you – ancestors, friends, guides, some who you do not know, but all are so infused with light that they are glowing as well. You move to the place in the circle where you feel called to be. The others find their places in the circle as well. The final person to join the circle is your wise woman, who comes to stand by your side.

You stand silently, feeling the power of the light in the circle build. It moves from east, to west, to south, to north, from above it shines down, reaches through you into the earth below, and aligns and unites the hearts of everyone present. The light warms you as the love builds in the circle as well until you are filled with complete and overwhelming love – for yourself, for those in your life, for the world, for the others in the circle – the love builds inside of you and around you as your wise woman calls you into the centre of the circle.

Once in the centre, she asks you to reach inside, looking for those places that you wish to energise. Looking for places that require power, strength, growth and manifestation. You picture them one by one and imagine that one by one, each is being fed an infusion of love, light, and power. You become aware that you are surrounded by those in the circle, receiving their full support, listening to their encouragement and guidance as you yourself transform into a being of pure power, love and light too – your true state of being. You stay in the centre for as long as you like, basking in that energy. When you are ready, you step back into your place in the circle. With the power of that love so strong, the circle directs the love outward, surrounding all those that you believe need that light as well, finally, surrounding the entire world.

When you feel that your time in the circle is complete, your wise woman leads you out of the circle and to a beautiful stone table that has appeared, filled with all kinds of food and drink, and those in your circle join you at the table for a beautiful celebration. You can converse freely with them here.

When the meal is finished and it is time to go, you step back into the circle one more time, joined by everyone present. Once again, you are held in the light between all of you, feeling that light spread from your circle, out into the universe, joining with all of the other light beings. It is a time of pure joy, of pure power. When you are finished, you leave your circle, walking silently back to the path. Your wise woman accompanies you then gives you a hug goodbye. She presses an object into your hand to take along with you and whispers a word of pure power to remind you of this day.

You walk back down the path, heading back to the doorway, contemplating the object in your hand, but also just filled body and soul with joyous light. The path leads you back to the doorway where you began. You give one last look then walk through the door.

Stepping back up onto the first step, spiraling upward and outward to the second step and the third, and upward and outward to the third step and the fourth. Then spiraling around to the fifth and the sixth step, and pausing now on the sixth step, retrieving anything that you left behind before, or just leaving it behind in that perfect moment in infinity. Climbing now to the seventh and upward to the eighth, upward and outward to the ninth, then the tenth, and around to the eleventh and the twelfth and then finally to the thirteenth step, the step of transformation, then back into to the tree. Stepping out of the tree, you find your place beneath it, again enjoying the sweet night air. Then feeling your consciousness return to the space you are in, and, when ready opening your eyes.

Prayers for our circle

Love and light to all of you at this solstice!

Tara