Solstice Dream Weavers

Being an Astrologer, I am fascinated by questions of fate. I am engaged and delighted by an endlessly revolving relationship to the cosmos, especially to the Sun, giver of life. Weaving and un-raveling around those relationships reveals that God is, indeed, in the details. During the days of the Summer Solstice, as earth ‘stands still,’ the longest day in the northern hemisphere, we are invited to cross un-seen thresholds, to stop, re-assess, and intuit the divine. When day moves on forever into night, ask,

“How can I call the numinous to live within, for surely it is the matrix of mid-summer’s eve?”

The four seasonal cross roads, or quadrants of Equinox and Solstice, are moments when ancient bones are more aware of time-traveling. June 21st is not only a moment to celebrate earth’s relationship to the sun, but to call up old imprints of sacrifice, fire, and ritual, memories when we groveled at the feet of Gods for good weather, strong crops and profitable animal husbandry. Old bones remember when we knocked at the door of fate, begging tender mercies. We remained dependant upon ‘fate’ for centuries, no eons, and those memories die hard.

Perhaps as moderns, we remain more dependant upon fate than we wish, simply having small desire to admit we are not in charge? This week of the Summer Solstice, I am reviewing not only earth’s relationship to Sol, but mine to earth, and to the celestial bodies with their electro-magnetic influence over earth. I am ‘standing still’ to contemplate my part in the cosmos, if indeed I have a part….How far does that influence reach? Is my light dependant upon the sun? How much? What is the level of my control, or do I need to make sacrifice and beg mercy of the Gods for my harvest? What am I harvesting? What dreams may come of this? How invested am I as a ‘giver of light?’ What remains of the ancient magic? How can I help it live on? How to express gratitude for the sun’s life-giving essence, its desire to roll across the heavens creating our days?

Asana/Pose: Tadasana/Stand Still Pose. Let us become one with the sun in this stand-still moment. Be aware that when we move again something is different. Feel feet evenly on the earth, big toes touching, kneecaps pulled up, gaze level, weight even between heels and toes, breathing soft, spine long, arms dropped at side, or in ‘Namaste’ prayer, or lifted over head…. listen to where they belong. Listen to where you belong. What is the ancient song beginning to move through you?

Health Notes: These days standing still is a gift. Stand grateful. Stand proud. Stand strong. Stand beautiful. Stand happy. The elixir of life is in that stand-still moment.

Astrology Notes: As you stand still, know yourself hurtling through space. The Sun is a fixed star, though far from fixed. Like Earth, it revolves around its own axis, traveling in a prescribed orbit in space. Since earth must follow the sun, we are taken on an extensive journey. It travels through the Milky Way Galaxy toward the constellation of Hercules at the speed of 12 miles a second. The length of our Sun’s year equals 200 million Earth years. This is about how long it takes the Sun to make one of its orbital revolutions, traveling at the rate of 150 miles per second. (Earth’s orbital speed is only 18.5 miles per second.) The Milky Way Galaxy, along with about 2,500 of its neighboring galaxies, travels at the rate of 360,000 miles per hour toward the Hunting Dog constellation. This Supergalaxy also has an orbit within an even larger unit in the cosmic order.
These ‘notes’ are quoted from Alan Oken’s “Complete Astrology.”

Ayurvedic Notes: The Solstice officially marks the Astrological summer. Summer is the Northern Hemisphere is Pitta territory. And Pitta is often the territory of acidic stomachs and poor digestion. Pacifying Pitta is essential not only for strong digestion, but in helping regulate allergic reactions. Pitta regulates the chemical functioning of the body which is thrown off balance when allergens attack. Including a diet rich in certain spices helps bodies ward off plant induced allergic reactions. They include: curcumin, tumeric, sage, cumin, coriander and red pepper.