MidSummer Solstice Extravaganza

 Four weeks on
lots transformed
harvests already coming in full
the sun strong
the rains and winds intense
the garden in full bloom. 

And now five weeks on
energy has changed,
the heat a bit less intense,
the sun already on the path
away from dominance
towards balance.

 There was the extreme dripping heat
leading to Solstice ritual
then temperatures lowered to bearable
while we had low fevers.
Then again it became thunderstorm hot,
giant clouds looming each day in the distance.
And now the cooling breezes
renew and remind us.

Summer will end,
dawn's later, the sun's trajectory shifts,
Autumn will come, the time is now.

Weather has forever changed,
instability comes to the fore,
 we must change too
allowing flexibility to guide us. 

Then was full with focused intent and joy
and we move forward
accordingly;
with so much that could be said
about the magical portal in time
that was this MidSummer Solstice
and the magical gatherings we hosted
but allowing that memory to be a fleeting smile.

There are many words to describe
the fullness of love,
and yet none of them seem enough,
there is only flowers and kindness
and laughter.
 

 

Minimal notes and some pictures
from then
though everything is blended
from stick breaking time to the parties to ritual
through sickness to healing and harvest:

Layers of petals
upon flowers and branches
in the smoldering fire

 

smokey spices
making us cough
joy and love

even viruses maybe feel joy
grateful for so much love to share

 

 

 

transformation
through heat and hydration
and clearing and cleaning
and touching and placing
with reverence

our Omens:

fullness of
food and family
many faces and hugs
and flexibility
and sweat

and then fever and body aches
and sleep
and more sleep

and torrential rains cleansing
and cooling
and replenishing
as the garden grows wild

Lughnasah Rememberances (in a time of No Remembering)

Leaves are changing already and the air is cool.
What happened to endless summer, to the glorious light of Lugh?
Dew lays thick on the land, damp through the afternoon.

Harvesting what we can. Some are still not yet ripe.

There is always a longing.
The look to the unknown or what is no longer here.

Where are we now,
running headlong into Autumn,
without yet languished in summer.
The trick
is Summer is
already ending
when we first celebrate it's arrival.

As if the Zenith is all there is. 

This time of Lughnasa has been the beginning of Chapter 2.
Starting gently to venture forth.
Much bad news from the world each day worse.
Still we go forward.
The ending is not yet written.
We are allowed to have enough for the coming Winter,
enough to get us through to Spring,
enough but not more than we can manage.

We approach the time of balance and re-balance.
May it rain where there are fires
and may the land and trees withstand winds and flooding.
May gentle truth and simple faith guide us
and may our fiercest love protect us.
May our positive and wonderful dreams inspire our waking life.
May our sorrows be bearable
and may our bears be tolerable.

My notes from then are sparse and my pictures from then show me how much the light has changed.
Next week is the Autumnal Equinox.
One foot in front of the other
one day at a time
seems to be how it is now.

beef fat smoothie and sunflowers

 

"Max and the Skunk" pencil on canvas with coating by Bryan
worn as coating by Bryan

the fire always says so much

popping wood sparking cheese

"A perfect day for a ritual, a really good ritual."

strong heat of summer
short hot fire made from the branches of our maple
downed in the recent hurricane
lit with Lugh's candle
lit to light a smudge from Hawaii
for purification
for setting apart.

mugwort and womyn and masks
grounded and grounding

one door closes
another opens

 

Hear and answer us we pray

pulling our omens

our omens

from our Honored Dead: Kenaz- the Torch. The torch is a tool, it can be light,
it can be burning, it crafts and shapes.
from the Spirits of Nature and Place: Eihwaz or the Spindle. The spindle is these
inter-generational connections, the merry-go-round, the world-tree.
from the Gods & Goddesses: Ehwaz or the Horse. The horse is a domesticated animal and we use it like a tool but it is a partnership with another being, what we combine with
to get to where we are going.
for the Season of Lughnasah: Uruz the Aurox, the Primal Ox. The Ox is strength
and is the wild primordial powerhouse.

 

KEEU!

use it all

this season has been full but fleeting,
may your light stay within us
until we cycle around again.