Posted in DG Blog, Wheel Of The Year
Blessings Beloveds on this longest day of the year! Today, at exactly 6:07am EST, the Sun passed over the Tropic of Cancer, marking the Summer Solstice, and
the official beginning of the Summer Season. For thousands of years humans have celebrated the movement of the Celestial bodies, honoring (and sometimes fearing) the energies that they bring to the Earth. Though far fewer people in the modern world rely upon the agricultural holidays and calendars of our ancestors, there are still many who observe these traditions not only as a means of honoring their lineage, but especially as a means of connecting with the Earth, the Heavens, and importantly, one another.
We are alive in a time when the simple practice of making eye contact can be difficult for people. Tuned in to devices and phones – which are seldom spoken through anymore – we are all bombarded with fleeting images, sound bites, and various technological platforms that are simultaneously competing for our attention and distracting us from everything and everyone in our immediate surroundings. To slow down then, to get in sync with the seasons, to be fully present in each of our senses, with the beings who stand beside us – these most fundamental ways of being – have become a privilege, and an undervalued commodity. As a result, we’ve begun to see people seeking out the old ways, yearning for those connections that have been stripped away our fragmented by technology. The most basic, and yet profound way to achieve this connection is for us to sink in to the Natural World, where all is life, and the life we find there simply is, without trying to be anything other than itself.
So, today then is one of the days when we rejoice in those natural, timeless energies that are available to us all, regardless of who we are or what it is that we do in the world. When the Sun passes over the Tropic of Cancer, also moving in to the Astrological Sign of Cancer this morning, it is at the height of its power. This is the day when (in the Northern Hemisphere), we have the most light, and the highest level of energy available to us. Everything that lives is soaking up the energy of the Sun – the body that gives us all our life force energy. We are all gifted with a surge of energy and a push forward from the Divine.
It is fitting, as the bounty of Mother Earth is bursting forward all around us, that the Summer Solstice occurs in the sign of Cancer. Cancer is the sign that represents the Mother – nurturing, sensitive, emotionally connected, ruled by the Moon and her cycles. Our Mother feeds us, just as the Sun – in his representation of the Divine Masculine – feeds the Earth. The dual energy of masculine and feminine that merges on the Solstice, with the Sun (Father) in the home of Cancer (Mother), serves as a reminder to us all that the one is never in balance without the other. This is not about sex or gender, but about energy: light/dark, emotional/mental, yin/yang, water/fire, physical/spiritual – the masculine and the feminine are simply another set of polarities that exist in our Universe. We must honor both in order to be whole.
Let’s think about that a bit. Have you noticed that Father’s Day and the Summer Solstice are very close together? That we honor the Divine Masculine in our personal world as well as in our Universal world at essentially the same time? Depending upon the absence or presence and relationships that we have with the Fathers and men in our lives, however, there may be some resistance to masculine energy in general. It can be very easy to push the masculine away, because of the pain that has been experienced, or the feeling that for too long the masculine has been abusive of its power, too consumed by ego, or overly aggressive. In many communities, women have been coming together to celebrate the Divine Feminine, and to heal among their Sisters – sometimes at the complete exclusion of men. But we must remember that physical bodies aside, there is masculine energy – just as there is feminine energy – within us ALL. We all, in varying degrees, possess qualities that are at the core of the Divine Masculine: we all embody strength in some way; we are all rational in certain capacities; we each use our powers of assertion in certain circumstances; we have all been the provider for another in some form – whether for our family, ourselves, or even our pets. So while as a global culture, and also in very personal intimate ways, we may need to do some major healing around the shadow aspects of the masculine, this is no reason to choose not to connect with and honor the healthy, positive, and balanced aspects that we embody, and witness out in the world. Until we choose to focus on and encourage those positive aspects and individuals, we cannot heal the negative (the wounded).
But that is another topic for another day.
Returning to the Solstice and the Sun, today is a day when we want to celebrate the very best aspects of the Divine Masculine and the beauty that he supports, protects, and brings forth. It is indeed the masculine action that propels us forward. Traditionally, the dominant side of our body (for most of us, this is the Right side) is the side associated with the masculine. It is our ‘action’ side…the hand we use to write, to direct our energy, to carry what we need in the world. It is when our action (Masculine) meets our intention (Feminine) that we achieve Manifestation (both parts in equal Balance). We use our qualities of strength, focus, assertion, provision, and courage to support our goals and visions and to propel our dreams from within us to the outward physical 3D plane of existence.
So how can we honor and utilize the energy of the Solstice and the Power of the Sun, our celestial Father, to bring ourselves to the next level? Below are 5 ways to connect with these energies.
Energetically – Consider what intentions you seeded in the first half of the year. Are they blossoming? Have they changed from then to now? Ask the Sun to illuminate for you the hidden corners where you are holding yourself back.
Physically – Get in touch with your body. Do something that makes you feel strong and alive. Feed yourself well, and give thanks to your body for everything it does to support you and to carry you forward on your journey.
Logically – Think about what masculinity means to you. Compare it to what you see in the world at large and in your personal life. How is it different from what you think of as the ‘Divine’ Masculine? Can you separate the ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ qualities or behaviors from the individuals who embody them? Do you think or feel differently about women who display these qualities or behaviors? What can you do to reconcile these visions? Are you able to then view with more clarity and less judgment? Write down your thoughts and review them next year – have they changed?
Emotionally – How can you use your insight and intuition to help heal your own inner masculine? How can you use it to heal the masculine out in the world? In your family? Can you offer patience instead of frustration? Can you offer compassion instead of anger? Can you change your ideas around forgiveness?
Archetypically – Reflect upon and consider the archetypes of the Divine Masculine. A few big ones are The King, The Magician, The Warrior, The Lover, and one of our favorites – The Green Man:
~ The King represents the benevolent provider, rendering decisions from a place of rationality and kindness in equal measure. 
~ The Warrior is the protector creating a safe environment.
~ The Magician uses his skill and knowledge to benefit himself and others.
~ The Lover uses his heart in wisdom and partnership with the Divine Feminine.
~ The Greenman knows that all of the answers lie within. With silence and introspection, he unifies with Nature, connecting to the depths of his Soul, and returning to the world to reveal his true Divine nature.
These are balanced aspects of the Divine Masculine. Contemplate them, encourage them, embody them.
We wish you a very Blessed Solstice. May it be profoundly beautiful, deeply nourishing, and shared with those you love. As we drum down the Sun from the top of Peach Hill this evening, we will hold you with us in the Sunshine, sending an abundance of blessings from our inner lights to yours.
