Welcome to the Summer Solstice!
The definition of Solstice is “when the Sun stands still”. June 21 has a few different names; Summer Solstice, Mid Summer Nights Eve and Lithia. June 21st is the longest day of the year, and often is the official herald of the summer season, even though we have had significant tastes of it since Beltane, which falls on May 1st. In the Northern hemisphere, The Summer Solstice happens when the Sun is at its most north point in the sky, right by the Tropic of Cancer. While the Sun is at its brightest and strongest in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere, it also marks the Sun’s slow decline into shorter days that lead us into the Winter Equinox, the shortest day of the year. Typically around the world there are celebrations to celebrate the strong sun and the height of the summer’s bright energy; it’s time to enjoy all the wonderful things summer has to offer. With the Sun entering Cancer, thoughts turn to family, fun and love.
June 21st, the summer solstice, is part of the exclusive equinox club; there is the Winter Solstice (December 21, Sun in Capricorn), Spring Equinox (March 21, Sun in Aries), and the Autumnal Equinox (September 21, Sun in Libra). All of these happen in the beginning of a quarter point of the year, with each equinox roughly 3 months apart. These equinoxes’s also mark the beginning of a cardinal sign turn, where the Sun enters a Cardinal sign in the Astrological chart. Cardinal signs and cardinal energy are very much like the hard push of a wave from the ocean, of a strong gust of air that’s akin to a tornado, of a sand storm and a hurricane; you get the picture. Cardinal energy is strong. Why it’s important is that it is the energy used to get the unmotivated moving, to get people inspired and to start new projects that need to happen. While this energy is strong, it cannot last long, so it’s important to ride that wave while it’s there. The equinox’s meeting up with the Sun’s movement into cardinal signs is the optimal time to make changes, to start new projects that had probably been gestating for the past 3 months. It’s also a great time to complete things that have needed to be wrapped up.
For today, try to spend some time outside and feel the Sun’s rays. Enjoy and herald the best part of Summer!
