Grian-stad an t-Samhraidh – Midsummer Solstice has now passed, and now, as I’m reflecting on the time, I wanted to follow up after my last post “Laying the Dragon to Rest”; as the past few weeks have been a powerful time for me, spiritually.
I want to share about the practical elements, but first I wanted to share a little about the process as it has unfolded for me.
In the months leading up to midsummer, once again I became aware of the desire within me, that has been present for years – to genuinely commit to attending more deeply to my relationship with the planet, and with the larger cosmos, through the engaged observation of the Gaelic wheel of the year.
For a few years now, I’ve been embracing the language and culture of my ancestors, and it would be difficult to do this in a sincere way without becoming aware of the priority of connection with – and experiential awareness of - the Earth, the sun, the moon, and the cosmos that saturates the language and culture.
Stepping into a commitment to actually do it... has led to some deep realizations... and some that I didn’t expect.
One such realization was around the depth and absurdity of my own colonial conditioning!
For many years, I’ve made efforts to gather people for events around the wheel of the year... solstices, equinoxes, and cross-quarter days (the four days exactly midway between solstices and equinoxes)... and in general, I’ve found it to be like herding cats.
People work, people have families, people have important stuff that needs to get done. Should we get together on the Saturday before, or the Sunday after... and on and on.
As I was thinking about these experiences in the lead up to Midsummer, it suddenly struck me how very complicated and strange all of this has been, because at root, it’s becoming very simple for me.
After all... Grian-stad – solstice – isn’t just a random day on a calendar.
Calendars as we use them today, are essentially abstract technologies that were made by people, based on the needs of people. One way I’ve come to view them is as anthropocentric devices that profoundly warp our sense of physical reality.
Grian-stad – a solstice – on the other hand, involves the relationship between a star – our sun – and a planet – our planet, Earth. Each one marks a moment – observable without anything other than our natural senses... when the whole dynamic of the relationship between this star, and this planet pauses for a moment... and in the next moment, the dynamic doesn’t just change; it completely reverses! Increase reverses to decrease, and decrease reverses to increase.
This incredible reversal has been happening... reliably... twice in every orbit that our planet has made around our sun... every year... for billions of years. It’s a significant component of why there is life on this Earth, and it is the primary driver of our seasons.
Energetically... spiritually... magically – my ancestors felt that this was significant... a very big deal... that these days were important enough to stop whatever else was going on, and to acknowledge our interconnection and interdependence with these massive celestial bodies... to affirm our awareness and joyous participation in this incredible cosmic dance.
Clearly the centre of my ancestor’s universe... was actually the centre of the universe – and it was prioritized.
In the past, in my efforts to connect with people, and to find something that works for everyone, I’ve attempted to schedule solstice gatherings, or Samhain bonfires at a time that would work for as many people as possible. “Solstice is on a Thursday but there is school or work, so let’s celebrate on Sunday.”
This year, I’ve realized that – for me – this seems crazy.
Solstices, Equinoxes, and Cross-Quarter days are precise moments on precise days, when an actual star and an actual planet share a rare and very specific moment in relationship that affects absolutely everything on that planet.
As a lifelong resident of that planet, for me to ignore this simple fact - and instead; to prioritize another day of work... or generating more revenue... or giving myself to perpetuating human centred societal systems and human made structures that I deeply believe are problematic to begin with... well it strikes me as a pretty clear symptom of an illness.
Eight days.
Eight days of three hundred and sixty-five (six this year).
Can I choose to prioritize acknowledging, celebrating, and expressing gratitude for this incredible planet that I’ve been blessed to live on?
Can I stop for eight individual days each year and give my attention and energy to my absolute awe of this beautiful sun that provides not only myself and all humans, but all beings with what they need to grow... and survive... and thrive?
I’ve decided that I can.
So that’s what I’ve committed to do.
This year, there are only four more spokes, or days in the wheel of the year. Where I live, they are (please don’t go by what’s printed on calendars – the celestial markers are widely available if you do even a tiny bit of research):
Lughnasa – a cross-quarter day. The celestial day midway between summer solstice and the autumn equinox falls on August 6, 2024.
Co-fhad-thràth an Fhoghair - Autumn Equinox – September 22, 2024 11:44am PDT
Samhain - a cross-quarter day. The celestial day midway between the autumn equinox and winter solstice falls on November 6, 2024.
Grian-stad a’ Gheamhraidh – Jül – Winter Solstice – December 21, 2024 7:21am PST
In my next post, and going forward, I’ll continue to share the ways I’m choosing to engage with the Wheel of the Year.
I’d like to invite you to explore your own relationship with this wheel. Feel free to use any idea that I share, and please as you build your own relationship with the Earth, and the sun... listen... and be guided by that relationship.
... and I’d love to hear about your journey.