Greetings fellow earthling!

Tomorrow (Tuesday 21 June at 5:14 am EDT) we celebrate the turning of the Great Wheel of the Year. If you’re like me and really, really, really exhausted (morally, emotionally, even spiritually sometimes) by the egregious behavior of some humans—off the top of my head: the war in Ukraine and using propaganda to gin up hate for people you’ve never even met—then pausing to honor the cycles of Nature is a healing return to the Truth and to sanity.

Of course, we all have the opportunity each night (except when there’s too much cloud-cover) to go Moon-bathing or Moon-gazing. This is a beautiful practice I recommend to everyone as often as you can, because it’s so very grounding. It roots us to something entirely reliable: the Moon will ALWAYS be Full, then wane to the New Moon, and wax again to Full. My own moon-blood isn’t as consistent as it used to be, so if you’re menopausal (or don’t have ovaries), this is an excellent way to track your own cycle. The cycles of Nature have sustained humanity since before we identified as such. They connect us to our ancestors, to ancient civilizations, and the Grand Spiral of the Universe.

Why ritually honor the Quarter Days (Solstice and Equinox)? While I love marking the different Moon phases to keep me grounded and feeling secure in a structure with makes sense even as time seems to warp more and more often, these 8-per-year acupressure points offer even more. The Quarter and Cross-Quarter holy days ask us to check in with ourselves, our communities, our projects, and our planet. Like the buttons on the back of an upholstered chair, these points on the Wheel of the Year help to keep our stuffing in place, if you know what I mean, and invite us to look at the Bigger Picture.

What does a wider lens show you right now?

If you’re like me and currently located in the N Hemisphere, it’s the day of longest light, summer’s official kick-off, the intense mid-point of the year, like the Full Moon, when all our intentions or manifestations might start bearing fruit.

If you’re in the S Hemisphere, it’s the quiet Winter Solstice, equivalent to the New Moon of the year. It’s the perfect time to set your intentions for the next 12 months as you sit during the longest night, celebrating the return of the light and the lengthening of the days.

The Sun is at zero Cancer. If you’re below the Earth’s belt, it’s the first day of winter, and above it we are welcoming summer. Truth be told, I don’t know when the solstice and equinox points came to be heralded as the start of the new season, but I suspect it’s been at least 500 years. Pre-Renaissance texts refer to mid-summer and mid-winter, and these were references to the Solstices.

No matter where you are located on the planet, it’s a lovely time to light your Solstice fires (small ones count too) to honor the Earth who brings us all things, and to take note of what we are especially grateful for.

Summer Solstice Ritual:

For my NH friends: do Sun Salutations upon rising—ideally before sunup, but not necessarily. You don’t need to be “told” how to do them in case you’re wondering right now. If you’ve been around enough times to be reading this newsletter (what I have to say is neither interesting to nor even intended for young souls), you do know; maybe you know lots of ways. Your conscious mind might not be aware of knowing, but that can easily be remedied: put your hand on your heart, take a deep breath, and ask your guides to show or tell you what to do. Greet the Sun with all honor on the day of its Greatest Power.

As you are doing your salutations (quantity is up to you) you might say the following: “Thank you, Ô Star of stars, for being the catalyst for all life. Your generosity guides and sustains us every day. The light which I joyfully shine out from my heart as nourishment for others is a reflection of your light which nourishes us all.”

You may of course make an offering (I toss a handful of crystals into the air, like a bride throwing a bouquet) if that feels aligned. This ritual is less involved than the Winter one, as you are basking, receiving, and honoring.

Winter Solstice Ritual:

If you live south of the equator and are welcoming winter, my guides are showing me a ritual in which you light fires (possibly many small candles) and place them in a circle, with you at the center. This ritual requires some advanced preparation in terms of supplies. Ideally, you will have two pieces of fabric representing things which are separate (one piece could represent you, and the other something you desire to have in your life) OR a piece of torn fabric representing something needing healing (repair, renewal) in yourself or the wider world. Take a needle and thread, and sew the edges together very deliberately. As you do so, utter the same words, mantra-style. I suggest naming each of the things/ideas being sewn together with each stitch.

Please recall that free will is the prime directive of life on Earth, so sewing another person—or even a company if it’s a job you are manifesting–to you by name is a wildly inappropriate form of manipulation, even an abuse of power. It’s better to say and envision “my heart’s true love” or “the best job for which my skills and values are perfectly matched.”

If I were in the SH right now, I’d be sewing for peace, justice, and an easy transition as the world pitches and shifts right now.

You may repeat the exercise with as many pieces of fabric as you like for as many things as you’d like to manifest this year. I suggest laying the sewn fabric on an altar for extra empowerment. You can keep them until the Summer Solstice to be reminded of what your intentions were.

Here’s a non-binary alternative if that works better for you: instead of sewing 2 pieces (or one torn piece) of fabric, you can braid three strands together. Two of the strands might be the things that you would have stitched together, and the third might represent unconditional love, divine will, or a third idea.

When your stitching or braiding is complete, snuff out your candles and step out of the circle.

I have more to share about this Solstice, some Eclipse Season reflections, my upcoming Crystal Communion program, and more, but will leave it here for now.

Many Solstice Blessings upon you and your beloveds.