Pagaian Cosmology Forum
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#1 2008-11-18 11:35:04
Summer Solstice reflections S.H. 2008
The sacred Fullness of the Mother is within each one ... in potentia at least, always. Each being continually seeks this fullness - what my ancestors called "the Summerland". In the Summer Solstice ritual we practice recognizing it in each other, and invoking it. There is more on this aspect of Summer in post #2 here: http://pagaian.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=223
and there is also this YouTube video about the Summer Solstice Entrance into the dark part of the annual cycle.
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#2 2008-11-29 11:37:35
Re: Summer Solstice reflections S.H. 2008
I have been reflecting on the Breath Meditation for the Summer Solstice ritual, and making some changes. I want to linger a while on the experience of the peaking of the breath - the Fullness there and the letting go. It is a Sacred Interchange, where oxygen rushes in and carbon dioxide rushes out ... a meeting of the realms of form and formlessness, in every breath.
I feel that I barely understand the awesomeness of Summer Solstice. And is the pouring forth of the breath a birthing too? is it really very different to the Winter Solstice? it is, and it isn't. They are both windows to this Event - this mysterious flash of Being.
Few get to feel the Fullness of being it would seem - but how do we know whether this is really so? One cannot rely on the spin of popular media .... there may be more fulfillment midst the trials of life than is obvious, or than the consumer-obsessed culture would have us realize.
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#3 2008-12-03 01:38:47
Re: Summer Solstice reflections S.H. 2008
I have changed the Breath Meditation ... so that it goes something like this:
Breathe deep, feel the weight of your body-sink into it. This is how Earth holds you. Feel Her hold you – feel this awesome primordial experience of gravity. This same power that holds Earth in orbit around Sun, holds you. Breathe into it, remember it, feel it in you. Breathe into this relationship with Earth and Sun, this Cosmos.
Breathe deep, and draw up from the Mother all that you desire … filling your bodymind to capacity, until you can draw it no longer, feeling the fullness at the peaking of your breath and the urge to release it … then letting it go. Again, breathing deep, filling your bodymind to capacity – feeling the Fullness at the peaking of your breath, and the urge to let it go, to pour it forth - then letting it go ... this Sacred Interchange of form and formlessness.
This is how Gaia breathes in our part of the world at this time. She is filling to capacity, and giving it away, letting it go. Joining with Her now in this breath … breathing deep, filling to capacity, feeling Her Fullness and the urge to release, let go, pour it forth – and and as you do, recalling those times in your life when have acted with ease and poured forth your essence. This is the Summerland within you, the Sacred Interchange of form and formlessness.
I have also made other subtle changes to the Poetry throughout the script as a result of this change and renewed understanding. See Summer Solstice Chapter 7
In this experience of the "Summerland" in every breath, within one's being - possible always, even in the midst of chaos, a person is "sovereign" - or "Empress" is a word that someone recently used to describe this state of being. It is a very centred Place, where there is an ease of flow and great tranquility as in "deep water" (not as in "no breeze on the surface of the water"). The "Summerland" is a state of Being that seems kin to what Donna Henes names as "Queen of my Self" - in it's deepest sense.
(Later note - a few days later: Further to this, I received a card today that said "Peace ... it is not to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart." So I guess that is like the "Summerland".)
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#4 2008-12-06 00:41:07
Re: Summer Solstice reflections S.H. 2008
So, in the Summer Solstice ritual where the full flower/rose is given to the flames, to represent the Gift of Self to the Universe - it is not about self-abnegation nor about "burning away" perceived negative aspects of the self, as many are wont to do despite my efforts to express the real nature of this ritual act: many are so used to perceiving their negative aspects and wanting to be "absolved". The Summer Gift of Self is about perceiving what you have done/do "right", how you have actually pursued and fulfilled Self, what moves you have actually made and do make perhaps everyday -in pursuit of the deep Self, the fulfilled Self ... admitting how you have been - and are - "good": daring to confess your "goodness". This is what you give - this Fullness of being. It may be expressed as helpful things you do - random acts of kindness that you do do ... admitting them. It may be expressed as care that you do feel in your heart, and actions you have and do take ... maybe others haven't noticed yet, but you know you do them. It may be expressed as huge sacrifices you have made or are making in your life - for the betterment of Self and others (indirectly or directly). It may be expressed as the pursuit of a Passion - that you are committing yourself to. All these things are the Gift of Being - back to Source ... and the Poetry of Summer Solstice.
This is the Food that one is for the Universe ... how one feeds the Universe - which is what the Cosmos is made of. For more on this see "Summer Solstice/Litha" in PaGaian Cosmology Appendix F. This is one's Radiance ... which is exactly what Sun does: Sun's radiance is Food. So it is for any Being of the Sun.
It occurs to me that a "good grace" at mealtimes might be:
It is the Sun that ripens in me/us. I am (we are) Sun.
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#5 2008-12-10 13:24:26
Re: Summer Solstice reflections S.H. 2008
In the Statement of Purpose at the beginning of the ritual, it may be said:
In our part of the world, light is in Her fullness, She spreads Her radiance ... and in my reflections and preparation, I pause on this ... Sun spreading Her radiance. Radiance is a power of the Universe, that Sun illustrates so well. Brian Swimme discusses this power in his series The Powers of the Universe ... and here is a clip of that DVD on YouTube. This Radiance has depth to it, that needs to be considered.
We might consider to dare to be radiant, to be a star. In the chant we sing:
"She is shining, crowned with light.
We are radiant, we are bright.
We dissolve into the night."
This chant affirms this identity with Sun, with radiance .... and it is a pouring forth of essence. If we don't, then this particular beauty will never show itself.
Some points for contemplation prior to the Summer Solstice ritual - that I note in Chapter 7 are:
- what holds you back from being fully who you might be – what blocks the flow.
- how you and others are the “Fullness of the Mother, of the Universe", how the Summerland is within you … this Radiance.
- Contemplate the Dyad Poem as a conversation of the interchange of manifest form and ‘manifesting’ formlessness – always present.
- the rose/flower – what you pour forth to the Universe, how you feed the Universe with your daily creativity, your Passion, your actions. It represents your Fullness of Being, your Radiance.
- how you are the Bread of Life–how it is the Sun that ripens in you, how everything you do and think is a Solar event – how you are the Sun – and may feed the world just like it does.
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#6 2008-12-12 11:29:13
Re: Summer Solstice reflections S.H. 2008
And here are some of the decorations - the colours I use for Summer Solstice - at our place:
When I get around to writing a new edition of PaGaian Cosmology I will add in this important aspect of the aesthetics - photos: it has been such an important part of the learning for me ... the decorating and the colours - the tactile and the visual.
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#7 2008-12-18 10:51:37
Re: Summer Solstice reflections S.H. 2008
If Winter Solstice is about Birth, then Summer Solstice is about Death - pouring forth the fruits of Being ... peaking and dissolution at the same time (Imbolc is about nurturing the New Young One, Lammas is about midwifing the Dying). Summer is not often considered this way, though this Wisdom is present in Pagan tradition. Summer Solstice represents an awesome Gateway. Perhaps why so many avoid fulfillment ... there is a sense of its passing, the giving away of it that is automatic. Fulfillment just radiates - nothing can be done to stop it.
Summer Solstice then may hint at what "death" may be.
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#8 2008-12-19 07:52:55
Re: Summer Solstice reflections S.H. 2008
I posted the above suggestion on a Goddess Scholars yahoo list that I am on, and addressed it to one Goddess scholar in particular - Leslene della-Madre, and this was her response together with my actual post below it:
Very interesting!
No, I haven't quite thought of Summer Solstice in that way...tho, for me birth and death are inseparable, so the Winter Solstice is both death and rebirth, and the Summer Solstice is also both, perhaps in the opposite order, or maybe not....the two are one, so all movements in the spiral are always the rhythm of the in and out, the heartbeat, the breath....we just seem to have created rituals for all the phases of the movement within one continuum in order to honor sacred reciprocity....hope that answers your inquiry in some way...
May your Summer Solstice be graced by Her presence...
Blessings,
Leslene
l--- In GoddessScholars@yahoogroups.com, "Glenys Livingstone" <pagaian@...> wrote:
>
> As I prepare for the Summer Solstice ritual here at my place, I reflect
> that if Winter Solstice is about Birth, then Summer Solstice is about
> Death ... this is a perception that I don't hear a lot about in many
> Pagan celebrations of Summer. It is present in Pagan traditions, but
> does not get much airplay as far as I can tell. When I think about death
> being the "same breath" as "fulfillment of purpose" or the "peaking of
> creativity", I think I get some insight into what death may be. For me,
> Summer Solstice is an awesome Moment for deepening reflections on this
> Gateway.
>
> Leslene I was wondering if you in particular might have thought of
> Summer Solstice in this way?
>
> Glenys
> http://pagaian.org/news/solstice-summerwinter-earthgaia
>
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#9 2008-12-21 12:23:45
Re: Summer Solstice reflections S.H. 2008
Here is a photo of the inaugural lighting of the Summer Solstice window in our MoonCourt - December 21st 2008: 
and the YouTube video: Summer Solstice 08 @ Bru-na-BigTree
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