Thankful Abundance

21 June 2020


Today in the Northern Hemisphere it is the Summer Solstice (if you are in the Southern Hemisphere you can read my Winter Solstice post here) the longest day when the sun is closest to us and at the height of its power.  This is a time for transformation and growth both for us and the natural world around us.  It always feels like a time of confliction for me, knowing that I and the world around me have lots of energy, that I feel the need to be outside and doing things all the time but in the background is the shortening of the days.  I am feeling the need to find peace with this to enable me to fully enjoy this time of year.

I am the Sun -
And I bear with all my might
The earth by day, and the earth by night.
I hold her fast, and my gifts bestow
To everything on her, so that it may grow:
Man and stone, flower and bee
All receive their light from me.
Open thy heart, dear child, to me,
That we together, one light may be.

C. Morgenstern

Over the past few months the earth has been waking up and putting on its wonderful display and abundance for us all to enjoy.  The seeds that have been dormant over the winter have swelled, ripened, and pushed up their green shoots through the good brown earth.  They have been assisted by the sun and the rain, warming the soil and enabling the seeds to unlock their potential.  You may also have planted your own seeds in the soil too, which have now become the hope of a harvest to come.  It never ceases to amaze me that we can sow our seeds, and in some cases they are so tiny, we water them, keep them warm and with time and care we can harvest and nourish our bodies with their produce.  We too sowed seeds way back at the time of Samhein which we have been thinking about and blossoming into a more focused plan in the time since then.  Now at this time of the height of our energies, our creativity is at its peak, this is the time to really work on them and make them happen.  

The warmth and the light makes spontaneity feel so much easier at this time of year, those ideas and plans that most probably come to you all through the year but you struggle with the energy to make them happen, now is the time take the opportunity to bring them into being.  Your energy is at its peak now, so now is the time to go with the flow and celebrate this part of ourselves.  If you don't feel comfortable doing things in this way maybe now is the time to give it a go?  Start with something small and see how that feels to you.  I do hope it feels right and more natural, it is not about loosing control, if that is important to you, it is more about living in the moment.  Something that can so often get lost in the busyness of life.  I don't know about you but I have found it so much easier to live more in the moment these past few months.

Everything feels so heightened and strong at this time of year, including our emotions.  Sometimes they can take us by surprise and blind side us with their intensity.  It is so important to find the time and a way to make peace with them, to let them go especially if you feel that they are holding you back, there are lots of ways that you can do this perhaps you could express them in a journal, speak them out loud or whatever you need to do to enable you to move on.  If it is your thing you could write on a piece of paper, I leave behind..... or drawing them if that works better for you and then put them into a fire to help with the symbolism of your leaving them behind to help you move on.

I have already mentioned the shortening of the days and what this means to me.  We know what the shortening days mean and what that brings with it!  I also know that we are living in very uncertain times at the moment and the future feels even more challenging than it usually does, the shortening days feels a bit too much on top of everything else.  We have been working up to this time since the Winter Solstice now we must continue the cycle back towards that time again, releasing on the way, our fears and worries over what that means.  I am going to work on embracing this, rather than wishing it were not to be.  I know that resisting this is not going to change anything and it is not a good use of my precious energy.

As we begin our journey back to the time of darkness, the shortest day, we can celebrate our achievements, share the knowledge and experiences that we have gained and continue to work on and with those seeds and plans that are important to us.  We can also slowly welcome the change in direction that the shortening days bring, not resisting it but trusting that we will be ok, we can embrace this slowness by letting it be and easing us into the time of renewal and rest, rather than it being the abrupt change that occurs when we are not in tune with the cycle of the seasons.

The sun god reaches the height of his power,
As all of the plants are now in flower,
The longest day brings us strength and vigour. 
As we pursue our aims and goals with rigour.
Love is fulfilled in the warmest of days,
Blessed by the fertilising Sun god's rays,
Summer fruits ripen and fill us with pleasure,
In carefree moments we will always treasure.
All of nature is filled with sweet bliss,
Fruitfulness blesses each honey soaked kiss
Now is the time of abundance and light,
We rejoice in days so happy and bright,
Knowing that we grow in wisdom and might

I hope you can find the time and energy, despite the uncertainty of these times, for those projects that you really want to work on.  I hope you can find a way to make peace with the shortening days and what that will bring to us in six months time.   Solstice blessings to you.

21 comments:

  1. And Solstice blessing to you and your family. Loved the trip through your garden, this is the time of year when we are closest to nature. Its vibrancy will slowly retreat towards the darker colder months but for now the natural world sings.

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    1. Thank you Thelma. The world is indeed singing, I love that way of putting it.

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  2. I always feel conflicting emotions at this time of year - here is the time I have been looking forward to and yet this is also the day when things begin to go downhill to the dark days again too! As you say we must embrace the longer days and live in their moments enjoying what they bring and not thinking ahead too much. Thank you for putting things into words so well.

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    1. I am glad to hear that is not just me that has conflicting emotions at this time of year. I am enjoying the living in the moment more though and will be ready for those days when the darkness starts to be more apparent.

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  3. Solstice blessings to you too. It has felt a strange one this year, and more than usual I am looking ahead to the future months with hope. X

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    1. Thank you Jules. Hope is important isn't it, now more than ever.

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  4. Solstice blessings to you and your family.

    I have mixed feelings about this time of year -- I tend to wish it away as it marks the onset of the really hideous summer heat and humidity around here....at the same time, it feels like the year is galloping off far too quickly and I'm not ready to consider a turn towards winter!

    Things are certainly different this year, and we're looking ahead to the winter months with a bit more mindfulness and an intention towards better preparedness than we usually do -- we're taking nothing for granted!

    xo

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    1. Thank you Mel. We don't get the heat and humidity so I do rather enjoy summer, although looking out the window at the moment you would be forgiven for thinking it had already finished!

      I love what each season brings and what it means for me, I love that the summer of energy and busyness is balanced with the winter of reflection and stillness.

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  5. solstice blessing to you, too! As we walked our dog late last night fireworks were set off....I don't remember the solstice ever celebrated that way before in our little town. I don't think I've ever slowed down like I have this season...and really enjoyed the fruits of my somewhat hit and miss labor. Talking to a friend the other day, she said she doesn't think she'll ever return to her crazy overscheduled calendar again and I agree. Forced mindfulness is quite agreeable.

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    1. Thank you Steph. Fireworks? Not come across that for the solstice either, each to their own I guess. I am not missing the busyness of our usual lives, I am loving the slow pace of my current life, I need to find a balance between the two going forward I think, if that is possible.

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  6. Oh thank you! You have put this so eloquently. A timely reminder to just be; to let the ebb and flow of the Seasons do exactly that - ebb and flow. I feel my very best in Summer, yes, with peak energy, confidence and creativity but as you say, making peace with all the seasons is a necessity if I am to flourish. I shall be doing some journalling and dreaming on this revelation. Thank you xx

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    1. Thank you too Evi, I am glad that you have found these words to be of comfort. I hope you find a way to make peace with all the seasons and what they can offer us. Enjoy your journalling.

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  7. I try and hang on to every last bit of summer! I loved the tour of your garden, I think my favourite photo was the Lupins they are so cheery :-)

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    1. Thank you San, yes hanging on to the summer is a good thing especially when it is so hit and miss around here!

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  8. Solstice blessings to you too :) What a lovely essay. I'm a bit conflicted about this time - I don't quite feel ready for it to be midsummer - but my unease usually settles after a few days and this year has been so special already in being able to watch the Spring opening right in front of us. I'm curious to watch the next part of the year develop, the few seeds we've planted hopefully developing into something edible and seeing the fledgling birds take off. And hopefuly some more good weather will come before the end of July and the start of Autumn. xx
    PS What's your name?

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    1. I am glad to hear that it is to just me that feels conflicted at this time of year, but you are right that that unease does settle once we move on doesn't it? I too am looking forward to the edible offerings from my garden.

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  9. I enjoy June and the days getting longer but I do like when the days get shorter and more cosy feeling. I cannot believe how time quickly flies by!!

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    1. I am not surprised you love the shorter days Karen, I know how much you love the Autumn and Winter months!

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  10. Solstice blessing to you too. Another wonderful post. Yes, embracing the changing times is certainly the way to go and living in the moment works for me too in these strange ties. Who knows what's around the corner.xxx

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    1. Living in the moment feels so right at this time, I just wish I could do that all the time as it feels more intentional and mindful. I am going to work at keeping some of that in my life as it slowly returns to a new normality.

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  11. Happy (very belated!) summer solstice to you and your family too. The verses are beautiful - where do they come from?

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