Solstice Blessings to all!

This picture was taken at last year’s Solstice, at Spanish Banks beach in Vancouver. I’m heading to the beach now for my Solstice celebration… and hopefully another Solstice pic!

The Winter and Summer Solstices mark turning points in the year and each contains the seed of the opposite Solstice… each the complementary Yin and Yang of Daghda, Father Sun. Both are celebrated with Fire… perhaps a plea to the Sun to stay with us a little longer?

At Yule, the Winter Solstice, we experience the shortest day and the longest night. Mama Earth in deep rest and stillness, the harvest complete. From that point, Father Sun is waxing, the days begin to lengthen, heralding the coming Spring and Summer.

At Litha, Summer Solstice, we have the longest day and the shortest night. Glorious summer — the peak of energy, Mama Earth blooming and growing. And from that point, Father Sun begins his waning cycle, the days get slightly shorter and we know that the first harvests of Autumn are coming.

“Light though thou be, thou leapest out of darkness; but I am darkness leaping out of light, leaping out of thee!”— Herman Melville, Moby Dick,

On Solstice today, I reflect on my own light and my own darkness.

I read this Melville quote in a fascinating article “Worshipping the Dark at the Summer Solstice” by John Halstead in the Allergic Pagan site. Definitely worth a read! Thank you @bridgidsgrove for bringing it to my awareness.