Feel the Power!
This is a powerful weekend! Today is Juneteenth, and tomorrow there is a solar eclipse (visible in the Eastern Hemisphere) on the eve of the summer solstice. These events are an opportunity for both celebrating and doing some deep work.
June 19th is an important day in the story of Black liberation, in which we celebrate the day enslaved people in Texas were acknowledged by the government as free. It is a holiday that represents resilience. However, slavery didn’t really end on that day in 1865. Jim Crow laws continued for a long time after, and today, mass incarceration and other systems of oppression continue to represent a lack of freedom and respect for Black people.
But, today is another momentous moment in the history of the struggle for civil rights. Many are calling now for Juneteenth to become a federal holiday. Recent mass protests, and efforts by many grassroots organizations, have been gaining momentum and we are seeing results in the fight for justice for Black and Brown lives. There have also been recent victories for members of our LGBTQ+ community, with a historic ruling by the Supreme Court.
Many people are feeling more empowered to learn, grow and develop the capacity to acknowledge and change the hurtful systems that we are a part of. Despite all of the challenges in these times, there is hope. Let’s commit to keeping the light alive.
Celebrating the Light: The Symbology of These Times
Saturday, June 20th is the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, which represents the first day of summer and is the longest day of the year. This article discusses the symbology of this time and ways to celebrate the light this weekend.
This change of seasons has been celebrated by peoples and cultures around the world for thousands of years. (See National Geographic article linked below.) This year is extra special because there will also be an eclipse! This event will create a stunning visual effect known as “the ring of fire.”
Why is Symbolism Important?
Symbolism helps create meaning and emotion. It creates a way for us to enter more deeply into the profound nature of life. In viewing our lives as a symbolic story, we can change our perspectives and gain understanding. Metaphors and allegory are literary elements that help writers create symbolism in their stories. What metaphors and analogies can you make from this moment in history and from this moment in your own personal story?
The Symbolism of this Time
With the light shining at its apex, the summer solstice represents seeing clearly or shining light on something. It represents a time of discovery, understanding and awakening. This could be an “aha” moment or sudden insight. This theme is mirrored in the current national and global movements as many people are more able to look at the pain and trauma being unearthed.
The eclipse adds additional layers of potency. Light and sun in many traditions are viewed as consciousness, or the known, and the moon and darkness are often viewed as the unconscious, or that which is unknown. In Jungian psychology, the Shadow, is a hidden, repressed or unconscious aspect. When the moon blocks the light from the sun, a shadow is cast upon the Earth that can finally be seen. This literal shadow can represent that both our collective and personal shadows are being revealed.
Hooray! This is cause for celebration. But, discovering the parts and dynamics within ourselves, our families and our societies that we have not been fully aware of can also be extremely uncomfortable and upsetting. Great compassion is needed right now, and allowing our authentic experience. Allow, listen, observe and integrate.
How to Celebrate Summer
Here are 10 ideas of activities to do this weekend to consciously participate in the honoring of summer. Many of these suggestions are rooted in traditions that people have practiced for centuries. By participating in any of these activities, I invite you to bring into your awareness that you are not alone, and that you are engaging in rituals and creative ingenuity that has been passed down by our human relations the world over.
- Build a fire: A bonfire or BBQ is a great way to celebrate the heat and the light this weekend. If you don’t have access, light a candle instead, and spend some time watching the flame.
- Get outside: Take advantage of the longest day and go for a walk, hike or lounge under the sun.
- Journal, meditate, educate: Take time to be still. Reflect on your life and the present moment. Research Juneteenth, solstice, or other current events. What is being revealed to you? What is challenging and what is enlivening?
- Make art: Free your creativity. Photograph things that capture your attention, make a collage of your feelings (the light and the dark), paint the sky.
- Watch the sunrise or sunset: It’s the longest day of light we will have all year! Savor it by taking in its full magnificence by spending time with the sun at dawn and dusk.
- Cook a conscious meal: Gather plants, flowers and ingredients that represent Summer to you. Nourish your body this weekend with foods that make you feel good and give you energy.
- Circles, spirals and mandalas: These objects representing wholeness are a great way to reset balance within yourself. Draw a mandala, meditate with a spiral or walk a labyrinth.
- Sun salutations: Many modern day Yogis have begun a tradition of doing 108 sun salutations on the Summer Solstice. Get out your yoga mat and dive on in.
- Celebrate Father Figures: This weekend is also Father’s day and the sun, in many cultures, also represents masculine energy. Acknowledge and celebrate the father figures in your life and the positive aspects and gifts that they bring.
- Play: If you have kids, play with them. But, adults without kids can play too! Unleash your imagination, be silly, goofy, play make-believe and have fun!
Resources
Short video about Juneteenth (3min):
https://youtu.be/iu6ntwHws5g
Supreme Court LGBTQ Employement Rights
https://www.npr.org/2020/06/15/863498848/supreme-court-delivers-major-victory-to-lgbtq-employees
Summer Solstice History
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/topics/reference/summer-soltice-history-around-world/