Making Meaning of the Summer Solstice

Summary

The website article discusses the significance of the summer solstice, reflecting on its historical and cultural importance, and suggests that reconnecting with its meaning could offer valuable insights for modern society.

Abstract

This year's summer solstice, occurring on June 21 at 04:24 UTC, is highlighted as a pivotal moment in human history, traditionally celebrated by various cultures as a time of spiritual significance and the beginning of summer. The article laments the loss of this tradition's deeper meaning in 21st-century America, where it is often overshadowed by commercial and Christian influences. It argues that the solstice represents transformation, renewal, and a chance for spiritual cleansing, which is often forgotten in contemporary life. The author encourages readers to reflect on the solstice's symbolism, suggesting that a reconnection with ancient wisdom could provide a much-needed sense of meaning and consciousness-raising in today's world.

Opinions

The author believes that modern society, particularly in America, has lost touch with the profound significance of the summer solstice due to the influence of capitalism and Christianity.
There is a critical view of Christianity's historical efforts to co-opt non-Christian traditions, including the solstice, which has contributed to the dilution of its original meaning.
The article suggests that the solstice still holds relevance today as a moment for personal gratitude, reflection, and appreciation of nature.
The author values ancient wisdom and rituals, seeing them as a source of guidance and meaning that could benefit contemporary culture.
The author's daughter's interest in the solstice and her sharing of its significance on social media is seen as an encouraging sign that younger generations are open to rediscovering and embracing ancient traditions.

An ancient tradition of celebration has a lot to offer us

This year’s summer solstice will occur on June 21 at 04:24 UTC. Throughout human history, cultures worldwide have marked this astronomical event as an important spiritual occasion. Being the moment when the earth is at its maximum tilt towards the sun, it is viewed as the official first day of summer. It is also a moment of change.

Pre-Christian societies imbued the solstice with profound meaning. Hestia, the ancient Greek goddess and Vesta, goddess of the ancient Roman Vestal virgins, were venerated with multi-day festivals of worship. In China, Yang forces are most prevalent on solstice and Yin energy is at its weakest. The Mayans, Nordic peoples, Druids of the British Isles, Africans and ancient Egyptians, Slavic peoples and Native peoples across the globe have ceremonies and rituals associated with the summer solstice.

And what of us in 21st century America? For most of us, solstice simply means summer vacation time and buying lots of sunscreen. Progress and capitalism have little use for such an event, except where profit might be made. Christianity, in its centuries long crusade to co-opt and dismantle non-Christian traditions, has help render the solstice meaningless as well.

You will recall that the Christian church chose Roman Saturnalia to place its Christmas, burnt a lot of witches, tortured and persecuted those who clung to pre-Christian beliefs and even established the Easter season directly over the tradition of the spring equinox and May Day celebrations.

The result is a bizarre blend of church-going and Easter egg events, which were taken from the ancient tradition of celebrating fertility rites in spring. Along the way, the meaning of the solstice has been lost, along with a range of important events that have mattered to humans for eons.

What is at the core of all this summer solstice controversy? The solstice is seen as a moment of change, of transformation, of energy, of new beginnings. It is a time when renewal, spiritual cleansing and solar nourishment are emphasized. It is a moment when consciousness can be raised and gratitude can be expressed.

While I am certainly no sage when it comes to the movement of planets and the placement of constellations, I do appreciate ancient wisdom and its legacy. Our ancestors knew something about life on earth we have probably forgotten.

In a time when our nation and the world seems off-kilter and somewhat lost, it might behoove us to look to things like the solstice and consider the symbology of such moments. Lord knows we could use a good bit of consciousness raising.

As I get older, I have begun to appreciate small moments in life that encourage reflection.

What if, before we slather on the sunscreen, pack the RVs and campers and brave the crush at airports, we took a moment to make some meaning of this change of seasons? What if we wished for each other a season of personal gratitude and appreciation for the simple, yet savory joy of feeling the sun on our faces?

My daughter is graduating from university this month around solstice time. I told her I was writing a little piece about it and we had an amazing, unexpected conversation about ancient rites and she confessed that she feels her generation is lacking for true moments of meaning. She is busy with graduation plans, summer travel plans, social plans and a host of other distractions, as are her friends and fellow graduates.

Our talk about the solstice inspired her to research the subject, share the event with her friends and to even post about it on social media. I’m fortunate that she appreciates my eclectic interests and that she might be able to offer some sense of the moment to her friends. Maybe some of the ancient ways still have something to offer us.

Happy solstice, everyone!