Solstice comes from two Latin words: sol: sun and sistit: stands or stay – because for several days before and after each solstice, astronomically speaking, the sun appears to stand still.
As this festival revolves around the sun, one thing which is often suggested is burning a candle for the whole day, especially if it is cloudy or raining. The flame represents the sun and is a reminder of the power and the energy which is available to you while the sun is in the sky. Rituals are best if they are performed at noon, when the sun is at the height of its power. It starts to fade when the sun starts moving again a few days after the longest day.
It is also known as Litha – which means Light
Keywords: Power, leadership, authority
Element: Fire
Associations: Power, joy, courage, happiness, strength, energy, self-confidence, identity, health, wealth and career, maximising opportunities, seizing chances and enjoying the present.
Symbols: Brightly-coloured flowers, oak boughs or tall broad indigenous trees, scarlet, orange and yellow ribbons, gold coloured coins and any gold jewellery, any golden fruit or vegetables.
Animal: Bear
Tree: Oak
Incenses, flower and herbs: Chamomile, dill, elder, fennel, lavender, frankincense, orange, marigolds, rosemary, sage and sagebrush, St. John’s Wort, lemon verbena and vervain, any golden, red or orange flowers
Candle colours: Red, orange, gold
Crystals: Amber, carnelian, red jasper, sun stone, clear quartz, citrine
Things To Do
- Meditate on the Sun or on the Fire element and use the energy to transform your life in some way. (See Solar Power Blog)
- Meditate on the key words of the festival – power, leadership and authority and see if you can claim them in new and exciting ways to enhance your life. You can also ask if you are the one who has power, leadership and authority in your life – or have you given it away to someone else. This would be the perfect day to claim it back using the energy of the Sun to literally fire you up about taking back control of your life on all levels!
- Find new ways to cleanse your solar plexus chakra – this is where the fire element lives in your energy system. Also if you cleanse it the night before, on Solstice Day you can set the intention to absorb the energy of the sun in this chakra from dawn until noon to energize everything!
- Call on Nathaniel – the Angel of Fire – and see what you can co-create with him on Solstice Day using the energy of Fire and his beautiful angelic vibrations.(See Nathaniel blog)
- Make sun water – place a bowl of still mineral water outside with cleansed clear quartz or citrine in the water, and cover it with film or mesh from dawn till noon. Remove the covering and the crystals at noon. You can then usesmall amounts of the water in your bath or in your drinks to either heal or energise – or both! You can also use it to open your crown chakra by placing a few drops on your head, or place the water in a spray bottle and use it to cleanse your aura.
- Place gold jewellery in the sunlight from dawn until noon with the intention of allowing it to absorb the Sun’s energy so you can then transfer into your energy system when you wear the jewellery later. If it is not a sunny day, light a gold candle and place the jewellery around it until the candle burns though.
- Light sun oils, frankincense, juniper, rosemary, orange or benzoin or burn them to bring the power of the Sun into where you live or where you work.
But, whatever you decide to do to celebrate on 21st… enjoy it!
Bright Blessings
Gailx