Update June 21st 2013: Today’s Summer Solstice took place at 05:04am GMT. The Sun is now officially in Cancer
If you’re a Pagan, Druid, hippy, event junkie, urban tourist or general Sun worshipper, the place to be at sunrise tomorrow morning, 4:46am on Thursday June 21 2012, is Stonehenge, Wiltshire, in the UK.
This prehistoric stone age site is believed to have been built around 2600 BC, and is regarded as one of the most sacred places on the planet.
It’s not conclusive why Stonehenge was built but it may have been a pagan temple for ceremonies, honouring both the Moon and the Sun. In astrology, the Sun and Moon are divine powers in the sky, the Sun represents the male and the Moon the female.
The Sun has been worshipped for many years as a vital source of life. For some Pagans, the Summer Solstice marks the marriage of the God and Goddess and their union creates the harvest that bears fruit.
As the Sun rises tomorrow morning, the Heel stone outside of the stone circle at Stonehenge aligns with the first rays of the Sun as they beam directly into the ancient site. In astrology the Summer Solstice correlates with the Sun’s move into the sign of Cancer and the longest day of the year. Solstice means a stopping or standing still of the Sun, when the Sun is at its maximum elevation in the sky.
This is a time to celebrate growth and life and to be in awe of the vitality of the life-giving Sun. So whether you start the day with a series of yoga postures called a Sun salutation, build a big bonfire in honour of the Sun, or book your holiday to Costa del Sol to lie on a sun lounger and work on your tan, do what fits for you to offer devotion to the mighty power of the Sun.
The Sun Never Says
Even after all this time
The sun never says to the earth,
“You owe Me.”
Look what happens with
A love like that,
It lights the Whole Sky.
Hafiz
[photo from flickr.com]