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Midsummer 2023—The Height of the Light
These are the long days, in the Northern Hemisphere. The days of long, languid evenings, full of song and sex and celebration. Cookouts and trips to the beach; days of sunblock and wide-brimmed hats. It’s Midsummer: the Sabbath of Leisure. I imagine this was the way in Olde Europe: crops were planted and growing but not yet ready for harvest, and there wasn’t much else to do but lounge around, drink beer and fool around. Perhaps mine is an idealized imagining; it doesn’t matter, because my Atheopaganism isn’t about Olde Tymes anyway. It’s about now. The gorgeous generosity of now. As I write, the Sun is finally down and light…
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Midsummer 2020
In the Northern Hemisphere, the long days are upon us*! These are the days of Midsummer. Click here for all the previous posts about this Sabbath. To me, Midsummer is the celebration of the prime of life–of robust, confident adulthood (rather than the urgent young adulthood of May Day), and, in the agricultural cycle, of relaxation and ease between the earlier plowing, sowing and planting and the later harvest Sabbaths. Many Midsummers I have celebrated have been times to deliberately, conscientiously goof off: to relax, eat and socialize with friends. Perhaps to go to the beach, which is a fine Midsummer tradition. But this is the (first?) year of COVID-19.…
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CANCELED: Midsummer Dawn event
Regrettably, projected spread of the COVID-19 virus indicates that it is simply not safe to plan a group gathering for late June, so I have been forced to cancel Midsummer Dawn 2020. I will refund the registration fees of those who have signed up over the next few days. I’m really sad about this, but public safety takes precedence over fun. Stay safe, everyone.
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Midsummer Dawn: A Regional Pagan Event
Midsummer Dawn is a low-tech Pagan gathering for those of us who miss events like Ancient Ways. We’ll do a couple of (non-theist) rituals in the evenings, but mostly focus on socializing and building community. Two nights under the magnificent stars in the exquisite Sugarloaf Ridge State Park in Sonoma County, California! There is a waterfall we can hike to, and simply beautiful land to enjoy. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A SUNDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT. Saturday was not available. This is a camping event, so bring your gear, and plan to cook for yourself. We will have a potluck shared dinner on the first night (Sunday). Grocery shopping is…
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Midsummer
Historically, Midsummer—also known as the summer solstice, or the Longest Day, coming up this year on June 21—was a time of enjoyment. Crops had been planted, but they weren’t bearing yet, so there was little to do but celebrate the long days and have a good time. Garden vegetables were beginning to produce and lambs and new goats were mature enough to cull, so there were food and drink, and time to enjoy one another’s company, create culture, and live at ease. Today, sadly, most people aren’t even aware that the summer solstice is upon them. It passes as just another day, despite the fact that we make such a…
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A Ritual of Ease for Midsummer
My circle met at my home yesterday. I’ve been circling with the same group for 27 years as of this upcoming Hallows (Samhain). We started as a group of six, and over time have expanded to ten, but all the original members are still here. It’s pretty remarkable. Dark Sun circle is my family. I don’t have blood family any more, so they are it when it comes to celebration of holidays, sharing of confidences, shared grief and celebration. We’ve been through marriages and divorces, all sorts of life changes. Thankfully, no deaths, yet. So it was wonderful to see them. We’re kind of far-flung, so we only get together…
