Today is the “Longest” day of the year - the Summer Solstice. Called a
variation of Midsummer by most northern cultures, this marks a day of
great celebration. When man determined time by the sun and moon,
midsummer was the middle of the growing season. Most celebrations took
on a joyous quality. At Midsummer food was easier to find, herbs could
be gathered and crops had been planted in anticipation of a bountiful
harvest. It was considered by some cultures a good time to wed as it
fell between the intense work of planting and harvesting of crops. The
“downtime” could be spent in preparation and celebrations. In China it
was a time of balance. Midsummer celebrated the earth, the feminine, and
the yin forces. It complemented the winter solstice which celebrated
the heavens, masculinity and yang forces.
Now with modern technology driving our lives, it is barely noticed.
However, the natural world will be resetting its internal clocks to
reflect the eventual slide toward the cold season. Now is the time for
second clutches of eggs or litters and for the young to start their
intense survival training. Sunlight drives the natural rhythm of plants.
The work of photosynthesis has reached its peak and now food production
will decline. With the gradual decrease in sunlight some plants will
start setting buds for the next growing season. We owe this all to the
23.5º tilt of Mother Earth. It causes sunlight to be unevenly
distributed over our planet’s surface as it orbits around the sun. This
creates the seasons – the main driver behind the Rhythm of Life. (Originally posted 6-20-12)
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
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