Happy Summer Solstice!

Published on by Colleen M. Chesebro

Today is the first day of summer!

Last Christmas, my husband and I made the decision to no longer celebrate Christmas – at least not in the commercialized way the holiday has morphed into. Instead, we now celebrate the Winter Solstice. The exciting part of making this decision is that we now get two holidays! The Winter Solstice and the Summer Solstice!

Happy Summer Solstice!

This year, our solstice celebration will be celebrated on International Fairy Day, June 24th. I have a wee medical procedure scheduled for tomorrow, so it made sense to wait until the weekend. I don’t believe I have any Irish heritage, but I claim it by my name – Colleen. Today, I am going to do my version of a nature meditation on Amergin.

ThoughtCo.com shares the history of Amergin:

“Amergin was a leader of the Milesians, one of the ancient tribes that conquered Ireland around 1500 B.C.E., removing the Tuatha de Danaan from power. One of three Druids who spearheaded the takeover, Amergin is referred to as the First Druid of the Gaels in the Irish Book of Invasions.

Thought to be the oldest poem in the Irish language, Amergin’s song is lyrical and narrative, evocative of the strength and power of Ireland itself. Poets and bards enjoyed high status in early Celtic society, and Amergin’s song (which is actually a collection of several pieces) reflects that hierarchy, as well as some of the core beliefs held by the Druids and their people.”

Here is the song of Amergin shared in a quote from Amergin.net:

Amergin, Bard of the Milesians, lays claim to the Land of Ireland

I am a stag: of seven tines,

I am a flood: across a plain,

I am a wind: on a deep lake,

I am a tear: the Sun lets fall,

I am a hawk: above the cliff,

I am a thorn: beneath the nail,

I am a wonder: among flowers,

I am a wizard: who but I

Sets the cool head aflame with smoke?

I am a spear: that roars for blood,

I am a salmon: in a pool,

I am a lure: from paradise,

I am a hill: where poets walk,

I am a boar: ruthless and red,

I am a breaker: threatening doom,

I am a tide: that drags to death,

I am an infant: who but I

Peeps from the unhewn dolmen, arch?

I am the womb: of every holt,

I am the blaze: on every hill,

I am the queen: of every hive,

I am the shield: for every head,

I am the tomb: of every hope.

Song of Amergin translated by Robert Graves, from The White Goddess, Faber and Faber Limited, 24 Russell Square London WC1. It appears here under the principle of Fair Use.

From Wikipedia there is another translation of this poem:

 “In her Gods and Fighting Men (1904),[2] Augusta, Lady Gregory translates The Song of Amergin as such:

I am the wind on the sea;

I am the wave of the sea;

I am the bull of seven battles;

I am the eagle on the rock

I am a flash from the sun;

I am the most beautiful of plants;

I am a strong wild boar;

I am a salmon in the water;

I am a lake in the plain;

I am the word of knowledge;

I am the head of the spear in battle;

I am the god that puts fire in the head;

Who spreads light in the gathering on the hills?

Who can tell the ages of the moon?

Who can tell the place where the sun rests?”[3]“

As I begin to read The Song of Amergin, I decide to take a mindful approach when I recite this poem as part of my meditation. I want to think about how the words apply to me today in my life.

To begin, I lit an orange candle (click HERE to learn what the different colors represent) so that the power of positivity can flow into my life. I stand with my feet on the ground and my hands raised to the sky.

I read the words and concentrated on the answers and different meanings of the last three questions:

Who spreads light in the gathering on the hills?

Who can tell the ages of the moon?

Who can tell the place where the sun rests?

I felt my spirit soar as I ended my meditation. This experience fills my heart with joy. I feel peace and contentment in my place in the world today.

I welcome the new season of summer and look forward to the bounty that this time of year bestows on my family.

HOW WILL YOU CELEBRATE THE LONGEST DAY OF THE YEAR?

Here are some ideas:


Have your friends over and celebrate with a bonfire or a barbecue

Take a walk in nature and be mindful of the magical beauty around you

Dance in the moonlight and feel young again

Read a great book


Celebrate family and friends

Celebrate the season and experience the magic

Thanks for stopping by to celebrate the Summer Solstice with me! ❤

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39 thoughts on “Happy Summer Solstice!”

  15. What a great post, Colleen, and wonderful way to celebrate the longest day and usher in the season. I spent the day in the garden loving up the plants. Nothing spectacular, but full of appreciation for the nature around me. Happy Summer!

    Liked by 2 people

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  17. Marvelous! Belated solstice blessings to you Colleen.
    I tried (actually still do, just don’t talk about it) to do this. But all the relentless “Christmas” at work… accompanied by the utterly thoughtless questions of my coworkers. Imagine all the millions the government has spent on “diversity awareness” training, and yet the employees are still only vaguely aware of the existence of religious diversity, and utterly dumbfounded when confronted by the existence of someone who doesn’t celebrate Christmas. Then there’s the derision and judgement of the associated “bad person” bull$#!t…
    Cheers and hugs.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    2. LOL! I’ve battled this my whole life. In my 20’s I chose Buddhism as my path toward enlightenment. I’ve been the strange person forever. This was a natural move for us. We had a great laugh over being “Pagan Buddhists!” LOL! People can be small minded. I share more about my life on my blog than I ever did in real life, so I understand your position. No matter. You can celebrate with me anytime. Happy Summer Solstice! ❤

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

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