Happy Solstice, Midsummer, Litha, etc! I’ve officially surpassed my one-year mark of practicing divinations for this little blog of mine.
The time between spring equinox and summer solstice seems to have stretched on so far, somehow. This past month Andrew and I traveled to Pennsylvania to visit my family for a week. No sooner had we gotten back to Tucson then we were off to Florida to see Andrew’s family next. Both trips went smoothly and pleasantly, and were overall good times. I’ve been contemplating the landscapes—so many packed into one month. The east coast cities and suburbs and farm land, verdant Pennsylvania mountains, Florida swamps with impenetrable humidity, giant live oaks saturated in Spanish moss. The full heat of summer, finally cracking through and starting the slow bake across our desert town. We are not begging for monsoon just yet, but soon.
Encouraged by the success of my herb containers, Jess and I have started tending to a little plot in Tucson Community Gardens. A beautiful oasis with shade trees and hollyhock and chickens watching through the coop fencing. Our first bean sprouts are breaking through the soil already—here’s hoping the birds don’t decimate them.
What else have I been up to?
> Celebrating my birthday with a fabulous German feast cooked by Andrew.
> Reading From Here to Eternity and Braiding Sweetgrass. Both blew me away, but Braiding Sweetgrass especially had a lasting impact. I’m through the roof. Can’t recommend this book enough.
> Attending full moon rituals with The Ninth House.
> Tamping down the dirt on our new backyard garden pathway.
> Being grateful for my house. For the ability to just be home after so much travel.
So what’s becoming? What illuminates on this longest evening? I crack an egg for my Yaga self. I throw the bones to see.
My attention is immediately drawn to the buried, the subconscious. In the substrata of your life, underneath all the external comings and goings there is anxiety, fear, a mindset of scarcity and danger. Fox, who often acts as a guide through our dreams and subconscious, is showing me there is a strong link between these mental states and your health. There is a strong link between the fragility and depletion of the environment and your wellbeing, both physical and mental.
This season is a time to explore these connections, to ask yourself what can I do for the natural world around me? How can I break the scarcity mindset, Rabbit mindset, the voice that tells me I will soon be prey. This is a path to heal yourself.
I see two of our herd animals playing a key role in your energies this season, acting as your good strong ribs of protection. Elk is covering Gar which shows me that right now the Elk way of being trumps the Gar ways. Elk tells you to tap into your higher, divine self and carry yourself with nobility when confronting others. There is more beneficial energy in community gathering than solitude right now. Be thoughtful vs reactionary, empathetic vs cold.
Likewise, Bison is chasing out Badger. Right now, the Bison way of communicating and holding space is much stronger than Badger defensiveness. Solitude, gruffness, individualistic self-preservation is not gonna fly this season. Your deliberate manner, self-confidence, and cooperation will be the source of your power and respect.
Sheep is the good angel on your shoulder, the badge of honor on your chest. This reminds you of your gentleness, the virtue of softness, of being supportive and nurturing to others. Your domestic, home life and close relationships will continue to be a positive influence throughout the summer.
Aligned dead center, right at the heart of things, is Hedgehog. A reminder of when to speak and when to be silent, and how to moderate between exposure and protection, inward and outward balance. Hedgehog is also a signal that when you present to the world, to be joyful, curious and inquisitive.
Both Hedgehog and Sheep seem to be vibrating the highest, rising to the top. This is who should come to the surface for you this season if you let the large herd animals drive away reptilian and badging darker aspects of yourself.
Finally, I am seeing signs of this summer bringing some completely disjointed communication. Don’t be surprised by missed connections, by things not lining up or moving forward. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it just means there may not be a ton of momentum on group projects or worklife or new endeavors involving others this season.
It may feel like you’re sort of floating through the weeks without traction. Like you’re drifting on the wind. Conversations come and go, but the pieces won’t click. Maybe you are awaiting news or discussions that just aren’t coming. A gap of silence. The advice I’m getting is to be patient like the Moose. Listen carefully and just hold the space, it’s all you can do.
Try to enjoy the open stillness, try to enjoy the drift for a bit, because it won’t last forever.