Secrets of Summer

Everyone knows that Summer brings pleasure and fun activities into our lives. Summer reminds most of us of long periods of sunshine, longer daylight hours, warmth, sunburn, holidays, beaches, soft fruit cocktail drinks, ice cream, lollies, funfairs, bees, butterflies, parasites, pests, dust, hay fever, pollen, headaches, BBQ's, semi-nudity outdoors and these mass gatherings. Some people don't like summer because it's too hot and noisy. This is how people generally feel about summer, whether they like it or not.

There are a few interesting things I've personally noticed about summer.

It sounds different compared to other seasons. During the other seasons, its as though I'm indoors when I'm outside because it's contained. Yet the summer atmosphere appears wide and open, so that I can hear almost everything  even if it's so far away.

Then there is the sensation of the summer having an effect on the human body. I don't just mean getting a tan here. I'm talking really of sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. What would they be?

Hear - The summer has a certain sound. Apart from the summer wildlife, the birds, insects, sea and boats even ect, there is a regular hum everywhere. Beyond the daily noise, there is a vibration that I can only hear in the summer. It gets louder at night when things quieten down so the summer noise is easily heard. It sounds like a perpetual humming that puts a warm pressure to my ears. I don't sense this with other seasons, only during Summer.

Sights - The sun is bright, (never look at it btw), and apart from that, apart from all the trees and flowers in full colourful bloom, the Summer has a look about it. Imagine the SAME landscape or image during each season, unchanged, for instance a cliff or a building. The light gives this scene a certain orangy gold hue, that is unique to summer. Summer light seems golden and everything, even night, feels golden.

Touch - Apart ffom heat, the summer also has a sensation of being felt too. The summer touches the skin a certain way even if it's cloudy and cooler. The summer is like prickly silk touching the skin. Disregard the heat for a moment and concentrate on the texture of the summer. This isn't about sunburn as it can be felt inside and at night. It's not really itchiness but a pleasant summer kiss.


Taste - The summer has a taste to it on my mouth. It's like a dry taste and almost quite bittery as lemon. I get the urge to keep drinking water. This constant sensation of tasting the dryness of summer has an effect on the human appetite because it makes us change our diet. Maybe not for all but definately for some. People go for salads and ice cream and chilled things in summer because they have the same urge. Now I don't really eat fruit but in summer, I need it the most.
   
Smell - The summer has got it's own scent. It is difficult to distinguish what it is exactly because of all the influencing smells coming from all around us. There is a continual smell that isn't so much a perfume or stink but a condition of summer. There is a pressure and humidity on the nose. It drops in other seasons, when it's not noticeable.

Apart from the usual events in summer, there is always going to be one. The biggest, and most ancient celebration in summer is the Summer Solstice. It is a solstice of summer in the Northern hemisphere, but the opposite in the southern hemisphere, and vice versa. The summer soltsice comes on the 21st June.On that day, the sun will be the furthest north in the sky above, and will remain above the most northern points. Northern regions such as the north pole, will experience a midnight sun. Then the sun will slide south on an arc shape.

Now during the summer solstice, the moon is called the Honey Moon. It's considered a magical event. Since ancient times, people celebrated the Summer solstice and they understood the sun's motion. Bonfires were lit, and people used to jump over the flames as it signified fertility for land, better harvest and more children. Fires were lit for many reasons, depending on the place and era but it was mainly about the traditions of fertility. It was thought that bonfires kept away nasty entities. Fires were also meant to look like examples of mini suns.

Other popular names for the Summer solstice are Midsummer and Litha. The Summer solstice is a time when fairies become more influential and stronger felt.In the Shakespearian drama "A Midsummer Night's Dream" that tells a story filled with fairies and magic. Fairy magic is often used.

Now the popularity of fairy tales is an appealing disguise for natural wisdom, folklore, herbalism, magic, and other spiritual vibes resonating with the solar system. The fairies or fae, are a twinkling glimpse of ancient esoteric knowledge. These elemental beings are part of life. Everything is alive. The trees for example are all living an dbreathing. Without them we wouldn't exist. Each tree contains the following:

• History
• The time
• Epochs
• Stars
• Everything
• Medicine
• Contamination
• Beings
• Scripts and oracles
• Data
• Maps

Past, present and future.

The fairies are also part of the bracket of elves, pixies, goblins, gnomes, dwarves, imps, angels, wights, and all kinds of spirits that appear to live in things. Yet humans also live in things to. So do animals.

The summer is a season of the Solar Queen and Sun Goddess.  SHE has many different names and SHE's manifested to people throughout time. SHE has many different names.

To the people of the North, HER name is Sunna.  This version of the goddess Sunna is mentioned time to time in the Eddas. SHE is the sister of the moon. The other peoples of the north worshipped the Goddesses of the sun, such as Celtic solar goddess celebrated in midsummer, called Aine.  In Lapland there is Beiwe, a solar goddess celebrated in midsummer. Solntse and Saule are two Slavic sun goddesses. To the Greeks and Romans, were the shining solar goddesses Dawn and Aurora. This major sun goddess was highly worshipped and revered. SHE's found across the spectrum. In ancient Egypt the sun goddess was Hathor, a goddess who wore with a sun disk above her head. Now in Japanese myth, the sun goddess Amaterasu is the sister of the moon. There are many lesser solar goddesses and daughters of the Sun Mother.

The power of the sun goddess is recognised by poets and artists throughout the ages. Instinctively people yearn for sunlight, warmth and beauty of Summer, which is an instinct to be closer to the Sun Goddess. This powerful lady of the sky was understood very well in past civilisations but her worship was prehistoric, and beautifully right and basic.

It's well known that ancient peoples worshipped the sun. Once you understand HER, you will recognise wisdom.SHE is symbolised as a sun disk. This is a very ancient symbol.The sun goddess is being celebrated during the midsummer festivals. SHE is also honoured and celebrated at the Winter solstice. This particular solstice represents her energy and fertility. This is about HER as a Mother. There are many stone circles built in order to engage with HER astronomically. SHE is the mother of the solar system, and all the planets and moons. 

Rituals (parties) mostly celebrated in summer are weddings, major sporting events, marathons, coronations and anything else that uses fireworks and fiery coloured displays.

Check out the other posts in my "secrets seasons":
Secrets of Spring
Secrets of Winter

Fun Stuff - My fairy name is:

Ember Goblinfrost
She brings riches and wealth.
She lives where fireflies mate and breed.
She is only seen durng the first snow of winter.
She wears dresses that glow with fiery colours and has gentle green wings like a butterfly.      

Check out what your fairy name is here!!!

Links and sources:

Sun goddesses 
Folklore of Shakespear
Fairy Spells

Books:
"The Sun Goddess: Myth Legend and History" by Sheena McGrath
"O Mother Sun! A New View of the Cosmic Feminine" by Patricia Monaghan

Picture at top of the page is "Summer" from Alena Lazareva. Visit the artist here.