Monday, June 21, 2010

Today's Words of Inspiration and Great Giveaways - Are you ready for the longest day of the year?




And no, I don't just mean because it's Monday! Today is officially the first day of summer and the summer solstice! Great now what exactly does that mean?

Glad you asked! Sol + stice derives from a combo of Latin words Sol meaning "sun" + Stice meaning "to stand still." As the days lengthen, the sun rises higher and higher until it seems to be standing still in the sky.

As a major celestial event, the Summer Solstice results in the longest day and the shortest night of the year; it figures the longest day of the year would coincide with a Monday this year! The Northern Hemisphere celebrates in June, but the people on the Southern half of the earth have their longest summer day in December.

During half of the year, the southern hemisphere is more exposed to the sun than is the northern hemisphere. During the rest of the year, the reverse is true. At noontime in the Northern Hemisphere the sun appears high in the sky during summertime, and low during winter. The time of the year when the sun reaches its maximum elevation occurs on the summer solstice -- the day with the greatest number of daylight hours. It typically occurs on, or within a day or two of, JUNE 21 -- the first day of summer.

Early Solstice Celebrations

Awed by the power of the sun, civilizations have for centuries celebrated the first day of summer otherwise known as the Summer Solstice, Midsummer (see Shakespeare), St. John's Day, or the Wiccan Litha.

The Celts and Slavs celebrated the first day of summer with dancing and bonfires to help increase the sun's energy. The Chinese marked the day by honoring Li, the Chinese Goddess of Light. (It's way too hot for a Bonfire, but the dancing sounds fun!)

Perhaps the most enduring modern ties with Summer Solstice were the Druids' celebration of the day as the "wedding of Heaven and Earth", resulting in the present day belief of a "lucky" wedding in June. (Do we have any Ascending Butterfly Brides this June?)

Today, the day is still celebrated around the world - most notably in England at Stonehenge and Avebury, where thousands gather to welcome the sunrise on the Summer Solstice. (I have always wanted to visit Stonehenge during the Summer Soltice!)

Also known as:

The Summer Solstice is also known as: Alban Heflin, Alben Heruin, All-couples day, Feast of Epona, Feast of St. John the Baptist, Feill-Sheathain, Gathering Day, Johannistag, Litha, Midsummer, Sonnwend, Thing-Tide, Vestalia - who knew there were so many names? And I'm sure I probably missed a few more!

And this means what to me?

No matter how you choose to observe the solstice today, whether it's sunny where you are, partly cloudy, windy, rainy or otherwise, Get OUTSIDE! Today, mother nature will provide all the inspiration you need, if you just let her.....

Make the longest day of the year, the happiest day of the year for yourself. Lightworkers.org offers quite an interesting Summer Soltice Invocation HERE, and from it I found words that seemed like a perfect affirmation for this day 'I Am a manifesting Master Being of Light, Reflecting in the radiance of the Sun and Solar Core in Abundance, joy, Love,Wisdom and stability!"

˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙

Happy News! - One of our very own Ascending Butterfly readers signed up using the button below and won an HP Mini Netbook!!! Congrats Theresa! If you haven't already done so, sign up today, it's fun, fast and no apps to install, maybe the summer sun will bring us both some good luck!



˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙

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