The First Day of Summer & the Longest Day of the Year
Solstice is derived from two Latin words:
Sol meaning Sun, and sistere to cause to stand still.
0° Cancer
Sunday, June 20 at 8:32 p.m. PDT
2021 ushers in the beginning of summer on the evening of June 20th.(1) The June Solstice marks the Sun’s movement into the sign of Cancer and the longest day of the year — the beginning of summer.(2) Annually, on this day, the Sun appears to stand still as it reaches its furthest point in the Northern Hemisphere. Now, until the Winter Solstice (Dec. 21), the days will continue to grow shorter as the Sun heads south and enters Capricorn where it simultaneously joins the Southern Cross for three days to be reborn so it can resume its annual journey North, yet again.
Celebrated throughout the world, the changing of the seasons are a mystical astronomical occurrence. The movement of the Sun during the Equinoxes and Solstices, and many other celestial events, have been recorded for millennium at countless ancient sacred sites. One powerful Solstice example is that of the Sun’s perfect astronomical alignment with Stonehenge (as depicted above). This event is so captivating that people flock from all over the world to experience it. As with our ancestors, experiencing and aligning to the mysteries of the heavens can provide us a special glimpse into the greatness of our universe and the unseen forces behind it.
Cancer — the watery sign of the crab is ruled by the Moon and associated with security, family, and balancing our inner versus outer world. With the Cancer Sun’s initiation of summer, we can find ourselves wanting to get outdoors to play and spend time with family and friends, often near or in water. Since the fiery Sun purifies and water cleanses, we can embrace these warm summer months as a time to purify and cleanse our spirit. Immerse yourself in large bodies of water and let the liquid light of the Sun wash away any stagnant pent-up energy caused by working too much or spending too much time indoors.
This Solstice also marks the celebration of Father’s day, as well as, Jupiter’s retrogration at 8:04 a.m. pacific time. Astrologically, the Sun is creative, masculine, and authoritative. It represents the father (and/or the responsible parent) in our horoscope. Jupiter is the planet that is associated with fairness, wisdom, and guidance — all of which a child needs from a parent. In this case, the Sun and Jupiter, along with the Moon in Scorpio, are in a harmonious alignment — providing an opportunity for each of us to recognize when we can offer our creative wisdom to children — especially, our own inner-child.
The Solstice is a time to celebrate and honor the life-giving light of the Sun! Therefore, summer is the season to get outside and play. Through honoring this season of creation, we energetically set in motion a period of renewed awakening in our consciousness. Get outdoors, celebrate this Solstice season with family and friends! Share and rejoice in the ever-giving gift of warmth and inspiration that the Sun bestows to each of us during this season.
1. The Summer Solstice typically occurs on the 20th or 21st and occasionally (albeit rarely) on the 22nd.
2. In the Southern Hemisphere June 20 is the shortest day of the year and December 21 is the longest.
© 2021 by Linda Kaye
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