Hitting Send

Summer has finally arrived! June 20 marks Summer Solstice (Litha), the longest day of the year for those of us in the northern hemisphere. In California, we’ll get to enjoy nearly 15 hours of daylight. Don’t be fooled by the fact that during this period the Summer Solstice always occurred on 21 June. This is just a feature of the slow drift through the dates on a 400 year cycle. The last time the Solstice was not on this date was 1975 when it occurred on 22 June, and in the year 2012 it will occur on 20 June.

The cause of the Summer Solstice – the name of which is derived from the Latin words sol meaning “Sun,” and sistere, meaning “stand still” – is due to the angle of the Earth on its axis. On this day, the Earth is at its greatest tilt toward the Sun (in Winter, it is tilted away), and the Sun is in its northernmost position of the year, above the Tropic of Cancer, where it will hover, shedding maximum rays toward Earth before beginning its journey back toward the equator.

Known as “midsummer” in previous centuries, the day was revered by many cultures, from the Druids to the Incas to ancient Egyptians. They held festivals and feasts to celebrate the bounty of the warmer months and, in some locations, the monsoon rains, which enriched the land. Summer Solstice was also viewed by many as a time of fertility and good fortune, with weddings traditionally taking place on the day or within the month. This is because many ancient peoples believed that the “grand [sexual] union” of the Goddess and God occurred in early May at Beltaine. Since it was unlucky to compete with the deities, many couples delayed their weddings until June (June continues to be the most popular month for weddings).

Although the name Litha is not well attested, it may come from Saxon tradition — the opposite of Yule. On this longest day of the year, light and life are abundant. At mid-summer, the Sun God has reached the moment of his greatest strength. Seated on his greenwood throne, he is also lord of the forests, and his face is seen in church architecture peering from countless foliate masks.

While observance is relatively low in the states, I am encouraging everyone to celebrate! It’s time to indulge in some Sun-worshipping, Moon and star gazing! Head for the beach, lake, or favorite hiking trail. Gather with friends over some refreshing drinks and bask in the Moonlight!

Whatever is dreamed on this night, will come to pass.

~William Shakespeare on Summer Solstice~

I will take time to appreciate the day with some thoughtful solitude about what the next phase of the year will bring. After all, for ancient civilizations, Summer Solstice was like our modern-day New Year’s Eve and was viewed as a time of rebirth and renewal.

However you choose to spend the day and weekend, I hope that it is a joyous celebration of the beauty of Summer. Blessed Solstice, my friends!

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Memorial Day is a United States Federal Holiday commemorating U.S. men and women who have died in military service to their country. Originally known as Decoration Day, the holiday was established in Waterloo, New York on May 5, 1866. The date was later changed to May 30, as the original date didn’t coincide with the anniversary of any battle. The date was later changed, once again, to the last Monday in May in order to create a three-day Holiday weekend. Many people observe this holiday by visiting cemeteries and memorials. A national moment of remembrance takes place at 9 p.m. US Eastern time. Another tradition is to fly the U.S. flag at half-staff from dawn until noon local time. Volunteers thoughtfully place an American flag upon each grave site located in a National Cemetery.

This Holiday led me to calling my grandfather to ask him about his service in World War II and learned that of the 1,000 soldiers with whom he fought, less than one hundred are still alive today. After being rejected by the Air Force, due to less than perfect vision, he was quickly drafted by the U.S. Army on September 24, 1942. My grandmother was three months pregnant with my mother when he was shipped to Indio, CA. He was then sent from base to base around the states, before being shipped overseas on a passenger ship, the Cape Town Castle, bound for England. It was there that he received further training for duties in a Tank Battalion, before being sent to assist in the liberation of France. Here is what he has written about being sent to Omaha Beach:

We would be attached to the First Division, an experienced outfit that had won its spurs in North Africa and Sicily. Though we didn’t know it at the moment, the destination for our people was Omaha Beach.

I had few thoughts of being placed in great danger as D Day approached, for my job as message center sergeant would place me in the rear area with the division headquarters, not up on the front with the combat units. With a location like that I should suffer little stress, and worry only about long range artillery, or air strikes, but not be concerned with the shorter range weapons such as mortars, machine guns and rifle fire.

On June 6 it was announced over the radio and in the newspapers that the invasion had begun. The long waiting was over. Now we only had to learn what had happened to our Battalion of medium tanks. The light tanks were still with us.

It was not until we had been shipped across the channel that we finally discovered the extent of our losses. This event took place some four or five days after D Day, since the big question of whether or not the beach could be held was not answered until that time.

We went over in what was called an LST, or Landing Ship Tank, the same sort of vessel that had been used to ferry our tanks across the water on June 5th and 6th. It was a cumbersome ship, that handled poorly in the choppy waves that were still churning up the channel, following the big storm that had come right after the landings.

We docked at what was called a Mulberry, a huge floating dock that had been towed across from England and installed at the edge of the water on Omaha Beach. It was now receiving the thousands of reinforcements that were being poured into the beachhead, as well as we noncombatants.

Upon arrival I was struck by the solemnity of the men who were awaiting us. Their demeanor was sad, and the strain of the past four days showed mightily on their faces. The bad news came quickly, as we learned of the disaster that had over taken these men in the first hours of the landing.

There are two beautiful tales my grandfather shared with me about his experiences of his time across seas. The first occurred when he entered Paris after the Liberation. He recalled that the joy and appreciation among locals there was something to behold. French people were running up to the American soldiers to offer them wine! Yes, this I can well imagine their doing. The second tale was of his return to Paris exactly fifty years later for the celebratory parade, as his Regent had been invited to participate. It was an evening parade winding through the streets of Paris, ending at City Hall. Now, my grandfather met up with those with whom he fought annually, and would not miss this event either. It is unfortunate that somebody stole his wallet during the parade, but he celebrated and enjoyed despite that. Grandpa, you do us all proud.

I hope that you will all take a moment to honour the soldiers who have given their lives to fight for this country on Monday. In rememberance of their bravery, Blessed Memorial Day.

Feliz Cinco de Mayo! Happy 5th of May! So why are we sipping margaritas again? It’s Mexican Independence Day, right? A common misconception, to be sure. But, Mexico declared its intentions to be free from mother Spain on Sept 16, 1810, just over fifty years prior to the Battle of Puebla, which is the real reason we celebrate Cinco de Mayo.

Mexico finally gained independence from Spain in 1821 after a difficult and bloody struggle. They went through a number of political takeovers and wars, including the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) and the Mexican Civil War of 1858, which ruined the national economy. During this period of struggle, Mexico had accumulated heavy debts to several nations, including Spain, England and France. On July 17, 1861 Mexican President Benito Juarez issued a moratorium in which all foreign debts would be suspended for two years. Well, this did not go over so well, and Spain, England and France all sent troops into Mexico to collect the money they were owed. After negotiating settlement of debts, the Spanish and English withdrew. But Napolean III, ruler of France, hoped to build an empire in Mexico, and thus gain a foothold in the Americas, and ordered his troops to attack.

France invaded at the gulf coast of Mexico along the state of Veracruz and began marching toward Mexico City. American President Abraham Lincoln, while sympathetic to the cause, was involved in the Civil War at the time, and was therefore unable to assist. The well outfitted French army, who had not lost a battle in fifty years, encountered strong resistance near Puebla (which is about 100 miles outside Mexico City). Led by Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza, a smaller militia of Mexicans were able to stop the invasion of their country.The victory was a glorious moment of accomplishment for Mexican patriots, which at the time helped to develop a much needed sense of national unity, and is the cause for the historical date’s celebration.

Unfortunately, the victory was short lived. Upon hearing the bad news, Napolean III sent more troops overseas to invade Mexico again. 30,000 more troops and a full two years later, the French won the war and Archduke Maximilian of Austria was made ruler of Mexico. His rule was short lived, from 1864-1867. With the American Civil War over, the US assisted in expelling the French. But, despite the eventual French invasion of Mexico City, Cinco de Mayo honours the bravery and victory of General Zaragoza’s smaller, outnumbered militia at the Battle of Puebla (Batalla de Puebla).

The holiday of Cinco de Mayo is primarily a regional holiday in Mexico, celebrated in the state of Puebla. It is celebrated on a much larger scale in the United States than it is in Mexico. Commercial interests within the US have capitalized on the celebration by advertising Mexican products, with an emphasis on beverages (commercially coined ‘Drinko de Mayo’). The American border towns, and parts of the country with a high population of Mexican heritage honour this holiday with parades, mariachi music, folklorico dancing, and traditions foods. A beautiful culture of gorgeous people shall be in my thoughts as I celebrate and honour this holiday today. Feliz Cinco de Mayo all!

It is the eve of May Day, as it is known by the Catholic Church, or Beltane (most commonly pronounced BELL-tayn), as the Celts called it, which is derived from the Irish Gaelic ‘Bealtaine’ or the Scottish Gaelic ‘Bealtaine’, meaning ‘Bel-fire’, the fire of the Celtic God of Light (Bel, Beli, Belinus or Belinos being one name for the Sun God). Celtic festivals often tied in with the needs of the community; and since Spring was the beginning of the farming calendar, the community was hopeful for a fruitful year ahead for their families and fields. This festival celebrates the start of the Light Half of the Year, the coming of Summer, and the desire for fertility in crops, flocks, herds and humans. Beltane is the most overtly and unashamed sexual festival of flowers, fertility, love and lust. The baby animals are being born, new plants are growing shoots, flowers bloom, trees rebirth their leaves, and the God and Goddess are ready to unite as one.

The Maypole is the symbol for the union of God (the May King, Jack in the Green, Hod or Green God, which was also the name for Robin Hood) and Goddess (the May Queen, Flora, or Maid (May) Marian). Interestingly, it has been suggested that the Catholic Church made Mary the Queen of May as a way of promoting chastity rather than the sexuality of earlier Goddesses associated with May. The unity is represented by the weaving of ribbons (a web of life) around the Maypole, which is an obvious phallic symbol representing the God and the ribbons that encompass it are the Goddess. I remember as a little girl in Holland, dressed in traditional dress, garland upon my head, I just loved dancing around the Maypole, watching the ribbons weave together. Little did I know that it was a symbol for the sexual union of God and Goddess.

Another important ritual is the Beltane fire. Community bonfires were lit upon the mountain or hilltops, from which individual hearth fires were then lit. May boughs (Rowan) and May bushes (Hawthorn) were used. The fire was thought to cleanse, purify and increase fertility. Leaping over the fire is supposed to bring good fortune, happiness, and fertility of mind, body and spirit. Also, cattle were passed between two fires to ensure fertility. I hear one should be careful what one wishes for before leaping a Beltane fire, because the wish will come true.

In the British Isles young men and maidens would go a-Maying on the eve of May Day, spending all night in the forest and returning at day break “bringing in the May”, adorning villages with Spring boughs and blossoms. There was much criticism of this practice, as it was said that very few maidens returned in a pure state, so to speak. The children conceived on Beltane were considered to be gifts from the Gods and were known as ‘Merry-Be-Gots’.

Today, one can celebrate Beltane by sending flowers to a loved one, planting new gardens, or doing some Spring cleaning. Traditional foods associated with the Holiday are oat and dairy related, so making Oat Cakes, or custard are wonderful ways to share in the festival. This is a time of self-discovery, love, union and developing your potential for personal growth. It is a way of allowing for the fertility of our personal creativity, and thus, a perfect time to turn dreams into action. Wishing you a Blessed Beltane, my friends.

I have spring fever! How can one not? Of course it does not help that my mom keeps sending me pictures of her early blooming garden, which I am sharing here with you in this post. Mother Earth is stirring from her slumber, and we too feel the need to shake off the winter’s state of inertia to get up, get out and do something! As I watched two beautiful hummingbirds dance their way around my backyard this morning, the squirrels in the treetops, and birds searching for nesting material, I felt it was finally here. For those of us in the northern hemisphere, it is rapidly approaching and will be marked by the spring/vernal equinox on 20 March. The following day is Ostara, Good Friday and a full moon, called The Seed Moon. Then on Sunday is Easter. What do all of these have in common? Let’s take a look.

Spring/vernal equinox (“equal night”) occurs when the sun is positioned above the equator and thus day and night stand in perfect balance, with light on the increase. It marks the beginning of spring, when light conquers darkness (also symbolized as life overtaking death). It appears to be the oldest celebration in the history of the world. The earliest reference to which comes from Babylon, 2400 BCE. Also, the early Egyptians built the Great Sphinx so that it points directly toward the rising Sun on the day of the vernal equinox.

Ostara is the Pagan fertility celebration in honour of the Saxon Lunar Goddess of fertility, Eostre (from which we get the word estrogen, and most likely the word Easter). The young Sun God now celebrates a sacred marriage to the young Maiden Goddess, who now conceives, and in nine months will become the Great Mother. There are a few theories about how she became associated with the hare and eggs. The reference most commonly found is that her worshippers saw a hare in the full moon and the eggs symbolize her fertility. The legend I find sweet says that while entertaining a group of children, she turned a bird into a rabbit. To the amusement of the children, the bewitched animal laid colored eggs. (Ohh ho ho, you see how it’s all coming together now, right? It gets better!)

Setting Eostre’s story aside, let us take a quick look at the symbolism of eggs, which have been the symbols for rebirth and fertility for so long, it could easily date back to the beginning of time. It was certainly used by the Ancient Romans and Greeks. The egg white represents the all-encompassing nature of the Goddess, while the yolk symbolizes the virile qualities of the Sun god. The two are bound together by the symmetrical outer shell, sealing their fertility and perfect love for each other. Let us then take the symbolism one step further and suggest that seeds, being embryonic and shell-covered, are egg-like in nature. Pretty interesting considering that the full moon in March is called The Seed Moon.

It has been well documented that the Christian church incorporated Pagan practices into Christian festivals. Easter, which is celebrated on the first Sunday following the full moon, is one of those holidays. I know that some Christian groups have denounced Easter specifically because of its Pagan roots. I personally do not feel comfortable equating the rebirth of Jesus with the rebirth of Mother Earth alone. It is up to you readers to have your own interpretations. I will say that the concept of the Easter bunny was brought over to America from Germany. On the German celebration of Oschter Haws, a bunny brings colored eggs for all of the children to discover the following morning.

It is very rare that the equinox, full moon, Ostara, and Easter all fall together so closely. Whatever your religious beliefs, I hope that you will welcome spring by doing something special. Whether you choose to utilize this renewed energy by attending a church service which inspires your spiritual side, by plant seeds and new life into your garden, or expressing your creative energy in your favorite artistic endeavors, I hope that you focus upon an expression which betters your life and brings you more into harmony with nature and humankind. Many blessings to you all.

My earliest memory of the holiday resides in an elementary school classroom, the first year back to the states from Holland. I learned immediately that this was to be a popularity contest in who could get the most cards. It was a game I felt I would never win. My favorite memory of the holiday was attending an Anti-Valentine’s Day Goth party in Northern California. Granted, even dressed in black I didn’t exactly blend in, but I, like those in attendance, understood that we had been drawn together by our mutual rejection of being rejected. But this year I want to set aside my loathing of the cheesy Hallmark adverts, and focus upon the true origins of the holiday. There is an abundance of information around this holiday, much of which is conflicting, so I am choosing to focus mainly upon the earliest roots, which lie in the pagan traditions.

The first interpretation of the holiday is Lupercalia, a pagan tradition held in the third century in ancient Rome. As there were hordes of hungry wolves threatening shepherds and their flocks, the Ancient Romans gathered for a feast to honor the God Lupercus, who was known as a guardian against these threats. (Note: the word ‘lupus’ translates to wolf. Lupercalia is also said to be linked to fertility archaic rites.) Also during Lupercalia, but in honor of the Goddess Juno Februata (or Juno Februa, the Goddess of women and marriage), the names of young women were placed in a box and names were drawn by lot. The boys and girls who were matched up were then considered partners for the year. Can you imagine?

The Feast of Lubercus was given a name change, to Saint Valentine’s Day, by priests of the Christian church in an attempt to replace old “heathen” traditions. To give the celebration further meaning and eliminate pagan aspects, the girl’s names were replaced by Saint’s names. The boys and girls drew a saint and would emulate the life of the saint that following year. By the fourteenth century they went back to drawing the names of girls. In the sixteenth century an attempt was made to go back to Saint’s names, but this effort failed just as the first had. Hmmm. The girls…or acting like a saint all year? I can’t imagine why the latter didn’t go over well.

While it cannot be proved historically, there were between seven and eleven men named Valentine who were honored with feasts on February 14th. The most referred to of these men named Valentine was a Christian priest during the reign of Emperor Claudius. It is said that Claudius tried to convert the priest to Roman traditions and when he was refused, he had Valentine jailed. Another version says that Claudius was attempting to recruit men for his army, and banned marriage because he felt that only single men made good soldiers. The priest, Valentine, thought this was unfair and secretly married couples in the Christian church. When Claudius found out, he had Valentine jailed for the offense.

There are multiple stories about Valentine’s jail time. It seems that he fell in love with the jailer’s daughter. I like the version which says he cured her of blindness. Either way, he supposedly wrote her love notes signed, “From your Valentine”. In the tragic version of this tale, Claudius found out about this love affair and had Valentine beaten to death and beheaded on February 14, 269 AD (or 270 AD).

In 469 AD Pope Gelasius declared the day in honor of St. Valentine. Through the centuries the Christian holiday became a time to exchange love messages and St. Valentine became the patron saint of lovers.

The Europeans believed that on February 14th, the birds began to choose their mates. In “Parlement of Foules” (1382) Geoffrey Chaucer wrote, “For this was Seynt Valentine’s Day when every foul cometh ther to choose his mate.” Shakespeare mentions the holiday in ‘Hamlet’, having Ophelia ruefully declare, “Tomorrow is St. Valentine’s Day.”(I know how she felt!) The poet Drayton wrote verses entitled, “To His Valentine” in which he expressed the idea of the birds mating on St. Valentine’s Day.

Each little bird this tide
Doth choose her beloved peer,
Which constantly abide
In wedlock all the year.

Have a very Happy Valentine’s Day!