Time of Great Light

by. Rev. Amari Magdalena

Polarities of their nature bespeak irony.  And so it is with our seasonal celebrations.  At the “High Noon” of summer light as we extol the virtues of the maximum hours of daylight, shamanically speaking, we turn the corner into the void and begin the process of contraction.    From Winter Solstice to Summer Solstice we are in a phase of expansion, seeding and growing our hopes and dreams.  From June 21^st until December 21^st we begin to draw our energies within, ever so slowly to celebrate harvests and then release.

Both our sun and moon express four distinct phases, which parallel one another nicely.  While the moon completes each phase in 29+ days, the sun’s phases are more protracted taking our calendar year to complete.  In shamanic or earth-based traditions throughout the world, sun and moon celebrations served as calendars or markers for the passage of time.

June 21^st decrees the shamanic celebration of the North (the polar opposite of the South that we are experiencing).  Significant here are the two equinoxes, Spring and Fall, which denote the passing of the gauntlet from East (masculine) to West (feminine).  While the equinox’ represent balance, the solstices symbolize extreme.  Of further note is that the solstices are more “tonal” in nature (tonal being ordinary reality); the equinox’ are more “Nagual” (extraordinary with the availability of magic).  The summer solstice then is a time of excessive immersion into the material world (tonal).

Given the extremes and the irony of our celebration of the North in summer and the South in winter, both celebrations are about light; more of it and less of it.  As we acknowledge the longest day of the year with the highest point of the sun, let us remember to take advantage of all that is revealed in the blazing light. 

Summer solstice in ancient times was a daylong celebration and observation in northern most climes with 24 hours of light and a 12-hour celebration in the lower latitudes.  In total light a circle was set with many burning candles lit.  A large bonfire was constructed nearby.  Singing, dancing, chanting and/or drumming began.  Vigilance was kept throughout the night until dawn, when the candles and fires were extinguished.  The sacred four and fourteen were honored to help with release from the grip of ego.  Animal totems were easily invoked to enlighten the heart and celebrate love in its many dimensions.  Marriages were celebrated within and without to memorialize the height of the physical and sensual bodies. 

The summer solstice may then be a time to give oneself permission to totally immerse into the masculine principal yet acknowledging the winter solstice conception that led to this luxurious fertility.  Set your ceremonial circle with objects of light and representation of the golden, orange, red colors of the sun’s brilliance.  Acknowledge fire for its power of transformation.  Strew the altar with seasonal flowers and ripening berries.  Feast and surrender to the fire within.  Engage in fire ceremonies.  Trance dance.  Tone.  Make joyful noises with percussion and flute.  Invoke Archangel Michael or the Celtic god Lugh (pronounced Looch), god of light, warmth and inspiration.  Sing the praises of the sun in all its representations including the sunship of the Christ energies.  And slowly but surely, put out each candle in tribute to the returning darkness and the great mystery of the void.  Honor this phase of growth, trust and love and “Coming into Being.”

"Green was the silence, wet was the light, the month of June trembled like a butterfly." Pablo Neruda

  

Pablo Neruda

Reciprocity

by Rev. Amari Magdalena

Some may call it give and take, reciprocity. Others may look at it as a balance in exchange.  Our dictionary definitions include: when two or more people or nations have equal exchanges of good or services, they are enjoying reciprocity, a situation where each enjoys an equal benefit from the relationship.  However the word is defined, in my opinion, it is about the infinity flow of good energy between others.  When properly applied, reciprocity enhances all parties involved.

It is not news that many exchanges are viewed through the filter of givers and takers in our monetized society.  Yet history has demonstrated that such exchanges always have inherent imbalances and leave feelings of dominance or want.  In a time on our planet where the need for love is touted as the highest form of good, imbalances on all levels spell disaster.

In intimate, familial, and friend relationships, severe imbalances lead to breakdown.  When that is not the ultimate outcome, unhealthy dependencies can develop, along with, anger, angst, and feelings of deep resentment.  Effective relationships cannot tolerate such feelings long.

Many practitioners of spiritual practices and purveyors of alternative healing modalities are asked to do no-cost presentations or donate time and knowledge.  Most of us do this gladly as community service.  It is part of the "giveaway:" a time honored shamanic tradition.  There is no expectation of reciprocity with this charitable work.  There may be, however, a hope that the value of the gift is received, as occasion arises in the lives of the recipients, is shared with others who might benefit (either through testimony or recommendation).  By doing this, it helps the practitioner support their work.

Another way that the receiver of the gift might reciprocate is to be of help when the practitioner has a need for assistance.  I recently heard from someone who has gifted a lot to their community.  They found themselves in need of assistance.  Calling on a few people who they'd particularly supported, doors were closed with weak excuses as to why they could not come forward.  In one case, one of the folks who said they were too busy, was later pictured on social media partying.  This exemplifies a broken infinity of reciprocal good.

In tribal times, the healer, diviner, and teacher were all provided for by the tribe as acknowledgement of their contribution to the common good.  Their basic life needs were happily provided for.  All tribal members received from the greater good and shared from their unique talents.  Sadly, most of us have lost that tribal tether and are often islands unto ourselves surviving.

Thus my call out to everyone to begin to look at the infinity flow of good everywhere in your lives. If you are on the receiving end of good, are you conscious of your responsibility to keep the flow going?  Are you prepared to sometimes sacrifice your pleasure for helping someone who has helped you, not out of obligation, rather an awareness of balance?  Are you wanting to actualize a world that breaks cycles of give and take, so that the need for wars, violence, and separation can subside? Isn't it time we all wake up from the illusion of separation and truly become our brothers and sisters keepers?*

If we are to realize the promised 1,000 years of peace, harmony, love and light on this small planet, I believe it is time.  Time to be more conscious about the symbol of infinite flow between ourselves and others.

"Enlightenment is the AWARENESS that ALL is ONE and ONE is ALL.  Ignorance is the illusion of separateness."  Manprit Kaur

*Cain answered, "I know not, am I my brother's keeper?"  Note:  Cain's words have come to symbolize people's unwillingness to accept responsibility for the welfare of their fellows, "brothers" in the extended sense of the term."

I didn't realize that a rainbow infinity sign is now thought of as a symbol of neurodiversity.  As there are members of my own family experiencing that, perhaps it was an unconscious choice. In any event, diversity can enter into our balancing, accepting, and reciprocal energy exchanges.