Summer Sun

“It was June, and the world smelled of roses. The sunshine was like powdered gold over the grassy hillside.”
~ Maud Hart Lovelace

Summer days, spinning around, blooming. Here we are at the precipice of another celestial event, solstice: the one that happens in summer. That moment when the sun is in its zenith above the Northern Hemisphere, the light is highly potent, the giant in the dark sleeps still, and the cycle moves with manifestation showing face all around. Lush growth, warm rain showers, now is the time of the flowering dance, the pruning glance, appreciating beauty alive.

Here come butterflies, gliding from blossom to blossom, where bees roll in pollen crooning as they gather for honey making. The air is full with fragrances, nectar that lingers; the air carries songs. By day sparkling hummingbirds wings thrum as they zip hover and sip and zip, there is buzzing, rustling leaves, rabbits, laughter mixed with childrens delighted squeals, deer drinking in the creek, splashing water, clucking hens. By night crickets chitter and chatter, bull frogs let out loud rumbling frunnnks, fireflies flicker.

Trees have set fruit, bushes bloom, gardens showing abundance. Green fuzzy peaches, rosebuds nestled amongst thorny stalks open their perfume laden petals, sweet peas stick out their tongues as pods form, mint underfoot rambles between beds, a nibble is refreshing.

“Spring passes and one remembers one’s innocence.
Summer passes and one remembers one’s exuberance.
Autumn passes and one remembers one’s reverence.
Winter passes and one remembers one’s perseverance.”
~ Yoko Ono

Read through the quotes and poems and get a sense of where exuberance is bubbling for you at this time, make notes on what is awakening in your heart, what the colors and taste of its fragrance are, what are you adjusting at this time, what conversations are coming up in secret, what’s flowering where you live, what fruits are attractive, what field is your inspiration coming from, what does your basking place look like, how does it sing, where are you determined to pull through and continue ploughing, are you grabbing the bull by the horns and riding rodeo style or are you plodding beside the oxen, what does your wagon look like, who pulls it, have you left space in the garden for fairies to dance, notice:: how do you celebrate within the passage of seasons, what is blooming for you, where does pleasure live, how does it sound?

“Last night as I was sleeping, I dreamt—marvelous error!—that a spring was breaking out in my heart. I said: Along which secret aqueduct, Oh water, are you coming to me, water of a new life that I have never drunk? Last night as I was sleeping, I dreamt—marvelous error!—that I had a beehive here inside my heart. And the golden bees were making white combs and sweet honey from my old failures. Last night as I was sleeping, I dreamt—marvelous error!—that a fiery sun was giving light inside my heart. It was fiery because I felt warmth as from a hearth, and sun because it gave light and brought tears to my eyes. Last night as I slept, I dreamt—marvelous error!—that it was God I had here inside my heart.”
– Antonio Machado

What you need: a 20-30 minute space in which to creatively respond, paper and art supplies, a candle, music, flowers, fruit, and fellowship should you choose to gather, light the flame, and voyage collectively

Begin the creative process with the crescent moon on June 13th, when the Sun and Moon will both be in the constellation of The Bull, and move with it through Summer Solstice, on June 21st, when the Sun moves into the constellation of The Twins and the Moon will be in the constellation of The Maiden, ending at the full Archer Moon on June 28th . . . this is just a guideline timeline . . .

Go through your notes and circle words that capture your attention

In your art journal or on paper (or cloth or wood or an unfinished painting or a finished one that wants to dissolve and transform)  . . . .  paint symbols to represent these words

Cut out pictures from magazines that reflect what caught your attention, add them to your spread

You are making a visual story of your notes that bring your creative out in a way that speaks to you, one that has you humming along your own song in response, so dance with your musings . . . listen . . .

Write a poem or find poems you love and paste them into your art spread . . .

Add stitched lines, embroidered, glued on braids, fabric scraps, pockets, pressed flowers, buttons and beads, feathers, twigs . . .

incorporate what feels exuberantly awake, however that comes for you, into the painting until it tells you it’s done . . .