by Agni Jnana Yannanda
AI illustrations by AstroCREATRIX
This year the summer begins on June 21st at 10:58 am when the Sun ingresses into the cardinal sign of Cancer and will remain within that degree until June 22nd.
Alchemical points within the Wheel of the Year
Traditionally, Summer Solstice marks a change in the farming year, specifically the break between the completion of spring sowing and the hard work of summer hay-making. Astrologically, within the Western tradition based on seasonal Tropical Zodiac, the first degree of the cardinal sings, called the Aries Point, marks the opening of Solstices and Equinoxes portals that define the energies for each respective season. The Aries Point is respectively at 0º Aries, 0º Cancer, 0º Libra, and 0º Capricorn, these being the critical points of the seasonal Zodiac.
Cancer heralds the beginning of summer in the northern hemisphere. With longer days and more sunlight we become more sensitive and receptive; so is the Cancerian nature. Ruled by the Moon, Cancer represents the feminine energy of our first emotional feelings connected to the Mother and Home. In Cancer’s sigil we can recognize the yin &yang’s dance of life symbolism as well as the joining of egg and sperm that create life, feminine and masculine reunited in the quantum dance!
It’s our first imprint of what we feel during childhood – connecting us with family, our lineage, and the place we grew up. Long hot days of dreamy freedom, where we merge with the never-ending summer.
Summer-ian Forecast
With the Moon, Venus, Mars and asteroid Pallas Athena, the crafts Goddess in Tropical Leo, the Universe is demanding radical creative expression flourishing like the Earth Goddess of Solstice!
The Spirit wants you to create from the depths of your heart. (Venus, Mars, Moon conjunction).
The Spirit wants you to channel your heart/mind and bring the inner realms into the sphere of interconnected Earthy imagination so as to transmute the collective subconscious. And align it with the planetary trajectory. (Mercury in Tropical Gemini sextile Mars / Venus / Pallas/ and Chiron in Aries, Pluto sextile Neptune).
The Spirit calls upon your Higher Self to trust into your artistic talents and abilities (Sun at Aries’ Point conjunct Juno sextile North Node, and trine South Node).
The Spirit wants you to heal using the power of imagination (Mars, Venus, Pallas trine Chiron) with images of sacred places of nature worship and water altars inundating (Grand Water Trine of the Sun, Saturn and the South Node).
Venus Rx this summer
Slavic / Baltic rituals of Kupala Night
Amongst the many indigenous traditions of celebrating the longest day and the shortest night, I wrote an article on the Slavic / Baltic rituals of Kupala Night (Kupala, Goddess of Blessed Water)
Solstice poetry
About the author
Agni Jnana Yannanda, which translates from Sanskrit as Mystic Fire, is an astrologer and Cosmic Serpent Journey shamanic prophetess, living in the Shawangunk Mountains.
