Many people are going to take advantage of English Heritage streaming the sunset at Stonehenge on June 20 and sunrise on June 21 this year. You will be be able to watch this live on Facebook and YouTube. Brendan Howlin, author of The Handbook of Urban Druidry, said he will be doing that from his computer after getting up at 4am to do a solo ceremony. I'll be watching too, from my home, as I think it is a wonderful opportunity.
Online public rituals are taking over from face-to-face celebrations this year. Ellen Evert Hopman, author of A Legacy of Druids, said her Druid group, Tribe of the Oak, will be holding a public ritual online. She said: "We started doing them online over two years ago, because we now have members all over the world and it was the only way we could all circle together. When the pandemic hit we decided to offer the rites to sincere applicants, as a public service. If folks apply they can join us in our rites." For more information, contact Ellen via her website contacts page.
Some pagans prefer family celebrations at home that are tailored to their individual paths. Laura Perry, author of Ariadne's Thread, said: "I'll be celebrating Minoan-style at home with my husband and daughter. It's the height of power for our Sun goddess Therasia and a celebration of the sacred marriage of Ariadne and Dionysus."
Shamanic teacher and artist Imelda Almqvist, author of Sacred Art - A Hollow Bone for Spirit said: "Instead of teaching in Sweden I will have a private summer solstice celebration in London and invite students and other people to link with me. I made a recent painting titled The Goddess of Our Solar System and will mark the astronomical solstice by seeking her guidance on what is unfolding on our planet, reflect deeply on finding balance, walking the continuum between day and night, wound and blessing, healing and cure, procreation and hibernation, life and death, obligation and the sheer joy of being - and moving beyond dualism and polarization of human consciousness." You can see Imelda's amazing picture at the top of this post, and view her website here.
In areas where travel is permitted, some pagans are intending to get outdoors to watch the sunrise, but still making sure they are following guidelines. Scott Irvine, author of Pagan Portals - Ishtar and Ereshkigal said if the weather permits it he is aiming to meet up - at a safe social distance - with other witches in Portland, to watch the sun rise from the cliffs.
The guided visualisation that I mentioned at the start of this post appears in my book Pagan Portals - Guided Visualisations and you can see my author page at Moon Books. There are also several ideas for ways to celebrate the Summer Solstice in the Moon Books community book Every Day Magic - A Pagan Book of Days.
2 comments:
We cannot gather at our sacred site's. but those hoping to riot, destroy & liberate 50 inch flat-screens, trainers and jewellery from captivity in those nasty racist shops are gathered shoulder to shoulder.
I'm going to be honest and say that I don't think your comparison is reasonable. People are most definitely allowed to go outdoors and watch the sunrise and sunset. I absolutely respect English Heritage's decision to livestream the sunset and sunrise this solstice instead of allowing the usual public entry. I watched both the sunset and sunrise at home and found it moving. It is an unusual year, and we all need to exercise respect in these difficult times. I am not condoning theft from shops BTW. Theft is a criminal activity and I would not encourage anyone to do anything to harm struggling small business.
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