The Sun moves into Cancer on the evening of June 20, ushering in summer in the northern hemisphere and winter in the southern hemisphere. At the time of the solstice, the Sun's rays are directly over the Tropic of Cancer, which is at latitude 23.5 degree north and passes through Mexico, Africa and India. For those of us who live in the northern hemisphere, it will mark the longest day and the shortest night of the year. In the southern hemisphere the opposite will be happening, with the shortest day and the longest night of the year.
This is also the time of year when the Sun moves from the air sign, Gemini, to the water sign, Cancer. In astrology, Cancer is represented by the crab, who carries its home everywhere, and is focused on home and family. Not so coincidentally, summer is packed with family activities, picnics, reunions, kids returning home as schools let out for the summer -- fitting pursuits for a sign known for its focus on family, hearth and home.
Midsummer has historically been the central point of the magical year: even today in some places, traditional hilltop bonfires are lit to revive the power of the Sun; flaming disks are thrown into the air; blazing wheels are rolled downhill; leaping and dancing around and through the fire are ritual encouragements for maximising the harvest. Magical powers are heightened and the little people are about. It is the ideal time for gathering magical herbs: pluck them before dawn, before breakfast, while the dew still wets the petals. Fern and fern-seed is gathered on Mid-Summer's eve, to harness the power of the Sun. Golden solar flowers such as St John's wort, mugwort and mistletoe, the golden bough, are worn as garlands.
Cancer, the Crab
Astrologically, the June Solstice marks the entry of the Sun into the Cardinal, Water Sign of Cancer. The Tropic of Cancer (23°N26') is the actual degree of latitude over which the Sun stops in its journey north, and then turns, having gone as far north as it is going to each year. Cancer is ruled by the Moon and Mid-summer celebrates the elemental powers of fire and water, so people would light fires and bathe in the dew on the morning of Mid-summer's Day.
Even in the twenty-first century, people still love to come together and surf the cosmic wave of energy that is released at this time. Every person in the Holy Grail – the Sacred Chalice, planet Earth's Light Grid – participates in the distribution of the Life and in turn restores the Divine Plan on Earth. As the Life enters and flows through all individuals and their world, it makes the whole world sacred.
