Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

Happy Summer Solstice!

Summer is upon us, 100 degree days are upon us, fortunately we’re getting rain, some of us are getting too much. The days are lengthening, and I’m appalled that anyone would think that any time before 7:00 AM is a good time for a sunrise.

However, school is out, swimming holes and pools are open, and vacations may happen!

On Thursday, June 20th, the summer solstice will occur — the longest day of the year, and the shortest night. Officially the first day of summer, but we in Texas know better as we’re already sweating buckets. I would recommend a good A/C unit and a dip in Barton Springs.

Nowadays, we check our phone to find out what time it is; we check the calendar on our phone to know what day it is. Our ancestors had to know the movement of the stars in the sky, the phases of the moon, and the pattern of changes in the sun to know when to plant, when to reap, when animal migrations occurred, when to prepare for the changes of the seasons. Ancient celebrations revolved around these changes and patterns as knowing them was the key to survival for millennia. Without our ancestors’ knowledge of these cycles we ourselves would probably not be here.

So, I invite you to celebrate the Solstice in your own way while remembering, and thanking, the ancestors who were intelligent enough to learn about all these things we are now insulated from. And take this day as an opportunity to connect with the Sun in Ourselves. Happy Summer Solstice from Scarlet Woman Lodge!

Love is the law, love under will.

— Secretary, Scarlet Woman Lodge