Summer Solstice + Strawberry Moon
Summer Solstice + Strawberry Moon
Looking up in the sky the Sun is in Gemini and Moon is in Sagittarius
Here in the northern hemisphere, summer is finally here, having just crossed the Summer Solstice on Thursday 20 June at 21:50 BST. In the Wheel of the Year, the Summer Solstice is called Litha and is traditionally celebrated as Midsummer’s Day, being the longest day of the year. However, for many it is considered the official start of summer, and based on the weather up until now in Britain this year, summer does feel like its only just getting started. June brings with it the Strawberry Moon, named after the abundance of the delicious berries at this time of year.
This year we are blessed with the Sun reaching its peak around the same time as the Strawberry Moon, which is blossoming towards its maximum lunation over the British isles on Friday night, reaching its peak at 02:08 AM BST on Saturday, 22 June — just over a day after Litha — shining brightly in Mula nakshatra, which is in the constellation of Sagittarius, mutable fire sign.
This full moon's closeness to the date of the solstice, or the start of the astronomical summer, has a noticeable visual effect. Since a Full Moon sits opposite the sun relative to Earth, it mirrors the sun's position in the sky. In June — and particularly close to the solstice — the Sun is at its highest of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Its position at midday on the solstice, on June 20 this year, was the highest it ever gets. That makes the full moon the following day the lowest of the year.
It's also the farthest full moon from the sun of the year. That's because the Earth's slightly elliptical orbit of the Sun takes it farthest away on July 5. That point is Earth's annual aphelion. Therefore, the closest full moon to that date must be the moon's annual aphelion.
Jyotish ~ Science of Light ~ Vedic Astrology
While Western astrologers following the Tropical Zodiac will most likely be going on about the Sun being in Cancer and the full Moon in Capricorn for this Solstice… that is not where the luminaries are yet when you look up at the sky through a telescope or star gazing app. As explained in previous posts, my yoga practice has tuned me into the true sky zodiac that has been used in Jyotish, Vedic Astrology for at least 6,500 years. It just makes more sense to me to study the actual positions of the planets in the constellations from our perspective here on Earth. The Tropical system is technically 23 degrees out of sync from the fluctuating energies of the planetary positions that affect our physical, mental and emotional experience each day.
Here is a screenshot from Star Walk app that I took earlier today when the Solstice was happening astronomically, showing the Sun, Venus and Mercury all in alignment in the constellation of Gemini.
I took the below screenshot at the same time, showing the Moon still in Scorpio, moving through the gandanta point (gateway) towards Mula nakshatra, where the Strawberry Moon will be in the early hours of Saturday morning, in Sagittarius.
S U R Y A 🤸 N A M A S K A R
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S U N ☀️ S A L U T A T I O N
In celebration of Litha and International Yoga Day on Friday 21 June, with all of this abundant sunshine, its a great idea to take your yoga practice outside in nature.
Yogis practice 108 sun salutations on the solstice to express our gratitude and devotion to the Sun as the source of all light and energy, or Prana ✨
While 108 Sun salutations might sound epic, it’s actually only 9 rounds of the 12 asanas in Surya Namaskar, pictured above (starting and finishing position is the same but counts twice)
The number 108 is sacred and represents spiritual completion and wholeness, repeatedly appearing in nature and the cosmos.
The distance between the Earth and Sun is 108 times the diameter of the Sun. The distance between the Earth and the Moon is also about 108 times the diameter of the Moon. The “coincidence” that the Sun and Moon both have approximately the same ratio between their diameters and their distances to Earth means their apparent sizes in Earth’s sky are about the same, which is what makes total solar eclipses possible.
This is why meditation japa malas are composed of 108 beads, why pranayama (breathwork) is often completed in cycles of 108, and why sun salutations are often performed in 9 rounds of the 12 postures. By practising mantra, pranayama, or asana in rounds of this sacred number, our intention is to align ourselves more harmoniously with the rhythm of the universe.
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With both the Sun ☀️ and the Moon 🌕 at their maximum magnificence with the Strawberry 🍓 Moon waxing into fullness tomorrow night, this is a highly charged transformative gateway.
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As we cross the midpoint of the Wheel of the Year this is the optimal time to reflect of our accomplishments and blessings.
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While each day will be drawing shorter from now until Yule, winter solstice, we still have plenty of time to enjoy the longer summer days.
This is your reminder to make the most of your Midsummer Nights Dreams ✨