Beltane New Lily Moon
At 6:09 tomorrow evening the summer solstice arrives. Beltane will slide off into its now truncated cross-quarter holiday length and give way to the astronomical definition of summer. Meteorological summer has already been under way for 20 days, beginning on June 1st.
What’s interesting to me right now is that this year the summer solstice will arrive during a new moon. A full, dark night will punctuate the longest day. After tomorrow, the long slow slide toward the Winter Solstice begins. This movement from the full light of the summer solstice to the long night of the Winter Solstice is, for me, the most sacred and contemplative part of the year.
I appreciate Beltane as introducing the growing season and recognize the importance for all our animal needs that it represents, even so, for me, the trend toward darkness marks a time of greater richness for the soul. I look forward to it.
