This painting came from an image of a woman walking down a forest path. As she enters deeper into the forest she feels herself becoming more a part of all the life around her. Her skin takes on the colors of the rocks, trees and plants, while her clothing begins to feel like fairy wings. Potent life force energy surges through her body, and images of passionate sexual union arise in her mind. She is a part of the masculine/feminine dance of life that surges through all of nature. –Willow Arlenea

The summer solstice, the longest day of the year, marks the end of the ascendancy of daylight and the beginning of the return to darkness. The astronomical solstice occurs when the Sun enters Cancer, one of the four cardinal points (the others being Aries, at the Spring Equinox; Libra, at the Autumnal Equinox; and Capricorn, at the Winter Solstice).

For ancient pagan cultures, and for those of us that attempt to attune to nature today, the cardinal points of the year are energetic turning points. Like the cardinal signs, they initiate action and are a force for change. In Cancer, the emotional nature is stimulated and is a major facet of the individual identity.

The astrological chart for the solstice includes not only the conjunction of Pluto to the Galactic Center discussed yesterday and the nearly exact opposition from Saturn to Neptune, but also three very tight trines:

• An exact trine from Mars in Aries to Pluto in Sagittarius
• An exact trine from Mercury retrograde in Cancer to the North Node in Pisces
• A nearly exact trine from Venus in Leo to Jupiter in Sagittarius

Trines create ease and harmony but can also suggest laziness and complacency, but combined with the more stressful aspects such as the Saturn/Neptune opposition they can facilitate the developmental process required by those stressful aspects. The trine of Mars to Pluto creates energy for action and change. Venus in trine to Jupiter opens doorways to relationships and aids confidence. And Mercury trine the North Node demonstrates a new ability to see a little farther into the future as we gain a new perspective on our life.

The Summer Solstice is a time for celebration, and for experiencing the beauty in the natural world.