At Summer Solstice, we celebrate the fullness of life and of promise: She Who Creates. Then in July, we recognize The Amazon, She Who Protects That Which Has Been Created.
At Summer Solstice, we honor our lineage as creatrixes. We may look to birthing and mothering as metaphors, but take care to not be lulled into the trance of equating creation with reproduction. We are constantly creating and maintaining tangible and intangible aspects of our lives: jobs, careers, vocations, relationships, health, mental and emotional states, everything.
Often, this time of year, we feel as if there is too much of everything, including good things. There is so much to do and be! It’s not easy to handle this overload with grace, and we can experience confusion, frustration, shame and fatigue. It’s comforting to recognize that we are in the grip of nature's fecundity. This is a time of assessments—am I creating consciously? Am I nurturing something that no longer serves me? Is my own Desire guiding me? Should I stay the course? Feeling out of control may be a sign that something is out of balance. Personal ritual around overwhelm can help us tip the balance from chaos to feeling the sweet fullness of life.
It’s not always easy to create from Desire, but if we manifest from intention rather than obligation, we access huge amounts of momentum, passion and hope. We are honoring our authentic selves.
In July, we affirm and honor The Amazon: She Who Protects. The fierce, protective energy of animal mothers is universally recognized. In dominant culture, however, respect is not always given to human female animals protecting their children, the planet, themselves. There have always been strong, powerful, rebellious women who fight for children, animals, nature, the world. Our Amazon natures are high-spirited, playful, headstrong, determined, spontaneous. When we honor investments of life energy arising from authentic Desire, we can act confidently as Amazons.
Kim Duckett © Mother Tongue Ink 2016
Kim Duckett Ph.d. (Asheville, NC) Priestess/Ritualist/Teacher of Women's Studios for 30 years; Founder and Elder Priestess of WHISPER: Land of the Sky, "A Year and a Day Sacred Mystery School for Women," and WOTY: The Wheel of Year as an Earth-Based Spiritual Psychology for Women training. From more information about the Wheel as psychology book, contact Kim at followheartkd@gmail.com
Deborah Ann Uhl (Abiquiu, NM) travels to the mountain tops to plein air paint and airbrush. Like the Lorax, she speaks for the trees!