Week 37: Spring / Element: Fire
Nature Craft and Ritual

Preparation 4: Summer Solstice

This session happens before the Summer break begins which may be long before the actual Summer Solstice.

Four times during A Joyful Path, Year 3, the lesson plans pause for two back-to-back sessions: Nature Crafting and a Ritual Celebration to honor the gifts of the season at hand. The Nature Crafting session provides ways for the children to learn about, and get ready for, the pending holiday as well as to honor the respective gifts of four elements: earth, air, water and fire. The intention is to generate excitement and genuine anticipation for the upcoming ceremony and celebration. The Ritual Celebration offers a simple liturgy to co-create with the children, and your greater community, as desired. This happens at the following times:

Dates for the Northern Hemisphere:

• Autumnal (Fall) Equinox (September 19-22, date varies)
• Winter Solstice (December 20-22, date varies)
• Vernal (Spring) Equinox (March 19-22, date varies)
• Summer Solstice (June 20-22, date varies)
• Dates for the Southern Hemisphere:
• Autumnal (Fall) Equinox (March 19-22, date varies)
• Winter Solstice (June 20-22, date varies)
• Vernal (Spring) Equinox (September 19-22, date varies)
• Summer Solstice (December 19-22, date varies)

What is the Summer Solstice?

The Northern and Southern Hemispheres experience the seasons in polar opposition, of course, and the exact dates of the Equinox and Solstice fluctuates slightly within a one to three day period. You may wish to look up the exact date for your year and location. In June, our Sun reaches its northernmost position in the sky, drenching the Northern Hemisphere in warm light (Summer), and enveloping the Southern Hemisphere in colder darkness (Winter).

This impeccable design is part of the brilliant and wonderful Holy Mystery we call by many names (God, Allah, Big Bang and many more).

Indoor lighting, heat, air conditioning and other technology buffers most of us from the extremes of either Solstice. And yet, it is important (spiritually, physically and psychologically) that we notice the incremental changes that are taking place. Notice the changing light and temperature, and the changing behaviors of the plants, trees and animals.

Honoring, celebrating and thanking Earth for Her seasons and cycles began with the earliest humans. Ancient Earth-centered rituals did this so well, of course, that most of our present day celebrations can be traced back to Indigenous or pagan practices.

Be sure to click here to download the Teaching Introduction and Instructions.