This has always been a time when I pause and consider what I want the rest of my year to look like. Since I moved to Scotland I’ve found that the Scottish are very in tune with the whole Solstice vibe. Perhaps it’s just because the longest day is so much noticeable up here. They have a 5000+ year historical interest and the oldest standing stones in the UK to validate that.
Technically the sunset and sunrise times of the longest day are supposed to be about 10.30pm and about 4.30am – but in practice there’s often the remnants of a sunset in the sky until almost midnight and the beginning of sunrise can be clearly seen as early as 2.40am. (Truly that’s not a typing error)
I would say we get about two and a half hours of actual darkness in Scotland at this time of year. The dogs love it and the rest of us buy blackout blinds!
Clients in various parts of the world, particularly those who live in parts of India, southern Africa or Australia where an almost equal day and night length is the norm are astonished when I send them sunset photos at crazy times of night and just a couple of hours later sunrise shots to prove it. (Perhaps I should mention … that they asked me to?)
Scientists now believe that the Stenness Stones in Orkney and the Callanish Stones on the Isle of Lewis (photo above) are in some complicated way a mirror image. So that the Callanish stones have an affinity for the midsummer moon and the Stenness stones (left) have the same affinity for the midsummer sun.
These are neolithic circles, the oldest in Britain pre-dating Stonehenge and so their real mysteries are often to lost to us. But they’re unbelievably beautiful. If you’re bored, check out youtube for some of the time-lapse videos and marvel 🙂
If you have an interest in this stuff you might find this short article fascinating.
STUFF TO DO
Remember this is a great time to:
- Clear clutter,
- Review relationships
- Set goals and
- To celebrate
- So use it well, add in a glass of wine or a cocktail at sunset and you will move into the second half of the year feeling lighter, freer and more energised.
And on this very special day from my home and heart to yours have a beautiful and happy Litha