June is where the days stretch long and golden and the shadows grow soft. The frantic pace of springs slows down and even time itself seems to slow, as if the world is lingering in the moment that it knows cannot last. This is the season of the start of the ripening, not quite harvest, but no longer just growth. Everything is full of burgeoning potential, humming with warmth and possibility. The earth is holding its breath in the light. The flowers turn their faces towards the sun and the air hums with the busy activity of bees collecting nectar for the hive.
The garden is starting to look wonderfully abundant, and I am beginning to harvest the first offerings from my little kitchen garden patch; peas, salad leaves and radishes are being picked daily. Dead heading flowers and keeping on top of the weeding is a daily task too, weather permitting.
June carries the power of the Summer Solstice or mid-summer, also known as Litha – the longest day of the year. In pagan traditions, Litha is when the Oak king battles the Holly King for dominance, a battle between light and dark.
It is a festival of fire, gratitude and gentle reckoning: the light is at its strongest, but from here on in it will slowly fade. It is also when many pagans believe is a good time for marriage or handfasting.
June reminds us that fullness is fleeting. The brightest days carry the seeds of darkness. The longest light knows it will not stay and it shines anyway. May this month bring you warmth, clarity, and reverence for the beauty that exists right now, exactly as it is.
In the Studio
June changes my pace, I start work really early and finish later. Clay dries faster and the kiln fires slightly quicker. There is a sense of rhythm and deep concentration plus turnaround is so much easier. At this time of the year, I can throw work one day and by the next it is ready to be turned. Drying work is a little bit harder as I must work hard to slow things down but thankfully it is not the weeks and weeks it takes over the winter months. Pottery in June feels like working under a blessing. Now I am exploring new shapes, ideas and techniques. Always striving to find the perfect glaze, the perfect shape or the best combination of the two.
A Small June Ritual
A simple solstice meditation practice:
Sit outside in the sunlight. Make yourself comfortable and then close your eyes and think of one thing or area in your life that feels abundant, joyful and full of light. Focus on what makes it feel this way and how that, in turn, makes you feel. Either internally or out loud say, ‘Thank you for this abundance that is in my life’ and let that gratitude flow through your body from the top of your head down to the tips of your toes. Remember that feeling and hold it inside. Try doing this every time you feel overwhelmed or a little lost and it can help your brain and body focus on the positive within your life in the moment.