Summer Solstice
The 8 Sabbaths, is an annual cycle of seasonal festivals consisting of the year's solstices and equinoxes and the midpoints (cross quarter days). They are marker points to help remind us we are part of nature, mother earth AND the cosmos. The 7 Universal Principles helps the thinking mind and the intuitive mind ground and create from a more conscious awareness of time, space, dimensions, consequences and how the cosmos works. The Noble Eightfold Path is a practical tool to implement and assist in living a healthier, happier life in the physical/material world of everyday living with a greater innerstanding of how to live your life.
There are many paths on the spiritual healing journey. No one way is wrong and no one is right. Hence Mystic Pathways.
An Initiate's Path has been my practice and will continue to be my practice with deep gratitude and heartfelt thanks for all the teachers, guides and initiates before me, with me and after me.
And So It Begins....
“Sabbaths” -
Also known as the Wheel of the Year, is not only a spiritual practice but a practical practice that connects you back in with nature, earth and the age old cycle of seasons.
The Wheel of the Year is an annual cycle of seasonal festivals, consisting of the year's main solar events and the midpoints between them. Solstices and Equinoxes are the main solar events and the midpoints or cross quarter days are the start of the seasons and begin midway point between the solstices and the equinoxes.
Please note these Sabbaths are relative to living in the southern hemisphere. For the norther hemisphere they need to be swapped.
As this is a natural calendar, the Wheel of the Year does not begin on the 1st January, but rather the beginning of Winter and flows from there. To find the exact date the solstices, equinoxes and cross quarter days will fall on, besides the traditional days, please check this link for details:
"The Kybalion.” -
“The Principles of Truth are Seven; he who knows these, understandingly, possesses the Magic Key before whose touch all the Doors of the Temple fly open” The Kybalion, is a study of the Hermetic Philosophy. “The lips of wisdom are closed, except to the ears of Understanding” – The Kybalion.
Studying and applying the 7 Principles of the Hermetic Philosophy is like comprehending the Universe at a sub atomic level. The Laws behind the Principles help us to walk through life forewarned. It is a guide on how to change at a fundamental level, not just a surface level. The alchemical process of change, the transmutation of matter.
The Seven Hermetic Principles, upon which the entire Hermetic Philosophy is based, are as follows: The Principle of Mentalism, The Principle of Correspondence, The Principle of Vibration, The Principle of Polarity, The Principle of Rhythm, The Principle of Cause and Effect, The Principle of Gender.
“The Noble Eightfold Path” -
The Buddhist Path for the Cessation of Suffering, and the fourth of The Four Noble Truths. The application guide for living a spiritually purposeful life. The Eightfold Path, although referred to as steps on a path, is not meant as a sequential learning process, but as eight aspects of life, all of which are to be integrated in every day life.
The Eightfold path consists of Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration.
December 21st
Summer Solstice / Alban Hefin / Litha
Rhythm Principle
Right Effort
This Sabbath:
Summer Solstice / Alban Hefin / Litha
Summer Solstice, also known as Alban Hefin or Mid Summer, is ‘The Light of Summer’. The day that carries the longest sunlit hours and the night that holds the shortest moonlit hours.
At Summer Solstice we find we are at the midpoint, the shoreline, turning or balance point between the waxing powers of spring and early summer, and the waning powers of late summer and autumn. It is therefore an ideal time to work on integration and finding balance.
The Summer Solstice is one of the three ‘Spirit Nights’ of the year (the other two being Beltaine 1st Nov and Samhain 1st May).
This is a good time to cull magical and healing herbs.
Meditate on the balancing and centering quality of the sun on the day of the Solstice, open yourself to the blessings of the creator.
Do something that you have always wanted to do but did not dare, for time is of the essence. Harvest will be coming soon and it’s a grand time to see what is manifesting, growing, blossoming and make sure it’s nurtured to fruition.
“Let unity, harmony and beauty be your watchwords. May you abundantly share in the illumination. Be you ready to hear the voice of those crying out for wisdom. Listen at the portals ~ for the world is large and many are seeking. Open the gates for them, and portal after portal shall open unto you.” ~ from the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids traditional ceremony
The Kybalion:
The Principle of Rhythm
“Everything flows out and in: everything has its tides; all things rise and fall; the pendulum-swing manifests in everything; the measure of the swing to the right, is the measure of the swing to the left; rhythm compensates” - The Kybalion.
Summer Solstice is the peak of summer, the period of the shortest night and longest day.
The Principle of Rhythm embodies the truth there is always an action and reaction; an advance and a retreat; a rising and a sinking. A summer and a winter.
So now we can see the rise of summer, which ultimately will give way and swing back to the depth of winter. It is no different even on the mental plane for mankind. The pendulum swings between the poles of thought even. However, when we learn to observe we become unaffected by the swing of emotions or thoughts.
In the same way we cannot control the seasons, we learn to adapt to them, accepting that Mother Nature swings from cold to hot, from wet to dry, from darkness to light. So too we can learn to allow our own inner pendulum to swing through the thoughts and feelings to find balance and a lightness of being.
To change a pattern one must be aware of it first, allowing the pendulum to swing while raising your consciousness to a higher plane of awareness to weave a new design.
And with harvest season now just around the corner, what will be your gain and what will be your loss?
The Noble Eightfold Path:
Right Effort
The Buddhist Path for the Cessation of Suffering, and the fourth of The Four Noble Truths. The application guide for living a spiritually purposeful life. The Eightfold Path, although referred to as steps on a path, is not meant as a sequential learning process, but as eight aspects of life, all of which are to be integrated in every day life.
The Eightfold path consists of Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration.
Seeing the 8 Rights as a guiding light along the path to self-mastery. As a tool to remind us to come back into balance, knowing and direction.
Right Effort means cultivating an enthusiasm, a positive attitude in a balanced way. When we are practicing Right Effort, the natural attitude is of steady and cheerful determination. In order to produce Right Effort, clear and honest thoughts should be welcomed, as Right Effort equates to positive thinking, followed by focused action.
“Right Effort” sometimes called right diligence is the sixth component of the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path, Right View, Right Intentions, Right Speech, Right Actions, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration.
The idea of “Right Effort” is that the effort exerted in practice and in life needs to be “Right.” It needs to be finely tuned, neither too lax, nor too effortful. The Buddha taught that practice should be like a well-tuned string instrument. If the strings are too loose, they won’t play a sound. If they are too tight, they will break. Practice should be nourishing, not draining. So, “Right Effort” actually points precisely to the Buddha’s “Middle Way.”
“Right Effort” is not just for meditation practice but for how we conduct our lives. It calls for us to develop and encourage good qualities, ones that will lead forward on the path, and reduce or discourage bad qualities, ones that interfere or block progress. There are many good qualities to be cultivated such as mindfulness, investigation of phenomena, energy, joy, tranquility, concentration, and equanimity.
This suggests that we should work to develop mindfulness, paying attention, on purpose, without judgment, to what is occurring in the present moment. After all, how are we going to progress on a spiritual path if our minds are lost in thought, memories of the past or projections of the future? Only by being attentive to what is happening right now, do we have any hope of seeing things as the truly are.
Mindfulness can be developed by engaging in contemplative practices such as meditation, yoga, contemplative prayer, mindful movement practices, journalling etc. So, “Right Effort” mandates that practice is necessary to cultivate our mindfulness, but do so with energy and striving, but not too much or too little. We need to practice the “Middle Way.”
Weaving them all together...
The wheel has turned yet again and we find ourselves at the peak of Summer, where the pendulum has swung to the shortest night and longest days. Where the outdoors is beckoning life to revel in this time of the wheel. To put energy into that which will sustain us come harvest and winter.
With 'Harvest' just around the corner, Right Effort and Rhythm are strong reminders of what we take care of inside and out will become our harvest shortly. Practice being mindful of where your energy and focus goes and course correct if necessary!
As the pendulum of life swings to its rhythm, practicing the “Middle Way”will help you flow with life while not losing your way.
Blessings,
Mim WhiteWind
Links to further your study and knowledge:
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