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Father’s Day & Summer Solstice Gratitude
I thought I’d share a few poems in celebration and honor of Father’s Day and the Summer Solstice today that spoke to me.
Perhaps they will bring a moment of reflection, as you pause in gratitude for what they symbolize in your own life.
This first poem isn’t about a father, directly, but embodies what fathers and father figures do in life. The “old man going a lone highway” builds his bridge, which is what “dads” do for their kids – they are bridge builders.
Me and my dad at Niagra Falls when I was about 3 years old
THE BRIDGE BUILDER by Will Allen Dromgoole
An old man going a lone highway,
Came, at the evening cold and gray,
To a chasm vast and deep and wide.
Through which was flowing a sullen tide
The old man crossed in the twilight dim,
The sullen stream had no fear for him;
But he turned when safe on the other side
And built a bridge to span the tide.
And here are two Summer Solstice poems to honor Mother Earth with and cherish all that she gifts us.
IN OBSERVATION OF SUMMER SOLSTICE by Christina Countryman
In recognition of the blessing of being alive on this beautiful planet
With great gratitude I honor the four directions
To the east and all that lay in that direction…
May the air and oceans enfold you in glorious beauty
And all creatures thrive upon your shores in health and harmony
Blessed be
To the south and all that lay in that direction…
May your mountains and rivers wash clean water to the sea
And your lakes and forests shelter all who dwell there
Blessed be
To the west and all that lay in that direction…
May the big sky of your plains sparkle with crystal clarity
And gift all life with healing rains and glorious sunshine
Blessed be
To the north and all that lay in that direction…
May your midnight sun shine upon a planet filled with hope
And the possibility of a peaceful world be made real
Blessed be
From MAYA: POEMS FOR THE SUMMER SOLSTICE by Gillian Harding-Russell
Blossoms blowing through the solstice –
Come April’s cool rays, tender of apple blossoms
pink-kissed white gives way to tang of May’s
honeysuckle withering off-whitish yellow
vegetal nubs on a branch and to intensity
of June’s lilacs, joy a poignant pain on the brain as she walks
through glass doors under fairy arc of sprinklers
into wet-cut grass aroma of a summer day
as if she were passing into the pixel perfect of a movie
paint box blue and green, another country
(far from memory of winter’s white shadow of trees
bristling with hoar) when at her foot she notices
a dandelion turned from sunny coquette to old lady
white-haired fluff, and thinks she might have glimpsed
a midsummer god-light grinding gears on some invisible
wheel towards the shortest day…
Father’s Day Celebration ~ A Daily Reminder & Reverence for the Divine & Sacred Masculine
Me and my Dad
We hear a lot about the Divine Feminine, but let us not forget her amazing partner, the Divine Masculine. We are all on a journey to remember, awaken, and activate our wholeness and this involves a Sacred Union within ourselves, as well as with each other. When we embrace this dance we empower ourselves into the grace and fullness that is our potential.
As we celebrate this day for all Fathers, or as I see it, for the Divine Masculine, let us remember that there are many ways to be a Father and many meanings for what a Father may mean to each of us.
I love this description by Anahata, Founder of Shamangelic Healing in Sedona for the Healthy Divine Masculine:
“The Healthy Divine Masculine is fearless, courageous and loyal. “He” is our guardian protector. When in balance, the masculine protector does no harm. His gentle strength brings harmony and peace to where there was conflict and separation. He knows his power but does not abuse or misuse it. Are you using your power (words, actions, dollars and resources) in ways that unite or separate, create or destroy? He is a leader and is not afraid to speak the truth even if others disagree. He is courageously fierce in standing for what is right. What do you stand for? Are your choices in life reflecting this? The Divine Masculine is not afraid of the unknown. He enjoys adventure and exploring new territory. He believes in himself and knows he will succeed if his intentions are clear and actions aligned. The unhealthy masculine is stagnant, stifled, afraid to fail or an overpowering bully. When you heal those parts of “him” that are hurt, stifled or misunderstood and you team Him with the love and wisdom of the Divine Feminine, the combination is pure perfection. When working in harmony, the Sacred Union of the Divine Feminine and Masculine can unite, heal and create ANYTHING!!! The synergy created by this balanced union catalyzes the forces of creation into manifestation. The love that is possible when birthed from this union is that of the unconditional sacred heart of Divine Source. By balancing, healing, honoring and integrating our Divine Feminine and Masculine energies, we write a new future for ourselves, humanity and this planet.”
And this is a really awesome article by writer Lori Ann Lothian for Elephant Journal that hits the nail on the head with practical understanding for engaging and embodying the Sacred Masculine in daily life. Lori does an amazing job at explaining ways for men to join the dance in empowered wholeness:
A Call to the Sacred Masculine: Ten Daring Invitations from the Divine Feminine
I wish everyone a beautiful day in celebration and honor of the Fathers and Father figures in your life. It’s also a perfect time to take a moment to honor the Divine Masculine within and without.
“In each age there is a fundamental shift in the way the divine reveals itself. This shift has already taken place… What is being born within the soul of the world is a quality of consciousness that comes from a union of masculine and feminine. We need to reclaim the feminine so that it can unite with the masculine in a new way, through which a new consciousness can be born, a new way of relating to life, enabling us to have a fuller understanding of our true nature and purpose. Then the deeper meaning of the feminine can become visible, the hidden purpose of the masculine enacted.” ~Signs of God
Tania Marie 