The light falls
Summer Solstice reflections
Welcome to The Otherworld! We are a biannual publication run by two friends and folklore & fairy tale nerds, Jess and Steph. This is a place to walk through stories and tales across time, continents, and cultures through flash fiction, art, poetry, and essays. Thanks for joining us!
Happy Summer Solstice to our Northern Hemisphere friends, and a happy Winter Solstice to you if you live in the Southern Hemisphere.
Here at the Otherworld, Jess and I (Steph) will observe the falling of the light in simple ways in our own corners of southeastern North America.
We both love this time of year. Speaking for myself, it marks a time of magic and celebration during my least favorite season. It’s a time to remember that autumn is coming, and yet we still have much to savor in these warmer months.
Now, both of us have multiple children, jobs, side hustles, and numerous other responsibilities. For many of us, disability, neurospiciness, mental or physical illness, and life in general can make it a challenge to observe the changing of the seasons in a way that we want to, or in a way we might see on social media that looks so good, yet for which we just don’t have the resources.
How about we let some pressure off ourselves? If you love this time of year and want to mark it, yet struggle to find the time, resources, or motivation, that’s ok. Keep it simple in a way that brings you joy and makes you feel close to the earth, your own magic, and/or your community. That’s kind of the whole point, anyway.
Some (very simple) ideas:
~observe the sunrise
~light a yellow, gold, white, or orange candle and set an intention for the season
~make sun tea
~make a list of things that are abundant or blooming in your life; share with a friend if desired
~pull two tarot or oracle cards for the season ahead. Ask, what is coming forward, and what is receding in my life?
~learn about the goddesses and gods associated with Summer Solstice, such as the Oak King and the Holly King
This may be the longest day of the year, but it also marks the slow return of the dark.
The dark, as we know, is just as full of treasures as the most lush and verdant day of summer.
Be kind to yourself. It’s all connected.
Wishing you a joyful season,
Steph and Jess,
Editors of The Otherworld
If you have any issues with the PDF, please email us: theotherworldmag@gmail.com and add “Issue 02” in the subject line. We check email a couple times a week.
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