The Summer Solstice marks the culmination of the solar year, when nature attains to the very peak of perfection. The keynote of the time is Transformation, and everywhere man turns he sees the evidence of a magical formula by which that transformation has been accomplished.
The bare and forbidding ground of the winter months is now wreathed in the bright new shining of vivid green; hedgerows once dark and dreary are now decked in jewels and misted with incense, and trees are leafy castles in which singing birds are embowered. Earth has put on her fairest apparel and the enraptured poet sings, "O what is so rare as a day in June?"
Now the golden Christ Ray which touched the earth at the Autumn Equinox — has accomplished its work. Having pierced the heart of the globe on Holy Night at the Winter Solstice, it with drew slowly through the months of January, February and March, and was liberated into the spiritual atmosphere of the planet in the Easter Season of the Spring Equinox, the resurrection time of the year; then during the months of May and June the glorious Light spread through the higher spiritual envelopes of the earth which are the abode of Archangels and Powers ministering invisibly to the various life waves evolving on earth.
But if the physical keynote of the Summer Solstice is Trans formation, its spiritual keynote, as known to the celestial Hierar chies, is Spiritual Ecstasy, for they achieved both Transmutation and Transformation long ago in earlier periods of the solar evolution. By them, therefore, the cosmic forces which in the lower kingdoms arouse a sense of physical well-being, are received on a higher level and in a purer form. So powerful are their radiations that many who are sensitive to inner-plane conditions are able at this time to contact angelic beings more easily and more intimately than at any other time of the year; although an intenser concentration is needed to accomplish this, due to the distractions of the outer world which are in summer so insistent and demanding.
As the four Sacred Seasons are expressions not only of natural cycles but also of the principal events of the life of the Cosmic Christ - in which, as we have seen. the Autumn Equinox stood in the place of the Crucifixion, the Winter Solstice the Holy Birth ( which is also a death). and the Spring Equinox the Resurrection — so now the Summer Solstice stands in the place of the Ascension.
Because of the mighty outflow of spiritual power at these four Seasons when the forces of heaven and earth are conjoined. many creative artists and writers have been inspired to build their greatest masterpieces upon the theme of the regenerative powers which characterize such times. Milton's Paradise Lost is illustrative of the renunciatory theme of the Autumn Equinox, the fall of Angels and of men which made necessary the redemption offered by the Christ, and His Crucifixion to accomplish this. Tennyson's ldyls of the King is the story of the Winter Solstice, in which King Arthur descends to earth amid the harsh storms of midwinter. He leaves the earth during the same season, declaring as he vanishes from sight that the old shall give place to the new, since God fulfills Himself in many ways.
In Faust, the masterpiece of the Initiate Goethe. which is per haps the most profound occult treatise of recent centuries, the poet describes the tremendous spiritual forces released upon the earth at the time of the Spring Equinox. And in Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream we find all the color, beauty and enchantment which belong to the Summer Solstice.
When the new religion of Aquaria has been firmly established on earth and the Sacred Seasons have assumed their rightful place as the four mighty columns of the Mystery Temple, sublime master pieces such as these, and many more like them, will be an important part of the study of the Disciple in the Halls of Learning, the University of the Soul, not as literature alone, but as testaments of Initiation.
The early alchemists well understood the Mysteries of the Summer Solstice and exhorted their pupils to take full advantage of the uplifting potencies of the time for bringing the Great White Work (the Philosopher's Stone) to its lunar perfection. At this season also the Christ delivered the Sermon on the Mount, the sublime message which is destined to be the life formula of the New Age man.
Under the oblique ray of the Sun at the Winter Solstice the spiritual activity is most powerful, working toward mass purification. All men are then inspired to cheerfulnes, kindliness, helpfulness — the season's keynotes. Under the perpendicular ray of the Sun at the Summer Solstice, physical activities reach their zenith and earth is arrayed in beauty like a bride. The Christ impulse which went forth from the earth's center soon after the Winter Solstice now reaches its full fruition. The joys of birth of midwinter find consummation in the carnival of maturity of midsummer.
Shakespeare has concealed within each of his dramas some paticular occult truth. The casual reader sees only the exoteric pre sentation couched in the language, manners and customs of the times. The esotericist finds the deeper meaning concealed between the lines.
In his lovely fantasy, A Midsummer Night's Dream, the seer-poet has concealed the mysteries of Initiation which are celebrated in the solstitial time of the Sun's entrance into the mystic realm of Cancer. The action of the play occupies four days, the interval of the Solstice.
The play begins with the tender utterance of Duke Theseus to his lovely queen:
The enchanting festival terminates on the fourth night with a fourfold wedding and a great joy dance of the fairies in celebration of this high season.
In Midsummer Night's Dream Shakespeare has opened to men's vision the portals of the fairy world, and he has described accurately their work of embellishing nature with light and color. The magic of chlorophyl is due to their manipulation of the light ethers, and also the varicolored flower petals with which nature decorates the landscape at this time.
On midsummer night the task of the nature spirits is complete, and the fairies' festival is held to celebrate the event. The midsum mer festivity which has been popular with many Europeans for centuries past is a reflection of what takes place in the etheric realm, for in times past, when people were more clairvoyant than they are now, many perceived the hidden aspect of nature with sufficient clearness to .be inspired to join in the happy frolic of the fairy folk.
Midsummer's festival is therefore a theme often treated of by poets, painters and musicians, who sense the joy of the inner atmos phere as the fairies bake and brew their etheric food and drink, holding high carnival all through the hours of this mystic night. "Their tablecloth is white as snow, and in the center is a crystal cup which emits such light that there is no need of lamps. One drop of its contents makes one as wise as the gods," says an ancient Welsh legend.
Shakespeare's sprites picture thus in lilting verse the manner of their work:
In this enchanting tale of the fairy world, Shakespeare, in his Initiate wisdom, has concealed much esoteric lore.
There are four couples in the play, symbolically representing the four elements, Fire, Air, Water and Earth; a superb illustration of the doctrine of polarity: "In every individual of every species there are four elements comprising two males and two females: by a proper union we get a dual being, a second marriage, a new in dividual, the Bride of the Lamb."
The names of these characters suggest their deeper meanings. Theseus in Grecian mythology was a mighty Sun god similar to Hercules in person and exploits, Hippolyta a fair vestal virgin in attendance upon temple rites. The names of the two maidens Helena and Hermia both signify the powers of a wisdom belonging to the Initiate who has known the experience of the mystic marriage. The letter H in the sacred alphabet represents the exalted feminine, the intuitive or Wisdom Principle, which when awakened through the processes of Initiation, gives the ability to "see no more through a glass darkly, but face to face."
In the love idyl of the two couples, Hermia and Lysander, Helena and Demetrius, certain events of the outer physical plane are followed by an entrance into the kingdom of faerie. In esoteric parlance, they have learned to function consciously in the etheric realm which is the homeland of the nature spirits. A higher octave of vision accompanies this development, and it is to th3.t vision Hermia refers when she says:
The many trials and obstacles which these four encounter in their wandering typify the difficulties of the transmutation which must precede the mystic marriage.
Lysander's love for Hermia is transferred to Helena, but briefly during the interval in which he is led astray by the £airy spell; in dicating the blinding of the spiritual vision during the soul's earthly pilgrimage. Only the harmonious union of the four elements — which in man's nature correlate to desire, emotion, mind and body — can bring the divine consummation of the immortal marriage, that strange and rapturous blending which Shakespeare refers to in the passage:
Shakespeare also gives evidence of his knowledge of esoteric astrology. This beautiful Mystery play depicts perfectly the spirit ual significance of the mystic sign Cancer, the sign of midsummer night. Cancer is the one sign that is governed by the Moon, and it is the place of exaltation for two great benefics, Jupiter and Neptune.
It is the rhythmic forces of Cancer playing through the Moon which cause the appearance of all forms upon earth. Birth on the physical plane is made possible by the Moon in Cancer. The New Birth through Initiation results from the activity of Neptune in Cancer. He who learns to partake of the living water ( of Cancer) shall know eternal life, declared the Supreme Master.
The glyph for Cancer symbolizes the feminine and masculine poles which by their union produce physical forms, and through the attainment of equilibrium the glory of the mystic marriage. This sublime rite occurs at the midnight hour of the holy Solstice nights. It is the preparation for this mystery which forms the theme of the play, although its profound import has been hidden beneath a cloak of magic and laughter, so that only those who are ready may discover the true meaning.
At the hour of midnight the doors of the mystic Temple open to those who have made transmutation the keynote of their lives, and in keeping with this truth Duke Theseus invites the four lovers to enter "when the iron tongue of midnight hcith told twelve," and adds:
The diminutive king and queen of the fairies, Oberon and Titania, represent the Moon in Cancer also, for it is by the light of the Moon that their work comes to fruition.
The love idyls of Hermia and Lysander, Helena and Deme trius, typify preparatory steps in building the luminous Soul Body or Wedding Garment in which the mystic marriage is consummated.
Astrologically this work is shown in the exaltation of Jupiter in Cancer.
Duke Theseus and Queen Hippolyta represent the cosmic and spiritual principles of Neptune, planet of divinity, exalted in Cancer and opener of the door of Initiation.
Midsummer night! The fairies' time of triumphant celebration!
Midsummer night! The holy night of the soul's high revelation unto itself!
St. Paul assures us that eye hath not seen nor ear heard what the Lord has prepared for them that love Him. The thought is ap propriate to a consideration of the Summer Solstice, the sacred char acter of which is apprehended only by the few, and in the holy festivities of which a still smaller number are consciously participating.
In modern Christendom it is common to celebrate the Winter Solstice as the most sacred time of the year, commemorative of the birth of the world's Savior, and the esoteric Christian joins in these festivities, although to him this is no mere feast of commemoration but a salutation to the Cosmic Christ who is literally born anew into the earth each Holy Night.
Now the Summer Solstice bears a yet higher meaning. At this time the Cosmic Christ is born anew in His own home world, the world of the Christed Consciousness, where all is harmony, unity and life eternal. In this sphere the Christ renews His "Garment" of Life Spirit — it is not a body in any sense which earth-man could recognize — after which He returns again to our planet to continue His labors of rejuvenation, both for it and for all life thereon.
For this reason the Summer Solstice is to the esoteric Christian a Festival of the Ascension of the Christ. He knows that the World Savior, when He ascended from the Mount of Olives so many cen turies ago, did not disappear instantly, but faded gradually from the view of the Disciples gathered there; and that those having the requisite spiritual vision were able to watch Him even to the final stages of His Ascension, to His absorption in the Glory which is behind the Sun. To this plane of consciousness the aspirant seeks to follow the Christ; and since only the Initiate can do this, we have the comforting promise that where He went. though we may not be able to follow Him now, we shall follow later.
For any intuitive aspirant, as well as for the illumined Disciple, the four Sacred Seasons sound a clarion call to "come up higher." At these times clairvoyants and Initiates are born, and to them the wonders of heaven lie open that they may know what is biblically described as "the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him."
Many sacred scriptures besides the Christian Bible refer to holy events that occurred at these seasons, and many sacred teachings are associated with them; but beyond all question the highest teach ing ever given to humanity is the Sermon on the Mount, which was delivered at the Summer Solstice. Man must learn to apply the transcendent truths of this sermon in his daily life if he is to be numbered among the pioneers who will receive the Christ at His second coming.
The joy of the cosmic Ascension sets its impress of ineffable loveliness upon the whole earth, with each tree, each shrub, each plant, crowned in glory, a signal to the stars; while Angels chant and fairies frolic in a perfect abandon of delight. As the Christ ascends to his own home world, the World of Life Spirit, it is the exaltation of consciousness belonging to that world that enables Him to declare, "I and my Father are One."
— Corinne Heline
