IT’S OFFICIALLY SUMMER!!!
…and thank black Jesus for that because since being back in England, these grey days have been bumming.me.OUT.
So naturally, when asked if I fancied joining a road trip to one of the most iconic and prehistoric monuments in the world to experience the ritual of welcoming in the summer - the answer was hell to the yes!
According to folklore, Stonehenge was created by Merlin, the wizard of Arthurian legend, who magically transported the massive stones from Ireland, where giants had assembled them. Another legend says invading Danes put the stones up, and another theory says they were the ruins of a Roman temple.
National Geographic
Widely believed to have been a site for ceremonial and religious activities, the exact purpose of Stonehenge remains as much of a mystery as the Pyramids but the frequency that surrounds it definitely still has a whiff of magic to it - I can practically see the rituals in my mind’s eye!
Stonehenge is famously aligned with the solstices, in particular, the summer solstice, which is the day that the rising sun aligns perfectly with the Heel Stone and the central Altar Stone. This alignment of the stones with the movements of the sun and moon, suggests it may have been used as an astronomical calendar to mark important events such as solstices and equinoxes.
Enter me: obsessed with astronomy, astrology and the rudimentary yet absolutely genius devices used to tell the tales of the sky back in the day. Needless to say, witnessing this has been a dream of mine for many a year.
Recent studies have revealed that Stonehenge enabled our ancestors to predict celestial events like eclipses, solstices and the equinox, much like a modern-day astronomical observatory. Knowing where they were in the seasonal cycle allowed for more efficient planning of agriculture, social and religious events.
EF GO Blog
I have to say though, I was not at all prepared for just how much of a thing it was!?!
There were thousands of people, (reportedly 10 thousand in fact). Many make the pilgrimage every year. There were parents who dragged their children with them, teens who were unsure what to expect but excited to be involved in the celebration, and substance-inebriated adults who fervently danced in the drum circles alongside modern pagans and earth mages with their gorgeous wildflower head garlands. Cloaks, bone crowns (LOVE), fur stoles and wooden staffs adorned with all manner of items were peppered amongst the crowd along with tourists from all corners of the world and a large group of women auspiciously dressed in full red outfits and red roses headpieces who I couldn’t get enough off. (I later discovered that they were a choir called Shakti Sing, who sing in praise of the Earth and wear red to represent the Root Chakra, I am seriously considering joining and signed myself up to their Facebook group before I’d even left the car park!). I see voice activation and a clear throat chakra in my future 🔮
We were all joined in somewhat of a primal wonder to witness the most anticipated sunrise of the year.
Luckily for us, it was also the time of the full moon and not one to be outshone, she was the fullest and brightest I have had the pleasure of witnessing in a long while.
The size of the crowd alone gave the air a vibe akin to a festival. Everyone was open and welcoming, keen to share their slice of knowledge about the ‘henge, marvel at its beauty, recount how many times they’ve been there or let you know where the best place to view the sunrise might be.
Eagerly, we waited for the sun to embrace us with her rays (a good number of people had been there all night, some were sleeping on the floor and quite literally could do with some sunshine in their lives), the air was filled with the constant sound of the various drumming circles that were both around the monument and inside. The field we were standing in seemed to be being encased by a wonderfully eerie fog that grew denser as the sun rose and gave the effect of a mystical smokey lake. As the sun slowly began her ascent to the sky, the crowd grew silent until the moment she reached her much-anticipated crescendo and everyone burst into cheering and applauding; a moment that seemed to unite us all in awe and a deep mystery, the palpable energy of this ancient ritual running deep.
Looking around and seeing the diversity of the crowd and the joy that this moment genuinely evoked in people, reminded me that rituals such as these are about connecting with something much larger than ourselves, especially at a time when a lot of the population has forgotten the magic that runs through our existence here on Earth. Whether you're a spiritual seeker, a history buff, Druid, Pagan, or an earth witch; someone who loves any excuse to take a few drugs and dance to the morning or just simply someone who enjoys a good sunrise, the experience of Stonehenge during the summer solstice is a reminder of our shared human heritage and the timeless wonder of our natural world.
Having already decided that it was to be a new yearly ritual and devising ways to improve our experience for next year (which essentially involves bringing wayyy fewer things to have to carry - what can I say, we’re cosy queens), I will say, if you ever get the chance to visit, do it!
Let the ancient and wonderous monument that is Stonehenge remind you that you're part of a story that stretches back thousands of years and enjoy the magic of the solstice with a smile and a sense of awe, amongst a crowd that radiates love and acceptance; to the beat of some damn good drumming!
☀️💖