Journal- Serious and Trivial

Sunday, June 20, 2021

Summer Solstice

Blessing for Summer Solstice

Summer Solstice falls tomorrow 21st June 2021. This is the longest day of the year and the return of brighter evenings. The term solstice derives from the Latin and solstiticium meant sun standing still. The sun seems to stand still at the horizon, where it appears to rise and set before moving off in the reverse direction. This time is celebrated across ancient cultures with sun dances and other rituals. It is considered a time for spiritual regeneration and for expressing gratitude for all the blessings in life.

#summersolstice2021
#sunmandala
#gratitude
#longestdayoftheyear

The Story of the Chinese Farmer

Once upon a time there was a Chinese farmer whose horse ran away. That evening, all of his neighbors came around to commiserate. They said, “We are so sorry to hear your horse has run away. This is most unfortunate.” The farmer said, “Maybe.” The next day the horse came back bringing seven wild horses with it, and in the evening everybody came back and said, “Oh, isn’t that lucky. What a great turn of events. You now have eight horses!” The farmer again said, “Maybe.”

The following day his son tried to break one of the horses, and while riding it, he was thrown and broke his leg. The neighbors then said, “Oh dear, that’s too bad,” and the farmer responded, “Maybe.” The next day the conscription officers came around to conscript people into the army, and they rejected his son because he had a broken leg. Again all the neighbors came around and said, “Isn’t that great!” Again, he said, “Maybe.”

The whole process of nature is an integrated process of immense complexity, and it’s really impossible to tell whether anything that happens in it is good or bad — because you never know what will be the consequence of the misfortune; or, you never know what will be the consequences of good fortune.

— Alan Watts