June 20-21, 2020 New Moon Solar Eclipse & Solstice Sound Bath Notes

Today we come together on the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, heralding the beginning of the summer season. This sound bath is designed to celebrate the Sun and its life-affirming energy. Ancient traditions around the world understand that the “Sun is both an outer and inner spiritual source, a great symbol and doorway to a higher reality. The Vedas praise the Sun as a source of light, intelligence and consciousness at the core of our existence, the Atman or soul.” (Frawley) Even Vedic mantras are said to dwell in the rays of the Sun, numbering 432,000, a harmonic number of the 432 hz tuning of our instruments and these crystal singing bowls, of the mystical number 108 (108,000 x 4), and solar mathematics of a circular zodiac with 12 divisions (360 x 1200).

The solstices mark points in the Sun’s path of peak light, or yang energy, in the Summer; and peak darkness, or yin energy, in the winter. Yin is the energy of passivity, restfulness, relaxation and sleep; whereas yang is the energy of activity, wakefulness and heat. Everything in nature is in constant relationship between the two, yin and yang. As the summer Sun approaches its most northern latitude, there is an increase of yang and diminishment of yin. Perhaps we feel more energized at this time of year, but may sleep less going to bed later and waking with an early sunrise. The solstice is a perfect time to harness yang energy to improve our vitality and immune system, but we must also nurture our yin to make sure we don’t burn out with summer activity. This is the yin within the yang, the small dark dot in the middle of the white of the taiji symbol.

This infinite expansion and contraction of solar energy in this Sun-Earth relationship is like a great cosmic breath, an inhalation and exhalation of sunlight.There is also a Sun-Galactic relationship in which the 24,000 year precession of the Sun backward though the Zodiac marks the expansion and contraction of consciousness. By some calculations, consciousness is considered at its height during the Satya Yuga, or golden age, when the Summer solstices align with the mysterious hidden Sun at the center of our galaxy in the early degrees of Sagittarius, a sign associated with truth and spirituality, as well as destruction of materialism.

Currently the opposite occurs with the Summer Solstice taking place in the early degrees of Gemini indicating that we are somewhere in between the Kali and Dwapara Yuga, which are characterized as dark ages of materialism and immorality. Fortunately, the inseparable and interpenetrating relationship of yin and yang requires there is always some yin within yang, and yang within yin giving us a glimmer of higher consciousness at the solstices, even during dark ages.

Ironically Ancient Vedic seers describe the sign of Gemini, and its nakshatra of Mrigashira as one of the most auspicious in the zodiac because it has a special power, prinana shakti, the power to give fulfillment. Gemini is dualistic air sign symbolized by the twins or a couple, representing the meeting of male/female, yin/yang or universal consciousness and material reality in the intellect. This sign rules over the thinking mind, communication, travel and business. In Sanskrit Mrigashira translates as “doe face” describing is a group of four stars that resemble a deer’s head. Deers are associated with characteristics of gentleness, timidity, and wandering with many myths portraying them as elusive, magical, and enchanting.

And while considered a gentle nakshatra, Mrigashira is ruled by Mars which gives it a constant, restless energy seeking whatever it desires. It’s impulse is to couple, but it has a hard time committing. This fickle nature enjoys the chase whether of love, knowledge or spirituality. The deity of this nakshatra is the lunar deity Soma, who distributes the divine nectar of bliss and immortality. So the stars of Mrigashira are associated with longevity, vitality and fulfillment of desires especially when planets and luminaries align under the light of its stars. We can tap into this shakti energy with our meditation and yoga practice as the Sun reaches its peak at this star gate.

This year the Summer solstice occurs at 2:43 pm pacific time and is followed 9 hours later by a Gemini New Moon solar eclipse in the last degrees of Mrigashira. During a solar eclipse the shakti transference at the conjunction of the Sun (our consciousness) and Moon (our reflective and collective mind) are blocked from the Earth’s by the shadow of the Moon’s nodes, darkening our perspective and triggering fear.

It can also be a time when the subconscious, like the stars hidden during the day, becomes visible, triggering a process of transformation over the next 6 months until the next eclipse pair. These shadow issues may make it more challenging to receive the vital nourishment from the Sun or the shakti promise of fulfillment by stars of Mrigashira.

Fortunately, for those of us in the US this eclipse is not visible in North America, so its affects will not be as strong as where it is visible, such as China and India. Still because it is sandwiched between an usual pairing of lunar eclipses, it has already has a profound affect on our collective consciousness and will continue to do so.

Astrological traditions view eclipses as triggers that release the karma of previous actions of an individual, a family, a society, or a nation. The obscuration of the luminaries brings out psychological disturbances, political unrest, shadow issues and fear. Historically eclipses have been described in the mythology and literature of different cultures as signs of the overthrow of the natural order of things — when the sun becomes dark and the stars emerge during the day. 2020 is an unusual year with 6 eclipses instead of the normal 4, indicating a pivotal year of intense change.

Most astrologers agree that eclipses are not an auspicious time for any activity except gentle yoga, meditation, mantra, and prayers, which may be 1,000 to a million times stronger under these special conditions. It is our intention to connect with the community to bring healing light over shadow forces.

This practice will be amplified through sound and mantra which is so intimately connected with sunlight. The crystal singing bowls have a special resonance with both the collective and the human body. Our cells and DNA are made of similar crystalline structures as the bowls and vibrate with their resonnance. And the crystal bowls also resonate with digital media as they are made of the same silicon quartz as computer chips meaning their vibrations travel through the collective. While you may not always be able to hear their subtle vibrations, know that they are being transmitted.