Litha 1997 Newsletter Litha - A Personal Perspective

It's that time of year again where we see Yule decorations and our precious symbols in shop windows, catalogues and almost everywhere we turn (yes, even office decorations!). How do we cope or adjust ourselves to this phenomena? Would it really be so much easier if we lived in the Northern Hemisphere? Personally, I don't think so, others may (hopefully) disagree. At this time of the year I set up a Litha tree. It is a tree made of sticks that I have collected over the years, and 1 hang on it, the various pods of trees that I have collected. Because it is bushfire season (and it looks like a big bushfire season this year), the pods remind me of the power that the element of fire has, to not only destroy, but to also create and inspire new life. As quite a few of our native trees need fires to germinate seeds and to help with new growth, I see a pod tree as a powerful reminder of the heat, dryness and intensity of the Australian summer. I also adjust to the season by going on holidays! A few weeks north to experience the full intensity of summer, swimming in the cool ocean and catching up with relatives. I see Litha as being a great opportunity to give the gift of tolerance, and to explain the Solstice stories to those who are willing to listen. How do you pay respect to the season?