Happy (Summer) Solstice!

At 5:26am PDT today, the Earth's Northern Hemisphere was tilted directly towards the sun. That was the Solstice moment. Northern Hemisphere inhabitants experience this day in several ways - the sun travels the sky higher and spends more time above the horizon than on any other day of the year - a full 14 hours and 25 minutes in Los Angeles. If you're standing on the Tropic of Cancer, the sun will pass directly overhead at noon. If you're standing at the North Pole, the sun will circle the sky higher than any other day, 23 degrees above the horizon.

Cultures around the world have celebrated this solstice day for millennia. Architectural wonders such as Stonehenge and the great temples and pyramids of Egypt, Mexico, Peru and New Mexico (to name a few) mark this day in their own unique ways, reminding us that humanity's understanding of (and reverence towards) the cosmos is ancient and universal. In these times of perpetual change and uncertainty one can find comfort in the imperturbable machinery of celestial motion. Take a moment today to enjoy the sun in its place of dominance, for six months from now, the night will rule - at the Winter Solstice.

Rise and fall, ebb and flow, yin and yang. The cosmos dance on.

Learn more about the ancient origins and significance of solstice.