Drawing Down the Sun
A summer solstice Comté Plate and other midsummer rituals
Hello and happy (almost) summer solstice!
On June 21st at 3:24 AM CT, the sun will enter the sign of Cancer where she will climb into her throne at the northernmost point in the sky. This is the longest day of the year and the official start to summer, at least here in the northern hemisphere. Solar energy is at its peak, offering us a celebratory moment of sun-drunk indulgence before our center star begins her descent.
Most modern witches and pagans, including myself, revolve their mystical practice around the moon. Admittedly, I spend my summers shielding myself from the sun’s rays with hats and scarves and chasing shadows to save my skin from burning. While the moon seduces us with soft and silvery beams, the sun’s power is much more powerful, direct, and even aggressive, especially during the summer time. Though it can feel intimidating to those of us that are sensitive, that energy can and should be harnessed. There is so much potential for magic making under the sun’s fiery rays.
When I started writing Cheese Magic, I referred to the sun with he/him pronouns. After I submitted the first draft, my editor flagged this and asked why I had made that choice. Honestly, I hadn’t given it much thought. The sun is most often associated with gods and masculine energy, at least in the reference materials I was using, so that was my default. My editor’s questioning, however, sparked my curiosity.
After a little research, I discovered that many cultures associate the sun with goddesses, rather than gods. In the Nordic tradition, the sun is a feminine energy personified by the goddess Sol or Sunna. Much like the Greek god Helios, Sol flew across the sky in a horse-drawn chariot. The highest deity in Japanese Shintō mythology is the goddess Amaterasu. In Egypt, several goddesses predate the sun god Ra, including his mother Hathor. The Cherokee sun goddess Unelanuhi rules over the days while her moon brother takes watch at night.
Sun energy is intense and even harsh at times, which is likely the reason why we’ve associated it with masculinity. However, I think this heteronormative gendering is quite limiting. Why should the characteristics of masculinity and femininity belong to any one gender? After all, Mars may be the god of war, but his sister Athena consistently conquers him throughout their mythos.
Personification of the sun shifts from goddess to god across cultures, but she does not belong to any one gender. Now, especially as she shines her most powerful rays upon us during Pride month, women, femmes, and queer people across the spectrum can and should channel her solar energy so that we can dismantle the patriarchal systems that oppress us.
Below you will find rituals for drawing down the sun, including a Summer Solstice Comté Plate (sponsored by the Comté Cheese Association and free for you this month). After the paywall, we have another little sun ritual, plus a solstice altar guide and a list of solar foods and herbs to work with during Midsummer.
Please note that 100% of proceeds from paid subscribers this month will benefit TransLifeline. Thank you for your support!
Before we get to that, a little announcement:
I started a movie club! Each month, we will feature a film created by (and, occassionally, about) femme/queer people. Some will be new releases and some will have to be old classics because Hollywood doesn’t give femmes/queers enough opportunities. The coven is free to join and all you have to do is subscribe.
OK, now onto the cheese-centered witchcraft….
The Summer Solstice Plate, Sponsored by Comté
The following cheese plate is an altar to the solstice, featuring sun-ruled ingredients like apricots, almonds, rosemary, and orange blossom honey. The star ingredient is Comté, a legendary French cheese made with raw milk from cows grazing on the sun-drenched herbs, flowers, and grasses of the mountain pastures. I recommend asking your cheesemonger specifically for a summer milk Comté rather than the winter version, which is made from hay-fed milk. While the winter batches are still delicious, and often richer in flavor, they’re more suited for a winter solstice plate.
Pair this plate with a sparkling rosé, a Saison beer, or the Orange Blossom Lemonade recipe from Cheese Magic.
Serves 2
Ingredients
6 oz Comté, thinly sliced
½ a baguette
6-8 dried apricots
¼ cup marcona almonds
1-2 tablespoons of butter
½ cup bing cherries
2 tablespoons orange blossom honey
Fresh rosemary, to garnish
Sliced tangerine, to garnish
Equipment: platter or board, small bowl or jar plus a little spoon for the honey, and a spreader for the butter
Begin by cleansing a platter or board with smoke or water. Then, take a minute to ground yourself into this moment. Sit or stand before your platter and ingredients and take three deep breaths.
When you are ready, place a small bowl or jar in the center of the platter. Fan out the Comté slices beneath it and the baguette on top.
Layer the apricots and almonds on one side of the plate. Add the butter on the other side of the plate, with the cherries next to it. Pour the honey into the bowl or jar. Add the utensils and garnish with rosemary and tangerines.
Sit before the plate and take three deep breaths once again. Gaze upon the plate, envisioning the sun shining from each of these ingredients. The sun gave life to the grasses that fed the cows, the wheat that made this bread, the trees that grew these almonds and fruits, and the orange blossoms that gave their nectar to the bees. Each of these ingredients are infused with the power of our center star, as are our own bodies and spirits.
When you are ready, begin to eat the items on the plate, feeling the power of the sun infusing into your body and giving you strength. Envision your body glowing like the sun with each bite you take.
After you have finished eating, take a moment to sit in gratitude for the sun. Thank our center star for her life-giving powers and all the elements of nature, animals, and people who sacrificed to bring these ingredients to you today.
Finish the ritual by stepping out into the sunshine and feeling the rays kiss your skin, charging you with her bright light.
Thank you to Comté for continuing to sponsor my work even as I shift from cheese preacher to full fledged kitchen witch! I love you and Comté is one of the all-time greatest cheeses.
