Yellow roses symbolize joy, warmth, delight, gladness and this year, for me, they mean summer has finally arrived! In the past, I’ve had these beauties bloom every single month of the year except January. This year, however, they were tight buds until this week! Today’s sunshine feels so good. I feel like I’ve been a tight bud and now I am ready to stretch, bloom, explore, and wander! It’s no wonder our ancestors worshiped the sun! In almost every culture yellow represents sunshine and happiness, and for our primitive brains it also represents survival. Imagine the world before electricity! These summer days of longer daylight held a much deeper significance in our ancestor’s lives.
Litha, meaning light, is a festival dedicated to the life-giving, regenerative powers of the sun. Litha was also a celebration of the Celctic goddess Danu (Anu). This goddess of earth and fruitfulness was the Universal Mother of Tuatha De Danaan – a tribe of ancient people in Ireland. According to Irish mythology, this tribe ruled until being defeated in war on midsummer’s day, after which they retreated to the hills and eventually became the Faerie folk. The ancient Irish were celebrating the Summer Solstice thousands of years ago.
Modern celebrations and meanings have a very different context but it is no less a victory of light over dark. My yellow roses are victorious over a seemingly endless cold and rainy spring. The light within me is beaming now. Just as mother nature does, I have my own winter seasons or times when my light is shrouded by the clouds of life. Just as my yellow roses, my victory of light over dark may come slooowly some seasons, but it always comes.
Happy Summer! May it be full of light and your favorite blooms!
