We are now just past the summer solstice here in the northern hemisphere and for me as a Wiltshire woman growing up near Stonehenge, nothing will ever surpass this venue for celebration. However, for me in previous years this has mostly been a small private ritual with Druids rather than the open house of thousands descending on the Stones, which is quite another experience.
I was tempted to write about how English Heritage have undermined this primeval yearning to gather every year, or about the stealing of this sacred site from the people - not least the people of Amesbury who were gifted it by the last private owner… and in-between this dubious history, the free festivals of my childhood that culminated in the heinous acts of the Battle of the Beanfield that led to where we’re at today. But it’s all so depressing - summer should be about sunlight, holidays and having fun - not areas that feature a lot in my life these days (by choice). But this year, I did mark the solstice in a special way… sort of.
To start with, it was all about a Luna, not Sun standstill, and my travel took me north not south. What this standstill did share with previous events, was it took place at a Neolithic Stone Circle - Callanish (Calanais) in the Outer Hebrides. I live just south of the Isle of Skye, so in terms of location, a lot nearer to the Isle of Lewis where Callanish sits than Salisbury Plain in the south of England which takes me usually around 10 hours of driving with a couple of stops; it took us 11+ hours to get to Lewis… driving and 2 ferry journeys, but far more relaxing.
My husband has been to Callanish before but it was my first time (not my last I don’t think…) and I was not prepared for the impact. Instead of making our way to the campsite for the night after a long day, we made the short detour to visit the Stones first for the evening; and I cried! I could blame the stress of travel and being away from home - I never enjoy it really - but no, this felt different. It’s fanciful, but there was the feeling of familiarity, a kind of ‘home from home’ even. Looking back now I put it down to the comfort of being held in a Stone Circle, always a special and significant experience for me, but… could it be more?
This wasn’t to be a ‘holiday’ visit really, as apart from the intention of being at the Stones for the Lunar Standstill, there was a very special person who resides on the Isle of Lewis that I wanted to meet whilst I was there - the artist, Jill Smith.
Jill has an incredible history which is well worth exploring as well as her wonderful sacred art. I feel privileged to have now met her in person having corresponded for some time; she is a very special woman, generous, warm hearted and hugely talented. What I’d particularly like to share and recommend is her most recent and significant project Zodiac Journey.
Here is a short book review:
Zodiac Journey
Jill Smith
ISBN:978-1-908612-76-2
Published by: Fruitmarket (2024) 104 pp, paperback
Available from: Fruitmarket, 45 Market Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1DF - 0131 225 2383 - £15 +P&P
Some of you may be familiar with Jill Smith’s earlier work such as The Gypsy Switch & Other Ritual Journeys but if you have not yet come across Jill, then this is the perfect book to explore her unique and valuable contribution to both the world of Art, and feminist social justice.
Zodiac Journey is part of the celebrations marking the opening of ‘Fruitmarket’ fifty years ago (1974); Jill was the first woman to show in the Gallery the following year (1975) in a joint exhibition with her (then) husband. An important truth was only revealed in 2020 when the poet Jane Goldman, who was looking into women’s participation in ‘Fruitmarket’, discovered that the programme in 1975 had not named Jill, but listed the exhibition as a solo one in her husband’s name. Jill is RADA trained and has been working as a solo artist since 1982 and her lone work demonstrates her deep connection with the land and the magic and mystery she intuits. Fruitmarket commissioned this ‘performance art’ project which took place entirely outdoors on Lewis, Harris and St. Kilda. Jill chose a local photographer Mhairi Law, and her pictures are stunning. Mixed with Jill’s words, you can get a taste of this incredibly, significant journey as Jill reflects on how she experiences the elements of the zodiac year. As she says in her introduction, it brought together ‘many aspects of my life, like an entwining of many strings – old ritual performances, small ceremonies… special objects, memories of old friends, and new ideas this turning cycle has awakened in me.’ Highly recommended.
Goddess in the Landscape
The Lunar Standstill was an all night affair, which I at least managed beyond midnight (quite an achievement for someone whose bedtime is 20:00) but we only gave up as the cloud had descended - it was Scotland after all. It was enough to have gathered with the myriad of folk who felt compelled to travel here for this time, meet them, and share in the wonder of the Ancients marking this time and place the way they did. What we would have seen at the Callanish Stones at the standstill had the skies been clear, would have been the spectacle of the Moon as She made Her journey at Her lowest arc (repeating only every 18.5 years) following the hills in the distance, as there was enough light from the continuous twilight of this northerly land so close to summer Solstice - the significance; these hills known locally as Cailleach na Mòintich (Old woman of the Moors) resemble a recumbent female. For women like me seeing Goddess in the landscape is central to our Spiritual beliefs - She is everywhere, She is the Earth itself, and my Spiritual Practice continues to evolve in honour of Her - and that includes my writing - in fact, Goddess is central to my writing in recent years, whether fiction or non-fiction - hence Tales of B-Earth, which this Substack will eventually reflect and it is my intention that the trilogy will focus solely on this aspect of my writing - one day.
I could write so much more - but saving anecdotes and revelations for other posts…
To end, as it is truly the culmination of another journey, I attended my graduation ceremony this week - oh I do love a bit of ritual…
… and robes in my favourite colour - what’s not to like?
And last but not least - I promised
and co, I’d show them the dress I made for the occasion…
Got to love a bit of wild cat print… Druid accessories… and High Priestess Tarot earrings - had to be done!