Magickal Earth: A Solstice Walk Through Time, Land, and the Spirit of Place

Magickal Earth: A Solstice Walk Through Time, Land, and the Spirit of Place

Join us, Saturday evening, June 21, in the waning hours of sunlight on the longest day of the year. In our meditative walk across th3 densely archeological land of the mid-hudson river we will acknowledge our place in the wider rhythms of the earth. This time we spend on in this transformative consciousness is more than a casual jaunt across the landscape; to the contrary, it’s an opportunity to reflect on the land's interwoven history and its spirit-rich ecology. From the Thomas Cole National Site across the Rip Van Winkle Bridge, we’ll explore the Native foundations that shape the land and how the land continues to transform in the face of modern environmental challenges.

During the mile and a half pilgrimage we will pause in four places, each focused on a unique aspect of the archeology, and history of this land. At Thomas Cole’s homestead, we’ll consider the artistic legacy of the Hudson River School and explore Cole's sly nod to the despoliation of the Native homeland. Crossing over the Mid-Hudson bridge we’ll reflect on the myth of Rip Van Winkle as a symbol of change. The myth of a long, long sleep encourages us, like Rip, to awaken to a world transformed, and to acknowledge our place in its rhythms. The bridge becomes a metaphor for the liminal spaces that still shadow us, between the old world and the new.

The Hudson River -- Mahicantuck, "the river that flows two ways" -- is estimated to be around 13,000 to 26,000 years old. Its formation is linked to the retreat of glaciers during the last ice age. Pausing at the Hudson River Waterfront Park, we’ll consider how the river serves as an archeology of time; we salute how it continues to flow as a symbol of resilience, life, and the interconnectedness of all creatures.

The Solstice marks the place of stasis -- a time when dark and light balance each other in earthlight. This anchoring feast of the Wheel of the Year provides a powerful backdrop, inviting us to connect with the magical energies of the long historied Earth. In many cultures, the solstice (In old Norske, the seasonal festival of Litha) is a time of spiritual renewal anticipation, and hope.

Join us. This walk provides a practice, a rite, a meditation, an intentional action. It offers an invitation to slow down and truly engage with the land, the river, and join to these our own deep spiritism. A meditation is a transformative act; On this solstice day we can reflect on how we, too, can reach our fullest potential by aligning ourselves with the earth—its energies, its rhythms, and its wisdom. The walk will end at sunset, the longest day of the year. Join us; lend your own strengths to this recognition of a Gaian ecology.