June musings: A sunny, bright and radiant month

June is the sixth month, and is called the sunny month and its symbols are bright and radiant.

June’s astrological signs: Gemini and Cancer; birthstones: pearl, alexandrite and moonstone; colors: light blue, white and cream; flowers: rose and honeysuckle; bird: dove; animal: bull; trees: ash, hornbeam, fig, birch and apple; days observed: Flag Day, Father’s Day, Juneteenth and Summer Solstice.

Gemini is the third sign in the Zodiac, its symbol is the Twins and the element is Air. Gemini people tend to be intellectually inclined, bright, quick-witted and life of the party. Cancer is the fourth sign in the Zodiac, its symbol is the crab and the element is water. Cancer people are “roots” kind of people and take great pleasure in the comforts of home and family. They’re maternal, domestic and love to nurture others.

Water signs are intuitive, sensitive, emotional and nurturing; their feelings run deep.

June is one of two months that have three birthstones. The pearl symbolizes purity. Greeks believed that pearls were hardened tears of joy from Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Alexandrite symbolizes luck, good fortune, love; it strengthens intuition, creativity and imagination. A stone of all around good omen. The Moonstone is calming and soothing of emotions. This gem is believed to bring a long and healthy life, it’s believed to be hardened moonlight. This stone can be used for healing, it improves hormonal and digestive systems and balances metabolic processes.

Light blue, white and cream are the colors for June. Light blue symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth and heaven. Blue produces a calming effect; while white is associated with light, goodness, innocence, purity and virginity, also, safety and cleanliness. It’s the color of perfection and cream is a neutral, relaxing, calming color with an understated elegance.

June’s flowers are rose symbolizing balance, expressing promise, hope and new beginning, while the honeysuckle symbolizes happiness.

The bird for June is the dove symbolizing love, peace or as messengers.

The animal for June is the bull which symbolizes strongwilled, uncompromising nature and even belligerence. It’s also a sign of virility in men and fertility in women and passion, it could be a sign of riches and wealth.

The tree for June 1-3 is the ash which is sacrifice, sensitivity and high awareness. June 4-13 is the hornbeam which relieves tiredness and exhaustion. It’s believed to stop bleeding and heal wounds. June 14-23 is the fig symbolizing spiritual awakening and fertility, it’s believed to be an emblem of wisdom, learning and the moon. June 24 is the birch which is the symbol of new beginnings, regeneration, hope, new dawns and the promise of what is to come. June 25-30 is the apple symbolizing know ledge, immortality, temptation and the fall of man and sin.

The first day observed in June is Flag Day, which commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States on June 14,1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress. The second day observed is Father’s Day, honoring fatherhood, paternal bonds and the influence of fathers in society. This celebration was inaugurated in the early 20th century. The first observance was held on July 5, 1908 in Fairmont, West Virginia, it was changed to June because of July 4th being Independence Day. The establishment of this holiday was on June 19, 1910 as the First Fathers’ Day.

The Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States back in 1865.

The last day observed is Summer Solstice, also known as midsummer and occurs when a planet’s rotational axis, in either northern or southern hemispheres, is most inclined toward the star that it orbits. This is the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and the winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere. This time marks the longest day of the year.

June is the sixth month of the year meaning “sacred to Juno,” the Roman goddess. Juno is the Roman counterpart to the Greek goddess Hera, and was the patron goddess of Rome. She is shown alternately as a cruel goddess and the goddess of marriage and childbirth. She’s the wife and sister of Jupiter.

People born in June under Gemini are ruled by the planet Mercury, which is associated with youth. These individuals exhibit childlike traits; they’re cheerful, restless and full of life, very intelligent and extremely inquisitive in nature. If born under the zodiac sign Cancer, these people can often be moody and sensitive.

Compiled by Bonnie Marie Playle of Soldotna.

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