Summer
Under the influence of uriel, the archangel of malkuth
June 21st 2014
Summer is placed under the influence of the archangel Uriel, whose name means ‘God is my light’. In summer the whole of nature is on fire, and on 24 June, the feast of St John the Baptist, after the summer solstice, it is customary to light fires and celebrate the triumph of heat and light by singing and dancing. Uriel is not mentioned in the Christian tradition, and the church has not encouraged the celebration of the feast of St John in this way, for when men and women get together around the fire to sing, dance and drink the whole night, things often get out of hand.
The summer solstice coincides with the moment when the sun enters the constellation of Cancer, where Venus is exalted. It is true that it is the celebration not of the spiritual fire but of the physical, earthly fire. Uriel is the archangel of Malkuth, the sphere of the earth: the fire he rules is not only the one that ripens the corn and the fruit; it is also the inner fire of our planet, where matter is maintained in a molten state, elaborating metals and minerals. It has even been likened to hell.
In some traditions, summer is symbolized by a dragon belching fire. The dragon is the mythical animal that lives underground and only comes out to burn, devour and destroy. But it is also the guardian of all hidden treasure, of precious stones and metals, the fruits of the earth. Here too, there are numerous traditions, celebrating a hero who was able to slay the dragon and seize its treasures. These are tales disciples must meditate on: just because the summer releases subterranean forces, it does not mean we must let ourselves be devoured by the dragon.