If I had to somehow choose ONE season to use the Summer Solstice Serum during, contrary to what you might guess, it would be the season we are now in– The Winter Solstice. Although we named it in honor of its prime ingredient, wild St John's Wort, and the fact that it only appears during a two week window on either side of the Summer Solstice, this falsely has led some to believe it is meant to be used only in the Summer. Once upon a time, we all would have been rather aware of such occurrences as 24-7 access to food and medicine was not an option. The “in-touchedness” we would have experienced with the shifting seasons, changing landscapes, and the life-or-death ramifications of not being prepared for winter would have given us a sixth, seventh, and maybe eighth sense around what the Universe was feeling like at any given moment in every day, inside ourselves, as a deep knowing beyond thinking. It just was. And so, naturally, much like a tomato in mid-august today starts looking like cans of sauce to most farmers, our ancestors would have come up with many ways to “put up” the season, meaning, to preserve the otherwise-quick-to-decompose flesh and flowers of the month into a stable, long-lasting, food store which would allow them to harness the nutrition and medicine of the spring, summer and early fall during the deep depths of winter. Perhaps cultures near the equator had less of a motivation to do this, but they seemed to do so nonetheless. Across the northern hemisphere, each Summer Solstice, Wild St John's Wort would be foraged for a variety of culinary, medicinal, decorative, and spiritual uses. The essence of the medicine is “light”. This flower is a picture of the relationship between the Earth and Sun during the Summer Solstice, the moment of peak light. And as such, when we reach its polar opposite, the Winter Solstice, our ancestors would have called on this Summertime medicine to provide them protection from “evil spirits” that lurk during winter. Nowadays, this same medicine is used as an antidepressant around the World. Doesn’t feel like much of a leap. And it’s good for skin 😂. #artisanskincare #wintersolstice #summersolstice