We call it “hope maintenance” or the art of discerning how your commitments (religious, spiritual, or otherwise) come together in concrete practices of discovery and transformation. What makes it difficult, and at the same time wonderfully characteristic of Vassar, is the extraordinary range of practices and beliefs the office seeks to support and embrace-from mindfulness practitioners to Roman Catholics, from Reform Jews to evangelical Christians, from secularists to mainline Protestants, from Hindus to environmentalists, we are here to help you make what matters most to you part of your learning. Yes, it has to do with spirituality, and the many ways people experience and express the wonder of everyday life. Yes, it has to do with religions-all of them. The Office of Religious and Spiritual Life and Contemplative Practices at Vassar College is difficult to pigeonhole.
We are currently located in the Chapel tower, as well as at the Bayit, Vassar’s home for Jewish campus life, at 51 Collegeview Avenue, but our office will soon move to Pratt House, which will become the new hub for RSLCP as a space of respite, gathering, and contemplative practices for the campus community. The RSLCP Office is a Campus Partner of the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab (CIL) and a member of the Association for Chaplaincy and Spiritual Life in Higher Education (ACSLHE). A faculty advisor volunteers to support our Buddist Sangha. The director for Jewish student life, advisor for Muslim student life, and part-time affiliate advisors serve the Jewish, Muslim, Episcopal, Roman Catholic, and InterVarsity communities on campus. Staff members are available for pastoral counseling and spiritual guidance for any concerns or questions students may have. The pagan version of this ceremony is called handfasting, and it includes many of the same practices one might find at a wedding.The Office of Religious and Spiritual Life and Contemplative Practices oversees, advises, and supports a wide range of religious and civic communities and initiatives on campus and plays an important role as a college liaison to the mid-Hudson Valley community. Litha is also considered a good time to practice love magic or get married. This might include a large bonfire, or a small fire in a fire-safe pot in one’s house. Lastly, some observers choose to observe Litha more traditionally, and they would hold a fire ritual. Some other observers, particularly those with children, celebrate this holiday outside. Some people find a quiet spot and meditate about the light and dark forces in their world. However, during Litha, the Holly King wins this battle, and the days get steadily darker until Yule.įor modern day pagans, Litha is a day of inner power and brightness. During this time, the days steadily get longer. The Oak King, who represents daylight, rules from the winter solstice ( Yule) to Litha. During each solstice, they battle for power, and the balance shifts. In this battle, the Oak King and the Holly King battle for control. The summer solstice is the longest day of the year, and in some traditions, Litha is when a battle between light and dark takes place. Other European traditions included setting large wheels on fire, and rolling them down a hill into a body of water. Many people attempted to jump over or through the bonfires for good luck. The Celts celebrated Litha with hilltop bonfires and dancing.
Most ancient cultures celebrated the summer solstice in some way. The traditions of Litha appear to be borrowed from many cultures. Litha is a pagan holiday one of their eight sabbats during the year. Litha (also known as Midsummer) occurs on the summer solstice, and celebrates the beginning of summer.
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