We are approaching the summer solstice on June 21st, the official start of summer for the northern hemisphere, and the longest day of the year.
The summer solstice is an opportunity to tap into the light – the summer energy of blooming and growth. Be open to the possibilities and the awareness that this growth may bring. It is time to birth new ideas, bring forth those things you have set aside, and take another look at them.
This defined change is a chance to bring balance and harmony into our lives and re-center our beings.
Solstice practices to re-center your being:
Connect to nature:
The world around you is vibrant and green and the energy of summer is one of growth – tap into this magic. Spend time in nature, taking a walk and connecting to the plants and life around you. Exchange energy with the plants, receiving the gift of Mother nature and acknowledging the connection. Put your fingers in the soil and earth. Allow the growth energy to flow into you, while allowing anything that is holding you back to flow out into the earth to be renewed and replenished. Notice the interconnected relationship to the nature around you, and the feelings it generates.
Sunshine and soul renewal:
As you spend time in nature, be in the summer sun. Feel the sunlight on your skin, basking in its warmth and the comfort it brings. Allow the sun to wash away stuck energy and fill your being with light. Close your eyes and revel in these feelings, holding onto them to recreate this feeling in the future.
Meditation:
This is a powerful time to meditate – be open to the wisdom ready to come your way. Take time to sit in meditation or perhaps follow a guided meditation. Set the intention to allow the wisdom you are seeking to come forth. In this quiet space, allow your mind to guide you to this wisdom. Be open, without steering and actively seeking a direction, but rather letting thoughts wander where they may. Notice the feelings that come with these thoughts. Do they feel good, showing you the thoughts that serve you? Or do you get a sense of anxiety and perhaps recognize that these are thoughts that need shifting? Change the direction of your thoughts if they take you to a negative space. Instead, wander back a few steps to those thoughts that felt better, and follow this new path.
Fire release:
Perhaps you have emotions that you have been holding onto that do not serve you. Take pieces of paper and on each piece, write down one thing you have been holding onto that you need to let go of. Once you have written down everything you are ready to let go of, safely light a candle. Hold each piece of paper to the candle and as it burns, consciously release that emotion or situation from your being. Visualize it turning to dust and floating out of you.
Journaling:
Having a defined time such as solstice can be a great way to encourage one to take time for self-reflection and healing. Journaling is about releasing the old and making way for the new, allowing your creativity-flow to birth new ideas and dreams. Using your journal, allow whatever words are ready, to flow out onto the paper. Let your being guide you. Whatever comes is what you need to express. Step back and see if this time has been a birth, a release, or an unfolding of something you were not aware of.
I invite you to use this time as an opportunity for yourself. Share what the solstice means to you.
Many Blessings,
Santa