Life in Ceremony: Summer Solstice

 

In the Northern Hemisphere, that time is rapidly approaching. You know the one, where evenings are illuminated, bedtimes are pushed, sweaters are less necessary, and conversations tend to stretch late into the night. To an unsuspecting eye, it can feel like more life is packed into each passing day without being able to put a finger on why exactly that is. But indeed, that is what’s happening as living beings of all sorts innately celebrate the transition from spring to summer. The faces you pass on the street have a telltale cheerful tilt to the corners of their mouth. Your vision seems to be tinted with vibrancy everywhere you look as the natural world blooms and grasps for attention. The breeze wafts the taste of joy through wide open windows with a dash of inspiration. Laughter blossoms in the street, from both young and old.

Summer solstice is a culmination of burgeoning life. It is the highest point of energy all year round, expelling a vitality that can be viscerally felt and generously feasted upon. Sometimes referred to as Midsummer or Litha, the longest day and shortest night of the year have long been revered by ancient cultures all around the globe. In fact, the sun was so important to ancient peoples that in some cases they dedicated their entire lives, or many generations, to building monuments in its honor, such as Stonehenge or the Pyramids of Giza. Nothing is as universal as the celestial body of which sustains all life itself. And so it is, regarding the summer solstice, too.

June 21st, 2021 @ 3:32 a.m. UTC (Universal Time Coordinated)

marks the precise moment of this cosmic event

find your time zone here


Unlike the cycles of the moon, the equinoxes and solstices are a shared global event. A precise moment in time in which every living being on Earth partakes in the experience of the tilted position of our planet. (Albeit the Southern Hemisphere celebrates the opposition, Winter Solstice). It is a rare happening in which we all connect in such a way. Ceremony brings an essence of significance and presence of mind in the here and now. Taking the time to honor the natural rhythms of the world undeniably attune you to the spirit of Earth, in which we were all born and greatly benefit from. Living in balance and harmony with the cycles of the planet can ground you, bring a sense of security and safety and belonging.

Living life in ceremony brings a higher caliber of awareness into our intentions, actions, and the ripple that each produces. Summer solstice is the time when most light is available to us. With all that illumination to work with, it makes for a productive time to examine who we know ourselves to be. This brightness creates the space for old energies to surface from the darker, less frequented corners of our being, asking to be acknowledged and reevaluated. Big shifts can take place when we shine light on the parts of ourselves that we initially denied. All this and more is at play on the special celestial day. Creating a personalized ritual to honor this day of light, while also creating an anchor to ground out through this transitional energy, can be a sublime tribute to the cycles of nature in which we are all tethered to.

To stimulate your creative juices, we have crafted a collection of elements that can be incorporated into any summer solstice ritual or ceremony. This serves only as a beginning inspiration, let your hands and feet flow wherever the summer air floats them!

Elements of a Summer Solstice Ritual

 

Set the tone

 

Colors

Green

Gold

Red

Orange

Yellow

White

Flowers

Daisy

Marigold

Peony

Roses

Sunflower

Stones

Amber

Carnelian

Citrine

Diamond

Jade

Tigers eye

Symbols

Circumpunct

Fire/flame

Spiral

Sunflower

Phoenix

 

Scents

Sage

Lemon

Rose

Jasmine

Lavender

Coconut

Orange

Spearmint

 

Animals

Bees

Butterflies

Cattle

Horses

Robin

Wren

 

Herbs

Basil

Calendula

Chamomile

Heather

Lavender

Meadowsweet

Mugwort

St John’s Wort

Vervain

Wild Thyme

 

Mirrors and sun catchers are also excellent additions to reflect and bounce the light all around!

This is the solstice,

the still point of the sun,

its cusp and midnight,
the year’s threshold and unlocking, where the past
lets go of and becomes the future;
the place of caught breath.

— Margaret Atwood

 

Apply the elements:

Rise & Set

Adopt an early riser’s attitude and gaze to the east as that gold nectar spills over the horizon. Welcome the solar life force and new beginnings. This first light radiates healing energy both symbolically and physically in the form of infrared rays. Bare old wounds, inviting in the healing properties of this summer solstice sun. Let the rays burn away old energies that no longer serve you. Contemplate on the fresh start in which this season offers and set new goals.

Face west and honor the setting sun. Observe the ending of the longest day of the year with a grateful heart. Mentally take inventory of the abundance that surrounds you. Take note on the beauty illuminated by our star, as golden hour sets your surroundings aglow. Anything that was not released at sunrise that you wish to let go of now, relinquish it to the sun as it falls behind the horizon, completely unburdening yourself.

Trail blaze

Reconnect to the Mother with a saunter through nature. Toss the shoes aside to come into contact with the Earth’s surface electrons. Noticing the way the light dances on her vegetation, hold the awareness that the sun breathes life into everything you see. Gather wildflowers and herbs honoring the Earth’s bounty. Have a sensory experience, revel in the succulence of the wilderness!

Creative Expression

Take the items you collected and adorn your surroundings. Create a mandala, fashion a flower crown, string together garland, or bunch together a bouquet for your home or altar space. Embellish your environment with your favorite photosynthesized treats, rejoicing in the artistry. The act of creating beauty is sacred.

Charge & Hydrate

Just as you would charge a glass of water during a full moon, the same can be done to infuse your drink with the masculine energy of the sun. Sweeten the pot by adding herbal teas, fresh herbs, and slices of citrus. Allow the flavors to mingle and for the solar energy to thoroughly soak into the structure of the water. Place on your altar if you have one in your practice. Rejuvenate yourself with a high vibe glass at the end of the day. Makes for a perfect sunset beverage.

Bask

Get comfortable and take a mindful moment to experience the rays sinking deep into your skin. While resting in the warmth, visualize golden energy pouring in through your face, your heart center, through your abdomen, and dripping down into your toes, up your legs until it has filled every millimeter of your body and permeated through every cell. Feel the sun’s power energize your spirit!

An option to attend special focus to the solar plexus area. This is the space of the third chakra, which spirals the yellow golden color of the sun. It mandates self-esteem, power, self discipline, and strength. When balanced you feel energetic, strong, confident, willful, mentally balanced, and active.

With the breath, pull in the fierce, fiery, hot summer energy into your body on the inhale. Imagine it stoking your own inner fire and passion. Exhale. Expand the flames with each breath, vibrating with the power of it.

Bonfire

An ancient way to honor the fiery star in the sky is by reflecting its flames here on earth. Bonfires have been a long standing summer solstice staple, to keep the light aglow long after the sun has made its retreat. You can adapt this tradition to any size, be it a candle flame, campfire, or billowing bonfire. Like the counterintuitive regenerative properties of a natural wildfire, invite the flames within you burning any debris, stagnancy, or illness within. Transmute what no longer serves you into pure energy. A bonfire is a fantastic ritual to share with others, gather, and even incorporate along with the next piece…

Dance!

Use movement to align and connect with the rotation of our planet, with the spinning of our solar system. Dance like the flames, fervently and without hesitation. Move to the rhythm of the land while singing appreciation for this symbiotic system that nurtures our every need. Sway to the death of spring, whirl to the birth of summer. Leave inhibitions behind and allow your body to lead, oxidizing your blood, and freeing the spirit.

Journal

Jotting down your inner world onto tangible paper is a surprisingly simple and effective practice. Making it a point to put pen to paper intermittently will often reap surprising results. Here are a few prompts to inspire an inquisitive journey inwards:

  • Recount the times you felt most fierce. What environments or situations set your inner fire ablaze?

  • Write about your loveliest summer memory.

  • What shadow aspects are you ready to shine light on?

  • Write a letter to yourself forgiving the self-blame you have carried.

  • Write a love letter to the season of summer.

 

Summer set lip to Earth’s bosom bare, and left the flushed print in a poppy there.

Francis Thompson

 
 

Reaping the Rewards

Living life in ceremony can bring a higher quality to your daily interactions. Practicing presence and reverence for the world around us trains the eye and the mind to see all the reasons to embody joy. This time of year is for thriving in growth and creativity. I hope these practices bring an awareness of the abundance all around and foster a deep faith that we too belong as a part of the natural world.

It’s a good time to remember that lightness eradicates darkness, and like the sun we will rise each day. Like the sun, we have the power to nurture and sustain ourselves and influence those around us. Like the sun, we burn as brightly as we can.

And with the turning of the wheel, eNourish wishes you the very happiest summer solstice!

 
 

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