The longest day of the year is nearly here, from whence we begin the long and luxurious movement back into the depths of winter. I know I know, that statement might make me highly unpopular! You might not want to think about the fact that in just a week or so the days get shorter and the nights get longer.
Especially as, here in the UK, the promise of government information about whether the last of the coronavirus restrictions will be lifted is due to coincide with the Summer Solstice bringing an energy of anticipation, anxiety and uncertainty with it too. Not many of us want to be reminded that summer is moving along when many are still living with strict limitations on travel or gathering in groups. And yet the fact remains, June 21st brings the longest day with just over 16 hours and 38 minutes of daylight (contrast this with seven hours and 49 minutes of daylight at the Winter Solstice.)
Solstices and equinoxes provide an anchor through the turning of the year, they help provide waymarkers to all of your sense-making abilities, including your energy system.
Your year is already marked by known waymarkers that act as navigation tools through your year. At the very least you have your own birthday as the pivot around which your year hangs. But it is more likely that you have a number of birthdays in the year that mark its progress as well as anniversaries (both joyous and grievous), as well as shared festivals that are culturally important to you. Festivals such as Christmas, Ramadan, Beltane, Diwali, Thanksgiving or many, many others!
Whatever events and dates you honour give your year meaning as it processes, and these repeated and noticed days interact with the wisdom of your energy fields in every way. They ground you in the movement of your life, just like the orbit of planets ground them in their eternal celestial dance.
Each time a honoured day comes up for you, you have a greater potential to momentarily step outside of ‘ordinary time’. How many times have you thought back to your last birthday, or last Christmas or the last few anniversaries and remembered what you were doing? It is natural for us to peg out the year around these dates and for a moment pause in the movement of life.
This ‘stepping out of time’ helps you notice changes that have occurred, as well as changes that haven’t occurred! Maybe you think, ‘Wow, I’ve come a long way since last Summer Solstice’. Or maybe you think, ‘Aaaaaah, I’m still in EXACTLY the same situation as I was in. I am GOING to change it this year’.
The days that peg out the year invite you to pay attention to what is evolving and growing for you, and what is stagnant or needs to be released. As such, the ‘stepping out of time days’ provide the opportunity to do simple ceremonies to honour where you are and what your soul needs are presenting in your life.
The Summer Solstice brings the energy of bright sunlight, yang expression, and fiery celebration. Here are some suggestions for simple ways to celebrate the Summer Solstice and step outside time to nourish not only every part of yourself, but to add to the great celebration of all of life.
Do like your ancestors did and share a fire with friends to celebrate life!
Be awake and outside at sunrise and sunset (you’ll have to check the times in your area) and move through your day aware that you are connected to the life-giving energy of the sun.
Check in with how you might need to nurture the fire in your own life. How is your passion and inner fire being kindled? Does it need more attention?
Light a candle for all those who are feeling disconnected from the passion of life. Say a prayer for the balance of all of life.
Dance! By yourself, with your beloved, with a group of strangers.
Take a day pilgrimage and visit a site that is special to you or your ancestors.
Prepare a special meal with all of the ingredients that make you think of warmth, sunlight and joy.
If you feel that the fiery-ness of the summer solstice energy brings tension and stress in your upper body/head/neck then the exercise below is great to really help your energy system ground down, slow down and absorb the relaxation and warmth of Solstice energy.
I wish you every blessing of the Summer Solstice, may the flame of your heart be warmed by it and shared with all of life.
With love, Prune