Today is the Summer Solstice, marking the longest day of the year with maximum hours of daylight as the Sun reaches its peak in its ascending - or waxing – phase. Since the Winter Solstice six months ago, the light has steadily increased throughout two seasons and it reaches culmination point now at Summer Solstice. Now is the time to celebrate the strong energy of the Sun and the long days of Summer that will bring us a bountiful harvest to feed us during the dark, cold and leaner days of Winter.
Mirroring Nature and the Wheel of The Year, now is the time to pause for a bit, reflect on our own journey towards peak light or enlightenment and celebrate our achievements over the last six months. Doing so helps us to connect with ourselves in an affirming and nourishing way. A meditation outside in Nature, with our bare feet firmly in contact with the earth and our arms open wide, is an enjoyable way to honour the Summer Solstice and receive its energy full of abundance, joy, openness and love whilst reflecting upon and celebrating our achievements. Another good ritual is to write down our achievements and read them out loud – or even share them with a trusted listener – in order to integrate them into our reality and experience, because when integrated within ourselves, they become a valuable resource we can tap into when we need support and encouragement.
When I walk around our smallholding and I see the garden in full growth, the flowers blooming, the bees feasting, the soft fruit nearly ready to pick, the potager beds filling with growing vegetable plants, our growing lambs and of course the field with the shepherd’s hut, I feel a tremendous sense of pride, satisfaction and accomplishment for our hard work over the last six months. There is no doubt that this “amour-propre” gives me much joy and nourishes my soul.
Happy Summer Solstice! May you bask in the light of Summer and may it bring you much joy and bounty.
