Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year, and it is filled with the energy and light of the Sun and the potential of growth. Traditionally, many cultures lit bonfires or “balefires” to celebrate and to connect with the awesome power of the Sun, our own personal star that crackles with untapped potential.
Midsummer or Summer Solstice or Litha – whatever you call it, it is a time of transformation, of celebrating the abundance of Summer, of tapping into Fire energy and using that to energize you and what you focus that energy on.
If you have a firepit, a safe place to set a bonfire, or another safe place to have fire, you can use that energy to your benefit with some lovely symbolism. I like to write the things that I would like to manifest for the rest of the year on a nice piece of paper, with my best, most careful handwriting… meditating on those things and visualizing them as already being a part of my life… then casting that paper into the fire. It is a ritual that has worked well for me, because you use your mind to put the energies and thoughts into action, and then by burning the paper, you are allowing the energies to work in the background. It’s like planting a mental seed. Your conscious mind will treat it as already a thing, and your subconscious will pay attention to the things you should act on to make your will happen, and steer you that way.
If you can’t cast your paper into a fire, I find that burying it in a secluded place where it won’t be disturbed is almost as good. I don’t have access to firepits or the like very often, so this is what I prefer. The paper will disintegrate over time, while your subconscious does the good work of manifesting.
If you’re into symbolism like I am, another thing you can do that is a nice way to bring the energy of Summer and the Sun into your home is to make a “Summer Spray” that cleanses the air and makes it smell wonderful. You need a small, clean spray bottle and some cheap vodka, plus essential oils in lemon, grapefruit, or sweet orange. [you can combine these if you like!] Fill the bottle most of the way with vodka, then add 10 – 20 drops total of essential oil at max, and to your scent preference, and shake closed bottle until blended. You can use this like a smudge spray, to cleanse the air and atmosphere. Avoid spraying on wooden furniture.
I sometimes add fresh or dried herbs like mint, sage, or oregano – that might make the shelf life shorter though, so be aware. Some people also add a small crystal in the bottle for extra oomph.
Summer Solstice is also the time for me to reassess my path throughout the year – am I going the way I wanted to progress? Do I have a project that I want to start and that needs extra energy? This is the perfect time for that. I actually have started a new project, but I am not at liberty to share it yet… suffice it to say that you’ll see more posts like this one, mixed with fiber arts projects that reflect this direction, thoughtful and exploratory and both introspective but also inviting you to journey along with me in that introspective journey. Some of these posts will fall under the Bound By A Thread heading, too, because I find all of these thoughts to be intertwined like one of my multi-plied yarns.
And speaking of BBAT, I will also be making a new manifestation cord for this season. Have you signed up for emails from me about Bound By A Thread? The instructions come along with the first email from the mailing list – you can also buy a Binding Intention kit from me with everything you need to make your own manifestation cord, with yarn spun especially for these kits and available nowhere else.
I’d like to suggest a few other ways to be in the moment of Summer Solstice, before I wander off to check in with my garden and do my own Solstice things. For one, if you garden – check in with your plants! Gardening and connecting with plants are some of the best ways to ground and re-set yourself. Stressed or tired? A few moments touching plant leaves, smelling the unique scents of each plant, and drinking in all the green hues can really restore your balance. Tomato vine is one of my favorite grounding scents!
In the same vein, get yourself to a farmers market if possible and get some local, in season produce like tomatoes, strawberries or cherries, or whatever the farmers tell you is the freshest… and just enjoy it. Pay attention to the tastes, the smells, the textures, and reflect that this enjoyment is one of the ways we can directly connect with the bounty and energy of Summer and the Sun – because plants are Nature’s solar storage! What a delicious way to recharge.
If you are able, try to take in the sunrise or sunset around the next couple of days. Steal those moments for you, to mediate, to be in the moment, to do yoga, to practice mindful breathing… whatever feels most restorative to you. Invest in yourself in those moments. Don’t look at your phone, don’t tell yourself that you have so much to do. If you don’t re-invest in yourself, you can’t give back. You and your energy are important resources. Don’t forget that.
Oh, and don’t forget to create something! Knit, crochet, weave, spin – and use that time around the Solstice to concentrate and meditate on what you’d like to see come from this energy influx. Mindful creating is the best creating!
Hello, Summer!
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