Summer Solstice Rituals ~ June 2020
The Summer Solstice is on June 20, 2020 in the Northern Hemisphere and in honor of the impressive, life-giving energy in our celestial system I would love to share some rituals and information you can practice during the Summer Solstice. The Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year, symbolizing our seasonal shift from spring to summer. The Summer Solstice is a time of celebration, warmth, fertility, and light. The Summer Solstice also indicates that each day following will become shorter until the Winter Solstice. The Summer Solstice is also commonly called Litha or Midsommer, a widely celebrated pagan holiday. Anyone can honor and celebrate the Summer Solstice, regardless of your beliefs, and enjoy this magical day!
The Summer Solstice is often symbolized with images of the sun, fire, flowers in full bloom, and fertility. The Spring Equinox is depicted as the Maiden archetype. Following this youthful new-ness, we have the Mother archetype. The Summer Solstice mother archetype symbolizes the birthing of our creations that were in gestation since their conscious conception in Winter. The Summer Solstice is a time of play since our dreams have matured and manifested, or on their way to be manifest, it’s time to sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labor.
One way you can honor the Summer Solstice is to wake up early and watch the sunrise. As you do, or after, you can honor the rising with 108 Surya Namaskars (Sun Salutations). 108 Sun Salutations is a common practice for yogis during seasonal changes, honoring the sun in all his forms. We do this to move stagnant energy that may be leftover from one season into another, and it gives us the opportunity to surrender. We find surrender because doing 108 Sun Salutations is no easy feat, and at one point in the practice you will most likely find yourself asking “why?” Just trust in the process and allow, as that’s what we are asked to do during all seasonal changes. The number 108 is symbolic because there are 108 Upanishads, 108 Tantras. In astronomy, the distance between the Sun and Earth is about 108 times the Sun’s diameter. Mala beads have 108 beads, and in Ayurveda, there are 108 sacred points in the body. In Numerology, 108 equals nine, which is the number of completion, awakening, renewal, and enlightenment.
To practice your 108 Sun Salutations you will want to have a counting method. I use two bowls and fill one with 108 vegan chocolate chips! You can also use 108 beads, stones, or anything you prefer. You have an empty bowl next to it, and every time you do a round, you move one sacred counting object to the “empty” bowl. By doing this you are also charging these sacred counting objects with your devotion, and can save the chocolate chips as Prashad, or use the beads in your next homemade mala! You can also honor the Summer Solstice by wearing the colors green, blue, gold, orange, or red while you flow! After you practice, sit in meditation for a few minutes and feel the power you generated, sending it in gratitude to the sun for his nourishment.
Another way you can honor the Summer Solstice is to have a bonfire and dance around it in joy! This is a very classic celebration of the Summer Solstice. If having a bonfire isn’t possible, you can also light a candle at sunrise and/or sunset. Candles are powerful representations of the sun, as they radiate that enlightening fire to the gazer. You can do a gratitude prayer as you light the candle, and ask for warmth and light even as the days become shorter. You can also use this as a moment to illuminate guidance in rearing your recent “child”, which could be a project, idea, goal, or business. This is a perfect moment to seek wisdom, as we have so much light illuminating truth all around us. If crystals are a medium of spiritual exploration, you can create a crystal grid with stones of pyrite, topaz, citrine, tigers eye, jade, and amber, to be charged with the solar energy.
You may also celebrate the Summer Solstice by taking a walk and picking flowers for a wreath or bouquet! You can place this on your altar, or hang on your front door, as a reminder of nature's way to always come into full bloom in Summer. This is a time to honor the beauty and fullness of nature. You can use some of the petals and steep them in olive oil or vitamin e oil to create a flower essence. Whisper your intention into your creation and roll on for a solar blessing when accomplishing projects and dreams. If you live in an area where sage grows wild, you can sustainably harvest (search how to do so, this is very critical for the environment) and then dry out in a bundle, and save to burn during the Winter Solstice!
My favorite way to celebrate the Summer Solstice is to head to the farmers market or a local food market and pick up seasonal fruits and veggies like zucchini, summer squash, strawberries, and blackberries. Then I create a feast for my roommates and we enjoy a delicious dinner and dessert with solar-powered nourishment! This is one of the best ways to honor the Summer Solstice, as food is one of the main reasons we as humans need the sun so much!
The Summer Solstice is a time to be celebrated and honored, and this looks different to everyone! The most important thing is to get outside and enjoy the day! Find pleasure in the tiny, but powerful, blessings of life and nature. Take a moment to find gratitude to the sun, even if it’s just one sun salutation, or a tiny bow to this powerful celestial being. I hope you have an amazing, and joy-filled Summer Solstice!
All my love,
Olivia
Deeply Dimensional