The Summer Solstice is a doorway into the second half of the year. It is a fiery, fertile, exuberant, passionate time, when the earth’s loveliness just seems to go on and on. Energy wise the Summer Solstice is yang, expansive, outward looking and filled with possibilities.
At the Solstice the sun appears to stand still before it changes direction. We too stand still, pause, and take time to reflect. We have reached the top of a mountain and stop now to take in the view. We look back over the journey we have taken since the Winter Solstice and look ahead to the path that leads us into the harvest and the rest of the year.
It is natural to want summer to go on forever, and although summer isn’t over yet, the year has turned, and gradually the days will shorten, and the nights get longer
3 Ways you Can Celebrate the Summer Solstice:
1. Salute the sun.
Yogis are known to practice 108 sun salutations during the change of seasons. Practicing 108 Sun Salutations is a meditative practice that connects the body, the mind, and the universe specifically when nature is undergoing a change. And coupled with this change in nature, yogis can start once again, fresh, renewed and inspired.
( Mathematicians of Vedic culture viewed 108 as a number of the wholeness of existence, and the number 108 is also said to be connected with the Sun, Moon, and Earth, for the average distance of the Sun and the Moon to Earth is 108 times sun and moon's respective diameters. The recurrence of the number 108 is also prominent within the human body. Ancient yogis believed that there are 108 sacred sites within the body; Pranayama, the practice of meditative breath, also contains 108 cycles. One could argue that the number 108 represents an inner-connection between humans and the universe. )
2. Revamp your morning routine.
Since Solstice is the longest day of the year, it’s a great time to take advantage of the extra sunlight to wake up early and do something that makes you feel great, whether it’s meditation, yoga, or taking a revitalizing bath or shower infused with your favorite Essential oils
3. Get outdoors.
A great way to celebrate Solstice is to simply get outdoors and enjoy the sun. It could be as simple as taking a walk by the water or in the park—just making the time to connect with nature.
Or find one of the many Yoga studios in your area offering outdoor Summer Solstice yoga practices.
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