As we welcome the summer solstice, we turn to the energies of vibrancy, radiance, growth and standing strong in our sense of Self. Summer is the season of ripening! Spring’s new beginnings and awakenings have led the way to the fullness of summer and in this season, it’s time to give fire and life to all that you want. With longer days and maximum sunshine, warmer temperatures, conditions are prime for life to grow, to blossom and mature and to also find time for delight and playfulness!
Winter’s musings now far behind, and any new seeds firmly planted throughout spring, summer offers time to nourish and nurture, to fertilize and find strength in your resolve – this is the season when dreams and ambitions come to fruition. The words vitality, zest, enthusiasm, realization, attainment, passion, fervor all evoke the sense of summer. The Latin phrase ‘carpe diem’ most aptly fits the sentiments of this season, encouraging you to get out there, make the most of what you have, give it life today and to not hold back from pursuing what you want! Summertime brings that natural energy to follow through on new endeavors with gusto, carrying an innate quality of success, much like the plants and trees all around, now grown-in, producing blooms and blossoms, bringing about the fruits of their ‘labor.’
In the seasons of life, summer represents middle-age, where relationships have often matured, careers feel more stable, families are growing, and there’s a confidence in feeling strong and secure in one’s life. With this foundation solid, it allows space to now try out new ideas, stretch boundaries, take calculated risks, and to also enjoy the rewards of the hard work it took to get there. For many in middle-age, the necessity to strive and reach higher and higher wanes, in exchange for a greater sense of contentment and joy, of more ease and comfort. On a daily basis you might experience this, as your day winds down and you feel those moments of satisfaction for a job well done, chores accomplished, and find time to relax before moving onto dinner and evening events. While this can be a time for growth beyond the known, this can also be a time to relish and revel, to celebrate!
Summer dually invites a slowing down, to move with purpose but not exertion, through the thick, sultry days of heat and humidity. It offers to mindfully put forward effort and energy while remembering to enjoy the many moments that make up life, savoring the sweetness of fresh fruits, the crispness of garden vegetables, the array of colorful flowers in bloom, the bliss of errant rainstorms, the warmth of sun on the skin, and the rainbows that suspend us in space and time. Through this all, we may also find the pleasure of play, of running through grass meadows, swinging through the air, exploring new places, paddling across lakes, building castles in the sand, splashing in puddles, dancing in the mist of cool evenings.
For your season of summer, may you take a moment to listen to your heart and ask what it longs for. Perhaps it calls for time to slow down and take a needed break, or to fuel your dreams and take action. Maybe you’re feeling the curiosity to try something beyond your comfort zone, or to return to a favorite hobby or a foray in the forest. In all the ways summer’s energy can support you, it’s here, long-awaited, and ready for you to lean in. For me, summer always feels fleeting, and maybe it’s from the all the buzz of activity around me, though I also relish those gentle warm summer nights with the sounds of crickets and frogs, reminding me to slow down with awe, peace and delight! Wishing you a sensational summer, chock-full of all that brings YOU to life!
By Jennifer Rizza, Founder of Newtown Wellness Collective, Reiki Master, Yoga Teacher and IAHC Certified Wellness & Lifestyle Coach
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