Summer Solstice 2022
The Summer Solstice is on June 21, 2022 at 5:13am in the northern hemisphere. The Solstice marks the longest day of the year which has the most sunlight hours as our physical sun reaches the highest point in the sky (the lowest point in the southern hemisphere and marks the first day of winter). Ancient astronomers and astrologers believed this was the day the sun would stand still and begin it’s trajectory again after.
The sun represents masculine energy and during the summer months nature is abundant in growth. We too are abundant in growth at this time and can harness this energy for our next three month trajectory until the Fall Equinox on September 22.
To use this energy, I would like to share my own personal ritual with you. Please note that this type of energy work is so personal to the individual and you are allowed to tweak, omit, or add anything you like. In fact, I invite you to read through my ritual and perhaps allow it to inspire you to create your own way of honoring this day.
Many solstice love and blessings,
Amanda
Summer Solstice Ritual
In the north east the exact time of the summer solstice is 5:13am. Sunsigns.org gives the following description for the number meaning of 513:
“The angel number for number 513 is the ‘Season of Transformation’.
Angel number 513 is a message from the divine realm that you should not allow your weakness to take control of your life in any way, Besides, you are stronger than the changes that you will face in your way . Perhaps, you should take life easy because that is the only option to be happy. Basically, you will reinvent your life by being happy.”
As I meditated on this years summer solstice the following message came to me; use the energy from the longest day of the year to burn away fears and manifest abundance. Manifest abundance in health, good fortune, peace, loving-kindness. Use your tarot deck/oracle deck or internal meditation to determine what to release and what you could manifest for the next 3 months. Work with the solar plexus chakra as this is the seat of our masculine energy. Located just above the belly button this chakra is represented by the color yellow. The solar plexus chakra represents our personal power and is responsible for confidence and self-esteem, as well as helping us to feel in control of our lives. It rules the digestive system (stomach, intestines, gallbladder, liver, pancreas and spleen). It is the seat of our ego, strength, and anger, We also have a direct link from the third eye to the solar plexus as the gut is often referred to as the “second brain” in many traditions. Hence the saying to “trust your gut”.
This ritual will assist you in gathering your thoughts, emotions, and intentions to work with this energy as well as allow you to move this energy through the body through yoga asana and pranayama so that you feel refreshed and energized.
Gather the following items:
Pen and paper
Journal
Tarot deck or other oracle deck (or both!)
Crystals you like to work with (optional)
Yoga mat or towel (optional)
Smudging tool (sage, palo santo, selenite wand, incense)
Seeds (optional)
Ritual:
Once you have gathered your items, make your way to your sacred space, meditation corner, or even better, sit outside under the rays of the solar energy, the sun! Cleanse yourself with your tool of choice. I love to use a sage stick but you can always just use your hands and brush the energy down from the crown of your head to the Earth.
Find a comfortable seated position and close your eyes. Begin to focus on your breathing, inhaling deeply and exhaling completely. Repeat this for several rounds until you feel yourself in the present moment, fully in your body and at ease. When you feel calm and ready to begin, open your eyes and grab your deck or simply continue to meditate quietly on the following questions and see what comes up.
Write down the first question on your paper: What do I need to release with the summer solstice energy? Begin to shuffle the deck and ask this question, once a card(s) pop out write down your interpretation of the card(s). Continue the same with the following questions: What should I use the summer solstice energy to manifest or welcome as a new beginning in my life? And What will help me?
Once you have asked the three questions and received your answers either from your cards or internal voice, close your eyes once again and take several deep breaths to prepare for yoga asana to release any stored energy in the solar plexus and to balance the energy of this chakra.
Write a letter of release and include in it what you are manifesting as well or what new beginnings you welcome into your life. When the letter feels complete, burn the letter in a fire to “release” your fears, worries, whatever is holding you back into the flames, to transmute the energy.
To honor the growth and abundance you are calling into your being, you may hold some flower seeds (I like to use wild flower seeds)- hold the seeds in your hand and send your manifestations into the seeds, close your eyes and visualize what it is you are manifesting, allow it to play out like a movie, Toss the seeds into the earth or plant them in your garden. Or, you could also bring in some fresh wild flowers into your home or workspace, A symbol of fresh, new life! Enjoy!
The Yoga Sequence:
Childs Pose
Bring the knees together or send them apart and lower the upper body down. The arms may be stretched out above towards the top of your mat, or down by your sides, perhaps holding the soles of your feet. Breathe here for several rounds. Allow each exhale to soften you deeper into the pose, surrender.
2. Cat and cow
As you inhale, drop the belly, soften the elbows and gently pull the shoulders down towards the hips. Lift the gaze up to the sky and feel a stretch in the throat.
As you exhale, round the spine, push the earth away from you, tuck the chin to the chest and separate out the shoulder blades. Repeat for several rounds of breath.
3. Side stretches
Make your way back to childs pose and on the inhale walk the finger tips up towards the top of your mat, get a good stretch, as you exhale walk the hands to the left side creating a stretch from the pinky down to the hip. Hold and breath into right ribs for several rounds. When complete inhale to walk back to center and take the side stretch on the right side, breathing into the left ribs. Once this is complete, settle back into childs for a few breaths.
4. Thread the needle
Slide the left arm under the upper body and reach the arm up over head, breathing into this posture for several rounds before taking on the other side.
5. Knee-to-Nose
Hug one knee in and lift your nose to meet the knee, switch between legs. You may lower one leg down for low impact or hover for more of an ab strengthening exercise. Switching each time, inhale as you bring the knee in, exhale as you extend the opposite leg out and continue to switch back and fourth for 10 rounds.
6. Side lying twist
Hug the knees to center and rock from side to side massaging out the low back. Spread the arms in a wide T and drop the knees towards the left elbow and turn to gaze over the right palm. Breathe here for several rounds before switching to the left side.
7. Waterfall
Lift the legs here and engage the core. Breathe for several breaths.
8. Windshield Wiper Knees
Bend the knees at 90 degrees and windshield wiper from side to side for 10 rounds on each side
9. Easy pose
Step the feet to the outer edges of your mat and allow the knees to fall into one another. Reach the arms up over head and hold onto opposite elbows. Long deep breathing here as you allow the spine to sink into the earth.
10. Savasana or Corpse Pose
Lying flat on your mat with legs a bit wider than hip distance and the arms out to the sides, breathe here and rest for several minutes.
11. Make your way back to a comfortable seated position. Sit in meditation for 1-3 minutes inhaling on the count of 4 and exhaling on the count of 8. As you inhale draw in abundance, and as you exhale breathing out any fears.
On the last round inhale and hold the breath as long as you can and exhale forcefully release out any remaining stagnant energy. Breath normally for a few moments observing the sounds around you, allowing them to be apart of your experience.
12. Journal about your experience.
Happy Summer Solstice!
