“Even after all this time the sun never says to the earth, “You owe Me.”
Look what happens with a love like that.
It lights up the Whole Sky.”

— Hafiz

This week, nature moves us through yet another one of her cycles!

We will mark the Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere which is the one day of the year when there is more light than dark.

Historically, all around the globe, rituals have long been performed to honor the energy of the sun, its life-giving force, and its gifts of beauty.

It is a powerful day for healing and clearing obstacles from your life and a perfect time to pause and strengthen your connection to your resilience, inner radiance, and creative energy. It is a time to contemplate and set an intention to align with your personal power and recommit to what's truly important to you.

What do you wish to nourish, manifest, and expand in your life?

Transformation Often Begins With Setting Intentions

If the solstice spirit moves you, here is a summer manifestation ritual to help you mark this annual milestone...and maybe even turn some of your summertime desires into real, tangible things.

I love creating rituals, especially for the message it sends: Slow down. Pay attention.

The more often we pause and set an intention, the easier it becomes to make more wise and compassionate choices. And then the easier it is to do it again. In my book, Deep Listening I share more on how to bring intention setting into your daily life. And how even in small increments, often, these intentions set the conditions for us to evolve.

SUMMER SOLSTICE RITUAL

Create an altar with any summer nature that you can gather or buy a lovely bouquet of flowers. Have a note card or index card available for writing and sage or incense (you can buy sage or incense at your local health food store or Whole Foods or online).

If you'd like, begin with a little yoga movement. Here is a 15-minute slow flow video practice if you wish to use it:

Then pause, relax, and clear your mind before you contemplate your intention. You can sit for a few minutes of quiet breathing, or any meditation of your choice.

After some relaxation and centering to calm your body and clear your mind, find a comfortable seat in front of a candle or the sun itself. When you feel grounded pause for some contemplation. Have an index card and a pen with you.

First contemplate the question:

What do you wish to nourish, manifest, and expand in your life? (It could be this summer or this year... or a long-term goal.) Write your answers on one side of the index card.

Then pause again, take a few breaths, and consider one or two of these questions, and write your thoughts on the other side of the index card:

What can you do to support yourself in manifesting your vision?

Is there an old habit that may make it challenging for you to follow through on your vision?

How can you work with this old habit so that it does not limit your ability to cultivate your vision?

Then go outside to safely burn your card over a candle. From a spiritual perspective, fire represents our motivation, passion, zeal, creativity. The Element of Fire has great power for forging will and determination. It is also symbolic of wisdom, energy, and our inner light as well as a living element. Fire is also known as a great transformer. It has the power to change everything it touches. You can burn your index card in any kind of a heatproof container or a terra cotta saucer, like the one you would put under a potted plant. Put a layer of sand or dirt in the bottom to help absorb some of the heat. Pause when it is done burning and enjoy a few moments to acknowledge your aspirations. Feel the fire's blessing.

Burn sage after this ceremony to release any linger negative energy. Smudging sage is not only for spaces; it’s also for clearing your body, mind, and spirit of any negativity, stagnation, or energetic disturbances within or surrounding you.