Summer Solstice is a time we celebrate all the light in the world, as we honour the tilting of the earth wrapping us in the longest day of sunlight of our calendar year. We move through the cycles of seasons and witness our own rhythms, being mindful of the ebb and flow of life.
2020, the year that was prophesied to be the year of clear vision, the year of clarity and truth. I understand this is not what we expected this unfurling to look or feel like, but it is our reality and an uncovering of so much truth, so much for us to ponder.
Summer solstice is an invitation to lean into what works, and to release what no longer serves us. It is a time to uncover what you know deep inside of you is waiting to be revealed. We are sitting on the edge, a precipice of sorts, wondering what happens next.
For many there is an increased anxiety during this time, as people begin to venture out of the safety of isolation, exploring this concept of reemergence. It’s important to be responsible and respectful to others, and also to lean into the practices that support you to rise above any fears that may be surfacing.
It’s okay to take your time with these next steps. It’s okay to not follow the crowd and simply do whatever those around you are doing. It’s important to follow the lead of your heart, now more than ever.
Silence to me means the calm quiet that comes when fear has lost its voice.
Silence…is not an absence of sound, but it’s the end of the clamour, the racket the ego makes. It’s the rest we can receive when all we are hearing is the sound of what the heart contains.
– Meggan Watterson
This summer solstice we are also blessed with a new moon, making it extra powerful. A time to take steps to actualize our dreams. We have been reminded through this time to not live with regrets, because wow, the unexpected can occur at any moment, our lives have the potential to change in the blink of an eye .
Light a candle, and honour your connection to the light. Honour the light inside of you, and the light you bring forth as you move through your life. Honour the seeds of creation within you, reflecting on the life you lived, but also on the life yet to come. Sat Dharam Kaur reminds us of a powerful practice, to consciously reflect and write out 27 visions of the life ahead of you. Not as a means of wanting to be somewhere you’re not, but rather as a way to plant seeds for what’s to come. Feel it in your breath and in your bones, see yourself in those moments of your life, remind yourself why this life is worth living. It’s powerful to allow the pictures to run through your minds eye as you move your fingers along a mala, cycling through the visions 4 times to come to the full 108 beads. I am so grateful for this practice.
As part of a solstice ritual, it’s beautiful to set a clear intention honouring the energy of solstice and then move through 108 sun salutations as the sun is rising.
I’m attaching a reminder of the sequence in a simplified sun salutation, the flow we often move through in our Saturday morning kundalini class.
To view the practice click here .
Last year we met at the park and moved through these in community, that morning is etched in my heart. This year, honouring the circumstances of our present day reality, I will be moving through them, imagining you with me at my home – I invite you to join me energetically.
When we move through our sun salutation flow, Surya namaskar, we are creating space inside of ourselves for our life force to move through us, giving reverence to the energy of the sun. We give ourselves an invitation through the sequence to allow a deep inner awakening, as we honour our bodies, releasing stress and connecting with the dance between the flow of asana and our breath. It’s a good idea to move through in 10 sequences of 10, and a final sequence of 8 repetitions – in the final 11th round I like to honour each chakra with each cycle of the flow. Here is a variation of beautiful affirmations to cycle through the chakras as an anchor. I have adapted the affirmations for my own practice and I invite you to do the same, this was originally shared with me by Mary, and it’s an honour to share with you here. This is a powerful daily practice.
Root Chakra – Muladhara – Self Acceptance – May I be rooted, grounded, and secure.
Sacral Chakra – Svadhistana – Fearlessness, Creativity – May joy and creativity flow through me.
Abdominal Chakra – Manipura – Inner Strength – May I be a lighthouse, May I feel my strength and my power – grounded in kindness and truth, May I be committed to my self care.
Heart Chakra – Anahata – Compassion, Forgiveness, Service – May love and compassion flow through me.
Throat Chakra – Vishudda – Trust, Truth, Integrity – May I speak my truth fearlessly.
Third Eye Chakra – Ajna – Purpose – May I trust my intuition and strengthen my connection to my inner wisdom. May I be guided by it.
Crown Chakra – Sahasrara – Highest Self – May I feel my connection with all of life, May I confidently align and step into my higher purpose.
Aura – Radiance, Vitality, Protection – May I honour my radiance and project out strongly to the world. May I remember my purpose and surround myself by who and what nourishes and strengthens me.
At the end of your physical practice, take some time to allow any movements to move through you, and when you’re ready come laying in shavasana for a at least 10 minutes, sense yourself, notice sensations, notice your breath, invite that flow of life force into all the space you created, notice the quality of your thoughts, acknowledge the healing that’s happening inside.
Coming back to a seated position, closing your eyes down and maybe inviting a little more depth into your breath. Remind yourself of your intention and breath it right into your heart. I am going to share a lovely little meditation with a pranayama practice to help seal this sacred time on your mat. The meditation is for a calm heart.
To join me in this practice click here.
This practice helps to calm and soothe our nervous system, it can bring us back to our center. It is also a powerful practice if you are being challenged, invite that challenge and all those involved, into your awareness, and try sending an invitation for peace and an easeful resolution. Life is so short to hold on to the experiences that cause us pain and suffering, this is a good time to give gratitude for the lessons learnt and release it’s hold on you. This practice also teaches us patience on a subconscious level through the breath practice – patience with our process, and patience with the dance of life and others we are in connection with – we are all doing our best in every given moment.
I too am learning, a lifelong student on this journey of life. There is no urgency, life is unfolding in the only way it can.
Just in case you missed our last newsletter, here is the link studio news
Wishing you so much love and light, as we celebrate this time of great change. Know we are here holding you in our hearts, as we too evolve in ways that will only strengthen our community.
Much love Amber, and all of us at Surya Daya.
