Copyright © 2021 Lee Spirit 

This weekend, Summer Solstice 2021 is upon us, and even just the sound of that makes my heart happy and excited! It’s time for warmer temperatures, and outdoor summer adventures. Not to mention, it seems that Covid is finally on the decline! Here at Chestermere Lake, I love a hot day where I can jump on the SUP! But the Solstice has a deeper, spiritual meaning than just “fun in the sun”! It’s a time when we can practice mindfulness activities that will help enliven our spirits, and radiate our own inner light.

What Is the Summer Solstice?

Summer Solstice happens around June 20th-22nd each year. The sun reaches its highest point in the sky, giving us our longest day. Around the world, many celebrate this occasion spiritually, not only for the beginning of summer, but to celebrate the light that is within all of us. At the Spring Equinox, we plant the seeds of what we want to manifest in our lives, while at Summer Solstice, we nourish what we’ve planted. The movement of the sun represents the cycles and rhythms of all life, including ours!

At Stonehenge every year there is a celebration of the Solstice. At a certain time, the sunlight shines right through the heart of it. I remember watching it online last year. To be present for the event would be surreal, with the light of all the spirits of those buried there.

If we can’t make it to Stonehenge, there are many mindfulness activities we can do to shine our own lights in the world. Lord knows that this past year has been a dark one in so many ways. So remembering our inner light, and learning how to radiate it outwards to others is a great practice to get into at Solstice time.

Enlivening Your Spirit with the Power of the Sun

Energetic Vibrations

The sun has so much power to warm the Earth, and make things grow, and we must not forget that we are One with all of nature, including the sun. It radiates an energetic vibration that we also radiate within ourselves, if we keep our hearts open.

Changing of the Seasons & Highs and Lows

The sun is always there during the changing of the seasons, and reflects our own life changes. It goes through cycles of being higher and lower, just as we go through emotional highs and lows. At its highest point in the Solstice sky, there is access to the angelic, spirit realm, and we have greater access to our consciousness and intuition. At its lower points, we may need to retract a bit, slow down, and go within ourselves to access our meditative mind. Or maybe we need to feel the lows we may be feeling, to let go, and to learn from our experiences.

What Direction Are We Going?

With the Solstice being such a potent time, it’s a great time for us to reflect on the direction our lives may be taking, and how we want to nourish what we’ve planted going forward. We may want to reflect on where we’ve been, and where we’re going. A great place to do this is out in nature, under the sun! The sun is full of energy, so it’s an opportunity for us to draw on this energy, enliven our spirits, and reconnect with nature.

In nature, we can honour the four directions – North, South, East, and West. South is the direction for Summer Solstice. Summer is a time for resting, and reflecting on our purpose, so that we know where to focus our energy going forward.

It’s beneficial to balance the energy of the four directions while meditating, not just one. So bring your attention and the light of your soul to each direction. West is the direction of Autumn Equinox – It’s a time to let go of that which no longer serves us. North represents Winter Solstice, and reflecting upon the wisdom needed for our lives. We can draw on past wisdom, and our journey onwards. Finally, East represents Spring Equinox, where we reflect on the seeds we’ve planted, and the new opportunities coming our way.

Rays of Hope & Meaning and Purpose

The sun holds rays of hope, which, in turn, can give our lives hope, and a sense of meaning and purpose. When we re-discover our own light, and see how far reaching the sun’s light is, we realize the influence we can have on others if we share that light. Just as the sun provides nourishment to the Earth and to all living beings, we, too, can nurture ourselves and others with love and light. When we don’t always feel so bright and sunny, just remember Xavier Rudd’s song, Follow the Sun, where he sings, “Tomorrow’s a new day for everyone..Brand new moon, brand new sun”.

Mindfulness Activities That Help Us Shine Our Light

Solstice Chants

One of my favourite mindfulness activities for any Solstice is attending a chant circle. Unfortunately with Covid, we haven’t had one in a long time. But there is nothing more powerful than getting together with a group of like-minded souls who chant mantras together in beautiful tones, with some drum, harmonium, and guitar music. It’s a great place to let go of that which no longer serves (at the Winter Solstice), or to set new intentions.

Chanting mantras is said to decrease negative thoughts, stress, anxiety, and depression, and allows the mind to come into a neutral, more positive state. These mantras align your vibration to create greater awareness. What better time to open up our conscious awareness than when the sun is at its highest point in the sky!

Be Mindful in Nature

Nature is always my go-to when it comes to mindfulness activities to regain a sense of calm, and inner peace. We can draw on its energy, like recharging our batteries when we’ve spent too much time in front of the screens. It grounds us, nurtures us, and strengthens us. When we come back from, or wake up in nature, we find ourselves full of energy and light. That’s because we’ve taken in the fresh air from the trees, drawn from the energy of the Earth and sun, and our hearts are full, alive, and energized. From here, we can radiate our inner light and shine it brightly on others with love, light, humour, a smile, kindness, or compassion. We develop more patience and tolerance for ourselves and others.

Set Positive Intentions & Use Affirmations

When we reflect on our life’s path and our journey thus far at Solstice time, it’s a great time to set new intentions going forward, and to use positive affirmations. Affirmations help our minds focus on the positive. I’ve just released a new Mindful Nature Affirmations Colouring Book, a 27-paged PDF download, with positive affirmations on each page that you can colour to relieve stress, be creative, and stay positive! It’s great for both adults, and teaching children mindfulness. “I feel joy and contentment in this moment” is just one example, and I invite you to click the link to view all 27 pages!

When we focus more on having a positive mind, it’s easier to set intentions for what we wish for and desire. For good things to come to us, we need to be open and receptive. It’s kind of like basking in the hot sun, and receiving its brilliant rays that warm, tan, and energize us. We can open our arms and hearts, and be receptive to the energies of the Universe and what we want to manifest.

Kundalini and Other Types of Yoga & Meditation

I’ve been practising kundalini yoga for a couple years now. The reason I prefer this style of yoga is because of its spiritual teachings, how it moves stuck energy in the body, and the mantras we chant. It’s a beautiful, soulful, and loving, meditative practice that helps you shine your inner light.

My last class was about the Crown chakra, also known as “The Thousand Petaled Lotus” – the energy centre located at the crown of the head. It has to do with communication and expression in the spirit, psychic realm – Our Oneness with Divine and our conscious awareness. Solstice time is a perfect time to expand our awareness into the vast space that is around us. There are many postures in this style of yoga that can make us more open and receptive to receiving the energies from the Universe, and allowing us to become more intuitive.

Practising Your Attitude of Gratitude

Gratitude and being grateful are more than just saying “Thank you”…It’s an energy vibration of joy that you feel in the present moment, whether it’s something good or bad happening in the moment. When we can find joy and peace in the present moment and whatever is in front of us, we automatically cultivate a sense of gratitude for what is.

Also be grateful for what you already have, and develop an awareness that everything you need is already within you, and accessible to you. When you know this, you don’t feel you are lacking anything, or that anyone or anything can complete you. Be grateful in a way that feels like you already have what you want to manifest. When you vibrate that feeling of already having it, it will come.

Solstice is a great time to enliven your spirit with any of these mindfulness activities. Of course they should be practised all year round, but particularly in energetically charged times like the Solstice that make practising them just as potent as the power of the beautiful sun.

Lee Spirit is an avid outdoors adventurer with a love for nature, photography, health & fitness, wellness, and spirituality. Her own personal journey has led her to the  study and practice of mindfulness, health, wellness, yoga, spirituality, sound healing, meditation, and personal development for over 20 years. When you grab her Free ‘Natural Mind Healing’ Report, you will start a journey of mindfulness activities that will support your personal development going forward!