6 Mindful Ways to Celebrate Summer
If you are looking to
create or experience rituals for summer solstice, there are several ways you
can start celebrating this time of year. Consider the following six practices you
can make a daily/weekly routine this summer.
1. Meditate with the
Rising Sun
Begin
your day early, seated in the direction of the rising sun. Close your eyes and
feel the expanding light against your skin and closed eyes. Cultivate gratitude
for the sun and close your practice by reflecting on the gifts it brings.
2. Intention Setting
Another
practice is to set intentions – either for the day or for the year ahead. Many
see the summer as a time ripe for new beginnings, so this could be a prime time
to get clear on what you’d like to focus on in the year ahead. Write down your
intentions in a journal.
3. Gratitude Journaling
Another
written practice to consider is gratitude journaling. Reflect on what this time
of year means to you. What gifts does it bring? Why are you grateful for the
sun? What are the benefits of light? Take your time with this, exploring all
that you come up with.
4. Reflect on Life’s
Impermanence
As with
any other seasonal celebration, the summertime reminds us that life is always
in flow and that things
are impermanent. Though Summer feels so short of a season and every day is
getting shorter and shorter. This does not have to sadden us; rather, it can
help us to embrace this moment with joy and gratitude.
5. Meditate in Nature
One of
the most beautiful things of this time of year is the new life that blossoms
from the earth. You might choose to celebrate the summer by finding a safe and
comfortable place in nature and mindfully tuning into your sensory experience.
Notice what you can feel, see, hear, and smell. Tune in with curiosity and
close with gratitude.
6. Practice Mindful
Eating
Last
but not least, we can celebrate the harvest of this time of year by honoring
our food and eating
mindfully. What is it like to slowly and mindfully bite into a fresh
strawberry or piece of rhubarb pie? Can you eat with appreciation for all that
provided you with this food? Consider saying a word of thanks before you begin
each meal.
I hope
you enjoy your summer and, most importantly, stay mindful. That may mean putting down your cell phone, even if you are just taking pictures. How many opportunities did you miss by looking for your phone or trying to open the camera app in time? I know I have. I will do my best to put it away or, better yet, not bring it at all!
Comments
Post a Comment