Today is the Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, marking the longest day of the year and the beginning of summer. In ancient and indigenous cultures, it marked the beginning of a new year and often held feminine qualities. Many historic structures align with the solstice and other key astrological dates, including Stonehenge and the many pyramids around the world. You can find more online and through books about the history of celebrating the Summer (and Winter) Solstice. In this blog, I want to focus on how to harness the energy of the Solstice. As you might do with the new calendar year, I encourage you to look back on the last year with gratitude and release anything that is no longer in alignment with your soul. Then, look forward to new year and bless your new beginnings.
I started my practice this morning with a silent meditation, affirmative prayer, and journaling. Meditation to center myself and align with the Divine within. Affirmative prayer to affirm the powerful nature of my Solstice practice. Journaling to capture my thoughts and insights as they came in.
As I contemplated what came up in my meditation and journaling around endings and beginnings, I noted how I am very much embarking on a new chapter in my life. I just moved to a new state, Wisconsin, and recently started a new business Live Life Spiritual Direction. I am currently renting and looking for a new home to purchase. I blessed and released my old home and life there, which was most recently in Champaign, Illinois. I honored and energetically let go of my past romantic relationship there, my full-time employment at the university (now working for it remotely and part-time), and the State of Illinois, which had been my home for my entire life.
Coincidentally (or synchronistically!), I finished two related books on the Solstice. The first one is called The Spiritual Vixen’s Guide To An Unapologetic Life by Maureen Muldoon. It is a memoir of her personal and spiritual evolution. It included the very hardest parts of her life and she allowed herself to share with the reader intimate details that led her to her life status today. Many struggles, including divorce and addiction, and many celebrations, including her children, were highlighted. The good and the bad. That is life. And you know what? It’s all good. Maureen was able to review her life through the writing of this book and see how it all led her to this wonderful place in her life as a spiritual celebrant, a mother, a wife, a friend, a storyteller, and so much more. Maureen often quoted A Course in Miracles (ACIM), a book by Jesus that was designed to help the reader find forgiveness and unconditional love for themselves and others. While Maureen had many circumstances in her life where she could play the victim, she chose the path of forgiveness and love. Her book helped me look on my past with love and forgiveness so that I can move into the future untethered by so much baggage. And this is the synchronistic part, I also finished reading cover-to-cover the full A Course in Miracles “blue” book, which contains the full teaching of the ACIM. It took me over a year. It was a big undertaking. And it wasn’t my first time reading it and it won’t be my last. But each time I read it, I have a better understanding of forgiveness and the power it plays in my life. So, thank you, Maureen and Jesus for being there just when I needed you to more fully step into love, faith, and my own power. (Another coincidence is that this is the second impactful memoir written by a friend that I’ve read in the last two weeks. For more on that and diving into someone else’s story to understand your own, click here.)
With the metaphorical dropping off of my baggage at Goodwill, I looked forward. I blessed and welcomed my new business and envisioned it bustling and me helping my clients overcome their challenges and go on to live the song of their soul. I energetically made space for a new relationship in my life. I felt and saw in my mind’s eye my life in my new home, which includes a lake home, a dog, a partner, and space to hold retreats and client sessions. And for good measure, I made a vision board yesterday. The image above gives you a glimpse of it!
I encourage you to take advantage of this powerful time of year. Let go of what no longer serves and call in what you desire. You deserve it and the world is waiting for you.
