Summer Solstice

Summer Solstice, also known as Midsummer, is a celebration of abundance, vitality, and the radiant power of the sun. It marks the longest day of the year, a cosmic crescendo of light that swells like a golden tide before the slow, ripening descent into harvest and eventual rest. This moment is not simply a day but the opening of a portal, a threshold into a season of fullness, fire, and fruition. It is the apex of solar energy in the Wheel of the Year, where the sun stands still - solstice literally meaning “sun stands still” - offering us a pause, a sacred inhale, before the long exhale begins.

Though the calendar moves on, the solstice initiates an entire energetic season, stretching from now until the first harvest in early August. During this time, the natural world pulses with growth and movement. The gardens bloom, the bees buzz, the berries ripen, and the light hangs long into the evening. We are deep in the yang half of the year, this is the season of action, creation, and manifestation. The seeds we dreamed in the winter and planted in spring are now growing under the sun’s fierce gaze. The earth is literally doing. and so are we.

Spiritually, the solstice portal calls us into relationship with our own vitality and capacity. It reminds us that, like the sun at its zenith, we too are powerful, visible, and filled with life-force. This is the season to live out loud, to shine without apology, to express ourselves creatively and physically, and to honor the work it takes to bring something to life. It is a time to commit to our growth, to water the dreams, to tend the garden of our lives with intention and reverence.

But even in its brilliance, the solstice teaches balance. The moment the light reaches its peak, it begins to recede.

This is the great paradox of power - it always contains within its own transformation.

Summer is not just about expansion; it is also about sustainability. The solstice asks us to honor both the flame and the container. It says:

Grow, but stay grounded.

Shine, but tend your roots.

From this point until August, the energy of the season is active, celebratory, and filled with potential. Yet it also asks us to check in:

What are we creating?

Where are we directing our energy?

Are we nurturing what we want to harvest later?

Are we embodying the joy, courage, and discipline needed to bring our visions into form?

This is the essence of the solstice season—it is a dance with light, a collaboration with the sun, and an invitation to become conscious co-creators with the Earth herself. It is not a fleeting moment but a powerful stretch of time to align with purpose, celebrate what is growing, and prepare for the harvest.

So, what does the longest day of the year mean for us now energetically and spiritually?

Quite simply, the sun is at the height of its power… and so are we. We are alive in the fire season. This is the time of the masculine principle: outward action, momentum, culmination. Where winter helped us dream and spring helped us plant, summer reminds us to grow with confidence. We are being asked to act on our visions, to nourish what we've tended so far, and to remember that we cannot harvest in the fall without labor, intention, and faith.

Everywhere we look, nature is mirroring back to us a reminder of growth and abundance. Trees are heavy with leaves. Gardens are wild and fragrant. There is a rhythm to this season that pulses with pleasure, vitality, and a sense of full-bodied connection to life. When we align with this energy, we can feel ourselves return to something true. Returning to a version of ourselves that is bold, clear, and joyful. But the sun’s power is not without its shadows. With its intensity comes the potential for burnout, overexertion, distraction, and emotional dryness. The pressure to be "on" all the time, to produce and perform, can lead to disconnection from our center. FOMO, perfectionism, and imbalance can rise in tandem with our successes. The lesson here is not to resist the season’s brilliance but to anchor ourselves within it.

Summer asks us to balance doing with being. Work hard, play hard… and rest harder.

Visit water. Swim, sunbathe, or simply place your feet in a stream. Leave a small offering - flowers, honey, or herbs - and whisper thanks to both sun and water, the elemental forces of life.

Go berry picking. Taste the season. Let your hands move through bushes and brambles like your ancestors once did. Make jam, say a blessing, sing while you pick.

Light a fire. Whether it’s a candle or a bonfire, sit with flame. Speak your gratitude and desires aloud. Jump over it safely if you feel called—invite abundance.

Watch the sunset. As the sun dips, reflect on your journey. Make a bold, loving statement to yourself that honors your growth and dedication.

Ask yourself: What lights me up and stokes the fire within me?

Write your answers outside, feeling the warmth on your skin as you connect with your truth.

Practice summer solstice tarot.

Shuffle your deck and ask, “What am I stepping into in this next half of the year?”

Pull 6 cards and arrange them in a circle to represent the sun’s fullness and the six months ahead.

Let your intuition lead by interpreting the images first, meanings second. Write it all down.

Journal a halfway check-in:

• What am I grateful for?

• What brought me joy?

• I accomplished…

• I fell in love with…

• What do I need now?

• What do I know now?

• How am I… really?

• What is my overall energy?

And it’s okay if this portal feels overwhelming. The energy of creation can stir up confusion just as much as clarity. With more options comes more decision fatigue. If you're feeling stuck, underwhelmed, overstimulated, or unsure of your path forward, know that you're not alone.

When in doubt:

Go outside.

Go swimming.

Nap in the sun.

Eat wild foods.

Stare at the moon.

Stare at a tree.

Meditate.

Dance.

Sing loudly.

Laugh.

Rest.

Connect to the joy, the power, the sweetness of this Earth and the pulse of your own life. Let yourself be both fire and stillness. Let yourself be abundant, imperfect, radiant, and real.

Abundance is not fleeting. It is always within reach.

May we all be blessed with sun-warmed skin, clothes that smell like campfire, evening walks, berry-stained fingers, swimsuits that live on the line, and unapologetically joyful summers.

Light the fire.

Thank the sun.

Thank yourself.

You are glowing.

You are growing.

And you are exactly where you need to be.