Celebrate Summer Mindfully

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!

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