As we welcome in the season of summer through the summer solstice, we've put together this guide to everything you might want to know about this special time. From meanings and traditions to rituals and practices, keep on reading to learn about the significance of the summer solstice, the energy of summer and what it means in our yoga practice.
What is the Summer Solstice?
The summer solstice takes place once a year (usually on 20th or 21st June in the Northern Hemisphere) when the Earth tilts the Northern Hemisphere more towards the sun than any other day of the year. This alignment gives us the longest day and the shortest night of the year, with the sun rising early and appearing to pause in the sky once at its highest and brightest, before setting late.
Geographically, this event marks the official start of summer; a turning point in nature’s seasonal cycle. During this special shift, we are in the peak of solar energy and natural abundance as the plants flourish, wildlife is active and the world around us feels joyous and lively.
The word solstice comes from the Latin word 'solstitium', meaning 'sun standing still'. This reflects the way the sun seems to pause in the sky before changing direction. Across cultures and centuries, this moment has been celebrated as a powerful threshold - one that marks both culmination and transition.
The Significance of the Summer Solstice
Spiritually and energetically, the summer solstice is a celebration of abundance, growth and the fullness of life. It invites us to stand fully in our light and to honour how far we’ve come since the darkness of winter, just as nature does. It symbolises our time to look forwards with clarity and purpose. Traditionally, it’s been a time of joy, rituals and a connection to the rhythms of nature. Practically, this can be actioned as a powerful time to pause, express gratitude and realign with our soul’s deepest intentions.
The Summer and our Yoga Practice
The incoming of summer is an invitation to take action with intention. In a similar way that we set spring intentions, summer serves as a reminder to realign with the soul and take action in sync with what really matters. In our yoga practice, it’s a time to embrace variety; embodying the natural expansiveness of light, the steadiness of earth, the fluidity of water and the ambition of fire. We might feel called to move in stronger ways that express the increased energy we are feeling but, summer is also a time to soften and find stillness within the 'chaos' - tuning in to the whispers of our heart's desires.
4 yoga practices to celebrate the sun!
Your 5-Minute Summer Intention Setting Practice
A quick journal-based practice to help you move through summer in closer alignment to your purpose and desires.
Pause & Breathe
Find a quiet space. Make it sacred to you in anyway you feel called to (if you feel called to) by lighting a candle, burning oils or incense, getting blankets, cushions etc. Sit comfortably.
Take three deep, purposeful breaths.
With each exhale, soften a little bit more into the moment.
Reflect
Ask yourself and write down the answers:
How did I feel at the beginning of spring?
What has grown in me since spring?
What is asking to be expressed?
Where am I ready to show up with more? More energy, more intention, more truth...
Does everything I'm working towards feel right for me?
What is one regret or negative thought/ feeling that I am ready to shed?
Set a Summer Intention
Place your hands on your heart or belly. Whisper (or write down):
This summer, I choose to…
1.
2.
3.
Seal it with an Affirmation
Imagine a beautiful sunlight pouring over you, filling every part of your being with joy, clarity and confidence.
Take one final deep breath. Smile softly and repeat: I am here. I am ready. I am here. I am ready.
