Today, June 21st, marks the summer solstice or midsummer in the Northern Hemisphere–the longest day and shortest night of the year. The origins of the word ‘solstice’ refer to how the sun seems to be completely still in the sky, adding to the slightly surreal, magical feeling that is evoked at this time of year. The long hours of sunlight mean we can be active at all times of day, something that feels impossible to comprehend in winter when we are walking home in the dark at 4pm! We are also aware of the phenomenon of the almost carnival-like atmosphere that occurs in Britain every time we get a bit of a sunny weather, probably due to the fact that our weather can be so fickle we feel the need to spontaneously ‘make the most of it’ and drop all our responsibilities and step out of our usual roles for a while. Folklore and tradition also reflects the slightly ‘unreal’ midsummer atmosphere, with the boundaries between the magical world and the human world becoming blurred. During the Icelandic midsummer festival of Jónsmessa, cows talk, seals become human and if you sit on a crossroads where all four roads lead to a church, elves might come to whisk you away with promises of food and gifts. Shakespeare echoes this sentiment in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a play in which human and fairy lives become hilariously intertwined, with events perhaps reaching their climax when the fairy queen Titania falls in love with the endearingly oafish weaver, Nick Bottom, who has a donkey’s head (due to magic, of course). The most surreal action of the play occurs in the woodland, which scholars refer to as the ‘green world’, a place where social norms and conventions no longer apply. This reflects the natural world as you will find it around the time of the solstice–in woodlands, the trees’ canopy is at its fullest at this time of year, meaning sometimes it is difficult to even see the sky at all. This can create a mystical feeling of stepping into another world, far-removed from everyday life.
All of this goes to show that at this time of year rules, norms and responsibilities can go out of the window and we can embrace a more fun, spontaneous way of living. We might see sides of ourselves that we don’t normally see, parts of ourselves that can be silly, whimsical, and bold. The solstice is an invitation to lean into this energy and ask ourselves to reflect on what we would do, create, and dream of if anything was possible. These could be ideas for yourself or it could be a vision for your community or the world. We often create self-imposed limitations, some of them based on our own fears and some based on other people’s expectations or projections, and social norms. If you can, take some time to meditate so that you are more able to observe self-limiting beliefs, thoughts and behaviours as they arise. You could also journal around this subject too and challenge any fears or doubts you have about what you are capable of and your potential. The Sun is the celestial body that rules the solstice, and reminds us that we have a lot more power and agency than we give ourselves credit for. Take time out to be in nature and away from the ‘real world’ to embrace the energy of infinite possibility. The solstice is a potent time to set intentions–if you like to work towards a date, you can work towards the autumn equinox or the winter solstice–so don’t be afraid to dream big and heed the saying of ‘shoot for the moon, even if you miss you’ll land among the stars’. Once it is time to return to everyday life, you will feel transformed and revitalised with a newfound courage to achieve your boldest dreams, and a sense that you are stronger and more capable than you could ever have imagined.
