get what we want; we get what we
want because we choose happiness first.
Alan Cohen
Summer is synonymous with love, romance and joy. It is a time of glorious celebration, which harkens back to ancient days, when ceremonies were performed to represent symbolic marriages between mortals and gods. It is not a coincidence that even today, June is still the most popular month to marry. Traditionally, cultures around the world have seen summer as a celebration of the strength and fertility of Mother Earth and of other goddesses who represent the Divine feminine. The Romans dedicated the summer solstice(the longest day of the year) to Vesta, goddess of the hearth, and the Greeks to Hestia, who served the same purpose in their culture. Because this is a time when the sun begins to wane (it waxes after the winter solstice), ancient cultures in Denmark, Norway, Austria, Germany, Britain, and Spain, as well as native people in North America and South America, lit bonfires to guarantee the sun’s return next year. Often, as part of these rituals, celebrants picked prized summer flowers and herbs-mugwort, chamomile, geranium, St.John’s wort, thyme and pennyroyal- to throw on their festival bonfires. They believed these fires would banish sickness from their livestock and their families. For good luck, they jumped across the fire and even walked on hot coals, precursor to the fire walking ceremonies practiced today.Today, summer rituals are practiced around the world which echo these ancient beliefs. In Swaziland, the most important festival of the year, Incwala, which honors kinship, is always held on the summer solstice. The ceremony involves burning objects which represent the death of the kingthe sun– followed by a ritual purification and rebirth. The Swahilis believe that this practice ensures good leadership and a prosperous year. In North America, Native American’s celebrate with the Sun Dance: offering a healing prayer to the Great Spirit and one of thanksgiving for the gift of the buffalo and for life itself. It begins with a period of fasting and purification .The ritual can last four days, as the participants dance to unify with the Great Spirit and harmonize with all living beings. Summer is a glorious time to celebrate the sacredness of joy. All you have to do is watch a child licking ice cream or rolling in the sand to rediscover the sense of holiness and joy in everyday life. As my friend Donna Hennes so beautifully puts it in her book Celestially Auspicious Occasions (Perigee Books), ‘living in attunement with the workings of the world means to consciously interact and to engage viscerally, sensually, and spiritually with it.’
SUMMER RITUAL: OPENING TO JOYThe scents of oils, herbs, flowers, or spices are used in almost every ritual. Here are some suggestions to use for a summer ritual: citrus oils (lemon, grapefruit, orange, lime), frankincense, clove, rosemary, ginger, and neroli.Take some quiet time alone and become aware of what gifts you have in your life. Appreciate the beauty of nature, the miracle of the human body, the magic of music, the joy of laughter and friends, the freedom of a bird in flight or the precious smile of a child.Imagine that you are planting a garden of appreciation. With each seed, a plant will grow. The more you appreciate and bless what you have, the more joy and abundance you will have in your life. Celebrate what you do have.Look at what brings you joy in your life. If there are areas in your life that feel unsatisfied-without joy-then you are being directed to follow your heart and begin to live life in alignment with your own inner spiritual truths. On your deathbed, you will never regret what you tried in your life, but you will regret the things you never did. Ask yourself. How do I feel? What do I need? What makes me happy? Walking on the beach? Reading a book? Cooking a good meal? Rollerblading in the park? Being with friends?Think of this as a ‘mapping’ ritual that will lead you to your authentic source of joy. You will have more energy, clarity and caring to offer others if you give them to yourself first. Call forth the joyous, magical child within you- the part of you that really knows how to play and have fun. Have you become so serious that play is an exception in your life? Nothing can open the imagination more than spontaneous play. If you could do anything you wanted, what would it be? If money were not an issue, what would you do? Imagine the magical child within connecting to the adult you. We seem to forget that play is also for adults. In fact, play is renewing and energizing. Without it, we would simply burn out. Remember the feeling of a new love? Everything looks vibrant and alive, like Technicolor. Practice falling in love with yourself. Bring dancing, laughter and music into your life. Pay attention to the flowers around you. Delight in the colors. Let yourself smile and express joy. The more you practice feeling joyful, the more joy you will experience. Expand your capacity to receive love and joy. Like any new skill, the more you practice, the better you will get at it. So start right now. Shake it up!Part of a celebration is expressing yourself through dance and music. The important thing is to enjoy your body and allow the music to free your spirit. Traditionally the dance for the summer solstice is a figure 8 dance that expresses the turning of the seasons and the cycles of the year. Whatever dance you choose, let yourself break loose and rejoice in the rhythms of life. I invite you to step into sacred time and space. As mystics have known for eons, you are not dancing alone; you are dancing the universe. Let spirit dance through you.