How to Solstice
Celebrating the Solstices are probably the favourite parts of my year. My first tiny celebration of summer solstice 13 years ago involved sitting at the bottom of the garden with a candle and a packet of crisps. In my pyjamas. I can’t even remember what prompted the sudden stirring toward solstice except that I was a sleep-deprived mother of 3 small children at the time and it was a glorious, uninterrupted moment of delight.
Every Solstice since has been very different from the one before it. I wonder if these light saturated days provide an extra dollop of creativity and spontaneity or maybe the long evenings invite experimentation? Either way at this point I think I have cracked the ingredients for how to celebrate the lingering, lovely, light of Solstice.
Here is my Solstice Hit List…..
Gather
Find a few like-minded souls to spend the evening with. I have found that those who seek out nature themselves and/or are comfortable with a little self-reflection are the best companions on Solstice. Less than 10 people seems to work best.
Feast
Bake a cake, open the bubbles, or just get the good biscuits out. A really lovely addition to one Summer Solstice was Sun Tea.
This is a slow, solar infusion of well, really anything you have to hand. Fill a large jar with water and then put in any of the following in whatever combination you like: a favourite tea bag, fruits (lemons, oranges, limes, strawberries or kiwis), herbs from the garden (mint, rosemary, thyme, lemon balm, bee balm, catnip, borage, elderflowers), something for sweetness (sugar, maple syrup, honey).
Put the lid on your jar and place outside in the sun for about 6-8 hours, giving it a shake every now and then if you remember. This is lovely with ice on its own or as part of a cocktail.
Reflect
Either on your own, or with your fellow gatherers, take a moment to ponder a question or two…..
Where are you noticing the light in your own life right now? What are the things that are bringing joy and energy that you are grateful for?
In this season of light, what part of you or your life would you like to see flourish and bloom?
Solstice is a festival of fire: what are the things in your life that are no long serving you that you would like to put into the fire.
Rituals
These don’t need to be weird or complicated: it can be as simple as the reading of a poem, lighting a candle, gathering round the fire, toasting the sun as it disappears finally over the horizon, or a moment of silence.
Rituals create meaning and connection and so even if you feel a little awkward at the thought of having a wee ritual as part of your Solstice that awkwardness disappears very fast and often it is what people love and remember most about these evenings whether you are on your own or with others.
Move
Swim in the sea, dance, do a little Sun salutation from Yoga, walk in a beautiful place. We are embodied beings and our capacity to enjoy and be present to all things increases when we let our bodies join in.
Whether you keep it beautifully simple or go all out I hope you have a wonderful evening celebrating and being blessed by the light.
Please tell me your favourite ways to celebrate Solstice in the comments!