Summer Solstice 2022: Breathe in the Light
An invitation to pause, breathe, and meditate
“Is there anything more loyal than the sun?” — Mary Oliver
Wild days, wild seasons. It’s been in the 90s here in L.A. My BFF in Chicago has been sending me updates of her car’s thermometer: 105 degrees. The world itself feels like it’s burning, both physically and spiritually — the headlines are often interminably terrifying, full of heartache and war and hate and pain.
Yes, it’s important to check in with the news of the world.
It’s just as important to check in with yourself, with this moment.
Hi there.
How are you doing?
I invite you to take a breath, right here, right now. That’s right, you could just stop reading for a moment:
Inhale — pause — and exhale softly.
Did you know that today is the summer solstice?
On his Facebook post today, Neil de Grasse Tyson explains:
June 21, 2022
Welcome to the Solstice. On this day…
1. the North Pole tips directly to the Sun — 23.5 degrees
2. the entire Arctic circle never sees sunset
3. the entire Antarctic circle never sees daylight
4. the Northern Hemisphere sees max sunlight — first day of Summer
5. the Southern Hemisphere sees min sunlight — first day of Winter
6. the World experiences the longest twilight of the year
7. the Northern Hemisphere days begin to shorten
8. the Southern Hemisphere days being to lengthen
and…
Along the equator, sitting exactly between two hemispheres that always trend in opposite ways, the duration of sunlight & darkness remains unchanged throughout the year. There are no astronomical seasons, and their twilight is always the shortest iii the world — less than 30 mins.
In the northern hemisphere, that means that we are at the top of a very full inhale.
Can you take another slow, deep inhale? Followed by a soft, gentle exhale?
How’s it feel?
Recently, I’ve been spending the first hour of my mornings doing anything but being on screen: I do the dishes, water the garden, rake leaves, sweep the hallway, meditate. This is different from my normal morning routine during which I get distracted — no, scratch that — I get sucked in by my phone — texts, notification, headlines.
It’s nonstop.
And by 9am, I find that I am often depleted.
Most certainly we must be aware and engaged, but we have to remember — the institutionalized human systems are designed to deplete us. We also can remember that we have the power to reset the balance so that we can pour our energy into the work that matters, the energy that ripples out into goodness and change.
When we communicate with nature — when we take the time to notice huge natural markers of our planet, like the Solstice — we bring our bodies into alignment with what we see, hear, smell, touch, and taste, and in doing so, we become empowered and engaged.
Below, I offer a solstice meditation for you. If your area is experiencing a heatwave, please take care. This can always be done inside from a window or you can wait until dusk when it cools off.
Solstice Meditation
As you step into the outside today, first pause and take three slow, deep breaths.
Notice the fullness of your inhales. You might even pause at the top of each, notice how the air feels inside your lungs. Feel your belly inflate. As you exhale, notice how your body responds.
Where is your awareness as you enter the space? How does your body feel? Where is there tension? Where is there ease?
Where is the light of the sun? Do not look into it, but notice its reach on the physical space before you.
Does it blaze? Does it dapple? Does it dance on leaves? Does it shine on concrete? How does the light feel on your skin? How does it provide warmth? Is the warmth received by your body as comfort? If not, how can you shift your body so that you are comfortable? Does it require that you move into the shade? What does making this conscious choice — whether to remain in the light of the sun or to seek the comfort of the shadows — do for your spirit?
How does the light of the sun provide gifts to this space? How does the light of the sun provide gifts to you, personally?
How can you find gratitude, in this moment, for the gifts of the sun? For the gifts of the light?
Can you feel it? The fullness? The alive-ness? The hope? The awe?
Take a deep breath in.
And exhale.
I wish you a joyous Solstice full of comfort, hope, and light!
(And A/C if you need it!)
Join us tonight & next week for Yoga & Writing where we’ll move, breathe, and meditate more on the energy of this long, bright day:
E. Katherine Kottaras the writer, voice, and co-creator of Yoga with Eleonora on PillowFortTV and the co-writer with Vanitha Swaminathan of the forthcoming picture book, A RAINBOW INSIDE MY BODY, illustrated by Holly Hatam (Viking 2024). She holds an M.A. in English and an M.S. in Kinesiology with a focus on Integrative Wellness, and she is a contemplative writer and holistic teacher, having worked at the K-12 and community college levels for over two decades. She is a yoga teacher, personal trainer, and health coach while also living with invisible illnesses and neurodivergence, and as such, she is passionate about mindfulness, bodily self-determination, and health equity. As the queer daughter of an immigrant, Katherine believes that holistic and inclusive approaches to expression, healing, and growth should be accessible to all.
Connect with Katherine on the social medias: IG, YouTube, FB, LinkedIn, or at katherinekottaras.com. Check out Katherine’s new series, Yoga with Eleonora on YouTube, which helps kids of all ages calm their minds and bodies so they can respond to and communicate their feelings in healthy ways.
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