Three Simple Rituals for The Summer Solstice

The Summer Solstice is a magical day associated with abundance, prosperity, growth, and freedom.

The Solstice marks the longest day of the year, ushering in joyous celebration of the life-giving energy the Sun provides. This is a time to bask in the Sun's rays, partake in lively community, and embody the Sun by leaning into optimistic creation. 

This day of illumination is a call to transform your life by igniting the flame you carry within, taking up space, and shining your light on those that share their light with you. The Sun rises and falls every 24hrs, being a symbol for new beginnings and fresh starts. The Sun grants us the opportunity to begin again each day, taking the knowledge we've gained from days past help us make better decisions in the future. The Summer Solstice gifts you an expanded day, with even more opportunity to transform your life.

Here are some rituals to embody the transformative energy of the Summer Solstice. 

Gratitude Ritual in Community

What You Need:

• Community you love and trust.
  • This could be one more person to share this day with. If your loved ones are a distance away a trusty phone call, or video chat is more than ok
• A notepad
• Something to write with

This ritual is about about embracing the joy that exists in community. Call on your loved ones, familiar faces, and those you trust with your most joyous self and invite them to bask in the Sun's rays with you. Enjoy a day at the river, in a meadow, or in your back yard. Anywhere the Sun can bask on you and your community. As you bask in the Sunshine, invite your loved ones to sit in a moment of gratitude with you.

Express gratitude by writing down three things you feel grateful for. Don't worry about saying the right thing, the most mundane reminders of gratitude are often the most magical. Start off the circle by sharing your list of gratitude, inviting everyone to take turns expressing what they're grateful for.

End this ritual by saying together "I release what I no longer need and make way for the light to illuminate the magic in my life."

Building a Sun Altar + Candle Ritual

What You Need:

• A space to create an altar
• Things you associate with light, Sunshine, and joyous change
• Incense
• Citrus fruit
• A yellow or orange chime candle
  • Yellow to represent light, joy, vision
  • Orange to represent creativity, passion, abundance
• Matches or lighter
• A knife

Creating an altar to the Sun is a way to honor the magic of this Summer Solstice while expanding your own magic. This ritual is about collaboration, looking to the Sun to inspire you as you place different tools, talismans, and personal items on your altar. I recommend listening to a playlist that you feel embodies the Sun; songs that put a pep in your step and fill you with radiant joy.

Be sure to begin by finding a space illuminated by the Sun, this could be your window sill, a table that glows as the Sun rises or sets, or a shelf the Sun illuminates in the afternoon. Be creative and don't be afraid to create an altar regardless of size or placement, let the Sun guide you. Once you've chosen a space to create your altar, cleanse your space with incense. You could use an incense that is infused with notes of Citrus or Cinnamon to embody the abundant energy of the Sun. Be sure to cleanse the items you desire to place on your altar as well. Now that you've cleansed your space, place the tools that you've found on your altar. Take your time placing your tools, being sure to create a space with intentionality and care. 

Now that your tools have found their homes, begin your cande ritual to bring life to your altar. Take your citrus fruit and slice it in half, placing one half open side up on your altar. Place your yellow or orange chime candle in the center of the slice on your altar, keeping the other half somewhere safe for later. Take a breath, invisioning the Sun illuminating your body, spreading warmth over your skin. Picture yourself in your happiest state, frolicking in sunflower fields, swimming in a Sun sparkled river, or laying in sunny grasslands. Lean into whatever comes up for you and filled your heart and body with radiant warmth. When you feel this joy bubbling over in your body and spilling out as an aura of light, light your candle with your matches or lighter as a way to give this overflowing energy a source to be held. Your energy is now magically infused with your Sun altar, this energy working in tandem with the Summer Solstice to breathe life to the radiant joy coming your way.

Making Sun Water

What You Need:

• A glass jar with a lid
  
  • I prefer mason jars so I can date + write intention with ease
• Water
• Incense
• A sharpie/ pen & paper
• Daylight

Creating Sun water is similar to creating Moon water, but rather than leaving your water to be charged by the Moon, you'll be charging your water with the energy of the Summer Solstice.

Begin this ritual by bringing all of your tools together. Start off by cleansing your tools with a smoke bundle or incense with notes of cinnamon or citrus, as these scents are associated with the Sun. I personally like to cleanse by burning cinnamon sticks (this is also safer if you will be drinking your Sun Water!) Once you've cleansed your tools, fill up your mason jar with water.As you fill your glass, imagine that you are pouring abundance, light, and opportunity into yourself at the same moment.

Now that your jar is filled, find a space the Sun shines on. This could be outside in a Sun lit spot, or safe on a window sill. Anywhere the Sun can reach is ideal! Write down your intention on the cap of your mason jar with a sharpie, or write down your intention on a piece of paper. This could be anything you'd like to breathe life into with the support of the Sun, for example "The Summer Solstice illuminates my being. I am a magnet to joyous transformation." Speak your intention out loud to your water, repeat at least three times before placing your mason jar in the space you've chosen. Let you water absorb the magic of this Summer Solstice for atleast 3hrs to charge, ideally before the Moon rises.

Before you collect your Sun Water, thank the Sun for sharing their potent energy with you. You can use this water to drink, create your own energetic room and body sprays, or to cleanse with. Similar to the magic of the Sun, the possibilites are endless.

As you dive in to these rituals while being empowered by the magic of the Sun, be sure to celebrate the magic that exists in you.

This Summer Solstice is a catalyst for the magic that already exists within you. This transformation is happening no matter what, but it's up to you to hone in on this energy and expand on it. By partaking in ritual on this day, you are channeling the magic of this Summer Solstice to bring forth the change the Universe is already sending to you. Inviting in intentionality on this day is choosing to take control of the journey you are on, rather than being an impartial passenger. You are making leaps and bounds in this life, enjoy this day and embody this magic fully trusting the very real possibilty that everything you have ever wanted is already on its way.