With the tropical climate the UK has been experiencing the past few weeks, you may be under the illusion that Summer is well underway. Whilst the weather certainly does feel like it, the Summer season officially begins on June 21st, which you may know to be Summer Solstice. Marking the day the Earth’s North Pile is tilted closest to the sun, with it reaching the highest point in the sky, on the day of the solstice we experience the longest day of the year.
Energetically, the Summer Solstice is a poignant time of year.
With the sun energy (yang) taking up a larger proportion than the night (yin), there is a noticeable shift in our desire to do, our outward expression and energy levels. It’s the season of vitality and can often feel a little chaotic in its approach. As nature shines brightly, there’s an expectation that we should do the same and we tend to take on plenty of demands, events and challenges to do so.
Through the lens of Ayurveda, this season is associated with a pitta (fire) energy, attributed to movement, heat, intensity and inner fire. This means that Summer is a wonderful time to harness extra energy to get things done, tap into the joy of socialising and to approach tasks with extra determination. The season of confidence and challenge, it’s a time where you may feel invincible, filling your calendar and taking on all that you may have previously held some fear around.
That being said, there is a flip side to the Summer energy.
If Summer is fire energy, let’s think of a fire pit in front of us. The more wood we put into the pit, the greater the fire gets. Its energy is heightened. But, what happens when we put too much onto the fire? It can burn out. This is something that we must be mindful of at this time of year. There’s a tendency to want to do as much as we can to make our flames burn as bright as possible. At the time, it feels good to have a lot going on… especially after a year of lockdown. But, before long, overwhelm starts to rise and you may notice your fiery energy morph into snapping at people you care about and a rising as a fear of losing momentum.
To avoid burnout, we need balance.
Let’s go back to the yin and yang energy we spoke about. The ancient Chinese life-force energy is known as “Qi” and alternates between these two energies. When this life-force energy is appropriately balanced between Yin and Yang, life carries a sense of ease mentally, physically and emotionally. This is the state that we want to reach.
In Summer, there is an excess of yang, which is why we feel such an urgency to do and be active. But, in order to find balance in the centre, we need to incorporate elements of yin… which, let’s be honest, is probably the last thing you want to be doing!
Whilst Summer does have a sense of urgency to its energy, thinking about the occurrences of nature actually offers plenty of opportunity for grounding too. Flowers are in bloom, the grass is a vibrant green, the sun makes everything shine brighter and the warmer weather provides far more opportunities to be outside. All elements that you may struggle to appreciate if you’re sprinting through Summer.
How to balance your Summer energy:
Slow down
Summer’s energy is dynamic, fast-paced and pretty intense. To find balance, we need to make time to slow down. Take items off of the to-do list, leave some days empty and find moments of pause throughout a busy day. Even just taking 5 minutes with your cup of cacao to sink into its ritual and find time for stillness will bring more ease into your day.
Connect within
The beauty of Summer is that it offers an outward expression. It’s a time of sharing, socializing and supporting others. The flip side of that means that whilst we are connecting to others, we may feel a little disconnected from ourselves. Taking time to draw energy inward is a great way to find balance and avoid emptying your cup. Carve out moments for self-care, time to be alone and journaling your fiery thoughts onto paper.
Feel into the heart space
Pitta (fire) energy is all about seeing. It likes to focus on the tangible and always look ahead at what is next. This is great, but it can also mean that you find yourself agreeing to things that you’re not sure if you actually want to do and struggle to feel present in the moment. To counter this, it’s important to spend some time connecting to the heart space. Try a heart centered meditation, or enjoy a cup of cacao each day, which opens up the heart chakra.
Ground into nature
The abundance of nature at this time of year is worthy of appreciation. The warmer weather also makes it a lot easier to enjoy the great outdoors. Try to spend as much time as you can outside, observing the beauty of the plants, the warmth on your skin and the vibrant colours surrounding you. Pair this with cacao, picked straight from the earth and you will feel a greater sense of grounding.
Tell us how you balance your Summer energy over @barecacao