“Summer’s lease hath all too short a date.”
– William Shakespeare
Growing in Summer
Summer, the season of light, love, creativity, action, and adventure. Longer days bring extra heat and let me tell you, summer is all about fire. We’ve planted our gardens, and nurtured our ideas, now is the time to explore those ideas and grow them into reality. This is the time for manifestation and abundance. Energy is buzzing all around us. Use that energy to get out, expand, and manifest your wildest dreams!
Seasonal Living
I will sing the praises of living with the seasons till I die. So many benefits come when you live in tune with nature. According to the American Psychiatric Association, people that live closely with nature experience, “improved attention, lower stress, better mood, reduced risk of psychiatric disorders and even upticks in empathy and cooperation”. No one argues the added nutritional benefit of eating a local and seasonal diet. What I find is most beneficial, given our current culture is living seasonally also helps us regulate activity and rest. When you live according to the seasons it’s not just go, go, go all the time. It gives us a set time to restore our reserves so that later we have the energy to let out the zoomies. We’ve rested all winter. Summer is the season of the zoomies.
Summer
Summer brings us the longest days of the season. Reconnecting with the sun boosts our inner fire. Summer fire gives us the energy to take action. During the spring we warmed up, cleared the slate, and sowed ideas on how we want to live. Summer is the time to bring those ideas, and creative projects into reality. This is the most yang season we have. It is the time to get in touch with your own Divine Masculine energy. It is the time for activity, growth, and action so get your butts outdoors. This is also the time to go on adventures, take risks, and socialize. So how do we ride the wild Summertime energy?
Party Hearty
First off, a little timing. There are some festivals that happen during the summer that embody the energy of the season.
BELTANE (MAY 1ST)
First up is Beltane. Many of you may know this as May Day. This is the festival of Maypole dancing and May queen crowning. Beltane happens at the halfway point between the beginning of Spring and Summer. This is around the time we see early crops and plants start to produce fruit. It’s a celebration of the turn from scarcity back into the season of abundance. Basically, our ancestors survived the scarcity of winter, are seeing the results of their early Springtime labors, and threw a party. It is a youthful celebration that celebrates abundance and joy.
SUMMER SOLSTICE LITHA, MIDSUMMER (JUNE 21ST)
Once upon a time, there were two kings. The King of Holly and the King of Oak. The King of Holly builds darkness, while the King of Oak builds light. Litha is when we turn from the Kingdom of Oak to the Kingdom of Holly. From this day until the Winter Solstice our nights will slowly start to get longer again. Litha, or Midsummer is the official start of the summer season and is officially the longest day of the year
Litha is also the night the fairy world becomes the most accessible. If anyone remembers Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream today is the time to turn into a donkey and fall in love with a fairy queen. Hopefully this year fairy’s won’t let too many of their shenanigans float into this world.
Litha is a celebration of personal empowerment. It is a day to reflect on the abundance of nature and what you can do to grow. Use the expansive energy of summer to propel you to where you want to be. It’s an easy thing to do. Veggies are popping up, flowers are out in their full glory, bees are buzzing, and the animal kingdom is out moving and shaking. Many people celebrate Midsummer outside with a bonfire. Summer is the season of fire after all.
BODY
More than any other time of year, summer is the season to be outside. Get out and get your heart pumping and blood flowing. Summer gives us the most sunshine in the year. It calls to us to come out and play. It energizes us and gives us much-needed vitamin D. Summer is the perfect time to try a new sport or activity. Bonus points if you find a new outdoor activity. Go on a hike. Work in the yard. Get to the beach and enjoy the water. Even just taking a casual walk outside will do a body good. Camping is another popular summer activity that gives you both lots of time outdoors and exercise.
Exercises that improve cardio function and boost circulation are ideal in the summer. We’ve rested all winter and warmed up during spring. Summer is when we really get into shape. Running is an excellent option for some people. Swimming, however, is one of the overall best activities you can do. It’s heavy cardio, improves pulmonary function, and is minimally stressful on your joints. If, like me, you live in an unreasonably hot environment, swimming in cool water really helps you beat the heat!
Body Work
With added activity comes extra sore muscles. Summer is an excellent time to make self-care for your body a routine. If you don’t either get or give yourself regular massages start now. You don’t have to invest a lot of money into self-massage. A simple mix of olive oil with lavender, marjoram, peppermint, or eucalyptus can help a lot. If massage isn’t for you think about getting a foam roller. It hurts so good! If your health permits, using saunas, or hot tubs to relieve tired muscles is also effective. I also enjoy baths with lots of added Epsom salt. I add up to 12 drops of essential oils in there and let it work its magic while I relax.
Summer Diet
In summer think cool, light, and seasonal. Fresh fruits, juices, and colorful salads. Cooling foods, liquids, and fruits is what you need to beat the heat. Luckily cooling foods like cucumbers, melons, grapes, peaches, and watermelons are all summer seasonals. Berries, plums, green beans, broccoli, and tomatoes also come in. Leafy greens such as watercress, lettuce, and mustard greens are also seasonal favorites. A clean, light diet that doesn’t feel heavy while you are being so active is what we’re looking for in the summer. Eat less dairy and meat than you would in the slower autumn and winter seasons.
Summer is the season of fire. In Chinese Medicine Fire is associated with bitter taste. Heat up your diet with bitter herbs, and leafy greens. Tea, natural chocolate, cayenne, ginger, and curry are also bitter and heat-promoting foods. They work a wonder when added to summer seasonal meals. Don’t be afraid to add some spice to your summertime meals.
Dietary Patterns
When you eat is just as important as what you eat. During the summer, our increased activity means we need more food. Try not to pack it in all in the evening, however. Morning and night are good times to snack on fruits and the like. Mid-afternoon is the best time for your largest meal. This will ensure your meal won’t interfere with your sleep, which we also need during our active season.
Water
With all the time we’re spending outdoors, being active in the heat you cannot underestimate the importance of proper hydration. When you think you’ve hydrated enough, hydrate more. If you’re ever outside and get overheated and start feeling the effects of heat exhaustion or stroke seek medical help immediately.
MIND
Summer is the season of love and joy, travel and adventure. Nothing feeds into summer energy more than getting out of your norm. Expand your wings and experiment a little.
Adventure
Do most people take their vacations in the summer because school is out, or is school out for the summer because adventure is calling to us all? Summer is the time to try new things, meet new people, and see new places. Take that trip. Go out on vacation. If you’re limited on time or money just do something new in your own area. Try a new recipe, or read different genres of book. Buy a type of plant you normally wouldn’t. Anything out of your normal habits is expansive and excellent. Grow with the summer season, and expand your horizons. With enough adventure, you’ll start to experience the abundance of life. Summer is the time to let the inner child out to play.
Creativity
In spring we planted seeds of ideas. We made plans. Summer is the time to bring your ideas into reality. I keep repeating myself, summer is the season of fire, the most yang time of year. This is the peak time of Divine Masculine energy. This is the side of us that gets shit done. Action-oriented and full of vigor, the Divine Masculine is what brings the ideas from the ether of the Divine Feminine into tangible reality. Paint that house, landscape that yard, write that story, throw that party. Whatever creative ideas sparked in the spring, use that summer fire to ignite it into action.
Socialize
Social activities are also a must during the summer. This also explains the universal wanderlust that strikes us during the summer months. Adventuring with friends and family is so very important. Summer is the time to expand our social circles. Meeting new people pushes us out of our routine and sparks growth.
SPIRIT
Summer is action and adventure, but you can never have full yang without a little yin mixed in. Summer is also a good time to reflect on life. Look in to find how you want to grow. Adopting a regular meditation practice can be challenging. Use the get-it-done attitude of summer to get one going.
Summer is all about abundance and life. This is a wonderful time to start a gratitude practice. Use your mindfulness practice to reflect on the abundance of the universe. Focus on all that you have, all the gifts your life has supplied. Setting even one minute aside each day can make a world view of difference.
Affirmations For Summer
I attract new adventures every time I feel good.
I am grateful for who I am and what I have.
I let fresh air and sunlight into my soul.
I am grateful for this season of change.
I am here to enjoy the ride.
Blends that get you in the holiday spirit
Action, adventure, growth, and love. Summertime is full of energy and activity. Our new Summertime bundle has everything you need to thrive and grow during the season.
Manipura Roll-On
Our spicy Manipura blend is highly energizing. It is designed to give you the energy to get stuff done, without adding extra stress. Empowerment, confidence, free will, energy, and transformation define our Manipura blend. It is all about achieving your goals. This blend will help you get there.
Papa Legba Vegan Soap
Papa Legba is the Loa of opportunity, destiny, and communication. The essential oil blend in this soap is all about communication, focus, intuition, and clarity. It is made to open the door to enlightenment, intuition, and manifestation. This blend is grounding and uplifting. When you need to find balance and direction this is the blend for you. It eases symptoms of anxiety, depression, and fatigue. As an added bonus insects despise this blend and it is also an excellent deodorizing blend.
Tattoo Juju 1 oz.
Tattoo Juju tattoo aftercare is a premium healing tattoo aftercare salve, but it is also an excellent first-aid salve and a wonderful addition to any home first-aid kit. Summer is the time for bug bites, stings, cuts, bumps, and scrapes. Even if you don’t have any tattoos, Tattoo Juju is a must-have for summertime first aid.
“Summertime. It was a song. It was a season. I wondered if that season would ever live inside of me.” ― Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Summer fire fuels growth, expansion, action, and adventure. This is the most active season we have. This is the season we experience abundance and all the gifts the Universe has for us. Push your boundaries. Get active. Try new things. Meet new people. If there’s something you just haven’t had the energy to get done, now is the time to do it. Leverage the energy of the season to your advantage. The universe is begging us to get out, turn our faces to the sun, and grow.