The summer solstice is one of the most magical days of the year. The sun rises its earliest and sets at its latest, making the first day of summer the longest day of the year. The sun has circled the earth to its furthest point North and pauses before returning South. This may be the longest day of the year; yet, it is the beginning of a long, hot summer in Southern Arizona. Celebrate the summer solstice as an enchanted mystery by honoring the season of the sun.
Summer sees the results of springtime planting. The seeds have rooted and presented delicate sprouts pushing through the earth’s topsoil. The warm sun encourages tender growth and preparation for the harvest season.
As seeds germinate into plants, thoughts and goals generate results. Thoughts cultivate our reality. A heated conversation is the perfect time for a thought to aim hot words to inflict pain and melt intention. This is the season to assume responsibility for our thoughts. That means that the cool down time is not a time to distribute blame but rather contemplate our own actions.
As the daylight of the summer months grows shorter, the sun’s intensity increases. Hot summer days are not a guarantee for cool summer nights. The best practice is to start the day early, rest in the afternoon, and be active in the evening. Besides weather is out of our control and part of the mystery of the universe.
A recent trip to Texas served as a reminder about thoughts, words and actions. Regardless of one’s zip code, there is no sympathy for another’s hot weather story. This is especially true when one is currently facing their own heat. To imagine the weather of another place when struggling to remain cool or dry is impossible. There is no argument. Whether your point is temperature, humidity, or lack of rain, there is no quieting one who starts their story with the words, “it is so hot.”
Words hold energy. Complaining is like the steps to boil water. Set a pot of water on the stove, then ignite the flame to bring it to its boiling point only to let it not simmer. There is the energy to get the water hot enough to boil and then there is the energy to keep it boiling. When maintaining an attitude of resistance to the weather, the sensation intensifies. The person holding those ignited words continue to prolong their situation.
Try this instead. Be surprised at how humidity resting on the skin glistens. Be in awe of the color of the sun-drenched sky or the formation of clouds rolling in from the horizon. Feel the heat of the sun on your face, then feel the relief from the shade of a tree. Notice the lie of shadows on the ground. Face the wind’s effort to notice its effort to change the conditions. Let water flow over uncomfortable feelings until the mood shifts. Be aware of the words chosen in each moment. Take the time to pause to find other words that elicit gratitude for the amazing summertime.
