Practices to ground you in Summer

A journaling exercise and a meditation to help you plant roots in this season and connect to yourself deeper.

I am a lover of the seasons, I love how nature reminds us to ebb and flow, to trust the process of what is unfolding, and how to stay grounded within the changing times. I have grown deeply fond of the different energies each of the seasons bring and I try to align me life with what each one asks energetically.

Summer is peak energy.

Spring allowed the energy to rise, we climbed to the top of the mountain and now, it is time to pause and enjoy the view. This part of Summer has tended to confused me. Our energy, and the energy of nature, is at it’s highest point and there is an emphasis on rest.

Culturally, Summer is a time go, go, go. Kids are off from school, schedules are different, days are longer, so we pack more in. There is barely any room to rest, but we fill our cups with being outside and with people we love.

If I had to emphasis one point of Summer energy, it would be to stop and enjoy the view. You have climbed the mountain of Spring, now it is time to pause.

Summer is not Winter, it is not a time to deeply retreat or rest, and yet there is still a point to focus on making space for slowness and reflection.

If you have ever climbed a mountain, you rest at the top. You pause, you hydrate, you have a snack, you take pictures, you let the little ones run around and you take in the view. Summer energy is about taking our foot off the gas and coasting. You still drive the car, you still direct yourself, but you stop climbing and start enjoying.

In the phases of the feminine cycle I have studied, the season of Summer is called Mother. It is associated with the Full Moon and ovulation. Energy is high, pleasure is needed, and resting is important. Summer is a time for play and fun.

Before you come at me, I know we do not usually associate motherhood with playing. And I am not talking about playing with your kids, I am talking about inviting pleasure and joy into your life. Summer is a time to make extra space for what brings you joy, this may even be the way you choose to slow down and take space, by filling up your cup.

The heightened energy of Summer or ovulation signals space in our beings. I know at this time of my cycle, I have more patience, more ease, and I more willing to play, even with my kid. I have more of me to give and pour into life. And if I am not careful, I over-pour myself into others and I end up cranky.

This is where play and pleasure (in any way you want to define this) come in. There is a call for one to take care of themselves and pay extra attention to how they are pouring back into their own cup.

This leads me into our first practice. I have been feeling a bit ungrounded as Summer has approached. I feel the big energy in my body and I think, great I have capacity now to do more things. But I have found myself frustrated at days end because I have poured myself out into things that are not filling me up.

This practice is about where to focus our attention. This is another element of Summer energy, all the energy we have cultivated needs to be poured into something. Yes, we can pour it into our lives, our people, our work, but think maybe of something fun and playful you can pour a bit of this energy into as well.

Practice #1

I feel silly as heck that this first practice is utterly practical. But I am listening to my intuition and I did this practice for myself last week and it has helped me focus on where I want to direct my energy.

You will need space to write.

Start with writing out what you want to feel in a day.

• What feelings are you desiring to feel?

• What experiences are you wanting to cultivate in your body?

• As you move through your day, what is it you maybe chasing after?

Write all the feelings, sensations, and desires down into a list.

Look at your list, choose 3 words that ring the most true.

I had a list of about 10 words, you may need to find common threads between words, a lot of my words tied back to wanting to feel present or in my body. You can also combine words into a phrase. My top 3 values in this season are…connected, embodied, and intentional awareness.

An extra step would be to write down things that help you feel and connect with these core values. Moving my body, spending time outside, and writing usually help me connect to all of my core values.

Next, write down your priorities. All of them. Try to organize them in order of importance in this season and what feels most true in this moment.

For me, myself and my well-being comes first, then my creative expression, and then my family. Those are my top 3, then work, and then everything else.

Now, with your core values and your priorities…write and feel through these questions.

• What are you giving space to in this season?

• Does what you are focusing on in your life serve your core values?

• If the answer is yes, is this the best way you can support your core values in this moment?

• What can you let go of in this season based on your priority list?

• What do you want to focus more of your attention on?

This practice has helped me direct my attention to what feels most important in this season. This is a great practice to do seasonally because some priorities shift with time.

Practice #2

This is a short meditation to help you pause amidst the high energy of summer. Come back to this practice when you need space to pause and tend to yourself.

If you want to to explore this topic of rest in Summer further, I invite you to read

Lauren Barber

’s post about resting in this season.

Are we forgetting the essential medicine of Summer rest?

How are you experiencing Summer? What is arising for you in this season?

Share with me in the comments or reply to this email.

Love, Emma

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