Solstice Energy and Celebrating The Journey
Happy International Yoga Day!
Happy Solstice and Happy International Yoga Day, sweet friend!
In the northern hemisphere, June 20th is the longest day of the year and the shortest night, the Summer Solstice.
It is the shift from Spring to Summer and the midpoint of the year; it is the season to let yourself shine.
The Solstice, no matter which hemisphere you find yourself in, is a lovely time to pause and reflect on how far you’ve come in the past six months, realigning your intentions to support you into the next half of the year.
Coincidentally, June 21st was designated as the International Day of Yoga by the United Nations exactly ten years ago, in 2014, and it is a time of year when many yoga practitioners gather to celebrate the practice and the change of seasons.
My Journey
I didn’t come to yoga for any other reason than to try a fitness trend; I was a touring professional athlete and enjoyed visiting a yoga studio every once in a while, especially if we were in a big city like New York or Chicago.
I enjoyed the stretching, and as someone with good proprioception and a sense of rhythm, flow practices felt natural and fun.
I would have never said I practiced yoga back then…
Not only could I count how many classes I had been to with one hand, but I’d say that I practiced yoga as much as I went bowling and much less than I visited national monuments.
Of course, I stretched regularly, especially on days when we had multiple shows, and after long travel days, but I had no idea that yoga was much more than chaturangas, downward dogs, and Warrior III.
It wasn’t until years later when, desperate to find relief after being diagnosed with a chronic illness that I understood the real value of practicing yoga and doing so beyond the mat, and why I decided to go down the path of sharing these resources with others.
What is yoga, really?
Pretty soon after truly starting to practice, I learned that yoga is much more than getting on a piece of colorful rubber and flailing your body around to the beat of new-age music while breathing loudly, it turns out.
Through asanas (postures), pranayama (breathing techniques), meditation, and a philosophical and moral code that rocked my world, I learned that yoga provides tools to navigate life's challenges with less fear and more grace and resilience.
Contrary to what the mainstream wellness industry often promotes, yoga is not a one-size-fits-all practice. It is a diverse toolbox filled with a variety of resources that help you know and love yourself at a much deeper level.
Yoga doesn’t demand you to travel to India, buy expensive clothing, or burn sage.
Feel free to do those things if they resonate with you (maybe), but what I am trying to say is that yoga asks you to show up differently.
It requires you to pause and look at yourself and the choices you are making at every moment, on and off the mat. Yoga is an invitation to question, inquire, and grow as you connect more deeply with yourself.
Yoga means to yoke… to unite with ourselves, with each other, and with the world around us.
Summer Solstice Celebrations
There are many ways to celebrate the solstice.
Many yoga practitioners on this day choose to do 108 Sun Salutations, to honor the sun and welcome the season.
It is a ritual that I often engage in, and I have also led on a couple of occasions, it’s super fun. I highly recommend it, but it is a physical, mental, and energetic commitment that requires preparation.
In Catalonia, where I am from, on June 23rd we celebrate Sant Joan, which replaced the ancient pagan rituals that honored the Summer Solstice.
The modern celebration often retains elements of these older traditions, which involve fire, water, and symbolic actions to mark the longest day of the year and to invite renewal and purification.
As someone who loves a good ritual, I find that the Solstice, Sant Joan, or whatever you choose to celebrate this week, is the perfect opportunity to pause and reflect on your journey.
Solstice Ritual & Journaling
One of the most cathartic ways to reflect, give thanks, and set intentions, is by putting them on paper.
If you want, join me and take some time to reflect on this Summer Solstice (which is also the Full Moon!)
Grab a piece of paper you don’t mind burning (spoiler alert) and your journal, which I promise we will not damage in any way.
On a single piece of paper write:
Something about yourself that is no longer true (or perhaps never was!).
A feeling or emotion that you want to release and let go of.
A habit or routine that doesn’t serve you any longer.
Write as little or as much as you’d like, staying kind to yourself, and when you’re done, break it into tiny pieces, throw them in a burn-safe container, and burn it all! 🔥
If you’re Catalan and celebrate Sant Joan, you can wait for June 23rd and throw it in the pyre! 🎆
Now grab your journal and pen, and reflect on any or all the following:
What are you most proud of accomplishing in the past six months?
What challenges have you faced, and how have you grown from them?
What intentions did you set at the beginning of the year? Are you still aligned with them?
What new goals or intentions do you want to set for the second half of the year?
How can you bring more harmony and balance into your daily routine?
Take some time to journal your thoughts and feelings. Allow yourself to be honest and open, celebrating your progress and acknowledging areas for growth.
Summer Solstice Practice: Intention Setting & Yoga Flow
To honor the Solstice and International Yoga Day, I've created a special yoga flow to help you set powerful intentions for the rest of the year, and it is a great sequence to pair with the journaling exercises I just shared with you.
This practice will invite you to connect with your inner light, embrace your strengths, and envision the path ahead with clarity and purpose.
Enjoy! 💛
If you want some music to go with the practice, or to listen to when you’re on a stroll or washing dishes, here is a Summer Solstice-inspired playlist I just curated:
Wishing you a radiant Solstice and a beautiful International Yoga Day.
Until we meet again pause often, breathe deeply, and be kind - especially to yourself.
Much love,
Laia 💛