The Summer Solstice and Expressing the Light Within

Welcome Summer! For me, this means long, hot days in the heat of the sun with refreshing drinks and cool water to play in. Enjoying the outdoors with friends and family. Long evenings and bright mornings. Sunblock, grass stains, and mosquito spray. Watermelon, iced tea, and corn on the cob fresh off the grill! Sprinklers and sparklers! And, of course, the opportunity to bask in the warmth we've created for our life.

Metaphorically, by the start of summer, the seeds we planted in the spring have already begun to grow and blossom. Not quite time for the full harvest of fall, we spend this time tending our garden and gathering some early fruits of our labor (like tomatoes!).

This time of year is the time of playfulness and outward expression of joyful connection. It is the direct opposite time of year from the Winter Solstice. If the Winter Solstice is a time to work with the darkness within, the Summer Solstice is a time to work with the light around us as a reflection of the light within.

An Origin Story

In many traditions, it is said that long ago everything in the universe was One. However, in a moment, from that One, a crack, a split, a shift, a Something Else came into being. Something Else was instantly in relationship with the One. As the One continued to splinter and crack, everything in the universe began coming into being - galaxies, planets, stars, atmosphere, water, rocks, plants, animals, humans, and a longing to become One again.

Within each of us is a shining light, like the sun, that is our original, unique piece of the One. Our painful confusion at being separated causes each of us to develop habits, neurotic tendencies, hopes, and fears to obscure our pain at no longer being One. These tendencies cause us to solely focus on pushing away the feelings of being separate and the resulting loneliness. Thus we obliterate the memory that we are still connected to everything that originally came into being. In the process of covering over the pain and suffering, we also cover over the natural light of our Oneness. This obscuration can plunge us into the darkness of self-doubt and depression.

Our point in this lifetime is not to obliterate this pain, but to allow our natural light within to be able to shine alongside the pain. Our existence is intimately entwined with both the original pain from the loss of being One and the original beauty of being One. We are both at the same time.

Expressing the Light Within

Summer is the perfect time to work with expressing that light within. You can see your inner light reflected in the extended hours of sunshine in the sky. Your light can play in the joy of connecting with others in a radiant expansion of warmth. Who we are and our unique being are able to be presented to others at this time of year. For most, summer is a social, relaxed, and expanded time, warming in the glow of each other.

During this play, we can learn to notice and recognize those habits and tendencies that obscure our light. What habits do we engage in that shut others out, put ourselves down, and isolate us from connection? Certain active habits, like gossip or online trolling, further a feeling of separation by creating an us versus them dynamic. We are the good ones and they are the bad ones. We reject others to elevate ourselves. Alternately, many self-sabotaging habits and activities seek rejection from others to solidify our feelings of loneliness and unlovability. Addictions, unhealthy eating habits, and poor hygiene are ways that we abuse our bodies and tell ourselves that we aren't good enough to be loved or accepted by others.

These tendencies are all an illusion created by society and our own egos. We are not in essence separate from each other and, at a soul level, there is no hierarchy. We are all equal. When we can see the light within ourselves and the same light in others, then we can truly make the world a better place by trusting in the innate goodness of all beings - including ourselves.

Shadows in the Light

Personally, expressing the natural light within is not often easy for me. Around people I don't know (and some I do!), I frequently feel exposed and vulnerable. Being in a large crowd or a new space often triggers anxiety in me. In these situations, I feel myself cover over my inner light to emotionally protect myself. I prefer staying on the fringes of social gatherings and thrive in smaller groups. Chatty and breezy conversation is not my strong suit. I tend to prefer one-on-one interactions, intimate talks in familiar settings, and turning inward for self-reflection.

Many of us, due to personality type or past trauma may also find expressing our light around others difficult. Remember that it is okay to be selective about how and when to shine your light. And depending on the setting, sometimes it isn't safe. Trust your intuition on whether or not a person feels safe. Remember that if you have a history of trauma, a feeling of familiarity doesn't always mean that you are actually safe. (See my post on Intuitive Pitfalls for more info.)

If you feel like you are unable to shine your light around an individual, then stay away from that person as much as possible. It is okay to limit interactions or cut out entirely those people who consistently make you feel bad about yourself or are emotional vampires. You can identify these people by how you feel after a visit. Do you feel low energy, depressed, or unhappy with your life? If you notice that the less you see this person the better you feel, then they may be encouraging you to obscure your light. Connect to your inner light to learn how to say "no" and create boundaries for yourself.

Some people you run into in the world have obscured their light to the point of mental illness or psychosis. A simple example is a homeless person on the corner talking to themselves. This does not mean that their light doesn't exist, but they have covered over it with so many toxic beliefs and habits that the light is virtually inaccessible. People like this tend to be sociopaths, psychopaths, or completely dissociated from reality. Remember it is not your place to help others uncover their light, everyone must do the work themselves when - and if - they are ready. You can always appreciate the light in others from afar.

Connecting with your Light

Once you've identified some of the ways you cover over your light, you can make an effort to avoid those tendencies or people. You can figure out in what settings your light shines brightest and encourage those types of interactions. You can begin to reconfigure your world so that you feel confident shining as much as possible.

If you are inspired to meditate with your light, try the following:

Sit or lay down in a comfortable posture. Take several deep breaths until you can feel your body relax. Imagine a beautiful light that has no edges and covers everything in your imagination - it can be any color. Now imagine a crack appears within the light. If you feel the edges of this crack, it is raw and painful - but there is no cruelty or negativity in the pain. It is simply the tender pain of being broken. Imagine a piece of this light breaks away from the crack and gently comes to rest in your body. With each breath imagine the light effortlessly expands and grows. The edges of the light hold a painful sensitivity that longs to connect to the light in other living beings and our natural world. With each breath, feel the light expanding to fill your entire body and envelops your body in pure radiance.

Here you can rest and discover the nature of your individual light. What is the particular quality of your light? Does it have a color or movement? How do you radiate this to others? Get to know your light by considering different personal behaviors or habits and notice any reaction from your light. Does the light shrink or grow when you think of different tendencies or people? Play with and have fun with your light.

Now that it is summertime, how do you want to bring this light to others?

A Poignant Time

This particular summer, with a return to social interactions, is especially poignant currently as we are all coming out of the forced COVID hibernation. We are seeing in-person family and friends we haven't seen in over a year and enjoying their warm presence. And along the way, we have also lost some of those dear to us and are maybe noticing the painful absence of their light. This reunion, not only with those close, but with the world in general is especially heartwarming. Things may never be the same as "the before times", but the light that shines within each of us is never changing and indestructible. And it is always accessible to us.