The Summer Solstice is upon us. This is a powerful and auspicious time, a time to celebrate…after all we’re in full bloom and the things we set in motion earlier in the year are ripening in our lives. It’s also a time of transition. During the Solstices we are encouraged to finish things that need completing before we enter into the quieter months of summertime where typically things seem to slow down on the work front, and we take time off to play and enjoy the beautiful season. For me, this means spending time outdoors, being on or close to water, spending time with family and friends, traveling, writing, and refining my internal message.
I am inspired by these changes.
Life is, transition, is life. I believe they’re synonymous. They go hand in hand, “like peas and carrots”, as Forest Gump used to say to Jenny. I have been witness to this transition in my own life as ideas continue to evolve and grow. I am in the ‘chaos’ stage of writing my book; I am pioneering the new business paradigm; I’ve applied to part-time studies at Stanford University, The Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education; I’m working with clients who are undergoing rich transformation, from job changes to job loss, from major life transitions to downsizing organizations. Underlying all of this, I find many are asking some big questions and there appears to be a greater focus and willingness to dive in to the question of Spirituality.
How can I get connected and closer to my Spirit or my joie de vivre?
The key word here is ‘connection’. As part of my weekly yoga class and the work I do at Uplift, I lead students and clients through a meditation that helps them to identify and tap into this connection. What I mean by this is Self-Inquiry. When you tune into your spiritual body, do you feel connected or disconnected? Are you connected to your life, your higher self, your community, a greater force other than yourself (the Divine, God, Nature, whatever that means for you) or do you feel isolated and alone?
In any given moment, you may be experiencing subtle transitions where you feel completely connected with our source and other times a great fatigue. These tiny ebbs and flows of energy are important to observe so you can give yourself space for what’s arising in that moment, then with great compassion and kindness, be with it in a way that naturally gives rise to what needs to happen. This attention allows you the freedom to move forward in a mindful positive way.
“It isn’t the changes that do you in, it’s the transitions. Change is situational, transition is the psychological process people go through to come to terms with the new situation. Change is external, transition is internal.”
~ William Bridges
Any time we’re hit with a major life transition, it may appear on the surface as ‘uncomfortable’ or ‘negative’. This is a natural response but I believe that we need to look at how we are being impacted, give ourselves the time and space for it to happen, and allow ourselves to go through the countless emotions that come along with any change.
The relevant question is not ‘How do I protect myself from change?’, whether it be job loss or the myriad life circumstances, but ‘How do I become more resilient? How do I strengthen my overall wellbeing?’
Change is the only constant so how do we become resilient in the moments of transition, when things get cloudy, when things aren’t clear, when the light seems to be dim? How do you pull yourself out of the muck?
Uplift teaches people to do just this. The practices we teach pave the way to greater resiliency in your life and work so that when those changes do come into your life, you are better prepared to face them, accept them, and move forward, mindfully and positively.
In celebration of the Solstice and the changing seasons, take some time tomorrow or this weekend to give yourself the space to, as my puts it, ‘let things unfurl’.
Take stock…
We’re halfway through the year. Where are you with your goals? Are you doing what you set out to do in your work and life? How does it feel? What can you do (within your control, of course) to refine those goals?
Before you take action on any of these answers…Let Go.
Let go of the old to make way for the new to emerge. Let the unfurling begin, let it all unfold. Get out of the way and let it happen. Let your intuition lead the way and create the path to your own brilliance.
Enjoy this guided relaxation where I invite you to come into a place of peace and calm. Then see how everything feels. Everything may actually seem very different from when you started.
Of course, I’m here to support and guide you along the way. It only gets better from here and let me tell you, when you take the road less traveled, it can be scary at first but it’s beautiful and it’s worth it.
Time is precious. Remember this…
If you want to awaken all of humanity,
Then awaken all of yourself.
If you want to eliminate the suffering in the world,
Then eliminate all that is dark and negative in yourself.
Truly the greatest gift you have to give is that of your own self-transformation.
~ Lao Tao
Trust in the process…you are well supported.
Love and Light,
Paula
PS – I received this post as a gift and it’s my gift to you. After my morning ritual of gratitude, journaling, and connecting with Spirit over a pot of tea, I opened up a few things on my Macbook and was reminded by my Yoga teacher about our morning meditation in celebration of Summer Solstice. I opened up a blank page and was inspired to write. These words graciously flowed without much thought at all, with ease and an effortlessness. I’m grateful for these moments and grateful to my writing spirit.
PPS – Uplift is hosting a Summer Solstice Full Moon Crystal Bowl meditation with Jeremy Sills on Sunday evening. I would encourage you to tune in from a distance or if you are in Ottawa Canada, please join us.
The idea of freedom has come up a lot lately too. Freedom; it’s such a powerful word. Isn’t that what we all want? To be free? Our spirits long for this idea of freedom—freedom from worry, freedom from self doubt, freedom from negative self-talk, freedom from Fear, freedom to live the life that was meant for us. To experience freedom within, you need to give yourself permission to be happy. This summer, welcome happiness into your heart and your life and do at least one thing that makes your heart sing. Your soul will love you for it.