On June 21, 6:07 am, the summer solstice will occur. The solstice is when the axial tilt of a planet’s semi-axis in a given hemisphere is most inclined towards the star (in our case, the Sun) that it orbits. This happens twice each year, at which times the Sun reaches its highest position in the sky as seen from the North or South Pole respectively. On June 21, in the Northern Hemisphere, we will experience the longest day of the year; a day of what seems like limitless light, a day where the shadow is the smallest.
Each year, I view the summer solstice as a celebration of the warmer days and a more spacious work schedule. It’s a signal for my personal pace to slow down a bit. I am still teaching classes, however I take a hiatis from teaching workshops and I try to keep my days off as my days off. The slowing down is important to me and I make time for sitting on my front porch, plein air painting, hiking and gardening. This year, similar to the axis of the Earth, my position has shifted. Don’t get me wrong, I am still excited about the beach and parties. What has shifted is my desire to shed light on something new; to have more knowledge about myself or to learn a new discipline. The words of my meditation teacher, Paul Muller- Ortega come to mind,
“Knowledge Alone Liberates.”
There are two types of Ignorance or darkness. Both are important to deal with and overcome for a full life. Knowledge can bring light to both types of Ignorance. There is Spiritual Knowledge and Intellectual Knowledge. When illuminating or bringing to light the dark corners of our lives, both spiritual knowledge and intellectual knowledge can support what we want to cast light on in order to gain clarified wisdom. When we are clear and are able to see what is true, we will feel more joyful, a sense of openness, and the light within will appear to shine brighter.
So, on this Solstice, I invite you to ask yourself, “What would I like to bring to light, to make room for in my life?” in this upcoming cycle. Sit quietly and contemplate what arises and allow the extended light of the day to illuminate what is true for you. Place this wisdom in the forefront of all that you do.
Enjoy your summer!
Be the light,
Karon
Stay tuned!
New Workshops coming this Fall:
- Essentials for a Strong Pelvic Floor and Core Strength
- Fundamentals of Pranayama
New video and book on Yoga for autoimmune disorders.