Grab the gift of Grace!

Summer kissed

This morning I wake with joy in my heart because Father Summer has made his entrance in the Northern Hemisphere. It's official, the Sun has returned once again. The solstice began Friday June 20th at approximately 10:42pm EST in the Northern Hemisphere.  It is the official start of the summer, but it is more than a mere seasonal shift. And yes, the days may be hotter and we will perspire, but the trade off of sun, warmth, and blue skies is all worth the bit of sweat that may come my way.  Most importantly, we have entered yet another season during this year and that means another opportunity to set longer, more structured spiritual goals for ourselves.

Let light lead

The Summer Solstice represents the time of year when all things are growing, blooming, and stretching out in their  own way. With the extra light we will have access to stretch and grow ourselves. I believe summer comes to illuminate (with all of that extra light) the unseen, help us focus on the harder aspects of ourselves, and celebrate the milestones we have reached unknowingly. The fires of summer awaits us all.

Grace is giving

With all of this added humph I suggest we harness that sun-kissed energy and boldly burst through our own barriers by accepting the grace that awaits. And grace is not just going easy on ourselves or others, but true grace which forces us all to dig deep to see what we are denying or refusing to accept from the spirit world, be it a new attitude, new look, opportunity or way of seeing ourselves. But yes grace does require courage for once we truly accept it, we will be forever changed and that is the beauty of grace. With grace we become something totally new and different. This task during summer will be easier for some than others, but it's not a competition, it's a chance for true change. Take the time, find your GRACE!

Jump from here

Below are a few tools that can help in accessing and processing your Grace this summer.  Take this totem, this concept and this affirmation and use them as a jumping off point for your works.  Oftentimes we wonder how we start, here is a starting point.  Take time over the next few days to meditate, write, dream and ponder. As always answers are there, we just have to recognize them.

Summer Animal Totem - Swan

Concept - Grace

credit: nativeamericantotems.com

Surrender my being to the Power of Spirit

Relationship between Grace & Illusion

Accept the Future

The State of Grace

Summer Concept - Healing and Transformation

Trust Spirit’s Protection

Lean into my Faith & Acceptance

Acceptance of Healing is a Verb

I will be Changed

Summer Mantra

I stand ready to accept the transformative healing that awaits me this season.

Bless me and my path as I walk further, closer to my truest self.

--Andrea

My Language of Dreams

credit: SolarFive.com

Crossing quarter
As the daylight grows each day we find ourselves closer and closer to the Summer Solstice. If there seems to be fanfare around the solstice, there is. This cross quarter day has meaning to so many cultures for so many different reasons. On this Summer Solstice I'd like us to focus our energy on the word illumination. To see the unseen, to view the hidden, and most of all to light the way.

Bursting boost
The solstice will begin Thursday June 21st at 6:07am EST in the Northern Hemisphere and it is the official start of the summer, but it is more than a mere seasonal shift. The summer, known as a time for growth, blossoms, and expansion is also a time to benefit from a boost of energy that is available to all of us. The longer daylight and usually warmer days feeds both us and the planet simultaneously. We each have a choice in what to do with summer's extra offerings as well as the trajectory of our current life paths. Begin now to prepare and be intentional and purposeful about this summer, perhaps as you have not in the past.

Receiving rays

credit:alaskastock/alamay.com

My walk this summer will involve standing in the sun and being seen. For most of my life I've
appreciated the stage from the wings but this summer I will, when requested, step onto the stage. I think most of my center stage apprehension has been around attention, responsibility, and the unknown. Those days are over. Bare with me as I teeter out of my proverbial shell, there may be a few hiccups. Not too worry, there will be no oversharing here.

Making more
Below are motifs and ways to mark as well and measure your progress during the summer. Often times we are not successful because we do not think we will be, so, set yourself up for all wins this coming season. And as always, use these tools as a guidepost to finding your own combination of things that help you navigate what you want and what you are willing to do to get it.

Summer Concept - 

The Language I Dream In

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Learn Symbology of my Dreams

My Dreams are my Future

Allow my Dreams to Manifest in all forms

Dreams are a Tool for Change

Summer Foods

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Light Grains (Quinoa, White Basmati Rice)

Neutral Fruits (Grapes, Melons, Limes)

Cool Proteins (Mung Beans, Tofu, Lean White Meat, Fish)

Summer Herbs/Essences

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Juniper - Fire Element - Centering

Orange - Fire Element - Beauty

Rosemary - Fire Element - Release

Summer Stones

credit: etsy.com


Opal (Connection to Goddess)

Citrine (Visualization)

Garnet (Inspiration)

Summer Mantra

credit: tumblr.com

Blessed spirits open me to the totality of my dreams,

There is great power and knowledge available if I believe,

And remain open to receive what dreamtime has for me.

--Andrea

Excited to incite my WILD!!!!

credit: mrwallpaper.com

Summer kissed
This morning I wake with joy in my heart for Father Summer has made his entrance in the Northern Hemisphere. It's official, the Sun has returned once again. And yes, the days may be warmer and we will perspire, but the trade off of sun, warmth, and blue skies is all worth the bit of sweat that may come my way.  Most importantly, we have entered yet another season during this year and that means another opportunity to set longer more structured spiritual goals for ourselves.

Let light lead
The Summer Solstice represents the time of year when all things are growing, blooming, and stretching out in its own way.  With the extra light we will have access to, stretch and grow yourself.  I believe summer comes to illuminate (with all of that extra light) the unseen, help us focus on the harder aspects of ourselves, and celebrate the milestones we have reached unknowingly. The fires of summer awaits us all.

Running with the wild

credit: wallvan.com

With all of this added uumph I suggest we harness that sun kissed energy and boldly burst through our own barriers by accepting our WILD.  Wild in the sense of being closer to who we are within, wild in the sense of expanding our talents and interests further than before, and lastly wild in the sense of bringing to the surface that rarely seen or heard part of ourselves that also needs to see the light of the summer.  This task during summer will be easier for some than others, but it's not a competition, it's a chance for true change. Take the time, find your WILD!

Me, me, and oh me
Personally, there are things I have been saying I will focus on for months and well I just haven't made the time. For me, this Wild will be about being so evolutionary that the ONLY focus I will have this summer is on me. My health, my art, my spirit, my path, my love, my finances, my healing, and yes, my WILD.  Rarely in my life have I even thought of giving myself this much unabridged time, but this is what my spirits have said are necessary and who am I to disagree!

Jump from here
Below are a few tools that can help in accessing and processing your Wild this summer.  Take this totem, this concept and this affirmation and use them as a jumping off point for your works.  Often times we wonder how do we start, well this is one.  Take time over the next few days meditate, write, dream and ponder. As always answers are there we just have to recognize them.

Summer Animal Totem - Snake

Concept - Healing through Wisdom

credit: pinterest

Eternity

Experience all without Resistance

Transitions are afoot

Wisdom, Understanding, Wholeness

Summer Concept - Capturing my Wild

credit: michelleshealthrevolutionblog

Know there is Wild in Me

Value Solitude

Know your Wild, Unprotected Spaces

Healing even through Fear

Summer Mantra

credit: healthandyoga

I am open to my wildness knowing, it leads straight to my healing

--Andrea

Summer is burning to Bless US!

credit: flickr.com

Summer is back in town

At about 7:09pm EST today we welcome back the wonder known as the Summer Solstice.  This phenomenon, celebrated throughout the world in many ways, is the official beginning of summertime.  Summer has been away for about one year and now he has returned with gifts for us all.  I refer to Summer as him because the solstice is the longest amount of sunlight we have during the entire year (in the Northern Hemisphere) and the Sun is definitely a masculine energy for all of us.

Female and Male right there 

This year the solstice will peak just as the Sun (a feminine energy) moves into Cancer, which is also Moon ruled. So what we have for ourselves is nice balance of the male and female principles.  Now, what are we going to do with all of this information? Well, I would like to think we are going to be out the gate making moves, spreading love, and doing the MOST, but I know, it does take us time to first reflect, then act, there are always better results when that happens, (SMILE).

Know the now for the then

Take stock of where you are? Also, think about what focus will glean you the most beneficial improvements of self and things you are working towards.  For me I always have to grasp myself up to not be too shortsighted or surface.  Although there is joy, laughter, and good times when the Sun is strong, remember the Sun is our ultimate illumination tool when trying to see things we have hidden from ourselves.  Don't know about you, but I am good at hiding things from myself that may lead to some uncomfortable-ness.

 Ready for an uproarious ride

For me this Summer is about opening to the transformation that is occurring before my very eyes.  It is difficult for me to see myself, my true, whole, holistic self, but my mothers (physical and ancestral) know just how to get the message to me that there is a difference between what I think and what really is.  So, I say to them, balance out my perception of my transformation and what my transformation is.  I am open to seeing this cycle of me differently knowing that they are taking my being, loving, living, seeing, growing, doing, and experiencing to a whole other level.  I thank them and I get ready for a roller coaster (which I love by the way) of a Summer.

 Pick your joy, only you can

How about you? What portions of you will you take a stab at this Summer? Also, maybe you can dig to that deep place you have been trying to avoid like the big pink elephant in the room, look at that part of the self, it's okay, it's YOU!  Below are areas that can really soar during Summer.  I also dropped a few symbols to keep a look out for or even make a part of our Summer days.

credit: article.wn.com

Work for the Summer Solstice

Personal Enlightenment

Fertility

Communication with Nature

Handfastings & Weddings

Summer Solstice Elements

Fire

Sunflowers

Community Gatherings

Flower Wreaths 

Summer Solstice Oils

Frankincense

Juniper

Orange

Rosemary

credit: weedwrench.com

--Andrea, DaughterofWaters