June brings a variety of special days: the Summer Solstice in the northern hemisphere/the Winter Solstice in the southern hemisphere; Midsummer Day or in olden times–quarter day, and Father’s Day, a worldwide celebration of fathers. Father’s Day is June 15th this year. Summer Solstice is June 20th. Astronomically, the summer solstice marks the start of the summer season in the Northern Hemisphere and is the longest day of the year. Midsummer (halfway through growing season) is June 24th). Midsummer is a day meant for appreciation of all the gifts that nature gives us. These days in the northern half of the world, all mark the energy of the masculine. The ancients noted these dates as shown by the numerous monuments that mark the Solstice and Midsummer. I’m sure they acknowledged fathers sometime during summer too.
Summertime is the season to get outdoors, have picnics, visit friends and family, play sports, and be creative in home and work. It’s the season for doing, be active, and accomplishing our goals. We want to be more social in the daylight that lasts longer.
If you haven’t made plan for summer yet, here are some ideas.
Father’s Day: Plan a Father’s Day event and set aside the day for honoring one’s father, as well as fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. Celebrate your relationship with your father—whether close and supportive, or distant because of parental wounds of childhood. Father’s have their challenges in trying to discover parental skills that they may not have experienced in childhood. Honor your father for his contributions to your life.
Plan a Family Vacation: Choose a destination everyone can enjoy, focusing on outdoor adventures like hiking, beach activities, or exploring national parks. Get to know your family and friends’ preferences and enjoy them together.
Goal Setting Session: Have a family meeting outdoors where everyone shares their personal goals for the summer. Support each other in achieving these goals, whether it’s learning a new skill, planting a garden, or completing a project.
Seasonal Celebrations: Create a summer celebration tradition, like a family picnic at the beach or a day at an amusement park, where everyone can relax, have fun, and create lasting memories. Summer is the season for weddings, graduations, outdoor concerts and community activities. Join the party and celebrate life in all its forms.
Everyone and all seasons contain both masculine and feminine energy. Even in summer we tap into our feminine energy as we dream and plan. Feminine energy is about being present with love as we enjoy the activities of summer. Our caring and nurturing of family and gardens engage our feminine aspects. The balance in favor of one energy or the other swings more heavily in the direction of the masculine in summer and feminine in winter. Both are essential to a balance and happy life.
So, enjoy summer activities with family and friends. No matter the difficulties of life, focus on the joys and growth of summer. Seasons change and so must we. It is important to notice and embrace the positive as we move forward into the season of light.