Summer Solstice Celebrations for Creativity
By the time the Summer Solstice comes around, we’re fully in the fertile, hot time of the year (especially around IGC HQ in Arizona!). It’s also the time of abundance, joy, romance, creativity, and passion. “Solstice” comes from the Latin words for “sun standing still,” but this isn’t the time for us to remain still. Let’s put it this way: If you’ve been looking for a sign that it’s time to ignite the fires of creativity, this is it!
Underlying Energy of Summer Solstice
While the most obvious energetic sign of Summer Solstice is its power to bring things to light – consciousness and passions – this time of year is also a time for growth and harvest all at once. The earth is literally bursting with life. If you have a backyard garden, you’ve probably started picking fresh fruits or veggies from your plants. When you step into the produce department at your local grocery store, the smells of fresh peaches, sliced watermelons, and golden pineapples tickle the senses.
From a more metaphorical standpoint, it’s also a time to “harvest” our expressive selves. It’s time to open to inspiration and indulge in some creative hobbies that nurture your soul. In the same way that we’re harvesting summer produce, take stock of all you’ve accomplished so far. Especially this year, as we begin to venture back out into the world after over a year of partial or complete isolation, it’s time to celebrate your resiliency even in the hardest times.
Create a Creativity Altar
During this time of year, we crave play and creativity. Even if you don’t consider yourself an artist, there are many ways to get creative during the summer. Consider creating an altar to creativity somewhere in your home. Below are some correspondences to inspire you to build your creativity altar. Add one or multiple examples of your original art, art from a family member, or from a famous artist to the mix, and you’ve got a beautiful creativity altar!
- Elements: Air, Earth, Fire, Water
- Colors: Black, Gold, Green, Orange, Pink, Red, Silver, Turquoise, Violet, White, Yellow
- Herbs & Plants: Carnation, Chamomile, Daisy, Honeysuckle, Iris, Lavender, Lilac, Lili, Peppermint, Rose, Rosemary
- Animals & Birds: Beaver, Coyote, Fox, Hare, Bluebird, Cardinal, Crow, Eagle, Snake, Turtle, Spider
- Deities: Apollo, Astarte, Athena, Bragi, Brigid, Cerridwen, Coyote, Dionysus, Ea, Enki, Eros, Faunus, Hephaestus, Jupiter, Kali, Khnum, Lakshmi, Lugh, Maia, Marduk, Mercury, Mimir, Minerva, Odin, Prometheus, Ptah, Rhiannon, Sarasvati, Seshat, Thoth, Vulcan, Zeus
Make a Sun Mandala
A beautifully creative way to celebrate the Solstice with your personal creativity is to create a sun mandala. Collect flowers from your local flower shop in colors that honor the sun: yellow, orange, red, and white. Separate flowers and petals from the stems. Start with a single large flower in the center and then create rings of flowers or petals in larger and larger circles. This is a gorgeous offering to Mother Earth and a healing mindful activity for people of all ages to engage in.
Get in Touch with Your Sacral & Solar Plexus Chakras
Summer is a powerful time of the year, and it gives us the natural opportunity to tune into our own power centers: the Sacral and Solar Plexus Chakras. Traditionally viewed as the home of our power, the Solar Plexus is closely associated with the sun – it’s in the name! We also derive creative power from our Sacral Chakra – especially those of us with a uterus. To support these Chakras, it’s important to make sure the preceding and following Chakras are balanced and happy. Make sure you practice grounding as that will keep your Root Chakra balanced and supportive. Be sure to also tune into your Heart Chakra, which will help you exercise your personal power in a compassionate way.
Support Artists
What better time of year to support the creative people around us than summertime? Make a point to visit museums and shop at local artist markets. The heat makes it easy to strike up a conversation with a booth owner at a local market – the weather is always a simple topic! Go to poetry readings or purchase a book from an independent author. When kids are off for summer, artists can use the extra support in their businesses.
How do you like to celebrate the Summer Solstice?