Ode to summer
"Smell the sea, and feel the sky. Let your soul and spirit fly" -Van Morrison-
Saturday, June 20th 2020
The first day of summer. Here in Massachusetts, the rain took an opportunity to shed a few more ounces of hydration on the hydrangeas, and is in no rush to come out. Grass is growing tall, and ants march in rows to scraps of food from barbecues.As I am preparing for an upcoming wellness class about refreshing inspiration and motivation for healthy living in summer, I daydream about my favorite activities of the season. Its clear to me that summer is a great time to focus on my health. The days go by much quicker these days, and phrases like "I would love to when things calm down... "or "I will catch up on this when..." or "I love when I used to...".
Summer reminds us to stop and smell the roses. Can you smell them? Fresh cut grass and sea breezes? Hot pavement and thick air. The smell of strawberries and basil in the garden makes my mouth water. I feel so lucky that I can open my bedroom window and feel the salt air on my face. Living so close to the beach used to be a pipe dream of mine, and now that I am here, I feel forlorn and curse my busy schedule.
Summer vacation not only puts a glimmer of fun and freedom into the eyes of high school students, it gives us "grown ups" the reminder to get away from our daily routine, to travel the water, and to enjoy the outdoors.
As your sight drifts from this page to your inner sight of summery bliss, I hope to plant the seeds of appreciation for the season to come.
Here are some ways you can observe the greatness of summer and make every day a little blissful momentary vacation:
Go to the sea, the lake, the river, the stream. Here you will absorb the energy of the water as vibrant ions in the air. It will be the strongest around salt air. It will be the most healing air that will fill your lungs and invigorate your spirit. Immerse yourself into the water if you can. This is natures most relaxing form of purification. As you dunk below the blue green water, remember to release all emotions and thought patterns that no longer serve you.
Engage with the scent of your food. There is a very special time for plants when they ripen naturally and emit their sweetness into our noses to be the most alluring and nutrient dense that they can be. This food is more nutritious for us, and it doesn't last long, so buy and grow it often to enjoy it in its prime state.
Sit by the fire and get gently swayed to sleepiness by the flickering red orange light of the flames. The blue light of the morning, or the blue light of our electronics and tv's tells our inner clock to wake up and start the day. By ending the day by the fire, you allow your most basic and primal rhythms to complete their day, and prime you for a restful and rejuvenating nights sleep. Above the flames you will see deep into the night sky and admire the twinkling lights hitting your eyes from billions of years in the past. The moonlight and the starlight is the very same light that all of our ancestors stood under and told stories of life, lessons, and seasons.
Absorb the crystal clear aqua color of ocean water. In chromotherapy (color therapy), Turquoise color can be very healing and is known for its properties of renewal, sensitivity, and intuition, and also gives feelings of serenity and stability. This can be a reminder of why we love to stare out into the blue green ocean and admire its ability to calm us into a trance like state.
Feel the morning sunshine on your skin, and in your heart. The word sunny is synonymous with both feeling warm and with a happy go lucky and joyful disposition. Let the sun fill you up with the feeling, and store it up to save for rainy days. The sunrise offers a fresh start to a new day, new attitude, and new experiences. The sun sets and reminds us that we even thought this day is nearly done, it will always rise again with limitless opportunity.
I hope you enjoyed this Ode to Summer. My wish for you is to be filled with light, nourishment, community, and nature. Best of summer to you all!
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