I am not religious but I am deeply connected to the spiritual. I am familiar with the more mythic language of the right hemisphere. I love to connect dots and see the bigger picture. And the cosmos is about as big as it gets, right! Given the new science is revealing that we live in an enmeshed and constantly unfolding universe, we would be arrogant to assume that what goes on in the universe “out there” has no bearing on us down here.
We are not alone. We are not separate.
This is the solstice, the still point of the sun, it's cusp and midnight, the year's threshold and unlocking, where the past lets go of and becomes the future; the place of caught breath.
Margaret Atwood
Longest day; shortest day
I am in the UK, so our solstice (over a week ago now) heralded the longest day of summer. Flip this around if you are in the southern hemisphere. The solstices are named after the seasons and mark the changing seasons. In the northern hemisphere, the Earth’s axis is tilted most closely towards the sun and the sun appears directly over the Tropic of Cancer (23.5 latitude). In the southern hemisphere the Earth’s axis is tilted away from the sun and the sun appears directly over the Tropic of Capricorn.
I am absolutely no expert when it comes to these things. I have no training in astrology. I am not a scientist or cosmologist. But I do have a personal curiosity around these events. I often find that if I do pay attention to my own inner and outer worlds, at these junctures, and if I catch what people (who do know what they are talking about) are saying, it is often very close to my own energetic experience at that time.
Solstice celebrations and sacred sites
For millennia, different cultures around the world have celebrated these events. Think of the Great Pyramids, at Giza, in Egypt. Think of Stonehenge, near Glastonbury, in the UK. Both are incredible, sacred structures which mirror and align heaven and earth.
To this day, June 21 is considered an auspicious time when the physical and spiritual worlds come together. There is always inner work to be done and the solstice is a good time to go within. From now on, the days start to shorten. This is a time for clarity and rekindling the fire within.
A new cycle; a new call to life!
As this week comes to an end, take a moment to glance back.
Have you been sensing that there must be a new way of doing something you have been doing ineffectively, so far? Is there something new dawning on the horizon of your mind? Have you had a wake-up call? Are you hearing a new “call to adventure”?
As the planet goes through a kind of upgrade there is a weird sense we are both devolving and evolving. This creates huge tension in the system.
Here are four tips to help you manage this tension.
- Activate more inner aliveness in your life by doing more of what brings you joy.
- Actively anticipate good things to come, keeping your eyes open for opportunity and refreshing yourself daily with new ways of seeing and being.
- Take some time for de-cluttering and emotional cleansing – especially any feelings of hostility or pent-up resentment.
- Bring a burst of creativity into the tasks of the day to generate creative energy. Trust me, it feels lekker to do this.
NB: See below for how emotional cleansing leads directly to a greater flow of creative energy.
The call of the cuckoo
For the past two months, I have been hearing the call of the cuckoo, sometimes near, sometimes further away. Cuck – koo. Cuck-koo. One day last week, it disappeared. I haven’t heard it or its partner since.
The bird kingdom, as a whole, represent joy. But individual birds carry their own frequency or overlighting consciousness. The cuckoo is no exception. Its message is not dissimilar to that of the summer solstice.
Let there be joy in your heart and a skip in your step.
Take a close look at your fears.
Do the deeper shadow work.
Put the old behind you.
The message of the cuckoo
The message of the cuckoo is very clear. De-clutter your physical space. Freshen up your environment. Do the necessary emotional cleansing even if it is challenging. Find a coach or therapist if needs be.
I have been picking up on hostility and pent-up resentment. Did you feel any of this icky sticky stuff over the solstice period?
First, learn to recognise the emotion. Then, name the emotion. Then, feel how it feels in the body.
Let it release naturally. You are in control. Be gentle. Stick with it. Be with it. Don’t run. And as you release these emotions, at the same time, open your heart. If you don’t know how to do this, simply intend to do it and, if you can, imagine doing this. As you open your heart, you are less defended and more able to feel a greater flow of compassion in your heart space. As you release stuck energy you will find you have more creative energy available 
Personal journey
I became quite cynical over the past few years. I am now unravelling some of that. There has to be a balance. Be prepared to speak up for what you consider wrong or unjust. Let your inner activist rise. Acknowledge the polarity, divisiveness and negativity in the world right now. Choose to respond appropriately. Forgive yourself if your response is reactive or disproportionate. Keep stepping into your future with this lively anticipation of good things to come we spoke of above. I call this realistic optimism and I am only just realizing myself how vital this is – right down to what happens in your brain when you anticipate the positive.
For me, personally, I am in a natural stage of de-cluttering. I am clearing my mother’s house after her passing last year. More accurately, my mother’s house is clearing me out. In a few weeks, the new owners will move in and I will be entering a new chapter. My coaching practice will be re-opening shortly with an incredible range of transformational coaching programs in the pipeline.
Free offering for these times
Alive Wire Wisdom Circle is my sacred gift. You are welcome to join. You can come as and when you wish. This is a safe space to share and celebrate, to think and feel, to ponder and challenge, to heal and grow, to laugh and learn – together!
We meet at 6pm (UK time), every week, on a Sunday, for exactly an hour.
If you are curious about Alive Wire Wisdom Circle have a look here to find out more.
Blessings and love,
Gwendolen x
PS Feel free to join our community. Click here for the Alive Wire Wisdom Circle Facebook Page.
Thank you Wendy,
Wisdom dots galore!
I love your…”my mother’s house is clearing me out”… :).. sounds like a double edged sword .. so well said!
Also, the cuckoo message is a wonderful sign that we, as humans, are not alone… the birds and the bees and the trees are all rooting for us! Thank you cuckoo!