Summer Days and Stary Nights: June 22 - 28

Maybe because we've reached the long days of summer, maybe because the community pool is open, maybe because the corn is so sweet, maybe because the fireflies have magically appeared, but I'm totally in a June frame of mind. The month may have fittingly inherited its name from Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage, fertility, and childbirth. I am so ready for a break from work, the world, and worry. The season itself invites me to frolic at the beach and picnic with friends. Promise me you'll make time to play and appreciate these beautiful days.

Practice

This week's meditation is inspired by the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Live in the sunshine.

Swim in the sea.

Drink in the wild air.

Come into stillness. Let go of work and worry. Envision sipping an ice cold glass of lemonade on a summer's day. Taste the tartness. Drink in the brilliance of the sun. Relax into the steady rhythm of the breath. In this moment, there is no place else to be. There is nothing that can't wait until later. Simply be. Notice life all around you and life within you. Live in the sunshine.

Allow your thoughts to drift like clouds against a deep, blue sky. Watch them come and go. Let the next cloud transport you wondrously to a favorite beach or stream. Imagine sitting on the bank or shore with your toes dipped in the water. Today's concerns are carried away by the currents and tides. Release areas of tightness and stress. Let them all go. Gradually settle into a peaceful place beneath the turmoil and storms. Notice life all around you and life within you. Maybe rest in nature or swim in the sea.

Come back to your favorite spot. Bird song surrounds you. Bees buzz in the background. Feel the warmth of the sun on your skin and the gentle breeze against your cheek. Listen to the soothing sound of the water. Imagine your heart beating in rhythm with its ebb and flow. Breathe in light, peace, joy, love and healing. Breathe out everything else. Notice life all around you and life within you. Drink in the wild air. Let it wake up every cell in your being.

Thus renewed from head to toe, you are ready to return to the day. But remember, the sun always shines even on the cloudiest of days. The stuff of stars make up the elements of your bones. Oceans flow through your veins. Whether at home or in the office, you have always been part of nature. Every breath connects you to yourself and the universe. Live in the sunshine. Swim in the sea. Drink in the wild air.