Summer solstice; nature and the changing faces of the seasons
Summer Solstice marks the transition into a new season and the start of summer. The word solstice is derived from the Latin "sol" (sun) and "sistere" (to stand still) and for me this says so much; this is the time to stop, pause and reconnect with the beauty of nature and the powerful effect that the sun and its light has on all living things.
This time is celebrated by the druids as a festival to give thanks to nature and the changing faces of the seasons. It is on this day that the sun rises and sets at its most northern point, leading to longer hours of daylight and therefore the longest day of the year.
The inseparable relationship between the natural environment around us, wherever we are in the world, and our own wellbeing of body, mind and spirit is a core belief in my work in the clinic and the product formulations I produce. These seasonal rituals underpinning practices such as druidism traditionally evolved around farming practices. Now, however, as our food production and farming practices have changed to align more with global demand than with nature, this connection is less apparent.
Yet working intimately with the change of seasons is a very simple and powerful tool that brings with it great opportunity to improve our physical and emotional well-being, whether indulging in the abundance of nutrient-rich seasonal delights such as artichokes, asparagus, jersey potatoes, watercress or strawberries, or embracing the warmer, lighter evenings as a time to relax with friends over a light evening supper or wild swimming with your family. Whichever ritual you choose to celebrate natures gift of summer, do so with abandon and gratitude.
This time is celebrated by the druids as a festival to give thanks to nature and the changing faces of the seasons. It is on this day that the sun rises and sets at its most northern point, leading to longer hours of daylight and therefore the longest day of the year.
The inseparable relationship between the natural environment around us, wherever we are in the world, and our own wellbeing of body, mind and spirit is a core belief in my work in the clinic and the product formulations I produce. These seasonal rituals underpinning practices such as druidism traditionally evolved around farming practices. Now, however, as our food production and farming practices have changed to align more with global demand than with nature, this connection is less apparent.
Yet working intimately with the change of seasons is a very simple and powerful tool that brings with it great opportunity to improve our physical and emotional well-being, whether indulging in the abundance of nutrient-rich seasonal delights such as artichokes, asparagus, jersey potatoes, watercress or strawberries, or embracing the warmer, lighter evenings as a time to relax with friends over a light evening supper or wild swimming with your family. Whichever ritual you choose to celebrate natures gift of summer, do so with abandon and gratitude.
