Summer Solstice | Strawberry Moon

The beautiful poppies in Fennville, Michigan

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In Celebration of Light

What a powerful time! Summer solstice, the longest day of the year, coinciding with the Strawberry Full Moon.


When the sun is at its absolute highest, we will be experiencing our lowest full moon of the year. This means the moon will appear even LARGER; I hope we all have clear skies.

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While I enjoy the title Strawberry Moon, intended to coincide with ripe berries, I also love knowing that in the Great Lakes Region, the Anishnaabeg people named it Waabigonii Giizis (Wah-bi-goh-nee Gee-zehs), which translates to Blooming Moon. 🌸🌕

Thank you Rhoda Thurston Lewis for this amazing photograph!
​Be inspired by Rhoda’s creative journey:
Web:  rhodajlewis.com  
Insta: @random_rho ​

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“When a flower doesn’t bloom,
you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.”
~ Alexander Den Heijer

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From Darkness to Light
Tending to your soul on solstice

Hello friends!

This solstice I hope you take time to care for your own soul.

Truly.

On this longest day of light . . .  

• What will be deeply nourishing, healing, and/or empowering for you?
• What is your soul seeking?
• What is in you that is ready to be released because it no longer serves?

Over this past week, I had some unexpected challenges. Honestly? It got uncomfortable, and I got agitated. In my deepest frustration, I resorted to some old patterns . . . in both my thinking and in my behavior. None of it was pretty.

I am trying to sift through the teachings from those challenges:

• What, precisely, brought me into such a state of frustration?
• How could I have helped myself prior to getting so heightened?
• What narrative was running through my head at that time?
• What’s behind those well-worn, worn-out, messages?

This internal curiosity is important.

I think it’s helpful to look at, and into, the darkness. It’s okay. We all have our quirks, our challenges, our wounds, and our scars. And sometimes, we resort to old patterns. But, when we shed light on things, there’s an opportunity for growth. We can see things differently. Move the needle on the record into a different groove and help ourselves shift.

I don’t want to be that frustrated. I don’t like how it feels in my body, and I don’t like what my mind starts saying to myself. It’s shocking how hard I can be self and how I can double-down on that narrative of self-criticism.

So, today, I invite you to join me in bringing things into the light. Softly. Sweetly. Rather than expecting ourselves to move from absolute darkness into blindingly bright light, how about a gentle turning up on the dimmer switch? The darkness is not something to fear. And, we can use a soft internal gaze to bring ourselves further into the light. After all, no one else can do it for us. I was that frustrated. I was that hard on myself. I can learn from what happened and try something different next time.

I hope all of us can do something in celebration of the light. The light that guides. Inspires. And leads us forward on our pathway.

I know I will see some of you tonight at Oval Beach, and I can’t wait. For me, being in community, harnessing our collective light, is so powerful. I know our efforts are amplified when we come together, and I’m excited to be with you.

Happy Solstice everyone! Enjoy that big, beautiful Blooming Moon.  

~ m