The Summer Solstice: A Portal of Light, Transformation, and Inner Knowing

June 20th marks the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere — the longest day of the year, when the sun appears to pause at its peak before slowly beginning its descent. Across cultures and generations, this sacred day has been honored as a turning point — a portal of solar energy, spiritual awakening, and deepened embodiment. From the ancient stone circles of the Celts to the fire festivals of Slavic and Norse traditions, and the ceremonial dances of Indigenous peoples around the world, the solstice has long been seen as a time to gather in community, celebrate abundance, and offer gratitude to the Earth and Sun. It is a day when the veil between worlds is considered thin — when intuitive knowing, ancestral connection, and inner truth become more accessible.

At both a holistic and metaphysical mystic, and also a clinical mental health professional, and also a deeply curious human — I honor the solstice not just as a seasonal marker, but as an invitation: a time to check in with ourselves, our energy, our mental health, and our intentions. In the clinical mental health world, the solstice can symbolize illumination. Things that were once hidden — emotions, patterns, grief, unmet needs — are now bathed in light. This can be powerful, but it can also feel intense. Increased sunlight and the collective rush of summer can activate both vitality and anxiety, restlessness and joy. For some, this season can even bring summertime sadness, where the pressure to “feel good” collides with internal struggles. Just like the sun, we all have cycles. Therapy often reminds us that we don’t need to feel “radiant” all the time. Sometimes the most healing thing we can do is notice what’s emerging, without forcing it to be something else. Awareness is action. And tending to our nervous system, our boundaries, and our pace is valid year-round.

In many Earth-based and mystical practices, the summer solstice is seen as a time of fire magic — working with transformation, passion, will, and burning away what no longer serves; sun rituals — honoring vitality, masculine energy, and clarity; fertility and creation — not just physical, but also creative, spiritual, and emotional fertility; and celebration and reflection — gathering in community, dancing, feasting, and making offerings to the land and ancestors. If you practice holistic wellness — things like Reiki, yoga, tarot, energy clearing — this is a potent time to charge your tools, set intentions, move the body, or work with solar herbs like calendula, chamomile, lemon balm, or St. John’s Wort.

This solstice, I invite you to create a moment of sacred stillness for yourself. Begin by simply placing your hands on your body — over your heart, your solar plexus, or wherever your energy feels concentrated today — and take three deep, intentional breaths. Let your body know it is safe to pause. Feel the warmth of your own presence. If it feels right, go barefoot outside and let your feet connect with the Earth. Let the sunlight (or even the memory of it) wash over your skin like a blessing.

Here are a few gentle journaling prompts to guide your reflection:

• What is currently blooming in my life?

• What truth is ready to be illuminated, even if it feels tender?

• What parts of me are asking to be seen, nurtured, or released?

• Where have I been dimming my light to stay comfortable — and where might I gently choose to shine more fully?

• What am I ready to invite in for the second half of this year — emotionally, spiritually, creatively, or in my relationships?

You might pair your journaling with a simple ritual: light a candle at sunset and speak your intentions aloud. Write something down and bury it in the earth, or place it in water to symbolize release. Move your body slowly and intentionally in a way that honors how you actually feel — whether that’s through gentle yoga, a freestyle dance in your living room, or simply resting and letting your body be.

You are allowed to evolve. You are allowed to rest. You are allowed to burn bright.

The solstice reminds us that healing doesn’t have to be linear — it can be cyclical, sacred, and deeply personal. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or just curious about how this season is stirring things up inside of you, know that you’re not alone. Whether through therapy or holistic practice, I’m here to walk with you through whatever this next cycle brings.

In reverence and renewal, Ashley