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Embracing the Summer Solstice: Bright Lights and Peak Point Reflections

As the ‘longest’ day of the year, the Summer Solstice is a time of abundant sunlight and warmth, offering a perfect opportunity for reflection and rejuvenation. This annual event, occurring this year on June 20th in the Northern hemisphere, symbolizes not only a peak in daylight but also a peak in our own personal energies and potential.

Strength of the Summer Solstice

The Summer Solstice has been celebrated for centuries across various cultures, marking a time of fertility, growth, and renewal. It is a day when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky, casting the longest shadows and reminding us of the power and vitality of light. This day invites us to soak in the solar energy, embrace the warmth, and ignite our inner fire to pursue passions and goals.

Here are some ways to maximize your experience during the Summer Solstice:

  1. Reconnect with Nature: Spend time outdoors, whether it is hiking, gardening, or simply enjoying a picnic in the park. Nature has a way of grounding us and providing a fresh perspective on life.
  2. Engage in Creative Pursuits: Use the extra daylight to explore creative hobbies such as painting, writing, or playing music. Creativity can be a powerful outlet for expressing your innermost thoughts and feelings.
  3. Practice Mindfulness and Gratitude: Take a moment to reflect on what you are grateful for. Mindfulness practices like meditation or yoga can help you stay present and appreciate the beauty of the moment.
  4. Connect with Loved Ones: Strengthen relationships by spending quality time with family and friends. Host a solstice gathering or a bonfire to celebrate the day together.
  5. Pursue Personal Goals: Reignite your passion for personal projects or set new goals. The solstice is an excellent time to tap into your ambitions and take actionable steps towards achieving them.

For your consideration:

The Summer Solstice is more than a seasonal event; it is a powerful reminder of the light and potential within us. By embracing this time to reconnect with nature, pursue passions, and reflect on your journey, you can bask in the light that burns from above and from within your spirit. I invite you to harness the strength of this potent time to live life to the fullest as you make an inventory and assessment at this energetically highest peak of the year.

Here’s how you can make the most of this reflective period:

  • Review Your Aspirations: Reflect on the aspirations you set at the beginning of the year. What have you accomplished? What needs more attention? Adjust your plans as necessary to stay on track.
  • Evaluate Your Well-being: Consider your physical, emotional, and mental health. Are you taking care of yourself? Identify areas where you might need to focus more energy, such as exercise, diet, or mental health practices.
  • Reflect on What You have Learned: Celebrate your progress, and acknowledge the lessons you’ve learned. Understanding what worked well and what did not can guide you in making better decisions moving forward.
  • Set New Intentions: The halfway point of the year is a great time to set new intentions. What do you want to achieve in the coming months? Write down your intentions and make a plan to pursue them.
  • Recenter Yourself: Strive for a centered life. Ensure that your personal, professional, and social aspects are harmoniously aligned. This fosters overall well-being and sustained success.

Okay, your turn:

What will you be doing this upcoming Solstice? I’ll be noticing the light as it brightens my steps that carry me through the wilderness.

I invite you to share your observations, feelings, and experiences by leaving a Reply in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2024 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.

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Against the grain

Against the grain

I remain

in the main

stream

between the tall stalks

of sugar cane

Raising Cain

a ruckus

within the maze

of maize

In the plain

and with

airplanes

overhead

overheard

in vain

against the vein

of my heart

a disdain

for the fast lane

in rain

makes for a chance

to rein in

the reign

of terror

It’s a changing

of the weather

Looking at the weather vane

atop

the local church

that had stood

the test of time

and pain

for those who dared

to go against

the grain

Cutting across

the valley

of loss

and moss

that only grows on one side

the North side

Which side are you on?

Of convention?

Nonconvention?

Okay, your turn:

Whether it be social norms, institutional ones, or political ones — where do you draw the line? For yourself? Your community? Your country? Does it depend? And if so, in what way(s)?

I invite you to share your observations, feelings, and experiences by leaving a Reply in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2022 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.
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Deconstructing what we construct

Structures

What does it mean to have a structure?

It is a framework

A template

Something that holds something together?

 

To deconstruct–

Is that to destroy?

To “unbuild” what was built?

 

What then is instruction?

To in-build

as in to build-in

a set of instructions

to follow

To create

something consisting

of parts

of lessons

that make up a

curriculum?

 

What is the source?

Who is the source
of these courses

 

And who are they built for?

Who does the creating

Who does the teaching

Who does the learning


Is it a symbiotic

relationship

 

Is it a giving

and a taking

an exchange

 

of value

of sorts?

 

For the purpose of mutual benefit?


Does it stem from or flourish from

A foundation of mutual recognition?

If not, should it?

 

Are we one with each other

With nature

with the planet

with the sun, the moon, and the galaxies

 

Learning and weaving together

as separate parts of one whole

Of one organism, truly?

 

Comity

Not comedy

Awe-ness

Not aww-ness

 

Yes.

 

Please

and

thank you.

  

For your consideration:

When we hear (or say) that we are destroying our planet, are we not indeed acknowledging that we are destroying ourselves? Does not nature (and we are nature) come with its own divine structure?  When we build up artificial structures, only to dismantle and destroy them, what value remains, if any?  When you hear the word infrastructure, what does that connote for you?

Okay, your turn:

Do these lines of inquiry present any new awareness for you?  Would you rather not pay them any mind?  Is there a risk in doing so?  How about in not doing so?

I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences by leaving a Reply in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

 © 2021 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

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We the people in order to form a more perfect union

We the people in order to form a more perfect union

“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our prosperity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

– Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, Proposed by Convention September 17, 1787 | Effective March 4, 1789

Notice that within the Preamble words appear such as:

we; more perfect union; domestic tranquility; common; general welfare; ourselves.

The Constitution itself came about through and by way of a Convention – the political leaders convened to discuss, debate, engage in robust discourse, and ultimately agreed to a specific type of government: a democratic republic.

By design, our government and its Constitution emerged as a deliberate departure from the idea and reality of “rule-by-one”…be that one person (dictator), one family (monarchy), or worse yet – without adherence to any governmental structure – else, as a nation, we would run the risk of descending into complete anarchy and widespread danger for all.

The three separate branches of government (legislative, judicial, and executive) were established as a set of checks and balances.  Or, put another way: a set of counterbalances.  Like an equilateral triangle, this system of government makes for a stable structure.  The more counterbalanced (or counterweighted) the structure, the more sturdy the structure.  When one of the governmental branches “breaks away from the pack” and with wild abandon exceeds its Constitutional powers, it needs to be brought back into balance. Otherwise, the structure weakens and is made vulnerable to attack and destruction.

This has real-world, physical consequences. It is not only in principle, but in form and function.  Recent events at the United States capitol building made manifest this scenario. Unlike opportunity, dictatorship as well as anarchy doesn’t kindly knock. It swells. It bludgeons. It dismantles. It destroys.

For your consideration:

Note that the Preamble doesn’t state that the founders were establishing a perfect union, only striving to form a more perfect one.  It was something to which they aspired.  The Constitution is a living document; the Amendment process allows for the Constitution to evolve with the times.

The early colonization and its legacy are fraught with imperfections – some of them stark and deeply disturbing.  The original union was far from perfect.  That does not diminish, however, the principles themselves:  of the pursuit of life, liberty, and justice for all.  We have a long way to go to ensure that all are protected. While I do not particularly like the visual this phrase conjures up, the sentiment applies:  Be careful not to toss out the baby with the bathwater. Our nation’s dark history and stark present may be gritty and soiled, but principles of great value are contained within our representative democracy. Implicit in the Constitution is also the principle that with rights, also come responsibilities.  We must beware that dismantling the government by a violent overthrow neither serves nor preserves the pursuit of life, liberty, and justice for all.

Okay, your turn:

What is the role of citizens and elected leaders in a representative democracy? How does it, if at all, impact how you live your life?

I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences by leaving a Reply in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2021 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.
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Transition of power

Transition of power

Transition of power

Power through

the transition of power

with transitive properties

 

Moving from one phase

to another

From one hand

to another

 

Amidst

the mist

of misty

eyed

mystics

 

Among

the shadows

and the light

of the waiting

and the wading

 

In pools

of disappointment

only to be moved

to movement

and action

 

Proceeding

to lead

by

example

 Okay, your turn:

Is there something about a major transition that leaves you feeling disappointed? Or, do big transitions instead leave you feeling hopeful, inspired, and eager to move forward?

I invite you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences by leaving a Reply in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2020 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.
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