Summer Solstice
Happy Summer Solstice!
Today signifies the longest and brightest day of the year. For thousands of generations, our ancestors have gathered around the fire, sharing stories, cooking food, singing songs, and dancing in community. The fire serves as a unifying force, drawing us together, just as the warmer and sunnier days bring our community out of hibernation and back into harmony.
The harnessing and tending of the fire element have played a pivotal role in the evolution of our species, propelling us to the remarkable level we have achieved today. In the Vedic tradition, the Yagna, a fire ceremony, has remained unbroken for thousands of years. It is believed that through the Yagna, the world continues its seamless progression, with the sun rising and setting each day, while we, in turn, continue to evolve.
As an Ayurvedic practitioner, I perceive myself as a guardian of the inner fire, tending to the flames of digestion, whether on a cellular, metabolic, or literal level within the digestive tract. Similarly, as a yoga practitioner and teacher, I consider myself a custodian of the fire residing in the heart—the bodhicitta, the awakened mind (heart) that finds solace within the depths of our being.
The multitude of intelligent fires ablaze within our bodies is reflected back to us through the radiant sun. Without the sun's illuminating light, our ability to see and exist would cease to be. We are forever indebted to the sun, as it bestows upon us the gift of life and guides our path on this wondrous journey.
This year, I find myself spending the solstice in Southeastern Alaska. Alaska has undoubtedly been one of the most breathtaking places I have ever had the privilege of visiting, but the intensity of the solstice sun here is truly remarkable. During this time of year, the sun's presence is inescapable. It sets as late as 11 PM and rises as early as 3 AM, leaving the sky adorned with seemingly endless sunsets and denying me true darkness for nearly a week. Surprisingly, this experience has only deepened my adoration for the darkness and the night.
As a child, I harbored a fear of the dark. Countless nights were spent sleeping with my lights on, and the mere thought of venturing into our dimly lit basement was enough to send shivers down my spine. However, my perspective on darkness transformed when I embarked on a journey working with plant medicines, administered amidst the nocturnal embrace. It was then that I discovered a newfound love and appreciation for the profound beauty concealed within the shadows.
In the darkness, I witness a mesmerizing kaleidoscope of rainbow hues, existing within the vast expanse of blackness—a dimension suspended in space, brimming with mysteries waiting to be unraveled. It was through falling in love with the darkness that I truly came to comprehend the essence of light. For one cannot exist without the other. This realization reverberates through the tapestry of life itself. It is within our moments of grief that we find the doorway to expansion. It is through experiencing sadness that we can truly revel in pure joy. Heartbreak becomes the fertile ground upon which love blossoms, and pain, the precursor to pleasure.
Amidst these "darker" and discomforting encounters, it is effortless to succumb to self-loathing. Yet, when we embrace the entirety of our human experience, allowing all aspects to arise, we bear witness to the full spectrum of existence. It is in this embrace that the richness of life flourishes, unveiling the profound tapestry of what it truly means to be human.
XO,
Zaidy