Today is the first day of summer. Also known as the Summer Solstice and Midsummer, it is also the “longest” day of the year, meaning the day that we have the most hours of sunlight. Each year, the timing of the solstice depends on when the Sun reaches its farthest point north of the equator. This occurs annually on June 20 or June 21 in North America, depending on your time zone.
Many yoga practitioners celebrate this day and other big celestial occurences with various celebrations, the most common being to do 108 sun salutations. Some do not practice at all. You may have your own personal celebration! Whatever you may choose to do, it is nice to take some time to reflect and place meaning on this day, the height of the sun as it begins to move further and further away from our earth. It is a good time to reflect on your goals for the year and how far you have come, and what you would like to achieve by the end of this year. You can write in your journal, do 108 salutations, or anything that speaks to you personally!
Don’t forget to use this day for all that it is worth - meaning, go out there and enjoy the sunlight. Have a barbecue, take a walk later than usual, take a trip to the beach to watch the sun set. Whatever it may be, take some time to appreciate the sunshine and your place in it.
