Coming Alive in the Summertime

Life is rich, very rich. Summertime helps remind us of this as our senses awaken to the wealth and abundance of life . It's difficult to see this richness and great abundance in our own lives when we see ourselves as separate from it; as something that is happening outside of us, and not within us.

And it is, for as long as we continue to see it that way, because what we choose to "see" we choose to make our experience of "reality". The warmth of summer calls us to reconnect with the reality of our intimate relationship with all things.

Go with it. Take a deep breath, and take in the wealth and abundance of life through all of your senses. It will allow you to see yourself as part of this wonderful expanding universe.

Renew yourself through your thoughts and emotions and even your individual cells will grow more attractors for positive and empowering emotions, as will their daughter cells after division.

Before you know it, feeling alive and seeing your great abundance will produce more and more of it in your life, and you will realize just how connected we all are, to all things.

"Solitary brother, is there still a part of you that wants to live? Solitary sister, is there still a part of you that wants to give? If we try, we can live our lives the way we want to be. It's the loneliness that's the killer. Will we live, or will we die?" - Seal (from his song "Killer")

Daily OM

Warmth And Renewal
Summertime

Our memories of summer are often intense because it is a season blessed with a vividness unsurpassed by any other time of year. Our senses are delighted by bright colors, fresh scents, vibrant flavors, brilliant sunlight, and heat's caress. There is a sumptuousness about summertime, as both flora and fauna come into their own, regaling us with natural beauty. Our day-to-day circumstances may not change as spring turns into summer, yet we nonetheless feel refreshed. Our burdens seem lighter, and we feel compelled to play, to travel, to relax, and to experience all of life's joys to their full extent during extended sunlit hours.

Rituals specific to the summer season empower us to attune ourselves to the changes that take place in nature and within ourselves as the weather grows warmer. Some summertime rituals are highly personal—remnants of past traditions we have unconsciously preserved through practice.

Others can be incorporated into our lives whenever we feel the need to experience summer's significance on a deeper level. Summer is at its core a season of light, and by opening ourselves and our spaces to this light, we honor all the joy associated with the coming months. Unbolting windows and doors, arranging bright-golden blooms in a vase, and turning our faces toward the sun become a celebration when done with intent. Summer is also a wonderful time to practice focused listening, as the air is filled with beautiful sounds particular to the season.

To begin, find a quiet, solitary spot. For 10 minutes, pay attention to the workings of your mind and allow it to wander at will. Then turn your att! ention to the sounds resonating around you and note what you hear, whether the buzzing of bees, children's laughter, or birdsong.

Thoughts of summer likely evoke numerous pleasant images in your mind. However, if what you envision seems little more than a piece of your distant past, you can reacquaint yourself with the joys of summertime by immersing yourself in its pleasures. Wake up with the sunrise, take a day trip to the beach, indulge in an ice cream cone, or simply sit quietly in nature's embrace. The season will pass quickly, but while it remains, you can revel in the richness of life and renew yourself in the wonder of the light.