Celebrating Summer Solstice with Yoga

As the Summer Solstice approaches, the sun climbs to its highest peak, casting its warmth and brightest upon the earth. This turning point in the year, often long awaited after the cold of winter, marks the beginning of summer and the longest day of sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere. Conversely, for those in the Southern Hemisphere, it signals the Winter Solstice.

As a child I was fascinated by Spring Equinox, Summer Solstice, Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice. I used to design rituals to mark, celebrate and honour these occasions and loved the symbolism behind these transitional points of the year. I’m truly grateful that I have the chance to bring this lifelong special interest into my classes as a Yoga teacher so I decided to write this blog post to share more about the Summer Solstice. I start with a brief history and then go on to offer ways you can connect your Yoga practice with the Summer Solstice!

The History of Summer Solstice

A photo of stone henge with the sun shining through

The celebration of the Summer Solstice dates back to ancient times, with evidence of solstice observance found in various cultures and civilisations throughout history. Pinpointing an exact start date for when people first celebrated Summer Solstice is challenging but historians reckon we can trace its roots to prehistoric times.

In the Neolithic era, which emerged around 12,000 years ago, the Summer Solstice held significant agricultural and spiritual importance. It marked the midpoint of the growing season, signalling the time for planting or harvesting crops and the abundance of daylight for agricultural activities.

Iconic monuments like Stonehenge here in the UK date back to the Neolithic period, and stand as testaments to our ancestors' reverence for this celestial event, their stones aligned to capture the rays of solstice's sunrise.

Throughout history, the Summer Solstice has woven itself into the fabric of folklore and different traditions. The Tudor’s Shakespeare captured this enchantment with Summer Solstice in "A Midsummer Night's Dream," while ancient pagans celebrated Litha, honouring the sun's power and vitality.

From the ancient Egyptians and Greeks to indigenous peoples around the world, solstice festivals and rituals became embedded in cultural calendars. Summer Solstice is connected to common themes across cultures such as celebrating the sun’s power, abundance, renewal, and the triumph of light over darkness.

Summer Solstice is Celebrated Across the World

Customs, traditions and rituals to celebrate Summer Solstice vary but generally the big main theme that unites all versions is to honour the longest day and shortest night of the year, celebrating the light and power of the sun.

Summer Solstice can be all about vitality, and a cause for jubilation. It makes a great occasion for community get-togethers including feasts with vibrant spreads, music, dance, and rituals. We can see this across cultures in different forms such as; lighting bonfires in Scandinavia, gathering at Stonehenge for the Solstice sunrise in the UK, dragon boat rices in China, and grand ceremonial processions to mark Inti Raymi or "Festival of the Sun," in the Andean cultures of Peru.

Reclaiming our Connection to Nature’s Cycles in The Modern Day

In our modern lives, often detached from nature's rhythms, the solstice beckons us to reconnect with the world around us. Embracing these natural transitions can deepen our sense of belonging and presence and by marking important turning points in the year such as Summer Solstice, we can help ourselves and each other feel closer to our environment.

So how can we theme our Yoga practice around Summer Solstice? Here are a few ideas: