Slowing down on summer solstice
Thursday, June 20, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
How do you slow down in times of fullness?
Time for rest is essential, especially when our attention is turned outward in the busyness of summer.
Whether it's putting my phone on, Do Not Disturb, going for a swim, taking my dinner to the park, and watching the sunset as I ground the soles of my feet on the grass, lying on my back watching the blue above, or enjoying a novel in my mom's shaded backyard, I must slow down, especially when I am in a season of loss and transition.
Slowing down is necessary for my health, nervous system, body, mind, and soul.
I understand the challenge of slowing down, especially during our summer impulses, to be constantly on the move. But it's key to prioritize our well-being, not only to continue serving in the ways we long to but also because the sweetest moments in life are when we can hear our breath.
If you, like me, could use two hours to slow down your breath and honor this time of celebrating summer with reflection and rejuvenation, join me for Summer Solstice. Let's find rest and rejuvenation together, creating a sense of community and shared experience.
We will gather at Sugarloaf Open Space in Walnut Creek on Thursday, June 20, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Registration and details are here.
This gathering offers you time away from the busyness of summer to celebrate the beauty, power, and promise of this new season and the radiance within you.
My intention for the evening is to nurture a sense of connection with our bodies, each other, and nature through gentle yoga, breathwork and meditation, intuitive writing, wonder, and intimate conversation.
Whether you're a seasoned yogini or a beginner, this workshop is designed to cater to everyone. I warmly welcome women of all experience levels.
Registration and details are here.
If you know a woman who could use sun-kissed healing and relaxation, please share this newsletter and invite her to our summer solstice celebration. Thank you!
If you have questions about this summer solstice event or a private one, reply to this email or contact me at dvarellasyoga@gmail.com. I look forward to connecting!
Cost
by Joy Sullivan
Summer on the farm, and under a June moon,
we'd sneak the mares out into the forest.
We weren't allowed to gallop, but no one
told the horses. In the dark, they seemed to sense
our blindness, our nervous bodies. Within
seconds, they hardly seemed the same creatures
that meandered on trail rides, bore children
in the ring, the horses we named Sugar
and Jelly Bean and Dumpling but in the dark,
they morphed out of shape - splitting like a river
among the trees, our reins loose and useless,
and in those moments, we couldn’t scream
or steer or stop. We were something new then,
a part of them, swimming in the air, suspended between
stars and trees and hooves and horse sweat. Swallowed
in a tide we couldn't escape until finally, at the sight
of stables, the horses would soften and slow. Spell broken,
they gentle back into quieter animals. Ones that ambled
to the stall. Amendable to apple slices
and nose scratches, kerosene lamps making
their shadows long, and we dismount, silent
and sober to discover what it cost them to carry us
back into the light.
Listen to Joy Sullivan read this poem.
Writing Prompts
Some potential jump-off lines to ignite your writing:
under a June moon
we were something new then
swimming in the air
Grab a pen and paper or your favorite journal. Begin with one or more of the prompts. Use them as a starting point, repeat them throughout your writing.
Set your timer. Write for 15 minutes, pen never leaving the page.
