Recently I did something wild! After months of admiring the hot air balloons that float above my home in Encinitas, CA, I arranged to take a ride in one myself.  My partner Brian and some friends from out of town were eager to join me on this adventure. As we prepared to board,  the first thing the pilot said was: “I have no idea how long we will be up here. The moment we get up we are looking for how we will land. We have to surrender completely to the direction of the wind.” His words struck me as a good analogy  for our life here on earth!  As our rainbow colored balloon rose up into the sky, I was struck by the otherworldly sense of quiet.  We gazed down with a birds-eye view on the gorgeous hills, winding roads, and the waves crashing on the shore.

With as much traveling as I do, I was surprised that the perspective from a hot air balloon is so different than it is from an airplane. Maybe it’s because we were drifting along on the air currents instead of rocketing through the air, with no window or pressurized cabin shielding and separating us from the sky. After the initial excitement (and nervousness) wore off, I found myself slipping into a meditative state. All worldly concerns and thoughts faded away as I synced with the rhythms of the earth. I became mesmerized by the cycles of the surf, and the movement of the palm trees in the wind. I could actually feel the earth breathing. As I watched the sun begin to set over the ocean, I tuned into the frequency of the universe, and felt the loving presence of the spirit world all around me as new insights started to flood in!

I knew I had to share this experience with my students because it reminded me of something that’s easy to forget. We lead busy lives, surrounded by technology, to-do lists and all our earthly responsibilities, but in order to open yourself up to the spirit world, sometimes you have to let go of the worldly concerns and blend into the rhythms of nature – the sun, the moon, the wind and the tides.

What better time to align yourself spiritually with nature than right now, as the summer solstice – an annual milestone on nature’s calendar – takes place in the northern hemisphere. The summer solstice is the day when the sun hits it’s highest point in the sky, and we enjoy the longest period off daylight of the year. For centuries this has been considered sacred time, and an opportunity to pursue enlightenment and higher consciousness.

Throughout the ages humans have been intrigued by the effect of the sun, moon, and stars on their daily lives. I know of spiritual teachers, like my friend Lynn Probert, who hold workshops about the effect the seasonal cycles, as well as the phases of the sun and moon, have on our spirituality and our psychic and mediumistic abilities. I’ve studied at length how your pineal gland – located in the brain, translates signals from your environment to create the biorhythm called the circadian rhythm.  What does this have to do with spirituality and intuition? All senses are impacted by your internal rhythm, including the 6^th sense.

To kick-start your summer rhythms, let some light in! Get out of the house and commune with nature. Take advantage of the long summer days to take a sunset swim or a long walk. Sit outside and enjoy the moon and the stars. As you do so, let the cares of the world drop away and be fully mindful of your breathing, and the space you hold on the earth.

This year, in the northern hemisphere the summer solstice takes place around June 20^th – this Monday!  In the southern hemisphere, the winter solstice will occur on the same day. Whatever hemisphere you live on, why not celebrate the season by learning something new to raise YOUR spiritual vibration. To help you on your journey and to celebrate the season, I’m offering 25% off all of my online courses at the www.jvpschoolofmysticalarts.com. Just use code Summer25 at check out.