Why Slowing Down on the Summer Solstice is Essential for Conscious Business Leaders

As business owners, conscious leaders, and managers of people, it's easy to get caught up in the busyness of everyday life. We often are wired to be the decision-makers, putting everyone before ourselves, leaving us depleted, exhausted, and sometimes completely burnt out.

But if we turn to the cycles of Nature, we can see the invitation of the summer solstice calling us to slow down. On Wednesday, June 21, at 8:57 am MST in the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice presents an opportunity for us all to get off the hamster wheel, pause, and reflect on what is working and what is not.

The solstice marks the longest day and shortest night of the year, and invites us to "see what is" with a detached, non-judgmental observer's mind. The word "solstice" means "sun standing," referring to the day when the sun appears to stop moving in the sky. It is on this day when the sun and earth align in stillness.

If the sun and earth can slow down and become still, we can too. And we must if we want to get to where we want to go.

The summer solstice is an extraordinary time to bring our attention to what lights us up in work and life. By reflecting, we can feed what we want to form as we bring our creations, visions, hopes, and dreams to a better world.

As we enter the season of light in the Northern Hemisphere, let us embrace the invitation to slow down and reflect on what is truly important. Doing so can cultivate a more profound sense of purpose and alignment in our work and lives.

Here are a few contemplative practices for you to explore with yourself or with your team:

1. Listen to this guided meditation to help you turn towards your inner light and listen to what it needs to shine
2. Notice what’s aligned with your light and what’s not. Make a list of projects, ideas, visions, and dreams that light you up, bring you joy, and expand your heart just by thinking about them. Then, make a list of the same that don’t. Notice what you notice.
3. Explore what would be possible if you pursued what lights you and your team or company up. Where is your energy going? Where is it leaking? How can you feed what you want to bring into form? What needs to stop? Discuss your reflections with a colleague, confidant, or team.

If you are a local to Utah and want in-person guidance on celebrating this auspicious day, join us for the Summer Solstice Workshop in the beautiful setting of HeartSpace in Park City, Utah on Wednesday, June 21, 2023 from 8:00am-10:00am. Click here to register.