Reflecting on the Summer Solstice Gathering
Last weekend we gathered to mark the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year and a seasonal invitation to pause and take stock of the journey so far. With the sun making a full appearance for the Solstice, we made the decision to leave our usual spot on the beach and gather beneath the shade of the woodland at the beach’s edge. It proved to be a beautiful setting, offering shelter from the heat while still keeping us connected to the landscape that has become home to these seasonal circles.
As always, we began with an introduction to the evening and sharing a meal together. The shared meal remains one of my favourite parts of these gatherings. Not just because of the amazing food, but also because there is something powerful about sitting together and eating food that has been prepared with care by the people around us. It reminds me that community is not something we consume; it is something we create together. The simple act of preparing something and offering it to others becomes part of the ritual itself. A shout out to Mei for her delicious spring rolls, which were a particular favourite.
As we ate together, we also reflected on the many different paths that bring people here. While some may describe these gatherings as a form of spiritual connection, and others may just enjoy the creative nature-based focus, what matters most is not the label but the experience of connection itself; connection with ourselves, with one another, with the natural world and with the changing seasons.
We also spent some time reflecting on the year so far. Summer Solstice sits close to the midpoint of the year and offers an opportunity to notice how far we have come in the things that matter most to us. Seeing all the fullness of nature around us in June, it’s a great time to reflect on the abundance already present in our lives and the ways we might share that abundance with others. It’s a chance to acknowledge both what is flourishing and what still requires our attention and care as the wheel continues to turn.
From there, we moved into a creative activity, working in small groups to create temporary pieces of land art using found objects from the surrounding landscape. Some people wandered down to the beach to create with seaweed, sea glass, feathers and stones. Others gathered flowers, leaves and found treasures from the woodland floor. Together, we created beautiful and fleeting works that celebrated creativity, collaboration and our relationship with the natural world. There's something special about watching people slow down enough to notice the details around them and transform them into something beautiful together.
As the evening unfolded, we shared poems that felt relevant to our individual experiences of this season of life. Some spoke of change, some of resilience and some of joy in the face of uncertainty. The sharing of poetry or storytelling at these gatherings becomes another way of witnessing one another's journeys. We were then gifted with a beautiful sunset. As the sky shifted through its evening colours, we paused together to watch and capture a few photographs of the moment.
As darkness began to slowly seep in, we gathered around a small fire. We reflected on anything that has been standing in our way this year and wrote those things down before offering them to the flames. It was a simple act, but a meaningful one. The fire provided a place to acknowledge what we are carrying, what we are ready to release and what we hope to make space for as we continue into the second half of the year.
Since our gathering, as the temperatures have continued to rise, I've been reflecting on the experience of cultivating this community over the past year. I intentionally use the word "gathering" instead of "event" and that's because there is a difference in how I define these terms. Our gatherings are centred on presence, reciprocity and collaboration over extraction. They ask something of us as well as offering something to us. The meal we prepare, the stories we share, the attention we give and the care we offer all become part of creating the experience together.
As I look back on this Summer Solstice gathering, I feel grateful for the many conversations that have left me reflecting on a number of things, and the creativity, generosity and presence that each person brought. In a culture that often asks us to move faster, achieve more and consume endlessly, choosing to gather with intention can feel like a radical act. Thank you to everyone who joined us in creating that together.
Below are a few photos from our evening together. Some of the poems read at the gathering can be found here, here and here. A recipe of my favourite super simple cucumber salad, which I made for the Solstice gathering can be found here.
Our next gathering
If this sounds like the type of community you're interested in connecting with, we'd love to welcome you to our next gathering in August as we celebrate Lammas, the traditional harvest festival that invites us to reflect on what we are cultivating, gathering and sharing. If you’d like to learn more about Lammas, you can find a video in the resources library all about it. And if you have feedback or questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. You can email me at hello@thismortallife.co.uk.
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