Summer Retreat Day 1: Welcome
Solstice is nearly here!
Hello,
Midsummer greetings!
If you’re getting this email it means you’ve signed up to receive my free seasonal newsletters. A few times a year I send out an extra bundle of emails around the Solstices and Equinoxes, packed with seasonal goodness at these magical times of the year.
This is your free Summer Solstice email package!
From today up until the Solstice on the 21st I’ll be sending you a short email each morning with a Summery theme or activity. Think of it as a mini virtual retreat.
I’ll also be sharing some exclusive extracts from my new book this week too - you’ll be the first to read them!
Today I’m going to start by settling us into the magic and history of the Solstice, then I’ll give you the itinerary for the week and our ambient soundtrack.
Right, let’s dive in shall we? This is the absolute high point of the solar year. So let’s make the very most of it.
What’s so special about the Summer Solstice?
The Summer Solstice marks the shortest night and longest day of the year and has long been considered a time of deep magic.
The night before the Solstice in particular, known as Solstice Eve, or Midsummer Eve is often linked with otherworldly happenings, fairies, spirits and mayhem.
Because the sun appears to stand still in the sky for a few days around the Solstice, it was seen as a time when normal laws of nature were suspended and magical things could happen. Bonfires were lit to protect towns and villages and herbs were gathered for their protective powers.
This brilliant podcast by the National Trust explores how there might actually be a scientific reason behind this collective ‘Midsummer Madness’ and it’s all to do with light levels and circadian rhythms. If you’ve ever felt a slightly feverish rush of energy around this time of year, and wondered why, then this is definitely worth a listen.
The Itinerary
From today up until the Solstice on the 21st I’ll be sending you a short email each morning with a Summery theme to peruse at your own pace. Here’s the lineup:
Day 1: Welcome
Day 2: Solstice Book Club (5 Books that feel like Summer)
Day 3: Solstice Baking (Strawberry-based, of course)
Day 4: Midsummer Night’s Dream Ritual (exclusive extract from my new book!)
Day 5: Solstice Sunrise (It’s the Summer Solstice, hurrah!)
Your Solstice Soundtrack
And finally, I’ve found us another lovely ambient soundtrack to accompany this week.
We’re throwing open the window and letting in the summer air with this one.
You can just run this quietly in the background as you read or work this week and it’ll get you into the perfect Solstice mindset. Enjoy!
Okay that’s it for now.
I’ll see you again tomorrow where we’ll be relaxing in a sun lounger with some of the best books to read at this time of year.
(The Comments are also open if you’d like to meet others, say hello or share some Solstice chat!)
Until then,
Vicky xx
Curious about my virtual Seasonal Retreats? You can catch up with all our previous retreat activities on the Seasonal Retreats tab on my homepage. Enjoy.
What a lovely surprise to find this waiting for me today. I look forward to following along!
Love everything about this! Thank you 🌞