The garden is bursting as we observe the midpoint of the year- the Summer Solstice, with its longest hours of daylight. From here the earth tilts back and our sunlight hours begin to diminish.

This midpoint is a great time for reflection on your plans this year, checking back in on what you intended for yourself and taking stock. Make a list, try something new, create a sacred space. Be intentional with how and whom you spend your time.

A cleansing ritual bath around the New Moon is a nice way to begin a new phase, just like the moon is set to start growing. As the moon grows larger, we can cultivate what we want in ourselves and around us with a little thoughtful intention and planning.

Midsommar

A nod to a great contemporary horror movie and Scandinavian solstice folk traditions, Midsommar includes all the blooming flowers in my garden that I gathered noon on the summer solstice - the strongest moment of sunshine on the longest day of the year. The sun infusing the flower petals with its radiant energy. They were dried for this soap blend and blended with honey that was locally harvested from Sleeping Bear beekeepers in my region of Michigan. I blended helichrysum and marigold oil to evoke the deep, heady smells of the warmest season. Smells like: helichrysum, marigolds, and honey. This soap is good for: Breathing in the scent of summer to provide comfort during the long, dark winter to beat the seasonal blues. Also inspiring for planning your garden and for observing summer celebrations.

New Moon - Cleansing Ritual Bathing Mineral Salt with Moonstone Feldspar

Each month when the sky is dark, begins the new moon. It is a time of intention setting and growth, as the moon waxes until full. It is a good time to reset and envision what you intend to nourish for this month's cycle. A ritual bath before the new moon is a great way to set the stage, and bringing a Moonstone Feldspar meditation stone is a symbol of “new beginnings” promoting inner growth, stability, self-respect, and following intuition. Purifying herbs grown in my garden include Anise Hyssop, Mint, and Rosemary, all blended with epsom salt, Dead Sea salt, sunflower lecithin, and coconut oil.