Solstice, Rajas, and a New Moon – Summer Solstice Reflections 2025

The Summer Solstice is upon us, the time of the year with the most abundant sunshine and harboring in the most intense sunshine of the year. Abundant and intense. Followed by a potentially intense new moon. New moons are generally a time to go inward. As the moon wanes so too can our outward focus. Rajas is the energy of the sun- bright, expressive, fiery, warm, transformative, potentially destructive. Read on for more insight and reflection on the current energy.

It is up to you to take command of your energy now. Not to force and contort, but to notice what is coming up for you and ask yourself, what do I need to feel more whole right now? What is coming out from me when I am pressed? Dr. Wayne Dyer said you can’t squeeze an orange and get lemon juice, just like you can’t press you or me and get peace when there is fear, anxiety or otherwise at the forefront. This may not be a perfect metaphor as we are certainly more complex and nuanced than an orange,  but hopefully it helps paint a picture. If we are feeling a certain way within or if there is a dominant perspective or emotion at play, then that is where we are coming from and that is how we are seeing things and that is how we will react and create. If we don’t feel safe or at ease, we protect ourself the easiest way we know how. Unless we get curious and are willing to look at what is going on.

There have been many Solstice emails and workshops. Have you received them too? (I supposed yes if you’re reading this in email.) Shine your light, create, celebrate, enjoy the sun, activate your inner fire. What if you don’t feel like doing any of that? Or at least not always. What if you feel angry, tired, overwhelmed, scared, sad, confused, drained or any other plethora of perfectly acceptable emotion or experience at this time? What if your inner fire is blazing hot or out of control? That is ok. I get you, I got you, I’m here for you and I’m here with you. Know that your experience is ok.  You are not wrong and you are not broken. This energy is intense! We are sensitive beings. We are still healing, learning, and growing. And we have the power to create our lives as our soul desire guides us to.

The new moon happening on June 25th takes place in an energy connected with roaring and howling and ferocity. This is the energy of Ardra Nakshatra- storms, tears, sweating, catharsis. The whole month of June there has been a lot of this energy. A build up of energy for release and breakthrough, certainly movement of something stagnant or played out. Take notice of what has been howling and roaring within you, or out from you. This may be desirable or undesirable or anywhere in between. How can you respond to yourself with love? Rather than carry on in a usual manner, unless of course responding with love and encouragement is your usual way of being. Nurture yourself like a beloved child. If you feel a catharsis of tearful or angry release or any kind, let the feelings flow and move out. Let it move, and love yourself. When you are nurtured, you are resourced and everything becomes more manageable and easy to navigate. You are more willing and able to give and create as you desire.

What I want to offer you at this time are two 19 minute yoga videos and a podcast from my friend Kathryn Richer with a beautiful discussion about inner wisdom and a spiritual mind treatment.

Here you are dears:
•Gentle lunge and twist yoga video
•Gentle yoga to help you relax video
•Richer Within podcast and mind treatment

For more on Vedic astrology I like to reference Beneath a Vedic Sky. You can read the pdf free online. Kerry Shamblin is another vedic astrologer I like to reference. And further thoughts on the current astrology from Vedic astrologer Tamiko Fisher. Everything written in the portion below is by Tamiko Fisher from her website:
https://www.tamikofischer.com/forecast

“Ardra nakshatra is associated with the deity Rudra (‘The Howler’), a manifestation of Shiva in his fierce form.
Rudra is associated with roaring and howling. Ardra’s governing planet, the north lunar-node Rahu, is ethereal, windy and ungrounding in nature.

Wednesday, June 25:
The New Moon will take place today in sidereal Gemini in Ardra Nakshtra at 6:30AM EDT. (10:30AM GMT.) The planetary influences at the time of the New Moon give an indication of themes that will characterize the next 30 days.
In the forecast entry for Friday, June 13th, I wrote about Ardra Nakshatra, and how it will be an especially unsettling and pervasive influence from June to August, during which time a striking many planets will transit here at various points.
This tear-drop-like nakshatra has meanings of upheaval and overwhelming emotions that bring catharsis and can have an ultimately clarifying effect.
Ardra is severe in nature, however like all lunar mansions its traits have a potential to manifest in desirable ways. Today’s New Moon happens to occur in exact degree with Jupiter, a benefic planet that encourages Ardra’s more favourable expression.”