Your path to joy

I am in a world of vibrant greens turning darker by the day. The last few days, it rained again, blanketing the forest in damp fog. The sweet scent of wet soil and warm air made me love the rain again. As my body relaxes into kinder weather, my mind relaxes too. I feel at ease, no longer rushed by the Spring surge, and I am developing a deeper trust in what may come. I am well on my way to establishing my new self, easing into a feeling of grace as I work with the foundations I built. This is the gentle touch of Summer.

In Summer, joy is our guiding force. We are building towards a life worth celebrating. Ideally, our days feel joyous and light. Our attention is outward, and we now fully stand in the world. It is time to get out there, let others inspire us, and test our ideas.

As I mentioned before, the water element governs Summer, meaning you are most effective when you pay close attention to your emotional state. Whenever dark moods creep in, try to see them as invitations to reorient yourself to what sparks your joy. Lion tracker and storyteller Boyd Varti describes this moment as the path of not here: the place where you realize the way you are going is not the way forward. You have little business in the darker regions of your soul at the moment. Instead, turn your gaze upward to the bright skies.

For myself, pleasing the light within is my most important task in Summer because it allows my whole being to take on the quality of joy. I become more compassionate, and the world becomes a more compassionate place. Everything takes on a softer quality, and I become more loving and accepting toward both my inner struggles and the hardships I perceive around me.

I invite you this week to explore your pathways to joy. Should that feel opaque, remember you are never lost. Wherever you are, if you are on the path of not here, you are always walking to where you need to be.