Summer is a time to get outside and have fun with loved ones. It’s a season for joy, love, and celebration, making it no surprise that it’s many people’s favorite time of the year.
While the season of summer is associated with connecting externally, it’s important to remember to take time to connect with yourself internally through the practice of self-love. When you nurture a strong and loving relationship with yourself, your entire mind and body thrive.
In this blog, you’ll learn about summer’s positive qualities from a Chinese Medicine and Qi Gong perspective. You’ll also discover a seven-minute guided meditation designed to harness the season’s energy and help you experience more self-love within yourself.
In Chinese Medicine and Qi Gong, summer is closely connected to the Heart and Fire Element. The positive qualities of the Heart and Fire Element include love, joy, excitement, and compassion.
During summer, people are naturally drawn towards activities that strengthen these qualities. Going on hikes, spending time at the beach, and traveling are just a few examples of activities that help you harness the gifts of summer.
In addition to celebrating outside with others, summer also invites you to cultivate the season’s positive qualities within yourself. There are many ways to cultivate joy and self-love internally, and one of these is through meditation.
Below, we’ve shared a seven-minute meditation that’s designed to activate and circulate the feeling of self-love within your body. In doing so, you can experience a deep feeling of joy and self-compassion that nourishes your entire being. We’ve provided this meditation both in a video and in written form.
Start this meditation by sitting in a chair, your feet flat on the ground, and your eyes closed. Try to keep your back upright and let your hands rest on your legs.
Now, start to take slow, deep breaths. On your inhale, breathe through your nose. On your exhale, breathe out through your mouth.
Continue taking slow, deep breaths for a minute or so. With each breath, try to relax your mind and body just a little bit more.
With your eyes still closed, start to imagine a beautiful sunset on the horizon. See the colors and the glow radiating from the sun. Imagine that one of the sun’s rays is shining on your face, bringing a feeling of warmth and relaxation to your body.
Now, bring your attention to your chest and start to smile to your heart center. As you smile, feel the sun’s rays illuminating a feeling of joy and love within your heart. With each breath, feel that sensation growing and building as your heart becomes abundant with joyful and loving energy.
On your inhale, focus a little more attention on your smile to yourself. On your exhale, imagine that feeling of love and joy melting a little bit deeper into your chest.
With your inhale, smile to your heart center and receive the sun’s warmth. With your exhale, feel the love and joy move a little deeper into your body.
After a moment or two, imagine that feeling of love and joy moving throughout your belly, legs, arms, neck, and head. Visualize that your entire body is being filled up with vibrant, rich energy from the sun.
Continue breathing deeply and smiling to yourself for another minute or two.
Continue to breathe as you hold the vision of the setting sun emanating throughout your body. With each breath, feel your mind and body getting ‘charged up’ just a little more. When you’re ready, smile to yourself one more time and bring that feeling of joy and self-love with you into the rest of your day.
If you’re interested in learning more Qi Gong practices to help you cultivate self-love, be sure to check out The Pearl of Consciousness Online Course.
When you sign up for The Pearl of Consciousness Online Course, you’’ll learn powerful practices for integrating your internal energies, circulating your Qi throughout your body, and connecting more deeply to the universe.
There are many benefits of Pearl of Consciousness Practices, and one of these is strengthening your relationship to self. This helps you experience greater self-acceptance and self-love as you navigate all aspects of life.
Click on the banner below to learn more about how The Pearl of Consciousness Online Course can help you cultivate joy and self-love.
