Last weekend, we reached the peak of the year in terms of sunlight. In the Northern Hemisphere, we celebrated the summer solstice – the moment when we enjoy the most daylight. In Europe, this is often also the time when we feel most energised: the temperatures are pleasant, nature is in full bloom, the sky is clearer, and life spills outdoors. Everything feels vibrant and alive.
This time carries a strong charge of Masculine energy, which feels amazing to many of us. Think of expansion, action, assertion and productivity – qualities our society deeply values. It can feel invigorating, invincible, even euphoric, like we can do and have it all. YES!
However… we do have limits.
And when we reach a peak – in energy, in output, in daylight – it’s essential to become even more mindful of those limits. Otherwise, we risk tipping into over-giving, overdoing, or overextending. We may become insensitive, dominating, or get stuck on the hamster wheel of constant activity. That’s why now is the time to pause and assert your boundaries.
That said, the summer solstice is also a moment of celebration, as we enter the season where we can fully express ourself, realise our visions, and witness our ideas blossom into form. That’s exactly what I embraced on June 21st – and what I’m carrying with me into the summer ahead.
In this blog, I’m sharing my reflections on this solstice, the Masculine-Feminine balance, and today’s new moon – including practices and prompts to help you surf the summer waves with joy and pleasure, while staying aligned & rooted with yourself 🌞🌿
Summer Solstice & toxic Masculinity
In Europe, the summer solstice marks the official start of summer. It’s the day when the northern axis of the Earth tilts closest to the sun, gifting us with the longest daylight of the year – about 16.5 hours, which is double the daylight of the winter solstice!
More light = more energy = more outward vibration.
We feel it.
We see it.
We live it.
Just like plants, our systems respond to this peak of light. Our energy naturally turns outward – toward socialising, creating, acting, multitasking, pursuing, building – and we still have energy left! These are all Masculine traits – and right now, they are at their strongest, at their peak.
But what happens after a peak?
We descend. Duh.
And luckily, Imagine climbing high peaks endlessly, or staying on that altitude (- picture of our cycle trip in Ladakh to support this imagination.)
Just like climbing a mountain – the summit is thrilling, but eventually, we must come down. Unless we get “creative” and use artificial support (a plane, a kite, a caffeine boost, an overbooked calendar…), and even then, we eventually have to land.
So why do we keep trying to stay at the top?
Why do we expect ourselves to be endlessly productive, constantly “on,” forever pushing forward?
Why is it we continuously want more?
Why have we forgotten the wisdom of cycles – that after expansion comes contraction, and that after action comes rest?
How did we forget about the necessity of pausing, gearing down, stopping, and receiving, so we can regenerate and repair?
How did we forget that these are preconditions for sustainable, inclusive and transformative growth?
The answer’s the culture we live in.
A culture that glorifies constant output and linear growth. That fears slowness. That has been dominated by distorted Masculine values – logic over intuition, speed over presence, control over flow.
A culture that pushes us to function like machines, forgetting that we are nature too.
Don’t get me wrong. The Masculine is not the problem. In its healthy form, it’s essential – it provides structure, action, direction, and manifestation. But without the Feminine, it becomes aggressive, detached, and destructive. We see it in our workplaces, our politics, our natural environment, and our bodies.
The key is balance.
The key is the dance.
Masculine and Feminine are not opposites – they are complements. They need each other to be whole. Envision it like the yin-yang symbol: ☯️
Even at the peak of the light, we must make space for the dark dot.
At the height of outward energy, we must make space for inward presence.
As we move forward from the solstice, the invitation is clear:
Yes, chase your dreams. Create. Lead. Shine.
And also, feel your limits.
Find those mini-moments of rest and reflection, dare to be soft, set boundaries, connect with the people around you, and act from your heart – with softness and kindness. This is the Feminine.
The bigger you want your life to be and the more impact you want to have, the more essential it is to honour your cyclical nature – the outer seasons, your inner seasons, your rhythms, and your need for both action and pause.
A New Moon to Reorient Within
Just days after solstice, we entered a new moon in Cancer – and the timing couldn’t be more perfect.
Not only to counter the light of the solstice with the darkness of the new moon. Also because Cancer is the sign of the heart, the home, the womb. It is the archetype of the mother, the nurturer, the deep-feeler. It’s connected to our roots and lineages. This moon calls us back inward after the outward blaze of solstice, so we can pause, soften and re-align.
It’s a time to choose your own rhythm, your own inner pulse – one that honours the full spectrum of feelings and sensations moving through your heart and body. This is not a time to fight, but to feel.
What makes you feel safe?
Where do you belong?
What are you carrying that no longer serves?
Where are you armouring yourself?
What lineages do you choose to carry forward?
These are questions to sit with – not solve.
To feel – not fix.
I also used this new moon as a portal to reflect, looking back on the first half of my year, and I invite you to do the same.
🌀 Reflection prompts
Over the coming days, ask yourself:
- What intentions did you set at the end of winter?
- Where are you with those intentions now?
- Which ones still feel alive, and which need to shift?
- What does your heart long to focus on this summer?
- What energy, pace, and presence will serve your joy?
Let this be a mid-year recalibration – a ritual of gentle realignment.
So you can move forward in your power, with your softness, from your truth.
So you are prepped for a thriving summer full of joy, creation and celebration.
My Solstice & New Moon Rituals
So, what did I do with all this energy?
On solstice, I woke up right before the first rays of sunlight, at 05:05. I then joined a full-day workshop on Transformative Feminine Power – a beautiful gathering of women I had serendipitously encountered a few weeks earlier. It was exactly where I needed to be on this day. (Magic unfolds when we work intentional and align with cycles.) The day was connective, and filled with insight. (I’ll share more in an upcoming blog.)
After the workshop, I celebrated far beyond sunset. We danced the night away at a festival with friends. The summer vibes were fully on.
On the new moon, I joined an online women’s circle from a Menstruality peer and did a beautiful ritual from my course ‘Wisdom of the Feminine’ at Living As Sacred. These practices helped me to ground, soften, remember (and write this blog :)). I felt my body exhale. I felt the Feminine arrive.
I’m actually surprised how all these practices and rituals came so naturally together in a busy period. And that’s the thing: these practices take time. I wouldn’t have embraced them a few years ago. But now, they come to me. My body asks for them. And I have started to live by them.
A Few Ways You Can Begin…
If this speaks to you, here are a few simple ways to tune into this new moon moment:
🌑 Light a candle. Reflect on your year so far. Journal with the prompts above. Set a gentle intention for the coming months, the summer.
🌞 Choose one way you want to express yourself fully this summer – through art, movement, speech, or a brave action.
🌊 Connect to the Feminine. Feel into your body. Rest without guilt. Practice receiving. Place a hand on your heart and ask what she needs right now.
Final Thoughts
This season invites you into celebration and expression, with presence.
This blog is your reminder that the sun’s peak does not mean abandoning your softness.
Enjoy. Celebrate. Radiate. Shine.
And let it all unfold in harmony – on your rhythms, from your truth, and by the deeper intelligence of your cyclical nature.
With love,
Stéphanie 🌞🌙
Awareness. Embodiment. Alignment. Transformation.
