Summer Abundance and The Empress
Hello, hello, another blog post Wednesday. I am finally feeling better after being ill for a few weeks and I’m very grateful for that. I’m ready to start the summer! We’ve just had Memorial Day here in the USA which is an unofficial start to the summer. The Solistice on June 20th is the official start, but the days are already getting longer and warmer. Summer waits for no one, and is gone in a flash, so it’s best to dive in early and try to ride the wave for as long as you can.
The thing that is tricky about summer in Vermont is that it is short. I say the days are getting warmer, but it’s in fits and starts. We had some hot days a few weeks ago and then it was back to lighting the woodstove in the morning and cold rain all last week. This weekend we put in the vegetable garden and it was gloriously sunny and warm again. You never know when you’re going to get a good day, and checking the weather app on your phone doesn’t help. Somehow it’s always wrong and a 2% chance of rain will a steady drizzle or a predicted 70 degree day will blaze in the 80s. You have to be ready for anything! And before you know it, it’s late August and the days are getting short and cool again. Just like that!
The Empress tarot card from the Shadowscapes tarot deck.
And since it’s so short, every fun thing needs to get packed in there. It can be hard to figure out a beach day schedule that works for the whole crew. A family camping trip needs to get planned out at least 6 months in advance or everyone’s booked up. The list of possible house projects stretches longer than the number of weekends that even exist in a summer around here. Hiking trips get pushed to the fall in hopes that summer weekends will be spent tubing down the river. It’s a lot of logistics and long-term plans, hoping that you have the energy and the stamina to really enjoy the things when they happen.
When I always tell myself at the beginning of the summer (well, after a particularly intense summer of trying to do everything and wearing myself out) is to chill out and not over-schedule the thing. I know, it’s nice words, great idea, but how does it go in practice? What helps keep me grounded and content when the world is calling me to overdo it and never be satisfied until all the summer has been enjoyed to the last drop? Well, that’s where The Empress comes into this tale of summer.
The Empress is just such a great card, am I right? Calling in her energy is a good idea in lots of situations, but let’s focus on summer. This is the time of the year in Vermont when the earth is at its most fertile and abundant. These are key attributes of The Empress: fecund, creative, and copious. And she knows how to overflow in these areas without over-giving or overextending. This is her superpower. She is a wellspring of growth because she knows her extensive resources and how to properly manage them. Those are the lessons we want to learn from The Empress each summer.
The trees covered in leaves against a blue sky in my yard during early summer.
So the first piece of advice from The Empress for an abundant summer is to be self-aware. Know how much energy you have. Know how much time you have. Know that it is enough. The Earth itself is offering you up more than usual with longer days, more vitamin D in that sunshine, and a lush environment full of helpful microbes to breath in. Feel into that abundance and let it sink into your being. The Empress wants you to learn how deeply you can draw from your well to water your garden without taking too much or leaving unnecessary reserves. Develop a practice of assessing your resources and knowing what you do and do not have to offer each day of this magnificent summer.
The Empress is earth energy, ruled by Taurus. The second lesson of The Empress is to know that her abundance tips into the lush and luxurious. It’s not all about go, go, go during summer, rushing around to grab at all the treasures of this season. There is also a sinking in, toes deep in the sand, hands into the soil, feet up in a hammock, body floating on the water. The Empress wants you to revel in the senses and the luxuries of the summer. Enjoy those late summer sunsets, spend another hour chatting with friends into the evening, get up for sunrise on the mountaintop. All of these wonders of the earth are yours to enjoy, so celebrate, sink in, and feel extravagant!
The Empress card from the Rider Waite Smith tarot deck.
When we take the time to notice how much the world has to offer us and really experience that profusion of summer vibes, it becomes easier to realize that that is enough. Even if we can’t have every fun experience and do every great summer activity that we love, it’s ok. As long we really appreciate the things that we can do, practicing gratitude and noticing our abundance, contentment and joy will come our way. The Empress isn’t running around snatching at rainbows, she’s in her garden, relaxing into the brilliance of the moment. She knows that good things only come around every so often, so don’t rush through them, take them in slowly with all the senses.
So that is my goal for the summer, to not get grabby and instead really notice and appreciate what does fit into this short season. It’s not only enough, it’s a plethora, a cornucopia, a bounty of beautiful experiences. I will take these two beautiful lessons of The Empress and be peaceful. I will tap into my inner Empress, relax into the moment, connect with my word of the year (content!), and truly be grateful for all the world has to offer. The grass is green, the tomatoes are on the vine, the river is my swimming pool, and each burst of laughter with the ones I love is a gift. Remember the wisdom of The Empress during your summer and see how her resplendent energy lightens you up! Will you listen to her wisdom?