Welcome to a Solstice Echo.
It's a story to carry the light forward.
So,
Find your comfortable space.
Close your eyes and let the noise of the day soften.
Let your shoulders drop gently away from your ears.
Just let your body soften.
There's nowhere to go,
Nothing to prove.
It's just this moment.
So,
Breathe in slowly,
And breathe out,
And let yourself arrive.
Long ago,
When people still listened to trees and followed the rivers to find their way,
There was a legend told only once a year,
And it was on the longest night of summer.
They said that when the sun reached its highest point and paused,
Just for a breath,
The world opened a secret path.
And it was a path only seen by those with quiet feet and open hearts.
So,
On this night,
A gentle guide known as The Keeper would appear at the edge of the forest.
She was an ancient,
Wrapped in shawls of midnight blue and silver thread.
There was a bell tied to her wrist that made the softest sound,
Like wind through leaves.
She carried no torch,
No staff.
It was only her presence.
So,
Once a year,
A Seeker,
Tired from grief and worry,
Came to the edge of that same forest.
They had heard whispers of a path,
Lit not by flame,
But by something far older.
The Keeper saw the Seekers and nodded once.
No words were needed.
And as they began to walk,
As the sun dipped low,
The woods grew dim.
But the path ahead began to shimmer,
Not from lanterns,
But from fireflies.
Those tiny lights,
First one,
Then two,
Then hundreds,
Then thousands,
Rising abreast from the ground,
Hanging in the air like stars that had wandered too close.
These are not insects,
The Keeper whispered.
They are memories.
Each one a moment of listening,
Of courage,
Of kindness.
This is the light we leave behind when we truly see one another.
The Seekers stopped walking.
Their breath was caught in their throat,
And they asked,
Why do they glow?
So,
The Keeper turned,
And her eyes were just so full of reflection.
And she said,
Because love never disappears.
It only changes shape,
And sometimes it blinks.
So,
In the clearing,
The Keeper invited the Seekers to stand still,
Arms relaxed,
Palms open.
Tonight,
You may release what no longer serves you,
She said,
And in its place,
Receive a light of your own.
It is a guide for darker times.
Receive.
So,
The Seekers closed their eyes,
And in the beautiful hush of that summer night,
They breathed.
Breathe in.
Let the past loosen its grip.
Breathe out.
Let fear dissolve into the forest mist.
And the Seekers thought of someone they loved,
A kindness that they once gave,
A promise they made themselves but forgot to keep.
And they offered it to the night.
And in return,
A single firefly,
Glowing gently gold,
Floated down and settled in the center of their chest,
Right over the beautiful heart.
You carry it now,
The Keeper said.
It's a remembering,
A home light.
So,
As the two walked back through the glowing forest,
The Seekers no longer needed to be led.
The light within pulsed gently,
Guiding every step.
And though the Keeper has now vanished into the mist by dawn,
The firefly remained.
And you,
Too,
Carry light,
Even in sorrow,
Even in silence.
So,
Tonight,
The fireflies are watching,
To see who still listens,
To see who remembers.
So,
Take a breath now,
And feel that glow,
That gift in your chest,
And let it warm you from the inside out.
Because you are safe,
You are seen,
And you are walking a path lit by stars,
Light,
And memory.
And the light will not leave you.
So,
Breathe in and breathe out.
It is done.
Beautiful.
So,
Invite a sphere of protective,
Warm,
Golden,
Loving light to be placed all around you,
Your heart,
And this experience,
Too,
So that all the healing light,
The gifts,
And the serene benefits will stay with you.
Breathe in deeply one last time,
And as you exhale,
Bring your awareness back to the room.
Roll your shoulders,
If that feels good,
And now gently open your eyes,
And feel awake,
Alert,
And refreshed.
Namaste,
My friend.
