“Midsummer and the Path of Renewal“
Rev. Kurt Hohmann
Litha (Midsummer)
- Time when the sun stands still at its highest point in the sky
- Illuminates the world with its fullest light
- Bathes us in its warm embrace
- Longest day and shortest night
- Nature in its fullest glory
- Time of abundance and vitality
- Painted in every color of the rainbow
- Cycle of seasons tied to the rhythms of our lives
- Time for basking in the warmth of our achievements
- Wisdom gained from our trials
- Time for basking in the warmth of our achievements
- Lessons of Midsummer
- A little introspection
- Turn inward to reflect upon personal growth and transformation
- Shed the burdens of the past
- Release whatever no longer serves us
- More so: time for action, keeping ideas moving forward
- Seeds planted in the spring are now in full bloom
- “Seeds of potential”—our ideas—allowed to flourish and thrive
- Rejoice in our own abundance
- Warmth of community
- Infinite possibilities that lie ahead
- A little introspection
Renewal
- Resonant theme of Litha
- Nature
- Renewal in flourishing plants, ripening fruits, blooming flowers
- Testament to Earth’s resilience
- Ability to regenerate and thrive
- Nature undergoes cycles of birth, growth, death, and rebirth
- So do we, as individuals and as a community
- Constantly evolving, learning, and growing
- Shedding old ways of being and embracing new possibilities
- Personal renewal
- Calls us to reflect on our personal journeys
- Acknowledge the challenges we have faced
- Embrace opportunities for growth and transformation
- Door Analogy
- “When one door closes another door opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the ones which open for us.” — Alexander Graham Bell
- There are nearly unlimited doors you can go through
- One closed door doesn’t matter all that much
- Unless you believe it was the only door that will ever exist
- Personal renewal is not always easy
- Letting go and embracing the new can be challenging
- Essential for growth and well-being
- Requires letting go of what we no longer need
- Confront fears and uncertainties
- Step into the unknown with courage and resilience
- Through letting go we create space for
- New beginnings
- Fresh insights
- Deeper connections with ourselves and one another
- Renewal
- Opportunity to explore the transformative power of change
- Invites us to cultivate freshness, vitality, and regeneration
- Even amid challenges and uncertainty
- Calls us to embrace the cycles of nature and our own inner rhythms
- Recognize endings are necessary for new beginnings
- Resilience
- Ability to bounce back from setbacks
- Adapt to change
- Grow stronger and more wholehearted
- Let go of attachments to the past, release old habits, and open ourselves to transformation
- Relational renewal
- Engage with others
- Foster mutual support, understanding, and connection
- Create spaces of belonging and inclusion where everyone is welcomed, valued, and affirmed
- Renewal comes in many forms
- Religious
- Spiritual
- Philosophical
- Ethical
- Nature
Practical / Personal Renewal: Walking
- Engineering school: Feedback Loop
- Output becomes input for future operations
- Example: a thermostat
- Humans work the same way
- Sweating
- Shivering
- Applies to software, machines, psychology, and more
- Walking as a career enhancer
- Problems are easier to think about while walking alone
- Problems are easier to discuss while walking with others
- Not just work problems
- Walking meditation
- Walking as a child
- Walking everywhere with Grandma
- Escape the house
- Exercise
- Nature
- Making up stories
- Walking became a feedback loop
- Solvitur ambulando — “It is solved by walking.”
- Experiment to find answers
- Don’t just think about it—try it
- Life’s questions and challenges can often be answered through walking
- Walking connects us with
- The rhythm of our footsteps
- The flow of our breath
- The world around us
- Walking clears the mind
- Gain new perspectives
- Find solutions to problems
- Walking is, for me:
- A retreat from routine
- An opportunity for service and listening
- Immersion in nature
- Walking isn’t the only way
- Swimming
- Yoga
- Meditation
- Art
- Music
- Gardening
- Sharing a meal
- Find what works for you
Walking the Path of Renewal
- Find a natural setting
- Forest
- Meadow
- Beach
- Prepare for a mindful walking meditation
- Carry with you themes of
- Light
- Abundance
- Renewal
- Pay attention to
- Your feet touching the earth
- The sounds of nature
- The warmth of the sun
- Reflect on renewal
- Seek clarity
- Allow your mind to wander
- Explore questions and challenges
- Reflect on what you wish to release
- Old habits
- Old patterns
- Past hurts
- Imagine those burdens lifting away with each step
- Embrace new beginnings
- New habits
- New goals
- New perspectives
- Visualize positive changes taking root
- Trust that walking will bring clarity and insight
- Return and reflect
- What insights arose?
- How do you feel renewed?
- Seek clarity
Spiritual Renewal
- Choose to embark on a journey of spiritual renewal
- Schedule time for yourself
- Don’t “find” time
- Set it apart
- Make it sacred
- Leave space for magic
- Feed your spirit
- Remember treasured experiences
- Experience life’s gifts again
- Renew contact with what is most precious
- If your spirit isn’t nourished, it withers
- Ask yourself:
- What does my spirit need right now?
- Nature?
- A garden?
- A museum?
- A concert?
- A walk with a friend?
- Create something
- Music
- Singing
- Painting
- Sculpting
- Knitting
- Cooking
- Don’t feel guilty
- Joy feeds your spirit
- There will always be emails and meetings
- Practices that nourish your spirit give clarity and strength
- Make space
- Reflect on what your spirit truly needs
- Let your deepest longings guide you
- Beauty
- Love
- Play
- Let your spirit heal and soar
- When our spirits are strong
- Our work for compassion and justice has enduring power
- We become blessings to one another and to the world
Conclusion
- May this Litha be a time of joy, growth, and deep connection with the natural world and our inner selves.
- Carry the light and warmth of the sun within you.
- Embrace renewal, knowing every step brings greater clarity and transformation.
- Remember the wisdom of solvitur ambulando.
- Maybe your path is walking.
- Maybe it’s another creative pursuit.
- Hold space for one another’s journeys of renewal.
- Offer support and encouragement during times of transition.
- Celebrate the beauty and diversity of life.
- May Midsummer deepen our connection with ourselves, one another, and the world around us.
- Carry the spirit of renewal wherever you go.
- Trust the transformative power of change.
- Draw strength from the ever-renewing wellspring of life.
- May we become catalysts for renewal in our communities and in the world.