Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate. Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer’s lease hath all too short a date. Sonnet 18, William Shakespeare
Warmth, joy, connection and love are the gifts of Summer and the Fire Element. In Spring, we experienced the essence of theWood Element. Regeneration, birth, and the sense of hope that comes with new beginnings are at the heart of Spring, and are embodied by the image of plant life bursting forth with new growth. Wood energy is directed toward making plans, setting goals and planting new seed. In Summer, the hard work of Spring matures. The crops are in the garden, the flowers are in full bloom, and there is nothing more to be done except pull a few weeds and wait for the fruit to form. It’s time to relax and enjoy the warm weather and long, sunny days. Yang energy — characterized by activity, warmth, light, and outwardness — reaches its peak in Summer. The Chinese ideogram, yang 暘, means “sun,” and there is no better image for the Fire Element than the sun itself. The sun is at its zenith in Summer, and it is time to let ourselves open up and be bathed in its warmth.
Play, friendship and joy manifest the Fire Element within us.
Warmth and human connection also abound in Summer, as we busy ourselves with weddings, picnics, festivals and every manner of outdoor recreation. The maturation that we see in the garden plants during Summer is taking place within our body/mind/spirit, too. The fun of Summer — ease, joy, friendship and play — creates the warmth that transforms us and opens our hearts to love. This love is the inner sun that we carry with us throughout the year.
