13 Essential Summer Must-Haves for Your Soul

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Happy Summer Solstice!

Summer starts with the summer solstice on June 21st. The summer solstice marks when the Earth is closest to the sun, the longest day of the year. After the 21st of June, every day gets a little bit shorter and shorter as we head toward the darker half of the year.

What this means is that summer is both a time of celebration and excitement as well as a time to slow down, rest, reenergize, and reflect.

So, I’ve divided this list into three sections:

• How to strip off excess and get down to bare-skin, true-you basics;
• How to connect to the fun, fiery passion of the season; and
• How to restore and rejuvenate yourself as summer winds down.

So without further ado, on to the list of summer must-haves to help you harness and flow with this season’s dual energy.

Part 1: Three minimalist summer must-haves

1. Clean and simple skincare

Each summer feels even hotter than the one before it. All the hot sticky sweatiness means I am simplifying everything – my wardrobe, my makeup, even my skincare. This summer, I’m going back to uber basics. I’m talking bar soap.

Like Nopalera’s Noche Clara cactus soap. It’s vegan and cruelty-free. And, this drop-dead gorgeous brand – just hop onto their website or Instagram and tell me you don’t want to buy everything – is proudly Chicana-owned, which I am definitely here for.

2. All-purpose face tint

Often in summer, I find myself brushing on some mascara and grabbing this two-in-one cheek and lip tint from And Other Stories to apply on the go. And that’s it.

Yall, it’s just too hot for anything more. This gives me a natural glow, which is what summer is all about.

3. Pool slippers worn pool-side and everywhere else

I don’t know about you, but I will be living in my pool slides from Loft this summer. I bought them for a Palm Springs family weekend to be worn at the pool. But the clean white look goes with short shorts and any summer dress too. And they are so affordable!

Part 2: Four fiery summer must-haves

4. Candles – summer magic must-haves

Summer’s fire energy makes me think of the element of fire used in candle magic. Try lighting a candle, setting an intention, and visualizing yourself embodying that intention in great detail as you watch the candle’s flame burn. Let the candle burn itself out as your intention takes hold.

If you need some guidance with candle magic, House of Intuition’s magic intention candles are perfect to get you started. Each jar candle is infused with an intention and includes instructions for working with it on the back. As an added bonus, each candle has a secret crystal inside of it like the prize at the bottom of the cereal box.

(Related: Candle Magic Basics for Beginners)

5. Bright fiery crystals, like orange calcite and tiger’s eye

Orange calcite is an energizing stone. Similarly, tiger’s eye “is a solar gemstone of vitality, action, and success,” according to Energy Muse. That’s what makes both of them so perfect for capturing vital summer energy.

If you’re a fan of raw crystals, check out Canvas and Crystals‘ orange calcite selection on Etsy, pictured below.

If it’s crystal decor you want, you’ll love these tiger’s eye and orange calcite wall hangings by Crystal Moon Boutique on Etsy.

Having crystals around your home, carrying them in your purse, or wearing them as jewelry is believed to attract frequencies that match those of the crystals and help you manifest the properties of that crystal for yourself.

6. Feel-good dance party music

The abundance of sun in the summer means it is time to channel rich fire energy. So I make sure to put away my beloved Joni Mitchell and acoustic hits – so Pisces – for some fun pop sounds to blast by the pool or in the car with the windows down.

My picks? Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia and Harry Styles’ Fine Line.

7. Vibrant artwork rooted in culture and activism

Metaphors for summer that come to mind are the tea kettle screaming, the soup pot boiling over. It is a time to unleash in big, bright, and bold ways. One way to channel this vivacious summer energy is to create and/or enjoy vivid, vibrant artwork. Here are some fabulous artist accounts on Instagram to check out.

Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya, New York-based artist

 

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A post shared by Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya (@alonglastname)

Malika Favre, French illustrator

 

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A post shared by Malika Favre (@malikafavre)

Sevada Grigoryan, Armenian artist

 

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A post shared by Sevada (@sevadagrigoryan)

Part 3: Six recuperating summer must-haves

The flip-side of the revelry of summer is the mindful slow-down that follows it. After the summer solstice, the days get shorter and shorter, inviting us to slow our pace and be present in each moment. This mindfulness allows us to recuperate and reflect so that we can reenergize and prepare for the start of work, school, or other new projects in the fall.

8. Swaying, tropical island music

Buena Vista Social Club’s Cuban jazz is iconic chill music.  Any time I hear BVSC, I’m instantly transported to a hammock with a mojito in my hand as beautiful couples dance around me.

9. A playful pool floatie

Speaking of sitting back and enjoying the present moment, summer isn’t about swimming laps around an Olympic-sized pool. It’s about splashing around with joy, doing a cannon ball or two, or just floating lazily.

10. Wind chimes

Wind chimes aren’t just pretty and relaxing. When it comes to energy, wind chimes, like bells, literally move energy when they vibrate to make sound. And in so doing, they move stagnant or static energy, cleansing the aura of the space. Many people believe wind chimes not only raise the vibrations of a home but also protect the home from negative energy and attract positive forces instead.

In fact, my husband just bought me the beautiful wind chimes below as part of my anniversary present. (The gift for the fifth year traditionally includes wood, and we’ve been having fun trying to incorporate each year’s material so far!) The tones are so low and beautiful – not tinny or even shrill like some wind chimes can be.

Here’s a similar one on Amazon if you gotta have that Prime shipping!

11. Himalayan salt lamp

Himalayan salt lamps balance electromagnetic radiation, purify the air, boost blood flow, and raise energy levels. Since summer is about recuperation and reenergizing ourselves in preparation for the fall, a Himalayan salt lamp may be the perfect addition to your home.

12. Anything written by Alan Watts

Alan Watts was a Western (British, actually) Buddhist writing about Eastern spirituality and wisdom after WWII. He talks about man’s tendency to look for meaning in life and bluntly yet masterfully offers the possibility that there is no meaning beyond living in the moment and realizing that the only constant is change.

The summer season calls us to live in the moment and enjoy the present, so Watts is the perfect beach read in my opinion.

This Is It might be his best-known book, but my favorite is The Wisdom of Insecurity, in which he argues that our anxiety comes from our tendency to live in the future and yearn for some larger meaning or guarantee out of life.

13. A journal for reflection and introspection

If you’re like me or many of my students, writing isn’t just for recording our reflections. The act of writing and journaling actually brings out deeper reflection and thoughts you may not even realize you have until you see them written on the page.

So, my summer must-haves list would be incomplete without nerding out over some summer notebook possibilities with you. The following can all be found in the Happy As Annie affiliate shop on Bookshop.org. That means you’ll be supporting independent bookstores while you shop.

Let me know your favorite ways to flow and align with summer energy in the comments below!

 

 

 

 

 

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