Radiance & Ritual: Honoring the Summer Solstice with Herbal Wisdom

The summer solstice has always felt like a sacred invitation to me—an opening into expansion, warmth, and the full radiance of life. As the longest day of the year, it’s a time when solar energy is at its peak and everything seems to glow a little brighter. Whether I’m brewing herbal teas, preparing a sun-infused body oil, or simply sitting outside in gratitude, I use this time to realign with nature and the medicine it offers us in every season.

In Ayurveda, the solstice marks the height of Pitta dosha—governed by fire and water—and with that comes the need to cool, soothe, and preserve our internal vitality or ojas. But this isn’t just a Vedic practice. Across cultures, from Indigenous herbalists to Traditional Chinese Medicine to diasporic communities of color, honoring the sun with ritual and herbs has long been part of the human story.

I wanted to share some of the ways I personally connect to this day, along with global traditions that inspire me. I’ve also included some of my favorite cooling herbal mocktail recipes for the solstice—refreshing, vibrant, and rooted in ancestral care.

☀️ What the Solstice Means to Me (and to Our Ancestors)

In Ayurveda, summer is seen as a time when the external heat begins to weaken our internal digestive fire, or Agni. It’s a season where the body can easily overheat, which makes calming herbs essential. I like to think of this as a time to honor the balance between fire and water—passion and surrender. Cooling herbs like brahmi, rose, fennel, and shatavari often find their way into my teas and self-care rituals.

When I reflect on how other traditions mark this day, I’m reminded how deeply interconnected we all are in our reverence for the sun:

Indigenous Wisdom: Many Indigenous communities in the Americas have solstice ceremonies that include herbal offerings like sweetgrass, sage, cedar, and tobacco. These are often burned or offered to the land and ancestors. I’ve learned so much from these practices and the way they root healing in relationship—community, spirit, and nature are never separate.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): In TCM, the solstice is when yang energy is most active—fiery, expansive, outward. To balance that, yin-supporting herbs like chrysanthemum, goji berry, and lotus seed are used. I love their emphasis on harmonizing not just the body, but also the heart and spirit, especially in this season of exuberance.

African Diasporic Traditions: From the Caribbean to West Africa, the sun is celebrated as a life-giving force. One of my favorite rituals inspired by these lineages is the bush bath—a spiritual herbal cleanse done at dawn. Cooling herbs like lemongrass, basil, and mint are steeped and poured over the body with intention. It’s a ritual I come back to every summer.

🌿 My Go-To Herbal Rituals for the Summer Solstice

Here are a few of the simple, soul-nourishing ways I like to work with herbs during this solar portal. These practices help me feel grounded, connected, and in tune with the seasonal shift.

1. Solar Infused Body Oil

Making herbal-infused oil under the sun feels like bottling light. I fill a glass jar with dried rose, calendula, peppermint, and lavender, then top it with a carrier oil like sesame or sunflower. I place it on a sunny windowsill for a week, shaking it gently each day. After straining, I use this oil for self-massage (abhyanga) or after sun exposure to cool and soothe the skin.

2. Herbal Mandala Offering

On solstice morning, I like to create a mandala using herbs and flowers I’ve foraged or grown—basil, lemon balm, daisies, even rose petals. As I place them in a circular design, I offer prayers for renewal, release, and alignment. It’s a simple yet powerful ritual of beauty and gratitude.

3. Sunrise Tea Meditation

There’s nothing like watching the sun rise on the solstice with a warm, heart-opening tea in hand. Here’s one I often make:

Solstice Sunrise Tea Blend:

• 1 tsp hibiscus

• 1 tsp rose petals

• 1/2 tsp lemon balm

• 1/2 tsp dried mint

Steep for 5 minutes. I drink it slowly outside, letting the flavors and morning light awaken my senses.

4. Solstice Bush Bath

Inspired by Afro-Caribbean herbal traditions, this ritual resets me on a soul level. I steep a pot of lemongrass, basil, peppermint, and lavender, let it cool, and pour it over myself in the shower while focusing on releasing heat—physically, emotionally, spiritually.

5. Altar with Solar Offerings

I keep a small altar for the solstice with yellow candles, sunflowers, marigold, and stones like citrine. I place a bowl of herbal water or tea on it as an offering to the sun and my ancestors. Lighting a candle here each morning during solstice week is one of my quiet joys.

🍹 Herbal Mocktails to Keep You Cool & Glowing

These mocktails are light, flavorful, and made with herbs that support digestion and soothe Pitta. They’re some of my favorite things to sip on all summer long.

1. Rose & Hibiscus Refresher

Floral, cooling, and great for the heart chakra

• 1 tbsp dried hibiscus

• 1 tsp dried rose petals

• 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup

• Juice of 1/2 lime

• Sparkling water

Instructions:

Steep herbs in 1 cup boiling water for 10 minutes. Strain and cool. Mix with lime and sweetener. Pour over ice, top with sparkling water, and garnish with fresh mint.

2. Cucumber Basil Cooler

Deeply hydrating with a fresh, earthy taste

• 1/2 cucumber, sliced

• 4 basil leaves

• 1 tsp elderflower syrup or agave

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• Coconut water

Instructions:

Muddle cucumber and basil. Add lemon and sweetener. Shake with coconut water and serve over ice. Garnish with a cucumber ribbon or edible flower.

3. Ginger Lemongrass Sparkler

Lightly warming, digestive, and uplifting

• 1 stalk lemongrass, chopped

• 1-inch ginger, sliced

• 1 tbsp honey

• Club soda

Instructions:

Simmer ginger and lemongrass in 1 cup water for 10 minutes. Cool, strain, and mix with honey. Pour over ice and top with soda water. Garnish with a lemongrass stalk.

4. Aloe Mint Elixir

Soothing to the skin, digestive system, and spirit

• 1/2 cup aloe vera juice

• Juice of 1 lime

• 4 mint leaves, muddled

• 1 tsp maple syrup

• Water or coconut water

Instructions:

Stir everything together and serve chilled over ice. I love sipping this post-sun ritual or after yoga.

🌞 A Solstice Closing Ritual

When the sun is high and life feels abundant, I like to pause for a moment of stillness and remember: this energy won’t last forever. Like the seasons, I too am always shifting. The solstice is a mirror—reflecting both the brightness of the outer world and the glow of our inner light.

If you try any of these rituals or recipes, I’d love to hear how they land with you. May this solstice fill you with clarity, vitality, and beauty. May the plants continue to guide your path—one sip, one step, one breath at a time.

With Infinite Gratitude,

Jessica Natalia