06/22/2026
Standing barefoot at the edge of Zaca Lake on the Summer Solstice, I was reminded that connection is not something we simply feel, it’s something we participate in.
The water was calm. Birds sang overhead. The sun warmed my skin. Before asking anything from this place, I paused to introduce myself right when I arrive.
“My name is Jennifer Schaefer. I was born on June 29, 1976.”
I asked permission to enter the energetic field of this land and quietly wondered, “What can I offer in return?”
This is a beautiful practice I learned from a wise friend. Rather than arriving as a visitor who takes, we arrive as a participant in relationship.
Take a few deep breaths and ask the spirit of the land what it would like from you. The answer may not always make logical sense. It could be a pine cone, a flower, a cotton ball, a gold coin, a prayer, a song, or simply your gratitude.
Then visualize yourself offering it to a steward of the land, placing it gently on the earth, or releasing it into the water. When complete, give thanks once again, place your hand on your heart, and open your eyes.
Every place we go carries a consciousness, a history, a spirit. Whether it’s a forest, a mountain, a desert, or a quiet lake, there is wisdom available when we approach with respect and reciprocity.
Today, on the longest day of the year, may we remember that we are not separate from nature. We are in relationship with it.
What if every place you entered became a conversation instead of a destination?
Happy Summer Solstice. ☀️🌿💛
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