Rocky Dawuni & Gaia Herbs celebrating Summer Solstice and “Shine Your Light”

The summer solstice is today. It’s a time to reflect on the cycles of nature and to welcome the warmth, passion, and vitality of summer.

On this day of the year when the sun shines the longest, we’d like to share something that’s close to our hearts. It’s a video featuring Grammy-nominated reggae artist, humanitarian, and all-around awesome human being Rocky Dawuni singing his song “Shine a Light” while touring the Gaia Farm and philosophizing with Gaia Herbs Founder Ric Scalzo. We were all so inspired by his visit and his wise words about the interconnection between nature and artistic expression. We hope you will be, too.

If you spend any amount of time in Rocky’s presence, one thing that becomes immediately apparent is his amazing, uplifting attitude. “When it comes to the mental state, wellness means a mind that dwells in a state of gratitude for life and projects good intentions and nurturing thoughts that ensure clarity of one’s conscience,” he told us. He advocates cultivating “a mind that harbors goodwill towards nature and all of life.”

Which brings us back to the summer solstice.

For many people, the longer, sunnier days of summer make it easier to enter a positive state of mind that allows us to feel the gratitude and good intentions Rocky mentions. There’s no doubt about it…summer is uplifting. When we’re outdoors — especially when we’re immersed in Nature — and we feel the warmth of sunshine on our skin, there’s a certain feeling of expansiveness that fills us. A sweeping sensation that life is full of possibility and wonder.

What if you could feel that sense of uplifted mental well-being all the time? No, we’re not talking about moving to Southern California, where it’s sunny all the time. We’re talking about nurturing a positive attitude through the thoughtful use of mood-lifting herbs.

Enter Gaia Herbs’ Mood Uplift™, a formulation that was created to help lift you up when you’re feeling low. Its carefully selected herbal ingredients, such as Oats, St. John’s Wort, Passionflower, and Vervain, let the light in for a brighter tomorrow, by:

• Helping your body cope with daily stress, since stress is a known mood-buster*
• Nourishing your nervous system, so you can face life with a grounded sense of calm*
• Calming your mind, so you can allow that feeling of expansiveness to inhabit you*
• Supporting a balanced mood, so you can see all the goodness around you*

It’s quite timely to be talking about St. John’s Wort now, as this revered mood-enhancing herb gets its name from its penchant for flowering around St. John’s Day, just a few days after the summer solstice. And Vervain, a tension-easing herb also known as Simpler’s Joy, is also a summertime flowerer. Perhaps these mood-elevating herbs are absorbing the levity of summer, so we can tap into it when we may need it throughout the year.

May this summer season be a time of energy and growth for you, as you walk in the light.

source: Gaia Herbs