Summer is a time to let your mind wander, to allow daydreaming to take hold, and to drift into a kind of restorative boredom. Remember the kind of boredom that once gave rise to blanket forts and improv dance choreography, epic letters written to old friends, and books read from cover to cover in a single sitting? This is the medicine of summer.
Our lives are so full that few of us experience this natural sense of creativity, born out of idleness. But what have we lost by filling our free time with never-ending to-do lists, self-improvement projects, and of course, the mindless scrolling which has replaced so many of the quiet moments which previously punctuated our lives? The intense heat of the season demands that we slow down and savor what is right in front of us.
Summer is a time to revel in the reality that these lives of ours are meant to be enjoyed. Let us not rush through the season, robbing ourselves of the opportunity to taste the restorative sweetness that is so generously offered to all.
Here in central Texas, the chorus of cicadas in the trees beyond my window lets me know that summer has reached its peak. My potted plants require vigilant care to shield them from the heat of the sun; the lake is my refuge, and slow mornings are my salvation. Summer is revealing itself to me as a deep season of tending inward, winter’s twin in terms of its intensity.
Summer has the potential to be the most refreshingly sensual of all the seasons. Below you’ll find my five favorite herbs and practices for staying soft and centered, all summer long.
Read on for my favorite herbs and practices
to keep your cool, no matter how hot it gets.
