In the north, the bright nights continue well into most of July, even as the days begin to shorten and the Sun’s path in the sky starts to decline. The starry sky is hardly visible due to the brightness, but instead, thunderstorms may rumble, especially at the end of hot afternoons. In July, the air is often both warm and humid, and we may even experience tropical hot nights, with temperatures exceeding 20 degrees Celsius.

The meadows are now at their most abundant. Wild strawberries, blueberries, and wild raspberries ripen, and the first chanterelles can be picked from the nearby forests. Nature is in full attire, and life is flourishing.

The Finnish name for July, “heinäkuu,” means the Hey Moon. It comes from the fact that in the hottest month of summer, hay was ready to be harvested. In Latin languages, the month’s name honors Julius Caesar, after whom the Julian calendar, which was used in Finland until the 18th century, was named. Among North American indigenous peoples, July was called “Berry Moon,” “Thunder Moon,” and “Buck Moon”; male deer and bucks begin to show off their full antlers, berries ripen, and summer thunderstorms are common.

NAMES:
Heinäkuu, meaning ‘the hey moon’ according to the time of the hay harvest
July (eng.), according to Julius Cesar
Bull Moon (Algonquin), Berry Moon (Anishinaabe), Raspberry Moon (Algonquin, Ojibwe), Thunder Moon (Western Abenaki), Halfway Summer Moon (Anishinaabe), Feather Moulting Moon (Cree), Salmon Moon (Tlingit)

SPECIAL DAYS
– The Day of Eino Leino (a Finnish poet) and the Day of Poetry and Summer 6.7.
– Bear Day 13.7.
– Women’s Week 18.-24.7.
–  Seven Sleepers’ Day 27.7.
– Mätäkuu, the Dog Days  23.7.-23.8.

July Ritual: Cool Down

Climate change is heating up summers around the world. In July, we experience increasingly high heatwaves and broken temperature records. Many countries suffer from massive wildfires. The warmth of the Sun, which is vital for all life on Earth, can become truly dangerous as the Earth overheats.

The same applies to our personal lives. It’s good to experience emotions strongly, but sometimes emotions heat up too much. If we don’t release them in a healthy way, we overheat and overreact.

For me, writing has always been a way to reflect on my emotions and cool down the strongest outbursts before letting them out – if only I am strong enough and consciously pause to transfer my feelings onto paper first. This requires a lot of practice and mental balance. When I’m tired, my blood sugar is low, or I’m otherwise physically or mentally imbalanced, it’s much harder. During vacation, routines easily break down as we party and travel a lot. It’s hard to remember to stick to our own needs, boundaries, and healthy routines. That’s why it’s important to constantly remind ourselves of our basic needs: eat, drink water, and rest enough, even though summer is at its hottest and there are fun events every day!

Find the best way to cool down both your body and mind. It could be a refreshing morning and evening swim, journaling, meditation, or another slow and cooling ritual.

Find the best way to cool down both your body and your mind. It could be a cooling and refreshing morning and evening swim, journaling, meditation or other slowing and cooling ritual.

You can also go to the beach and do one of the following meditative exercises:

• Collect rocks and build a tower with them.
• Decorate driftwood with seashells.
• Draw a mandala in the sand.
• Craft a mobile with treasures from the sea.
• Send your wishes out to the waves.
• Cast your worries away and sink them with a stone to the bottom of the lake.

July Ritual: Rug Washing

Steaming coffee in an enamel mug, rye bread topped with smoked fish. Fingers smelling of pine soap, water shimmering brightly, striped rag rugs drying in the sun. The traditional Finnish practice of washing rugs by the water’s edge is a tradition that is hard to find in any other culture. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been going to wash rugs with my mother. First in Imatra along the Vuoksi River, then on the shores of the sea in Tervasaari island, Helsinki. Nowadays, we wash the rugs at a dry land rug washing spot for environmental reasons. Rug washing is an important ritual for me – it’s a tradition that adds to my sense of rootedness and a symbol of taking care of my own home. I can’t think of a more summery ritual than washing rugs on a beautiful July day! Hot coffee (or sometimes even cold sparkling wine), delicious snacks, and great company make the summer moment perfect, which is delightful to share with friends or one’s own family. Not to mention the scent that fills the house when clean and dry rugs are laid out on the floors.

July Ritual: Observing Weather Omens

In the agrarian culture, observing the weather was crucial, especially in July, when dry weather was hoped for during haymaking to ensure the hay would dry well. Our ancestors knew how to interpret nature’s signs of weather changes, and although many weather-related sayings are based on superstition, their origins lay in empirical, local folklore. One way to get closer to nature is to start observing the weather and signs in nature before weather changes. For me, it not only creates a connection with the surrounding nature but also provides a way to pause and slow down in everyday life. In July, observing the weather is both fun and practical: Can you leave the laundry outside to dry overnight or should you bring in the cushions from the terrace chairs? Should you take down the parasol to protect it from the storm?

Here are a few fun signs that may help interpret weather changes:

• It is said that hay and grass smell particularly strong before rain.
• Swallows fly low when rain is imminent. However, if they’re flying high in the sky, there’s no need to fear rain.
• Did you feel shivers on your skin, and did the air suddenly turn cold? Often, a cooler air mass precedes rain and storms, which can be clearly sensed on the skin.
• Does the familiar forest look darker than usual? Rain might be on the way.
• Is the smoke curling down the chimney, or is it difficult to get a fire going in the fireplace and the smoke to rise? Low pressure causes smoke to push downward, indicating that rain is coming.
• And if the morning dew is thick and close to the ground, it signals beautiful weather ahead.

Would you like to learn more about rituals and live more in tune with the rhythms of nature? I share stories and insights about rituals now also in the form of a newsletter, approximately once a month. Join in!