It is the longest day and the shortest night of the year, the beginning of summer, and an annual event steeped in mystical tradition. “The summer solstice is honored in several ancient cultures as the union between heaven and earth,” explains Brooklyn-based energy healer Emily Mikaelah. “As we emerge out of the spring—where we were in a period of renewal, birthing new ideas, and shedding the icy layers of the shadow months—we slowly grow into summer, a time of manifestation and the ripening of the fruit.”