June 21 - A day to celebrate the movement of the light

This morning, I had the privilege of watching the sunrise at Tankenberg – De Lutte, the highest point in Overijssel (85 meters – which is actually pretty high by Dutch standards!).

Being there, at the top of Tankenberg, in the silence before the day begins, reminded me that nature moves in its own time – and that this timing is just perfect. I was eagerly waiting for the sun to rise (which was the whole reason I went there), but while the light was still soft and diffused, I was gently reminded: nature is never in a rush.

It felt like nature was once again calling my attention to my anxious patterns and kindly inviting me into a practice of slowing down, waiting, listening, and simply taking it all in… And so, instead of just waiting impatiently for the sun to rise, I started noticing the subtle changes in the light and in the landscape. I let myself be carried by the fresh scents of early morning and the magnificent birdsong – and little by little, this deep, indescribable sense of peace started to grow inside me.

A Yoga practice guided by Mother Nature herself – reminding me that when we let go of expectations and goals set by the mind-ego, and simply allow ourselves to be, without trying to control anything, that’s when we truly experience what it means to just be present. A rest for the body, the mind, and the soul.

It is said that, in that region, 35 ancient Earth energy lines – the so-called Ley Lines – intersect. As if the land itself holds a living memory, a call to a more subtle presence...

At the top of the hill stands the Koepel op de Tankenberg, a hexagonal pavilion built nearly two centuries ago and restored in 1955. From up there, the view stretches far and wide, where sky and earth seem to meet. Further down the road, by the path’s edge, sits the humble Mariakapel – always open.

Two small landmarks, between the human and the natural, gently reminding us that the sacred can inhabit both the grand vista and the smallest detail along the way.

Today – June 21st – is a special day in nature: the solstice, the turning point of the sun’s journey. In the northern hemisphere, it’s the longest day of the year; in the southern hemisphere, the shortest. North or south, all across the planet, the solstice marks a threshold of light. A subtle moment when the cycle shifts: the light begins to return in the south, and to retreat in the north.

And with it, something within us also begins to move…

Coincidence or not, June 21st is also International Yoga Day – a millenary tradition that invites us to pause amidst the rush of life, to listen, and to align ourselves with the cycles of body and nature.

Whether through a human tradition or a natural ritual, June 21st invites us to honor the cycles, to practice presence in the midst of transition.

Whether at the peak of summer or in the retreat of winter, the day of the Solstice and of Yoga calls us to acknowledge impermanence of forms, the wisdom of rhythms, the ever-shifting light – outside and within.

✨ May the sun that moves across the sky also awaken something inside us.

✨ Happy Solstice, and Happy International Yoga Day 🧘‍♀️

Sunrise at Tankenberg, De Lutte