Breathing in a Summer Meditation

Parents, we are in the last full month of Summer. For some of us, our kids will return to school either in mid to late August, and for the rest, after Labor Day. Thus, this is the last official month of Summer to share with our kiddos. How has your Summer been? Did you make some fun, crazy, or even embarrassing family memories? Are you counting down the days until school starts? Are you looking at the calendar and wishing the Summer was longer? Where are you mentally on the Summer journey?

I hope you have had a wonderful Summer. If you have children (young or old), I pray that you were able to explore nature, a museum, the library, the beach, a park, or some other fantastic location with them. I remember when I was little, loving my family’s Summer excursions and vacations. I looked forward to beach camping and Summer sports camps. I cherished the friendships forged and the memories made. Now, as a parent, I try to provide the same opportunities for my children.

Nevertheless, as I am sure many of you parents can attest, it can be challenging to do all the things everyone in the family wants to do, and in the time period they want to do them. In the end, the goal is for everyone to have a good time, enjoy our beautiful Southern California, and make some memories along the way.

Now, with the winding down of Summer, we need to start preparing for the start of the new school year. There are supplies to order, clothes to buy, and schedules to organize. However, before you transition into the new school year and the craziness it can bring, let’s take a moment to calm our minds, breathe, and reflect on how the year is going and how we want it to proceed. Please join me in a short meditation.

To start, let’s set our intention for this Summer meditation. An intention is what you want to focus on while you meditate. For this meditation, I propose we focus on the ending of Summer and what you want out of the last rays of Summer sunshine.

First, find a quiet and comfortable place to sit or lie down. Gently close your eyes. Begin to notice your breaths. Take a few slow and deep breaths. As you breathe in, feel the slow and steady rise of your chest and how your chest falls as you breathe out. Next breathe deeply in through your nose and follow a five count breath, hold, and exhale through your mouth. Inhale for 5, count 1-2-3-4-5, hold the breath for 5, counting 1-2-3-4-5, then I exhale for 5, counting 1-2-3-4-5. Continue with this breathing exercise for 3-5 minutes.

With each breath, feel the opening of your mind and the calming of your body as you sink deeper into a state of relaxation. Return to your intention and think about summer, its end and what you are drawn to do in this last month.

As you continue to breathe and relax your body, you may notice your mind is drifting. Allow your thoughts to move quietly through your mind, like seagulls gliding over the ocean.

Keep bringing your mind back to your breath.

If a sound, such as a dog bark, a car engine, or even someone talking around you breaks your focus, just acknowledge the sound and then return to your breath.

At the end of five minutes, open your eyes and slowly take in your environment. Take a moment to move your fingers and toes, stretch out your legs and arms, and bring your body back to the present. Reflect one more time on what you experienced during this Summer meditation. Do you have some ideas on how to spend your last month of Summer? Do you have a direction? Do you need to spend some more time reflecting?

As we end Summer 2025, I encourage you to take some time to practice this breathing meditation, either by yourself, with a partner, or even with your kids. In the hustle and bustle of our lives, slowing down especially before a major transition like the start of the school year, can be the best way to prepare our bodies, minds, and souls for the next exciting journey we are to embark on. God bless!

By Cheryl Thode