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Sizwe Mpofu Walsh

Sizwe Mpofu Walsh

Sizwe Mpofu Walsh is a South African academic, and podcaster, and the author of The New Apartheid.

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The Summer Solstice Is Here - And It's More Than A Cosmic Event, It's A Wake-Up Call
The Summer Solstice Is Here - And It's More Than A Cosmic Event, It's A Wake-Up Call

Elle

time20-06-2025

  • Elle

The Summer Solstice Is Here - And It's More Than A Cosmic Event, It's A Wake-Up Call

On June 20, the summer solstice will arrive, ushering in the longest, brightest day in the northern hemisphere. As the sun ascends to its highest elevation, a mirage takes place. For three days, that great ball of fire appears to hover in place in the sky. Fittingly, solstice is actually derived from two Latin words: 'sol' which means 'sun' and 'sistere' which means 'to stand still.' There's an invitation encoded in that name. Can we stand still for a few days? In a year dense with noise—protests in the streets, algorithms in overdrive—any break in the action might seem like denial or, worse, defeat. But we're not talking about freeze in the fight-or-flight sense. The solstice creates space for a purposeful pause, one that allows us to gather our inner strength. We also have an opportunity to sit in our emotional truth. Cancer season begins with the summer solstice each June, bringing a soulful sensitivity to the world. A gentle reminder streams in with the solstice: There is strength in our softness and our willingness to care. Fittingly, some of the most quietly commanding figures in modern history happen to be Cancerians, including Malala Yousafzai, the Dalai Lama, and Nelson Mandela. While they fought for different freedoms, they have this in common: Each one stood still and firm in their fight for human rights. You can read your daily horoscope here Malala Yousafzai, born July 12, survived a targeted attack from the Taliban for standing up for girls' education. She went on to become a global voice for empowering women and girls. Since 2013, her birthday has been honored as Malala Day, an annual international celebration focused on education advocacy. The Dalai Lama, born July 6, has modeled stillness as a source of strength since his exile from Tibet in 1959. Through his gentle teachings on compassion and unwavering commitment to peace, he's reminded the world that the refusal to retaliate with violence can be as impactful as protest. Legendary South African anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela was born on July 18. After enduring 27 years of imprisonment, he became the country's first Black president in 1994. In the spirit of standing still, Mandela refused to be conditionally released from prison on certain occasions, choosing instead to uphold his principles. As the sun pauses at its peak this solstice, we're reminded that growth doesn't always look like motion. Sometimes, it looks like standing your ground or waiting for clarity. Like gathering light before the next season. It isn't inertia—it's calibration. The world will keep spinning, the headlines will keep coming, but for a moment, we're invited to take a cue from the cosmos: to be still, feel deeply, and choose our next step from a place of rooted knowing. The sun will move again, and so will we, but not before we take a breath. ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE. Ophira and Tali Edut (The AstroTwins) are among the most sought-after astrologers and intuitive advisors of our times. As the longtime resident astrologers for ELLE Magazine and the authors of over 20 books, they are the advisors to a roster of CEOs, celebrities, global leaders and successful entrepreneurs. They've read charts for celebrities the likes of Beyoncé, Dua Lipa, and Emma Roberts. Their new book, The Astrology Advantage (Simon & Schuster), introduces The AstroTwins' revolutionary I*AM System, which simplifies the birth chart into three archetypes: Innovator, Authority, and Maven. On television, The AstroTwins have appeared as guest experts for Bravo, MTV, 'Good Morning America,' and the 'Today' show, and created the first streaming reality TV dating show based on astrology, Cosmic Love (Amazon Prime Video, 2022). Their work on the subject of 'spiritual technology' as an essential tool for business success has been featured in Fast Company and at leadership conferences around the world. Ophira and Tali have taught thousands of people their methods through their online platform, and at their signature retreats. Graduates of The University of Michigan, Ophira and Tali grew up in Detroit and currently live in New York and Seattle.

The Summer Solstice Is More Than a Cosmic Event—It's a Wake-Up Call
The Summer Solstice Is More Than a Cosmic Event—It's a Wake-Up Call

Elle

time18-06-2025

  • Elle

The Summer Solstice Is More Than a Cosmic Event—It's a Wake-Up Call

On June 20, the summer solstice will arrive, ushering in the longest, brightest day in the northern hemisphere. As the sun ascends to its highest elevation, a mirage takes place. For three days, that great ball of fire appears to hover in place in the sky. Fittingly, solstice is actually derived from two Latin words: 'sol' which means 'sun' and 'sistere' which means 'to stand still.' There's an invitation encoded in that name. Can we stand still for a few days? In a year dense with noise—protests in the streets, algorithms in overdrive—any break in the action might seem like denial or, worse, defeat. But we're not talking about freeze in the fight-or-flight sense. The solstice creates space for a purposeful pause, one that allows us to gather our inner strength. We also have an opportunity to sit in our emotional truth. Cancer season begins with the summer solstice each June, bringing a soulful sensitivity to the world. A gentle reminder streams in with the solstice: There is strength in our softness and our willingness to care. Fittingly, some of the most quietly commanding figures in modern history happen to be Cancerians, including Malala Yousafzai, the Dalai Lama, and Nelson Mandela. While they fought for different freedoms, they have this in common: Each one stood still and firm in their fight for human rights. Malala Yousafzai, born July 12, survived a targeted attack from the Taliban for standing up for girls' education. She went on to become a global voice for empowering women and girls. Since 2013, her birthday has been honored as Malala Day, an annual international celebration focused on education advocacy. The Dalai Lama, born July 6, has modeled stillness as a source of strength since his exile from Tibet in 1959. Through his gentle teachings on compassion and unwavering commitment to peace, he's reminded the world that the refusal to retaliate with violence can be as impactful as protest. Legendary South African anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela was born on July 18. After enduring 27 years of imprisonment, he became the country's first Black president in 1994. In the spirit of standing still, Mandela refused to be conditionally released from prison on certain occasions, choosing instead to uphold his principles. As the sun pauses at its peak this solstice, we're reminded that growth doesn't always look like motion. Sometimes, it looks like standing your ground or waiting for clarity. Like gathering light before the next season. It isn't inertia—it's calibration. The world will keep spinning, the headlines will keep coming, but for a moment, we're invited to take a cue from the cosmos: to be still, feel deeply, and choose our next step from a place of rooted knowing. The sun will move again, and so will we, but not before we take a breath.

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