The Sun Stands Still
Of course, the heavens and Earth are always in motion, constantly in flux, and the sun doesn’t really stand still. But, at the top of its cycle, from the earth’s perspective, the summer solstice (in the northern hemisphere) is like a pendulum that pauses before it turns and goes back in the other direction. It can be a time for us to pause, catch our breath, and celebrate this Holy-Day. We really have so much in common with each other on this planet and we can work together for the betterment of everyone.
We can do practices to support the heart and fire element within our body. These are particularly helpful during the fire element time of the year. For example, while we are still riding the waves of the summer solstice, we can practice the Heart Sound. This is such a simple exercise, but can transform cruelty, impatience, and hatred into love, joy, and compassion. If this practice was all we knew, it would be enough.
The heart sound is “H-A-A-A.” We will inhale, lift the hands toward the sun, tilt to the right, opening the heart and exhaling “HAAAA.” After we exhale the heart sound, and let our hands float back down to the heart, we breathe in a beautiful red color. We breathe in the feelings of love, joy, happiness, and allow/imagine those emotions grow inside and around our heart. Repeat the heart sound three, six, or nine times.
Lastly, we can think about the intentions, goals, and feelings we had at the winter solstice, 2019. These were the seeds of desire we planted in our hearts that are now growing. Like tending a garden, how can we help those seeds flourish? The world has changed in unexpected ways, but likely the underlying feelings and values are still similar. Can we still help them flourish before harvest time in the fall?
If you want to learn more: The Alchemist’s Tao Te Ching: Transforming Your Lead Into Gold