Hello Space Makers!
It’s the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and, as a result, I’m thinking about themes of rest, renewal, and stillness. Well, I’ve been thinking about those things for ages, really, but they are especially relevant today.
I was told this morning that the word solstice is the combination of the Latin words ‘sol’ (sun) and ‘sistere’ (cause to stand – i.e. stop/be still) and that it is connected to the fact that, to us, the sun seems to stay in the same spot (in its seasonal path) for these few days of winter before it appears to start moving in the opposite direction.
If the sun can take a little rest right now, surely we are justified in seeking the same thing, right?
I’m kind of making a joke there, making light of the fact that because of the ambient pressure for us all to work, work, work all the time, we end up feeling like we have to explain why we are resting. And using the sun’s rest as an explanation feels pretty justified, right?
I wish we didn’t feel that way since rest is actually part of the cycle of our lives, not something we have to earn.
We don’t actually owe ANYONE every minute of our days, even if the world at large tries to convince us that we do.
Yet, even though we know that rest is part of our lives and we don’t need to earn it, it’s still hard to actually rest in the midst of this busy time of year in our perpetually busy culture. Our to do lists are set, our plans are generally in place, and we have made commitments.
If you want to read and think more about rest and the social forces that benefit from pressuring us to work then Tricia Hersey‘s The Nap Ministry is a good place to start.
So, if we can’t just take the day off today, what can we do?
My suggestion is to start slow, to finish slow, or to slow down in the middle – a.k.a. scheduling a break that involves a low-key activity so my rest doesn’t feel like I am ‘sitting around doing nothing.’
Because that feeling of ‘doing nothing’ gets my brain churning about all the things I *should* (shudder – I hate that word) be doing instead. If I can tell myself ‘this is my reading time’ then I can usually shush my brain and take that rest.
For me, this might look like planning to spend the first 15 minutes (or more!) after breakfast just reading and drinking tea instead of jumping into my to do list right away.
Or it might look like choosing to do some yoga, to chat with my sister, or to do some drawing in the middle of my day instead of scurrying to the next thing.
Or it might look like getting ready for bed a little bit earlier so I have time to listen to some music and putter around before reading, drawing, or listening to a podcast to settle down before sleep, instead of trying to ‘just finishing this one thing.’
Making these spaces for myself, taking things slowly at a few points in the day makes all the difference in how flustered I feel. And when I feel less flustered, I can find more fun and satisfaction in the things I have to do and the things I choose to do.
Those spaces help me feel like I am living a life, not just trying to get stuff done.
I invite you to find your own way to take a break, to start slow, to ease your way into your day. Perhaps not calling it a break will make your brain more willing to cooperate.
Well, with that said, and with the hope that you can find some ease today, here are our suggested practices.
I have two Solstice-themed suggestions in each category because I couldn’t decide between them but feel free to also choose your own type of movement and your own approach to mindfulness. After all, you are the boss of you and you get to decide!
First, we have Seasonal Chair Yoga Winter Solstice 10 mins from Yoga with Sarah/Seasonal Flow
And here’s a longer practice Day 21: Winter Solstice Reflection Flow/ Merry & Mindful from YogaInMe
Our first mindfulness practice is a short Winter Solstice Mediation from Meta Moon Yoga
And here’s a longer Winter Solstice Yoga Nidra meditation from Ally Boothroyd.
