One of the things I've appreciated over the time of being a yoga teacher (over 2 decades) is how much you continually learn.
Science and more specifically physics being one of them. I really hated these subjects at secondary school, but thanks to technology, instagram and yoga I've learned to love a lot more about our bodies, the wonders of our world and beyond. Learning like this as a dyslexic, visual person is much more exciting.
On International Yoga Day - I wanted to share a couple things around the sun and moon.
The sun is our life force without which we could not survive. Part of yoga and asana (physical practice) is to salute the sun. Surya Namaskar is translated as Sun Salutation. But as with a lot of Sanskrit there's much more to it than a sequence of poses which yogi's did in their loin cloths as the sun rose to absorb vitamin D.
When you breakdown the word Surya, sur (which is a prefix to a lot of words), means over or above. Think of words like surname, surpass, surcharge. Ya can also be translated from Sanskrit as 'one who goes or moves', or 'yahweh' also recognised in other ancient texts as 'a great force or God'. Namaskar means to salute.
So, I'm not saying this happens easily it takes time. But over time practicing yoga can become much more spiritual rather like a prayer.
Summer Solstice we know is when the sun is at it's highest. Stand at noon and see your shortest shadow of the year. We can get an idea of what ancient astrologers would do to work out years, days and time. Stonehenge is one of the worlds most recognised examples of how this was (and is) explored. Although more recent thoughts are that it originated around Winter Solstice.
The 21st June is also a full moon which astrologers would also have used as a guide. The moons are often named around agriculture as farmers too used them as a guide.
One of the names of todays moon is Strawberry Moon because in Native North America this was a short time of year when these fruits grew. Also because it's a full moon, when the moon is at it's lowest and the sun at it's highest it can cast a pink glow. Honey Moon or Mead Moon are also common names , there's an interesting article here if you want to read more. There are thoughts this is where the name 'honeymoon' following a wedding originated too.
But what I've learned (and you may have seen me post about before) as it blew my mind, is that the tides which we know are affected by the planets don't actually not go in and out! Read that again. See a link below to these brilliant instagram reels which explain it so much better than I ever could. Watch them all to the end. If only science had been this exciting when I was at school!
So at Summer Solstice take time to look back, to refresh, to new start, to engage, whatever we want to make it. We have no control, the sun rises and sets, the planets spin and revolve. The seasons come and go.
Be grateful, present and enjoy the longest day.
Namaste
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