Anyone who has endured a long, dark winter can attest to the power the sun has to both invigorate and relax the body, mind, and soul. It can be daunting to begin the months of fall and winter, knowing that we may not see much of the beautiful sun for quite some time.
But it is important to remember that even during the darker days of fall and winter, the sun is still shining, as beautiful as ever. Just because it is hidden behind clouds or setting early in our part of the world does not mean that we cannot access its power, beauty, and warmth.
One way to do this is to find a warm spot in our house where we can sit or lie down in peace. Closing our eyes, we allow our breath to come and go easily, progressively lengthening each inhale and exhale until we feel very relaxed, peaceful, and warm. We can imagine that it is a very warm summer day and that the sun is shining on us, warming our body. In particular, we may feel as if a small sun has taken up residence in the area of our solar plexus or our heart. Spend some time experiencing this sensation, allowing the heat to radiate from inside your body.
If you live in a part of the world that loses a lot of light in the winter, you might want to do this exercise each night before retiring. You also could do it at the beginning of each day, giving yourself a chance to plug into that great source of energy. Keeping the sun inside of you when you are missing it on the outside is a way to say hello to the sun and let it warm your soul. (Daily OM)
