Stand Still Day

Today is solstice. In the southern hemisphere it is the Summer Solstice, in the northern it is the Winter Solstice. Many cultures over many millennia have marked solstice with various rituals and celebrations.

In an era in which many people are constantly on the go, continuously busy, and ever on the look-out, perhaps it would be fitting to inaugurate a new ritual for the day of solstice.

It could be Stand Still Day, and it would occur twice a year; once on the December Solstice and again on the June Solstice.

It would be easy to remember the dates because solstice literally means sun stands still.

Our busy westernised lives expose us to anxiety, frustration, hyper-vigilance, angst, worry, fear, and a plethora of other stresses. Timetables, deadlines, expectations, schedules, wars, and physical violence all constrain us and force us into a chronic state of stress.

Studies and research carried out over the past few years consistently show that negative feelings amongst people from all over the globe are on the increase. More than one-third of people say that they felt sad or had been worried on the day before being interviewed. Similar numbers reported that they felt angry. Moreover, the proportion of people reporting these feelings had increased compared to a decade earlier, often up by 10% or more.

During the same decade, the proportion of people reporting positive feelings (such as enjoyment, being able to laugh or smile, and being well-rested) remained steady, with no appreciable decrease or increase in the proportions.

A number of explanations for this increase in negative feelings have been put forward: lack of peace, the pace of life, and the threat of environmental collapse amongst them.

How can we deal with this?

What if, on the two days of the year on which the sun stands still, we also stood still?

If we all simply stopped and stood still for an hour (say) on two days a year – December solstice and June solstice, what might happen? Some possibilities include:

• Firstly, noticing that our breathing slows down and our heart rate drops.
• Realising that our bodies do have the capacity to relax.
• Understanding that our frenetic day-to-day activities are undermining our health.
• Finding that we have time to talk with our children, our parents, and our neighbours.
• Appreciating our surroundings. Perhaps we look up at the sky for the first time in a long time and watch birds flying past.
• Comprehending the vastness of the cosmos.
• Becoming conscious of our inner psyche (our soul).

At first it could be just one hour, twice a year. Two hours out of the 8,766 hours each year provides us with. Surely, that is possible. After a few years we might be able to simply stand still for a few hours twice a year.

If the Sun can do it, and it has been alive for billions of years, then so can we.