What's the best way to mark tomorrow’s summer solstice?

AND breathe... Tomorrow is the longest day of the year. Summer solstice is the moment in the calendar to take a deep breath, reflect on the axial tilt of the earth and our relationship to the natural world. In our busy lives many of us don’t get enough time to sit and ponder our place in the universe. We are such infinitesimal specks in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t do well to dwell on it for too long, but it is important to recognise our cosmic connections. Our ancestors celebrated this astronomical event with elaborate rituals related to fertility and renewal and it’s still important to mark June 21 in the 21st century.

Tomorrow is an opportunity to look at and appreciate nature in full bloom. Longer days and bright nights till 10pm bring feelings of endless possibilities. Want to head to the beach at 8pm? Why not! Bring your dinner, have a swim and you can still be home in bed by 11pm, the light will have just faded. These long summer days are the much-deserved payback for the long dark winter nights. It must be difficult for Corkonians to live near the Equator with 12 hours of daylight all year long. Whenever I’ve travelled in places like Thailand I’ve found the predictable 6.30pm sunsets so strange. If it’s a warm and balmy evening, why is it not bright till bedtime?!

Traditionally the summer solstice has been associated with spiritual awakening and enlightenment and it reminds us of our connection to the sun and the cycles of the Earth. I like to mark the day with a spot of yoga. Yoga is something that helps me, and others, feel grounded, connected to our bodies and in tune with the world. Yoga is not about getting into extreme bendy positions, it combines breathing and mindfulness with stretching and postures that align the body physically, emotionally, and mentally. If you can do a headstand that’s great but if you can walk away at the end of your class feeling calm and relaxed better still.

There is a free yoga event tomorrow morning at the Lee Fields which (weather permitting) promises to be a perfect way to mark the summer solstice. BOXD Coffee Co. on the Carrigrohane Straight has teamed up with the Alchemy School of Yoga to run a morning yoga class from 7.30-8.15 am. You can stretch your body, commune with the cosmos, grab a cappuccino and still be at your desk by 9am! (Book a spot in advance at www.alchemyschoolofyoga.ie)

Yoga is the perfect prescription for modern ailments. Got a bad back? Try yoga. Can’t sleep? Try yoga! Stressed off your face at work? Try yoga. Can’t touch your toes and huff going up the stairs? Try yoga. 

You don’t have to be a lycra clad whippet, classes around the city are filled with men and women of all ages, sizes and levels of flexibility who are embracing the practice. Yoga helps improve strength, balance, endurance, joint mobility, reduces stress and anxiety and promotes a sense of calm.

Practising yoga outdoors boosts the benefits. Looking at the leaves on the trees, breathing fresh air deeply and staring at the blue, blue sky is good for the soul. Throughout the summer there are plenty of opportunities to try outdoor yoga.

Himalaya Yoga Valley is running its annual Saturday morning yoga classes in Fitzgerald’s Park from Saturday June 24 to August 26. Cork yoga star Mary Kelly runs classes at The Lough and Myrtleville when meteorological conditions allow so keep your eye out for notices at beaches and parks as yoga teachers encourage their students to bring their mats outdoors. Namaste!

Tyre Extinguishers

A group who could have done with a bit of deep breathing last week were the dozens of owners of SUVs in the wealthy suburb of Churchtown in Dublin.

Much gnashing of the teeth played out on the airwaves, news articles and social media because the climate activist group, Tyre Extinguishers, left the air out of the tyres of dozens of SUVs in a Dublin neighbourhood. Leaflets left on the cars in Churchtown said “your gas guzzler kills” and “we did this because driving around urban areas in your massive vehicle has huge consequences for others.”

I wrote about the group Tyre Extinguishers previously who claim to have deflated the tyres of over 10,000 vehicles around the world.  While I recognise the inconvenience and frustration of finding four flat tyres at the start of the day, I also empathise with a group of people who are so worried about the climate crisis that they feel compelled to engage in direct actions to try and provoke awareness of the issue to the general public.

Not enough people are making sustainable choices and SUVs are large and visible examples of that. 

I imagine the members of Tyre Extinguishers are thinking less about the frustrated homeowner’s reaction and more about the masses of people whose lives have been ended, or upended, by extreme weather events caused by global heating and climate change. That ordinary people are willing to risk arrest to make a sustainability argument indicates the growing level of climate concern in society.