18/03/2025
Here on Coll it’s the first day of 2025 that daylight will exceed darkness. Sunset will occur 12 hours and 2 minutes after sunrise.
Around the time of the equinox, we often think about the ratio of day and night but have you ever considered the ratio of your breath? The length of your inhale and exhale impacts your physiology in a range of ways.
A balanced breath helps to balance the nervous system. One way of practicing this is to breathe slowly in and out through the nose, matching the length of your inhale to the length of your exhale. Find a gentle rhythm that’s comfortable for you. For example breathe in to the count of 3 and breathe out to the count of 3; or breathe in and out for 5. Practice quietly for a few rounds then notice how you feel.
In island news, March has seen some magical spring days. Skylarks are singing, veg seeds are sprouting and my morning breathing practice looking out over a beautiful bay is often distracted by the sight of shelduck and curlew! For balance, it hasn’t been all sparkly seas, glassy sunsets and still moonlit nights – there have been plenty of big swells, missed ferries and bitter winds but that’s Hebridean life! Wishing you peaceful balance, whatever the weather and wherever you are, this special time of year.