Life streams through the world – and through our veins. Light and darkness dance in rhythmic measures – encouraging seeds to fruition with love.

Rabindranath Tagore

This weekend, most of us will “spring forward” losing an hour of sleep to gain an hour of light–theoretically. Some say Daylight saving began as a way to conserve energy during WWI. It was abolished after the war ended and reestablished during WWII. In the US, it is still observed in all states except Hawaii and Arizona. No one seems to like the shifting of time forward in spring and backward if fall. Many states have petitioned for exemption. However, there is debate over which option to choose if we drop the premise. Last year Mexico adopted permanent standard time. The Sunshine Act – a bill to make daylight saving permanent was just reintroduced in the U.S. Senate. It passes unanimously in the Senate but expired while in committee at the House of Representatives.

Standard time aligns best with our ancient ancestors’ way of organizing time – with the sun overhead at noon. Permanent standard time is advocated by the health industry. Advocates of permanent daylight saving time cite a decrease in crime and an uptick in commerce. Daylight savings time may give us more fun in the sun, but the shift of light to one hour later in the morning and evening is not oriented with our Circadian Rhythms response to light and dark. Every nerve and tissue in our body aligns with our biological clock and disruptions can mess with our sleep, digestion, and blood pressure causing stress and affecting our physical and emotional well-being. Children show up for class sleep deprived. More heart attacks, headaches, and depression are reported. Automotive and industrial accidents increase. Whichever side you are in the debate, a permanent shift to either is an improvement to the current situation. Right now, we become a united nation with jet lag twice a year.

Here are some rhythm of love practices to help us stay aligned with our own internal clock:

• Get Sensual: There is no better way to connect to ourselves and the present than through engagement with our senses. We can only experience sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch in the present.
  • Soak in the Sun: Use your weather app to align yourself with Sunrise, Sun Peak, and Sunset. Step outside to watch the sunrise or sunset. Find a place to bask like a cat in the sun at its peak.
  • Taste the Rainbow: Make yourself a supportive meal plan that includes aromatic, colorful, and easy-to-digest seasonal fruits, herbs, and vegetables. Eat slowly, mindfully taking in the different tastes, textures, and smells
  • Find Your Rhythm: An hour before the clock says bedtime, turn down the lights and turn up the music, dance, sway, and clap to the rhythms of some music that you love.