On Creating Your Own Sunshine

As the golden sunlight streamed through the windows during morning coffee, John and I talked about the importance of the sun and sunshine in our lives.

The villages of Viganella, Italy and Rjukan, Norway are in valleys so deep that during the winter months the sun cannot reach the towns because of the angle of the light and the height of the surrounding mountains. Both towns built and installed giant mirrors at the top of the mountain to reflect sunshine onto the town squares below. We all know how important it is to get outside into the sun when we are feeling low (remember when John Denver sang about how sunshine on his shoulders made him happy?), and scientific research in psychology and physiology supports this. These towns in effect created their own sunshine and brought physically and emotionally healing sunlight into their shadowy cold valleys.

There is also another aspect to creating one's own sunshine, internally. Thich Nhat Hanh discussed in his philosophy that when we feel stressed or unhappy, one of the ways to dispel that unhappiness is to breathe in and then smile as we let our breath out. (To see a short meditation video about this, click here.) The more we do it, the longer it lasts and becomes part of us. More colloquially, even Colonel Potter on MASH knew this when he said: “See this smile? You’re all going to wear one just like it…Boy, will you feel dandy.” Now, new research in western psychology has finally acknowledged that smiling, indeed, can improve our emotional health and increase our happiness. (Check out this Guardian article that has links to the research.)

When you are feeling low or stressed, remember that indeed some days you have to create your own sunshine.