A Contemplative Approach to Viewing the Eclipse
By Andrea Schweitzer, Ph.D. in astronomy // There has been a lot of news about the upcoming “Great American Solar Eclipse” on August 21, 2017. If you are able to get to a location for totality of the eclipse, it will be an incredible experience to remember. Or, if you’re only able to see the partial eclipse, that is enjoyable and worthwhile, too! There is a lot of detailed information being published about the eclipse *(see resources below). I would like to suggest that it is also important to contemplate how you might like to feel as you witness this celestial event. Hopefully this will be a memory to last a lifetime, and that is worth considering in advance. Quiet and Reflective Observe the eclipse from under a tree, and be surrounded by a myriad of crescent suns. Play with your fingers and enjoy the “pinhole projection” effect. Celebratory Invite others to join you, and plan an eclipse party. There are many educational activities for kids and adults that you can do before and during the eclipse. …