As the sun reaches its zenith in the sky, we are invited into the light—both around us and within us. The Summer Solstice marks a moment of fullness, of expansion, of shimmering presence. And yet, in this great crescendo of brightness, there is also an ancient whisper: remember the pulse.

This is the dance of spanda—the sacred throb, the pulsation of awareness between outward and inward, doing and being, shining and softening.

In this week’s Shimmer Sessions, we explored this dance through the practice of Trataka, or candle gazing. At first glance, it’s simple: focus your gaze on the flame. Watch it flicker, shimmer, stretch upward with life. Let it hold your attention until your eyes naturally close. And then... notice. Witness the flame that now burns within. That afterimage—the inner echo of the external light—becomes the portal to remembering.

This is drishti, the cultivated gaze. Not just where we place our eyes, but where we place our energy, our attention, our presence.

So often, especially for those of us who identify as caregivers, space-holders, or deeply empathetic beings, our drishti is extended outward. We scan the needs of others. We hold the pulse of the room. We shine light outward, forgetting that we too are stars.

But a star, like the sun, doesn’t only shine by expanding. It pulses. It contracts. It folds in, gathers strength, nourishes itself—then radiates once more.

To return to ourselves is not selfish. It’s sacred. And it’s necessary.

In the practice of Trataka, we embody this principle physically. We allow the eyes to engage, to focus, to shine outward—and then we soften, close, and turn inward. We remember. We re-center. We shimmer from within.

This Summer Solstice, I find myself reflecting on how powerful even a few moments of inward drishti can be. A conscious breath. A flicker of flame. A whispered “I’m here” to ourselves. These small moments become the heartbeat of a greater rhythm—a life of more balance, more presence, more radiance.

This is how we shine. This is how we shimmer. Not by always expanding, but by honoring the sacred pull to return home.

As we approach the radiant fullness of the Summer Solstice, may we also honor the call to return inward. Let the flame guide you, the breath hold you, and the shimmer of your own awareness remind you to turn the current of life and love inward—because you are worthy of your own light.