Daily Dose of Dusking

Fall. The days slowly begin to get shorter. The heat index cools off. Coming home from work you might need a little down time before or after dinner where you can slow your world down, wind down, transition between day and night. Work mode and family mode.

Insert "dusking" here.

Dusking, known as the Dutch concept schemeren, is a purposeful pause and unplugging. A time to connect with nature. A chance to be in the natural light of a setting sun at twilight time. Whether it's a moment meant for watching the sunset, or just a quiet reboot on your porch or your patio, it is an opportunity to commune with nature during this daily time of transition. It becomes an opportunity to be mindful of where you are in your body, in your home world, in the planet. It's a way to get your Vitamin N: Nature on, maybe even with a few deep breaths and some contemplation.

The concept historically goes back to the time of Dutch farming households, prior to electric lighting. It embraced the slowing down and darkening down of our world. Much of this is lost through our glowing screens, night-lit sports fields, the street lights outdoors, the bright shine of our TVs, and our overhead light. We have so much light pollution in today's world!

Dutch poet Marjolijn van Heemstra is seen as a central figure with this concept. She has organized community dusking events in the Netherlands, linking it to its Dutch history. You can learn more of her vision in her 2023 Big Think article "The Case for “Dusking”: In a World of Light and Noise, Embracing the Dark Can Be Healing." 

In the articles I found, it left me wanting to embrace the fine art of doing nothing! I liked the idea of creating an intentional boundary between day and evening, work and home, toil and rest, pressure and stillness. 

Dusking can be a solo act of meaningful meditation, or a shared moment of dusking while dining. The beauty: there's no right or wrong way to do it. It all just helps carve out more meaningful time, more time unplugged from our screens, and more time being one with nature, all the while taking advantage of the "golden hour."

Articles you may be interested in reading to learn more:

• Food & Wine's "This Centuries-Old Dutch Ritual Is Inspiring a New Way to Dine"
• BBC's "Dusking: The Dutch Twilight Ritual Helping People Slow Down"
• Upworthy's "People Are Trying the Dutch Practice of ‘Dusking’ to Reduce Anxiety and Spark Creativity"
• Guardian's "‘All You Need is a Chair and a View’: Could Daily ‘Dusking’ Make Us Healthier and Happier?"
• Delicious.com's "Why You Need to Start ‘Dusking’: The Dutch Golden Hour Ritual We’re Adopting Immediately"

Images created at www.canva.com