Winds of Change
We have entered Fall and all around us are the stirrings and shifts of the season. We hear the wind through the trees as they slowly begin to let go of their leaves, the caw of crows beckoning us on overcast days and the squirrels multiplying in the yard waiting for walnuts to fall to the ground. At the end of September my family celebrates Michaelmas, the last day to safely eat blackberries. Fall brings the end of the vine cycle reminding us that it is time to let go of our clinging. It’s one of the reasons I love this time of year. Harvest season is over and stillness peeks through the door of the day.
Presence seems to come more naturally at this time of year when we can let go of all of the thoughts, plans and expectations of summer. We are called to release. But what exactly does that mean? It’s like wearing a weighted vest when I’m walking. After a while I forget that I have it on. When I take it off how light I feel. This happens to our minds and spirits as well. How do we begin to let go of things we are not even aware we are holding let alone find balance in a world turned upside down? Sometimes when I can’t get out of my head from all that is going on, I find entry ways to stillness in the present moment through my senses. When I tune in, a whole world opens up to me. I listen to the sound of my dog sighing as she lays next to me on the couch, a BART train goes by in the distance, while a breeze gently moves the wind chimes outside. As I take a breath I feel a coldness in the air that wasn’t there yesterday. I see the night-like quality of the morning as the days begin to shorten and the stillness of the house while everyone is still asleep.
We become so busy at times that we can become unaware of the things we are carrying emotionally, physically and spiritually and think that life is just about surviving from day to day. This time of year teaches us to tune in, slow down and let go-remembering that rest does not have to be earned it is part of the season of things.
Last week the road that my sister and I take into work was closed so we had to take a detour. Since we had the time and the detour took us to one of my favorite spots, we stopped at an outdoor labyrinth right outside a church parking lot under a canopy of redwood trees. I thought it would be a fun way to mark the new season. Entering the labyrinth I know to focus on my steps or I can easily lose my way. As the path twists and turns, I feel my mind adjusting to the constant change in direction turn by turn only to relax on the long stretches of path. Once I reach the center my mind has let go of the thoughts I had before- just like taking off the weighted walking vest. Here I am open to the intentions deep in my heart. I pause in the stillness of this space. Leaving the labyrinth I let all of it go to return to the path that leads to my car. In this moment I realize that I do not know what will happen today or for the rest of the season but I do know that I am alive and breathing and that is more than enough. The world has opened up to me in the blink of an eye and with letting go the blessings rush in and fill the lungs of my day. I embrace the mystery of life and the wonder of being alive.
My hope for you dear reader is that you allow yourself time this season to slow down and be surprised by the lightness of the day. These present moment habits can help you let go just like a Reiki tune-up can release what no longer serves you. You are welcome to share some of your own tips in the comments below. If you would like to try a walk in a labyrinth here is a website link to a labyrinth locator. https://labyrinthlocator.org
May you have the sacred space to enjoy all the blessings this moment has to offer.