Autumn side 2

As I said before about momentum, I believe once we gain some, that momentum extends to other areas of life.  So even if we begin to organize, clear out, and just get rid of material items from our home, we’re laying the foundation for getting rid of the old, to welcome the new.  Or internally mimicking the tree shedding it’s leaves before winter. 

For me, there is a particular walkway I like to occasionally take at night.  It’s not in my neighborhood, but it’s in my parents’ neighborhood.  It’s a nostalgic, sentimental (and safe) neighborhood for me.  I fall into deep reflection when I walk at night and there are no people around and it feels like it’s only me, the moon, and the air around me.  I walk and remember the time I took that walk right after my divorce and my very being felt so raw and exposed.  I walk and remember the walk I took after having a hard conversation.  A walk after another breakup.  A walk after the loss of a friend.  A walk after my body hurt from a past transgression.  I guess I don’t tend to go on this particular walk when everything’s just aces.  But moving, breathing, walking will help shift our energy.  I think it’s especially helpful to walk as you go through an immersive reflection with the hopes of letting go of some things because it does feel like you’re symbolically moving on or moving past.

The lighter side of autumn...

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Autumn side 1

Aye… autumn is coming. 

 

It doesn't have quite the same exciting, ominous ring to it as the winter version Game of Thrones favors, does it?  But ‘tis true nonetheless.  I’m also not sure why I refer to it as autumn half of the time and fall the other half.  I’ll try to be consistent heretoforth and go with autumn.  Autumn sounds more crisp and harvest-y.  

Fall has always been my favorite season (didja see what I did there?) ...  Anyway, I feel lucky to have grown up in and to live in a state where we have distinctly separate seasons.  I love that.  I also think it’s helpful for me since I’m somewhat sensitive to cycles and it tunes me into my own personal rhythms.  Plus, it’s a constant reminder that change is a part of life and nothing is forever.  I find that comforting...  

It would be supreme hyperbole for me to claim I have some sort of advanced knowledge of Traditional Chinese Medicine, but I am fascinated by aspects of it.  I try to take in some of that wisdom.  My friend/holistic health coach, Nicole, knows much more than I do and we’ve discussed how TCM states that our inner world interacts with our external world in interesting ways.  Summer is a time of expansion.  There’s a lot of adventure, playfulness, and interaction with nature going on.  After that expansion comes a time of contraction and turning inward.  

Let’s think of the bear, shall we?  

Keep going.  

Now picture said bear in a pink tutu.

Now with a pink tutu and a Rastafarian hat.

Now…

Oookay we can stop.

So for reals.  I think bears perfectly represent this transition.  We all know that they hibernate and rest in the winter in order to conserve their energy for the next season and the active days it will bring.  You’re probably aware that, as humans, we can’t full-on hibernate during the winter, yes?—as much as we may wish to, but autumn and winter are perfect times to conserve our energy, find ways to stay warm, and give ourselves permission to slow down.   If we take some wisdom from the bears, it will help us rejuvenate as well when spring comes and we start to go out again.  

Amber side of autumn.

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