Moving into Stillness
We have been so fortunate to be experiencing the bountiful bliss of the current, autumnal season in CT.
After two very difficult years in a row, Mother Nature is offering us endless opportunities to witness a light show of color, highlighting one of my favorite aspects of the Northeastern Fall: the deciduous tree. As a dance student growing up in Weston, I participated in an annual Halloween performance. One of my favorite pieces was called “The Gnome and the Golden Tree”. Being a 10 year old, well over 5′ tall, I danced the roll of the turning maple as the naïve gnomes twirled around below me, upset their beloved tree was losing its life-force. Only after a long sleepy winter were they to discover this was the cycle of life and were able to dance and rejoice as the tree burst into life once again in the Spring.
Honoring our own cycles of life continues to be challenging for us in civilized living. While our biological clocks are yearning to slow down and hibernate, we begin our journey into a more frenetic, fast paced time to nourish our hunger for connection with friends and family during the busy holiday season.
From yard clean-up to busy school schedules, entertainment obligations and climate change requirements, the shorter days seem to create another layer of stress to navigate
I remind myself to make time for my meditation practice, which often must begin with doing something physical… a yoga class, a walk around the neighborhood or an impromptu dance step in the kitchen. This allows my body/mind/spirit to honor its natural rhythms as living like a bear or a maple tree are not in the cards for me this year. The gnomes innately danced their anxiety out of their bodies, allowing for the deep rest to come. There, without effort, the alchemy transpired.
Where can you make space in your schedule to move into stillness during this season?
