As we experience changes in the seasons (which is obviously different depending on where we live in the world), we also can reflect on the inner shifts and changes in our lives during these specific times.
We reap the benefits of all we have harvested and it is a wonderful time to cleanse our system again to prepare for the winter months when many people tend to crave heavier foods; sometimes slow down more or experience energy shifts due to busy schedules and little "down time" ... or time for themselves... I'll talk more about our changing 'physical energy levels' at the end of this entry.
Some people spend less time outdoors in the winter, and we do all experience less light. Many factors can affect our energy levels when we don't do anything to balance out.
Many people tell me that their schedules get busier - or feel busier and heavier in the fall and winter. In many ways we do not ebb and flow with the natural rhythms around us. If you do notice lowering shifts in your energy levels over the fall and into the winter, there are things you can do:
1. Spend more time outdoors this fall - when the weather permits, get out and enjoy the fresh air, changing scents and vibrant colours. BREATHE
When you can, go barefoot on the earth for awhile to enjoy the grounding and clearing effects before it's too cold. There are many benefits to doing this. We have had a very hot, dry and humid summer here; if the fall brings cooler yet calm weather, getting outside will refresh you.
2. Fall is also a good time to boost your movement practices. Movement and breathwork will assist you in clearing out your entire system and give your immune system a boost ... remember that to allow these benefits to work, your emotional/mental state is also vital. Check in with yourself and ask:
What have I harvested in my inner and outer world this year as a result of all my thoughts, words, and actions?
Where might I place my attention and energy in my life now in order to cultivate a richer 'harvest' next year?
What's working well for me right now?
What isn't working so well for me in my life right now? Name some steps you can take to address this area.
3. Eat food which will contribute to cleansing your system.... many local organic farmers will still be providing fresh greens and veggies into the late fall and early winter at your local market.
4. Make changes in your schedule when you can ... as the light diminishes and winter sets in, rest a bit more in order not to exhaust your inner resources. Even the animals shift their activities when there is less light - they rest more.
5. Include energy-building activities into your life ... if you already do, continue them. Movement Arts with breathwork are great for energy-building. Avoid stressful situations by learning how to engage in less dramatic and more calm and focussed ways. Energy-building is an Art in itself.
A little more about energy gains and losses and the seasons:
So what do our energy levels and the seasons have in common? Why do some people have 'more energy' than others during various times of the year?
Energy (general physical and mental/emotional) levels depend on many things. We have to consider our lifestyles, relationships, drama patterns, health and energy blockages, our personal perspectives, food and drink, local environmental factors, household and work environments, personal 'types and constitutions' etc..
Soooo.... in the spring, for example, with no other factors considered, someone may feel a general surge in energy. Many people do ... for various reasons ... perhaps they are happy to know spring will bring more light, colour, outdoor time and better weather; perhaps they personally enjoy spring more than winter. It is easier to work outdoors in more moderate weather too. If they overdo it and expend more energy in the spring than they are building up, they may find themselves going into a 'summer exhaustion.' With no other factors considered (which one ought to consider as well - in order to be more thorough), one could say that they have exhausted energy supplies by 'overdoing' and not 'refilling' and remaining more balanced.
This is the same now... in the early fall (particularly after a very hot, dry and humid summer). Many people report a surge in energy in the early fall. Refreshed by cooler breezes, more moderate temperatures and the lovely colours and scents, they may engage in a real increase in activity. If they 'over-do' they may find that they get more flus that winter and may go into a 'winter exhaustion.'
So, once again, our friend BALANCE comes up. When we balance activity ... physical ... mental/emotional etc. with rest and regenerative activities, our 'batteries' will remain charged and we will have the inner resources we need to go through the extremes we often find in the winter .... cold, wind, ice, less light and so on.
As I mentioned before in one of my blog topics, wellness and balance ... personal and spiritual development and evolution have keys... many of these keys are very simple ... others require dedicated real Work over time. We do have all the keys available to us ... once we seek them out and find them, we have to use them in order to 'open those doors.'
My Tai Chi teacher once said: "Now that you Know, you must Do." Another teacher once said to me "The clothes do not make the monk."
Knowledge or 'keeping up appearances' alone is not the real WAY ... we may say we already 'know' this ... until we examine our lives and find that there is plenty we 'know' which we may not apply directly to our own lives. Isn't that the real point of all this Work? My favourite example is the 'study and knowledge of things' ... a favourite in our world ... without the direct experience of doing and applying the things we can philosophize about, talk about and 'apparently know' to our lives in real and meaningful ways. Examine this for yourself.
Here are some steps along the 'Way' ....we may find ourselves on ...0r may eventually experience:
We feel the 'Call' ... a deep feeling that there is more to Life and to who or what we are than what we have known or have been experiencing or living.
We find a True Path or a Way ... ... a genuine teaching
We engage with it ... it truly becomes a 'Path with Heart' to us ... we commit
We 'Walk this Path' ... experience challenges (some call tests)
We work through these challenges and steps along our 'Path' or Way ... grow and evolve
We walk our talk ... or as one of my teacher said ... "We become a Wise One who follows the Path'
We master ourselves and dedicate to walking the Path always in Life ... our abilities are developed and refined ... we continue to Work and develop as we come to realize that once the door is opened, the things we can discover and learn continue .....
