Touching of Seasons
This spring, I have relished slow mornings by the woodstove, immersing myself in the wildness found at the intersection of two seasons: blustery winds, frosty mornings, warmth of the hearth, and plant life emerging from the soil towards the light. In previous years, I pushed myself. However, this year, I am savoring every glorious moment of the slow life.
A couple of years ago, I altered my annual planning align with the cadence from equinox to equinox, thereby shifting the heartbeat of our lives to a softer rhythm. We no longer celebrate the New Year in January, as it felt inappropriate. Observing nature confirmed that January is-winter, not the start of a new season.
March has become our new year, and my husband and I commemorated the occasion by a sunrise bonfire experience.
Another change I made was in my mulching schedule. As a gardener, I typically mulch in the spring. However, with some foresight, I ensured that I had woodchips on hand and ready apply after autumn's hard frosts. This allowed for a layer of leaves against the soil, followed the wood chips, giving the soil time to be nourished the season of rest.
The third shift was no longer living in an eternal season of spring. These subtle nuances are unique to each person’s life. I have learned that when we are creating things, it consumes a tremendous amount of energy. Living from project to project without respecting circadian rhythms or seasonal breaks, it comes at a cost.
I am not suggesting idleness; rather, I am highlighting that living life out rhythm incurs deficits. The cost that over time is that quality of life becomes increasingly diluted and energy depleted. Living in harmony with the seasons yields abundant rewards, including spiritual, physical, and emotional vitality, strength, and longevity.
Living out of sync with nature creates an arrhythmic heartbeat in our lifestyle. It creates a weakened state, and when we seek a remedy for the symptom with a medication. It keeps us stuck in infinite loop of treating symptoms instead of getting to the root.
Regardless of age, we can learn through observation. I find that if we want a root to change it fruit. It begins by adjusting our lives to honor the wisdom found in creation.
One final thought about adjusting life to in harmony with Creator is a famous perspective my husband who lives by these words: "Slow is fast, and gradual changes over time transform life."
