Suddenly I am seeing signs of fall all around me. Though the green leaves of most trees are still vibrant, some leaves are beginning to turn colors and the start of fall is in the air.
It reminds me that the seasons turn even though many of us would cling to endless summer.
Because of COVID, this year I am
Leaning in
to my efforts at staying present each moment. Yesterday during a Zoom meeting with friends our talk turned to preparing for winter because we all anticipate that we will be staying home and inside more then. One member had purchased fabric and was making plans to sew. Another talked of buying some clay and other art supplies for creative activities.
I too have been thinking of the coming winter months, often with sadness. My preparations for winter will include spending time in nature every day that I can even when the cold weather arrives. Each moment that I am present and filled with gratitude outdoors is a way of storing joy up for the long winter ahead. Simply being outside beneath the sky fills me with peace and love for the earth.
I am also savoring sweet time with our grandchildren before I anticipate that we will not be able to spend time together. If their school holds in-person classes this fall we will not be getting together in person. So those minutes that we are together, laughing, talking, playing games, gathering hugs, and simply enjoying their presence are treasures.
The power of attention
Last evening my husband and I had a disagreement during supper. I was so angry that I left in the middle of supper and didn’t speak with him again all evening. In fact I nursed my anger along with thoughts of how unreasonable he had been until just before bedtime. Then I finally realized that I was still carrying my anger and that the only person I was hurting was myself.
So I pulled out Tara Brach’s RAIN practice from her book, Radical Compassion. I’m not sure that I followed the steps exactly. But the simple act of paying attention and asking questions helped me to completely re-frame the incident and let go of my anger.
I began with noticing how I felt in my body. Then I asked myself what story I was telling myself about the events of the evening. Finally I asked two questions that come from Tara Brach’s book and the brilliant work of Byron Katie. The questions were, “Is it true?” and “How would I feel if I believed that it is not true?”
Those questions gave me
A Space for exploration
Suddenly I realized that it was just a story that I was telling myself. I hadn’t checked it out with Jon nor had I asked him anything about his actions. I was surprised by how differently I felt in my body when I let go of the story I was holding onto so tightly. And I felt such peace in my mind when I entertained the possibility that my story was just a story. My body felt so much better holding loving peaceful feelings than it did when I was holding on to my anger and self-righteousness.
Have you done something like this with someone you are close with? We are all human. Simple actions can trigger reactions all out of proportion to the circumstances, especially if they touch on old wounds or experiences. This is why I practice medication and presence. It’s not for the time I spend in the chair. It’s for the benefits I experience while living my daily life.
I hope you have a lovely week my friends. The weather here in Minneapolis is glorious open-window, sunny day, cool night weather.
May you walk in beauty.
Photos in today’s post are from my morning walk at French Regional Park yesterday.
0 Comments