Danna Faulds, from “Go In and In”
As we turn fully into the season of autumn, I’m now in the midst of my yard clean-up here in my corner of the planet on the coast of Maine. The focus is weeding and tidying up the gardens for their winter rest. The weeds, at this point, seem to know that their primary work is over. Their tight grip is gone. With roots relaxed, it’s easier for me, their human tender, to remove the clutter as I move through each patch. There are still blooms, and the bees are still busy feeding on what they can find. But there is also a sense of the natural flow to it all, as they all seem to be preparing for the deep sleep of the coming winter season.
I may be among the few, or maybe the many, who delight in this change of season, of bidding farewell to summer and leaning in toward winter. I love autumn, not necessarily for her color – beautiful – or even the harvest – delicious – but for the gentle nudge she offers toward my own practice of tidying, savoring and letting go of what has come and gone to make room, fully, for the emergence of the next. Summer tools and toys are tucked into the barn, fences secured, gardens cleaned and put to bed, veggie soup simmers on the stove and the last nasturtiums delight our salads and the morning’s eggs. All set the stage for me to be present to these next weeks of daily changes – the temperature moderates downward, animal activity increases and the grand masters, the trees, dress brilliantly for the last act and then drop it all like the final curtain on the show.
This nudge now to simplify, savor and release in order to be fully present for the season is such a metaphor, and such a lesson. How do we let go, with gratitude, in our own daily lives, so that we can fully appreciate the next……next breath, next moment, next day, next season? How do we even notice, not to mention discern and release, what we no longer need to carry so that we might be fully present to what truly matters?
Tara Brach offers us her inquiry “What is between me and openhearted presence?” My initial exploration into her inquiry suggests that what is between me and open-hearted presence is any combination of holding on – to beliefs that I tell myself about myself, my relationships or this world we live in, or to stuff that I no longer need (and can pass along), or to attitudes or behaviors that have comforted me with their familiarity but reduce my creative capacity for a fresh new way, or even the everyday obligations, perceived or real, which I dutifully carry around with me. All of these take up mental, emotional and creative space and crowd out the opportunity for true presence and the emergence of new insights or awarenesses that need a little space to take root. These accumulations of a full life need regular pruning, or tending, and our mindfulness practice helps us do that, to refresh and reset in order to look at each emerging moment with clear eyes and an open heart.
So where do we begin to practice this art of letting go? We might start with a breath meditation, simply observing the inhale and exhale and beginning then to explore how the full exhale invites a deeper inhale. Letting go creates space for the new.
Or perhaps we conduct a short review at the end of the day, recalling with mindful gratitude the moments of beauty in the day or acknowledging with mindful compassion the more challenging. As we savor and mend the daily moments, we “weed ” a little bit and create space for what comes next. Practicing regularly, we can cultivate our capacity to enjoy each moment, each day and each season as they present themselves with their unique magic and promise.
How do you cultivate space for being present to a fresh new moment? Feel free to share your experience! And if you are interested in a regular mindfulness practice, please join me weekly for my live-on- Zoom guided mindfulness meditation practice sessions. In a friendly small group setting, we practice and learn together. The sessions are offered freely, donations are accepted, and appreciated. Join us Mondays at 7pm EST. Contact me for more information! And please feel free to share this with others who might be interested! 🙏
✨✨Namaste and blessings on your explorations ✨✨ Deb Cook 💕
Deb Cook’s Deep Peace Practice 