Body Mandalas
This too shall pass
When I looked at the sky last night, I saw the moon, almost full, rising above the mountains. I recently moved to Nelson, British Columbia, a little city in the valley of the Selkirk Mountains. All aspects of my life are being rearranged
and transformed according to acts of inspiration, spontaneity, synchronicity and determination. My familiar reference points are no longer there to support my day-to-day activities and refraining from asking anyone, I still can’t quite
figure out which way is north. The mountains, once an indication of north, are all around me. Everything is new: a new love relationship, my home, community, places to shop, footsteps to trail along, the absence of the ocean air and the
majestic presence of the mountains. In the midst of adjusting, I feel very awake and present, at once, listening and dancing with my environment. My body, mind and spirit embodying the changes.
Change is at the root of all phenomena. Every moment is new. Still how difficult it is, for most of us, to truly be open to the newness of every breath without holding on to the past or projecting into the future. I find that in intense
moments of change, like the one I am experiencing now, it is easier to remain alert and present to the way things are.
Resistance is futile, I say to my cat when I bath her. This is how I feel right now; my attempts at control are vain and would come from old reference points that are no longer present and would thereof be irrelevant. Before directing my
will in any specific ways, I feel I need to observe the pulse of Nelson: I want to feel its socio-eco-psychological state and harmonize myself with it.
Indigenous culture gained much of their insights in the nature of existence by observing natural phenomena. Paying attention to the natural cycles of day and night and the changing of the seasons allowed them to live in better harmony
not only with their environment but also with themselves. Change is inevitable; what begins now will end, the moon almost full will be full then wane. This day will turn into night and summer will be autumn. Change is one of the
fundamental principles in Asian wisdom. It is imbued with the knowledge gained from thousands of years of observation of natural phenomena.
When the day is at its fullest, night begins to slowly approach as day is retreating; in the darkest time of night, day begins to rise. All phenomena are manifestations of a specific dance between yin and yang, and create observable
patterns. Some patterns are easier to understand while others appear to be more obscured. From the changing of the seasons to the chaos theory, “the butterfly effect” applies; everything is interconnected and one little flap of wings
transforms the whole tapestry of the universe. In the Eastern views, change is pre-determined; there is a blueprint of event. A chicken egg will hatch as a baby chicken and night will follow day, otherwise we would be very surprised.
Even though there is a blue print of event we can’t always foresee the turns our lives will take. We make plans, and if our plans are in-tuned with our environment most likely they will manifest. Furthermore if our plans are in line with
our heart’s desires we will have a sense of satisfaction. However, changes do not always follow our plans. Flexibility is a good asset to navigate the winds of change; attitudes that are too rigid or plans that are too planned out not
only prevent us from being in the flow of life but can also can bring deep dissatisfactions as well as a sense of struggle with the world around us.
The series of events that brought me to Nelson are intricately woven together. I had been in a stand still for a little over one year. A cycle had ended and I did not know what I wanted to do next. Then I connected with my heart’s
desires; the waiting period was over and I felt the impulse to move. The clarity of my intention brought forth manifestations that propelled me to Nelson. Still I could not have planned that I would fall in love this summer with someone
who was also moving to the Kootenays. I did not foresee that my car would break down on my way from Cortes Island to Nelson and that I would spend three days in Vancouver looking for another car. As we were crossing the mountain passes -
with an overloaded old Volkswagen Fox whose back tires were hitting the body of the car with every left turn - I repeated to myself: “resistance is futile, enjoy the magnificent view!”
Now I am here, in a new home still adapting to the mountain life and autumn is just beginning.
Seasonal attunement is one of the wisdom of Chinese medicine. It is a process in which the various aspects of our lifestyle including: diet, exercises, emotional outlooks are adjusted to match the needs and qualities of the time.
As we are transitioning from summer into fall, it is a good time to keep our lives simple: to keep our foods and habits in general, uncomplicated. Foods that are sweet in nature and lightly yellow or orange like squashes, yams and sweet
potatoes will harmonize and tonify the earth element which is associated with transitions period.
As we move into autumn it is beneficial to follow the natural tendencies of pulling inward, of gathering, harvesting and collecting. It is a good time to gather our spirit and energy into a focused place. Since autumn is connected with
the internal organs of the lungs and large intestines, breathing exercises are very good, as well as letting go on all levels. Tie up unresolved businesses, let go of unhealthy habits and/or relationships and hold on to what is
beneficial for you. Take your slow cooker out of storage and cook your food slowly. In Chinese Medicine it is recommended to minimize raw or cold food at this time, while those are beneficial in the spring and summer seasons, in the fall
and winter, the digestive system will benefit from food that are more warm and neutral in nature.
I just took my gloves and hats out of boxes and I am washing all my wool sweaters. Stay warm and have a happy fall! |
