Does it feel like you are racing against time these days? Like you can’t accomplish all that needs to be done despite your best efforts?
Compared to the initial space the beginning of this pandemic provided, these days seem to be pushing all of us to the brim. Many of us feel like we are reaching a breaking point. This can be felt on an individual level, but also collectively.
Are we all on the verge of breaking. If so, why? What are we supposed to learn from this and how can we answer the call without actually hitting the breaking point?
I watch the trees outside and notice their cycle. Without grasping, they willingly release their leaves. Holding onto them would mean holding on to something that is ready to rot and decompose, leading to disease and distress. So, without a care, the leaf is released with the absolute trust that life will sprout again when ready.
And with that, I am reminded of the quote by Lao Tzu, “Nature never hurry, yet gets everything done.”
As much as we desire to push forward, to push through, to land in our desired dream that will forever be a moving target, this push forces us to also incorporate the flip. In our efforts to push, we must also find ways to rest and take a break. We can do this by choice or by our bodies giving out and forcing us to stop by way of illness or injury.
This "push then rest, then push some more" approach to life has been built into us. It is the construct that is built into our bones and psyche. From this limited mindset, we can only see two truths… pushing and striving or pausing and releasing.
In a recent discussion I listened to with Brene Brown and Elizabeth Lesser, they discussed the way we tend to default to the masculine way of being, regardless of being a man or a woman. Our society values the masculine approach of doing and pushing, only pausing and stopping when necessary, so much so that many of us don't really know another way.
In their discussion, Elizabeth Lesser also pointed out that the studied stress response of fight or flight was what was predominantly found when researching men. Women under stress, on the other hand, responded by either tending or befriending. When we include the feminine response to stress into our perspective, we are able to expand our thinking beyond the black or white notion of fight or flight.
What if the same is true for the way we approach "doing" in life? What if there is a way to expand beyond the linear push then rest approach? What is the feminine approach to doing and what would it be like to discover it and wrap it into our lives in a greater way? Is there a way of being that is missing from our perspective that provides the balance, the yin to the yang, so that we can live in greater harmony and be more aligned with the nature of being? Perhaps this is the way that allows us to be more like the tree, confidently standing in the shifting nature of time while remaining resplendent in all that we are destined to be.
It makes me think of the sun and the moon, otherwise known as the father and the mother— the sun representing the masculine and the moon representing the feminine. The sun, burns with fire. It is strong and unrelenting, only going dark with the Earth turning her back out of the necessity to rest.
The moon is not just the nighttime equivalent. Instead, she offers a soft reflection, an opportunity to see the burning light of the sun in a different way— a gentle glow in which to soften and surrender. She is not a constant in the sky, but dances to a rhythm that invites the shifting of the tides and the witnessing of life from different angles. The moon, unlike the sun's consistent flame, is a dance that moves like water through time.
In our habitual movement through life like fire, how can we each invite more of the energy of water?
Let us burn with the consistency of the Sun, but also dance with the flowing rhythm of the Moon.
BIG NEWS
Restore You DIY is ready to launch!!!
The 5 day mimicked fast is considered the stem cell therapy of the nutrition world. With my Restore You program, you not only get physical restoration, but also mental and emotional rejuvenation! Previously, I offered Restore You only in conjunction with the Prolon box of food that had to be purchased. Now, there is another way! My new Restore You DIY program offers the option of using food from your own kitchen! Each day has recipe options to choose from, so you can build your own menu based on what works best for you! With my new membership, you can opt in 2x or 4x/year to participate in the Restore You Group offered at the beginning of each month. Each quarter will bring the addition of a new seasonal menu option. As a member, you also get the Restore You eBook for FREE. You can also opt to participate without becoming a member by purchasing a single session. For a limited time, the single session will be offered at the special launch price of $49! Sign up here!
M O O N C O L L E C T I V E
The Fall M O O N C O L L E C T I V E is almost over and we are ready to move into the next group! Having a community of people which whom to come together to honor each New and Full Moon has been so special. This collective is a wonderful way to step into rhythm with nature in a greater way, while sharing in that experience with other people. You can now join seasonally or become a M O O N C O L L E C T I V E subscriber!