Listening to the Seasons

There is so much magic in autumn. It’s a time of harvest, letting go and putting our garden to rest. As I cleaned out some of my garden beds yesterday, I gathered the beautiful cabbages that would become nourishing soups and stews and let the ones that didn’t mature become compost. As I weeded and added the compost, there was a deep satisfaction in knowing that this garden bed was ready to rest and rejuvenate. It has become clear to me that what a really skillful gardener grows is fertile soil and that takes constant tending. I’ve come to understand that to become a skillful and more loving human I must do the same for my mind. I must choose what to plant and weed the thoughts that aren’t helping me grow to my full potential. To cultivate a healthy mind I need to offer myself both nourishment and rest. Most of all, I need to lovingly pay attention and offer compassionate care to myself.

We are living in very potent times and it feels essential to cultivate healthy soil in the gardens of our minds, our communities and our world at large. The Yamas and Niyamas – the ethical teachings of yoga – are an invaluable resource to cultivate healthy relationships within ourselves and with each other. This month we are exploring Satya or truthfulness. This teaching asks us to live in alignment with our heart and to attune to the relationship between our desire to belong and our need to evolve and grow. It helps us see that personal truth is fluid – it changes with time. Personal truth is ultimately based on an individual's perspective that is influenced by our life experience and culture. By definition this ‘small t truth’ can’t encompass the whole Truth. On the other hand, universal Truth reminds us that we are one, and at our core we are love. The invitation is to cultivate a path that helps us remember this universal Truth over and over again.

Much love,
Sue