SUNDAY SLOWDOWN | Honoring the Spaces in Between
“Honor the space between no longer and not yet. “
- Nancy Levin
I love the liminal space between seasons. The changes are subtle at first. The day is darker as I rise. I sit for a moment and savor the still, hushed tone of the streetscape outside my studio window. Cooler mornings now require a jacket or light sweater. I especially love the light. Shadows show them selves more readily on sidewalks. Golden hour has the tone of a gentle flame. Dusk descends quietly, then suddenly, the skies turn dark. Even the full moon appears differently, somehow bigger and bolder in its presence and glow.
This time of year feels like standing at a threshold. One foot in a season that is ending, and another in the one that is arriving, teasing us with vacillating temperatures, but clearly letting us know that the change to come is inevitable.
With the fast paced lives we lead, it’s easy to ignore or forget these simple, yet profound rites of passage. We move so quickly, we tend to ignore the power of these moments, the shifting of nature’s haven, the changing rhythm in our bodies. Our bodies have an intelligence beyond our thinking minds, or our scheduled routines. They attune to the external and internal changes with incredible resilience and grace. And yet, they still need our attention, our care.
With this last full moon, my body was asking me to focus on nourishing and nurturing myself in a more intentional way. I started making myself breakfast every morning again. Eating more protein and vegetables. Drinking tons of water. I have a glass water bottle that stays in my car, I drink it when I am driving from place to place, refilling it up for the return ride. I’m getting back to the gym on a more regular basis again. It’s an abbreviated version of the RE/SET practice I preach and teach. I’m following Julia Child’s mantra for living, “everything in moderation, even moderation.” It’s a way to give myself some leeway and grace.
With less travel and the impending holiday season ahead, I am focused on getting my grounding in a more intentional way. I find myself wanting to schedule my time more thoughtfully, in a daily agenda. For some of you this practice is de rigueur. Those of you that know me, know I’m not a planner, so this is always a challenge. And yet, when I actually schedule my time and activities with diligence, I find it a welcome way to walk and work through the world. I’m reading more too. Not just listening to audible, but actually hold a hardcover in my hands. Taking time out with an actual book reminds me how much I love to read. And, how nourishing it is to make time for something other than work, be it the business or chores at home. A few books I have recently read and loved are: Art work: On The Creative Life by Sally Mann, Strong Ground by Brene Brown, Life Worth Living ( a guide to what matters most), and The Way Home: Discovering the Hero’s Journey to Wholeness at Midlife by Ben Katt.
When we are nourished, nurtured, and grounded, we become steadier agents of our lives. We are able to show up rested and restored in the service of others.
What are the ways your body is asking for your attention? How can you attend to it with care and compassion, discipline and devotion? Most of us live our lives in a state of aspiration, those ways we “wish” we would live. How and what can you make a reality for yourself. Not that which you think you “should” be doing, but based the intelligence of your personal needs.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on what’s working for you, or what you feel like you need. Feel free to reply and share.
X Alisa
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