Happy Fall to All,
The fall equinox was on September 22, and I have been struggling for about three weeks with what this time of year means to me. Sometimes when I am struggling, I ask my good friend Google for inspiration.
This search led me to three lessons for fall:
Let go and prepare for winter
Celebrate the harvest and practice gratitude
Embrace contradictions
Suddenly it was clear why I was struggling. All three of these are hard for me!
Let go
This fall lesson is evident in the falling leaves.
Oh, the resistance! I am a hand raiser. If there is something that needs to get done, sign me up. I love the feeling of checking a task off the list or accomplishing a goal. When my plate is full, I start a training on time bending rather than the rational response of saying no or letting go. Where does this lead? Burnout City.
I am so grateful for being raised with a deep seeded value of commitment. This serves me in so many ways, and it, like everything, requires balance. To enable letting go, I am revisiting my core values and reprioritizing based on what is most important to me. If this sounds like a fun exercise, Drew Dudley has a great book This is Day One. I highly recommend it.
As I first contemplated letting go in terms of Restore, I was disheartened, so I came back to the core values of Restore Yoga School: balance (sattva), community (sangha), and self-study (svadhyaya). As I personally strive for balance and self-study in this season, I am prioritizing building our Restore community. To accomplish this, I am letting go of teaching our Monday class and focusing on offering pop-up community classes. Just as I was processing this idea, two awesome teachers came forward to support the mission and take over teaching our Monday class. The universe has my back. Be sure to check out Jen and Megan’s bios on the website and in the October Newsletter!
Celebrate the harvest
This fall lesson is evident in the abundant harvest throughout this season. We have apples and berries in September, and October yields pumpkins, gourds, and root vegetables. In the United States we celebrate with the Thanksgiving Holiday. Recently there has been a shift from the colonial understanding of this holiday towards an understanding more aligned with the wisdom of indigenous people in honoring the Earth’s provisions with gratitude.
Slowing down or pausing to appreciate the yield of the previous season is so important. It is something I have been working on since my management role with Merck. I would often move from one project to the next without fully recognizing the work and reward of the project.
As for Restore, an idea was planted in the spring, and it grew to a start up business with a clear mission and vision for the future. I have so much gratitude for all the mentors, teachers, and students that have made this vision manifest over the course of this summer. Thank you, thank you for your words of encouragement, class participation, and continued support!
Embrace Contradictions
The specific example Google offered for this is to make space for decisiveness and indecision. I particularly struggle with this contradiction! Sitting on the fence often feels like floundering, but deciding requires letting go of alternative possibilities. It is a beautiful thing to embrace that in some decisions may come quickly and in others require patience.
As many of you know, I am currently completing my Masters of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Also, I am invested in developing and serving this yoga community. At the same time, I am working at Merck Animal Health. All three of these career opportunities have benefitted me greatly, and there is so much beauty choosing indecision and surrendering my career path to the universe.
Thank you so much for deciding to be a part of the Restore community! I am looking forward to the seasons and growth ahead. Be sure to check out the October Newsletter for opportunities to connect with the community, find a balance that serves you, and dive deeper into your yoga journey.
Sending Love, Light and Gratitude,
Chelsey
Comentarios