The Seeds of Transformation
As the leaves begin to turn and the trees shed their memories of summer, earth signals us that it’s a time of change. While we watch the transition occur in nature, it reminds us that subtle shifts also are occurring within us. A favorite season for many of us, autumn marks a time for sweater weather, crisp apples and warm spices and the anticipation of pumpkin pie, and conversations around the fire.
Along with the fresh fall air, bright blue skies and vibrant leaves, we may find ourselves re-evaluating, reviewing and reprocessing. As we continue to dredge ourselves out of a time in history that has led to disbelief and division, it has left us all still feeling a bit unsteady, uneasy, and unsure. What has it been all about really? And why?
One thing that seems to have surfaced is a deeper understanding of human suffering and the emotional pain that most of us in our culture have been encouraged in the past to stuff away. We have come to realize that mental health and the state of our minds is at the root of much of our misery. The pandemic, financial instability, separation, and social and traditional media have only fed the little gremlins burrowing in our minds. Goblins and ghosts may be part of this season’s tradition, but truth is, the real monsters live in our heads and not under the bed. We, as proprietors of those thoughts, are the only ones who can find our way out through the maze of cobwebs.
Whether we’re holding steadfast onto a position that has evolved into angry righteousness, shrinking into a fearful ball of anxiety and internal terror, or retreating into a quiet self-imposed cell of depression, all of us are struggling with the knots of our thoughts and feelings, wondering where we go from here, and how.
To make things worse, through the course of this unsettling time in history, relationships with family and friends have been tested if not severed due to political or ideological division. Although difficult and often hurtful, redefining relationships is part of life and growth. Like a wildfire that decimates a forest and resets itself for regrowth, sometimes a return to what was prompts a shift toward what we need in order to mature into a place of health.
Like most spiritual practices, much of the work we do in yoga revolves around the process letting go. First, we notice the discomfort in our bodies. Then we recognize the holding patterns that continue to resurface. Later, we make the connection that the patterns in our bodies are often related to what’s happening in our minds and lives. Other times, we may discover the pain or illness is a physical manifestation of past experiences that continue to haunt us. Mining the source of it can be tough, but if we can determine the link, the letting go can begin. As we learn to identify and leave our triggering thoughts or memories behind, the sharp edges of our pain can begin to soften as we also learn to release the emotions that accompany them.
Of course, letting go is rarely that easy. Holding on offers us comfort. It’s what we know and what we’re used to. Even if deep down we know it’s no longer working, it’s what we’ve grown comfortable with and learned to accept. But at the same time, it may be what’s holding us back and keeping us from moving forward. Whether it’s a thought, a pattern, a person, a habit, a situation, or a memory, letting go means moving away from what you know.
Sometimes letting go of what was just means re-establishing healthier boundaries, ones that are more practical, honest, and realistic. Other times, setting boundaries may mean having to completely let go. Either way, when we are courageous enough to be truthful and vulnerable, it allows others to do the same. It can result in an evolution toward a place with more clarity and light. Similar to making the choice to use a block in Trikonasana (triangle pose) after years of never using one, a small shift could create more space to expand upward and outward. With this new-found space and perspective, new opportunities may reveal themselves.
Although shifting out of autopilot to move toward conscious change can be challenging and arduous, it can also lead to transformation. Like the charred ashes after a forest fire create fertile ground for new growth to unfurl, we must first let go of what we know to reveal the reality of what we have yet to discover.