The Shifting
The Shifting
Words by : Wendy Martin
November 6, 2023
Currently where I live in Canada (imagine sprawling trees, peppered dark lakes and Canadian shield rock for as far as the eye can see) the trees are in their final shake off of their leaves, the colors are glorious shades of golden yellow, terracotta orange and deep burgundy wine. The colors peak for literally a week until they fall. I always wrangle with a subtle melancholy this time of year as the reality of a season of heavy snow and cold creeps around the corner.
This season I am approaching the shift differently, I am remembering that shaking off the layers is really just a transference of energy. I imagine the trees actually becoming their strongest in autumn, they no longer bear fruit or produce leaves, all of their energy is pushed down into the roots, and what externally appears as loss and death, is actually a catalyst for new growth and life. It is a wise and necessary process. So what if instead of viewing this season as a time of loss, I embraced a slower pace? What if I pulled my energy into creating, reflecting, tucking in, resting and nurturing? Intentional time spent with simple quiet joys that help me to regulate between doing and being.
I also believe that is what the landing pad of retreat experiences does for us, these mindfully cultivated experiences invite us out of over stimulation, they help to steer our energy reserves back towards plentiful regulation and abundance. They ask us to slow all the way down, and to try on a slower pace and calmer rhythm. Retreat experiences shift the lens of seeing so that we may pick up all the simple extraordinary things that only require our attention – calm blue waters, bright morning sunrises, warm easy days tending to our one and only holy hearts. We steep in the joy of being nourished by food and gentle company. We lay foundations of daily practices that drop us into being vs doing. Our senses become reset by the lack of busyness and responsibilities. The unhurried days stretch us into ease and inner steadiness. Exploring different environments perks the ears of our minds and widens the lens of our view of living in the wilderness of being. Perhaps such an experience is on your radar? I know personally I always recalibrate during and after a Yoga & Adventures Worldwide experience. My heart feels lighter, my body feels deeply cared for, and my mind, less full of clutter. I return home with a kind of nervous system resiliency, like I can step back into the flow of life feeling full and whole. Perhaps we will meet there? in the calm space of natural beauty and calm slow rhythms…
From my heart to yours.
xo
Wendy
Upcoming retreats with Wendy :
January 31 – February 4, 2024 : MINI RETREAT EL CUYO
February 4 – 9, 2024 : BEACH, BEAUTY & BLISS RETREAT EL CUYO
