Aligning with Earth's Natural Rhythms

Life on this planet is both cyclical and dualistic. Everything moves in a circular pattern through states of being that seem in opposition to each other. Earth moves in roughly a circular orbit around the sun, creating the movement through the seasons. Winter becomes spring. The moon passes through its phases as it circles the earth. Fullness gives way to emptiness. The sun rises and the earth is bathed in light and warmth, then disappears, leaving us in darkness. Plants grow, die, birth new seeds and sprout again.

From a soul perspective, we have chosen life upon this planet because we have something to learn by surrendering to a cyclical experience in seeming duality. We progress through the cycles, as all life does on this planet, growing in the process. You are born and you will die. In between, you are in a state of constant change. If you trust the infinite wisdom of this system, you will be easily carried through the wheel. You can honor the highs and the lows, allowing your experiences to be guided by the natural forces working in balance with each other.

In the cycle of life, everything is connected. There is movement, but there is no final destination. Experiences are revisited again and again. The only constant is change. This movement allows us to experience. Change is what makes human experience possible.

There are great benefits to aligning with this natural cycle. When we change our perception of the world and view things from this cyclical lens, we see that nothing is separate. All things are connected, and we can become aware of the energy currents at play in each season, in each cycle, at each moment.

By aligning ourselves with that movement of energy, we begin to sense the subtle currents at play in our life, and can ride these currents, much like a boat in a stream. Rather than paddling against the current, forcing things that are not to be or staying in places of unhappiness, we can allow the infinite knowledge of the current to carry us. Awareness is power.

ALIGNING WITH THE SEASONS

The progression of the seasons is one of the most easily recognized cycles, paralleling the cycle of life we all traverse. As the seasons cycle from spring, to summer, fall and then winter, we see our own cycle of birth, growth, aging and death mirrored in our physical world. We see, too, that the seeds set in the fall (the later part of our lives) are carried through the winter (the death of the physical body). Though the form may be different, those seeds spring forth with new life, suggesting that the growth of our soul may not take place over the course of a single lifetime, but over many.

This single shift in perception allows you to relax into the experience of this lifetime, knowing that you are growing like everything else in the world, that you can be at ease with the changes taking place and live without fear. In attuning to the cycles of the seasons, you align yourself with the energy of the natural world in a way that allows for great growth and peace.

WINTER - Winter is the season of darkness. The sun is below the horizon for longer than it is above. The world grows colder, plants die, trees grow bare, snow falls and covers the Earth, as animals hibernate in caves and dark places. The world turns within itself, and all her creatures slow down. Winter provides the emptiness from which all things are born. It is a formless void, simultaneously empty and full. It is a time for introspection, for quiet and for rest. Journal. Nap. Spend time in quiet reflection. What can you release? Can you let go into the darkness of not knowing what's coming next? Feel the places within you that are empty. Feel also the fullness within the emptiness. The void is pregnant with possibilities. In its emptiness, it holds space for everything. It is from this emptiness and the darkness of winter that new life is born. SPRING - Spring is the time of rebirth. It is the surging forth of new life. A time full of excitement and energy, the energy of spring is the energy of beginnings. The first green shoots appear on the seemingly lifeless landscape. But as in all seasons, there remains a duality. Whereas winter carries the energy of fullness and emptiness, spring offers glimpses of both life and death. The land stirs and things sprout, but we must reckon and take account of what has been left behind. It is the rotting away of what has passed that fertilizes the forward burst of life. Without the acceptance of what has been lost, there can be no forward movement. It is a time for hope and for receiving the benefit of whatever pain has been passed through. It is the reckoning of things lost and things found. Spend time making peace with what is behind you. Dream about what is ahead. Dig into the ground. Find what feeds you. Take nourishment from lessons learned. Use what you now know to step forward. What have you learned in quiet reflection? How can you use your newfound knowledge to step forward in a new way? SUMMER - Summer is the time of growth. All that was begun in the spring expands during the summer. The days grow long, the weather grows warmer, and there is growth everywhere. Every patch of earth turns green, as grasses and plants and trees sprout up everywhere. In summer, it seems you can actually see growth happening from one week to the next. But like winter, summer holds a duality. Within the profusion of growth and outward movement is a quiet call for stillness. Sit and watch the way the light reflects off the trees and the water. It is a time for enjoying what you have created. Be present in each full moment or you will miss the wonder of it. Create, play and have fun, all the while understanding that this cycle of the wheel will give way to the next. Summer, like winter, requires us to go within. In winter, we find what lives within so that we may carry it out into the world in a new way. In summer, what we've created out in the world must be carried back to our core, so that it may inform and nourish our understanding of self. What is true and good about you? How can you see it manifesting in your life right now? FALL - Fall holds the duality of harvesting and of letting go. Leaves change, and it is a time of great beauty. But the beauty is fleeting and heralds the ending of the season of fullness and the preparation for the winter months ahead. Plants die away while simultaneously creating seeds, holding an incredible potential for life and growth. The energy of fall is one of acceptance, surrender, joy and thanksgiving. It is a time for harvesting and storing the gifts you have been given, knowing that what you need has been provided. You are called upon to let go, just as the trees let go of their leaves (their connection to light and to sustenance), allowing the wind to carry away what no longer serves your growth. Trees hold no fear in their nakedness, knowing they have been fully provided for. Can you receive the good you have been given? Can you let go in trust? Aligning with the seasons means understanding what is transpiring in the natural world, and utilizing that energy for change in your own life. Remember, that as one part of the earth descends into the darkness of winter, another part rushes headlong into the growth of summer. Always, there is balance within the whole. Somewhere, rain is falling. Somewhere else, desserts are being baked in the sun. This is the beauty and balance of life upon Earth.

ALIGNING WITH THE PHASES OF THE MOON

Within each season, there are countless mini cycles taking place, shepherded by the movement of the moon through the cosmos. The moon is closely connected with our subconscious, our feminine, intuitive natures and our shadow. As the moon moves through its phases, you are carried into places within your subconscious that you may not be aware of. Being aware of the phase of the moon can assist in understanding the currents that are in play, the general direction of the deep soul work and subconscious processing that you are undertaking. Oftentimes, you can gain a conscious understanding of your subconscious processing by observing the patterns being placed before you throughout the cycle. With the light of the full moon, things are revealed and you may see what learning you have completed.

NEW MOON - With the new moon, the face of the moon is hidden, as the light of the sun is completely blocked by the Earth. This is a time for going within to see what's ready to be brought forward and worked with. It is a time of beginnings and exploring new paths. Like winter, the new moon is full of possibility. Spend some time in quiet reflection of your deepest desires. These may be different from what you consciously think you want. Meditate. Pray. Explore your deeper self and imagine how it might be expressed or brought to fruition in the coming month. Then set an intention for what you'd like to see happen. Say it aloud and then write it down. Put it somewhere you can see it throughout the cycle.

WAXING MOON - The moon grows during the waxing phase, changing from completely dark to full in roughly two weeks. The waxing moon is about growth and expansion of whatever you've set in motion at the new moon. What steps can you take to bring about your desire? What action, small or large, makes sense right now? Read your intention each day. Is the seed starting to sprout? Are you caring for it appropriately and with patience?

FULL MOON - With the full moon, there is a culmination of the growth process. It is with the light of the full moon that you may receive a new understanding, especially with regard to your own shadow aspects. Did your intention come true? Why or why not? What have you learned about yourself in this process? Was there something hidden about yourself that has now come to light?

WANING MOON – The moon wanes, going from full to dark once again, in the next part of the cycle. In these two weeks, it's time to integrate what you've learned and release what no longer serves you. Did you find out something about yourself this month? What can you do moving forward to honor that learning? What can you let go of in preparation of the new moon?

ALIGNING WITH THE SUN

Within each moon cycle, there are many smaller sun cycles. Most people quite naturally align with this cycle, rising in the morning and sleeping at night. Within this day/night cycle, there are also subtler, energetic currents. Although the sun is radiating warmth and light all through the day, the energy of increase and expansion is stronger as it rises through the sky. At midday, the sun reaches a highpoint and then begins tracking back toward the horizon, bringing a softer, declining energy. Is there a way for you to align with this subtle cycle in your daily life?

Each of these energetic cycles is like a circle, fully bounded and contained within a larger circle. We are forever embraced, flowing from one experience to the next. We can let go into each cycle, aligning with both the small and large turnings of the wheel. In doing so, we are carried, forever held by the next container of experience, moving around and around until we are ready to shift into a new experience.

What part of the cycle are you currently traversing?

What simple thing can you do today to align with this natural flow?