Balancing in Seasons of Change

Balancing in seasons of change—what does that mean? Walking at the airpark recently gave me the inspiration for this post. At some point along the path, I became aware I'd walked into the dog days of summer. A stifling patch of heat, the sound of cicadas in dried grasses, and the scent of ripened blackberries told me I was right there. I breathed in the scent of that stillness and stood on the path, wanting to stretch the scents, sounds, and sights forever. The moment changed.

They say change, like wildfire smoke is imminent, which means no walking outside for me. And fall is approaching with chills and soaking rain, relentless grey skies and reduced sunlight. Perhaps your change was moving over the summer, or evacuating because of wildfires. The upheaval would have been enormous and heart-wrenching.

With change come seasons of grief, each one a step toward acceptance. To move through those seasons, there are three steps that help me move forward. And the more you use these steps, the more awareness you'll experience, bringing with it a sense of calm and clarity. We begin with breath work.

Breathing is for life. All of us begin life with a breath. Which mother doesn’t listen for her newborn’s first robust cries as air fills its lungs for the first time? What wondrous sight doesn’t automatically accompany a sudden intake of breath? When your heart is racing, slow, regular breaths bring welcome calm.

Step One is Breath Work: The first step is to imagine you’re standing or sitting anywhere that feels like home: on a beach, a mountain, the forest, on grasslands, beneath a waterfall. You watch the vista change as gravity pulls the tide in and out, as the oxygen deep in the forest soothes your lungs, as clouds gather on a mountain peak, as the tall grasses sway against a brilliant blue sky, or you feel the spray of clear water on your face. Whatever you envision, engage all your senses to see the scene in front of you, and breathe deeply. Breathe. It is your life force letting you know you’re alive.

Your body knows you. Pain is a part of the human experience, but being alive isn’t much fun if pain is involved. Over the past eight years, I’ve learned that my body is usually the first to register if something is out of kilter. A random pain will often lead to discovering, like I did today, that my spine and rib cage were out of alignment, motivating me to call my chiropractor.

After my brilliant chiropractor worked his magic, my rib cage expanded, and I could stand straight and tall as my hunched shoulders moved back into position. I could breathe easily again, and it felt wonderful.

Step Two is listening to your body. This second tip for balancing yourself is counterintuitive. Listen to your body. I mean, literally ask it what it’s saying to you. Hearing your body speak will surprise you. For example, in the past, pain in my left knee told me about blockages to moving forward. My left knee is pain-free today as I discovered my purpose and passion. Actions that improve your physical well-being can help you navigate challenging transitions more effectively because the connection between all parts of our being influences how we think and feel. Make that appointment for a massage or chiropractic care. Work in time for something that makes your body feel healthy and alive. Go for a walk.

Maybe steps one and two haven’t made you feel substantially better, and life seems bigger and badder than breathing techniques and listening to your body. I say, try it like you mean it. Do the steps morning and night for a week and see if you don’t feel better. Then do Step Three. This isn’t your ordinary pause between activities to gulp down a smoothie.

Pausing is regenerating. The last step I do to balance is one that took some practice. Anyone with a busy mind will know how difficult it is to shut it off. Why does emptying your mind work for balancing? It stops worry, stress, and upset from getting worse. It interrupts our minds from adding to our already negative state and prepares us for new possibilities.

Step Three is to pause regularly. To prepare for step three, find a time when no one will interrupt you for about 15 minutes. Ask your mind to take a break for one minute while you stop everything. If watching a candle flame helps, light one and watch it. Nothing exists but you and your candle. In a public place, this step is harder to do, but I’ve done it. Try a no-thought state for 1 minute on a nearby bench or beach. Wear sunglasses if you feel shy about closing your eyes in public or focus on something beautiful. If thoughts appear before you want them to, don’t say no to your mind. You’ll just get bombarded. I say, Thank you mind for letting me know. Please remind me after I’m done.

A word about balancing. Being off-balance can happen for many reasons, not just change. Some common reasons might be: stress, medication, hormones, substance use, issues with something in the environment, lack of sleep, poor nutrition, or depression. If these three steps don’t help you feel more balanced, you may need to consult a doctor, especially if you have other symptoms.

Some days are stress-inducing just because you turned on the T.V. or streaming service. If that’s the case, these steps will help you. When one is aware of beauty, it’s easy to stop and stretch those moments out as I did at the beginning of this post. In that paused state, I felt uplifted. And just because they're easy, don’t underestimate the power of these three steps when practised. Over time, you’ll see a change in how you return to balance because balancing in seasons of change promotes calm and clarity inside so we can get on with living.