Slowing Down to Savor Summer
A few weeks ago, I took a haiku writing class with one of my favorite authors and teachers, Natalie Goldberg. Haiku is a form of poetry that originated in Japan in the 17th century consisting of seventeen syllables arranged in three lines (five syllables, then seven, and then five again). Because Natalie believes this traditional form works better for the Japanese language than for English, she told us to forget about counting syllables and simply aim for three short lines. One of the prompts she gave us was to write ten haiku about summertime in five minutes, but to convey the season without ever specifically naming it. What a lovely exercise!
Writing quickly—accessing a stream of consciousness unhindered by my critical “editing mind”—dropped me right back into the summertime of my youth. I wrote about calloused bare feet, dirty toes walking carefully across warm river rocks, running fast on hot cement to jump in a cool pool. Memories of long days and balmy nights surfaced, as did recollections of fireflies, searching for salamanders under smooth forest stones, wild blackberry bushes teaming with ripe fruit, big juicy peaches, and freshly picked sweet corn. I remembered drawing hopscotch grids with colored chalk, the excitement of ice cream trucks approaching, lying belly down on warm sand lulled by the crashing of waves. I was enveloped by countless enchantments of summer without ever writing the word.
With summer solstice almost upon us after a challenging and draining year, this is a wonderful opportunity to consciously tap into the abundant, nurturing energy of summertime—to rest, play, and reconnect with nature. Hilary Nicholls, the wonderful healer who leads our Quest for Eternal Sunshine nature-based Circles of Light guided meditations, reminds us of the importance of slowing down to replenish and rejuvenate. “Unfortunately, rest is not encouraged in our culture, but there are so many rewards that come from activities that deeply nurture us. We need to stop judging ourselves by how productive we are and allow ourselves to relax and regenerate so we can come back into balance.”
Hilary urges us to ask ourselves if we’re moving through each day overly focused on checking off our “to-do lists,” or if we’re consistently carving out time for a pause. Are we letting our nervous systems settle? Are we actively receiving the nourishment and insights always available from nature that help us replenish and rejuvenate?
Myra’s grandson, Feliciano, playing in the Carmel River in Carmel Valley
Hilary reminds us that we can reawaken our senses each day and nourish ourselves by drinking in the beauty around us. Nature is ever-growing, ever-changing, and ever-renewing. Each season brings its own particular feel, scents and sounds. Attuning ourselves to these cycles helps us get in touch with a more rhythmic way of living. “If you listen to summer, it will remind you of special times and give you permission to play. There is something about the warm fragrant breezes, the angle of the light, and the length of the days—a natural abundance that our bodies recognize. Our human nature needs to remember Mother Nature.”
Since their inception as a response to the extremely turbulent times last fall, Quest for Eternal Sunshine’s free Circles of Light have evolved into a quarterly virtual gathering timed to tap into each season’s special energy for wisdom, healing and replenishment. “The power of the circle has been known by all indigenous peoples throughout history,” Hilary explains. “The focused attention of each individual combines with the power of the group consciousness in a synergistic way that allows our intentions to more readily manifest. As we each add more light to the circle, the energy field becomes greater than the sum of its parts—a power that we can plug into for healing and growth, and to help manifest a better world.”
Towards the end of her beautiful guided meditations—when we are fully relaxed and deeply attuned to nature—Hilary has begun to weave in short stream of consciousness journaling exercises that feel magical. In our last circle, which tapped into the energy of spring, the images that came to me were of leaves unfurling and bursting forth with boundless green vibrancy. Directly experiencing the powerful energy of growth and renewal woke me up to my habitual patterns of always pushing so hard instead of tuning into the natural currents of life that can help me live with more flow and ease. The writing exercise not only brought out this revelation, it also made it more tangible and less fleeting.
“When we’re writing from a very relaxed state, we’re able to bypass the conscious thinking mind that is often spinning. We tap into our inner guidance so we can receive messages from a deeper part of ourselves as we build our relationship with Mother Nature.”
I hope you will consider joining our summer Circle of Light on Tuesday, June 22, from 5:15 to 5:45 PDT. It’s free, and if you sign up and can’t make it, you’ll receive the recording soon after and can experience it at your convenience.
With wishes for replenishment, relaxation and peace,
Myra
