Slow Living Through Earth Intimacy
Louisville, Ky, is a place in the world where we live in the four seasons, yet I tend to tune in come Autumn. This is where my work lies, in being comfortable with letting go, with the death cycle, and with moving into stillness. Much of the western hemisphere is learning to appreciate the balance that comes with the Yin cycle, something new to previously held values steeped in productivity.
Autumn is a time of dying off, a time of cleansing. Some indigenous cultures look to the element of water and the direction of the West. Chinese medicine works with the metal element this season and the emotion of grief. Autumn is the beginning of our Yin season, going inside to lie dormant, receiving, often associated with feminine cycles.
In a medical intuitive class led by Gaia Heals, we discussed the difference between clinical depression and seasonal affective disorder on an energetic level. Where clinical depression is related to one’s true self or a gift one hides away, the root cause of seasonal depression is associated with our masculine heavy society needing to switch to yin mode.
This hits so closely as a spiritual leader who works as an entrepreneur. I’ve worked diligently over the last few years to embrace my feminine gifts, fully explore my inner world, and learn to love Autumn. Making an intentional effort to embrace the seasons, to go inward, and to work through what we need to to make space for spring, often requires a shift in priorities.
One of my favorite qualities of Yin is the word no. The ability to say no to something that may seem like an opportunity, an obligation, or a practice. There is so much power in the ability to stand firmly, without judgment, protecting the boundary you require to remain centered. There’s so much power in the space between.
We as a collective have the opportunity to mirror the seasons in certain geographical regions, which is essential to balance. Our bodies strive for homeostasis, and when we don’t make the time to go inward or continue to charge through life doing all the things, our bodies begin to cry out for help.
We have lived in a power-driven society where value has been placed on productivity, consumption, and material wealth; we have to relearn our innate ability to turn it off. We have to learn to listen.
This movement is happening with younger generations, with mindful awareness, but it hasn’t yet trickled into global economies. At what point are we going to embrace the 4-day work week? At what point will we realize our wellness is directly linked to how we show up in the world? When will we understand that to work smarter does not mean to work harder?
We must be still long enough to understand how to be true to ourselves. This is how we reduce the rate of disease. Earth provides everything we need to stay healthy. This is where we receive insight from Spirit that directs our lives in flow.
The ability to flow with Yin and Yang, between seasons, through inward and outward expression is holistic wellness. It’s homeostasis for the soul. It’s faith. It’s how you learn to trust yourself to get out of the loop and back on the path.
It takes an individual effort for the collective movement. We’re so close. What one thing can you do today to listen?
