I am using a tiny imaginary wood burning tool to etch these delicate words into my brain before heading into the quiet heart of fall. As I sat, nestled in the small nook of a cedar tree the other day, listening to the ravens discuss their fall plans I considered mine. The cool, still air of fall is one of my favourite things. Renewal, new work, pumpkin soup; these are the offerings of this new season that I am looking forward to.
I will surface like a diver from the pool of summer that was filled with gardening and visitors and a little travel. Summer has such energy. I am tired of it now. I welcome the quiet, focused energy of fall. There is a different kind of doing that comes with fall. A few visitors have noted that fall feels like the real beginning of the new year.
And while my summer was filled with many things, my studio mostly lay silent and closed. I am taking the approach that things have been percolating below the surface, rather than going down the rabbit hole of regret and self recrimination. As the weather dampens and the lion's share of weeding and reshaping an old garden are behind me, the garden no longer calls me out of bed in the morning.
So "the strange pull of what I love" calls to me now. I will follow it, without assumption as much as I can. I want to sit in front of a canvas with no expectation, with no judgement, with a simple silent presence. I want to fall quietly into the underground cave of exploration and creation. I want to move through that space in such a way that hope and fear do not stick to me. This is my fall destination. It will not take many steps, no planes or trains, but I hope to travel miles from where I am now. In my little carry on case I will pack some carefully folded trust and wrinkle free faith; trust in a benevolent universe and faith in my ability to learn from it. Where will "the strange pull of what you love" take you this fall?
What a nice way to look at the fall - it makes so much sense now that you say it. It's easy to think of the fall as the beginning of the end of something pleasant, rather than just a pleasant beginning of new possibilities. Where will the strange pull take me this fall? I don't know - and that's the best part! Thanks for the re-introduction.
ReplyDeletesuch change within one year ,dictated by the seasons.
ReplyDeletein my world .... the difference between seasons may be as simple as the length of the shadow and the length of the daylight.
most everything else stays the same...
As so often, beautifully expressed, Carole. The "pull of what I love" calls to my heart more and more. I love the change that autumn brings, and have long felt it be more a new year than in January--I like this think of renewal, refocus, seeing it as a time of beginning, not ending. I am ready to be pulled... especially by love, and not least magical autumn light. :o) Happy Autumn ((HUGS))
ReplyDeletei love this Rumi quote. will have to jot it down for my Tibetan Prayer-like book. autumn always felt like the years start to me because it was the years start for so many years when i was in school. plus, i was born in October.
ReplyDeletelove what you say here, you say it so well. a little book in the making?
Happy Fall Equinox and all things calm and inward turning...
ReplyDeleteas with each visit here...I feel buoyed by imagery, scents (ahhh to the Cedar tree and pumpkin soup simmering)and the serenity that comes from standing in the center looking to the hope, looking to the fear and not attaching...
ahhhh...to rest in equanimity free of attachment, free of aversion...falling into that.
David - ah , yes stepping into the unknown of the pull, such good practice! Exciting and difficult at the same time.
ReplyDeleteRoz - yes to appreciate the simple changes, such as light and shadows, that is truly the richness of being.
Tracy - I have been watching you living out that Rumi line, changing your blog, your etsy shop. This is the awakening and renewal that infuses our lives with spirit.
Suki - What a perfect line for your beautiful book. A book nudge, hmm perhaps that would be a good winter project.
Donna - you are tuning right in to what I am working with right now, freedom from attachment to fear and hope, without aversion, without imagined outcomes. Happy equinox to you.
My god....that was absolutely beautiful! And I couldn't agree more. I have had all those feelings this past few months. Thank you for putting it so well. Beautiful!
ReplyDelete"heading into the quiet heart of fall" I love the way you phrased this...it does feel like a pull into silence and space for creating. Blessings as you journey in:-)
ReplyDeleteMary - Thanks for the kind words. Seems like a lot of folks are feeling this way about this time of transition. We have had such a late summer here, the seasons all seem pushed back a bit and so this sense of "fall" settling in here has just arrived (with the rain).
ReplyDeleteLaura - "space for creating", yes that's it in so many ways.
Lovely "new beginnings" to you! :) I "hope" to follow in your footsteps soon and feel that pull...
ReplyDeleteI look forward to your company!
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful post Donna. Writing must be one of your loves as your words seem to come from your heart. Very few have the ability to express themselves the way you do. Thanks for reminding me of the good things of fall. I loved it when my children were small and we lived in Vermont. As much as I love the cooler, crisp air, a relief from the hot dry days of Georgia, it has become a warning that the holidays and winter are on their way and that is difficult to deal with now.
ReplyDeletehey sweet carole... i love what you've packed to take with you. surely that is all we need...
ReplyDelete(except, wow, i just looked over at the sidebar and saw the 'homemade almond milk and chai spice chia pudding'. i think i need a little of that too.)
xoxo
Eva - I do love to play with words as much as I like to play with art materials! Easy to turn our minds to what we worry about in the future. I see you turning that powerful attention to your wonderful art! the clutch of the holidays can be intimidating. I have spent many years dialling this down. It is possible.
ReplyDeletelynne- and just to remember to keep that case with me! it is constantly getting lost, even when no airlines are involved! and that chai chia pudding is a winner. I add some raw cacao to it for a real treat. good fall comfort food.
It is calming to read your writing about going gently into autumn because I tend to go kicking and feeling resentful as I do prefer sunlight outside.. perhaps this is because I live in the Pacific NW and we only had 3 weeks of sunshine.. and since I have no control over any of this-- it is much better to surrender into the autumn cool and warm colors (I will try anyway!)
ReplyDeleteBeautifully stated. Hard work and determination do not have to be aggressive or forced. Sinking into being may mean doing more with less. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHello Donna- it was a short sun season here in the Pacific NW and it's true the lack of winter sun can wear on one after a while. I see the sun is shining again, let's savour it!
ReplyDeleteJosh - totally agreed and well put!