I spend most mornings outside on my deck. The early hours are precious to me – time to connect with life and myself, away from the things that will inevitably demand my attention and disturb my waters (sigh). Tis the way of things.
I like to sit, watch and listen; to drink in the quiet. It’s funny… when I pay attention, I see SO much more. Obvious and true (I’m a mindfulness teacher after all!), and yet it still surprises and delights me.
It’s during these quiet mornings I’ve been noticing and paying attention to the rhythms within and around my life. Layer upon layer, they’re everywhere! Like everything in nature, we’re full of rhythms – internally our heart beating, our breath, our craniosacral ‘pulse’ and many more. And externally, our daily routines, the cycles in nature like day and night and the seasons.
Rhythm is deeply soothing for our nervous systems – it’s why we love things like music and dancing, walking, knitting, and the sound of the ocean – they all help us to relax. Think about the things you love to do, and I’m guessing there’s a kind of rhythm to it.
One of the (many) things about the pandemic, is our rhythms were disrupted. This was neither good nor bad – sometimes disruption is exactly what’s needed! And maybe like me, consciously or unconsciously, you’re still figuring out what rhythms and routines to let go of and which ones to re-establish or even create.
There have been times in my life when I've created rhythms and routines that stifled me; a life full of wonderful things AND no room to breathe! Now, through the lens of mid-life, I have great love for my misguided attempts to feel anchored and full, not realising the pain of being weighed down. Maybe that sounds familiar to you?
These days I’m seeking out rhythms and routines that tether me just enough so that I can explore more joy and more freedom both inside and out.
There’s a daily inquiry I’ve been using to help me get clearer: “does this support the life I’m trying to create?” “does this move me towards the way I want to BE in the world?”
Try it, maybe this will work for you too!