Even though there are a few weeks left of summer we can all feel and see evidence of the great turning that lies ahead. As the leaves change so do our internal urges. Linear structure sounds good again, but the journey from care free summer attitudes to a chop wood/carry water rhythm can seem arduous and somewhat uninspiring.
How do we look ahead without overwhelm? Return to center.
This wonderful time of the year called Indian Summer offers us the opportunity to enhance our earth element, leaving us more grounded and nourished. In Chinese Medicine this one seasonal transition represents all the transitions of the year and how gracefully we manage them. When things change, as they always do, what healthy habits do we default to that preserve our energy and sense of inner peace?
Remove Excess
You know what they are! Refined sugar and fatty summer fare are always at the top of my hit list. Out with the ice cream and chips and in with hearty garden fare like green beans and zucchini roasts! Regardless of what you are eating, reduce all the portion sizes and watch the summer cravings quickly dissipate and space for new, healthier habits appear. Consider eating simple meals to soothe digestion… think a big bowl of sautéed kale with healthy oils, a splash of apple cider vinegar, sea salt and a little bit of toasted millet. Yum!
A quick and easy cleanse like our Total Body Rapid Detox can be used to clear away some of the build-up of summer revelries and offer a perfect “reset button.” This moderation policy can be extended to late nights, social media, and anything that has gotten a little out of control over the height of the summer.
Supplement Weak Spots
When the winds of change blow in it’s important to know where you are vulnerable to stress and lend a helping hand. Some will need support with sleep. GABA and relaxing herbs can be helpful to turn down the monkey mind madness that often keeps us wound up as we engage new routines and projects.
If you are entering the structure of fall with an empty gas tank of energy, then consider adrenal support to combat fatigue throughout the day. Everyone could use a little immune boost as they move indoors and into increased exposure to viruses and bacteria. Elderberry, Astragulus, Vitamin C and probiotics bolster immunity as we move out of the protective activation of sun rays. Supplemental B vitamins do twice the work by countering stress and improving organ function.
Stay Tuned to Mother Nature’s Show
It’s still summer. Keep playing outside. There are numerous benefits to kicking off your shoes and walking barefoot on her back and belly. Pull that energy of overwhelm out of your head, neck and shoulders and feel your body rhythm synchronize with hers.
If that’s a stretch, then just have a few more sunset picnics and leave the tree hugging to the crunchier types. The point is that nothing is more grounding and centering than tuning into the planet that sustains our life… the big ball that holds us on its surface. Watch the leaves changes, the grapes ripen, the migratory animals fly by. I guarantee that any changes that you are managing will begin to seem a part of something much bigger if you spend a little time observing nature TV.
Take a Pregnant Pause
What is a pregnant pause? Well, you might recognize it as creating a little space before making a decision or picking up the pace. Insight and discernment often arise in those moments of down-regulation. Do we really need to add one more thing? Will that bring us back into balance or lead us further away. In life, we often find that subtraction can be as beneficial as addition.
Enter BREATHING on the scene of finding of balance. If I had started with the well-known guidance of “take a breath,” then I probably would have lost your attention. Breathing comes naturally in a pregnant pause. It’s inevitable, in fact. We see this in body work sessions at the Temple. We place our hands long enough on an area of restriction and eventually the person realizes they are not breathing there. The breath rushes in as the tension crumbles from simply being present with it.
Pregnant pauses could be sitting for 5 minutes before or after eating to allow for digestion. It could be sitting for a few minutes in your car after work to let the day’s experiences slide off your shoulders. It could look like making a cup of tea before jumping into the next part of your routine. Simply allowing a little space between life’s events lets your body catch up and helps us all stay a little more present with what is right in front of us.
Join us at the Temple this month as we practice returning to center…
- Meditation classes resume with Helen Lowe on Monday evenings;
- Craniosacral, acupuncture and other calming therapies are available to keep you grounded;
- And the dispensary is well-stocked with healing remedies
You may even see a barefooted, tree hugger taking a pregnant pause in the Serenity lounge and get inspired to take off your shoes, too!
In joyful service,
Kristi Zimmer, LMP Co-Owner of Tummy Temple
- Main Image Photo Credit: ShutterStock.com | Image ID:285121139 | Copyright: Mirelle
