Trees, autumn leaves, letting go
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Trees, autumn leaves, letting go
Daily Reflection
Quote/Sharing linked page - Baton Rouge Al-Anon
Letting go
“When I heard ‘Let Go and Let God’ for the first time, it didn’t make sense to me. Let go of what? And let God do what?
--Hope for Today – Al-Anon Family Groups
When despair led me to my first Al-Anon meeting, the season was late summer. By the time the leaves on the trees began changing color, I had been to enough meetings and read enough but literature to glimpse the futility of attempting to control things that were not in my control. I began to understand that by trying to fix my alcoholic, I was actually contributing to the problem. In the rooms I met other people in my position who had seen their lives improve by consciously letting go of things that were not on their side of the street. I wasn’t sure I could allow the balls I had been keeping in the air so faithfully to just fall where they may, and I was scared. I also knew I was exhausted from the effort, and that spending my last ounce of strength had not accomplished my goal, which was to get my alcoholic husband to be there for me and our kids like I wished he would. The key to finally beginning to let go was getting honest with myself, and really accepting the fact that I was not actually ever IN control, it was all just an illusion. No wonder my efforts had no effect! I was trying to control people and outcomes and events over which I had no power, which were not mine to control in the first place. The only thing I could truly control was ME. This was a truly freeing revelation. As I began to change my thinking and my behaviors, i found i had so much extra time and energy for myself because I was no longer wasting energy spinning my wheels worrying about everyone else.
I shifted my focus and began paying attention to the wonderful world around me, finding my SELF again by reconnecting with my love of nature. I took in the gorgeous colors of fall in the turning leaves, and as the winds blew a few leaves descended gracefully to Earth one by one. I imagined each leaf was a worry I was saying goodbye to, one I couldn’t change or fix anyway, so why not just let it go? As I watched, more and more leaves were swept away by the winds, and as the gorgeous reds and yellows carpeted the grass all around me, I saw how straight and true the majestic tree stood, amid the swirling colors.
Each fall I am reminded of this amazing transformation in me, how by letting go I regained my strength and could stand tall again.
Standing, I breathe deeply in through my nose, straightening my back and shoulders as I attain my full height with the slow intake of air. I am tall, true, and strong like the oak. I am me. Slowly I release my breath through my nose, imagining my exhaled breath swirling and falling to Earth like the colored leaves, carrying away the worries I am no longer owning. I am free. With each breath i draw in i stand taller. With each breath released I am lighter. I delight in the colors swirling around me, releasing, releasing, releasing worries. Deep breath. Big smile. I am experiencing beauty in the moment, and I am part of it.
Quote/Sharing linked page - Baton Rouge Al-Anon
Letting go
“When I heard ‘Let Go and Let God’ for the first time, it didn’t make sense to me. Let go of what? And let God do what?
--Hope for Today – Al-Anon Family Groups
When despair led me to my first Al-Anon meeting, the season was late summer. By the time the leaves on the trees began changing color, I had been to enough meetings and read enough but literature to glimpse the futility of attempting to control things that were not in my control. I began to understand that by trying to fix my alcoholic, I was actually contributing to the problem. In the rooms I met other people in my position who had seen their lives improve by consciously letting go of things that were not on their side of the street. I wasn’t sure I could allow the balls I had been keeping in the air so faithfully to just fall where they may, and I was scared. I also knew I was exhausted from the effort, and that spending my last ounce of strength had not accomplished my goal, which was to get my alcoholic husband to be there for me and our kids like I wished he would. The key to finally beginning to let go was getting honest with myself, and really accepting the fact that I was not actually ever IN control, it was all just an illusion. No wonder my efforts had no effect! I was trying to control people and outcomes and events over which I had no power, which were not mine to control in the first place. The only thing I could truly control was ME. This was a truly freeing revelation. As I began to change my thinking and my behaviors, i found i had so much extra time and energy for myself because I was no longer wasting energy spinning my wheels worrying about everyone else.
I shifted my focus and began paying attention to the wonderful world around me, finding my SELF again by reconnecting with my love of nature. I took in the gorgeous colors of fall in the turning leaves, and as the winds blew a few leaves descended gracefully to Earth one by one. I imagined each leaf was a worry I was saying goodbye to, one I couldn’t change or fix anyway, so why not just let it go? As I watched, more and more leaves were swept away by the winds, and as the gorgeous reds and yellows carpeted the grass all around me, I saw how straight and true the majestic tree stood, amid the swirling colors.
Each fall I am reminded of this amazing transformation in me, how by letting go I regained my strength and could stand tall again.
Standing, I breathe deeply in through my nose, straightening my back and shoulders as I attain my full height with the slow intake of air. I am tall, true, and strong like the oak. I am me. Slowly I release my breath through my nose, imagining my exhaled breath swirling and falling to Earth like the colored leaves, carrying away the worries I am no longer owning. I am free. With each breath i draw in i stand taller. With each breath released I am lighter. I delight in the colors swirling around me, releasing, releasing, releasing worries. Deep breath. Big smile. I am experiencing beauty in the moment, and I am part of it.
During recent weeks, I've had many moments of reaching up to touch colorful leaves above me, kicking fallen leaves like I did as a kid, enjoying the smell, sight and feelings of autumn around me. After doctor appts, when I go for walk around the block, past many trees and a small creek. Pulling off the highway to spend a few minutes at a newly found piece of quiet just to the side of the rushing of my life.
I've been standing tall, breathing in, breathing out, being a part of life.
As I embrace this, I find it in more places. When the leaves stop falling, I'll know it's a phase of life. That something else wonderful will fill it, until next year when I'll enjoy it again.
Letting go...
I never knew how wonderful it could be. It used to be scary; now it's comforting. I thought I'd be losing things by letting go. My life is more beautiful and full, as I let go.
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Midwest
Posts: 11,481
Beautiful, beautiful post, KTF.
Autumn is always the season that finds me kind of sad and down, since I think of it as a time of endings, but I see how your growth has given you a new viewpoint. I'm going to incorporate these thoughts into my daily meditations to see if I can't come around to a similar way of thinking, in time.
Thanks for sharing.
Autumn is always the season that finds me kind of sad and down, since I think of it as a time of endings, but I see how your growth has given you a new viewpoint. I'm going to incorporate these thoughts into my daily meditations to see if I can't come around to a similar way of thinking, in time.
Thanks for sharing.
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Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 61
Originally Posted by keepingthefaith 
During recent weeks, I've had many moments of reaching up to touch colorful leaves above me, kicking fallen leaves like I did as a kid, enjoying the smell, sight and feelings of autumn around me. After doctor appts, when I go for walk around the block, past many trees and a small creek. Pulling off the highway to spend a few minutes at a newly found piece of quiet just to the side of the rushing of my life.
I've been standing tall, breathing in, breathing out, being a part of life.
As I embrace this, I find it in more places. When the leaves stop falling, I'll know it's a phase of life. That something else wonderful will fill it, until next year when I'll enjoy it again.
Letting go...
I never knew how wonderful it could be. It used to be scary; now it's comforting. I thought I'd be losing things by letting go. My life is more beautiful and full, as I let go.
I've been standing tall, breathing in, breathing out, being a part of life.
As I embrace this, I find it in more places. When the leaves stop falling, I'll know it's a phase of life. That something else wonderful will fill it, until next year when I'll enjoy it again.
Letting go...
I never knew how wonderful it could be. It used to be scary; now it's comforting. I thought I'd be losing things by letting go. My life is more beautiful and full, as I let go.
Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Florida
Posts: 6,780
Love this, KTF, so beautiful.
I love autumn. Of course, this far south we don't have things going grey & leaves falling... and it's definitely the best weather of the year.
At the start of the season in late Sept, I started purging closets, dressers, drawers, pantry, etc. I considered a fasting but hadn't had the time to work it in just yet. When I talk to my BFF about this time of year she always reminds me of the medicine wheel & how autumn is a time for introspection.
Really, so many religious & secular beliefs celebrate this time of atoning ourselves & honoring our ancestors. Not with sadness, which is about us - but with honor, which is about them.
It is a time to make amends to ourselves & reflect on the gains & losses of the past year as we prepare for the winter & before we get too busy with all the celebrations/obligations that will consume us from Nov-Jan. Time to focus on the intangible before we get swept up in the material. Time to harvest the proceeds from our hard work all year & measure our results - what worked? Why? What didn't? What can be fine-tuned?
And I love the irony of the leaves not actually changing, but returning to their natural state as they stop processing chlorophyll for the tree's nourishment.
So, I was surprised that I've never heard of Navratri until articles about it started rolling through my Flipboard magazine.... because it's basically all that & a big bag of chips, lol.
Navratri 2015 Celebrations | The Art of Living Navaratri
It starts today. I am not able to drop everything & dive in fully but I'm going to be taking some pointers from this event. Sitting in silence, for one, which is something I've naturally been leaning toward without understanding why it feels so important right now. I can't fast right now but I'm making a big effort to focus on whole foods, getting good sleep & focusing more on my intentions during my meditations.
SO well said & SO true!!!! 
I love autumn. Of course, this far south we don't have things going grey & leaves falling... and it's definitely the best weather of the year.
At the start of the season in late Sept, I started purging closets, dressers, drawers, pantry, etc. I considered a fasting but hadn't had the time to work it in just yet. When I talk to my BFF about this time of year she always reminds me of the medicine wheel & how autumn is a time for introspection.
Really, so many religious & secular beliefs celebrate this time of atoning ourselves & honoring our ancestors. Not with sadness, which is about us - but with honor, which is about them.
It is a time to make amends to ourselves & reflect on the gains & losses of the past year as we prepare for the winter & before we get too busy with all the celebrations/obligations that will consume us from Nov-Jan. Time to focus on the intangible before we get swept up in the material. Time to harvest the proceeds from our hard work all year & measure our results - what worked? Why? What didn't? What can be fine-tuned?
And I love the irony of the leaves not actually changing, but returning to their natural state as they stop processing chlorophyll for the tree's nourishment.
So, I was surprised that I've never heard of Navratri until articles about it started rolling through my Flipboard magazine.... because it's basically all that & a big bag of chips, lol.
Navratri 2015 Celebrations | The Art of Living Navaratri
It starts today.
I am not able to drop everything & dive in fully but I'm going to be taking some pointers from this event. Sitting in silence, for one, which is something I've naturally been leaning toward without understanding why it feels so important right now. I can't fast right now but I'm making a big effort to focus on whole foods, getting good sleep & focusing more on my intentions during my meditations.
Letting go...
I never knew how wonderful it could be. It used to be scary; now it's comforting. I thought I'd be losing things by letting go. My life is more beautiful and full, as I let go.
I never knew how wonderful it could be. It used to be scary; now it's comforting. I thought I'd be losing things by letting go. My life is more beautiful and full, as I let go.
SO well said & SO true!!!!
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