Seasons and Cycles
Harvesting the potential
We bear the fruit of the work we do.
Even if you live in the middle of a concrete jungle the laws of nature still cycle and govern our world. The sun rises & sets, the moon moves from full to new & back again, Winters are dormant, Springtime is all about new growth, we grow and ripen through Summer and harvest in the Autumn.
And the cycle continues. Over and over.
I live on a vineyard. I arrived when there were mere sticks. Green leaves started to sprout and grow, then came the fruit, now the leaves have turned yellow. They have done their job of protecting the fruit and now it is time to gather the bounty.
A foundation of good site selection, the slope of the land, good soil to nourish the roots, the temperature of the environment are elements that support optimal growth.
Nature is amazing - we just have to let it do it’s thing - there isn’t need for too much intervention or interference - a little fertiliser, a hard prune to remove all the dead stuff that offers no value … and then it all begins again.
A harvest can be tenuous due to elements beyond anyone’s control. Some harvests are leaner than others.
But each little globe on the vines is full of potential. A bit like us really.
We learn so much about rhythms when we connect to nature.
Midlife is a season, and is part of the cycle of life.
Despite somewhat outdated popular opinion, there are still opportunities for growth.
Maybe we need to put more nourishment into our proverbial soils.
Maybe we need to prune away the things that are hindering our growth.
Maybe we learn how to protect ourselves from the storms.
We can adjust for inclement conditions. There will be unknowns, and freak traumas can upset the cycle.
In a season that is not as fruitful, does a grapevine give up? No. It starts again.
We create the foundations to flourish. And we reap what we sow.
I will often say - don’t complain about the thing you didn’t get from the work you didn’t do. I know, harsh, but true. If we humans wish to grow and blossom we actually don’t need to do more than look after the basic foundations. Screw with them for a less than abundant inner and outer life is a choice we often make unconsciously. When we make choices consciously, we can tweak for optimisation.
Move your body for vitality or stagnate;
Eat to support wellbeing from gut to skin, immunity and strength or eat crap and see how that feels;
Learn how to regulate your nervous system to manage the fluctuations of life or live reactively;
Allow your body time to repair with good rest or be constantly tired and rundown;
Find connection with others for pure joy and longevity or find the heartbreak that disconnection brings.
It’s not easy.
There are seasons of growth but also times where we need to get quiet and gather our energies. The only way we know is through connection to ourselves and our understanding that life is made up of ebbs and flows.
Think that you are your life’s work.
Midlife is our harvest time. Synergise all your accumulated wisdom into a rich, full bodied, sparkling experience.
Be like a grapevine…
Move with the rhythm of the seasons. Prune yourself of the things you carry around that are holding you back from blossoming into a you that takes advantage of the potential that is you. Make sure to continue to do all the things that encourage good growth.
And reap the bounty of this fabulous season of your life ( because it can be a very good harvest indeed).
"Wonder is the beginning of wisdom."
-Socrates
As always, thank you for being here
With love
Mon
