Embers of Love: Shifting with Grace
I've recently been noticing a shift in energy and a change within my equilibrium. Although the current situation with the cosmos can certainly be a reason why, I felt there was an extra dose of disorientation lingering within.
One crispy evening, as I was walking Mala around our neighborhood, I noticed how the moon's phase was moving the opposite direction then I'm used to. The sunlit part of the moon's surface was moving left to right and the stars seemed a bit disorganized to my naked eye. The sky is upside down! I closed my eyes and shook my head, as if that would reorganize my shift in perspective.
I realized at that moment, that so much of my life has been upturned. From needing to learn a new language, to adapting to the Brasilian culture, and now grasping with the fact that even the sky and seasons have completely shifted from what I'm use to. The outside world and my internal clock has been reset to a new rhythm entirely. A ripple of compassion flowed through me. At that moment, my intuitive response was simply to breath and allow myself to lean into trusting this transition. It was invigorating to be able to see the sky in a new light. The star's, moon and seasons were all different from this angle and it forced me to unplug and reset my frame of mind.
Spring is here and the rain and thunderstorms are just getting started. Poor Mala only finds comfort in hiding in the darkest part under our bed as the thunderstorms pass on by. Being from a coastal town in California, we are definitely not used to the soul quivering thunderstorms that reside in the tropics. The days are getting warmer and although we still have colder days in between, I'm having to remind myself that it's not time to hibernate for winter. Instead, we are adjusting with the times and seasons of our new country. At this point, I'm coming to terms with the simple fact that my perception of what spring means to me in California, will be completely different than what I'm used to.
When I first arrived in mid August, I was surprised to feel the brisk Brasilian winter air. In my wandering mind, I imagined unpacking my sundresses and smoothing out the wrinkles. But behold to me, I found myself spending most days in my Patagonia puffy jacket.
Although I'm so grateful that I cautiously packed my winter gear at the last minute before my move, I'm incredibly more thankful to be able to reconnect with the element of fire. Moving from California in the mid summer to the mountains of Minas Gerais in winter, has invited me to tend to the fire within my new home and within my heart.
Fire demands attention and devotion. Although I've been privileged to be able to conveniently turn on a heating device for many years, I had to learn the patience of feeding the wooden stove throughout the day. Its glow is mesmerizing, its flames brought me comfort and a sense of grounding as I settled into my new surroundings- the lush jungle of Matutu, the soft sounds of birds and waterfalls, and daily rituals and routines with my love who brought me here.
This morning in meditation, I was reminded of the gentle lesson love
When we were born, we had no way to define the feeling of love. Words were only sounds that came together over time. Love is a universal feeling that we were all born with. Fresh from the womb and illuminating with its magical intelligence. Once released by its cradle, our parents had the power to influence our connection with love. We slowly began to put words and actions into its meaning, which gave it power to correlate with our relationships.
As I move through this new chapter and into Spring, I will be accompanied by the lessons of love and the teachings that fire has taught me this past winter. I connect deeply with the excitement and passion I have residing in my heart. Just like a flame, it is sensitive to the touch. So I tend to the embers of my heart just as I have fed the fire in the stove. I embark on this journey of life here in Brasil with a promise to feed my passion, feed the flame, and recommit to the pure love I was born with. Fire teaches us how to regenerate, how to start anew. I welcome all that this element has in store for me as my first Winter in Brasil comes to a close and prepare to welcome spring.
