Transformation
(Bradley, age 2 ½ years old)
“Gonna be a transformation
In your heart and soul
Gonna be a transformation, baby now that you know
Get used to righteousness when it makes you feel whole
Gonna be a transformation, baby down in your soul.”
(“First Car” Bradley, age 19)
“‘Member when we were downhearted
Didn’t have nowhere to go
And the wisdom of insecurity
Just knowin’ that we know
Then something starts happenin’
Feel like you’re on a roll
Gonna be a transformation, baby
Down in your soul.”
Autumn’s on my mind. And with autumn just around the corner, I’m thinking about transformation.
Transformation is evident when a child hits benchmarks in life. One minute you’re chasing a semi-naked child in a public eatery with a pair of shorts in the Sierra Nevadas and the next you’re acknowledging his “need for speed” with his fancy new red car 17 years later.
It’s not necessarily seeing progress in an orderly fashion, but rather, perhaps, listening to what the child is conveying now. When I look back at these two photos, ALL of my senses are activated. I hear Bradley’s voice and laughter, I feel the excitement of the run, I smell the vanilla in the bark of the pines thriving in the Sierras… I recognize his energy to progress and to move in a forward fashion.
Children transform into adults, god willing, and we get to see the miracle of their growth. We watch them outgrow shoes and belts. We watch them learn surprisingly evocative vocabulary. They grow internally, learning to navigate the world on their own terms… nerve racking as it is for the parents!
Transformation occurs in the millions of “now” moments of our daily lives. Many go unnoticed and some are over-exaggerated. All of these moments require breath, patience, confidence, and the faith to simply allow.
It’s not so different for adults, is it?
We might not outgrow 3 shoe sizes in a month, but we continue to grow and change and meet the surprising benchmarks that life inevitably puts in front of us. Hopefully, we never stop growing.
If we don’t take a moment to pause and reflect on our lives, we may miss our own transformation. And that would be so sad!
Transformation is necessary. It’s part of life!
Autumn reminds us that transformation is a cycle of life and death. The leaves change color because they are producing less green chlorophyll. They are slowing down. We can see this as decline, but visually we get to see the yellow and orange carotenes normally hidden by the strong green chlorophyll. The leaves become different: slower, less verdant, yet still beautiful. And then, as a result of cells forming at the base of the leaf stems to prevent sugar transport, the sugars trapped in the leaves become anthocyanins that flare red and purple.
Fall is my most favorite time of year.
….it reminds us to meet change with grace.
Autumn is also a time of equilibrium.
Autumn’s equanimity tells us to attend to our energy. It invites us to attend to the connections that matter in our lives so that we become the people we want to be.
I often call this season, “Entering Dormancy.” The natural slow-down after all of summer’s heat and activity offers a richness and warmth, even as the weather cools down.
I’d love to share a slow-down with you.
I lovingly invite you to join me and my fellow slow-down enthusiasts Jeannette and Chas as we take a weekend to deepen into what Autumn offers us. We’ll celebrate the equinox, the new moon, and the spirit of horses.
Together we will experience the offerings of abundance during the harvest moon while we breath deep mountain air and enjoy the changing tones of the leaves. The natural world invites the brilliant dance of change!
Wolf Creek Outpost is located just 90 minutes from Salt Lake City but looks and feels nested away in acres of forest and the quiet of the mountain sky. It’s breathtaking.
Jeannette and I will guide you through a journey of Natural Horsemanship, Writing, Meditation and Yoga alongside ranch owner Chas who will act as our nature interpreter and sweat lodge guide.
We’ll spend time Being Here Now, together. We’ll let the horses share their secrets with us. We’ll laugh and play and get a little R & R under our belts before the holidays hit full swing. Doesn’t that sound perfect?
If this calls to you, you belong here. We can’t wait to be with you.
