I tend to believe this statement, except when it comes to plants in your home, parmesan on pasta and summery dresses. In the summer heat of the Virgin Islands, less is necessary on most occasions. Less reliable power from WAPA (the power plant on island), less morning time on my porch due to the high temps at 645am, less clothing and less time to oneself. The last item, time alone, is something that I am a bit ashamed to share. I am ecstatic to have Elsa and Harry home... and I struggle with how to keep my "peace" with more moving parts to manage.
I don't know about you, but summer's chaos can be fun and exciting, as well as exhausting and depleting. I was telling my friend the other day how I feel like an accordion, moving in and out to keep up with the rhythm of our ever changing household. After you've had an empty nest, coming back together has its adjustment period. My tendency is to try and orchestrate, or at least understand (thank you to my Libra Rising and Saturn in Cancer), the needs of my flock and fill the holes, tighten the spigots and feed the crew, which sometimes leaves me neglecting my own course of action. And while I don't have a steady 9-5 job that pulls me away from my family (there is gratitude and struggle around this) I have my own projects that push and pull me due to my own dynamic ADD way.
How do I stay my course and shepherd my pack? Like a disc jockey, I spin songs and turn tables simultaneously, sometimes playing only a few chords and sometimes letting the whole song play out. I never know what the set will look like until I get to the table and, sometimes, I don't even know what happened until it's over. While I'm used to hours of space to meditate and pontificate, these days its more like dribbles of minutes (enough time for to write this blog, but not enough to do deep dives into my book). And even when I only have 45 minutes, like I do right now, Harry is texting me from an interview for his Social Security number and a photo of his passport.
When you add gas to the flame, the fire gets bigger. And when the wind dies and the kindling turns to ash, the flame dies. So, and here's the conundrum, how do I keep the fire burning without burning out?
Recently, a few quotes about water have been circulating unsolicited, enough to know that the universe is telling me something, and I need to list. One was in a Peloton class, another from my writing teacher, one from a monk who was visiting for Buddha's birthday celebration at the Nirvana Temple and the last from reading old journals. As it turns out, Saturn is in Pisces (until May 2025) and a big theme of their combined energy asks us to figure out ways to regulate (Saturn) in emotional seasons (Pisces= water) and how to find the balance and flow within ourselves when things are wishy washy, or turned upside down.
Here is what I have for you:
be the rock in the stream, and oldy but a goody
Bruce Lee said, "Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves."
"Before enlightenment chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment chop wood, carry water."
And finally, the words of Bhante Padhanakamo, the monk who guided us through a sitting, standing and walking meditation as soft waves lapped below and the birds called out their evening song, "Think of your mind as a glass of water with some residue that has collected at the bottom. If you shake the glass, the water gets dirty and agitated. If you leave the glass alone and simply notice the residue, the water will eventually purify itself."
Please forgive me for drenching you with water analogies. My hope is is that one will stick, or help you find ease, or let you do less so you can simply be more.
Wishing you all some shade from a tall tree, sunshine for your tomatoes, time to sit on your porch or a patch of emerald green grass, or a chance to take a dip in clear blue waters (or clean lake water) and drink in the abundance of summer.
With much love and light,
St.Sunshine
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