What effects do the changing seasons have on us?
In our society, our usual working practices tend not to honour the change in seasons. We continue to work the same hours with the same objectives placing the same demands on us physically emotionally and mentally. If anything, those demands tend to increase at this time of year. However we are inextricably inter linked with the changing seasons of mother nature and right now, as Autumn draws to an end, there is a natural pull to slow down honouring the requirement for internal ‘hibernation’.
What effects do these contradictory influences have? How best can we manage the impact on our state of well being? This Openhand Autumn Newsletter raises some of the key issues...

• Honouring Autumn
• Inspirational Song Lyrics: "True Colours"
• Sunlight, darkness and internal biological mechanisms
• Seasonal quote: "We know not that we move"
• How can we unleash our true brilliance?
• Autumn poetry: "Autumn Evening in a Mountain Retreat"
• A taste of Autumn - "Autumn pumpkin soup"

Honouring Autumn
Just as with all creatures, whether we acknowledge it or not, the change in seasons has a profound and dramatic effect on us. Autumn and winter are the seasons in which many creatures and plants hibernate. Likewise, the tendency for us from an evolutionary footing, is to cease new growth and internalise more so that we may integrate the wonderful growth spurts we may have enjoyed in the summer months.

These internalisation processes can effect every cell of the body as the mind is gradually relinquishing control to the growth of the true self and its greater influence in our lives. This growth process can be extremely tiring so it is right that we should slow down and take more rest to allow the inner work to be done.

The change in season also requires a change in diet. The lighter fruits and salads of the summer are less abundant (perennial supply at the supermarket is not natural and therefore not at one with what we truly are). Therefore it is good to increase our intake of vegetables and grains - hot soups and plenty of carbohydrate not only to counter the effects of the cold but also to facilitate the internal cellular activity. Substituting more naturally scarce fruits for fats such as nuts and avocados is also beneficial.

There are other influences too that we should be aware of. Most people are effected by the reduced hours of sunlight and in many this can lead to mild depression. Since we are also ‘hooked up’ to the mass subconsciousness of humanity, it is likely that we are picking up these influences too. While it is good to acknowledge the effects, it is important not to identify with them.

By slowing everything we do down, we can attune our attention more to our true selves than to these other influences. Rather than collapsing in front of the TV in the evenings for example or rather than spending all our time socialising, by taking more time in stillness and watching the various ebbs and flows of energy inside, we can pick up the subtle feelings of the true self and become more at one with it.

We can enhance this by spending more time connecting with mother nature, even though there are fewer hours of sunlight - so taking the time during the lunch break or at the weekends to walk in nature. Even if you work in a concrete jungle, there are still trees and plants to be found. Just connecting with these will bring a greater at-one-ment with the natural ebb and flow of the seasons.

If we are feeling more tired, then why not surrender to this natural feeling and go to bed earlier? When we get up in the morning, try setting the alarm clock earlier but take more time to acclimatise and adjust to the inner feelings before getting out of bed. The key is the inner acknowledgement of what we are experiencing - not denying our feelings, thoughts and emotions just because we have a job to do.

If we take more time to honour these natural effects, then we will find much greater harmony with the universe once more, there will be a minimisation of contradictory internal energy flows and we will find ourselves feeling much better.

Inspirational Song Lyrics: "True Colours"

"You with the sad eyes
don't be discouraged
oh I realise
it's hard to take courage
in a world full of people
you can lose sight of it all
and the darkness inside you
can make you fell so small

But I see your true colours
shining through
I see your true colours
and that's why I love you
so don't be afraid to let them show
your true colors
true colors are beautiful
like a rainbow

Show me a smile then
don't be unhappy, can't remember
when I last saw you laughing
if this world makes you crazy
and you've taken all you can bear
you call me up
because you know I'll be there

And I'll see your true colours
shining through
I see your true colours
and that's why I love you
so don't be afraid to let them show
your true colours
true colors are beautiful
like a rainbow"
Cyndi Lauper

Openhand Forum Topic - "Sunlight, darkness and internal biological mechanisms"
I have noticed as the season closes in that people hide away more and smile less. This can have a profoundly negative effect on us.

Firstly, sunlight stimulates "feel-good" hormones. So it is no wonder that people generally feel more unhappy as the amount of sunlight is lessened.

The other hormone that plays a part in sleep patterns is melatonin. In general this hormone apparently increases in the body when it gets dark (to help us sleep), and decreases with daylight. If this is the case then, from a scientific perspective it would only be natural that we feel the inclination to sleep more during the winter months. It is possible that we are subject to similar internal biological mechanisms to other mammals who begin to hibernate or rest more during the darker/colder months.

I definitely sense within me an internal biological clock in synchronisation with the seasons. If I don't harmonise my activity with this internal pacemaker, life just becomes a miserable slog!

As the daylight hours close in I do sleep more, adapt the way I eat. I feel a pull toward denser foods in the colder months too, and naturally harmonise with whatever seasonal produce is available locally (in the winter this tends to include more root vegetables, and nuts for instance), and become quieter taking more time for introspective refection.

I walked yesterday in the countryside. The air was chilly, but I barely noticed that as I wrapped up feeling the warmth of the sun on my face. The sunlight seemed to pierce through any ideas of dreariness that may have crept in.

For me, connecting with nature is very important if I am to harmonise with the natural clock within. If it is cold, then I just wrap up. If sunlight is pouring through the window when I am inside during the darker months, I tend to place my self right in its pathway and bathe my face in the rays. Believe me, it feels wonderful Smiling and it becomes practically impossible not to smile.

Trinity

To discover more tips for dealing with the change in season, visit our forum...click here

Seasonal quote: "We know not that we move"

"Autumn to winter,
winter into spring,
Spring into summer, summer into fall,
So rolls the changing year, and so we change;
Motion so swift,
we know not that we move."
Dinah Maria Mullock

How can we unleash our true brilliance?
"Unfolding into light" is an intensive two day course designed to help us emerge from life's darkness and unfold more deeply into the light that we truly are. By breaking through illusionary shackles that bind us, we are liberated to experience a more fulfilling, healthy and magical life.
It takes place in west London on 27th/28th January 2007 and is suitable for people of all ages and physical abilities...read more

Autumn Evening in a Mountain Retreat

"After the rain,
the empty mountain
at dusk
is full of autumn air.
A bright moon
shines between the pines;
The clear spring water
glides over the rocks.
Bamboo leaves rustling —
the washer-girls bound home.
Water lilies swaying —
a fisher-boat goes down.
Never mind that
spring plants are no longer green.
I am here to stay
my noble friends!
by Wang Wei

A taste of Autumn: recipe for Autumn pumpkin soup
Try this thick warming soup. It goes down a real treat when the autumn days begin to close in...

Ingredients:

1. One small diced organic pumpkin (or squash i.e. butternut)
2. 2 medium sized leeks (finely chopped)
3. 1 clove garlic (pressed or finely chopped)
4. 200g block of coconut
5. 1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin
6. 2 teaspoons ground coriander seed
7. small chopped bunch of fresh coriander
8. table spoon of tamari (or enough sea salt to taste)
9. filtered or spring water
10. a sprinkle of Love

How to make it:

1. lightly sauté the leek and garlic
2. add the pumpkin along with enough water to cover the contents in the cooking pot
3. bring to the boil, and then turn down to simmer gently for about 30 minutes
4. whilst it is simmering add the fresh herbs, ground spices, tamari/salt
5. roughly chop the coconut block and add to pot
6. allow the delightful aroma to flood your home
7. add a sprinkle of LOVE (for extra flavour!)
8. blend altogether to make a thick creamy soup (if you don't have a blender you could always use a potato masher, to roughly press through the soup, allowing the squash to thicken the preparation)
9. enjoy!

May you slide tastefully into the new season!

Love and best wishes

The Openhand Team