07/28/2025
No Qigong in the Park this morning.
Another soggy morning is nature’s very pointed reminder that I need to spend some time reflecting on the wider perspective. When I think about bigger and global (yes, my brain works in weird ways) I learned that Nanton shares its latitude with cities like Vancouver, Brussels, and Prague, and this year our summer is a wet reflection of their long daylight hours, steady rain, and lush green spaces.
My thoughts wander to shared experiences in those places. Summer markets, outdoor music, gardening and fruit trees full of bounty and millions of people going about their daily routines. Here in Nanton this rain has created beautifully green lawns and less municipal water notices and a direct change in our established routines.
Just like our own systems and energy we can experience episodes that have us saying “where did this come from?” This summer for me personally has seen changes and growth. Renovations that were planned and unplanned. Summer school break plans pruned to the bone and unexpected growth are visible daily. From a lush garden to a sprouting son who seems to grow taller after a single night of sleep to task lists that seem to get longer than an upcoming election ballot.
Nature’s, universal and personal rhythms clash when we try too hard to maintain daily routines that worked in previous seasons but don’t consider current energy around us. I am guilty of this too and the urge to just grit my teeth and power through has run smack up against years of practicing harmony to balancing Qi. The result is feeling like tasks slipping through fingers or going undone, decision paralysis and need for more naps.
So, time to start relying less on internal energy stores and more time practicing what I preach.
• Blocking time in the day to sit in quiet for a few minutes, practice Qigong twice daily in short sessions
• Reach out to friends for a tea break
• Remind myself of the acronym W.A.I.T. (why am I talking)
• Spend some time journalling so the lessons of this summer don’t get lost
• Enjoy warm/hot liquids and foods, less cold
These steps will bring alignment with this summer’s rhythms just in time for the festivities of Nanton’s Round Up Days and transitioning into late summer.
Whatever you are doing this week I hope you take a few moments to reflect on how you are coping with these seasonal/weather changes and your perspective on what steps you need to make your self care get in sync so that you may thrive not just survive. Let me know what strategies work for you in the comments below.
Blessings,
Julie