Yesterday, as I took a Sunday morning walk in the Woods, I found myself stopping often, pausing to see and hear leaves falling and whatever my external and internal senses drew me to observe. I hadn’t gone but maybe 3/4 of a mile, when I came to the top of a steeper section to the trail (an old fire road). There was a spot off to the right, where I could stand off the road and overlook the draw below.
I was given to stand quietly here, for a long stretch of time. Of course, in Man’s time, it seemed like a long stretch. We know that the Angels and Spirits who guide us do not live by Man’s time. Rather, their sense of time is without bounds. In the moment, it seemed as though I had indeed stepped outside of Man’s timeline, and into a realm where there was only knowledge-to-be-shared that was important.
As the leaves fell, sometimes one by one, other times several almost at once, giving way to a frivolous and friendly dance to the ground, where dance style seemed at least as important as the end result, I observed that while some made it all the way to the ground, others were landing on limbs (after only a short tumble) and others landed on ferns and other plants closer to the ground, at least for the moment.
I wondered how the Tree determines which leaves to cast off, at any given moment. Like the Tree, I have my own fears and hurts, which no longer serve me, to let go of. At this time of year, the trees form new buds, for next year’s cover of blossoms and leaves. As the Tree moves into Autumn, and on through Winter, she lets go of her process of growing, going dormant (as we call it), and instead sets next year’s buds and focuses on continued root growth, in anticipation of the next coming of Spring.
My sense of my observations on this beautiful, misty Autumn morning, is that I too need to let go of my seeking of growth, for the moment. Rather, my focus now needs to be on introspection and recording the lessons and times shared. My focus needs to be on getting my own self ready for the next springtime in my life, while deepening my own roots in the knowledge provided through Gaia and Her Trees.
As for the letting go of leaves during this next phase of knowing, it is known that as fears, problems and hurts in my own life are identified, one by one (and sometimes seemingly in groups) they fall away. This season is about letting go of that which no longer serves me, as I move into a season of preparing for continued growth.
Thank you Gaia!
Peter J Quandt