If I Could Turn Back Time…
Welcome back to Standard Time. Today we turned the clocks back an hour, which means months of earlier sunsets and swaths of disgruntled people. Funny, not funny, as they say.
Perhaps navigating the time change is the perfect opportunity to practice awareness, equanimity, and self-compassion. The fact that as a nation we turn the clocks back an hour is out of our control, much like the weather on a mountain. The time change creates new thoughts, emotions, and sensations in the body. We may notice that the sun sets in the afternoon, making our days shorter and our time in darkness longer. We may have thoughts and opinions about the effects of the change. We might also notice emotions that point toward our attachments (for me, the warm summer days) or our aversions (perhaps the cold, shorter days). Sensations may arise in the body, too, from feeling tired, awake, or hungry at odd hours.
Here is how our practice can support us:
Mindfulness invites us to notice the present moment with curiosity and kindness.
Equanimity offers us the opportunity to stay steady and balanced through the storms of life.
Self-compassion invites us to meet our own discomfort with the same warmth we would offer a good friend.
How’s that going?
As we notice the present moment during Standard Time, we may find that we’re annoyed by the change. We may long for the summer sun, feel eager for four months to pass so we can change the clocks again, and complain until that time comes. Can we steady ourselves with equanimity and tap into kindness instead?
If we use the lens of compassion and self-compassion, we can experiment with some supportive phrases. During this challenging time, we might offer ourselves these wishes:
May we be free from suffering.
May we remember our strength, our inner mountain.
May we feel moments of ease.
May we know that we’re not alone.
May we know that this too shall pass.
Let’s bring it all together. As we move back to Standard Time, we can lean into our practice in three ways:
Notice what’s happening in the present moment, in our thoughts, our emotions, and our bodies.
Feel any attachments, aversions, or unease, and practice equanimity to connect to our inner strength and steadiness.
Support ourselves with self-compassion.
I’m curious how you’re navigating the shift to Standard Time. Hit reply and tell me what helps you stay steady.
The clocks went back an hour, and that part was out of our control. What we do with this moment is in our control, and we can choose curiosity, steadiness, and kindness.
Warmly,
Julia
Reminder: All CMP Programs are in the Eastern Time Zone.
Awareness of the Senses Meditation
Equanimity: Mountain Meditation