Autumn

The seasons are often used as metaphors for the challenges of living, and autumn is an apt one for the shedding of used baggage.

Although we have already moved on to Winter, Autumn is still lingering in the leaves on the deciduous trees.

The temptation to allow used baggage to dominate

Just as trees cloaked in their autumn hues stand out in their environment, used baggage can become quite alluring and noticeable against the background of our lives. It can this take up a lot of time and attention by dominating our thoughts as it lingers in our minds and memories.

It takes courage to allow the leaves to fall

Isaac Bashevis Singer's story of Ole and Trufa (A Story of Two Leaves) is about the two remaining leaves (and these are the strongest) hanging from a twig, who support each other to hang on through winds and storms, until one day the wind blows Ole from the tree, leaving Trufa grieving. However Trufa eventually falls as well, and finds that her new life has caused her fears and anxieties to vanish, and that she has entered a new spiritual world.

The story can be found on this link:

www.psychologytools.org/assets/files/Ole-and-Trufa.pdf

Although this story is about death and life after death, we too can find new ways of being if we allow the used baggage to fall away.

Reflecting on experiences, learning what we need to from them and moving on

Stephanie Dowrick suggests asking these questions: 

1.     What is familiar here (is this a pattern)?
2.     What were my intentions? What was I hoping for or wanting?
3.      What actually happened?
4.    How might this have looked from the perspective of whoever else was involved?
5.     What can I see now that I didn’t then?
6.    What would I do more of –or less of – another time?
7.   What insight have I now gained?

Now literally “close the book” on the experience.

Reference: Choosing Happiness: Life and Soul Essentials Stephanie Dowrick, Allen and Unwin, Australia, 2005

Her book can be purchased from Booktopia:
http://www.booktopia.com.au/choosing-happiness-stephanie-dowrick/prod9781585425822.html

An exercise in leaving negative messages behind

•  Gently shake your feet and legs, hands and arms in turn, and finish by gently turning your head from side to side to relax.
• Breathe deeply three times.
• Close your eyes and visualise a beautiful secluded beach. Blue sky, sun and the sound of waves.
• Think of a message you are carrying that you would like to leave behind. Now take your first footprint in the sand and visualise the sand absorbing this message – imagine being free of it forever.
• Go through other messages you are carrying that make life hard for you – and watch the sand absorbing and swallowing up all these bad messages – imagine being free of them forever.

      Now go and paddle in the sea, refreshed and healed.

These are just a couple of suggestions about ways to encourage unwanted baggage "leaves" to fall from the tree. What ways have you found to be helpful?