Late Summer - a Time of Transition

Late Summer - a Time of Transition

Changing with the Seasons - Late Summer

The gold of Late Summer arrives

   It seems as though the interim time of Late Summer has arrived too soon. Spring was once again late this year and we had a 2 week period of cold, bone chilling rain that locked us indoors, trying to make sense of and adjusting to a changing world around us. Transitions always require our attention and can put stress on our systems and health, and we must take notice and take care of ourselves physically, mentally and emotionally.

   I do find the transition from Summer to Fall a challenging one, because there is that sense of loss when the sunlight begins to fade and the joy of Summer is waning. Late Summer I think makes us prepare slowly for that ultimate change of Fall, that then leads to a cold winter.

   Every year around this time, the beginning of August, a cold front comes through, making an unusually cool morning and day, that to me somehow signals the beginning of the end of Summer and the onset of Fall. Change is in the air. But this year, there is no cooling signal, but then again it may be too early. As August onsets I do feel a change, but it is one of being more grounded and organized.
   But there is much more about this time of year is called Later Summer in Chinese medicine, and so we must adjust once again, as the daylight hours begin to grow noticeably shorter.
   It is also a time when the harvest begins, so it is a good time for letting things go, while reaping the rewards of our endeavors at the same time. It is also a time of reflection of our Summer days and what we have done with our lives.
   Late Summer is associated with the element of earth, which seems to make sense because it is the time of harvesting crops from the Earth, at least here in the U.S. With the influence of earth one can become more grounded, take stock of oneself and one's life, reflecting on the events of Summer and preparing for Fall.
   From the element of fire comes the production of earth, through the ashes, as we manifest things in the physical. Summer projects or ideas come to fruition.
   Earth also nourishes, for example when you think of Mother Earth, the maternal nurturing aspect. This season, according to Chinese medicine, governs the stomach and spleen, so digestion becomes important. All too often we see stomach viruses in the Summer/Late Summer cycle. We need to slow down and take care of ourselves, which is sometimes hard in the fast pace of today's society. So it is a good reminder to ourselves. The stomach and spleen work together to digest and give energy and nutrition needed. Diet, as always, is important, building in some heavier proteins, whole grains, seeds, nuts and beans instead of the light salads and juices of midsummer. But not to forget the fresh produce and vegetables as well, and not to go to extremes with alcohol or heavy meals. Of course do not change your diet or habits drastically if you have certain health conditions and always notify your doctor or health care practitioner of any changes you make.
   It is important to be flexible in this time of transition, and not to resist the changes that are coming. We begin to ease slowly from Summer towards Fall, then inevitably Winter.
   The sense organ associated with Late summer is the mouth and taste, so again to do with not only digestion and assimilation, but also nutrition and nurturing oneself. The mouth also enables us to speak out our ideas and expressions, and singing also goes with the element of earth. A doctor once told me singing is healthy - it gets out any locked up emotions or hidden angers. The sound of earth is singing, so this makes sense. So feel free to sing in the shower if you don't want anyone to hear you, or sing along in the car to the radio or cd's. 
   The fluid for Late Summer is saliva, which also helps us to begin the digestion of food, so have an Autumn harvest feast of fresh foods to celebrate Late Summer. The lips is the organ where you can detect imbalances, whether they are dry, cracked or peeling. This is an indication of imbalance somewhere in the body, and to do with the element of earth.

Rocks go with the element of earth

   The compass direction that goes with earth is the center, which is not surprising, as we try to ground and center ourselves at this time of year, through the influence of the element of earth. In Feng shui, the center of the house is to do with health and healing, so it is good to keep the center of the home clean and clear of clutter. Put a sparkling clear crystal in the center of the home to radiate the seven colors of the spectrum.
   The climate to do with Late Summer is moist, and here where I reside it is a time of high humidity. Humidity moistens things and allows things to grow and come to fruition and to have less friction. Too much moisture however can promote the growth of mold and too much dampness is not good either. People who despise humidity with a vengeance may have an earth imbalance. In contrast, think of the desert where it is so dry and hot. Or in the mountains of Colorado it is so dry that my skin would crack, and lungs would hurt to breathe, since I am accustomed to the moisture and humidity of the east coast.
   The emotion to do with earth is sympathy. Although it can be wonderful to be empathetic and sympathetic in our daily lives, especially towards others, there is always a danger here to be too giving. If you give too much and sacrifice yourself for others, you can be draining your own energy and emotional reserves. For those who give too much, learn to say no sometimes. And for people who are "cold" like the cold earth, learn to give some more warmth to self and others.
   The color to do with earth is yellow. It is a bright and cheerful color, and reminds me of the sun, and like the sun, yellow brings warmth into our lives. You can use the color yellow during this time, whether you have too much earth or not enough. Everything is a balance.
   The smell of Late Summer is fragrant, like the ripe flowers, berries and crops. Use aromatherapy with fruitlike scents or anything that is fragrant - like lavendar.
   The tissue with earth is the flesh and muscles, so it is a good time to build strength through exercise, and gain strength before the Winter months come.
   As we head toward Fall, things can become bittersweet, cherishing our memories but also knowing that now another

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new cycle begins.

Be well,
Maery

The Mysterious Autumn

   This is the Autumn that was different than any other. Usually the days gradually turn cooler, the air more brisk, with a cleanliness that wipes away any of the humidity that lingers in late Summer into Autumn, with the transition a gradual one.

October Sunset

   However this year, it was mild to the point of having the air conditioner on in the evenings, some strange extension to Summer days, and yet all the while the Sun was still waning, and daylight receeding. I found myself in late October going to the ocean shores with just long sleeves, enjoying long treks up and down the shoreline, watching surfers in their devotion to the wind and waves from the tropical storms and hurricane remnants that washed through the area.
   And the leaves did not even turn color until the beginning of November. Leaves were starting to fall off the trees because they were brown or dying from the slight chill on some nights. Upstate further north there was little color to speak of, that glorious testament of color from nature that is usually present. Now suddenly in almost mid November the leaves are turning and coming down, but many of the trees were stripped of leaves in the last storm that was nearly hurricane force winds.
   The early dark nights of Autumn are here and so we wait until the Sun returns, and a new year, and new cycle begins. Living a natural life, we seek to be flexible to nature and its cycles, the ebb and flow, no matter how strange it appears.

Maery

Return of the Sun

   Winter came early here in the Northeast U.S. We rarely ever get snow here in southern new York before Christmas. When we were growing up, my brothers and i used to pray for snow so we could have a White Christmas and go sleigh riding.

   So today, December 17th, we had our first snowfall. At 6 am there was already an inch, but then it continued until it was 4 or 5 inches. Then came freezing rain, promising to make the roads even more slippery. Followed by rain. So by tonight it will be an icy mess.

   Although it felt like a dark and dreary day, cold and rainy, I knew that as of December 15th, our sunsets here would be a minute later, so that by the end of January it will be light at 5 pm after work. About a week ago sunset was at the same time each day, instead of retreating even early.

   We still have the Winter Solstice on December 21st and that will be when day and night will be of equal length.

   And last year I wrote a lot about the effects that light has on us - how all the darkness so early in the day can make us feel tired, and some people depressed.

   But then I thought about light in terms of color. What can be more beautiful than light when it hits stained glass so that the color in the glass seems to radiate. Is color itself a form of light? Is light a form of color? Doesn't light break down into the colors of the spectrum? At least what we can see with our vision.

   So, if we are craving or  missing light, maybe the use of color in our lives can help compensate for that.

   Surround yourself with your favorite colors. The reds and yellows are warm, invigorating, the blues are cool and calming.

   What started  me down this particular path was looking at the sky and clouds. I was caught by the fact that some of the clouds in the sky were pink. I wondered why pink?

  The reason for colors in the clouds and sky is because light becomes scattered. I never thought about light in these terms before. So light are color are everywhere - we just have to see it with our eyes and conscious of our surroundings.

   Every sunset and sunrise are different colors every day. No two are ever alike, which to me is amazing. Imagine how boring ti would be if everything was the same every day.

   So the blue color of the sky is a direct result of what is called "Rayleigh" scattering which redirects the higher frequency (blue) sunlight back into the field of view. Blue light is scattered more easily than red, so the Sun can take on a reddish color when seen through a thick atmosphere like sunrise or sunset.

   As for clouds, when there is a greenish hue in a cloud, it happens when sunlight is scattered by ice. A cumulonimbus cloud (a dense towering vertical cloud) that emits green is evidence of a severe thunderstorm which can produce heavy rain, hail, high winds, and possibly tornadoes. Usually when I see green clouds I know to take cover or head home. The green is usually dark and heavy. the last green clouds I encountered was indeed a coming storm, complete with large hail stones! During Hurricane Andrew in the 90's, I heard from a friend about a greenish color. That was certainly a powerful hurricane, the beginning of a long line of severe hurricanes to pass through the southern United States.

   Yellow colored clouds are usually due to pollutants in the air, caused possibly by forest fires, or nitrogen dioxide in areas of countries with high pollution from industry.

    Of course the most common colors are red, orange or pink clouds which are visible mostly at sunrise and sunset by scattering of light from the Sun.

   Ever notice how the Sun gets bright red like a fiery ball when it is about to disappear below the horizon? That is because the angle between the Sun and horizon changes. If the angle is less than 10 per cent - such as just before sunrise or sunset - red is the most predominant color due to refraction so that any colors other than red cannot be seen.

    And lastly why are clouds white? Within the clouds tiny particles of water are "densely packed." Sunlight, our beautiful life giving sunlight cannot penetrate far into the cloud before it is reflected out, and the result of the reflected light is white.

   So when you can, try to observe sky and or clouds on a regular basis. You will be amazed at the ever changing colors, shapes, thickness, texture that you will see, like an ever changing kaleidoscope. It will connect you to nature instead of the bustle of daily work life, and so you will be, even if in small, living a more natural life. And feel the better for it.

   Enjoy and watch the skies. Thank you to what keeps on making the clouds.

Maery

sources: Wikipedia

Shifting from Autumn
to Winter very soon....

   We have had a very unusually warm Autumn here in the Northeast United States. Today for example it was 62 degrees Farenheit, very welcome because it allowed us all to work on our leaves, that suddenly fell all at once with storms and wind and rain. Some days it is raining leaves, with all the colors swirling around and around.

Autumn Colors in the Hamptons

   We will transition into Winter very soon, but it is always a gradual process, for not even the tide comes in all at once. Generally cooler days, turning gradually colder, less sunlight, as things begin to retreat for the Winter. Even so, I believe here we have only had one real frost, and the temperatures remain above freezing, unusual for this time of year.
   One thing I noticed was that we had some warm days, followed by a brief and sudden cold snap, while the leaves were still on the trees and just starting to turn color. I made note of this, because when that happens, the leaves die on the tree, suspended in whatever state they were in at the time of the cold spell, like being freeze dried. So what I am able to see, and will cherish throughout the winter, are some trees, particularly the oaks, that will retain their leaves. Some are a darkish brown color, but others are red, as they were just starting to turn, and now remain on the branches. Only a stiff wind or storm would make them come down now.
   So at least some trees will not appear barren this winter. What a treat to the eyes and the senses and a sense of the aesthetic.
   The light of course is fading, and sunset gets earlier each day. But the good news is that somewhere within the first week of December, things will go stationary, and then sunset will begin one minute later. And although the Winter Solstice will occur later in the month, the solstice in this case is a day where light and dark are of equal value, not necessarily the earliest sunset, which some people may not understand. So soon the Sun will make its journey back towards Spring time!
   Next time it will be time to look at how the Winter season affects our bodies and health so we can prepare and be healthy and fit and happy!

No Leaves in an Autumn Sky

Until next,
Maery

Finding Nature

   It is not always possible to be out in nature like we desire - due to weather or other constraints like injuries or illness, or just not enough time to travel, or not enough money to take exotic trips to far away places.

Bridge over troubled waters

   I have been spoiled by being able to wander the trails over nearby parks in Upstate New York. But this past year has been different, due to injuries that keep me from hiking or travelling to full capacity.
   As an example, over this year's Easter break, I wanted to try a new trail, to be somewhere not so crowded. Now, since I have been coming to some of these parks for several years now, the park employees and many residents have come to know me as a fellow hiker and nature lover. Since being injured, I have been treated very kindly, taking up offers from others to drop me off either at the site of the waterfalls, or to the trail head, so that I can easily scoot downhill about 50 feet to a marvelous stream with a wooden tree bridge, and lie down on a rock shelf to meditate and just appreciate nature.
   I had the sense that there were no other people around for at least a half mile. It was utterly quiet - even the birds were not making noise. Only the sound of the water rushing by in the stream that wound downhill to my favorite waterfall in the area, and occasionally the wind would rustle the trees.
   Things were still not in bloom, no leaves on the trees, but there is a sound in the evergreens, that is a kind of whistling, and even small branches can make a clicking sound in a strong enough wind. Luckily, since it was early Spring, the sun was very warm, making it a pleasant day - just warm enough.
   But on any mountain, weather can change quickly, with dropping temperatures, or rising winds, or the appearance of clouds, and a chill in the air. And so we adjust to what Mother Nature brings us, and we act accordingly.
   On many Spring excursions there has been alot of ice and snow on the ground, as well as tracks of a wild animal, which appeared to be that of a bobcat, for hopefully the bears would still be asleep. Ice and snow has its own crystal clearness and cleansing quality, even the air is crisp and still. The waterfalls are still in motion, yet it appears their droplets of water freeze like crystals in the air, temporarily suspended, until they fall down the cliff to the stream below. But that momentary suspension is also like being suspended in time. Everything stops. And yet everything around you is alive.
   These moments in nature is what can nurture and heal us in body, mind and soul. When it gets too cold or I know I have reached my limits for being outdoors, I go back to my favorite Bed and Breakfast nearby and sit on the front porch of the elegant Victorian house that is shared by 3 other rooms. You can sit, facing the mountain, but get the warmth of the late day sun coming down the sky, towards the mountain, until it disappears into twilight. All too often it is too cloudy to find the stars, but somehow you know they are there, just beyond your reach. Huddled in my coat, I sometimes bring a blanket to wrap around me. And eat my take out dinner. Just to be outdoors for as long as possible.
   Even retreating indoors, you can still sense what is going on just over the hill, in the trees, the mountain, the fields and meadows, the rocks and streams and rivers.
   So even if you can't travel, or hike long distances, you can still be outdoors, and be a part of the cathedral of nature. This is a way of natural living.
   Hope you find some time to enjoy this way of life as I have done.

Maery

Love Birds?

Watch this video of the birdman in India