A change in seasons can mean a change in our lives
By Dr. Matthew Lapp, MS DC, Columnist, The Times
Spring is in the air! Winter has been cold, wet, and biting and now it seems that warm, sunny days are just around the corner. Similarly, just as nature responds to the seasons of the year, our lives are also influenced by our season of life.
In the song Turn! Turn! Turn! (adapted from The Bible, Book of Ecclesiastes) sung by the Byrds, it says that, “to everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under Heaven.” By being aware of the season of life that we currently find ourselves in, we have the opportunity to take advantage of the unique gifts of that season.
Several years ago, Dr. Donald Epstein introduced the concept of the “Seasons of Wellbeing.” He describes these seasons as a spectrum of feelings and experiences that help us relate to people, events, and opportunities in our lives. The Seasons of Wellbeing include, Discover, Transform, Awaken, and Integrate and in many ways, parallel the seasons that we’re all familiar with. For example, winter is a season of Discover(y). It’s a time of waiting, of contemplation, and of preparation. As we now emerge from this season, it’s time to put into action that which we have been preparing for. It’s time to look, and move, forward.
Spring is a season of Transformation. If you want proof, just look around. The animals are becoming more active, the plants are changing in front of our eyes, and the grass is beginning to grow and take on the green hue of life as the energy of the season makes its mark on everything around us. The tree buds are beginning to swell, flowers are beginning to poke through the ground, and the vegetable gardens are eagerly awaiting their plantings. So too, does the season have an affect on us. By embracing our current season in life, we have the opportunity to gain wisdom and move forward in the most empowering, authentic way.
In his book, Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing, Elliot Dacher sums it up perfectly when he says:
Each of us is given a sealed envelope at birth containing a map with instructions that can take us to a precious health and life. At several points in each lifetime, we are given the opportunity to open this envelope and discover its contents. Perhaps it is …a brush with serious disease, death, or loss, maybe an unexpected moment of illumination and inspiration, or a persistent and unrelenting sense that there is more to life than we are living. Some of us will be profoundly and permanently moved by such experiences, grasp the opportunity, open the envelope, and begin down the path toward what were previously unknown and unimagined possibilities. Yet most of us will be too busy, too content, too quick to apply a remedy and diagnostic label to suffering, too preoccupied with the materialism of life, or too hypnotized by everyday existence.
Every season in life holds the opportunity for growth, awareness, and greater understanding about our life and how we relate to it. The key to using this strategy effectively is to take the appropriate action at the appropriate time. For example, you wouldn’t plant your garden in the dead of winter because nothing would grow! You wouldn’t rake the leaves in the spring (because there aren’t any yet). And you most likely would not take a dip in the ocean unless is was summertime. Simply put, timing is everything.
As Spring continues to unfold all around us, I invite you to fully experience the season of Transformation for yourself by actively seeking new avenues for personal growth. Something as simple as taking a class, learning a new skill, or engaging a new friend in conversation may lead to a positive shift in your life. If there’s something you’ve been putting off, now is the time to take massive action! Where ever we may find ourselves, it is our opportunity to consciously embrace our life circumstances and move forward. By doing so, we create new life possibilities and empower ourselves to live a life of excitement, passion, and abundance.
Matthew Lapp, MS, DC is the owner of Salus Chiropractic Studio in Thorndale. For more information, visit him on the web at http://www.thorndalechiropractor.com/
