“The trees are about to show us how lovely it is to let the dead things go.” -Unknown
This time of fall equinox represents change, so what a better time to reflect on the symbolism of changing seasons. Change is most often hard. It doesn’t matter if we are trying to eat a cleaner diet to reduce our cholesterol, wake up an hour earlier to get a run in before work, or, it is forced on us through a divorce or company downsizing. Maybe we are just getting to a place where we sense we need to make a career change, and it feels overwhelming. Our lifestyle and familial needs hold us in the position to stay for another decade… or two.
During these last years of Covid, many of us are finding ourselves in an existential cage, fighting with our social and professional identities, as our world, in many aspects, continues to become more uncertain, leaving us with the common symptoms of anxiety, sadness, or loss of passion.
Both the Enneagram and Spiral Dynamics, taught through the CLC school, provide a window into our most authentic selves. We can see how some of these painful changes are really creating space for beautiful things to emerge in our lives. As we learn more about our personality type on the Enneagram, we can begin to address our personal holistic health in profound ways.
We can see how we are motivated to make those dietary changes, and how and why we react to the unwanted changes that are beyond our control. We can gain insight into our mind, body, and emotions (spirit), which allow us the opportunity to learn more about ways we can love ourselves and our families better, and to be more resilient during such times of uncertainty, all while lovingly and peacefully integrating ourselves into the ever more changing world around us.
Sometimes it only requires a small change in perception to begin to unlock that cage and realizing that many of us are in a shared experience is a more comfortable place to be. The CLC is an inclusive community that is here to support you where you are today.
Kristen A. Swank, MA, is a guest writer for the Conscious Living Center. She is an Enneagram life coach and teacher in the narrative tradition. Kristen is a mindfulness based stress relief facilitator and yin yoga instructor. She has worked extensively in community development and outreach. She has done significant research on trauma and addiction. Her book will be published soon.