Episode 22: Seasonal Leadership

Welcome to the Winter season! We are transitioning into a new way of being as change-makers. Part of this process is learning to let the seasons teach us about how to be in the world. In this episode I share all about what winter is telling us. This is an opportunity to embrace a way of being that will support you to lead in the new world.

What’s in this episode for you:

• The meaning of winter and why it’s important to flow with the seasons as a change-maker

• The consequences of continuing to focus on doing when nature tells us otherwise

• Thoughtful practices that will help you embrace winter ways of being

Tools for change:

As you flow throughout the rest of the winter season I encourage you to try on a few new practices if these aren’t already in your routine. 

• Schedule time each day to reflect on what you are grateful for. Celebrate! 

• Take stock of all the resources you have and use them to uplift you.

• Carve out lots of time to gather together with your people. Settle in.

Poem:

The Personality of Nature - by Sharonda D. Chery

As the season change from hot to cold

And I watch the leaves change their clothes

From green, to brown, from red to gold

They never seem to change their souls.

They remain humble even as they grow old,

They also hold on——

To their spirits as they dance in the wind,

Even though its man's cruelty in which they must contend.

And they cannot pretend to be uncaring,

And during their fruit bearing——-season,

They provide shade to people, but for no other reason,

Then they are rooted to the Earth,

And they are grown and know at their birth,

That they must put people first.

These trees are humble,

Meek,

Sleek,

And I stare in disbelief as they smile and swagger in the wind.

They stand firm even as their leaves begin, to fall aimlessly,

Unto the concrete.

Their strong enough to withstand the rain,

The snow,

And the sleet,

But of course this is what the trees mean to me.

Their never out for the fame,

Nor the glory,

But in their trunks and branches you can tell their story.

If nature and man has been nice,

Or cruel,

And whether they're going to die soon,

And the trees are animated like Christmas tunes.

Trees hold and bind together like a suture,

Like man has never seen or done before,

For this is the personality of nature.

Pick up the talking piece:

What came up for you as you listened to this episode? I'd love to hear your experiences with any of the reflections and exercises. Send me an email at podcast@humconsulting.ca or leave a voicemail (click the voicemail button on the right).

Gratitude: 

Circle of Change is recorded on lək̓ʷəŋən territories.

Our opening and closing music was created by the talented E-Rol Beats. You can find his creations at www.erolbeats.com

My fabulous podcast coach, Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions, brought this podcast to life www.organizedsound.ca

Transcript: (Some words may not be accurately recorded. Please let us know if something seems off.)

[00:00:00] Ame-Lia: Change begins from within. As easy as it is to look outside of ourselves and want the world to change, the truth is, it never will if we remain the same. This podcast was created for change-makers like you who want more love and connection in your community. Today you are going to hear stories that will inspire you, and also challenge you to be the change. We are going to go deep, my friend, so take a deep breath and settle in. My name is Ame-Lia Tamburrini - Welcome to the Circle of Change.

[00:00:50] Welcome once again to the winter season of the Circle of Change, we are all about seasons this year. And I want to tell you why we are making this switch. We have been in a world governed by masculine energy for a long, long time. Masculine energy is all about doing and lists of structure and outcomes is also a segregated energy that keeps us separate from, or in a power over, mother nature relationship.

[00:01:25] However we are transitioning into a new way of being. And our first episode gave us a little bit of light into what that is going to look like. Our first episode of 2022. If you haven't checked it out, please do so. But first I want to settle in by reading a poem, feel free to take a deep breath. And soak in these words that are going to set the energetic tone of our circle today.

This poem is called the Personality of Nature by Sharonda D. Chery

As the seasons change from hot to cold.

And I watched the leaves change their clothes from green to brown, from red to gold. They never seemed to change their soul. They remain humble. Even as they grow old, they also hold on to their spirits as they dance in the wind, even though it's man's cruelty in which they must contend and they cannot pretend to be uncaring.

[00:02:33] And during their fruit bearing season, they provide shade to people, but for no other reason than they are rooted to the earth and they are grown and known at their birth. That they must put people first. These trees are humble, meek sleek, and I stare in disbelief as they smile and swagger in the wind. They stand firm, even as their leaves begin to fall aimlessly unto the concrete.

[00:03:03] They're strong enough to withstand the rain, the snow and the sleet. But of course, this is what the trees mean to me. They're never out for the fame nor the glory. But in their trunks and branches, you can tell their story if man or nature has been nice or cruel, and whether they're going to die soon, and the trees are animated, like Christmas tunes, trees hold and bind together.

[00:03:30] Like a suture like man has never seen or done before, for this is the personality of nature.

[00:03:42] For me, this poem really brings home the power of nature and also all that it can teach us. I want to spend a little bit of time focusing on why we are transitioning into a more seasonal way of being all the pain that you were seeing around you is a reminder that we are all connected and that what we do impacts everyone and everything around.

[00:04:08] This pain that we are experiencing collectively globally is part of this transition. It's supporting us to go inward and determine for ourselves. What is most important? What is needed is now to heal our communities, to heal our environment and to heal ourselves. For many people, it's becoming more about your passions.

[00:04:30] What is it? The lights. Working for organizations or creating your own that have a big social impact in the world. Those are the organizations that are going to survive in this transition. And this is an amazing thing because this is God's way. This is the way of divine energy and spirit. And it was what was always intended for us to remember that we are interconnected.

[00:04:59] Part of being the change for us here at circle of change, and with Hum Consulting is embracing the rhythm of the year. The natural flow of things. Nature is truly our biggest teacher for how to be. And I want to encourage all of you with these words, to settle into our true nature, this new way of being. Many people think that this time of year is the time of year to get really busy.

[00:05:25] You know, did you create new year's resolutions? We think that we need to start immediately to resolve all these new year's resolutions to set life straight again. There are so many messages out there about making lists and putting your first quarter goals together. And all of that is really important.

[00:05:46] If you want to move some of your dreams forward. However, what the seasons tell us is that winter is a time for settling in, for taking stock of our resources, including our own wisdom and gathering together around the fire. If we get super busy in the doing of things, you're going to find it challenging.

[00:06:07] Think about what it's like to go to the gym or the swimming pool or a workout class at this time of year. Not that that's really a thing right now in many parts of the world, but you may be able to remember back when that was the flow. You know, it is busy. Everyone is rushing around trying to be, or do or get better.

[00:06:25] You can't book in to see your favorite yoga teacher. There are any parking spots. The lineup for the treadmill is 45 minutes long. Or there's tons of people swimming in your lane that have no business being there. It's frustrating. This is the same. If we rush out the door and try to bring all of our intentions to life.

[00:06:46] Two things happen here. First of all, we stay exhausted. Last year had so much busy-ness in it. Many people ended the year tired and then went into the holiday season and it wasn't really that much more relaxing. And now we're already focused on first quarter goals of getting down to it. However, if you haven't taken the time to take stock on what you already have, you will miss valuable assets that you could use, and you'll probably psychologically burn out.

[00:07:18] The second thing that happens is that you'll, we, will stay out of the flow. Being healthy is about cultivating both masculine and feminine energy and feminine energy is about that flow. It is about listening to your body and hearing it's advice. And as Changemakers, this is the direction we are headed toward, and it's not more feminine than masculine.

[00:07:43] It is a building up of the feminine muscle. I don't know if you remember, but Sunny LeBourdais in our episode on reconciliation, she talked about the Western way of being that muscle is so built up, but our indigenous knowledge and science, that muscle is very weakened. And I relate that to the feminine energy in the world as well.

[00:08:08] It's also not as honed or toned as the masculine energy. And it is our work right now as Changemakers to balance these things out and to find the rhythm. Now if you're exhausted and you're still going hard and pushing yourself, that's okay. There is no shame in anything here and there's no one way of being.

[00:08:32] I'm a great example of a slow learner in this area. Just this year, the holidays were approaching and I did what I think I do every single year. I made this list of all the things I was going to do and create for my business, new podcasts, all the financial reconciliation. I was going to create all the modules for my upcoming Circle of Change Seasonal rounds, stay tuned for that.

[00:08:53] And December 20th rolls around and what happened? I got COVID full stop, no doing of all, any of the things, what I ended up doing was a lot of Christmas movie therapy and reflecting on the year ahead and not a lot of anything else. And it was perfect. Do I have all the things done?

[00:09:22] No. Do I feel more rested and ready for this year? Yes. We have been conditioned into thinking that we have to be doing all the time. That is the masculine energy that we have allowed to dominate Mother Earth for a really long time. We are in the process of deconditioning ourselves and transitioning into balancing out the energies of turning life into this rhythmic Yes, And...

[00:09:49] instead of this structured either or approach, and it's a painful process and it can be joyful if you draw awareness to it and give yourself some compassion and find your soul, spirit, sisters and brothers who support you in this unfairly. So as you flow throughout the rest of this winter season, I encourage you to try on a few new practices.

[00:10:12] If these aren't already in your routine, first of all, take the time to take stock of all that is amazing in your life. Right now, celebrate it, jump up and down and give yourself a high five. Literally do that and be grateful. Secondly, look around you and take note of all the resources that you have. A home a warm bed, the food in the fridge and the cupboards, the friends that support you to be your best self money in your bank account, no matter how much or how little your business besties, the online courses, the books, the teachers in your life, celebrate all the resources that you have right now to support you and lift you up.

[00:11:01] And thirdly, gather together. Winter is about cozy fires and deep, long chats and journaling and reflective practices. So find your people and carve out that time in your calendar, two to three hours and settle into this pace of winter. Please let me know how these practices go for you or what the resistance is that crops up.

[00:11:28] I would love to support you in working through that and the seasonal rounds that we're creating, that you're going to hear more and more about as we go forward. Those environments are all about surrounding yourself with other change makers who are spiritually led and are ready to do the work of deconditioning and learning new ways of being that are going to transform our world in short order.

[00:11:58] Next week, we have an amazing circle conversation with a love and relationship coach. Oh, I'm so excited to deliver this circle to you. This conversation is going to open your mind to endless possibilities with your intimate partner. And if you don't have a partner, this is mandatory listening before you get into a relationship, if that is your desire..

[00:12:19] And if you're at your end and you can't see a way forward with your current partner, then this conversation will give you that path. As you may know, intimate partner relationships have been my biggest teacher in life. And I know that is likely true for you as well. So tune in next week to learn the ways of being that will forever transform your relationship and bring you closer to your truest self.

[00:12:45] I am sending you love and light Changemakers. Take time to settle in, reflect on all that is good in your life. Reflect on all the resources that you have and celebrate what is going to be birthed in this amazingly auspicious year of 2022, Ciao.