I came into town yesterday to bring back the equipment to the studio I used at the Wild Chocolate Club on Saturday. Once I’d finished lugging boxes, I looked up and realised what an amazing day it was. The sun was out, it was warm and bright and I realised I need to be outside for a while enjoying this treat of such glorious weather so late into October.
I went and found a spot to sit and just relax a little bit after a very busy weekend. I needed to sit on the ground and just breathe out a bit and as I did, I witnessed the most loveliest scene.
I sat and let myself become softer. I realised how tense I was and that it would be a good idea to let go of it all for a while. I sat and bathed in the warm autumnal sun and watched the people wandering round the quiet of a Sunday at the Cathedral.
One woman walked along the path towards my spot by this tree. She was perhaps in her early 60’s and she was dressed in what looked like new, smart clothes. She was walking quite slowly and had a heaviness about her. She was looking to the floor and her shoulders were hunched forward. Then I saw that she had noticed something. She looked over and noticed this golden, thick layer of red, golden and russet brown leaves that was carpeting the grass. And she made a beeline for it.
Then the most astonishing thing happened. She stopped and took a great big breath in and a long breath out. Then she started moving, pushing her feet through the layers of crisp, dry leaves so they made that delicious scrunch, crunch sound that only layers of autumn leaves can do when our feet start to play with them. Then her movements changed and she started flicking the leaves up with her toes, which turned into great big joyful kicks! As her kicks got bigger, a small smile came to her lips which grew into a great big grin. Her arms started to sway and suddenly the whole of her being was playing: swaying, kicking, laughing, and her joy was palpable.
And then without breaking her stride, she stepped back out onto the path and just began walking again. This time though, she was taller, her shoulders relaxed, her head held high and her step was noticeably lighter.
What a thing to behold.
I realised others has seen this too and then the next remarkable thing started to happen. First, a little boy ran over and started to do just as she had done. Then his Mama joined him, and then a man who had been sitting on a bench nearby, and all of the people around were smiling.
Just one decision to engage in a thing that made her forget anything other than being in that joyful moment shifted the days of so many other people.
We don’t have leaves 6 inches thick to kick around at Clear Space Studios but we do have classes and workshops for you to dive into and change how you are feeling in your body and mind. There is such a variety of things to try here; why not come along and see if any of our offerings help you feel like that fabulous woman felt as she kicked those leaves?
Taking space to give our busy heads a rest, allowing our nervous systems to switch from the modern malady of living in fight and flight to the possibility of being in rest and digest is essential to our overall wellbeing. The effect of this on those around is profound too; just see how everyone else wanted to feel as our smartly dressed woman did as she remembered to play for a few moments.
Yesterday was a practical in-this-world reminder and confirmation of why Lisa and I built this beautiful place. Come join us kicking up leaves.