Monthly Edition: Reorientation

The subtle shifts have begun

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The heart of most spiritual practices is simply this: Remember who you are. Remember what you love. Remember what is sacred. Remember what is true. Remember that you will die and that this day is a gift. Remember how you wish to live.

Wayne Muller

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August: a time for soft transitions. Many of us still have vacations and end-of-summer plans to enjoy. We might refuse to jump too quickly into the restart of a more regimented schedule, knowing the power of embracing the present pace while we have it.

Still, there are some who cannot avoid the ramp-up that often begins at this time. For teachers, students, and parents, there is no avoiding the transition to back-to-school. Soon enough, those going off to (or back to) school will find themselves sitting in orientations and classrooms.

But summer is not finished just yet. The long days, quiet moments, and simple pleasures are still within reach. Let’s gently open ourselves to what is to come by considering how we want to show up in the coming weeks, even as we continue to delight in the gifts of summertime. There are small shifts we can make to realign ourselves in the confidence of our identity, values, and intentions.

Here at Dropping In, this month is all about reorientation. We’re not going to jump head-first into rigid schedules. We’re going to approach this as a soft reset. We’re going to remember what’s important by re-grounding in our values. We’re going to take time to reconnect to what’s important and necessary and adjust accordingly. We’ll also start where we are, whether we feel ready or not.

You know what we’re (still) not doing? Forcing ourselves to be someone we’re not. We’re not competing with others. We’re not trying to control what others think of us. We’re softening into the surrender of what it looks like to bloom as we are and to do it right where we’re planted.

Reorientation isn’t about starting from scratch. It’s about coming back to who we are, what’s important to us, and living from that grounded place. As things shift around us, we can allow for what needs to change within us. We can make the inner adjustments necessary when we are attuned to our values and priorities. As we get curious about everything else, we can learn to let go of what doesn’t serve us and bring in supports that do.

Let’s come home to ourselves this August and reorient with a calm sense of clarity.

Will you join me?

What does the idea of a soft transition look or feel like to you?

What are the challenges and hopes of this month?

How connected have you felt to yourself—including your values, your voice, and your priorities—this summer?