What is it about September that feels so different? As if Labour Day is just a sneaky reprieve before every out-of-office reply is universally lifted in unison and we all feel compelled to return to the grind. I mean, the weather is still stunning, wildflowers still have blooms, and the ocean is still a cozy degree above freezing. Summer is still technically here. But. If you’re moving slowly enough, you may also notice that morning dog walks might require a long sleeve, that dusk is gracing us just a little earlier each eve, and the edges of maple leaves are somehow turning ever so crispy. I don’t think it’s just our capitalistic indoctrination that’s signalling a return to routine. What’s happening out there is also happening within. There is no doubt about it, we are in transition. 

For the first time in five summers, I am not in school. Yes, I can hardly believe it either, but it’s true. In May, I graduated from Mount Saint Vincent University with my Bachelor of Science degree in psychology (honours, with a minor in neuroscience)—a goal I thought I had ruined the opportunity to achieve after I abandoned my original university journey over 20 years ago. But now blink just like that, I've completed an academic dream and, after a gorgeous vacation to Iceland in June to celebrate, I am now FREE to focus solely on my first (professional) love: my massage therapy practice.

Changing the tempo from super busy to  just regular busy has been more of a challenge than I expected. I’ve become used to the pace of deadlines and the satisfaction of producing thoughtful work about challenging concepts. While I was studying, my little office (and you all) offered an imposed contrast of somatic connection and BEing that mitigated all of the cerebral DOing.  This balance, I believe, is what staved off burnout and enriched my learning process. 

Many years back, I began a dedicated meditation practice. I attended classes, read yogic teachings, and sat on my cushion almost daily in silent retreat. It is no exaggeration to say that the benefits for me, at that time in my life, were nothing short of transformative. Interestingly, the first Christmas that passed after developing this new practice fell completely flat. Without the typical timeline of anticipation, stress, excitement, and exhaustion of the festivities, I was left feeling like my new inward journey had broken something; that I’d accidentally ruined my joy for the holidays by distancing my focus from the material world. And then I heard Ram Dass talk about the paradox of meditation - that you might lose the peaks in life, but you also don’t get consumed by the suffering of the valleys. The cultivation of presence shows you that everything belongs and that there is beauty and impermanence in all experiences. Accordingly, the ups and downs of life settle into an infinite ripple of continuous unfolding.

What is your wellness goal? How does it feel to be asked this? What’s the first thing that comes to mind? Maybe it’s your chronic low back pain which seems to be worse in winter. Or the headaches you wake up to almost every morning. Perhaps you’d like to feel better digestively, have more energy to exercise, or figure out why you’re just. not. sleeping. How long has anxiety been nagging in your chest? When did that knot set up residence in your shoulder? What tightens up when (fill in the blank) is mentioned? 

Emotions are created around experience. They are natural, energetic responses to stimuli. When flowing freely, we can move through events and stresses with more fluidity. We can actually use feelings as tools to grow and learn about the world around us. To combine knowledge with our experiences creates wisdom. But it's not always easy to ride the wave of human emotion. When we have a positive experience, we can feel elated and joyous and want to stay there forever. When we have a negative experience, we can feel unpleasant and want to rush through it to escape the discomfort. Both are normal and are meant to be an ongoing ebb and flow of energy within and around us.