And so, spring has arrived, In September. I can’t for the life of me get used to the idea. The days are lengthening, the temperature, warming slightly, the sunlight, at a different angle… The breeze is constant and fresh. Our bodies are so not prepared for this opposing shift that both Mike and I have had bad colds for the past week. Though it’s obvious what changes we’re going through, I’m still trying to wrap my head around it.
We moved from summer directly into winter. Sydney Winter. Northern Hemisphere into Southern. Opposite side of the globe in every respect. It never really did feel like winter here… not the Jersey and Maryland winters I’ve known all my life, nor the deep Northern Michigan winters that I’ve come to love. No, winter in Sydney is a whole different experience. Rainy. A lot of rain, a lot of the time. Most of the trees retain their leaves. Plants still flower throughout the winter months, and the temperature rarely dips below 40F, if it even gets that low. It’s gorgeous and temperate and I’m not complaining in the least. It’s just… (and of course, these are just my thoughts at this time)…
Our beings—bodies, minds, emotions and the rest— are intricately linked to the environments we inhabit. For better or worse. Seasonal fluctuations are not only outside of us but become part of our yearly internal rhythm. They provide order, structure, predictability: the yin resting time of winter, the action of spring, the excitement of high summer, the fullness of harvest and the letting go of autumn. Though many of us resist the motions, there is amazing fulfillment in allowing the movement to occur.
So what happens when this movement is disrupted? This is what I’m exploring in myself right now. Call me crazy, but I can feel myself really ready to “go into fall” (as we’d say in acupuncture school) and have winter soon after. While I may now be inhabiting a different part of the globe with different seasonal variations, my body is moving in the direction it’s gone all it’s life: the seasons in accordance with being positioned on the globe in the eastern corridor of the United States. I’ve never had the opportunity to truly experience being outside of this, and it is a bit disorienting at times!
Clearly though, the virtues of being in Australia are many. Sydney spring brings even better weather, gorgeous farm-fresh food and hopefully some opportunities to tap into the local permaculture world. Sustainable farming, sustainable energy and native ecosystem restoration are a huge priority of many communities and individuals in this area, which is right up my alley. And as the weather continues to move in the opposite direction of what I’m used to, I imagine my body will start to get the message and catch up. In the meantime, it’s an interesting ride…
Now for the virtues of spring in photographic form:
The Blue Mountains, Katoomba. Just a 2 hour train ride from Central Station, Sydney.
Scenic World cable car at Katoomba. Rises from the valley floor to the top of the cliff.
Kookaburra. Find a YouTube clip of its call. Sounds like a monkey!
Proof! We’re actually here!
Katoomba Falls. It’s even taller than it looks here.
Festival of the Winds, Bondi Beach. Annual kite festival on the beach!
And now, you are up-to-date.