The Art of Becoming
Do you really need to bloom in order to blossom?
“You can’t force a rosebud to blossom by beating it with a hammer.”
—Rachel Naomi Remen, MD
In our home in Mexico we had a bougainvillea varietal that had no blooms. No matter what I did (new pot, more sun, gentle whispering) it just wouldn’t budge. Until this year, when we returned in the winter to see a joyful exuberance of color.
Some things just can’t be rushed.
There is a saying that pertains to the planting cycle of a new garden: The first year the plants “sleep,” the second year they “creep,” the third year they “leap.“
I like to think that cycles like these (in varying degrees of time) pertain to us humans too as they relate to waking up to, and becoming, more of ourselves — more of who we were always meant to be.
That said, while the plant cycle appears to stop at "leap" we all know that the story doesn't end there. There is no end point to "becoming." Just like a plant, there are periods of expansion and periods of contraction for us humans too. There are growing periods and rest periods, shedding periods and bloom periods. As long as the roots are well grounded, nourished, and fed, there is no end to our growth cycle. 1
While our true purpose is always continuing to unfold and we don’t know where our journey will ultimately take us, here’s a wonder question for you:
What would blossoming in your life look (and feel) like?
And as a corollary to that:
Do you really need to “bloom” in order to blossom?
Ahhh 🏡
Slowing Down Challenge — Week 3
What you’ve just read comes from “No Rush,” Chapter 3 of A Year for You — the book we are using to cultivate the first of 5 steps to spaciousness: slowing down.
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Learn more about the “Spacious Way to a Lighter You” clearing series HERE.