COMPOSTING MYSELF AS A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE
The process of Composting is something I’ve become very familiar with over the last year on the land with my attempts and resolve to turn a derelict dirty ex-camel yard into a beautiful garden space; literally turning shit into gold - black gold to be precise.
Which is why I understand the power of this process and feel the need right now to compost parts of myself, to shed unnecessary layers, return them to the earth as they no longer serve me. The parts that no longer work or whose purpose has expired yet I’ve still been holding on.
Have felt a huge need to go inwards -since last month’s powerful Full moon- to find, sift and shift the parts that need to go. The hardest part of composting is the prevention of new input, new information and new “stuff”.
I do love people and love being outwards, though over this year I’ve become very acquainted with my avoidance patterns, so I see when these tactics are starting to run. I compassionately witness the desire to distract, numb, be busy and social then bring myself back towards myself, to the slower inward pace.
The truth is I’m not afraid of Letting go, as I’ve been in a letting go process - more or less- for the most part of 12 years now. More recently, circles, cycles and seasons on the land has shown me over and over that Letting Go IS a practice, one I’m maybe closer to mastering! Since my commitment to Slowing down and living a more Yin lifestyle in tune with what I call the 3 Sisters of Slow - Softness, Stillness and Silence, I am very aware of how the opposite energies of hardness, busy-ness and noise have an almost addictive, magnetic pull to them. So again, with practice I come back compassionately to myself and to this Slow process of letting go and composting.
As mentioned earlier, composting, like any good detox requires a fast, a break from the Inward flow, from consumption, from IN-put. Preventing new input of words, ideas, symbols, songs, influences is pretty difficult as I am a social butterfly, I love people - especially in this Golden town and within the communities I exist within.
But I know it’s only for a short while - I have given myself 10 days of Composting to really empty out, on the physical, mental and psycho-spiritual levels. To empty out beliefs that aren’t mine, to empty out my belly, to empty out my heart from grievances and those who’ve wronged and betrayed me. Being in the holy land of Sinai helps, the mountains earth me, the red sea cleanses me, the blazing sun recharges me and the wind clears out those stale, dry outdated thoughts and threads they’re interconnected to..
Composting oneself requires a strong enough “WHY?” , deep reflection and what I’m now realising is a deep commitment to Truth for the sake of truth- Integrity.
If, you too are in the process of emptying out; your belly, your brain, your hearts or home, remember this is a spiritual process, like all good fasts, this will bring you closer to your higher self. Shifting shit from gold isn’t meant to be easy but it’s so so worthwhile as only when you’re vessel is empty can you fill it with lighter, brighter and more meaningful elements, qualities and content.
Winter is the perfect season to do this and I’d say post Christmas time,after stuffing yourself full of food and mental rubbish from people you’ve likely outgrown, why not take a cleansing fast and compost pieces yourself?
Just a thought! Bless for listening and feel free to share your process or thoughts below.