The first day of fall started one month ago, if you mark the seasons as they relate to the length of days. August 7 started the three months of fastest reduction in daylight as we slide towards winter. Or, what’s left of winter, these days. If fall is a time of change, then the time of greatest change is September 21 (or whenever the equinox is). This is when the days are getting shorter at their greatest rate. From this perspective, September 21 is the middle of fall with fall extending 6 weeks before and after that date. Which brings us to today, September 7, as one month into the fall season of 2020.
The days have been getting shorter since June 21, albeit starting at a very slow pace (seconds per day). The pace has continued to quicken and we are currently losing approximately 3 minutes of light each day. And yet, it’s likely that we are only just starting to notice the changes that have been taking place since June 21. Go outside in the morning or in the early evening and notice how quiet things are. Not just the sounds, but the general feel or vibe of the biosphere is quietening down.
Why is this important? Because our Dharma practice unfolds in a very similar way. One meaning of the word Dharma means the nature of things. The conditioned and patterned way in which things unfold. This can be known and understood. Applying this to our practice, we can see that, just like nothing much seemed to be happening for a month or more after the summer solstice, there are times when nothing much seems to be happening with our practice. And yet, things are shifting and transformation is happening. I read somewhere that said if you want to look to see if you have changed due to your practice, you should look back a minimum of 10 years. That seemed about right to me. Of course, strong emotional, psychological and nature of reality insights can happen that cause a sudden shift in perception and behavior. And yet, even in these instances, it takes time for the new reality to assimilate into the being.
Patience and perseverance/resolution are two of the 10 Paramis that the Buddha perfected and that all Dharma practitioners will cultivate over time. Drop by drop, each moment of mindfulness and clearly knowing (Sati-sampajanna) slowly fill the bucket of understanding and freedom. All these words to say, just keep going, no matter what the current conditions of body and mind might look like. There’s more a play that we can currently know with these 6 senses doors. May we all have steadfastness, joy, and endless kindness in cultivating the Noble Eightfold Path.