Dog Days ~ A Time to Just Be

It’s hot. My chair floaty lets me rest my head back, though one eye periodically squints a peek at my grandkids, while I let the water take me where it will. As the temperature ventures towards 100 degrees, everything else eases into stillness. According to Wikipedia, the ‘dog days of summer’ was historically the period following the heliacal rising of the star system Sirius, known as the Dog Star. It is connected with heat, drought, sudden thunderstorms, lethargy, fever, mad dogs, and bad luck. I never liked super hot weather, but I’ve come to appreciate the sense of quiet it is bringing into my life. Maybe it’s because I’m mostly retired, but I relish the feeling that I really don’t have to do much of anything. Now the trick is to hush my mind to a place where I can connect with Spirit and let Her lead the way. 

So, I practice my deep breathing in and out through my mouth and visualize a brilliant light guiding my life. A deep voice says, “Hello there.” It’s the young man with the big muscles who lives up on my floor in the apartment complex. The first time I met him, he was walking out of the elevator with two ferocious looking dogs who immediately started to snarl at me. I turned around and headed to the stairs. “Don’t be scared,” he had said, “they really are gentle souls.” I smiled at him, but decided to take the stairs anyway that day. Now he is smiling down at me from the side of the pool. “I just want you to know that if you ever need help with anything, especially if you have to carry something heavy up those steps, please come knock on my door.” Our elevator has been non-functional on and off for three weeks and it is exactly 60 steps up to get to our floor. With the heat and bags of groceries in my arms, it has been a pretty miserable climb up to the top for me. “Thanks,” I say, “that is so very kind of you.” We make small talk, but I was glad when he walked away. I didn’t want him to notice the tears I was trying to hold back, as it always makes me emotional when people are randomly kind to me. 

The next day, a small delivery woman was heading to the elevator. She had four large tires on a dolly which made me feel worried for her as I informed her the elevator was out. She then picked up two tires with each arm and headed for the stairs. I followed her up amazed at her strength. On the next level she was panting as she set the tires down. I asked her if there was anything I could do to help her, but she declined saying it was not my problem and she couldn’t risk having me get hurt. So, I rested there with her while asking Spirit to give me the right words to help encourage her. I made sure she was breathing steady and noticed she only took one tire on each arm for her next, and thankfully, final climb. She seemed less distressed. Sometimes emotional support is all we have to offer, and we need to trust that it helps. 

The dog days of summer is the perfect time to practice slowing down and being open to life as it presents itself. I know many people have been programmed to believe that being idle is somehow not fulfilling. Others, when given extra time, try to fill in the gaps with electronic stimulation, be it too much TV, video games, scanning social media, etc. Some people fear that old drama or trauma would enter their minds if they are not busying the mind with tasks. But, if unpleasant thoughts surface, it is the perfect time to just notice and release them. After all, the past is gone, and the more  time we take to fully release it, the better shot we have of letting new ways of being into our life. Otherwise, we risk repeating old patterns that no longer serve us. So, breathe away unpleasant beliefs and memories, and confirm that in this moment all is at peace. Doing so clears our energy field, and brings health to us on all levels. It is from the stillness within that all productive guidance and creativity flourishes. We benefit ourselves and everyone around us as we clear away old thoughts and feelings, and allow ourselves to be fully present.

According to the Chinese horoscope, I was born in the year of the Earth Dog. The traits of honesty , loyalty, and trustworthiness are very important to me. But, dogs are also known to worry as they don’t like to let anyone down, they take their duties very seriously and work hard. We all have certain personality traits that come naturally to us. The trick is to understand what we value, but also to notice where we need to lighten up a bit. I have come to believe that we are not defined by our personality roles or the stories we have accumulated over the years. We are Infinite Beings having experiences here. We are at our best when we let go of the stories we participated in and let our Spirit lead the way into the discovery of who we really are.

I hold out hope in my heart for a society based on unity, where everyone does their best to take care of each other in what ever manner they have to offer. I believe we have our best chance to do that when we put our own past baggage aside, learn to be fully present in the moment, and open ourselves to where Spirit guides us to be come what may. The Dog Days of summer are helping me to do this.