Summer Invitations: Pause, Play, and Be Surprised

“Before I can tell my life what I want to do with it, I must listen to my life telling me who I am. I must listen for the truths and values at the heart of my own identity, not the standards by which I must live — but the standards by which I cannot help but live if I am living my own life”.

—Parker J. Palmer

As you read this, I may well have just landed in Koh Samui, Thailand. Although I have led retreats at Samahita Retreat over the past two years, this year I’m drawn to return for my own professional and personal development, as I have done almost every year since 2013.

If I pause for a moment, reflecting on where that path has led me these past 12 years, I could never have imagined what would unfold.

And part of that journey is navigating those unexpected twists and turns that happen along the way. The ones that don’t make sense at the time, that maybe you resist because they were not part of your original plan but inevitably lead you exactly where you need to be.

Then there are those other magical moments that reveal themselves where you might step up, make a bold move, try something new, go after a dream or take on radical self-care and everything seems to align.

The Deeper Challenge

The challenge I have come to terms with over the years is recognising when the momentum in my life is shifting, when structures I’ve complied with or created are no longer a good fit, and intentionally begin to fall away.

How often have you found yourself in a liminal, in-between space, where old familiar states, places, relationships, patterns or ways of being are ending but new beginnings are not yet established?

They can bring up feelings of uncertainty, unease, and discomfort when the new path is not fully formed, as there are no handrails.

On a challenging day, this can feel uncomfortable and disorientating. But on a good day, there is so much spaciousness and freedom where play, creativity, and clarity can unfold.

Summer invites us into that space.

Summer has a way of calling us back to ourselves. It’s a season that invites pause, play, spontaneity, creativity, and a sense of freedom. No rules. No winners. Just space to be.

This is the perfect time to gently ask:

• What are the questions that keep returning, quietly asking to be heard?
• What is your inner compass orientating toward?
• What feels more meaningful, more true?

Stay with questions without searching for the answer. Trust the process that all you need to do is stay present.

As Mary Oliver once wrote, “Let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.”
Notice how that simple invitation will naturally lead you towards clarity, a deeper truth and connection that guides your next right step.

Do you have a place you return to where you’re able to reflect and look back at where you were at a certain time and where you are now?
Maybe it’s a physical space, nature or a favourite spot close to home. Or maybe it’s simply a space to write your thoughts.

Where Curiosity Leads: A Gentle Practice:

Make a list of all the things you thought you’d never do or would never happen, but did.

– What surprised you and what did you learn from those experiences?

If you’d like to share, just send me an email, I’d love to hear.

While we can’t control what lies ahead beyond summer, we can prepare ourselves to meet change and set ourselves up now with care. I’d love you to join me for the Blausee Yoga and Self-Care Retreat. Registration is now open. Think of it as a gift for yourself, that you’ll be deeply grateful for when the time comes.

What I sense in times like these is that we need each other.

Let this be a summer of listening, presence, and connection.

With warmth,
Karen x

P.S. Samahita Retreat is a dedicated centre for yoga, health and wellness, and Centered Yoga is a leader in yogic education and training. Learn more here and here.