This was lead by Laura Mayo, the Senior Minister of Covenant Church and is active in Houston interfaith work.
October 4, 2025
We began with noticing our breath and then doing a breathing square: breathe in for four counts - hold for four counts - breathe out for four counts - hold for four counts . . . and continued on.
It is now October and we have entered fall. Even in Houston, we experience nature’s rhythms. Those of us who have lived or traveled further north know that these rhythms are more exaggerated in other places, but still, they are here. During fall as the days get shorter, the weather gets cooler, some of our trees shed their leaves, and plants and animals prepare for hibernation and rest.
We kept breathing and asked ourselves the following questions, answering within our own hearts and minds:
• What, like trees shedding leaves, can you shed this season?
• In what ways can you plan to rest and reset?
• What are you clinging to that isn’t serving you?
• In what ways can you slow down?
We considered fall and how the earth lets go - the trees let go of leaves, the grass lets go of growth and we remembered a story that I think again of a story I experienced when walking the Camino de Santiago. I shared this story last year so it might sound familiar. As you listen to this story, continue to focus on your breath.
“It was after we had made our way around an enormous puddle on the Camino - actually it was really more like a pond - we scaled the stone fence to one side to try and skirt the water. Once we all made it to the other side, Tonya mentioned that the experience made her think of a story which she then shared the story with us:
“A senior monk and a junior monk were traveling together. At one point, they came to a river with a strong current. As the monks were preparing to cross the river, they saw a woman also attempting to cross. The woman asked if they could help her cross to the other side. The woman had many packages.
The two monks glanced at one another and then, without a word, the older monk picked up the woman, and the younger monk gathered all the packages.
As they were crossing the river the woman complained and groused without stopping: worried about her packages, afraid the monk would drop her, convinced the monks were not doing a good job.
The monks carried her and her packages across the river, placed her gently on the other side, and returned her packages to her.
The monks proceeded on their journey. They walked an hour and then two. They walked another hour and finally the younger monk burst out, “I cannot believe that woman was so rude. We carried her across the river. She did not get wet at all. None of her packages got wet. We were soaked through and she stayed perfectly dry but she was complaining the whole time. How could she be so inconsiderate? She didn’t even thank us.
The older monk waited until the younger finished and then gently replied: “Brother, I set her down on the other side of the river, why are you still carrying her?”
As you notice what nature is letting go, consider what you need to let go - forgiveness you need to offer, grace you need to extend to yourself and others - resentment to let go of, or other things on your mind.
We concluded by revisiting our questions and then being invited to look for ways nature is letting go, putting down, resting while we walked.
• What, like trees shedding leaves, can you shed this season?
• In what ways can you plan to rest and reset?
• What are you clinging to that isn’t serving you?
• In what ways can you slow down?
Photo by Robert Delgado.