Below is the text from the most recent newsletter, Leaning on Nature :
These days, the concept of connecting a meditation practice to nature can sound cliché if not downright hippie or New Age. But there are solid practical reasons to do so, regardless of your comfort level with energy or metaphysics. There isn't a tradition I'm aware of that doesn't have at least one holiday connected to the moon in some way. It's obvious, then, that our forebears saw value in that connection. We need not know what value they saw unless we wish to learn the specific techniques within a tradition. Nature can still be leaned on to at least steady our practice and help us keep perspective.
The moon cycle represents one of the simplest ways to connect your practice to nature. Full moon days are good days to do some extra meditation. That can be taken a step further by designating the full moon in July, say, as a cue to take a couple days to focus just on your meditation practice. We can see the benefit of regularity, of a semi-predictable structure, when looking at the tides, day and night, the seasons, etc. These things combine to promote the growth of living things. Hooking our practice to a natural cycle can help us grow our practice in a similarly regular and sustainable way.
Beyond creating a simple structure, maintaining an awareness of the natural cycles can also help us step back from ourselves and the fixations of daily life by seeing ourselves as within a much larger context. Doing so is simultaneously a step towards getting in touch with the sense of peace we hide within ourselves. It is hidden by precisely the thoughts and individual fixations we carry. When we look at the vast and relentless ocean, it is easy to feel a thrill of humility, to feel pleasantly and properly small, and thus to see our cares as a little less urgent. Giving them up, even a little, makes the peace more obvious.
Systems that attach specific practices to specific times of year generally operate on some version of the principle that it is easier to swim with the current than against it. Over the millennia, the natural "current" of a given season or other event was gleaned through observation and direct experience. Practices evolved to make catching that current easier. Put differently, it takes less energy to make ice in cold weather. We can utilize the cold weather to make a job easier.
For those who wish to learn techniques developed in such a way, the Taoist tradition is a good place to start. To get a hands-on feel, I recommend trying out Grandmaster Nan Lu's offerings. He is one of the great Taoist teachers, and offers seasonal qigong "intensives" designed to fit into your regular schedule and requiring no prior experience. The next one is in July. As ecosystems intertwine, so do the practices within systems such as this one, so it is best to stick with one system rather than cherry picking.
Until next time, happy practicing!