I noticed that things are falling apart around me.
A club that I enjoy has been losing members and pretty much has folded.
Plants are dying in my gardens, not just going dormant.
My car needed an expensive repair – but at 160,000 miles, it was bound to happen.
But these were things that were headed that way anyway. They took this opportunity to actually disrupt and fall apart.
I know not to be downhearted about it, because I see it as the natural cycle of things. In a few weeks, all is set to change.
I know this partly due to reading a book about the cycles of life that a friend brought to my attention. I know anyway that things come together, then fall apart so that they can come together in a new way. That is Nature’s cycle.
Each year of our lives, from birthday to birthday, can be divided into seven periods, each having approximately 52 days. During each period, certain conditions are favorable or unfavorable for the things we “wish to do and must do.” Those periods comprise the cycle of a year of our life.
H. Spenser Lewis, wrote about this in “Self Mastery and Fate with the Cycles of Life,” available online at the Rosicrucian.org website.
Summarized from that book, these periods are:
#1 (Birthday to 52 days out) It is a time to push yourself forward with discrimination and yet determination, for it is favorable so far as your name, reputation, honor, and integrity among high persons or the multitudes are concerned.
#2 This period is distinctly different, for it is for changes which are quick and soon over with. Therefore, all things done during this time should begin during the period and end shortly afterward or within a year rather than far in the future.
#3 This period fills the individual with an almost uncontrollable impulse to want to do great and important things, and to accomplish those things that call for great physical energy, physical effort, endurance, vitality, determination, and persistence. This is an excellent time to overcome obstacles.
#4 The mind will seem to be highly charged with new thoughts and new ideas. It is a dependable period for acting upon impulses or intuitive hunches. The person becomes optimistic and, because of the mental activity, somewhat nervous and restless. Great deceptions can happen, and precautions should be taken to prevent these things.
#5 It is during this time that our personal affairs expand, grow, and increase in prosperity. There is a tendency toward good fellowship, sociability, benevolence, honesty, and sympathy. It is also a good period in which to begin a long journey in contradistinction to the second period of this cycle.
#6 As the holiday of the year, it is a time for pleasure, amusement, relaxation, and entertainment. Now make long or short visits for relaxation or renewing friendships This does not mean, however, that business will not prosper and that regular affairs of life should be withheld or modified during this period, for all things that are legitimate and good will continue with almost as much success as during the preceding period.
#7 This is the critical and disruptive period of life each year, when breaking down begins in order that there may be a new building up; when most things that are about to end, or disrupt, do so. The mind is very apt to become despondent, discouraged, or pessimistic during this period, for if it affects the actions in business or in personal affairs, it will bring about a disastrous result. Postpone new ideas and endeavors.
I took a calendar, and mapped out my personal year in periods of about 52 days. Since there are 2 extra days in the next year, I let the borders between cycles overlap a few days so that the year was divided as evenly as I could. H. Spenser Lewis does say that there are transition periods between cycles; they don’t just change from one day to the next.
I thought back on previous years and discovered what was happening with the theme in each period.
For me, this brings a deeper level of acceptance for what is happening. It is not to be passive and feel at the whim of Nature, but to help me go with the flow. In fact, knowing the cycle helps me actively engage what is happening for me in life.
As I like to repeat, it is not what is happening to you, but what is happening for you. I can appreciate that these things are disintegrating because they had no more life as they were. They then have the chance to be discarded, replaced, or rebuilt anew. I see some of each of these things happening for me now.
What cycle of your year are you in now? How does that give you comfort or spur you to action?
Please comment below.
