A New Season

I often feel that summer turning into fall is more like the start of a new year than flipping the calendar on January 1st. Admittedly, the sensation of life shifting underneath my feet might be especially pronounced for me right now. My oldest kid left for college a few weeks ago and my youngest is back into the swing of high school, with increasing independence. I’m feeling the openness of a new season of life stretching before me – which is both wonderful and terrifying, all at the same time.

I once saw a zen circle – a large, empty circle on top of a pole – at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. The ocean stretched out from the beach until it bled into the sky. This zen circle, I was told, had a purpose: it created a frame that we, small, tender humans, could look through to feel safe and contained, even while taking in the boundless view.

As the seasons change, I’ve been wishing for a zen circle for my life – some touch points that give a little context and framing, without limiting what I see. And, so I’ve been returning to a variation of a practice I learned from Mor Keshet. It’s a 10-minute practice that combines a little bit of mindfulness, a little bit of somatics and a little bit of therapeutic art to help me (and maybe you, too?) articulate intentions that make unchartered territory more navigable.

Give this 10-minute practice for setting intentions during times of transition a try. Listen to the recording here, or find similar written instructions in the January 2026 issue of Mamaroneck Living here.