I was on a tram, on my way to a friend's for brunch, when I looked out the window and saw how leaves were falling in the wind. The leaves weren't just falling, they were taking their time about it. Dancing, turning, swinging and twirling in no hurry to reach the ground.

 

Growing up in Sri Lanka, we really didn't have a fall. Leaves drop there too, some months more than others, but nothing gathers itself into a season the way it does here. So when I first came here in NL, fall was new to me, and I was so fascinated by it that it slowly became a reminder of change and transformation.

 

But last year, on that ride, what I saw became an inspiration for this meditation. For a moment, I forgot everything else and focused on the dancing and falling leaves.

 

Why do we struggle with letting go?

I have heard this one often, and I have felt it myself.

 

"I don't want things to change. I want to hold on to what's good for as long as I can."

 

Here’s what I want to share with you: wanting to hold on is completely normal, but the real challenge is thinking it’s the only way to keep something. Think about a tree, it loses its leaves not because it’s a loss, but because it needs to let go to save energy and stay safe during winter. If it kept its leaves, it could dry out or break under the snow. When leaves fall, they become part of the ground or help new trees grow.

 

In Buddhism, this idea isn't about being sad; it just shows how things really are. The word "anicca" means impermanence, reminding us that change is a natural part of life, even for the things we want to hold on to most.

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​​​​The practice

Find a place with a clear view of a tree losing its leaves, a park, a garden, or a window that looks out on one. If nothing is nearby, watching a video works, but going outside is better.
 

1. Pause and take in the whole tree
   Don't look for a single leaf yet. Just take in the wind moving through the branches, some leaves falling, some holding on. Let yourself watch without deciding what to focus on.
    

2. Spot/Choose one leaf
   Let your eyes settle on a single leaf as it lets go. Follow it the whole way down, from branch to ground, without looking away.
    

3. Let your breath match its fall
   As the leaf descends, let your exhale lengthen with it. You're not controlling the pace, just noticing that your body already knows how to slow down with something.
    

4. When it lands, look up again
   Find another leaf. Follow it the same way. There's no count to keep; this isn't about how many you watch.
    

5. Notice the urge to hold on
   At some point you may catch yourself wanting a particular leaf to stay, or wishing you'd watched a different one all the way through. Notice this without acting on it. That noticing is the practice.
    

6. Stay for five to eight minutes
   There's no leaf you need to save and no version of this you can do wrong. If only one leaf falls in your view the whole time, that's enough. Let it be your whole practice.

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