Autumn Equinox | Reflecting on the seasonal shift
A seasonal shift is happening. Cobwebs glisten with morning dew, there’s a coolness to the damp lawn underfoot, and a few remaining pops of colour are present in the garden from dahlias, anemones and roses. The greens in the trees have started to fade, red and yellowing leaves have been spotted here and there, and sycamore seeds are hanging and ready to spin to the ground. Berries are ripening in hedgerows, fruit is ready to pick, and there is the occasional browning leaf falling to the ground. We’ve reached that part of the year where we experience fresh golden mornings as we rise with the sun, there’s a shift towards cooler evenings and a need to bring the washing in from the line earlier and earlier during the late afternoon, and reach for a light blanket during the evening. Autumn has been gradually making its presence felt over the past few weeks as we’ve been on the cusp of the change. Nature is shifting inwards following a season of being in bloom signalling for us to follow nature’s gentle lead.
We’ve been away in a Devon during this week of the Autumn equinox and the Harvest moon, we’ve been able to get present to the season and nature around us. We’ve got used to the few minutes drive to the beach, spotting beautiful cottages as we pass through tiny villages, and appreciating the last moments of summer. We’ve watched the river local to us cascade out to sea, felt the sand in between our toes, built sandcastles, flown our kite, paddled in the sea and enjoyed the simple life of staying in a tiny cottage with countryside views. The equinox arrived and signalled the shift inwards for the season of autumn here in the UK. We woke to grey skies, a cool wind, low cloud and misty rain, and that feeling of time to rest.
Autumn, alongwith Spring are my favourite seasons, both bring with them distinct shifts in the nature and plants around us, and the energies associated with the seasons. Autumn, the season of inward energy movement, and Spring the outward energy of awakening. I’ve leant into these times of the year as nature’s signposts and to follow the seasonal energy adjusting my daily rhythms and routines to suit the feeling of the season. For those in the Northern Hemisphere the autumnal energy is felt, and for those in the Southern Hemisphere the spring energy is present. I feel lucky to be living in part of the world which experiences a distinct season.
The Autumn equinox is a marked point in the year for me, a time between now and the next equinox in Spring, when I lean inwards to focus and strengthen my inner world, cultivate resources, and use my energy in different ways. The cyclical seasonal rhythm at this time of year moves me to a place where I like to use the time to strengthen my roots, trunk and branches, my inner core which enables me to grow and be prepared for the seasons of outward energy ahead. Between now and the next equinox I use the time gently to reflect, learn, read, prepare, create and nurture things I’m wanting to bring to life. It isn’t a still season for me but mainly an inward energy. I tend to lean into projects for the home, creative crafting projects, creating gifts and cards, diving into more books, plan ahead for our garden and enjoy autumnal walks in nature.
Autumn has always been the most reflective time of year where I take stock and notice what I’ve been creating and doing in the seasons previous to it. On and off over my 10 years of blogging I’ve shared my reflections and shifts I’ve made during these months. My autumn manifesto tends to take shape about now and I continue to connect to my word of the year.
At the turn of the seasons I make space to reflect using a few question prompts allowing me to feel gratitude, connect with the season and slow down to appreciate what I’ve been doing. My questions I’m using this autumn are:
What simple moments and memories do I want to harvest from the summer months?
As the fruits ripen on trees and berries are ripe and ready to pick in the hedgerows, what learnings do I want to preserve and store from the summer months?
What seeds created during the summer growth do I want to store carefully, plant out again and nurture?
As the leaves turn and change what small gradual changes do I want to make in autumn?
As the leaves fall and drift to the ground what do I want to let go of?
What do I want to create space for in the coming season?
Where do I want my energy to be focused during the Autumnal months?
When and how did my word of the year support and guide me during the summer season?
What are my thoughts and feelings about the present moment having reflected on the past season?
During the week of the Autumn equinox and the Harvest Moon, and the week just after, I invite you to create space to reflect on the questions above. Take it gently and in your own time. Remember these moments don’t need to be ‘big’ to be documented, the more simple small moments are sometimes more meaningful and pivotal to capture. Think about the places you’ve visited, people you’ve connected with, your daily and weekly rituals and rhythms, what you noticed about yourself and how you felt, and the simple pleasures which felt joyful.
I invite you to choose a handful of the questions, or all if you feel inclined, and find a way to create space for yourself. Perhaps make space for 10 or 15 minutes here and there during your week, or make a space to sit down in one sitting if you want to. Allow yourself the time to read the question a few times and give yourself the gift of space to think to really connect to the questions. I like to make a cup of something warming and settle into a quiet space where I can have a moment to think and start to reflect. I make a note of the questions, switch off distractions, and give myself the gift of a thinking space. I sometimes like to listen to my summer soundtrack to connect me to moments in the season or take my question out for a walk to get my mind thinking.
Reflecting and thinking about the questions is just the start, documenting the answers and capturing your thoughts can feel more powerful, allowing you to look back at previous years and notice your own rhythms and what has changed. Find a way to capture your reflections in a way which works for you. You might choose to open your journal or notebook to write down your thoughts, create bullet point notes in your note taking app, or talk out loud and voice record your thoughts. Perhaps you may choose to sift through your photos to connect back to the moments, create a collage, write a poem, or perhaps reach for your art journal to draw, sketch or paint something which captures your reflections. You may even like to connect with a friend, share this post with them, decide which questions to focus on, and arrange a time in the coming week to talk and share your thoughts you’ve captured, giving each other an uninterrupted space to think and talk.
Wishing you a wonderful autumn season.