Day 22 - Fall

Long before we had iPhones and laptops and Alexa, humans relied on the sun and moon, the seasons, and the rhythms of nature to chart the course of our daily lives. Somewhere along the way, we forgot we once lived in harmony with the natural world. Today is the perfect time to remember who we were and to reclaim the season of Fall. On the Autumnal equinox, the days begin to grow shorter as the nights grow longer. The greens of Spring and Summer foliage are giving way to yellows, golds, and reds. At the office, inboxes are perpetually refilled and Team meetings continue to reoccur, but in the field, the last of the crops will be harvested and squirrels are preparing for the changes ahead. Netflix may continue to fill our evenings but will we notice the cooler temperatures outside? Will we heed the call to rest a little more? I plan to.

At the start of the month, I explained how we can use the breath as an anchor to be mindful of the present moment. Now, on the first day of Fall, I invite you to use that same awareness to tune into the needs of your body, mind, and heart. Pay attention to the signs of the season. What needs to shift as you move through this period between the busyness of summer and the stillness of winter?

Practice Option

• Allow Sara Raymond to guide you through a beautiful meditation on the invitation of Fall.

• Make time to savor the season. Pick apples. Day trip to check out the fall leaves. Plan a hike. Build a bonfire. Take a virtual tour of autumn through this gallery of animals.
  

• Adopt this simple practice by Barb Schmidt. Tonight when you go to bed, think of yourself as an autumn tree and the events of your day as your leaves. Take a moment to notice the beautiful colors, both bright and dark, and then allow each “leaf” to drop away one by one as you prepare for night’s sleep. Remember, the tree sheds all its leaves—not just the ones it doesn’t want. The tree does not judge the leaves as good or bad; each one has provided the tree with its necessary nourishment, allowing it to thrive in its existence. The same is absolutely true for your experiences. We really have no idea what a tree is actually “thinking” as it gives way to a new state of being. We can only imagine. However, this analogy gives us courage and hope that we too can let go, knowing that this is the natural order of our lives.