As I lean into the changing of the seasons here upon us in New England, I’m relishing in the refreshing crisp morning air, and noticing the subtle shifts of color…. Fall is here. In this season, we move into the phase of harvesting, of reaping the benefits of summer’s hard work and holding gratitude for the gifts we’ve received. Ideas curated in the winter, sown as new seedlings of opportunities in the spring, tended to with care and delight as they grew, bloomed, matured through summer, now reach the time of fruition and completion. Most evident, we see this with the ‘summer garden,’ carefully planned, then planted and tended, and now enjoying the fall harvest of squashes and beans, root vegetables – knowing this is the end of the growing season before tidying up for winter’s respite.
Our bodies are familiar with this rhythm, with this physical changing of seasons. It is hardwired into our DNA. We may start to prepare for the winter, a time of dormancy for fresh fruits and vegetables, pickling cucumbers, cabbages and carrots, and making jams. Our clothing choices shift from the scant tanks and shorts or breezy summer dresses into longer pants and sleeves, and perhaps even a light jacket. Our minds may drift back to the joyful days of summer exuberance, often inciting wishes that the warm sunny weather would hold on ‘just a bit longer.’ It’s natural to have these longing feelings; as we turn to fall, we notice the closure of light, both physically, with days becoming shorter, and energetically, with a turning more inward for introspection. Fall is the season of completion, of old age, of endings. It is the season of reflection and gratitude for all that has been achieved through the energy of work and joyfulness of play.
Endings tend to be pegged as dismal, reticent. So often, we see endings as the finality of something. And yet, when something ends, it opens the way for new beginnings. We cannot have something new, be that a possession, emotion, idea, feeling or energy, without having first discarded its predecessor. Thinking back to the summer garden, there is a necessity and natural cycle of reaping the bounty of the harvest and then culling back the plants, letting the earth renew and replenish to set the foundation for next year’s new crop. We, too, experience this. In our human lifecycle, we move through infancy as winter, our youth as spring, our maturity and adulthood in summer, and our old age, retirement, withdrawal and eventual passing as autumn. This time of older age is also necessary, it’s a time of reflecting on all that has been accomplished throughout life, of all the bounty that has been given forth and returned, of quiet contentment and peace, appreciating all the experiences of life that have brought us to this moment before we, too, will open the foundation for new generations to be born and flourish.
In this moment, in this fall season, it can be a remarkable practice to reflect upon all that has happened in the year, from the onset of winter in December, and through to this closing season of autumn. What did you set into motion, what did you cultivate for yourself? What lives have been impacted because of you? What seeds did you plant and how have you grown? For some, this practice may invoke those feelings of longing for what was, and I invite here, to rather explore what wisdom you gained through all that happened, what might you be ready to shed, and what are you inspired to forward into a new year on the horizon? In my own summer garden, I learned the hard lesson of squash beetles…and in my personal life, I learned what it means to step into my personal power, to own who I am, embracing that it looks different than the ‘norm.’ And for the next few months, I’ll celebrate these learnings, making new decisions and plans, and I’ll also look back fondly at the time I was able to share with family, friends, basking in the sun, walking along the beach, paddleboarding, traveling; all these will inspire me to open a new door and curate another beautiful year ahead!
I’ll offer, below, a few practices to help you foster contentment, reflection and appreciation through this time of reaping your own harvest:
Make a list of anything you set an intention to bring to life/light from the winter and through the summer, and then place a check mark next to all that you accomplished and realized. Make a quick anthology of this past year.
Write in your journal about any beliefs, habits or feelings you’re ready to bring to conclusion. Fall is a time of shedding, what might you be ready to set down so that you can open to something new?
Clear out any clutter in your home – holding onto it keeps you stuck in the energy of a previous version of yourself or a different time in your life. Maybe there’s something, someone, or sentiments you’re ready to bring to closure.
Burn sage, incense or palo santo and clear any ‘old’ energy out of your home, your car, your office, your aura.
Take a walk in your favorite place and observe the physical changes of the season, remembering how things looked in the spring, the summer, and now, in the fall. Notice the subtleties and nuances of how the place evolves.
Begin a gratitude practice and write down at least 1 thing you’re grateful for every morning (if you can manage more, then write down whatever comes to mind). After a week, notice how you feel. After a month, notice what’s different.
Plan time with friends or family to reminisce about the year, about what they’ve learned, about what’s brought them joy, about what they appreciate and what they hope for the future.
In the United States, we will soon celebrate Thanksgiving. While this holiday is tied to the historical sharing of bounty by native people with the newcomer pilgrims, the naming of the holiday references the gratitude felt during this time of year. Thanks is offered for all that has been given, for all that has been experienced, for all that has been received. Whether the gift was understood at the time, know that all things in life ‘happen for you’ (Matt Kahn), and that even struggles yield way to new skills, new perspectives, new growth; sometimes with distance from it, the gift of the challenge becomes clearer.
Through this fall season, I hold deep gratitude for the many life lessons, gifts and bounty that I’ve received. And I feel content and at peace for the gifts and bounty I’ve shared with others. This season offers the slow closing of a cycle, a time to reflect on the past year, to shed what no longer serves, and to reflect with appreciation for all that has passed, knowing it will yield the way to many new things to come. Nature will always tug us back into her wise rhythms, offering visual reminders of the season of life around us – may you enjoy the changing colors of the leaves and the shift to shorter and cooler days, inviting you to take time inward for renewal. With many wishes to you for a bountiful fall season!
By Jennifer Rizza, Founder of Newtown Wellness Collective, Reiki Master, Yoga Teacher, IAHC Certified Wellness Coach and Guide to Aligned Living
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