Seasonal Transitions…Oh How Supportive They Can Actually Be!
Today is the fall equinox - the first day of fall. We are shifting from Summer to a new season. Technically, what is happening is at the equator today there will be an equal amount of daylight and darkness. Yet tomorrow, the days will begin to shorten a little more with each setting sun in the northern hemisphere.
Our days will get cooler and start to shift as we head towards the winter season. Fall brings the harvest, a fruitful time when our farms and gardens can be gifted (hopefully) with an abundance of vegetables, grains, and other staples that will set us up for the sparsity of the upcoming winter.
Fall can also be a time for purging, removing what no longer serves you in your physical space but also your inner world. In nature, we see this with the changing of the leaves and the hibernation, migrations, and slowing down in the animal world or dying of certain plant life. The shifting of the seasons, whether it is a significant or subtle shift, depending on where you live, is still a tangible shift if you pay attention. This can be a great time for deep reflection on where you are in your life, in your relationships, career, goals, and dreams. I find clients that find me in the fall seem to have more inner capacity, for some reason, to dig a little deeper. Maybe it's because fall is a time to evaluate, reflect, and dig in a bit.
The fall is also a time when the veil between the worlds becomes thin if you believe in such things. Some may feel drawn to connect with their ancestors, reach out & honor loved ones who have passed. Some may feel more connected to the spiritual path during this time of transition (could be religious, could be meditation, could be connecting with the changes in the lives of living things around you). This is not a time to dismiss the feelings of being drawn in this way, but to tap in and see what could come from new discoveries.
Honoring the changes in the energies around you, within you, can help transition our bodies, minds, and spirits into this preparation/gathering/storing season that sits between the abundance of summer and the scarcity of winter. Trying out new practices, like yoga, meditation, or journaling, can help support our whole selves. Trying coaching, entering into therapy, or other personal development avenues are other ways to connect with our whole selves.
A simple way to play with the fall season uniquely is to begin a short daily self-reflection practice. I recommend journaling some notes down on your reflections, as there is something very special that happens in our brains and bodies when we write things down. We create new neurons and connect to an earlier time in our lives when we were young, more innocent, and curious. But even if you can’t find the time to jot brief notes down, you can do voice recordings, or simply spend time mentally reflecting on some questions.
I have a few suggested questions for you to help you get started:
• What am I grateful for during this season of transition?
• What has supported me in the past but might no longer serve me during this time?
• What do I need to prepare so I may feel ready for the winter?
• What do I need to let go of so I may relax more into being in the moment?
• How do I feel in my heart, in my body, as I think about the fall season?
• How can I honor those who have passed on but are still deep in my heart?
There are so many questions we can reflect on during this time of year. Play with these and many other reflections throughout the next 3 months and see what comes up for you. And please reach out if you would love more reflection questions or topics to explore. I am always happy to help support you!!!
And if you or anyone else in your life might be looking for deeper support, please consider reaching out to see if coaching might be a good fit for you at this time. You can email me at tamra@innerdepthscoaching.com or schedule a free 30 min discovery call right on my website at Contact Me Here.
