Here in Southern Califo
rnia the change of the seasons is more subtle than in other places. And yet as fall finally, ever so slightly, shows itself, there is a certain feeling of letting go and breathing in as if we have been holding our breath through the last month of the sweltering heat of the extended summer. The leaves quickly turn amazing colors just before the trees release them to float gently to the ground. There they gather with one another taking one last look around before moving on in the wind. In other places where fall unfolds more spectacularly, there is an exhilaration in the crisp, cool air that whispers a message of relief. It tells us this is a time of letting go, taking stock, pulling in a bit, and watching out for one another.
Fall is the friend that beckons you to…
Let go of things, ideas or habits that drain your energy. Nature shows us that this is a time for letting go of things we might be holding on to that are ready to float away. Worries, self imposed burdens, doubts or hurts that don’t serve us in anyway… It is time to let them go. Watch as they float to the ground and get swept away, and notice how much lighter and stronger you feel as you, like the trees, are readying yourself for rejuvenation.
Take Note of Your Harvest. This is the harvest time for all of the work you have done this year. Take note of what you know now that you did not know as the year began. Notice what you have accomplished, especially through trial and error and resilience. The goals we may have had in mind at the start, might only have paved the road to the insights and direction we really needed. It is not how much you made or amassed that matters, as much as what you learned about yourself, how you grew, and how you contributed to the world around you with your unique gifts.
Gather up Your Energy to Refresh and Reboot. Though there are still a few busy months left to this year, it is time to begin to power down your flurry of work, and focus on doing one thing at a time and doing it well. Go gently into the remainder of the year, take excellent care of yourself, breathe in and out deeply and refreshingly at least once an hour, eat to heal your body of inflammation, drink plenty of pure fresh water, and move around to energize your body. Get out into the daylight as much as possible to turn the lights on in your brain. We have longer nights now for a while, so feel free to turn in earlier if you can, and get some extra sleep.
Keep an eye out for those who are alone or suffering and do what you can for them. You don’t need to solve their problems or take on their burdens, just show them kindness and love them in the best ways you know how. If you can offer time and insight to someone who needs a good listener, be that. If you can make a meal for someone who is hungry, do that. If you can send a card or email to someone who needs encouragement, offer that. If you can offer money, however small or large, to someone who has lost everything, give that. Every little bit helps all of us.
Take time to be with friends and family who fill you with joy, and do the same for them. The holidays are coming soon along with wishes and plans to make them cheery. To experience this time with a sense of calm and contentedness, as much as possible let go of any expectations that might be dashed. Go into the season with gentleness and love in your heart, and do not put yourself in situations in which you feel chronically drained or unsettled, instead find people and situations that fill you with peace and joy.