This chapter of our lives feels static in nature. We might feel as though we make strides in our personal stories each day, but as we bring our awareness to our collective narrative, we feel stuck. We move through the days, page by page, but somehow, it’s as though we have been rereading the same lines over and over again. The reality of recent times can feel much like a story without an ending. Unlike an author who carefully plans to leave their audience in the pleasurable suspense of a riveting cliffhanger, we have been abandoned to the same, perpetual plot. Our shared experiences are held in a waiting room that seems absent of time.
May we acknowledge that these feelings make sense for these times. Let us allow ourselves to recognize that it is perfectly OK to perceive this new reality as unchanging. May we trust that while the theme feels constant, shifts in energy are ever available to us. What better time to invite movement and to experience beginnings than a change in season? Seasonal change creates space to rebalance our systems. The opportunity to awaken a renewed sense of vitality and purpose is upon us. Here is to our seasonal cleanse.
Cleansing the Body
The body is not merely a vessel, carrying us around. The body holds wisdom. It has an intrinsic understanding of time.
Eating fruits and vegetables that are both in season and native to our environment helps ease our bodies into becoming acquainted with the changes of the here and now. Eating with the season provides proper nourishment and allows our internal systems to sync with natural shifts. We feel more connected when we fuel our bodies in accordance to the offerings of the season. Fall produce items that are New England grown include apples, pears, cranberries, pomegranates, potatoes, squash, brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes.
Adjusting our sleep cycles to align with the shifts in daylight is another subtle way to ease into the fall and cultivate energy from within. The days seem shorter as the sun sets earlier and rises later. With thoughtful planning, we can make the most of our days by preparing for rest as the sun sets. Setting an intention to wind down with the sun will position our physical energy with the patterns of daylight.
Embracing fall activities for natural movement is a beautiful way to match our physical needs and sensations with the energy of the season. Taking hikes amidst the foliage, picking pumpkins at a local farm, strolling through apple orchards, raking leaves (or jumping in them), decorating gourds, and ambling around a fall fair are just a few ways to connect the autumn months to motion.
Cleansing the Mind
Small, daily practices to cleanse the mind as we welcome the fall can alter our perceptions, foster creativity, and enhance feelings of joy and gratitude.
Setting intentions during meditation around themes of seasonal change guides us towards paths of awareness, acceptance, and fulfillment. Perhaps we wish to simply notice how the change in season has created tension or flow within. Perhaps we intend to embrace shifts on a moment-to-moment basis by gently reminding ourselves to accept change without judgement. Or perhaps we desire to commit ourselves towards new thoughts and perceptions that are conducive to mental well-being. Autumn themes of gratitude align our minds with the spirit of the season. Intention work and meditation practice can purify a cluttered mind during periods of adjustment and create space for new realities.
Honing in on our creative processes is an effective way to generate movement in stifled mental energy. Sometimes, it can be difficult to notice positive shifts when we feel stuck in a mundane cycle. Creating a seasonal playlist, journaling fall affirmations, writing a bucket-list of fall activities that bring joy, and designing an autumn vision board can stimulate a new sense of creativity as well as enhance our moods. We grow more connected to the natural shifts in energy when we allow the creative mind to run wild with the season.
Taking space and allowing the mind to recenter is an important part of any cleansing process, especially during seasonal change. Maybe we need to take a mindful break from technology or time away from social media to better reengage with the reality that surrounds us. Cutting ties with distractions that do not serve our mental faculties will have us feeling recharged upon our return. The grounding starts now.
Cleansing the Space
Sometimes, a purified space is exactly what we need to better tap into the body and the mind. Our sensory systems are powerful and impressionable. Feeling overwhelmed or unclear can be a direct by-product of sensory overload or imbalance.
Deeply cleaning our living spaces and mindfully rearranging our furniture can help release stagnant energy while lifting vibrations. Taking time to organize spaces like closets, drawers, and cabinets can bring a sense of clarity and calmness to both the nervous system and the home. Decluttering our living spaces by parting ways with unused objects and old clothing is another way to create openness and purify our surroundings. It can be a challenging task to let go of our belongings, even when we understand they serve us no purpose in the here and now or in the future. Practicing gratitude when releasing items or donating items to those in need can make these goodbyes easier on our hearts. Some ways we can practice gratitude during the release of our belongings include thanking our belongings for the lessons they brought, the joy they provided, and the purposes they served.
Introducing natural seasonal scents to our living spaces is a soothing experience to our senses. Fortunately for us, fall essential oils and scents are in abundance. Cinnamon, bergamot, cedarwood, clove, fir, ginger, sage, rosemary, sandalwood, vanilla, cypress, wild orange, and cassia set the tone for an autumn abode. Here are some cleansing concoctions our diffusers will love for the fall months to follow:
Cinnamon + clove + nutmeg
Cassia + clove + ginger
Cypress + white fir + sandalwood
Wild orange + cinnamon + ginger
Prompts to Keep in Mind
“What desires are arising in me in this current season of life?”
“This season, I am actively manifesting…”
“What parts of me or stories within me are asking to be seen and known during this season?”
“Things, ideas, and stories I’m ready to put down this season are…”
“What do I need to pick up or shift this season to be my most honest self?”
Be well,
Briana Shea, BA, BS
