Hello to Autumn!
Before we open our hearts to autumn, we say goodbye to summer.
What are some favorite memories of your summer this year?
As the days shorten and the air cools, many of us feel the shift in our bodies and hearts. Autumn invites us to slow down, to notice the cycles of change, and to reconnect with what sustains us. It is a season of harvest, of gratitude, and of returning to the elements that hold us through time.
The earth beneath our feet grounds us. We remember standing barefoot on the land, steady and supported, with roots that connect us to all life. Our bones, muscles, and tissues are earth as well, shaped from the food we eat and the ground we walk upon. Autumn reminds us of this deep connection, as leaves fall and return to the soil, becoming nourishment for new life.
Water flows within and around us. It moves as blood and tears, rivers and oceans, rain and mist. Water carries memory and emotion. It softens us when we are rigid and reminds us to flow with change. In autumn, we may feel the pull of grief or joy rising like waves, and water teaches us that every feeling has its place.
Fire warms us and fuels transformation. It burns in our digestive system, in our determination, and in the hearth that lights our home. As summer heat fades, we welcome fire in new ways, from the glow of candles to the blaze of autumn sunsets. Fire is both fierce and tender. It melts what has been frozen and clears what no longer serves us, making space for renewal.
Air moves through every breath, filling our lungs with life. We share this breath with trees, who give us oxygen as we return carbon dioxide. Air lifts us, lightens us, and offers freedom. Like a butterfly fluttering near, air carries reminders of safety, strength, and possibility. With each exhale, we release what is heavy. With each inhale, we receive the freshness of the moment.
All of this arises within space, the vast awareness that holds earth, water, fire, and air. Space is the great container of mystery. It is where ancestors and future generations meet. It is where stillness and movement intertwine. As we look up at the night sky in autumn, we glimpse this spaciousness in the stars and moon. Space reminds us that even in change and loss, we belong to something infinite and whole.
To fall in love with Mother Earth is to remember that we are part of this great web. We are not separate from the forest, the butterfly, the rivers, or the stars. Like the redwoods whose roots interlace through miles of soil, we too are connected, resilient, and sustained by unseen networks of support. We live in a cycle of giving and receiving, breathing in what the trees breathe out, drinking the same waters that have flowed for millennia.
This autumn, let us return to the elements. Let us bless the body that is earth and water, fire and air, held in space. Let us walk gently on the ground, breathe deeply with the trees, warm ourselves by the flame, and listen to the whisper of rivers and winds. In doing so, we remember that we are both strong and light, both rooted and free, both ancient and alive in this present moment.
Goodbye to Summer and Hello Autumn! Equinox Balance and Sacred Connection
Join me Monday September 22 6:30PM Eastern to celebrate and explore together. Here’s the link.
We are also meeting Monday through Thursday September 15 to 18th to explore our connection to Earth Mother through the elements. Details and links here.
Monday 15 Earth – Rooted in Belonging
Tuesday 16 Water – Flow and Emotional Presence
Wednesday 17 Fire – Transformation and Vitality
Thursday 18 Air – Breath and Spacious Awareness