Fall Into Autumn: Nurturing Mind, Body, and Spirit This Season
Welcome to Autumn Equinox, love!
Crispy leaves, pumpkin spice and apple picking is upon us.
But this time of year is also a cosmic nudge to embrace the shift to colder
and cozier days. There’s a certain beauty in syncing with the seasons. Not only does syncing with the world around us nourish our bodies, but we can also nourish our minds and hearts through using the energies that surround us. Nature is not separate from us. We come from nature.
We ARE nature.
Our cells are made up of the very things that make up the roots deep in the earth, the tips of the leaves and the bright stars that shine above us. So if we’re that similar to nature, why don’t we also move with the universal energies that are present throughout the change in seasons?
When you tap into the energy of the start of this Autumn season - what do you feel? Maybe we can feel an energy of slowing down through the chilly air around us, the gradual change of colors on the trees, furry animals prepping for winter and adding a few more layers to our wardrobe.
Nature is whispering to us to rest, reflect and reset after a busy and vibrant summer season. Think of the things that you set out to do at the beginning of the year or throughout the summer. Think back to the plans you made, goals you created and the ideas you got excited about.
How have we, ourselves, grown throughout the spring and summer months just like the living world around us? And since Autumn is the time for harvesting, how have our ideas grown, matured and became something we can see, feel and touch?
Mother Nature is encouraging you to reap your rewards, relish in your abundance and sink into gratitude. We have accomplished so much this year. How can we enjoy what we’ve created for ourselves, without feeling like we need to do more?
As Lao Tzu says, “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished”.
Did you know that when leaves fall, they decompose into the soil to give nutrients back to the same trees that they fell from? Just as we nourish our minds and hearts this season, we can also nourish our bodies.
There is a term used in the ancient healing system of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), called “Qi”. Qi is the vital life energy that circulates throughout our bodies and through every single one of our organ systems. Everything that we “ingest” (whether that be the food that we eat or the types of tv shows we watch) has a certain energy which can either deplete or improve our Qi.
How to improve our Qi throughout the Autumn Season
● Eat root vegetables like sweet potatoes, pumpkin and squash as they are nourishing for
the spleen and increase qi flow
● Eat warming foods: think hearty soups, stews, and warming spices like cinnamon and ginger
● Avoid cold foods such as smoothies and raw foods as this uses some of our Qi to warm up the cold food we ingest
Traditional Chinese Medicine also uses the Five Elements Theory to understand the relationship between different aspects of the body, nature, and the universe. Each element corresponds to specific organs, emotions, seasons, and other natural phenomena, creating an interconnected system that helps explain health, disease, and the flow of Qi within the body. This time of year is associated with the Earth element which symbolizes stability, nourishment and grounding. Connecting to the Earth element through movement, mindfulness and daily routines can also improve our Qi.
How to Connect with the Earth Element:
● Engaging in grounding practices like walking barefoot and spending time in nature
● Mindfulness activities like grounding meditations, mindful eating and breathing exercises
● Practice grounding Yoga poses such as mountain pose, child’s pose and tree pose
● Try Tai Chi or Qi Gong, which are ancient exercises to move Qi throughout the body
● Aromatherapy for connecting to the earth element: patchouli, vetiver and cedarwood for stability and grounding
● Focus on creating consistency and stability in daily life: stick to consistent meal times and sleep schedule
We also can’t forget about another aspect of our lives and our well-being that we can also re-evaluate as we transition to fall. Just as the trees shed their leaves to leave room for what’s coming in the next season - how can we let go of things in our lives in order to make room for new and better things?
Be like the trees and declutter in all areas of your life this Autumn. Re-evaluate relationships, projects and tasks that fill your time. Which ones are not in alignment with who you are anymore?
How can they shift so that they match the person that you are becoming?
It's okay to change. It’s okay to grow.
It’s literally in our nature.
- Tyrzah M.
Wholistic Health Intuitive & Practitioner