Happy Fall everyone! Can we all agree that fall is one of the best seasons of the year? I mean, I strive to love all of the seasons the same and not play favorites, but after a hotter and smokier summer that I would have liked, the fresh air and crisp colors in the trees are more than welcome. To celebrate, my guides have some suggestions on how to welcome the fall equinox.
They (helpful as always) gave me a very useful list of things to do over the next few months before we all settle in for our long winter's nap.
I noticed after making the list that the items fall into three categories: ourselves, our homes and our gardens. So without further ado:
For Ourselves:
Get outside. My guides have literally been shouting this at me lately. I've been going for daily walks and they still don't think it's enough. So go. Get out there – enjoy that beautiful weather!
And while you're outside, take time to truly connect with the earth. Ask what it needs right now and how you can help.
Let go of summer gracefully. I don't need to be told twice this year. But that's not always the case. We love hanging onto those last warm days of summer, but as the seasonal shift arrives, it's time to let go of all of the things summer did or didn't bring to us this year and know that it will be back again sooner than we know.
For Our Homes:
I received an email today from The Nester about prepping for fall and it was the perfect message at the perfect time! She suggests subtracting a layer of summer before you start adding a layer of fall.
She means that literally of course, and my house could use some of that too. The flip flops by my front door are useless when I have socks on my feet every day but it made me think about what layers of summer are present in our energetic routines as well.
Prepare for change in your routines. Darker mornings and evenings definitely change my routines. It's harder to get out of bed when it's dark so I have a harder time sticking to my morning rituals. Plan for this change now – does your altar need a refresh? Maybe more candles to light in those dark times? Do you feel like you want to use different essential oils during the cooler months?
Spend some time subtracting the summer layers and prepare for the inevitable seasonal changes.
Plan gatherings and celebrations. Our little community becomes a very large, hectic community for the summer tourism season. Everyone is making the bulk of their annual income, hosting family and friends from out of town, and burning the candle at both ends. Fall is a time to wind down from the frenzy and reconnect with the people we've only seen in passing (or on social media) since spring.
But, without a little planning, a few more months can easily slip through our fingers. Take a few minutes now and look at the calendar. Pick a couple of dates to host a gathering or go on a group outing.
For Our Gardens:
Do a little cleanup. Now is the time to look around and see what needs your attention. Deadhead perennials, cut back dead branches on trees, put the vegetable garden to bed (or plant fall crops), add to the compost pile, and cut wood for winter.
Think about next year. Fall is a great time to work on next year's garden, believe it or not! Sow wildflower seeds (I will be!), plant perennials and trees (most are on sale now too) and get spring flowering bulbs in the ground.
It's also a good time to be planning new or expanded garden beds and cleaning and organizing your tools and seeds. Because I know I will want to inspect my seed collection in February to see what I want to order and it will be FREEZING COLD in the garage and I won't know where anything is and I'll spend an hour rummaging around with frozen fingers.
So, darn it Amy….organize your seeds and seed starting supplies now! (If this applies to you too, feel free to imagine me shouting your name instead of mine).
And the final tip from my guides for the fall season is to observe patterns. This applies to all seasons, but if you're not doing it yet, you can start now.
Watch the animals – what are they doing and when? When do the bug populations change? When is the first frost or snowfall and when do your trees hit peak fall color?
Note these things that are specific to your area on your calendar. If you do this consistently, you'll begin to know what is coming next in the natural world and when to expect it. It will also help you to connect more deeply to the environment you're a part of each and every day.
I'd love to hear from you about your traditions around how to welcome the fall equinox. Strangely, my guides never mentioned pumpkin spice anything!
