 | …Autumn is a fine time for long talks in the evening, And having your friends and music handy. No use mourning about the summer’s leaving ‘Cause every season has her home and family… Casse Culver, “Good Old Dora”, 1976 |
Autumn Equinox, the time of equal light and darkness, came this year on September 22. Just as the moon waxes and wanes each month, so do our seasons. For the several million years we lived without calendars, people kept track of the seasons by watching the night sky and making note of plant and animal behavior, as well as changes in weather. They did not have our satellite-assisted weather predictors, but like our current day animal siblings, our ancestors rarely got caught completely by surprise.
In our 24/7/365 world, we have been taught to disregard these changes and rely on our technology. We can still go out by day and watch the wind blow, note the different light qualities as the sun arcs ever lower in our northern hemisphere skies, feel the dryness of the air, and watch the leaves colorfully let go of summer. I urge you to spend some time outside doing just these things. The more we relate to our constantly changing Conscious Universe, and see these changes reflected in our bodies, minds, and spirits, the more we take charge of our own resilience to disease, and the media induced climate of fear and grief.
Grief energizes this season. It’s time to let go of regrets, and stuff that simply clogs our closets (and our colon). Take inspiration from the colors all around us and breathe in some crisp, clean autumn air as the wind blows though tree tops bringing us all of their immune-boosting pheromones.
We’ve had another mind-boggling week as 2020 does her level best to wake us up to gifts we have taken for granted far too long. In addition to the national events, everyone has had grief-inducing personal issues. In my case, this season leapt into being as I lost a good friend from my high school days. I hugged my dog, Lulu*, for a 40-minute drive to the vet while she coped with the pain and anxiety of having a mouth full of quills. The day before our water pump in back of the house sprung a leak, letting us know – it’s time to close up camp and leave Torsey Pond until next spring. What events have triggered grief, gratitude, and inspiration for you as this season commences.
Tears cleanse our eyes and our spirits. Queue up a sad movie, or find your favorite tear-inducing passages in a beloved book. Look at photos of loved ones who have moved on. Have a good cry. Tears heal us.
Gratitude is a habit we build through practice. When we take a few minutes each day to count our blessings, no matter how small, we literally change our blood chemistry – starting with our neurotransmitters. Gratitude doesn’t cleanse the way tears do. It is no substitute for feeling the passing of life and opportunities. Instead gratitude builds a path through grief. The more we exercise it, the easier we find the journey.
Celebrate Autumn Equinox, with a cup of ginger-mint tea, a hot bowl of chili, your favorite sad movie. Spend time with friends and music. Celebrate the season’s passing and keep the Gratitude path well-travelled. Bumpy weather ahead.
*Lulu is fine now thanks to the good people at the Animal Emergency Clinic of Mid-Maine.
Grief energizes this season. It’s time to let go of regrets, and stuff that simply clogs our closets (and our colon). Take inspiration from the colors all around us and breathe in some crisp, clean autumn air as the wind blows though tree tops bringing us all of their immune-boosting pheromones.
We’ve had another mind-boggling week as 2020 does her level best to wake us up to gifts we have taken for granted far too long. In addition to the national events, everyone has had grief-inducing personal issues. In my case, this season leapt into being as I lost a good friend from my high school days. I hugged my dog, Lulu*, for a 40-minute drive to the vet while she coped with the pain and anxiety of having a mouth full of quills. The day before our water pump in back of the house sprung a leak, letting us know – it’s time to close up camp and leave Torsey Pond until next spring. What events have triggered grief, gratitude, and inspiration for you as this season commences.
Tears cleanse our eyes and our spirits. Queue up a sad movie, or find your favorite tear-inducing passages in a beloved book. Look at photos of loved ones who have moved on. Have a good cry. Tears heal us.
Gratitude is a habit we build through practice. When we take a few minutes each day to count our blessings, no matter how small, we literally change our blood chemistry – starting with our neurotransmitters. Gratitude doesn’t cleanse the way tears do. It is no substitute for feeling the passing of life and opportunities. Instead gratitude builds a path through grief. The more we exercise it, the easier we find the journey.
Celebrate Autumn Equinox, with a cup of ginger-mint tea, a hot bowl of chili, your favorite sad movie. Spend time with friends and music. Celebrate the season’s passing and keep the Gratitude path well-travelled. Bumpy weather ahead.
*Lulu is fine now thanks to the good people at the Animal Emergency Clinic of Mid-Maine.
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