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Autumn is a transition season. We’re moving from full heat (summer) to full cold (winter). During this time, we’re also moving from light to dark.
One way to think about this transition is that we’re moving from expansion towards contraction. This transition will ultimately take us back to expansion once again! (That’s how cycles work, so never fear!)
Those of us who love to bundle up and be cozy, love to lie down, who enjoy a warm beverage or bath and are maybe more on the introverted side of the scale might sigh with relief!
But those of us who prefer to be active, outside, social, and in the full sun, might be quite depressed and regretful about the waning of the light.
I offered a few ways to handle this transition in my last post.
But, today, I just want to remind us all that the contraction feeds, and is even necessary for, the expansion.
You can’t effectively expand/be active/move outwards into the world without first pulling into your center. The expansion of springtime and summer requires first a honing, a pulling back, an honest look inside at what you really want and how you want to live.
With this honest assessment in place and your needs and values identified, you’re safe to expand with integrity, when the time is right.
Autumn and winter offer us the ideal opportunity to reconnect with ourselves and to conserve energy for the next new cycle of the year, which begins in Chinese Medicine theory with the lunar new year in spring.
Autumn is an excellent time to pull back and to take stock, to invite yourself to do just a little bit less so that you have time for self-reflection and self-care. What can you let go of now, how can you keep your self-care simple, so that you have enough energy when the new year rolls around yet again?
If you’re feeling stuck in figuring out how to hone your life and your habits to best serve not only yourself but also the world around you, please know that I still offer 30-minute Telemedicine Self-Care Strategy Sessions on a HIPAA-compliant video chat for $45.
And of course there’s always acupuncture available to you. And therapy. And yoga. And journaling. And so many other wonderful supports.
Autumn invites us to sleep a little more, dream a little more, and pause to reflect.
What would you like to shift to hone your routine this autumn? Drop me a line and let me know. I’m always happy to hear from you.