Changing of the season

Autumn officially begins Monday September 23, a day when both the northern and southern hemispheres experience equal amounts of daylight. The light for those of us in the north will now continue to slowly lessen day by day until the winter solstice.

Autumn is a spectacularly beautiful time of the year in the Ohio Valley with the changing colors of the trees, crystal blue sky days and crisp clear evenings illuminated by moon and stars. My favorite constellation Orion reappears and greets me in the southwestern sky, a happy reunion.

Autumn has always been bitter/sweet for me. Inevitably, autumn fades to winter. I am not a fan of the cold. My body temperature runs cool so when the temps start to dip, my hands get cold, muscles become tight, my inner fire dims a bit. (thank God for hot yoga and Reiki)

I’m taking a different approach to the fall season this year. Become more aligned with the natural world we’re a part of. Would you join me? I love summer. Summer is full of energy, and it’s warm. Two of the many reasons I love it so much. But fall comes, as writer Stephen Kings says, “kicking summer out on its ass sometime after mid-September.”

Autumn has its own unique energy. Fredrick Nietzsche called fall “the season of the soul.” This year, let’s be soulful together with it. Let’s connect with the leaves of the trees. Imitate them as they gradually change from shades of summer green to vibrant colors of reds, golds and yellows. Let’s shine our beautiful colors and celebrate the season. Wonder at the clear night sky with the stars in our eyes.

One last beautiful burst of energy and brightness before we gather up the courage to...finally…let…go. Then with a gentle rhythm, the back and forth sway of a soft autumn breeze, we slowly and gracefully float our way down to the earth. Once there, we sink deep into dark rich soil for nourishment during the winter months. Taking rest and preparing to sprout new again the spring.

“Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.” — Henry David Thoreau