balancing light and dark
How do you feel about the changing season?
I find there is such an array of feelings about this time, some are welcoming the cooler temps as an opportunity to hunker down, get cozy, and rest more. Some are grieving the loss of sun-soaked days and the energy it gives, and I think many of us carry a mix of those feelings. I find fall a confusing time, nature is telling me to slow down, to let go, to balance, to pay attention to all my hard work and feast!
Our culture is telling us to get into a routine, take on more activities, get back into busy working rhythms.
I think I'm gonna listen to nature:)
In my spiritual reclamation journey I have found great comfort in cyclical wisdom, in connecting to our earth’s natural patterns, and what our ancestors have been noticing and practicing for centuries. Honouring these seasonal shifts has actually been a game changer for me. I used to have such stark and negative feelings about the winter, I absolutely hated that season. The impending darkness and cold would weigh so heavily on me. This fear of winter even meant that I couldn’t enjoy autumn, because autumn was leading us into the dreaded winter!!!
The past years I have been discovering spiritual practices and rituals that fit who I am becoming, that connect me with all aspects of myself; heart, body, and mind. Ceremonies that honour our relationship to the earth, and help us make sense of the transitions we sense in and around us.
We are beginning fall — a time of balance between light and dark. Equinox last week marked a time of year when the hours of night are equal to the hours of day. This is an invitation to balance, to notice what feels out of whack, to honour both light and dark in my life.
A season of harvest and feasting, a time to take stock of our resources, choosing what we plan to use, and what we maybe can begin to let go of.
I’ve made a list of rituals to partake in to honour this seasonal shift, and observe this moment in ourselves.
1. Meditate on Balancing light & dark: have a campfire with friends where you each share about gifts and difficulties, your feelings about the impending darkness , and intentions for how to keep the balance moving forward
2. Adorn your home with seasonal foliage, such as roses, apples, pinecones, gourds, leaves. Make your space into a sanctuary that sensually celebrates the season. I love adding cute little pumpkins to my porch window sill.
3. Be in nature. Visit your favourite body of water, park, farm, or hiking trail. If you have a garden, dedicate time to finish gathering the fruit or vegetables that are ready to be picked. Pay attention to the signs of physical shifting, what feelings come up for you?
4. Reflect: take a moment to enjoy your personal harvest. Relish whatever you’ve been working on, gathering, or bringing to fruition this year. Thank it. Share it with friends. Celebrate your works-in-progress and how far you’ve come.
5. Restore balance to your home. Clear your closets and junk drawers. Give away or sell anything that feels like extra weight. With equal hours of light and dark, this Equinox brings an opportunity to recalibrate inside and out.
6. Create a seasonal music playlist and have a dance party to celebrate autumn’s arrival and the varying feelings that come with it. I’m sharing my spotify autumn playlist below for inspiration
Rituals to help us honour this exact moment - the shifts that are happening in ourselves .
May this fall transition meets you gently and abundantly, and let me know if you tried any of the rituals! I’d love to hear from you.
-RH
