Autumn is nearly upon us and the cooler air brings such a refreshing feel to life. Some of us may be missing summer already and some of us may be relishing in the cooler days (like us Arizonans). It is the Harvest Season, ripe with the fruits of our labor and a time in which bright greens liven with the richness of reds and yellows.
Soon, nature begins to signal to us that it is a time to let that which no longer serves us to “fall away.” Trees begin to loose their leaves, exposing bare branches. Annuals begin to scatter their seeds and prepare to wither back into the Earth. Fall is a time for coming back to our roots and shedding away that which no longer serves us. We can begin to use the fall energy to move inward and ground into our being.
With the magic of this season in mind, I’ve put together some ideas for harnessing that fall energy in our lives.
Offer a gift of harvest to the earth
Mother Earth gives us so many blessings and we’ve just arrived at the other end of summer, hopefully with an abundance of gifts from our garden. If not your own garden, you certainly have seen abundance from farmer’s markets, grocery stores, or maybe from a friend’s garden, yes? It’s important to show our gratitude for all these gifts and one way we can do that is to make an offering back to the Earth. You can create an alter and make it as fancy or simple as you like, or you can simply set out a bowl of Milk, honey, berries, or other fruits and veggies. Perhaps you may want to light a candle and offer some words of gratitude as well.
Soak Up The Last Summer Sun
Soon the sun will sink lower into the horizon and the cold will be upon us. While you can, this is a wonderful time to catch some extra golden rays. Of course, it’s important to practice sun safety here, but sitting in the sun with as much skin exposed as you can and no sunscreen for a short period of time can give us some much needed Vitamin D. Here is a wonderful compilation of information for more on Sun Safety.
Walk Barefoot On The Earth
Just as the air will be getting colder, so will the Earth. Ground and root your spirit by taking off your shoes and socks and getting some “Earthing” energy by walking with your bare feet on the ground, or even laying on the ground for a while. Gaia is great at helping us to feel more rooted and stable. It’s not just woo woo, but scientifically shown that being in contact with the Earth positively affects our own electromagnetic state and reduces inflammation.
Release Your Stuck Energy To Gaia
As I said earlier, Autumn is the season of letting go. While you are Earthing, you can also energetically send the patterns, beliefs, and thoughts down through your body and into the Earth. Visualize these energies that are no longer serving you as a ball of light and give it to Gaia. Picture it traveling out of your body and down into the core of the Earth so that it can be transmuted. Or alternatively, you can whisper that which you wish to get rid of onto a feather or other biodegradable item and bury in the Earth to be released and transformed.
Create a Root Vegetable Stew
As Autumn is the time to get rooted, it’s also the perfect time to eat the roots of vegetables we have harvested (or purchased from the store too). I’m notoriously bad at following recipes, so when I make stew I usually just take what I have on hand and add it to a big pot of broth, add salt and spices that have a complimentary flavor profile, and let it simmer until cooked.
Some root vegetables for fall stews are: sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, parsnips, turnips, potatoes, onions, ginger, garlic, fennel, celeriac, turmeric, and rutabaga.
Bring On The Elderberries
Now is a wonderful time to bring elderberries into your life, for added immune support during the cooler months. Rich in antioxidants and biofalvinoids, Elder is adored the world-over. In our home, elderberry syrup and elderberry oxymels are a staple! We have experienced better resilience when temperatures plummet and sniffles abound!
Plant Garlic
Fall is typically when you plant garlic, depending on where you live. So if you have a space or even a pot, dig around in some soil and plant yourself some garlic for next year. The simple act of putting our hands in the soil can have a huge effect on our well-being.
Delight In Earth Tones
Why not surround yourself in colors of fall? Bring some beautiful oranges, reds, yellows, and browns inside your home. Wear them on your body. Maybe create a craft or art with Earth tones and place it somewhere visible in your home. You could even create an indoor Earth tone alter or table centerpiece.
Celebrate The Harvest Moon
In the Northern Hemisphere, the Harvest Moon is on Friday, September 13th. This is a powerful day because it signifies the celebration of the harvest, the darkening of the days, and at the same time 13 is the number of the Goddess. and divine feminine Feminine energy is that of the Earth, the soil, the womb, the dark, the night, the cold, the body, the moon. Many ancient mystery schools recognized 13 as the number of death and rebirth and the knowledge of life. So we have the energy of the feminine and the power of the harvest moon converging for powerful release and transformation!
Take A Moon Bath
Draw yourself a hot bath and add pink salt, sea salt, and/or epsom salts to help pull toxins from your body and wash away that which no longer serves you. You can add dried flowers or essential oils to the bath for the added pleasure. If you add essential oils, you can first mix them into your salt, with a little carrier oil, and then add to the bathtub. This makes sure the oils are evenly distributed and diluted so that they do not harm your skin. Soak for a while and imagine yourself immersed in the renewing glow of moonlight.
I hope this has given you some ideas to start with for your own self-care for ushering in fall. Do you have other ideas to suggest? I would love to hear them in the comments!
Happy Fall, Ya’ll!!
