autumnal shifts

When I used to live on the East coast, autumn was my favourite season. While I lived for the summers, the muggy humid days would start to become too much and I craved the crisp air, the colours on the leaves, the taste of the apples. I could never truly appreciate it fully though; it was marred with the impending doom of winter, another season I superficially loved, but also fell out of love with very quickly after the twinkle and cozy of the holidays were done.

Then I moved to LA where people could hear my eye roll when they’d tell me that “LA has seasons”. (I’ve since swallowed my ego whole and will be the first to utter at a newbie or visitor that LA, does, in fact, have seasons). The thing is that I now live the seasons. I feel myself shed something and move into an energetic shift that sure, is aided by changes in weather, food in season, daylight, but is embedded deeper inside of me - a becoming.

I dive pretty headfirst into the “living metaphor” of it all. Of the phases of a transition journey, gifting myself the permission and grace to move at a different pace than I might think I need to.

Back to autumn (and I’m so very ready for the heat wave upon heat wave to be over in LA), it still edges as my favourite of the seasons, though for nothing to do with pumpkin spice. It’s the way the leaves fall and change colours (yes, even in LA) and have me reflect on what I can shed, what I can let go of. It’s the way the sun is lower on the horizon and gives an entire different glow through barer branches or misty foggy skies. It is shorter days that make my introvert heart begin its recharge after the summer months. It is the joy that pumpkin patches and Halloween decorations brings joy to Sebi’s little heart.

But mostly, it’s the fact that winter does come next. No longer an impending doom. A time to slow down and retreat. To simplify and heal in darkness. For now, I’ll start by making the time to make stew, to sleep more, to watch the sunrise and sunset on hikes, and welcome in the changes in me and around me.

Book recommendations: Wintering by Katherine May and The Seven Circles: Indigenous teachings for living well