Fall: A Teacher of Change
“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. When I let go of what I have, I receive what I need.”
Delicious Autumn! I have always loved this season. When we look around, we can see something so magical about Fall that is reflected in nature, as change and transformation fill the air. Hues of golden leaves become brittle as they fall to the ground like a gift from the trees, while the amber sun blankets the sky in rays of gold and bronze. The days become colder and the crisp air, the kind that makes you feel alive when you breathe in, invites us to wear clothing that will keep us safe and warm. And don’t we love the satisfying crunch of a brittle leaf under foot? Sometimes I even find myself adjusting my gait to reach them when I take my early evening walks in my peaceful neighborhood with its tree-lined streets.
But nature has a wonderful way of combining the sublime with the practical. Fall represents transformation - personally as well as environmentally. Ancient cultures, science, and astrology have associated many aspects of this beautiful season to human life.
Symbolic associations serve as powerful reminders for us that Mother Nature has an incredible influence on our lives. During the autumnal equinox, day and night are of equal length – a perfect time to meditate on balance. It’s a season that inspires us to look inward, tune into our hearts, and listen to our inner voice. It’s a time to seek comfort in the midst of dropping temperatures and perhaps reflect as you watch the seasons change. We also tend to focus on our health by boosting our immunity through habits and nutrition. Ultimately, autumn doubles as practice for heightened awareness of yourself and your surroundings. One of Autumn’s best perks is that it gives us a chance to recognize and learn what makes us feel warm and safe. It is a season that can bring us inner calm.
This year in particular as I watch the leaves dance to the ground, and feel the temperature drop, I see more clearly than ever that autumn illustrates the beauty of letting go. The challenge of “letting go” is familiar to me. I am reminded of my lifelong struggle in relationships with fully expressing my needs to avoid making other people uncomfortable. There was a deeply rooted fear attached to the possibility of angering, hurting, or disappointing others which manifested in numerous ways, sometimes at the expense of my own health and happiness. It is why I often chose to dive into workaholic mode, though it offered a misleading sense of protection.
Autumn inspires me to reflect, understand, and let go of my fear of the unknown and my need to control the future. Letting go is one of the hardest, yet bravest things we can do. I often regarded letting go as failure or rejection. Yet, I recognized that resistance to change was stifling my creativity, passion, and growth. Then I discovered through personal work and exploration that staying in unhealthy relationships was triggered by and a response to childhood traumas. But that no longer needs to be my story. Now I know that the road to personal authenticity and ultimately, freedom, starts with asking the critical question, “Is this working for me?” By mindfully connecting to my intuition, and listening for my deepest truth, I can choose to “let go.”
Awareness is a non-critical, powerful, and amazing tool, and a truly beautiful way to bring about change in our lives. With awareness comes growth, expansion of the self, happiness, and mindfulness. Mindfulness leads to a keen awareness of the present, enabling us to experience each moment each day as it happens, quieting the noise in our minds, and allowing us to listen to and trust our intuition.
Letting go is perhaps the strongest lesson Autumn teaches us. As we observe and appreciate the changes in nature during this season, we can turn inward, engage in self-examination, and work to move past that which does not serve us. As nature changes and new growth appears on the trees and in the grass, so too with everything we personally leave behind, there is so much more for each of us waiting up ahead.
Fall is the end of many things, but it also represents beginnings and is a gateway to renewal. So enjoy the colors and smells, and delight in the crispy crunch of the withered leaves beneath your feet. Savor Autumn while it is here, for it will be many months before it makes its glorious and welcome return.