Greetings!
"The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance."
~Alan Watts
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September marks the beginning of fall, which I've always thought of as the season of new beginnings and change. Maybe because that's typically when school begins. But, it's also the month that in cooler climates leaves begin to fall from trees. (Out with the old and in with the new.) I like to view this as a metaphor for shedding the old and ushering in the new; it's about honoring life and death. Spiritual seekers often view fall as the letting go of the past and the welcoming in of the present. It's also a time of gratitude and inviting balance into our lives by focusing in on our body, mind, and spirit.
The falling of leaves where a tree gets down to its bareness can also be a reminder of losing a loved one. In the early stages of the grieving process, we might feel barren and lonely. It's also a reminder than life is impermanent.
This year, the fall equinox in North America falls on Saturday, September 23rd.The word equinox means equal night, which indicates that there are approximately 12-hour days and 12-hour nights. This is also the time to harvest, whether it's our gardens or the intentions we set at the beginning of 2023. We have a few months to contemplate what those intentions were and reflect on whether we were able to manifest them. If you made new year intentions, do you recall what they were and were you able to bring them to fruition?
