Letting Go: Lessons of Autumn

Hello September!

It is raining and finally feels like fall.  Nice to have a break from 106 degrees in South Texas. Before you know it, pumpkins will be out.  Fall is my favorite season.  

Lessons from Fall:

• Letting go 

Autumn reminds us of the importance of letting go. It shows us that within the cycle of life there comes a time to let go and release those things that no longer serve us. Human nature encourages us to hold tightly to things and yet Autumn shows us how to transition and surrender.

All too often we cling to the past, hold our wounds tightly and get fixed and locked down with certain habits or mindsets. All of these ultimately cause us more suffering. Life is happier and easier when we can flow, surrender and let go.

• AUTUMN ACTION:
  What…
• No longer serves you?
• Can you stop carrying?
• Is it time to let go of?
• Burdens can you release?

• Embrace change

Autumn reminds us of the impermanence of life. It reminds us that change is inevitable! You’d think we’d get the hang of dealing with change yet it brings with it such fear that we can go to extraordinary lengths to avoid it. Autumn shows us that far from shunning change, nature achieves this transition effortlessly.

Autumn shows us how to embrace change in glorious splendor. It reminds us to accept and flow with the change. Just like the falling leaves you have to let go in order to move forward, grow and heal. Periods of transition and change are often fraught with pain and crisis. But mindset is everything – if you can surrender to that change, trust the process, believe that the universe is working with you and that everything is happening for a reason then you can see your pain and accept change in a more comfortable setting. You can also sit in the knowledge that when the time is right you too will spring back to life and bloom again.

• AUTUMN ACTION:
  What change is taking place in your life right now? Is there anything that you should be changing and might have avoided? What do you need to do, what action would help you?

• The metaphor of healing

The four seasons are great metaphors on the process of pain and healing.  When life throws us into chaos we tumble into the change and transition of Autumn. When we are wounded and hurt we retreat and hunker down in the darkness of Winter. But there comes a time, just like Spring when we slowly start to re-emerge before the time comes when we finally lift our heads to the sun and emerge once again in the sunshine and laughter of Summer.

Wherever you are in this cycle try to surrender and flow with it. Trust that there is a process and journey to healing and rebirth. Healing is not linear; it has peaks and troughs, highs and lows. Know that hindsight will give you many answers and that one day you will be able to back at a difficult time in life with insight. Often our darkest hours are the reason we shine so brightly.

• AUTUMN ACTION:
  Where are you in this process? What action do you need to take to support yourself at this time?

• Delight in the detail

Autumn is a beautiful time and yet most of us go about our lives too busy and distracted to notice. Use this stunning season as a reminder to live more mindfully. To take a slower and more mindful pace to life and to notice the details. Pay attention to the colors of the sky, the falling leaves, the sound of frost beneath your feet. The birds whose songs still chirrup bright and clear. Wherever you live, make it a habit to notice the changes taking place in the natural world around you.

• AUTUMN ACTION:
  Make a point of noticing the details. Listen to the bird. Notice the colors. Use your senses to experience Autumn in a whole new way.