Autumn is quietly arriving in my garden. Everything is still wonderfully green, but here and there, those little splashes of gold, orange and red are beginning to appear amongst the leaves. Some branches are still holding on to summer, while others have already begun their autumn transformation. And when I walk through the park, the squirrels are literally everywhere! Scurrying amongst the trees, searching, gathering and preparing for the colder months ahead.
I find myself watching these little changes with such fascination. There is no great announcement that one season has ended, and another has begun. No sudden turning of a switch…just a gradual shift in the rhythm of nature. And it has made me think about the changing seasons within our own lives.
Perhaps autumn has something to teach us about the importance of turning inwards — and recognising that this, too, is part of growing.
“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” John Muir
Nature Doesn’t Rush Her Transitions
We often expect change to happen in a straight line. We decide that something needs to change, and then we expect ourselves to move forwards, preferably without hesitation, uncertainty or a few unexpected detours! But nature doesn’t seem particularly concerned with our ideas about progress. One leaf turns golden while another remains green. One tree begins to shed its leaves while its neighbour still looks as though summer might continue forever. Each one responds to its own conditions and each to its own timing. Maybe we can learn something from that, because our inner transitions don’t happen all at once either.
We may recognise that an old way of living no longer feels right for us, yet we still find ourselves returning to familiar habits. We may feel excited about a new beginning while also grieving for something that we’re leaving behind. We may know that we need more rest, more quietness, or more space, while another part of us continues to insist that we should be doing more.
There can be room for both what has been and what is becoming.
We don’t have to rush ourselves through the changing colours of our lives. Sometimes the kindest thing we can do is acknowledge where we are, rather than demand that we should already be somewhere else.
Autumn Isn’t Only About Letting Go
Whenever we speak about autumn, we often hear about releasing. Letting go of…
- old beliefs.
- what no longer serves us.
- what we’ve outgrown.
And yes, there is wisdom in recognising when something is ready to fall away, but watching those busy little squirrels has reminded me of something equally important.
Autumn is also a season of gathering.
The squirrels aren’t spending their days worrying about what they’re losing. They’re preparing for what lies ahead and gathering what will sustain them. And maybe we can do the same. Not with acorns and hazelnuts – (the squirrels will be happy!)…but with things that we’ve discovered through our own experiences.
- The wisdom we’ve gained.
- The courage we’ve found.
- The moments when we stayed with ourselves through something difficult.
- The times we recognised an old pattern and responded a little differently.
- The relationships, practices and small pleasures that nourish us.
Sometimes we’re so focused on what we need to release that we forget to recognise what is worth keeping.
- What have you learned about yourself this year?
- What has helped you feel more connected, more grounded, more at home within yourself?
- What would you like to carry forward?
Not everything from our past is something to leave behind. Some things become the nourishment for our next season.
Don’t you imagine the leaves dream now how comfortable it will be to touch the earth instead of the nothingness of the air and the endless freshets of wind? Mary Oliver – Song of Autumn
From Outwards to Inwards
Spring and summer invite so much outward movement…
- Growing.
- Flowering.
- Reaching towards the light.
- Opening ourselves to the world.
…and there is something so beautiful about those seasons of expansion, yet we can’t remain in a constant state of outward growth. Nature doesn’t. And maybe we aren’t meant to either.
Yet we live in a world that encourages us to keep going, keep producing, keep improving and keep moving forwards. Even our own personal growth can become just another activity to manage. Another goal. Another thing we should be doing better. And when we finally begin to slow down, we often find ourselves feeling uncomfortable. Shouldn’t I…
- be doing something more?
- be making more progress?
- have achieved more by now?
But what if turning inwards isn’t a sign that we’ve stopped growing? What if turning inwards is an essential part of growth itself? A time to….
- listen rather than constantly respond.
- reflect rather than immediately act.
- notice what we’re feeling, what we need and what matters to us.
- reconnect with ourselves beneath the noise of everyday life.
Turning inwards doesn’t mean shutting ourselves away from the world. It doesn’t mean abandoning our responsibilities or withdrawing from the people we love. It simply means REmembering to include ourselves in the life we’re living. And sometimes that begins with something as ordinary as sitting quietly with a cup of tea, or walking under the trees, or noticing how our body feels before deciding what we need to do next.
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The Quiet Work Beneath the Surface
When I look at the trees in autumn, I’m reminded that so much of life happens beyond what we can see. As the leaves change colour and eventually fall, the trees continue their quieter inner processes. They respond to the changing light and temperature, conserve resources and prepare for the colder season. They haven’t stopped being alive simply because their branches are starting to let go of their leaves.
And perhaps there are seasons in our lives when our own growth becomes less visible too. When we’re not creating something new. When we’re not making great announcements. When we’re not achieving milestones that anyone else would recognise. Maybe we’re learning to…
- rest without feeling guilty.
- recognise when our bodies are asking us to slow down.
- listen to our own needs instead of automatically placing everyone else’s first.
- discover that we can make a mistake without turning against ourselves.
These changes may not look particularly impressive from the outside, but they can profoundly change our relationship with ourselves.
Not all growth produces something visible.
Sometimes it creates a little more space within us. A little more trust. A little more compassion. A greater willingness to stay in relationship with ourselves, even when life doesn’t unfold as we’d hoped. And that matters.
Can We Trust Our Own Seasons?
Perhaps one of the most difficult things about changing seasons is allowing ourselves to just be where we are without…
- comparing our pace with someone else’s.
- deciding that a quieter season means we’ve somehow fallen behind.
- demanding that we should feel differently.
May be we’re experiencing a season of energy and enthusiasm, or a season of grief and exhaustion. Perhaps we’re experiencing a season of uncertainty, a season of rebuilding, or a season when we’re beginning to hear our own voice more clearly. But whatever season we find ourselves in, the question isn’t…How can I get through this as quickly as possible?
The question is…How can I remain in relationship with myself while this season unfolds?
- What do I need?
- What is asking for my attention?
- What am I ready to release?
- What deserves to be gathered, cherished and carried forward?
We don’t always get to choose the season we’re living through, but we can learn to meet ourselves within it. Not perfectly. Not without difficult moments. But with a little more awareness, a little more patience and a lot more kindness to ourselves.
“Just keep going. No feeling is final.” by Rainer Maria Rilke
🍂 An Autumn REmembrance Ritual
I wanted to share this small ritual with you. You don’t need anything elaborate for it – maybe a warm cup of tea, a quiet moment beside a window, or a few minutes sitting beneath a tree.
Just spend a little time noticing the changes around you.
- The colours.
- The light.
- The movement of the leaves.
- The sounds of the season.
Then gently bring your attention towards yourself. Take a deep, conscious breath and consider these three invitations.
🍁 Releasing
Is there something I’ve been carrying that I no longer need to hold quite so tightly?
Maybe an expectation, an old story, or the belief that I must always be doing more.
🌰 Gathering
What have I learned, experienced or discovered that I would like to carry with me?
What has nourished me?
What has helped me feel more connected to myself?
🌳 Nourishing
What could support me during this season ahead?
- More rest?
- More time in nature?
- Gentler expectations?
- A little more space to listen within?
You don’t have to answer every question. You don’t have to turn your reflections into another list of things to accomplish. Simply notice what comes up and just allow that to be enough for today.
The Wisdom of Autumn
As I look out at my still-green garden, with its first touches of gold and red, I feel grateful for the quiet wisdom of this changing season. For the trees that don’t rush. For the squirrels that know when it’s time to gather. For the reminder that life moves in rhythms, not straight lines. And for the invitation to honour our own changing seasons.
Maybe autumn isn’t asking us to become less. Maybe she’s inviting us to REmember that we are more than what we produce, achieve or show to the world. That our roots deserve as much attention as our branches. That gathering can be just as important as releasing. And that even when life becomes quieter, something within us may still be growing.
We are not falling behind.
We are simply entering another season of BEcoming.
You might also be interested in this blogpost…When You Lose Yourself, Can You Find Your Way back Home?
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