A couple of weeks ago, I headed outside to find a little something for the boys to work on for their nature journaling for the day. After looking around, trying to find something new for them to draw and journal, I noticed that some of my wildflowers had gone to seed, so I gathered some of the seed heads for the day’s lesson.
Now, this may not sound too exciting to you, but to me, it was inspiring. You see, I had planted those wildflowers from seed earlier in the spring, and here they were, going back to seed, completing a full cycle.
And if you know me at all, you’ll know that I stink at growing things, especially plants that are indoors and rely on me for food and water. I’m much better at planting things outside and letting nature keep them alive, which is the only reason these wildflowers survived, grew, and reproduced as I didn’t have anything to do with it!
Anyway, witnessing this whole life cycle completed from start to finish hit home and made me think about how seasons and cycles play a significant role in our lives whether we realize it or not.
Take the season of autumn that we’re in now. Autumn not only correlates with the physical parts of ourselves and our world but with the emotional and spiritual components as well.
Let me explain.
In the season of autumn, as far as the physical world is concerned, the leaves change colors and fall off the trees, the weather cools, we continue to prep for the cold months ahead, and our energy levels begin to slow.
Autumn also correlates to twilight in the cycle of a day. Twilight is just before night and is the time where we nourish ourselves with the last meal of the day and prepare for sleep.
The season of autumn also correlates with plant and human life cycles in that it’s a time where dead plants decay and nourish the soil for new plants in spring and the elderly share their wisdom, leaving a legacy or heritage behind for future generations.
When it comes to emotions and spirituality, autumn is a time where we find ourselves looking back over the past year (or our life so far). It is here that we begin to evaluate our beliefs and values, the gifts we’re leaving to others, our character, our priorities, and our accomplishments, trying to decide what to hold on to and what to let go of. It’s also a time when we consider our faith and how much of it we have or don’t have when it comes to the future and the unknown. Will we choose to be courageous, or will we be fearful of what’s ahead?
Doesn’t that paint a lovely picture? It’s incredible to me how a straightforward season can represent so many different parts of our lives? I think that’s why I’m such a big fan of seasonal living. Not only does it help you to narrow down one’s life in general and focus on some specific things for 2-3 months at a time, but it helps you to trust that once a full cycle of seasons is complete, you will be rested, nourished, and energized (and hopefully, feeling fulfilled and at peace as well).
I often wonder if my love for routines, lists, calendars, and seasons has to do with birth order or personality traits, or if it just boils down to how we as humans and our world were created to work.
Anyway, all that to say, this has got me thinking about the season of autumn, about planning, scheduling, routines, and how it all makes my life more linear. It’s also got me thinking about the kinds of things I would like to do to make the most of this season.
Soon, I’ll be sharing some seasonal living goals with you as well as several essential oil diffuser blends to make and use this season. Can’t wait!!
Until then, be sure to join my Seasonal Living Collective — a free resource library filled with seasonal goodies to help you live a bit more seasonally and naturally!