Happy Fall Equinox!

September 22, 2022

Each year, I get more and more excited about the autumn. The long summer days were really fun for being able to cram a ton of fun into each day, but now it’s time to slow down and cozy up. I enjoy seeing the pumpkins and squash at the grocery store, and love the smell of pumpkin-spice in the air. This blog post is about how to support yourself this time of year. By tuning in to the natural rhythms of nature, we can be more in the flow of life. By positioning yourself within the flow of life, you will find yourself in the right place at the right time more often. The autumn is a season all about finding balance and reaching equilibrium. Feng Shui principles show us that the autumn is a time for things to start to contract and turn inward. This is the perfect time to gather your energy and re-center yourself. The element of metal governs the autumn time. The colors associated with metal are silver and white, so using these colors in the house or wearing them can help support your energy. Grief is the emotion that is associated with the metal element, so taking time to process grief, having jade close by, or using specific essential oil blends or flower essences can be particularly helpful this time of year. Foods associated with the metal element are daikon, garlic, and quality white vegetables, so incorporate those into your diet. Characteristics associated with metal are being organized, competitive, simplicity, communication, and having good boundaries. People who have a lot of metal in their Chinese astrological chart are usually highly disciplined. If you’ve been wanting to establish new habits or practice creating healthy boundaries, this is definitely the time of year to do it! The rest of this blog post is filled with more ways to support your energy this time of year so that you can be as centered and organized as possible before heading into winter.

Slow down: Efficiency experts know that rushing and trying to do as much as possible is the opposite of what to do when you want to be more efficient. “Slow and steady wins the race” was always a motto I heard frequently when I used to work in production glass shops. By slowing down and doing things calmly, rather than with a haphazard attitude, you’re going to make fewer mistakes and won’t have to spend time re-doing your hard work. Get present and grounded by taking some slow, mindful walks in nature, and admire the beauty all around you.

Turn inward: Take time for yourself to assess how you’re doing. How is your body feeling? Do you need to schedule any bodywork appointments such as booking a massage, acupuncture visit, or chiropractic adjustment? Would it benefit you to schedule a yoga class into your routine? What’s the dominant emotion in your emotional field? Are you overly stressed? Do you need to release the feeling of needing to control outcomes that are beyond your control? What goals are you working towards? Do you need to adjust your expectations for yourself? Block out some quiet time for yourself so that you can get grounded.

Let go: Managing the inventory of a home is a major task. Make space for what’s next in your life by decluttering so that you have less to clean and keep track of. Simplify your daily to-dos by giving away things that you no longer need or want. By letting go of physical items, you’ll naturally find it easier to let go of past hurts and resentments so that you can enjoy the present moment.

Do less: As much as I love to be productive and teach my productivity hacks to anyone who will listen, the nudge from the universe this time of year is to DO LESS! Practice your boundaries and get comfortable with saying no and removing items from both your to-do list and your calendar. In addition to setting boundaries verbally, learn to set energetic boundaries as well. Try imaging yourself encased in a giant globe of white light, one that is at least 10’ in diameter, that goes above you, behind you, below you, in front of you, and to each side.

Sleep more: When you get good quality sleep, your body and brain can process emotions. This is really important, because so much of daily struggles are a result of unprocessed emotions. I love wearing my Oura Ring so that I can see how much sleep I get every night. It’s helped me create the habit of going to bed on time. It’s amazing how much an extra hour of sleep each night over time really adds up to assisting cognitive and physical processes. However, if you’re oversleeping and can’t get out of bed all day, that’s not helpful for your emotional state. It’s important to find a good balance.

Snuggle with your loved ones: Enjoy the season and get cozy with your loved ones and/or pets. Snuggling is really great to increase oxytocin, the love hormone. By ramping up your oxytocin levels and fostering connection, you are less likely to succumb to addictive behaviors such as over shopping, over eating, and substance abuse. Oxytocin helps with the reward center of your brain, assists in memory, and helps you deal better with stress.

Manifest your desires: When you get your energy tuned into the natural flow of life, you’re in the prime spot to allow for your desires to come to fruition. Manifesting is a careful balance of taking inspired action, but releasing control of your expectations and relaxing. Write down your goals. Place visual imagery that reminds you of your goals in places that you will see frequently. Get your mood elevated. When you notice your mood dropping, learn how to get it elevated again without dismissing important emotions. Keep your energy genuinely happy as much as possible. Watch your dreams come true!

Want to read more about the autumn and metal element? Check out this blog post: Autumn Equinox, The Metal Element.