Hello, my dear one.
Welcome to another season! We have officially entered autumn, and this cycle of life ushers us gently into a time of quiet, of grounding, and of intuitive listening.
Mabon is the celebration of the autumn equinox. During this time, we honor the hard work from the last few months, give thanks for the harvest and the gifts of our labor, and relish in a time of rest, of clearing, and of preparing for winter. We also celebrate that sacred moment where light and dark are equal halves of a whole...and for those of us in the Northern hemisphere, we step into the half of the year in which we are more able to dive deep into the mysteries that are held in the more hidden parts of ourselves.
I love the experience of entering into this season. The cycles of nature, ever moving, dependable, and grounding in and of themselves, remind me to release control, and to stop fighting against the natural elements all around me.
And as we come into this season of celebrating the harvest and releasing what we no longer need, it can be an especially sacred time to practice grounding.
Autumn asks us to dig deep, be rooted, get quiet. The foods that are in season during this time reflect that—root vegetables are the stars of the show, and I strive to learn from what they can teach me. And the trees, as they create all of their delightful, colorful hues, remind me that endings and beginnings are all held within the same, beautiful cycle of living.
In the mundane, there is magic.
So, as we express gratitude for this new season of reflection, I wanted to offer a few simple grounding practices. These can be especially helpful to root yourself into this next phase of your sacred life and to celebrate the continual relationship you're forging with your body and the earth.
1. Learn from the trees
Because autumn reminds us to be rooted within ourselves, I like to learn from one of the best teachers: trees. To do this, simply spend some time outside near your favorite tree. Allow yourself the time and space to really embrace what this gentle giant shows us. Feel the strength of the trunk. Bask in the beautifully extended branches. And look at the roots, showing only part of themselves to us. Imagine how deep those roots go, how strong they are, how naturally they provide nourishment to the branches that extend toward the sky. And whenever you're feeling unrooted, imagine this tree. And imagine your own roots, sinking deep into the ground. Supporting you. Nourishing you. Ensuring you do not waver in your magic.
2. Celebrate the harvest
Enjoying lots of in-season foods can be such a magical way to honor autumn and the harvest it provides! Foods such as pumpkin, squash, corn, carrots, sweet potatoes, apples, and more can all be a delightful (and nutritious) way to ground ourselves in the current season and the way the earth nourishes us uniquely each phase of the journey. This can also be a helpful reunion with how our nourishment is a sacred way we align with both our outer and inner worlds.
3. Grounded breathing
However you can be comfortable (sitting, laying, etc.), find a good position for you and close your eyes. Take as long as you need to settle into your body. Breathe. Be in your body. Let your breath steady. Notice how it feels. As you breathe, feel the earth beneath you. Notice the strength and firmness of the ground beneath you. Feel that same grounded strength within your own body. As you breathe, trust your ability to get quiet, to listen, to intuitively respond. Be in this space as long as you need, as frequently as you need. Be rooted in the experience of truly being in your body.