It is finally Fall here in the Northern hemisphere. Gone is the fast paced growth of Spring and Summer. We are down to the final days of harvesting, and putting away for Winter. The air is crisp,and cool as we enter the time of the trees. The trees are mostly ignored during the fast paced bustle of the gardening season, though we may occasionally appreciate them for their shade on a hot day, or a temporary refuge from a quick summer rain. Now their color changes bring them front and center in all their glory. The leaves are starting to drop, the sap is slowing, but the trees are still very much alive. Their songs are heard in the slightest rustle and creak of their branches, their energy low, constant and nurturing like a mother’s heartbeat felt from the womb.
As the days and nights grow cooler they shed what no longer serves them, as we should also do. It is a time of inward reflection, and preparation for a new seasons growth. A time of dreaming and scheming as my grandmother would say.
Make time for self care by taking a walk through the woods. You may want to bring a small journal or notebook with you. Clear your mind and focus on your senses. What do you see, smell, hear, taste? Find a tree that speaks to you and sit with it for awhile. Jot down any thoughts, and images that come to mind.
Now think about the things that no longer serve you. Before you start your journey home find a nearby leaf, write on the leaf anything you want to let go of. Crumple up the leaf, scatter it in the woods and leave it with the trees.