A Turn of Season

Fall (or Autumn) is one of my favourite seasons. It reminds me of open fires, the leaves start changing colours and I start to turn inward. The cooler weather inspires me to turn to my recipes of soup, stews and hot tea. I also love my fluffy slippers, jackets and playing like a child in the blanket of leaves that fertilize  the ground.

I am one of those whom love the cooler weather and get excited by the art that nature creates with golds, orange and reds reflecting on glassy water. Fall calls me to warmth and to prepare for the cold hand that winter often deals. As someone who is in touch with my body I still like to keep active although the idea of venturing outdoors as temperatures plummet, seem less likely. I turn to other ways to nourish myself. I am a bit of a gym junky, although I like to create a yoga or meditation space indoors for variety.
The seasons of nature reflect the seasons of life, externally and internally. They also reflect the different phases that relationships move through and it offers a deeper sense of gratitude for the beautiful moments in life. Without the storms, I wouldn’t recognize the calm or see the value in the tempest. Even the challenging parts that often feel harsh, cold or uncaring, when I am ready to receive, the gifts are revealed. When the season turns to Fall, it feels natural for energy to shift inward. I feel that whether people are tuned in or not, there is an innate connection to what is happening in the environment. Self reflection is advantageous and there are most definitely moments when one is called to delve deeper into this. Often it requires quiet time, meditation or stillness because inside it may not always feel peaceful. When I feel the energy of Winter, it feels very still to me. The forest is quiet and things have slowed down. The months prior are for preparation and making sure there is enough nourishment to store away for the icy months.
Fall inspires me not only because I feel at home in the colder climates, it’s mostly because of it’s vibrancy. As an artist I love to play with different colours, shadow and light and the absence of colour. The contrasts are incredibly beautiful and inspiring. Although not all parts of the world experience below freezing temperatures, there is still a shift that ripples throughout the world.

The Colours of Fall

Red: Base Chakra - Grounding, connection to physical world, survival, life-force 
Red can symbolize several qualities including life-blood, stimulation, fire, intensity and passion. It is a vibrant colour, as is gold and yellow and unites one to the Earth. Although through the natural order of things, we are connected to the Earth, at times, this can wane or increase. Summer ignites fire and generally people emerge after winter excited about shedding heavier clothes and welcoming the sunshine. Conversely, Fall reminds me to dig deep into the ground, and connecting in a different way that resonates depth.
Actively doing things that inspire your passion keep you alive. I’m talking about a passionate and spiritual aliveness, where you wake up in the morning invigorated, excited and ready to dance.

Orange: Sacral Chakra - creativity and sensual expression, digestion, assimilation, abundance
Orange brings abundance and it stimulates affection, affinity and sensuality. Meditating on orange can bring harmony into one’s being. Creativity can be incredibly healing and can manifest in many ways. It shows us to adapt and learn to express ourselves in different ways. Experiment, move with the changes and be creative with what is present for you in your world.
Orange hues are deeply spiritual in some cultures - to some Saffron represents illumination and bringing light to darkness as well as community, belonging and bliss.

Bring pleasure and abundance into your world through creative means.

Gold/Yellow: Solar Plexus - empowerment, beauty, multi-dimensional, fun, joy and confidence
To me this colour prompts me to create more empowerment and increase joy in my life. I feel into what increases my self-worth and empowerment as a woman and what brings beauty into my world. I feel empowered when I eat healthy and nourishing foods, drink water, exercise. I feel empowered when I stand up for the innocent, know that who I am and what I do is of value and these things bring me joy and confidence.
There is still a sense of sunshine, the remanence of summer and nature starts painting gold through the leaves and fields. It reminds me to bring joy into the cooler months and stay connected to gratitude and to let go as all life is cyclical.

Green: Heart Chakra - wisdom, love, empathy, compassion, gateway, discernment
Green often symbolizes healing as well as love, and connection to the Heart Charka. The Heart is a doorway from the physical to the spiritual realms. It also represents the wisdom that you hold within your existence. Connecting to this essence allows original medicine to flow forth. Sharing your wisdom with humility, compassion and presence is a deep honour.

Discernment is an empowering quality - and sometimes compassion means letting go, other times it’s to hold space or be present for another. Knowing how or when the ‘right’ time to offer assistance can be delicate, although when someone asks it is clear! Bringing more compassion into one’s life develops a sense of freedom (for the self and others). The freedom for me lies in the release from being trapped from self-created chains and burdens (often in the form of emotions, beliefs and judgements, etc).

Adaptation
Adapt. Sometimes easier said than done. This is so I feel because of our attachment to something, someone or an outcome. I know that when I start believing that reality is a certain way, life is calling me to let go and surrender to not knowing. The change of the seasons prompt me to wake up and remind me that I am not in control, even though I may have slipped back into believing I am. The more I resist change or find myself wanting to control the more in fear I am. Fall allows me to carry the gift that change brings, and to flow more gracefully.
Nature to me reflects art, and that as an artist, there is ample room for expression. There are no rules as such and ultimately, creativity cannot be controlled, just like nature. Trying to control can cause great turmoil. Noticing when I am trying to control a situation is the first step - that moment of awareness is empowering. There is beauty in every season and a gift that is given unconditionally. There is a time for expansion, then a time for going inward and honouring the many adventures of existence.

© Laura Naomi  

Article written by Laura Naomi for: Crossroads Healing Magazine

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