How to use the seasons to gain flow in your life

Throughout the year animals and plants respond to the seasons.  

​In spring the sap rises in the trees, there is new growth, flowers, nesting, birthing of new life.   Everything is warming and expanding!   
Summer is hot and fully expanded.  Its a time to have fun, enjoy life and have plenty.  Autumn is cooling and condensing.  Everything is ripe and ready for harvest.   Food and nuts are gathered and stored, in readiness for winter.  The trees loose their leaves and animals make their winter home.  Winter is cold and contracted.   It is time to batten down the hatches and hibernate. To slow down, rest, contemplate and dream.

There is a natural flow of energy which we humans seem to be too busy to notice - for if we did we could definately harness it and use it for our betterment.

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How do we harness the energy of autumn?   Autumn is a time of gathering, storing, releasing and reflection.

On a practical level we harvest our crops, tidy up the garden, prune back the plants, secure the home in preparation for the winter months.  We would also get out the winter clothes and bedding, stack the wood and preserve our food.

Emotionally, autumn is the time to release hurts, grieve our losses and process emotional experiences.  We can only do this when all our physical needs are met (and this comes through the summer season).    A full harvest means that we can be satisfied with life, and when there is plenty, its easy to let go and release the past.    We can release the emotional charge from the past and keep the wisdom of the experiences we have had throughout the year.    

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Autumn is the time when we are naturally more sensitive.  To our environment - knowing the right time to harvest, being aware of the weather so our harvest doesn't get ruined, and there is a push to preserve and store our food.   We are emotionally more sensitive too, with the end of the warm summer weather there can be a slight feeling of grief that all the fun and play is over. Fortunately, we also naturally have a stronger sense of courage and honesty at this time, and a sense of pride.  This helps us to express ourselves and let the past go.    Having loving friends and family around us at this time is very helpful, so creating a gathering to celebrate this season is a wonderful way to feel supported.

In the past, we would have had a harvest festival at this time of year.   Most people are not aware of its deeper meaning, so I will share with you some of the benefits of it.   

• Its a wonderful time to celebrate our abundance:  all the food (harvest), the warmth of the summer, our friends and family.  Honestly in New Zealand, we really do have so MUCH!
• Its a time to let go of the past: at a gathering, absent friends are missed and there is talk of them.   And as I said above, when there is plenty and we feel satisfied with life its easier to let go of past hurts and to move on
• A sense of community is strengthened (there is nothing like a good party):  and this can be important when a group of people face the winter months ahead
• The festival also brings a feeling of "belonging" to each individual in a group.  There are so many activities that can create a sense of belonging - preparing food, storing the harvest, garlands, laying tables, setting up the festival site. It reminds us that we are here not just for ourselves but for others too

A harvest festival is an annual celebration and that occurs around the time of the main harvest of a given region. Harvest festivals typically feature feasting, both family and public, with foods that are drawn from crops that come to maturity around the time of the festival. Ample food and freedom from the necessity to work in the fields are two central features of harvest festivals: eating, merriment, contests, music and romance are common features of harvest festivals around the world. - Wikipedia

• People put on their favourite clothes and bring out their finery (i.e. cutlery, dinner set, glasses) to share with everyone.   They have a sense of pride and everything gets a polish.    

Harvest festivals can be a small gathering of family and friends, a party, a celebration, a contest or a festival of great meaning - it all depends on the intention of the group.  It can be as serious, fun, playful or sacred as you like!    If you would like to learn how to create a festival, why not come to my course coming up this weekend (29th April - 1st May) Embody your Wild Nature.

When we reflect on our lives in Autumn, appreciate what we have and release what no longer serves us, then we become open to inspiration and vision which arrives in the winter.​
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