“fragile twigs/breaking off the scarlet papers/autumn wind” -Basho
The seasonal wheel has turned again, bringing those of us in the northern hemisphere into autumn once more. Although I admit Spring is my favorite season, Autumn certainly has its charms. Here in the Midwest USA there will be wonderful displays of leaves changing colors, crisp apples and pretty pumpkins, and sweater stashes to pull out. But before all that, the first sign for me of the transition from summer is how the light changes. It’s so dramatic I’m convinced I almost feel the Earth tilting into a new seasonal position.
This is when I feel most akin to my instinctual nature. I can imagine being a butterfly or bird and knowing its time to migrate – I, too, just somehow feel led to turn in different directions.
I have to be a bit careful because this is the time when I’m inclined to sign up for too many classes and plan too many things that outreach the amount of time available on my calendar. But what initially seems so exciting and useful and expansive can lead to overwhelm, so I try to apply the think-carefully-about-it-for-a-while-before-deciding rule.
At the turn of each season I always find it helpful to spend some time thinking about what I’d like. What is it I’d like to harvest this autumn? While I have some general ideas at the moment, mostly business related, one practice that always helps me focus and put things in perspective is a look at what I’ve done so far for the year – what my overall harvest has been. Doing these fairly regular to-date reviews really helps me see where my energy is going, what needs more attention, and what’s ready to be jettisoned even if I haven’t quite consciously admitted it yet.
Hopefully your autumn will be filled with many bright blessings and your harvest will be abundant. I’d love to hear what you’ve been growing.
It is, of course, spring in this neck of the woods. Yesterday we wandered around our garden and admired all the plants coming into bloom, putting out new shoots or spreading nicely over the earth. This is, of course, my husband’s work. So what am I growing? A painting to honour the Spring Equinox. I have no idea how it will turn out. It’s full of swirls at present but no colours. Time will tell. It’s the joy of the creative process to not rush, to wait for images and to exercise patience. And I guess patience is also what is required of gardens – to know that what you plant will grow in its own good time and reward you with the splendour of colours, growth and goodness.
I love your perspective Mo. I do believe that when we align ourselves with the rhythms in nature we are privy to much magic, both in what we observe externally and what we experience internally. I look forward to seeing the latest in your series of wonderful paintings. And happy Spring!