On Autumn
“Fall is the season of harvest, a time to pull inward and gather together on all levels, a time to store up fuel, food, and warm clothing, a time to study and plan for the stillness of winter. Everything in nature contracts and moves its essence inward and downward. Leaves and fruit fall, seeds dry, the sap of trees goes into the roots. The earth’s grasses start to lose their deep green color, turning lighter and drier” (Pitchford, 2002, p.346).
Woven together softly, this excerpt is like a subtle invitation to listen, to observe, and to ease into living with the harvest season. As nature speaks through change, we can respond to what it says in how we tend to ourselves, nurture the present, and prepare for what has yet to come.
An important principle in Traditional Chinese Medicine is to follow the seasonal shifts. Through this, we can embrace what each of them asks of us, anticipate the impact that they can have on our health, and be intentional with our place in the environment, adjusting our lives accordingly.
With special regard for Autumn, this quote makes me think about the importance of slowing down, keeping warm, looking within, nourishing the body, and cultivating the resilience to withstand change as time goes on.
References
Pitchford, P. (2002). Healing with whole foods: Asian traditions and modern nutrition (3rd ed.). North Atlantic Books.
