Welcome to September, the season of new stationery and fresh energy activation for the final months of the year!
I really love the transition into crisp, bright mornings and the feeling of calm and grounding returning to Cornwall after the busy summer.
September feels like there's space for me again - I restart my daily practices and feel inspired with my writing, all whilst still enjoying the warm weather and long evening light.
Although the change may not happen overnight, (as I acknowledged in my recent post on Instagram!) we can invite a steady transition in the ways we live and work this month.
'Back To School' Feeling
Even though it's been years since I was formally tied in with the academic calendar, I still get that refreshed back-to-school feeling in the Autumn. Despite the fact that I really didn't like secondary school, I do still have fond memories of stationery shopping and having clean, fresh books ready for the start of something new.
During September, I feel a sense of eager anticipation about the rest of the year to come. Though the second half of Winter can be challenging, the first weeks of Autumn would have been associated with abundance and plentifulness for those historically living in sync with the seasons. Think of Harvest Festivals, and the North American celebration of Thanksgiving. It's when the gentle build of Spring and the business of Summer all come to fruition.
Restoring Balance and Shifting Attention Inwards
This year the Autumn Equinox falls on the 23rd September, the day when the hours of light and dark are closest to being in perfect balance. Spiritual practices associated with this time of year will frequently follow a theme of self-reflection and the restoration of personal balance.
After the 'sun' orientated, extroverted energies of July and August, now is a time to welcome the guidance of the moon for slowing down and looking inwards. In practical terms, it's a good time to slow the pace and make plans for the next few months. We still have over a quarter of the year left, and I like to lean into structure to make the most of it (in contrast to my 'on the fly' attitude during the Summer!)
Slowing, Grounding and Learning
On a physical level, I know I need to slow down and rest at this time. I planned a very quiet last few days of August because I want to be able to step into September with fresh energy rather than feeling too depleted. I'm making time to sit and do nothing with my feet on dewy grass, or standing with my toes in the sea.
Although it's good to maintain some active movement across all the seasons, many of us will have a tendency to spend more time in stillness over the Autumn and Winter. Creative and thoughtful projects might replace the time we spent sea swims or sunbathing. September can be the beginning of incubation, working on things which might not fully bloom until next year.
Declaring Intention
Although the essence of these seasonal behaviours changes are tangible in the air, they often don't actually happen unless we approach them with intention. It would be easy to storm on through without adjusting our pace, because many of our modern systems don't fluctuate through the year like most living things do.
I love gathering groups together to acknowledge the changing seasons, as well as spending time in reflection by myself as a personal practice. This might be sitting with a big piece of paper and a set of coloured pens, freewriting diary pages, or making a vision board.
Hopefully this post has inspired you to do the same, whether that's individually or by joining me at one of my Autumn events:
I also have two spaces left for individual wellness coaching if you're ready to deeply connect with yourself and tune in to how you'd like to 'be' for the rest of this year.
Message me to find out more or book in your free discovery call. I'd also love to hear about any Autumnal rituals you practice, over on this linked Instagram post... it's always gorgeous to hear the ways that people mark new beginnings and carve out time for themselves.
Emily x