The Autumn Equinox is this coming Sunday, and with it one of our most profound and reflective transition times of the year. I'm definitely one of those individuals who needs the turning of the seasons–the annual journey through growth, decay, death, and rebirth to feel whole and complete. So, I always eagerly read posts and articles about these transition times. Yet, at this particular turn of the wheel, I find them falling flat for me, their suggestions and rituals lacking. Balance, harmony, journaling, relfection, all very wonderful and useful, of course. But nothing had real traction for me, this year until I saw these big bold words in a post from the Kripalu Center:
What brings you warmth?
This made me sit up and take notice. Warmth in my body, warmth in my soul. Cold constricts. And Fear constricts and blocks fhe flow of compassion. So, if we bring warmth, perhaps all can relax and we can move forward unconstricted. This is my new mantra this season.
I also sought poems that evoked autumn, generally a joyful task. But admittedly, most of these fell short for me this time, as well. I'm no stranger to flowery language and verbosity, as I've often been told! And yet, most that I read felt overly flourished–overly burdened–with curlicues and ribbons, making me feel heavy and burdened, as well. These are the only two that really moved me in all they were able to convey with such stark simplicity:
Late October
Only lovers
see the fall
a signal end to endings
a gruffish gesture alerting
those who will not be alarmed
that we begin to stop
in order to begin
again.
— Maya Angelou
November Night
Listen.
With faint dry sound,
Like steps of passing ghosts,
The leaves, frost-crisp'd, break from
the trees
And fall.
— Adelaide Crapsey
So, this autumn, I offer you warmth and simplicity. There will be an abundance of noise in our national environment this fall, cacophonous and deafening at times. So, I plan to just keep returning to these two things regardless of the storm around me: what brings me warmth? And how can I simplify even more? And I invite you to join me in this.