Equinox

Every day, a few more leaves drift down from their branches to fall onto the earth below. Perhaps the most symbolistic sign of autumn, falling leaves signal a turning in the seasons and a shifting in nature’s mindset. It is no longer the summer mantra of creation and growth, but a quieter incantation of harvest and gathering. As squirrels and chipmunks tidy pinecones into mounds of food, humans are doing similar preparations. Canning foods, getting the home ready for colder weather, gathering firewood, collecting the garden’s last tomatoes. The autumn is a time of activity before winter brings its cold white shawl over the land.

The sun begins to slink lower and lower in the sky and darkness finds its way over the land as our days shorten with lessened light. The fall brings a coziness to the air and I find myself pertaining to more reading and rest. Pants, thick sweaters, and jackets are dusted off and become a trend again in the cooler air.

When asked what my favourite season was, I would typically answer spring and fall, the transitional seasons of the year. But now as the equinox came and went and autumn begins to strengthen as we travel farther into the year, I know for certain that this is my favourite. This prepping for winter brings a coziness to home and a feeling of slowing down and restfulness. Books, tea, blankets, cats on laps, warm soups – for me, this is a special time of comfort, warmth, and retreating into our homes.

The equinox is a time of transition and learning more about ourselves. Just as the bear begins to store on food and seek out a suitable den to rest for winter, we humans begin the journey to prepare for this time of introspection and looking within. We reap our projects that have come to fruition and take new ideas to the den, where over winter’s cold reign we nurse these thoughts into larger concepts like the bear looks after her cubs during hibernation. As spring comes we emerge from our homes with these ideas, now a bit larger and more solid than the mere inspiration that we brought into the den with us. As the bear raises her cubs, we raise our projects, working on them and bringing them into the light. And thus the cycle of sprouting, growing, harvesting, and composting begins.

Though it may seem as though fall is a time of dying, decomposing, and darkness, all elements that we conceive as scary or bad, those misconceptions are actually the things that provide life in spring. Without the leaves that settle at the bases of trees and plants, the forest wouldn’t be provided with nutrients that keep organisms alive through the cold months.

As we delve deeper into autumn, take the time to rest. It’s a crucial time to look after ourselves and our wellbeing, and create a safe space for our dreams and ideas that we may be taking into our den this winter.

Looking out the window of the school room at the yellow and orange leaves, my hands busily typing, I’m filled with contentedness. What better time than autumn to take a moment to see the beauty around us through the colourful changes occurring right outside our windows? Perhaps it would be wise for us all to take the time to notice these changes, whether it’s five minutes looking out the window or two hours in a forest. That’s the true message from the autumn equinox: be still, and notice.