The “Ingathering” during the biblical times was celebrated in the autumn, this final harvest focused on gathering grapes, olives, and other late fruits at the end of the agricultural year. -United Church of God
Yesterday, the Autumn Equinox began. The balancing of light and dark. I feel it’s a reminder for us to begin to balance our work-play as with summer we can either be engrossed with too much of either one. We forget to slow down to play or do less playing and more work. It calls for balance as we shift in nature, we shift in spirit and in what we do. Autumn is the yellow light, the flashing red light and winter is STOP (but there is still life and slow working underneath the earth (and we are earth, too)). Nature isn’t abrubt in it’s change of season and neither are we. Even if something happens to change our whole world as we see it, we still need time to accliamte ourselves to change, transformation, evolution.
Autumn or Fall is harvest time. All that you have planted has manifested or is manifesting. So, I ask you again this year, what have you planted? And here is something I thought about after someone in a gardening group mentioned they were getting ready to plant their fall plants. I was like, “Wait, what? I can buy more plants?” (I’m still learning!) I don’t need more plants for the fall and it’s already hard on my body taking care of the flowers I have. But, spiritually and practically speaking, I thought we can also plant in the fall. We don’t have to think too far ahead. It’s like reflecting and seeing what new seeds of thoughts you can plant right now. What small habits or routine changes need to be made this fall. It can be as simple as I have to switch to a heavier moisturizer as the fall becomes more stable weather wise. Or it can be I head to the park to walk more in the fall and winter than I do in the summer. One or two things. Because fall is not about the hustle and bustle but, about the rustle and bustle of leaves falling away. Let things fall away.
It is about slowing down which is ironinc for me. This is the season where my corcheting business picks up. I am at the festivals and fairs. There are custom orders to be made. And since fall is my favorite time of the year, I come alive. It’s when I am outside enjoying myself the most. It’s also when I love to be home cozy and warm. Balance. Yes. Slowing down from all of the events of summer and an “IN-gathering of self”. Think of it as an inventory of what has occured this year in 2026 winter, spring and summer and how I responded/reacted while gathering my harvest (money, wisdom, insight, knowledge, etc.) and looking at my gains and losses. In the late fall and early winter, I will focus more on what I could have done better and what I may want to do next year. Meanwhile, I live in the NOW. And now is where I make the necessary adjustments for later reaping.
~Nikki
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