Off the Mat with/ Marcy: Autumn’s Invitation: The Beauty of Change

If you could choose just one favorite season, what would it be?  In my family, I think the answer would be Autumn. There's something about this time of year that makes me want to slow down, settle in, and welcome the familiar comforts of a new season.  It usually begins with lighting a pumpkin spice candle and switching out the summer seashells for autumn decor. My color palette gradually shifts from blue, lavender, and sage to smoky plum, soft gray, and touches of rust and chocolate brown.  The rooms feel warmer, cozier, more inviting. And somehow, so does my heart.

I find myself reaching for cookbooks, looking for new recipes using earthy ingredients and debuting the local harvest of butternut squash, pumpkins, and other seasonal favorites. I replenish my tea supply and look forward to making a pot of homemade soup.  There's the occasional fire, the pleasure of entertaining, and the simple joy of pulling on a sweatshirt before heading outside into the cooler air.  I love seeing the leaves change.  And perhaps that's what I love most about Autumn.  It reminds me that change can be beautiful.

Of course, change isn't always as simple as replacing seashells with pumpkins.  As we move through the seasons of life, change becomes more personal. Our bodies change. Our priorities shift. We begin paying closer attention to our health, our energy, and the choices we make each day.

I'm certainly discovering that in my own season of life.  I'm becoming more mindful of my bone health, navigating decisions about hormone therapy with my healthcare professional, and recognizing that some things my body once tolerated, like an occasional cocktail may no longer serve me in the same way.  I'm learning to listen more closely. Not necessarily because I want to change everything, but because I want to continue enjoying the life I've worked so hard to create.  Perhaps you've noticed changes in yourself, too.

Maybe you're discovering new interests, reconsidering old habits, or finding that what mattered ten or twenty years ago doesn't hold quite the same importance today.  And sometimes, even when we know a change would be good for us, letting go of the familiar can feel uncomfortable. But nature offers a gentle reminder.  The trees don't hold tightly to their summer leaves. As the days shorten, they begin preparing for the season ahead.

On our Autumn Yoga Hikes, I sometimes invite everyone to choose a fallen leaf and imagine writing something on it in invisible ink…a worry, an expectation, a habit, or a feeling they're ready to release.  We carry that leaf for part of our journey, noticing its shape, texture, and color. And when we're ready, we gently release it, returning it to the earth.

It's such a simple practice.  Yet there's something meaningful about giving ourselves permission to loosen our grip, even for a moment.  Perhaps we don't need to approach every change with resistance.  Perhaps we can meet this season with curiosity, compassion, and a willingness to discover what's next.  Because embracing change doesn't mean forgetting who we've been.  It means honoring who we're becoming.  And as the days grow shorter, I'm discovering my inner glow can grow brighter even as the sunlight begins to fade.  Maybe yours can, too.

🍂 Here’s an Autumn invitation,  I encourage you to take a walk outside.  Notice the changing colors, choose a fallen leaf, and consider what you'd like to release or welcome this season.

This Autumn, the Seasoned Life Book Club is reading The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us happier, Healthier and More Creative by Florence Williams.  A hybrid discussion will take place November 24th at 7pm.  You’re also welcome to join a free live or on-line yoga offerings at www.seasonedlifeyoga.com .  Or perhaps this season you need to just lie back and listen to an Autumn inspired Deep Rest Journey on the global wellness app Insight Timer or on my YouTube channel Relax Naturally. Whatever you choose, I hope you see the beauty of this changing season of life.

Until next time, Sweet Friend…….just breathe. 🍁