Bringing Mindfulness into Autumn

As the seasons change, so do we. Autumn is the season that teaches us that change can be beautiful. Let’s welcome the season, learning to slow down and appreciating what surrounds us. And, to ensure we’ll welcome Fall Equinox as our bodies need us to, here are 8 things you can do to make the most of the Full Moon Energy into October!

By Jennifer Dyer

@solymargoddess

Seasons are such a beautiful way to remind us of life’s ever-changing movement. With each season comes a new form of growth and transformation in our lives. We can utilise the energy of change in our own lives. We can also make the most of the energy’s tranquillity, harmony, and flow during this time by tapping into the timeless energy of the universe. Just like the universe isn’t in a hurry to grow a seed into a 20-foot oak tree, it’s also not in a hurry to keep you in constant action. It’s okay to slow down, to take up space, and to just simply be. 

By tapping into the change that autumn brings, we can feel the transition all around us. We feel fall in the air. We can smell the crisp leaves changing, pumpkin spice lattes at our local coffee shops and homemade, hearty meals being served after the kids hurry back from school. The change in weather, back to school season for students, leaves beginning to change colour and fall, birds and butterflies migrating south.

By slowing down, we see the beautiful remanence of summer and greet this new season of Autumn. By slowing down, we witness the little magical idiosyncrasies all around us, that most people will never see. Be open, be receptive, and be willing to slow down a little bit this autumn. Taking time to decompress is not selfish, it’s necessary. 

As the harvest moon draws near, signifying the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, not only is there a shift in the overall flow of life, and our seasons, but even a shift in our mindset. 

One thing that sets the Harvest Moon apart from other full moon names is that it’s not associated with a specific month, as the others are. Instead, the Harvest Moon relates to the timing of the autumn equinox, with the full Moon that occurs nearest to the equinox being the one to take on the name “Harvest Moon.” This means that the Harvest Moon can occur in either September or October, depending on how the lunar cycle lines up with the Gregorian calendar. 

This year the Harvest Moon will illuminate September 29. During equinoxes, the Sun exerts a stronger pull on the Earth than the rest of the year, because of the alignment between the Sun and the equator. Interestingly enough equinoxes are the only time when both the northern and southern hemispheres experience nearly equal amounts of daylight and darkness at all latitudes. Spiritually talking, the equinox has the ability to teach us many concepts. One is that light and darkness are equally important for our growth and is a perfect time for rebirth and renewal. Let us bring this full moon’s energy into October with us!

Legend about how the Autumn Equinox came to be 

One of the most famous myths regarding this time of year is the ancient Greek legend of Persephone, the daughter of Demeter — the Greek goddess of agriculture and the harvest. 

Hades, god of the underworld, got smitten with and abducted Persephone, taking her down to his realm to be his queen. Demeter became so distraught that she refused to use her powers to make plants grow, causing crops to die and people to starve. Zeus tried to intervene, but Hades tricked Persephone into eating six pomegranate seeds, obliging her to spend six months of the year in the underworld. So from that time forward at the autumn equinox, Persephone would go down into the underworld, during which time Demeter stopped giving life to all the plants. 

8 things you can do to make the most of the Full Moon Energy into October!

1. Meditating. Full moon meditations are a powerful way to tap into the luminous lunar energy and harness the energetic power of the moon’s light, bringing positivity and love into your new month! I always start my new month off by bringing focus and intention to what I loved last month, what I want to focus on more this upcoming month, and what I can let go of from the past month. Full moon or not, the beginning of the month is a perfect time to regroup your energy and refocus. Releasing whatever doesn’t serve you any longer and bringing a new set of alignment back on your path.
   
2. Cleanse your space with Sage. This is a great practice to cleanse your space. Also known as, “Safe Smudging”, is a practice used in Feng Shui and Native American traditions to clear out negative energy. Since feng shui is all about having a good “Chi” energy in your home, burning sage is one way to purify spaces and improve the flow of energy. My favourite brand is Satya Nag Champa White Sage Incenses, which are hand-rolled in India at the Satya Factory. It’s the best quality incense, and my favourite brand to buy!
   
3. Epson Salt Bath. The full moon has long been thought to have an impact on human health, so it makes perfect sense to take extra care of your well-being. Add 24 drops of your favourite essential oil to ¼ cup of Epsom salts or Himalayan salt to create a soak that brings purpose and aromatherapy to the experience. Dissolve the soak in the bath. I like to use frankincense, lavender, rose, geranium and balsam fir. While you are soaking in the tub, put on binaural beats, frequency sounds, a guided meditation or any audio that helps you to relax. You can also add to your experience by lighting candles or incense and adding some of your favourite dried flower petals into the tub!
   
4. Journaling. It’s important to journal all month long, but with the full moon comes a different kind of purpose to journal. Unlike traditional journaling, full moon journaling is about focusing on your internal experiences, reactions, and perceptions of the world during a very specific time of the month; on the full moon. It’s an opportunity to track one’s own movement and progress through life during this very specific lunar event. This is a perfect time to write down a list of all the things that have happened in your life in the last weeks and to think about what feels good and what doesn’t. What’s aligned with your energy and what hasn’t? Sitting back, reflecting and bringing the good energy you enjoyed along with you while leaving what no longer served you behind.

5. Clean & organise your house. The Full Moons asks us to cleanse our internal and external environments of any clutter. When cleaning your home, try to remember certain energy centres like clearing out the space around your front door to allow abundance to travel more effortlessly into your home or deep cleaning the oven to amplify prosperity for the lunar cycle ahead. Washing the bathroom, the floors, and windows, cleaning out your closets and junk drawers, reorganising and everything in between are great ways to use the full moon energy!
   
6. Find your community! There are more people out there who share the same mindset and interests as you, you just have to figure out that community! They will help you expand your growth. You can’t do all the healing alone, and it helps to have a truly supportive group beside you. Community is much more than belonging to something, it’s about doing something together that makes belonging better! 
   By the time this is published, I’d have joined a group of Yogis and healers on September 30th for a harvest moon day retreat here in metro Detroit, Michigan. I’m excited to go because at the vent there will be breath work, tai bodywork, trauma healing, meditation and yoga with so many like-minded beautiful healing souls in the community. 

7. Bring your yoga mat on your travels. Lastly, I would recommend packing a travel yoga mat everywhere you go! You can always take that out, which will help you create and hold space for yoga, meditation, stretching etc. 
   Practising restorative yoga or yin yoga is always a love note to yourself but especially during this symbolically energetic timeframe! Holding poses that are more in your feminine energy, stretching and releasing, surrendering our body and mind. Not intensive postures from a vinyasa or ashtanga practice, but more restorative postures like pigeon pose, easy pose, seated forward bend, cobra pose, fish pose, corpse pose, modified side plank/half moon, and low lunge with crescent. 
   Anything that will ground you, and anything heart-expansive as you are bringing this new energy into your aura for you now and in the months ahead as you enter into fall and winter. 
   
8. Breath work. Incorporating breath work as well into your practice all October long will help you in so many incredible ways. You’ll notice a boost in mood, a decrease in high blood pressure, a deepening of relaxation, improved alertness, focus, and memory and an increase in heart rate variability which is a metric associated with longevity, fitness, and mental health! I recommend the 4484 method! How to do it? First, inhale for a count of 4, and hold your breath for 4. Then exhale to a count of 8, and hold for the count of 4. Repeat for 5-10 cycles. This works magic, when you’re anxious or needing to rebalance yourself. I like to do this exercise multiple times a day, when I’m in my car, at the sauna, or even in bed before I go to sleep!

There is so much beauty to be had this month because of the powerful Harvest Moon that sets up our entry into the first week of October. 

To keep you mindful all October long, I also recommend you incorporate a few other rituals into your routine, and who knows, maybe you’ll even start incorporating these elements into your daily life. I’m going to touch on a few more specific recommendations like shadow work and breath work that will help keep your mind fulfilled and tranquil. 

If you are in the Northern Hemisphere, like most of us with the equinox being present, we are now losing minutes of sunlight and gaining moments of darkness each day. By incorporating shadow work into our everyday lives, I feel there is a deeper meaning and understanding.

The booklet “The Shadow-work Journal, a guide to integrate and transcend your shadows”, provides a clear and effective framework for exploring the hidden aspects of your psyche, known as the shadow, and transforming negative patterns into positive growth. 

Also, by practicing breath work throughout the day will help with stress management and remind you to stay in the present moment, as that is all we have. 

It is even more important to bring all of these concepts into play when traveling and on the go, even all year long. Take it from me, as I am an international traveler, living in Mexico and the USA, and a retired flight attendant. 

Taking time for yourself while on a vacation or business trip makes the adventure all that much better. And remember to always ground your energy when arriving at a new destination, by removing your shoes and touching Mother Earth will help your body neutralize and rebalance. 

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About the author 

If you are interested in any of the modalities I stated above, feel free to check out my website or email me directly at hola.jenniferdyer@gmail.com

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