And just like that, Autumn is here! The cool air, the smell of backyard bonfires, the twirling leaves as they fall from the trees, and the colors…all of the colors! It starts with the yellows of Goldenrod and the purples of Mistflower and New York Ironweed. Then our hardwood trees begin revealing their true colors in reds, yellows, and oranges. October can be a busy month for many of us and it can require some real intention to slow down and drink in the beauty that is taking place around us. What a gift we’ve been given to be able to experience this annual ritual of our natural world. This month I invite you to slow down and see the colors as they change around you and within as we experience the shift from Summer to Winter – Autumn.

CONNECTION EXERCISE:

Get outside! During the month of October, take a walk each week at the same spot along the water, your neighborhood, or just take a seat and look out your window (open it if you can to enjoy the fresh air!). Take your journal with you and write and/or draw your responses to these 3 questions each week: 

  1. What colors in the natural world are you drawn to this week? 
  2. What do they make you wonder about? 
  3. What changes do you notice in yourself this week? 

 Learn more about Fall and why trees change color https://thejamesriver.org/fall-is-here/