As the wheel of the year turns once more, moving into autumn doesn’t mean that all the light has gone. Summer’s hazy glow often lingers, stretching spectral fingers over the colourful landscape. Reluctant to leave the earth completely, she adds a burnished brightness to the cooling days.
Autumn is not a harsh transition, but an aging of sorts, and a kind way for us to become acclimatized to the changes. The ecosystem slowly withdraws into itself and Mother Nature urges us to do the same, to take some time out to evaluate how far we have come and where we are heading next.
Peace in this environment is easily found in quiet moments snuggled beneath layers of fleecy blankets, or the stillness of a fresh autumn morning, as the mist slowly rises like the steam from a freshly poured mug of coffee. It is even discovered in a blast of breeze that whips at hair and pinches at cheeks—it is those “slap-in-the-face” reminders that tell us we are alive, we are vital, and we count. Peace isn’t always about being quiet. While it thrives in tranquility and chills in the heat of the midday sun, it can also exist in the harshest of environments, where it represents balance amid change, and the ability to go with the flow and release negative energy.
Sensory activity: A Blustery Walk
The key to this walk is to take your time. The length of the walk matters less than what you put into it. This is not a brisk walk; it’s a meander through nature. Experience the walk fully through each sense and you’ll feel a sense of wonder growing at the beauty of the world around you.
Step 1: Before you leave, wrap up and wear suitable footwear.
Step 2: Choose a location to walk and experience the elements, somewhere like a local park, the countryside, or even your own backyard. As you stroll, engage all your senses.
Step 3: Think about what you can see. Notice any changes, like the colour and consistency of the leaves. Draw in the view, as if you were gazing at a landscape portrait, and connect with the vibrant hues of the season.
Step 4: Listen. Pay attention to the sounds of nature: the rustle of tiny creatures in the undergrowth and the sound of dried leaves crunching beneath your feet.
Step 5: Engage your sense of smell and notice the musky aroma of the earth. Breathe deeply and let the taste of the air touch your tongue.
Step 6: Reach out and touch the bark of the trees, then gather a handful of leaves and let them fall through your fingers. Press each foot deep into the ground as you walk.
Step 7: Stop for a moment and check in with yourself. How do you feel right now? Recharged? At peace? Relaxed?
Step 8: As you continue your walk, look for a memento that you can keep, to remind you of this feeling. Something small that you can easily carry, like a pine cone, acorn, pretty stone, or colourful leaf, is perfect. When you get home, place the memento somewhere you can see it and be reminded of the sense of wonder you experienced.
This is from A Year of Inner Peace by Kirsten Riddle. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.