The garden, in October, is a bit like the aftermath of a party.  Everywhere you look there are things to ‘tidy up’.  It is the end of the summer party and one of the most difficult adjustments in our year.  Difficult because we want to keep the party going, the exuberance, the colour, the ease of long warm days…..we see them disappearing as we turn towards Winter. 

In October we plant bulbs that will appear in Spring, and we look ahead, planning where we would like the Spring growth to be in relation to what already exists.  This is where we can take our cue for life.  As we settle down to longer nights and shorter days we can enjoy the rest that this time of year brings and gently plan for the appearance of Spring, without having to actually do anything very much. 

If you grow your own vegetables, now is the time for warming soups, bakes, stews, curries and risottos, using the abundance of tomatoes, courgettes, squashes, pumpkins, swedes etc.  The colours of yellow, orange and red start to appear in our trees and shrubs and the clear, crisp nights reveal the abundance of stars surrounding our Earth.  Our ‘Creativity and Sexuality’ and ‘Love’ blends are great at this time of year.  See our Choose your Blend page for details.

Here is a meditation to use if you find this particular transition, from Summer to Autumn, a difficult one.

Begin by making yourself comfortable.  Either lie down flat on your back, or sit upright with your back well supported.  Take a few deep breaths, right down into your abdomen and as you breathe out R E L A X and SMILE.  Let the out breath take away any tension, pain or discomfort held in your mind or body, just let this float away as you breathe out.  Breathing out, let your WHOLE body sink into the floor, bed, or chair………..

Listen now to what is around you, gently observing, not judging or naming.  Now gently bring your attention to your pelvic area and then to your chest and heart area.  How much ease do you feel in these areas of your body?  Do they feel energised or tired?  Full or lacking?  Strained or rested?  Listen carefully to your body, let it guide you as to what is best for you right now.  Do you need to rest, be more gentle with yourself, or are you ready for planning your Spring now?  Go with whatever comes up for you, let it be and pay attention.

Now as you breathe in, visualise or imagine, a beautiful warm orange light filling up your pelvic area then let it expand to surround your whole body.  Breathe normally and enjoy this orange colour surrounding you and in you.  Then visualise a clear, fresh spring green with a rose pink centre, filling up your heart and chest area.  Let this too expand to surround your whole body.  Take however long you want to with this visualisation and notice how you feel.  These colours can help you to feel balance at this time of year, and to allow your inner and outer worlds to shine.

When you are ready, gently open your eyes and slowly get up, stretch your arms, hands, legs and feet, and then continue your day.